Singing in the dead of night.

I've hummed and hawed for almost 2 weeks about how to write this post. How much to include. Should I write it at all. But at the end of the day this is my blog and I want to record this. So here goes.

This is my Beloved Wee granny. She will be 90 in April and she has terminal breast cancer.

 I mean, she's had it for 2 years (after kicking its arse 20 years ago) and it's only definitely terminal because they can't operate - her age and dicky heart both going against her. We've kinda been hoping that the various drugs would keep it at bay long enough for something else to kill her - you know, the dodgy heart or just nice and simple old age. Something non-painful. But just after Christmas she confessed her lump had gone a bit mental in the growth department and her specialist doctor chap sent her to the oncologist to see if he had any brainwaves. Radiotherapy was mentioned (yikes - that's a lot of travelling and long days from where we live) and a drug change. There's not much else they can do. My poor wee mum is a bit stressed about ....well, about everything just now. I worry more about her than Granny, if I'm totally honest.

Well, she saw the oncologist today. And the radiotherapy has been postponed slightly because the lump appears to have shrunk. They've not changed her drug yet. *blinks* Who knows what is going on there. She will say the power of prayer, I haven't a damn clue. But "Yay!" for whatever respite she gets given, right? So all fingers are crossed that the new drug will work its mutant-cell-bazookaing-wonderness and zap it even further. Negating totally the need for the therapy while making her more comfortable.

She obviously knew about the lump growth before Christmas and we all (the whole family) got a big swadge of cash each for our Christmas from her and Papa. I don't think I need to spell out her reasoning behind that, do I? I wanted to buy something meaningful and not (I can't believe I'm going to say this) fritter it away on trainers, hoodies and slogan tee shirts. And then Jo posted a link on Facebook to this jeweller and silversmith.

Her online catalogue is full of pretty little bits and pieces. But what really caught my eye was a blackbird on a nest pendant. One of Granny's favourite songs is the Beatles "Blackbird" - we used to sing it together when I was a teen - so it immediately struck a chord. But then I saw this chap.

 My Mum loves pearls, Granny loves daisies and my wee Chookie bird's favourite colour is turquoise. Is perfect, no?

I kinda failed on my first few attempts at photos. This one made me giggle, though. The parcel arrived one lunchtime when I'd run in from work and I totally match it. You can't see but even my specs are sea green.

So, here's to the power of prayer, wonder drugs, silver jewellery, the Beatles and precious old ladies. You know if my Mum reaches her age (please and thank you mister universe) I'll be 72. Heh. And fingers crossed for the next 8 weeks!

a house of makers

Oh, we've been a creative house this past few weeks!

 

I got my top for the Scrappy Trip Along finished. I debated long and hard about the merits of a 5x6 block arrangement versus a 6x6 one. The 5x6 won out in the end, partly because of its final use (a bed throw for my Mum) and partly coz it's that bit easier to quilt. I got fed up trying to get a decent indoor photo. Damn cats!

 So headed out into the (almost)snowy back garden where Chook did the photography honours. I think the indoor photo is a better representation of the colours. Even with the furry additions!

 

I've moved on to my scrappy strings (they WILL be finished this spring!) and thinking about my baby clothes quilt. Can anyone recommend a good with-texture almost-solid? You know what I mean - like a Moda cross weave or something. It has to white or just off white, though. I keep finding cream ones and they won't do.

 

What else has been getting made? Well spouse has been making a mess and some sweary words with his aptly monikered Mingin' the Mini. Needless to say the wee car is 10 times as rotten as he thought. Even the mechanical work has been a pig. He's getting a bit skunnered, I think. Poor man.

 

And Chookie has been sewing! She wanted to make "a wee quilt" but we think a pieced border and this will turn into a new cover for her favourite big floor cushion.

Jones has been making snorey noises. I love this faceplant photo! He's on Chookie's bed - his favourite sleeping spot. And he sleeps a lot.

 And the wee fella? Well he's been working on some growing (he's catching up Jones size wise) and this morning spent a good 15 minutes being mesmerised by the computer cursor.



