WOW: Someone stole my green bags?!

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

This morning I’m a little late posting WOW because I was held up at the shops. I don't usually shop first thing in the morning, but given the time of year, I wanted to avoid the seasonal craziness by shopping as early as possible.

And when I was at the registers, I was distracted, and the shopper ahead of me stole my green bags. I still can't quite believe it. I packed 30 of them, all folded neatly and ready for the checkout. When I got to the checkout, I put my green bags up first so the lady on the register could fill them as I started loading my goods onto the bench top. When I’d unpacked all my goods and moved my trolley further down the register line I noticed the checkout lady was using plastic bags. Five of my bags had already been filled with groceries. Where were the rest?

‘Yes, I thought you had more bags’ she said, scanning my items quickly.

“More bags? I have 30 of them, where are they?’

We looked around; we looked under the register and next to the register and around for the shopper who had been ahead of me. Although she’d been loitering a few minutes before, now she was gone. And so were my bags. 25 of them. Now, I’m sure it’s possible to inadvertently pick up another person’s bag accidentally …but 25 of them? It’s just rude! ‘Oh well it’s no big deal’ my DH said when I told him about the bags

Maybe it is. Maybe it isn’t. 

I am so annoyed that someone stole my shopping bags that I decided to share it here on my blog and ask you, have you ever ‘lost’ anything whilst shopping? What shopping habits drive you mad?? and, speaking of WIPs, have you finished your Christmas shopping?

What's Your WOW ?

WOW: Red December

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays
Red December is the FREE 2013 Christmas Pattern

I'm continuing my free Christmas pattern tradition - and yes, it's red and white! I like all my quilts but one quilt design I really haven't given enough time to is Red December. It's been sitting on my WIP pile waiting to be quilted and given some attention. I must say, this design is a favourite of mine and I have since used the motifs of this pattern to make a tablecloth and a cushion (they're in the WIP pile too!). I'm really looking forward to quilting it, taking finished photos and showcasing it some more in the next year as it's too lovely to be sitting forgotten in my WIP stash.

The reason it's been sitting neglected is that I was waiting for a new sewing machine and I put a lot of projects to the side until that time came, as my old machine wasn't up to the amount of work I had and have pending. Then, as many of you know, I've had a very difficult time with my new Bernina, so much so that I've really been put off even using it, as every sewing session ends in major issues and it's more work than progress, unfortunately. 

What this means is that Red December just hasn't been shown on my blog or given the love it deserves, so I am taking the unusual step of releasing it again. I think it's a beautiful Christmas Quilt and I know that when it's finished it will get a lot of love and use in my home. It's my pleasure to offer it for free to members of my Yahoo BOM Group.

Members can now download this file in my Yahoo BOM Group and it will be available until the New Year 2014.

What's Your WOW ?

Introduce a Quilt: 12 Days of Christmas

12 Days of Christmas is a festive wall-hanging I designed especially for Christmas. I always get asked about this quilt at this time of year, so here it is.

It was my 3^rd free BOM. I love this wall hanging, I designed it to go up on Dec 1^st each year and it already feels like a tradition. It’s a wonderful addition in my house, and given that I won’t have a tree this year (due to travel), it will have extra pride of place in my home.

It's a simple design with lots of room for embellishment, so you can make it as simple or fussy as you like! I must admit that I liked the tree diamonds even before the baubles were added and it could have worked as a tree with the peace dove alone...but I did enjoy making the 12 characters and of course, you could add any motifs to the baubles, I know a quilter has made this quilt with family photographs in place of the characters, so really, anything goes!

It isn't quilted yet – it’s been going up each year as is and whilst it’s lovely I can't wait to quilt it and post my quilting pics here on my blog. 

Like a lot of my projects, my old machine wasn't up to quilting it when I was ready to be quilted, so I was waiting for my new sewing machine so that I could finish all these projects for once and for all! But with my new Bernina issues, it just didn't get done this year. Hopefully it will be quilted for next Christmas, I'll keep you posted!

You can purchase the pattern for this quilt, as a digital download, from my online shop, via my website.

WOW: Dog Sitting

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

Can you have a grand-dog? They require a lot of fuss, love and attention and I have one! And today I'm dog sitting so it doesn't look like I'll be getting much WIP work done.

It's a good excuse to go for a long walk and enjoy some fresh air...

Sometimes I just need days like this, as all my favourite things usually have me sitting down so this is a nice new favourite thing to do with my morning. Now that my knee is better, I've been trying to get more active so maybe I'll have to make this a more regular thing. Last week I started on the 5:2 diet, although I don't really see it as a diet, I see it as an approach to eating (and getting 2 days a week out of the kitchen! which means more quilting time for me, a win win!). I'm giving it a go until Christmas when I'll consider if it'll work for me as a long term thing, have any of you tried it?

she's an english mastiff and she's still a puppy!

What's Your WOW ? 

1790 Marriage Coverlet, an update

I've been receiving requests to provide an update on the status of the 1790 Marriage Coverlet Quilt. Some of you wondered if my silence on this topic indicated that I was preparing to travel and see the quilt, or had some other exciting development going on. The answer is no; I know as much as you do. I have been silent about the quilt because I haven’t had anything to add, other than what we already know and I respect the current owner’s wishes to be left alone.

Jan Allston has been our quilt researcher on the ground in the UK and here’s her update:

"Unfortunately the owners of the quilt have categorically stated that they wish no publicity whatsoever and have not allowed us to see the coverlet.  Perhaps at some time in the future they may relent, but for the time being, we are not allowed to see it.  Esther and I would be grateful if we could all leave it at that.  If anything happens and there is a change of heart, you will all be the first to hear about it"  Jan.

