Where did September go?

I have been absent from here for most of the month!  Can't believe it's gone already.  Work has been crazy busy, but I'm hopeful that the absolute worst is behind me now, and I'll get a bit more time to sew - maybe not!  I've got our Guild's quilt show coming up and I'm in charge of set up - plus I've got a challenge quilt to complete for it!  Ah - at least that will be a bit of sewing!  If you happen to be in the area, (Coquitlam, BC), the Blue Mountain Quilters Guild Quilt show is on October 16 & 17 - we've got about 150 quilts that will be on display. - would love to see you there!  For more info check here

I did manage to get a few swap postcards done

4x6ers Symbols theme - this one was tough!

and then these for a new Fabric Postcard swap I joined on Flickr - check it out here



Fabric Postcard Swap - Fall / Halloween theme

But really, a very slow month! I did work on a few other things, but I can't share them just yet as they are for swaps, or challenges. Next month!


A few weekends back when I went to Krista (Poppyprint's) retreat I did get some quilting done on my Christmas quilt, but I still have the outer border to do, and then I'll do a show & tell. I also played with a few more mug rugs - none of which I've actually completed yet - tsk tsk!

I hope you had a much more productive month than I did!

Happy Quilting!







there must have been a hurricane

how else to explain this?

and this

This is what my sewing area looked like last weekend - I swear, Hurricane Earl made a west coast detour!
I had reached the point - yeah, I know, it took a while - where I could no longer find what I needed, and the mess was too much, even for me.
So last weekend I buckled down and before you knew there was a floor

and even room to sew!

A quick trip to IKEA and I had a new bookshelf to help organize some of my crap fabulous fabrics and sewing tools.

Once I was semi organized again - as you can see, my neat isn't really that neat - I was able to do some more sewing, and as I wanted something quick, another mug rug was in my future.  Fun, fast and functional!



This weekend I'm going to an all day sewing retreat hosted by Krista over at Poppyprint.  I am so looking forward to this - spending a day quilting - not worrying about food or anything AND getting to meet some other quilting buddies - my idea of heaven!  Now I just have to sort out what to take - I'm sure there will be more than a couple of mug rugs in the mix, maybe a postcard or two, but I also have hopes of getting some quilting done on this

This picture was taken last January, and there this top has sat.  Christmas is approaching far too fast, and I want this one done!
Wish me luck!
Happy quilting!

it was supposed to be easy

a simple red curtain to go with the quilt I made for my nephew for Christmas last year. 

He had lived with blue butterflies for far too long, so as part of his Christmas present I told him and his mum that I would help them re-do his room.  We finally got around to that a couple of months ago, and up went some really cool checkerplate wallpaper, grey painted walls and chalkboard painted closet doors.  Much more appropriate for an 11 year old boy!

wall paper up, end wall still to be painted

Alex likes red, and thought it would be the perfect accent colour for his room.  We measured the window, I wrote it down.  Because he gets a lot of morning sun through his window, he wanted the curtain to blackout the light.  No problem, I picked up some blackout cloth, and another red IKEA sheet and some grommets.  Quick and easy, and I'd be done.
Sewed it all up, put the grommets in.  Hmmmm.  It doesn't look wide enough.  Okay, to avoid having a visible seam I'll just piece a strip using the leftovers from his quilt, and then add a red strip down the side.  Easy, and it makes it look a little more interesting.  Of course, it was a bit of a pain to have to add to the blackout fabric, but done, and off to my sister's.
I get an email.  The curtain is lovely, Alex loves it, but, ahhh, it's too short.  And, by the way, it's crooked, too!  What was I drinking that day??

too short and crooked - but it does block the light!

So back it came, with new measurements.  Today, after a major cleanup yesterday (more on that next time!) I tackled it.  Started by cutting off the offending crooked bottom.  Pulled out what was left of the quilt fabrics, and proceeded to piece another strip - this time to go across the bottom.  Pieced on what was left of the blackout fabric.  Hmmmm. Not enough to go right to the hem any more, but it will completely cover the window, so that's good.  Measured.  Measured again.  Pieced.  Measured.  Sewed it on. Measured.  Hemmed.  Measured.  Okay, this time I think we're good!

widened and lengthened - we're good!

Hung it up in the kitchen to get a picture.  Alright, it's definitely long enough, and it's definitely straight!  Now to get it back to my sister.  Hopefully redeem myself.  It sure wasn't nice to have Alex laughing at his poor Auntie Janet!
Have you had any projects lately that just have not gone as planned?

Happy quilting!