Quality Controller at Work

Quilt Quality Controller here.

I've been working very hard today.

Hmmmm.

Yup - she's using the right threads.

Nice and comfy.

Definitely passes the test

Nice colour thread.

Goes very well with black don't you think?

This quilt has definitely got the paw of approval.

More soon.

Wordless Wednesday

Don't Mess With Me!

Liberated Round Robin - Round 3 and More

I'm been sewing up a storm here in the land of vin, pain et Boursin.

Weather is dreadful.  Stormy and wet.  However, mustn't complain as we desperately need the rain.

As you know, I've been despairing about this quilt.  I've ripped, sewn and ripped again.  It just wouldn't come together. After my last post I suddenly saw the light and have spent the last 48 hours in the sewing room creating a helluva a mess and having fun. The sewing machines don't think so - more on that in a later post.

So here we are - Liberated Round Robin Round 3 Rectangles.

It's roughly 46" x 46" and is covering up my Haunted Houses quilt.  There are another 2 rounds to go, the next one being published next Friday.  So I wonder how big this will be at the end?

I've been doing a tiny bit of stash building.  I've started fabric shopping on Etsy and found the lovely Julie of Stitchin' Stash. I had a credit card problem and couldn't use PayPal.  The French site doesn't like my UK card.  Anyway, she very kindly let me email her with the card details et voila! A few weeks later these gorgeous fabrics fell into my lap.

I love the skeleton lying on his back

and just love love love this 1950's style fabric by Alexander Henry.

Go and seek Julie out.  She's got some lovely fabrics.  Tell her Clare from France sent you.

While I was fabric shopping I was sussing out rulers at the same time.  I've been after the Easy Angle HST ruler for ages, but with the price of shipping from the US it sort of doubles up the price. Imagine my surprise when this also arrived a few weeks ago.

A gift from my lovely friend Irene.  She's such a sweetie.  Thanks Irene.

This will make you laugh.  The Old One is fascinated by it.  He thinks it will come in useful for woodworking and other "men stuff".  Oh yes?  It's been hidden away!

Then this came through the letter box last week.  Omnigrid 8.5" x 8.5".

My friend Pippa was having a spend up at Hancocks and asked if I wanted anything.  This is perfect for the Q4L blocks.  Exactly the right size!

Such lovely gifts and so useful.  Thank you both so very much.

To round off this rather long post.

Pipette.

She's turning in a beautiful and very affectionate cat.

I'm off into Périgueux to "faire les courses".  However, before I go can I ask one small favour of you?

A dear dear quilting friend has just lost her lovely husband.  Very unexpected.  Please keep the lovely Joyce and her family in your prayers and thoughts right now.

More soon.

Wordless Wednesday

They are going to their new home today and I get my sewing room back.

Wordless Wednesday

Fabric Fairies Pay a Visit

When we got back from our visit to the UK there was a huge box waiting for me and an envelope.

These were in the envelope.

Gorgeous Japanese fabrics.  Love the French ones.

And now for the Big Box.

Gorgeous pot holder - isn't it sweet.

Lots and lots of orphan blocks

and lots of black and white which is my current fad.

I've learnt that with 4 kittens in the house it's best to get everything bagged before it gets shredded!  My sewing room is in complete chaos.  As soon as I put everything up higher, the little monsters are up there before I can blink! This morning my collection of batik scraps - tiny little bits for starting the log cabins off - were on the floor!  Everything is covered in cat hair and there is dried cat food everywhere!

How come they can open doors, but their Mum can't.

This lot arrived before we left for the UK.  I was speechless!

Got to love those blues.

Not a good photo - sorry.  Had to get everything bagged up quick!

Not much else to show.  Sorry.  Too much happening here at the moment and can't settle down to anything.

I'm hoping 2 kittens are going tomorrow and another one on Monday.  Perhaps after then I can get my head together and finish the log cabins.  I've got a list a mile long.

I look like my Mum

Right - time to clean the litter tray and then to mow the lawn.

More soon.

Kitten Call

Take a long hard look.

They're going to new homes next week (I hope).

Beautiful Batiks

Was at the sewing machine all afternoon yesterday.

It's getting bigger by the day and I'm cutting more strips.  I'm thinking of doing a Freddy Moran and filling in with black and white to rest the eye.  It depends on how big it gets!

A lot of these fabrics came from Julie and Wanda sent me a few strips from  her precious batik stash.  It's still breaking my heart as batiks are scarce in France.

Hope I manage to find some in the UK.

Another kitty photo.

I reckon they'll be out of their cage by the end of today!

More soon.

Celebrating Em!

Yes, ok, I know!  Em holds all the copyright for celebrating, but it's about time someone celebrated her.

As you know, it was The Young One's 16th birthday a few weeks ago.

Don't look too closely.  We have a binding problem.

Anyway, later that day I received an email from Em asking for my address.   Woohoo!  Pressie's in the post.  I love receiving surprises.

Yesterday a little box was delivered, addressed to me.

Oh - do look!

 I think I'll keep the Starbucks's mug and T.Y.O can have the quilt :-)

Kitten photo call.

Daily Wrestling Match

Help!  Let Us Out!  NOW!

Mum's tail is the best toy ever!

More soon.

Photos!

I've been having some fun mucking about with the liberated log cabins and finally making inroads into the batik stash, although it's breaking my heart.  Some of them are so gorgeous!

There are lots more, but they're attached to the sewing machine at the moment, and I'm going to use these ones too.

Right - ok - these are what you've been waiting for.

This little one is the only one who has decided she/he is going to be a model when she/he grows up. The others are too busy beating each other up and trying to plan an escape route out of the cage.  I can't believe they are just over 4 weeks.  Time flies!

Mum is being really good, has finally stopped yelling the house down and being a fussy eater, putting on weight and looking good.

We are off to the UK Friday week for 2 weeks and luckily our neighbour has said she'll come in twice a day and look after them.  By the time we get back, 3 kittens should be ready to leave us and Mum can be spayed.

Oh, and Spring has finally sprung, hence lack of posts.  I've been mowing the lawn and The Old One and I have been gardening like crazy.

It looks as if the Wisteria is going to flower whilst we are away.

More soon.

Photo Call

Not brilliant as they are in a dark cupboard and I had to use the flash.

There are, believe it or not, 4.  Two grey, one black and one, which is underneath the others, sort of browny black.  In view of the colouring I think we have a black Burmese.

They are just over a week old and their eyes are beginning to open.  The one on the right opened its mouth just after I took this.

I'm itching to move them, as the cupboard is beginning to get very smelly, but Pipette is very possessive, even though she's yelling the house down!

She started again at 5.00am and hasn't stopped all day.  I'm hoping this is the peak.

More soon.

All Hell Has Broken Loose!

Ok - so we adopt a cat (well more of a kitten - only 18 months old).

She's "sterilized, tattoed and vaccinated".  Please note the quotes

She gets fatter and fatter.

4 weeks later we 4 kittens.

No.

Not sterilized.  Not tattoed.  Not vaccinated.

Kittens are doing fine.  Pippi Blackstocking (thanks Tonya) is a purrfick Mum.

Until 6.00 am this morning when the kittens are just over a week old.  Guess who comes into season and is yelling the house down?

Only 6 weeks to go until she can be "done" (very very heavy sigh).

I'm going to bed with a pillow over my head!

More soon.

Oh Poucette!

She's so black she seems to melt into the background.

She went outside yesterday.  Luckily she's not like the others and doesn't want to stray too far.

We are definitely not taking this one for walks.  Her spindly legs and delicate paws won't stand up to it.

More soon.