Warning New Year ahead!

So the world didn't end.

But it seems my blog did. Only 10 posts last year and compared to my early years that is pitiful to say the least. I have fallen out of writing. I did reread some of my older blogposts and they were funny, interesting and regular. Did I have a better life then, was it more interesting to write about? Nah, I just think life got busy and it seamed not so important to write about what I was doing, thinking etc... I'd rather be outside in the garden or upstairs in my sewing room sewing...

I will keep writing. Post a few pictures now and again. But it doesn't feel like it will go back to what it was before. And if it does, well, all the better eh?

At the moment I am staring out the big windows in our lounge realising it is a big yellow thing out there in the sky. It's not been out for ages and all of a sudden we get a clear blue sky day. So what am I doing inside. Bye bye!!

-18 anybody?

I didn't want to get out of bed this morning. I could feel it was really cold outside because it was chilly inside our house. We have such a crap heating in this house I cant believe they even put it in! Every time it gets below -17 the heating just ups and goes away. We got to get this sorted and change systems, I do not like getting up and feeling like you live in a cold store. Brrrrrrr! I got the portable heaters on while eating breakfast because there is no point in starting a fire since I am off out soon. To freeze some more! Only thing I don't like about winter is this.

Eire, fair and green

Oh it was lovely to be back in Dublin and Ireland. James did very well in his marathon, he improved his running time so much it was unbelievable! From running London Marathon in 2005 in 4.42 he now ran Dublin marathon in 3.17!! So very proud of him and it seems he is no worse for wear after it either managing to walk properly already...

Mary came to meet us and it was so nice to see her again. She hunted us down and made the journey back to the hotel so much better giving us a lift, I think Jamie was very thankful even though he said he didn't mind walking it back after the race. We spent a few days at Mary's, loving the views on our car tours and even managing to take a few pictures at Kinnity Castle and the surrounding forest. Even got the house building bug back again from seeing Mary's lovely new house that they added on to an old cottage.

Posting a few pictures from our trip

And finally one of Jamie that I managed to take before he had passed me!

My hero looking fresh at 10 miles.

Autumn recap

We had the first little flurry of snow today. Me and Jamie were walking back from the supermarket when we saw this very dark and low rolling cloud. I thought either it will pour with ice cold rain in a minute or if we are lucky it will snow. Thankfully it was snow but mixed in with it was hale. Which was no nice when the wind picked up so we had sideways hale pelting down on us mixed with a bit of snow. It didn't last long but now it has cleared up and gone clear and cold outside. All leaves are but gone after the chilly night we had. I stood watching a beautiful orange maple just across the street lose all its leaves when the sun rose. It took about 2 hours and there wasn't a leaf left on the tree, just a thick golden carpet on the ground left to be raked up. I do love autumn for all its color and the first frost covering everything with white sparkly crystals.

I am  on my second week of sick leave after my operation and I am getting to be a wee bit bored and frustrated that I can't do anything! I had an operation on my right hand, carpal tunnel syndrome, and am now supposed to really take it easy and not lift anything heavier then a milk carton with my right hand. It is tempting to do too much too soon since there now is very good progress and it doesn't hurt other then when I forget and do too much. Hopefully my sick leave (8 weeks) will be approved so I don't need to go back to work too early and mess everything up undoing the whole operation. I might have to do the same operation to my left hand as well as that one is showing the same symptoms. But that will have to be done later. I really want my right hand to be back as good as normal before doing my other one. You just don't think how much you do with your hands until you cant...

Sewing isn't happening at all at the  moment. But before the operation I did try out the Giant Dahlia template I bought in Birmingham and me and Mette also managed to try her Double Wedding ring rulers out. They were fun but frustrating at times since I am not used to sewing curves. But it turned out pretty round anyway and I have started to quilt it. I made a single row of rings as a table runner in Christmas colors, red, green and gold. I should be able to finish it before Christmas since it is simple quilting in the ditch. Haven't decided yet what I am going to do with my Giant dahlia mainly because the colorway doesn't 'sing' to me and inspire me to continue. Even though I thought the fabrics I chose would  work together, they didn't. Well almost did. I might take my seam ripper out and take the last petals off and see how that makes it look. A work in progress..

I've celebrated my 40th birthday as well this autumn. I don't think I feel any different then I did before. Bit more thoughtful  about life and how I want to be treated at work but that has been simmering in the background for quite a while now. We went out for dinner on the actual day with my mum and sister and her fiancée. It was lovely to just sit and talk and eat lovely food and then go back to mum's place for coffee and birthday cake. I am a bit overwhelmed by my presents though and slightly embarrassed I got so many. Is that odd? In among all the lovely gifts there is a greenhouse that will be delivered next week when we are in Ireland. My fool of a husband is going to run another marathon but cleverly he has chosen to do it in Dublin so we get to meet up with the fabulous Mary again! So looking forward of seeing her again and maybe this time there won't be any trips to the er in the middle of the night... ;)

Helloo..... ?

