First proper post of 2009

This is what I've started work on, using a Clothworks pattern. But my local quilt shop didn't have exactly the same fabric, so I'm having to adapt it a little in places.....

It's not really looking great - throwing bits of fabric onto the bed probably isn't the best way to photograph anything......

Over the weekend I hope to get the top pieced - 'all' LOL that I need to do now is to put some sashing strips in.

When my sister and family came to visit, we went out to the Peak District, about 20 minutes away, and had a fabulous walk on Curbar edge.

The pictures look impressive - but the rocks aren't really as high as you might think....

...though Jim makes it look very impressive....

Unresolved resolutions

SO...

the cake did get iced - on New Year's Eve.

The mince pies were consumed, with much relish and smacking of lips.

And very little sewing was done......

....various friends and relatives descended, some with only a few hours notice, and stayed with us - necessitating much moving of furniture and rearranging -and no access to sewing machines :-(

But it's a timely reminder of what is really important in life - I think I would rather lose a week of free time to spend it with family than have plenty of time to complete an immaculate piece of work to show off.

Three years ago, in January, my father died unexpectedly - he wasn't ill, he was relatively fit and young (62). It was an enormous shock to all of us - and a reminder to spend time with people that you love.

For the last 2 years or so, I've taken to working late more and more - and I need to stop this in 2009. I realise that leaving for work at 6.45, and getting back after 20.00 isn't good and it isn't healthy - I hadn't seen many of the people who came round since the summer holidays - 4 months ago - because ' I don't have time - I have to work'. I barely see Jim from Monday to Friday, and then spend the weekend asleep.

So once again , my new year's resolutions- which I failed to fulfil in 2008 but will try again in 2009 are:

• to lose weight
• to get more active
• to make more time for family and friends
• to complete projects / finish off WIPs and UFOs
• to leave work by 17.00 at least twice a week
• to keep things in perspective

Oh yes, and to remember to photograph things so that I don't post text only......

Not so domestic goddess

I thought I'd make my own mince pies this year. My mother always made it look so easy.

All the ingredients were in place - so no excuse there.

But once again, when faced with a choice of activities, I choose the one I'd like to do instead of the one that I should be doing.

So today I tidied out my sewing room - sorted stash, put projects into boxes - the whole shebang!

But that has mean that I've just finished the mince pies - and the Christmas cake has only just been marzipaned!!!!

EEEEK.

No chance at all that it will get iced by tomorrow - last year (there seems to be a pattern here) I iced it on Christmas morning at about 6am.

It was

a

DISASTER

The icing was still soft (of course) - but luckily the assembled guests were so full of Christmas lunch that they didn't want the cake anyway.

So here are my mince pies - somehow they really don't look like the ones in the recipe books

especially this rather strange one...

and heres my cake so so far.......

Christmas decorations

Here are a few festive items. I 'drew' the bell in a secret santa type, and I made the star...

Have a good Christmas.

Party Time!!!

I used to live in Nottingham but have now moved about 40 miles away - but I still go back for Nottingham Patchwork Group.

Last week was the Christmas meeting - and the reveal of the round robin.

I didn't take part - I knew that I wouldn't get round to completing it - all participants made a strip 24 inches by 6 inches. These have been passed around in Top Secret conditions - and the strips were revealed...

The challenge is now to sew them together....

Back Again!!!

I have been very remiss in keeping up to date.

Work completely swamped me. In fact, it still is, but with only a week to go until the Christmas holidays start, I'm starting to feel as though maybe there will be a short respite, and a space in which to assess what's really important.

I wanted to post some pictures of the only things that I've manged to do - some teeny tiny tree ornaments - but the camera appears to be in a bag - under my desk - at work.....

So instead, there's a couple of pictures from a workshop that I attended earlier this year with Nottingham Patchwork group.

It was led by Jenny Rolfe, and they are (very small) wall hangings.

These are ones done by members of the group:





... and this is mine.

I was once given some advice about what fabric to choose for a workshop - and the advice was that if in doubt, always use Christmas colours. That way, you may even finish it - and even if you don't want it yourself, you can always use it as a present.... Hence the Red / green / gold colour choice (and my local quilt shop often has Christmas fabric reduced straight after Christmas, which is ALWAYS a good idea).

A few days away...

.. were great!!!

When we arrived at the hotel, they told us that they were very sorry - but they'd had to upgrade us to a fourposter room. Now, I was very excited about that - and then a little less excited to see that in fact, yes the bed did have four posts - but no lovely drapes / curtains etc. Still, it was very comfy, but I think I would have felt a little cheated had I deliberately booked such a room.

Still, we ventured into the cold autumn and visited the local National Trust property:



no problem getting in...

I took a lot more photos - but now my card reader thingummybob isn't working. Lots of green lights flashing, but no sign of work.

A bit like I will be tomorrow - back to school after a week off.

A depressing day today - very gray and overcast. The plasterers who came yesterday have very kindly left plaster over every available surface - including the stairs / carpet /door handle - so today has been spent in cleaning up after them.....

BUT

a quick faff about on Google revealed a new quilting product - 'turnovers' - apparently they are 6inch squares cut into triangles........

Hooray

Something to look forward to....