Thanks to everyone who commented on the derby girl bag. I don't know where the last 10 days have gone and haven't replied to ANY of them - sorry. *hangs head in shame* But I read them all and was seriously puffed up with smugness. It's not often I'm super-pleased with something I've made but that was one of them.

the Derby Girl duffel

One of my oldest friends is a mad keen (or just plain mad) roller derby player. Her birthday is right after the festive season - today in fact - and back in November I spotted the most awesome "Derby Girls Rock" fabric on Spoonflower. I hadn't a clue what to do with it, I just knew it was perfect for her. In fact, right up til last week I didn't know what to do with it. I had a germ of an idea for some kind of bag but nothing was quite right. Zippy pouches are too small (even the big 'uns), the Amy Butler weekender was too big (thanks Laura for measuring yours!) and all the bigger-than-a-handbag patterns were too.....luggage-y. Then I stumbled upon a pattern for a duffel bag. It wasn't awfully good being all full of raw edges inside but I reckoned I could improve on it and add piping and stuff. Which I did.

It's cool, right?

The lining is nifty crowns (derby queen!) and I sandwiched compressed wadding inbetween layers to give it some shape without it going crispy with interfacing. I think I'd add an inside pocket if I was doing it again (which will never happen) but was juggling so many other mental alterations that my brain may have imploded figuring out the placement.

The webbing for the handles is from Seamstar but I didn't buy enough (doh!) so matched a locally-bought cotton up to where the handles aren't stitched. I actually prefer it like this so it was a happy accident! I had to make the damn piping, too, coz I couldn't get the width I wanted pre-made. *le sigh* How cool is that fabric, though?!

Friend was suitable delighted which is always incredibly gratifying and has left me bathing in the warm fuzzies. It got packed up and headed out the door with her to skate tonight! Always a rousing endorsement when people use the stuff you make!!

first makes of 2013

You may remember we (as a family) received the most fabulous parcel of goodies from Dolores just before Christmas amongst which were some super cute cuts of cat fabric. She suggested maybe Chook and I would make a quilt for the cats. Well. Jones has a favourite spot at the foot of our couch and he steals my quilt to lie on whenever it's in his vicinity. So it seemed like a no-brainer to make one for him. I also received the Material Obsessions book 2 from my parents for Christmas (Amazon wish lists are amazing, are they not?) and instantly loved this pattern.

 

I started cutting on Hogmanay, was piecing by the 2nd and sewing the binding on on the 6th (last Sunday) so it's been on the couch for a week and he loves it!

 

The centre of each star is some of the cat fabric (2 different designs) and the corner stones are the third. 

 

The backing is a length of Lotta Jansdotter - also from Dee - that was perfect. We've loads of fabric left so Temple will probably get his own, too. Although he much prefers a nice cosey lap to a quilt.

 

Ahem. Do you see the little cow peering in the background? That's Chook in her new beloved onesie.

 

Other new stuff. Well, I didspend ALL of yesterday making a new project. But it's a gift so I can't show you. Later in the week is fine, though! It's fair to say I am pleased as punch with how it has turned out, especially since I had to do some self-drafting and generally making it up as I went along and it is fab.

 

And I caved. I'm sure you will ALL have heard about the Scrappy Trip Along that has been taking the quilt blogaverse by storm. I thought it was lovely but was determined NOT to start another quilt until my Breakfast at Tiffany's strings was finished and my Baby Clothes quilt was started AND finished.  And then my Mum asked for a bed quilt for her birthday in May. A colourful quilt.

 

The method seemed easy enough and I rattled together a test block. It is a GREAT pattern to play with. Damn. I was hooked.

 

So, Tuesday evening was spent with 2 episodes of the Big Bang Theory and Dara O'Briain doing Skywatching Live and lots of scrap cutting. 180 strips in 4 hours, to be precise. I was slightly handicapped by a certain small, sooky cat in between my knees, though. Yes, I mean you, Temple.

 

 And here's where we were by Friday night. Not quite halfway but pretty good for a couple of nights work. I haven't used black or white (chocolate brown and cream are okay, though. They are reading very dark in this photo but that's coz it's very dark here all the time just now.) but anything with a smallish print was a go. I'm not usually as free with my colour choices as I have been here but I had seen a lot of other people's Around the World's lately and my favourites are the ones with no limit in their colours. It does help that I am not a fan of primary colours, though. I definitely have more muted tastes in fabric. And there's a LOT of green!