I know its been a long time since I wrote anything substantial but I just have had a very boring life. Work, sleep, eat is the main things that have been occupying my time recently. But at least I have managed to finish the two heart bargello quilts!!!! And I delivered them on Wednesday to my  client and got PAID! Well now they are finally out of my way so I can get going on other new stuff or finish some of my other projects that have been lingering in the background since I felt I really couldn't sew something of my own before the clients quilts were done.... They could have been done ages ago if it wasn't for my machine starting to behave very oddly when FMQ. It still isn't like it used to be and there are very poor response from the manufacturer Janome when I have complained. It all came back to me, ie it was user error even though it worked perfectly fine for the previous quilts I've made.... well it made me so mad I am never ever going to buy another machine from them. Ever. Sadly I will need to hang on to this one since it was a very VERY  nice Christmas present (cost a fortune as well) and try and work around the problems and issues.

We went to Birmingham and  The Festival of Quilts this year again.  But this time my friend and quilter companion Mette with husband tagged along. She was well impressed by it all and we had a super time looking around and buying fabric and rulers and notions. I took so many pictures of the quilt exhibit  and all the lovely quilts. There were so much to take in and a lot of inspiring quilts to look at my head is overflowing with ideas of what to do next.

Grumble..

THIS is what  I could see out my bedroom window this morning

It almost melted away during the day but as I type this it has started to snow again. Just got to see how much of it has come tomorrow morning. I thought I'd take a walk to the garden center tomorrow to see what new geraniums they have and also buy a few spuds for pregrowing inside. Got to get spring going even if the weather isn't playing nice

Sew or not to sew

My machine is back home. I got it back last Tuesday and tried it out a bit at the sewing course. It seamed to be working sewing straight anyway. But I am a bit apprehensive in trying it out more. What if it still mucks up when FMQ? I hate the thought of yet again battling my dealer. Every time I have had it sent away it comes back with a note of user error... But what is it I am doing so differently from before I cant understand. Nothings really changed, still the same thread the same quilt, I've changed needles so many times in case it was them that made it all go pear shaped it is costing a fortune in needles! I will have a test drive in the weekend when I am off from work and have more time and patience to figure it out. Plus I have signed up for a Janome help group on yahoo and have been going through all their advice and hints to what I can try out. But obviously it isn't only me having trouble with this machine. Makes you wonder why they started selling the Horizon so quickly if there are all these kinks and problems with it....

Home alone

So, what to do with yourself when home alone with a cold? I am still going to the quilting meeting tonight of course. Got to see if there is any news at all on my sewing machine! It will be very interesting to say the least to find out what is wrong this time around if any.... Lately it feels like they cant seem to find anything wrong with it so it has to be an user problem.. I am so sick and tired of this now I want to chuck it out the window so there will be a genuine user problem!!

I have been sewing a bit of other stuff with my old sewing machine. But oh how I do miss the option for free motion quilting or to have a few nice stitches to choose from when finishing a border or a binding. One of the things we did at the quilting course was a handbag. I made a very bright and springlike one first with loads of inside pockets. I liked the model but not the fact that the pockets end up on a different level on the outside so I went and made a more subtle one in black as well... Note that the side pockets on the black one are matching up better with the big main pockets. In the original pattern the pockets don't line up at all which I thought was a bit odd so changed it around for the second one.

First one, nice and bright with loads of pockets inside and out.

Second one, bit more muted and not so many pockets on the inside but a better match on the outside ones

I've also done a Serendipity quilt... You get two baby quilts from sewing one block together and cutting in a special way. I made mine with blues and a light yellow. I quite like it but have not finished them off yet. You can see the one that needs sewing together at the top.

Also Mette and me got into making small purses on one of our sewing weekends. This is what I've done so far. I quite like the blue and gold one, not so sure any more about the bright red button on the black one. But at the time that was what red button I had at home.

The last project that I started in the weekend was trying out the pattern called Texas Braid  from one of Bonnie Hunters books. It was just meant to be a little try out block to see if I liked it and if it was easy to sew....But look what's happened!
It sort of ... grew

It has been a while for me to post what I have been up to but this maybe has made up for the lack of posts.. :)

Sewing update

I have been busy sewing a bit on my old sewing machine. The Janome Horizon has been sent away since it started playing up sewing normally. The latest news is it could be the circuit board? After a sewing weekend with my friend Mette it started skipping stitches and the zigzag was all over the place. It didn't help changing needles or thread so off it went to my dealer with a note that I am getting very tired off this and want a new machine. And this is without even trying to FMQ. It is a very expensive sewing machine for just sewing straight I'll tell you....

