So I had to get out my step ladder.

So a few things fell out of the sewing cupboard yesterday, none of which tickled my fancy so I had to get out the step ladder and go a-rummaging.

This is one of 2 top shelves in my laundry. You can see why I'm so looking forward to my new sewing space (aka My Happy Place) and finishing off my unfinished projects. 

I have a few with possibilities but one stood out more than the others. Mainly because I HAVE to finish it in time for my nephew's (Master J) 10th birthday. In September. My first reaction is "no worries, you have plenty of time girlfriend!". My second reaction is "get real, you're only getting 2 hours of sewing in a week". So I take a deep breath and pull out what I need. 

6 jelly rolls of Jellies Solid Blue I got from Spotlight at half price. Yay! I love a good bargain. 

Luckily Master J loves blue. So I found some blue fabric in my stash....

....and plied through my books for some design ideas.   

I then had what turned out to be a very short discussion with Master J. So much for all that research! He was very clear on the design he wanted. Squares. Plain blue squares. But when I emailed him my version if blue squares he became very excited. 

Sorry for the fuzzy photo but you get the idea. 

So I set to thinking "yay for jelly rolls, not too much cutting involved. I'll be sewing in no time."  Wrong. I'm finding I need to "fix" each piece. This is the first time I've used jelly rolls and I was under the impression that they would be cut and ready for sewing. Did I just get a bad batch? Is Jellies brand renowned for poorly cut fabric? Are my pre-cut expectations just too high? Hmmmm. 

Anyway, here are the blocks so far. I've sewn up 4 of each of these. I've got at least another 5 different blocks to make and I need enough to make a double bed sized quilt. 

Im not sure if I want to line up the blocks so I have all straight lines or if I should offset each row to make it more interesting. A decision for later on I think. 

I'm thinking of incorporating the scraps in the backing. I have a few ideas floating around in the grey matter. I won't discuss this with Master J. Some things need to remain a surprise for a birthday don't you think?!

Happy sewing. 

Ness

Just a little bit crazy

Hmmmm, where to begin? Things have been just a little bit crazy here. What with my little L turning 2, continuing renovations and what seems like an eon of relentless scorching weather I just haven't had time to just sit down and take stock. So that's what I'm doing now. I should be working but I'm the only one here and I'm not about to tell!

So Little L turned 2 and I turned my hand to cake decorating. I made 2 practice cakes before finally being satisfied with the results.

Not bad for a first (or third if we're being technical) time. Suffice it to say that she loved it. She wore the antennae for the whole day and cheered herself on when we sang Happy Birthday. I think she is her own biggest fan!!

The renovations are continuing and J is working hard at getting things completed in time for the inspection and prior to him returning to school. Working on the studio and the garden simultaneously is not easy but neither is painting in 44C heat so we do what we can when we can and celebrate the victories no matter how small they are. 

A small victory!!

I have my first finish for the year. Olivia was very happy to have a name plate for her door. Here is a photo taken just before pressing and fixing and wrapping. I had to get the photo taken before all the natural light was gone. 

I used fabrics from my stash bought too long ago to recall where they came from. I used a blanket stitch around the flowers and a very small running stitch for "Olivia's Room". I particularly like the effect of the blanket stitch around the flowers though I do need more practice I must say. 

I decided not to quilt this as it started to look too busy. I toyed with a love heart stencil and even tried the flowers but it didn't look right. So after many takes and way too much reverse stitching I decided to just let it be. Sometimes simple is best. 

I fixed the fabric to a cork board trivet with PVA glue and a little help of a running stitch to keep the fabric even and tight. I sourced the trivets from Woolworths. They come in a pack of 2 for about $5. IKEA have them too for around the same price. 

I would love to say that this was all my idea but alas it wasn't. I saw a version of this on another's blog and can no longer find the name to give proper credit. If you know who it is please let me know so I can give credit where credit is due. 

Well, a small finish but a finish none the less. Next up.....let me see what falls out of the sewing cupboard when I open the doors. Eek.

Happy sewing. 

Ness.