A little sewing, at last!

I have managed to get a little sewing done, not much but a little! I have completed another set of Sew Euro Bee an blocks. Not sure i will ever be caught up but just trying to not drown. Muchos apologies to my fellow members but I am trying, really.

Anyhoo, when I received this fabric I was not convinced of the plan but after cutting & stitching & seeing the original inspiration I am a convert. Just lovely, reminds me of sparkling water or diamond facets, can't wait to see the finished article.

I also needed to spruce up the spare bedroom with some colour so made up these cushions in some hand screen printed fabric from Prints Charming. Couple of hours & a finish, gotta love that!!! Cath & Kirsten from Prints Charming are both lovely, they have a range of fabric out with Free Spirit.

Check out my 50 pence @ car boot cane table, coat of paint works a treat!

 Gives a little pop of colour to an otherwise very white room. Now I am off to do a little baking & then maybe catch up on another set of blocks. Wish me luck!!

Loving what I do.

Lush x

Before the before, before & after

So I have been a very bad Bee member & am 3 months behind in my blocks but I kinda have a decent excuse I think.
The year started off calm & went to hectic in 0.3 seconds. 
New to me coffee truck delivered on 7 January. 
Unplanned trip to Oz took a 4 week chunk. 
Came home to sewing room looking like a storage facility. 
Started work the day after I arrived home. Been working 7 days a week ever since.
That pretty much sums it up. Here it is in pictures.

BEFORE THE BEFORE

BEFORE

See, there is a sewing machine in here, it's just impossible to get to it let alone use it!!

& AFTER

My cutting table

 Just ignore the pile of paperwork boxes, they still need to find a home. And I am not even going to go there about the stockpile of wadding behind those boxes. Yes I may need an intervention :)

 My ironing board & comfy chair. Almost obscured by the stuff for the eventual car boot. Not my exercise ball but those boxes.

All the pretties, back where they belong :)

 I am so lucky to have this space in which to create. Now I just have to carve out some time so I can justify this beautiful room. I started yesterday morning with one hour as soon as I woke. Seems to be this is the best time to exercise & create for me as it does not allow me to forget or get distracted by some other household task like cleaning or washing & gets the good stuff done. Like this blogging time.

I am so seriously loving what I do & especially with whom it is done.

Lush x

She's Here!!!!

She's here!! She's here!! She's here!! She's here!! She's here!! She's here!! She's here!! She's here!! She's here!! She's here!! She's here!! She's here!! She's here!! She's here!! She's here!! She's here!!

She is BEAUTIFUL!!!

I will be belly up to the sewing table for a while.  Pictures soon.

Loving her!!

Lush x

Sewing machine workshop

A few weekends ago, I went to a fantastic Ruth Jarman sewing machine workshop with the Marsh Quilters. It was designed to help you get to know your machine & I have to say it was fantastic for me & the problems I have been experiencing with Gretchen.

Ruth is so incredibly knowledgeable about all types of machines & as she is not trying to sell you one you get an unbiased view of the issues.

The upshot of her advice means that I will persevere with Gretchen for the time being but have a plan if she continues to misbehave.

Here is a block that was put together by some of the Marsh Quilters at our last Linus evening. It is a terrific way to use fabric strips from your stash or purchased jelly rolls.

I love the colours in this block & hope to make something similar at some stage. Yeah I know, more to add to the list LOL.

Doing what I love

Lush x

Loving what I do

Lush x

Busy, busy, busy.......

Just not on sewing LOL. I must admit I have not plugged Gretchen back in as I am busy but also cause I don't really want to know that I need a new machine :/

I know, I know, I will never know until I try. At least I have had other things taking my time so I can justify my reluctance. MUST try today though.

How do you know a fashion has crossed the line to a fad??

Ah, Steampunk! How could they have done this to you?? A chain store in Westfield no less??
They have removed all your gritty character & made you glitzy & mainstream!! How dare they!!
We mourn your co-opting, we will never accept this pitiful imitation of your excellence.

I have been busy designing & ordering my little Moo cards to take with me to the Fat Quarterly retreat in June. If you wish to order some of these cards, here is a link you can use to get a 10% discount on your first order & I get a little discount if I place another order.
I used the link from Susan via Helen. Thank you ladies, I have been meaning to get myself some of these for ages & 10% is more money for fabric.

I see that lots of people are involved in swaps for the retreat so I think I will need to take some swap items with me. I am thinking pin cushions or some such?? I will need a name badge too.

Mmmm, better get Gretchen up & running.

Loving what I do.

Lush x

A walk by the canals

Saturday saw us taking a walk by the canals, all the way from home to the Limehouse Marina & the shores of the Thames!! We estimated that we walked around 7 kilometres. Princess Daisy came with us and walked all the way with no complaints. Little trooper. The canal network is fantastic here & stretches for miles. There is a walkway or towpath along most & you can drop down to them from several points all along the route.

Lace curtains anyone? I'm a bit chuffed with the composition of this one :)

We sewers will fit a machine in anywhere! & at the side of the table was the dressmakers dummy LOL

Napping swans

The Clock Mill at 3 Mills

See the Prince & Princess Daisy??

Grapes of Wrath?? LOL

1700's architecture - love it!!

Princess Daisy decides to get the bus

Multiple modes of transport in this town - train, boat & foot!

Lovely old mooring posts & ropes

Teeny little plants

Brilliant colour!

The Thames!! Look at that light!!

The South Bank

Fantastic day with my love The Prince, wandering & discovering.

Do what you love!

Lush xox