I did finish some projects using my old machine and resolving to do some straight line quilting on a handbag and a tote I was working on just so I could finish them off. I must say the more the Janome is acting up the more I am impressed with my OLD Husqvarna Viking. It is a mechanical one with no chance of FMQ on it but it stitches beautifully and can cope with thickness without starting to skip stitches.... If I have the option at some point I will ask for my money back on the Janome and look into a different brand sewing machine because this is getting ridiculous! To top it off I read the latest sewing magazine from Janome in which they proud themselves on their excellent customer service.... I've never laughed so much!

Quilting

So... I tried out to quilt on the bargello heart and yet again the thread started to break. I am puzzled at what this is all about. It worked fine on the star table runner, It did quilt lovely and the thread didn't break once. When sitting there thinking I thought what if I turn over and quilt from the back since it is an over all pattern I am doing. So I did and quilted it without a hitch. Am now wondering if it is the backing giving me so much trouble. I have a fleece backing on both of the quilts but the one that quilted nicely the fleece is a softer and shorter fleece then the black one that is on this one. But still the center part of this quilt went together without a hitch so something must have happened to my machine but what? I really don't know what to do with it. I am going to quilt some more and then try it out on some other projects as well but if it still is fussing with other backings and batting then I will want a new machine.   But somehow I think that will be a huge struggle with my dealer, since she wasn't very helpful before.

Quilting yay...?

I tried my machine out and so far so good..... I will tackle the big beast tomorrow and see if it still is so far so good...

Here is what I finished today, quilted and bound in the same day, wow!

Keep your fingers crossed will you?

Quilting curse....

So much for saying it was going fine quilting the second heart quilt.... my machine started to act up again with the thread breaking and making a rough sound when sewing. After a lot of debating if there was something wrong with it with my dealer she finally decided to take it in and had a look at it! I got soooo frustrated she wasn't listening I cried in front of her in the end and only then did she say she would have a look at it! She had to send it away to be looked at by an authorized Janome repair center after she couldn't find what was wrong. When it came back 2 weeks ago and I was going to try it out at home the first thing that happened was that it said F2 error.... And no way was it going to quilt, it took 5 stitches or so before it went F2 error again in which case the only thing to do is to turn it off and on again. I just packed it up and went straight back with it saying I do not want to look at it until they have fixed what ever they messed up trying to fix it in the first place!!

2  weeks going and haven't heard anything from her about it yet. I am very disappointed with the machine, Janome Horizon 7700 and my dealer. I am thinking I want a new machine or my money back if it doesn't get resolved soon.

I at least managed to get the binding on and finished the first bargello heart quilt. So one down and the other one just have to wait until I get a working sewing machine.

Lists

I have several lists going on in my head at the moment. You know things needing attention or just wish lists for the house, garden, me, you name it. I just have to decide which list needs most attention and get on with it really.... sigh

It is slow progress at the moment in the quilting department. I am cursing at the last heart quilt not wanting to be quilted as I like it to be. The seam ripper has been in ample use and I have had a break from it because it was getting just too frustrating. But during the weekend I have finally picked it up and am finishing the last borders on it. Thankfully my client is very VERY understanding....

I've had a birthday in October and was given the most excellent birthday present! A quilting frame in which I can use my sewing machine! We saw the frame being demonstrated at the Birmingham Quilt Festival and I was in love. But I never thought I would get it as a present. I was more in the line thinking I'd save up and we make an order next time we went to the Quilt Festival! So now my sewing room is in a bit of disarray while I am trying to fit the new frame in and all my other necessities. I think I have found a solution to how to have it arranged but now all the fabric and other stuff has to be fitted into lesser space so that means refolding fabric and going through all the other stuff and see if it all is needed. But that is sort of fun, if you have the time to do it... which I wont have in a couple of days time when I am temping for Veronica full time again for 2 weeks. Got so tired last time I did it I barely managed to stay awake for the evening news! But it was more fun then my normal routine at work so am glad to get to do it.

Little Miss-Fix-it has left the building!

Yes, so if you have any trouble or problems and need a shoulder to cry on don't come my way to get them fixed and leave me to clean up the mess.
I have had enough!
I don't mind to help out if I can, but at the moment I have had my fill and am sick to the bone of solving everybody else's problems while no one seems to wonder or think that I might need a break or a friendly ear for my troubles. So look elsewhere for someone who cares!

Services will probably resume, but not for the foreseeable future anyway!

Festival of Quilts in pictures

Here are just a few of all the pictures I took from the festival of Quilts in Birmingham.

