A week already..

Cup of tea. Baby down for a sleep. Alrighty.

My week got off to a super slow start. I felt I was getting nothing done and it was driving me mad. We have also hosted both my sisters and their partners for separate visits this week which has been awesome but makes for a hectic time.

Looking at last weeks lists might be a good way to see if I have in fact achieved anything. Here goes.

This is a little quilt/play mat I made for a new baby in our community. It wasn't even on my WIP list last week, was on the wishlist so this feels super good. The top photo shows me using standard old pins to baste as all my saftey pins were employed in other basted quilts (yikes) and I don't live in a place where one just nips out for some more. Probably could have borrowed...anyway, I improvised. A brilliant idea I thought. Until I stabbed and stabbed and stabbed my hands wrangling this baby under the machine. Never again. As far as holding the quilt sandwich together it was perfect just a bit bitey.

This is my outdoor quilting arena for basting. So much easier than scooting around on the floor that's for sure. Of course this is only suitable for little quilts.

With matching ball.




I started this quilt on Friday, washed it last night and sewed the label on this morning. It felt really good to deliver this to the new family this afternoon. I hope it gets lots of use.

A smallish quilt I am trying to finish up in time for my little boys birthday. I love the brightness and retro feel of these fabrics. I picked up a Happy Campers jellyroll and Punctuation (both American Jane) layer cake at the craft and quilt fair and I can't believe how far they are stretching!
This is where some of my safety pins are being employed. I have backed it with a green gingham but need to get a suitable thread colour to quilt with. It's a bit tricky as there are so many colours, I am thinking a soft blue or green, perhaps variegated, who knows? Hopefully I will feel all inspired when faced with the thread selection tomorrow. I have been making a few of these blocks every couple of days and joined up a selection of them this week. It's really important to me that I get this quilt done and delivered close to the little guys birthday as I am donating it to the NICU where he stayed for a really long time.

More selections chopped and ready to be stitched....


....to make these guys. I have about 30 blocks here and enough for about 25 more blocks. There might be enough for 2 more small quilts or one larger one. I am keen to get all the blocks made up then perhaps they can sit and wait for a bit.




This weeks block for the QAL. Bow ties. I love this block. This block might get some friends and become a quilt all its own. I am up to date with the quilt along. That feels good.

In progress;

1. Queen sized hexagon scrappy madness ( alluded to in this post)begun in March 2011 for our bed - about a quarter pieced (by hand peeps!)
2. Skill builder sampler quilt along in June 2011 - up to date
3. A giant secret started in June, will be able to post soon - about a third half hand quilted - woot!
4. Square-in-a-square quilts for the NICU where my little boy spent the first 100 days of his life - hopefully they can use them as raffle prizes to raise some money for the newborn care centre that provided so much for us all - two thirds of the blocks pieced basted and ready for quilting, yippee
   

I also have a list ( I love a list!) of quilts I'd like to make;

1. Orange and grey one for my patient, kind and supportive husband (was going to be a surprise but I'm hopeless with surprises so he already knows)
2. I have some sherbet pips that I am itching to cut up but have promised myself not to begin anything new until at least the 'big secret' is finished
3. Beetle bugs fabric I bought at Sydney Quilt and Craft show from Saffron Craig herself - for my little boy, no rush on this as he won't be in a big boy bed for a little while
4. A play mat and ball for Dangar's newest bubby
5. My sister is expecting her first baby in November so obviously he or she will need one

All in all I think it has been an OK week on the quilting front.

We have had the most stunning couple of days. It's hard to remember it's the dead of winter, although I could just read last weeks post for a reminder I guess.