 

Right, I'm off. That ironing won't do itself *allows self daydream of auto-ironing clothes.* We've been to the beach today. Yes, in the sleet at 1C. Looking for driftwood for a cat tree. Saw lots. Couldn't actually get any coz we forgot to check the tides. Doh! So I am almost-thawed and really need to get on. Back to the beach next week early doors for the woody stuff. Laters!

 

Kuddly Kat Kwilt quilt deets:

pattern is Playground Days by Kathy Doughty (from Material Obsession Two)

fabrics are a mix with Kona Bone, Lotta Jansdotter backing and binding is err.....some cotton.

size is a weenie cat-sized 24 x 33in

Out-cooled by the kid.

Chookie had some Christmas money and decided she needed new clothes. Not toys. Clothes. Whoop!! So off to town we went to return an itchy gift cardigan and look for a hoodie and "comfy clothes." She did really well and got some leggings and a really pretty striped tunic dress swapped for the cardie in Zara. A cool deer t-shirt in H&M. And a toy with her leftover coinage. I treated her to an awesome cow onesie,  too.

This is my favourite outfit, though. Zara tee,  Blue Zoo jeans (ultra skinny!!) and a hoodless hoodie and beanie in H&M. The Converse she worshipped already. Picked by her and proudly snapped by me. I am definitely no longer the coolest person in our house. *g*

Not-so-smelly cat

I was reminded this morning that I never did share the Jones-in-the-tub photos. The back story is pretty self-explanatory. Bengal cats have a reputation as water lovers. I didn't really believe it. I mean, I thought maybe they wouldn't be as water-phobic as a lot of cats but loving it? C'mon. And then, of course, we got the kittens and whaddaya know. We couldn't turn a tap on without them both coming running to investigate and have a paddle.

Chook asked constantly the first few weeks "but what if one jumps in the bath?!" which I assured her wouldn't happen. They maybe like to dip their paws in but that's quite different from a full fledged swim. And then, in mid December, came the unforgettable words shouted from the bathroom.

"MUM!!! JONES IS IN THE BATH WITH ME!!!!!!"

 

The wee blighter was having a ball chasing bubbles and splashing his paws.

 

And then when she started splashing him he ducked right in up to his chin and started splashing back at her.

 

The only time he got disgruntled was when I fished him out. And Temple? He likes paddling; not so keen on the swimming. He was supervising Jones' dip, though, from the sidelines since our new bath has lovely wide flat bits for him to sit on. It was very nice having a Soap and Glory smelling cat for a few days, though!

the cludgie.*

Happy New Year! I do hope 2013 is all you hope for and that at least some of your plans and dreams come through. I'm hoping for a less unpredictable year than 2012. The spouse (along with the rest of his department) found out last March that they were going to have no department come the summer so the last 6 months have seen new jobs, crashed classic cars, kittens, hand operations and a bathroom refit. None of which I thought were on the cards this time last year. We have a few tentative ideas for next year, though. A wee holiday, some home improvements. So we shall see.

 

I think out biggest challenge this year was our bathroom. It's been needing torn out since we moved in 13 years ago. And it was a biiig job. No just replacing the suite for us! Oh, no, we were shooting for a whole different configeration so needed to replumb and rip out various weird boxed-in sections.

 

Once we started smashing tiles and dismantling I forgot to take any photos. Whooops! So this 13 year old one will have to suffice as a before. It was after we'd painted for the first time and were chuffed to bits to be rid of the yellow paint the previous (colourblind? Or just tasteless?) owner had. This is from the door, the bath runs along the right hand side. And, yes, those tiles are a hideous terracotta/chocolate brown monstrosity.

This is it as of this morning. That's a p-shaped bath so it flares at the shower end. And has a curved shower screen which I love! Temple and Jones approve, too, and want the water turned on.

But this is the business side where the old bath was. I wanted white everywhere - all those years of the froo-froo yuk, I think. Although the floor is black and white.

We still need a tall cabinet for storage - the space for it is beside the shower. But we're essentially done. No one will ever know the work that went into it. And it was tiled by a man with one hand and a hook (his hand has been really sore lately, I suspect the surgeon's "light duties" did not include tiling a bathroom!) but he made an amazing job of it. But here's hoping the kitchen re-do (eek!) in the summer goes more smoothly!

* a cludgie? Old Scots for the loo!