 This was elected Best in Show and I so do agree!

Think what you can do with this technique when using it in a dress....

This one was just amazing! And it had such a nice fall around the skirt..

Birmingham Festival of Quilts

Ok... I think I have found heaven!

I have never been to such a place as this Festival of Quilts, there is just sooo much to take in and to see and to buy there aren't enough hours it is open! We were there waiting outside for it to open but still we hardly managed to see everything before it closed, so thank the gods we have another day tomorrow!

I've already bought so much fabric but have my eyes set on more and I have seen a kit for a queen size quilt, but I've never sewn from a kit before so don't know if i would like it. But it is oh so tempting to buy it because both me and Jamie absolutely love it! It incorporates some applique which I have never done before but it looks a simple enough design, just some leaves scattered around the border. Talking about poor Jamie, he has been very well behaved and put up with a lot of carrying and standing waiting for me when I got into looking for fabric. Bless him he will have to do it all again tomorrow!

Lets see, there is still the whole quilt exhibition to see tomorrow and to take pictures of and then there are the second round of going around looking for more fabric and notions and maybe a new ruler and maybe a few books or patterns to be bought. I have seen a quilting frame I would like to buy to my machine, makes it a whole lot easier to free motion quilt and you don't need to invest in a longarm, even if that might be something I do in the future. There were a few other new crafts that I would like to try but I think it will have to wait for another time, just cant start another one plus all the other ones I am doing already!

I will post pictures later when we have access to Jamies parents computer with the little slot for the memory card.

Finally done the first one!

After all the trouble with the sewing machine and a lack of time for the spring frenzy in the garden I have finally managed to finish the first bargello heart quilt! And here it is all quilted, just got to put the binding on which I have all the material at home so that will go quickly.

 Very nice swirly pattern. A very fun one to do as well.

So now on to the next one!

Garden so far

Here at last are some pictures how the garden looks like this year. It is a lovely day so I am off out when I've posted theses

My flower arrangement at the door this year. I went very pink!

The new borders we did last year are bulking out very nicely

The new border by the street, putting peat blocks in place as to keep the soil from falling on to the lawn we are going to sow

We extended the veggie patch this year a bit and rounded it off, makes it easier for Jamie to cut the grass

A view from our deck

I just love this white peony! And the daisys I managed to sow from seed last year are really thriving. They got too tall though!

Rain rain rain

Sigh, when it rains it pours it seems. But maybe there will be a break in the weather today. It is looking promising outside now when the really dark clouds has rolled past and the sun is trying to get out. But I am not really complaining about all the rain we've had. It has been really good for the garden and all veg is now looking really healthy not to mention my spuds! They now look fully grown in height!

I am off to take my mum to a garden center, well me as well..... Jamie is working today so got to amuse myself somehow don't I? Well we also need a few more peat blocks for the new border we are doing at the front.

Veggies,veggies,veggies!

Yes, the garden is up and running. Spuds in the ground together with carrots, beetroot, dill, parsley, sugar snap peas, onions, leeks, runner beans, wax beans, broad beans sown inside so the fecking birds wont eat them all, squash plants on the go inside as well since it is a bit too chilly for them yet to go out.

New perennials have been planted in the new border by the hedge towards the street. All other borders weeded and I've already seen some things I want to move because they are getting crowded out and a shrub that needs replanting somewhere else since it doesn't like its current spot. Other then that all the new roses we planted last year seem to be coming along, not a single death yet this year but then the last winter we had wasn't all that harsh like the year before.

Have to measure for a trellis of some kind backing up to our new decking so I can plant my new clematis. Also got to decide what to do with the wild section. I like it being wild and rough but not when it gets over run by dandelions and that other pesky weed. We did cut back on it last year when I decided that the cats would lose their litter box, it was really smelling awful around the bushes, so I changed it around and added more lawn going in around the bushes. I am now thinking I might do the same on the other half and just keep a smaller part of it as a flower bed and pack as much ground covering plants in there as I can.

Generally all our plants are bulking out nicely and covering the ground so there hopefully wont be too much weeding for me to do. Since my hands seem to be deteriorating in strength quite considerably since last year I have to think of ways to make the garden easier to manage. But I don't want to resort to just having shrubs and lawn. Just have to crack on and get the borders separated from the ever creeping lawn with something nice like paving stones or a wooden plank or something similar so I don't need to do so much trimming of the verge, which I usually do by hand.

Sewing is put a bit on the back burner on nice days like today but I can happily report that the sewing machine from hell now is from heaven again and it is working out quite nicely. Got at least half of the first heart quilt free hand quilted and the thread doesn't snap every 5 cm any more, just the odd time when I am going too quickly over a thick layer of seams....