the Redemption Quilt.

It's all done! It has been washed (with 3 colour catchers on account of the no-prewashing jellyroll situation - they came out bright purple!!) and tumbled and is brilliant! I'm so happy - it's not my usual sort of colours but I'm so glad I went with the black sashing and not the putty that was my original thought. Thank you Mummy for the sage advice.
The backing is an all-over leaf Batik pattern in ALL the colours on the front. It's really pretty - looks sorta faded in places so it's already got a well-loved vibe about it.

The binding is blue/green/gold daisies (much more me!)

and it is already being well used!!

So Monday brings the last (I think) zig-zag tutorial. I presume quilting and binding so hopefully by next weekend I'll have another for my big armchair and the living room will be well snuggly for winter. Result!

the deets:
The pattern is a pretty standard stacked coin job.
The fabrics are a Bali Batiks half jelly roll and the same for backing and binding and a plain black cotton.
It measures 39in x 62in.

almost redeemed

I'm hand stitching the back of the binding onto the Redemption quilt and then we're ready for washing! As promised I took some photos of the variegated thread. not very good ones (light's all wrong today!) but you'll maybe get the idea.

Ignore the fluff on this one! The batting and black sashing liked each other a little too much.

And ignore my less-than-perfectly-straight lines here.

This is about the best I got. If you click on the photo you'll see it bigger. I really like this thread, I'd love to use it for free motion quilting. It breaks up the black nicely on this one.

And off we go again. DVD's and chocolates await!!

coming through!

A very quick word from me today, it's late and I still have stuff to do. Today in bullet points

1. Finished quilting the Redemption quilt. Binding tomorrow. Photos (lots of close ups of pretty thread for Flossie) to follow.
2. Very sad Spouse been to an old friend's funeral today. Sad circumstances and a very upset man. In fact, I've never seen him like that.
3. Emergency trip to vets with a dying rat. Riley is okay - been shot through with antibionics for a bad chest infection - fingers crossed the next 48 hours.
4. Parcel on its way to kitten-fishing wilds. That means you, Sooz. *giggles* One more to go tomorrow to NY state. International stuff - done!
5. Cutting strips for Christmas block swap. Test block done (see below) and 2 fabrics being swapped out for final cut.
6. Chookie's favourite Cookie Monster t-shirt holed by her friend's excited puppy. Tears follow. *rollseyes* We go shopping tomorrow.
Gotta run. Later, 'gators!!

the Weller quilt top

Here ya go. The top for the ORB zig-zag quilt along. The fabric is all from Erin McMorris' "Wildwood" range so I'm calling it the Weller quilt on account of Wildwood being my favourite Paul Weller track. Heh.

I was shopping today and my (admittedly tiny) LQS had a 25% off sale! Woop! So I got the backing, binding and batting for the Redemption quilt, 2 FQ's missing for my Christmas square swap and 2 reels of thread for quilting with my birthday money. I got Redemption all basted this avo (hate that bit!) and have done 1 line of quilting so far with a very pretty varigated(sic?) thread. The walking foot is AMAZING!! Thank you Mum and Daddy!!

Little Rock, the Chug-a-bug........er........

So, that's about all I know about the state of Arkansas apart from the fact that my friend Flossieblossoms lives there. Flossie (or Sooz as she allows me to call her) and I "met" at an online quilt-along and - at least on my part - we clicked straight away. You know how some people just *get* you? Well she got me. I think it's the Brit in her. *g* Anyway, long story short, there was supposed to be a pity pot holder (see her blog for the whole story) and a pair of quilting gloves making their way from her to me. The postie brought me this box this morning. What kinda size of pot holder is it, fer cryin' out loud? *shock* It's a big 'un, thatsfersure!

Look at all those wee packages!!!

And there's the pity pot holders! Not much to pity, is there? And they make damn fine earrings. Excuse my unwashed state and Pooh Bear dressing gown. But wait, there was more. MUCH more!!
One addressed to the Chook....with a wee chair inside (I appear to have deleted that photo from Blogger - grrrr!).... and funny money!

And this wee cosmetic bag with....

...a Thistle fairy! Aaaaaaaw.

Check this. A wee doobrey-firkin (that's a thingummie-bob word for when you don't know what something is called, Non-Scots!) for handbags with sugar and tea and toothbrushes inside.

Butterflies!!!! And fabric. In green!!!!! *swoons*

Pretty stones (do you see how the photography improves as I wake up?)

And a close up of wee Thistle. Chookie my bum - she is MINE!

Lookit it all!!! There's patterns, girlie soap, shrink plastic and a mobile pouch in there, too. (See the wee chair? It's a box - Sooz made it!!) God, yeah, and the quilting gloves - they're getting christened tomorrow.

Sooz, mate, stunned doesn't begin to cover it. Careful that halo doesn't slip, now. *winks*

skelly-eyed...

I've spent the day (I'm on holiday from work til Thursday - god bless the local fair !) piecing together the top for my ORB zig-zag quilt. I am cross eyed with it, frustrated with *bleep* triangles and thanking the baby dolphins I opted for a small size but it is finished - photos tomorrow when it's light! However, yesterday evening I spent creating a bag from an old pair of jeans, a half yard of Tweet-Tweet I *needed* but had no purpose for and a pattern from my new fab patchwork book that was part of my birthday from Biff. Here it is.

It needs a magnetic closure and I've used mine but I'm pleased for a first attempt (my next will be better). I also got my fabric for the Christmas Scrappy Block Swap (linkie in the sidebar) - I'm so pleased it matches! It's so hard chosing from a 'puter screen.

So tomorrow I plan on spending at least some making log cabin squares. Yay!

blessings.

It was my birthday yesterday! I am now the ripe old age of 35. *shock* I had a smashing day - all my favourite people visited and I was very blessed in the gift department. Beads for my bracelet, lovely new perfume and favourite smellies, money to spend on whatever I like, a very funky watch and music but I think best of all? For the first time ever I got stuff relating to my hobbies! Mum and Dad got me (amongst other things) a walking foot for my sewing machine so I can better straight line quilt. And the lovely Biff presented my with fat quarters (in just my colours!) and a brilliant book full of different patchwork projects. I've spent today cutting up an old pair of jeans to make into a bag. It's tumble drying as I type - I'll share photos tomorrow. So all in all I had a rather lovely day. I even got 2 chocolate birthday cakes. *g*

And in other blessing news? This is Stinky Eric on the drive! He is a full rolling shell (for the first time ever) and the blessing part? Maybe he'll be finished at some time in the next year and I can claim back the end of the garage that houses my gardening tools!

Can you spy the Spouse?