I really appreciate the time Jan has taken, in the UK, to do as much for this quilt as possible and thank her for reporting back to us. All I can say here, once again, is that it’s my hope for the new year that the current owners come to appreciate that the eagerness we have for this quilt comes from a place of love and earnestness to see it take up its place in quilting history and that our intensity to see it is borne of that historic interest and welfare for its preservation.

Can you imagine what a treasure it would be to just once have the opportunity to see this quilt in person? In an exhibition? It would be wonderful and I continue to hope that one day it might be possible.

Whilst this news is somewhat disappointing because like you, I really want to see the quilt exhibited, I don't want to lose track of what has been achieved – because it’s a significant accomplishment:

This quilt was ‘lost’ to quilting, we didn't know where it was or if it still existed and this was a concern because it is a historically important textile and documents an extraordinary example of work in Georgian female and British history. It’s too important to forget or allow to be lost to time. And we found it.

We know it has survived to the present day and we know that the owners now know that they are holding onto an item of significant historic worth. This is staggering achievement and one I don't want to lose sight of.

I know many of you have felt called to make this quilt and I understand completely, it’s how I feel too. I had hoped that we would be able to discover something of the woman who originally made this quilt – we would need some serious quilt detectives on the case to uncover any such information. But this has not happened as it is not something that can be willed – it requires the active participation of the current owners.

I am focusing on the wonderful and positive energy this quilt continues to inspire in us – that certain something which seen so many quilters start the challenge which is Love Entwined.

Now, if you’re a member of my Yahoo BOM Group, you already know just how varied the Love Entwined quilts are so far – there’s a Love Entwined being made in almost every colour combination you can think of and each quilter is really making the pattern their own through pattern tweaks and embellishments, it is a real delight to see these quilts being made and to know that in the future there will be hundreds of Love Entwined quilts out in the world, shining and reminding us of the original – what a tribute to the forgotten woman who made the original coverlet. 

I hope one day to know more of her story. Until then, I respect the current owner’s desire for anonymity and invite you, if you are so inspired, to take up the challenge to make this grand quilt yourself.

The pattern is still available for free from my Yahoo BOMGroup.

This stunning block above is made by Jane Newble and is just one example of how beautifully and individually Love Entwined is being made and shared over in my Yahoo BOM Group. Jane has incorporated broderie perse in her block and I think it’s just stunning. As well as being an accomplished quilter, Jane is also a Moderator in the Group. 

In fact all our Moderators are highly skilled quilters and their work is simply breathtaking. We are so lucky, as a group, to have such inspirational and talented women give their time to help us out. They’re an inspiration in themselves.

I'm moving forward with Love Entwined and I trust that when the time is right, something special will happen which will allow all of us to see or know more of the original coverlet and it's maker. 

WOW: Progress

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

I'm nearly done with my 10 inch challenge piece and it's so nice to be working on a WIP and share the nearly done progress with you. With all my sewing machine issues (yes, there've been more), its a good start. I'm so glad I didn't start Love Entwined on my new Bernina (as I had so hopefully planned) because I would have had to remake everything - I wouldn't have been able to put up with the constant tension issues on such an heirloom quilt - I'm too much of a perfectionist and it would have turned out to be double work - something I definitely don't need.

You can see the stitches and tension are still a real issue and no matter what I do, and despite all my experience, there's always a frustrating problem. This means I always have to be in the right mood to put up with my machine's attitude - not a good thing for a quilter with a WIP list as long as mine!

In the end I didn't use the liquid stitch pieces I had prepared as I changed the applique shapes as I went along - as this is a downsized pattern from my original, the shape didn't look right when shrunk down so I went back to my usual method. 

 What's Your WOW?

Two Bad Birthday Cakes and a disappointing loaf of bread

I've just returned to my emails and I've noticed that a few of you have been asking about my birthday cake. Well, I do usually post about it each year so I thought I would post about this years cake too, even though its a few weeks late and doesn't have a happy ending!

Each year, my DDs get together to bake a cake for me and I'm so unaccustomed to even thinking about my cake that I simply didn't this year. And, with both my DDs away, my DH and I decided it would be best to go out for a piece of cake, which I thought was a great idea because it meant I wouldn't be snacking on leftover cake for the rest of the week (I have started the 5;2 diet and don't need the temptation). And I wanted a good sourdough bread too (as I haven't been baking at all lately) so we headed off to Healesville for what we wanted to be a good coffee and cake and some quality bread to bring home.

Unfortunately the cake range was suddenly very limited - my DH went for the eclair and I went for this pink cheesecake below. The first warning sign was that the coffee wasn't any good - you know that sinking feeling when you take your first sip? And the cakes were just OK, my DH only took 2 bites of his and I only finished half of mine. We walked around for a little bit and then decided to head home.

10 minutes later, on the way home, I felt suddenly ill. My DH was also feeling suddenly off colour and we both felt so sick, we had to stop at a petrol station to buy water and stop for a minute. We both felt dreadful. When we got home, I decided to make us both some toast with the bread which is usually so good. Except that it wasn't good at all, it wasn't sourdough or rye it was a plain, bleached flour loaf - which we don't eat.

Then, in the evening we had to cancel my birthday dinner reservations at my favorite restaurant because we were both feeling so ill.

So the tasteless cakes were a bad idea and the place I can usually rely on for good bread when I'm not baking, and cakes (when I am visiting) is now off my list. I dont know if the management has changed or if they have just dropped their standards, but I will not go back.

So my birthday cake post this year is not a happy one or even one I want to remember, but birthday wise I don't mind. I'm happy to be alive and feel incredibly blessed to be able to do what I enjoy and have the love and support of my family and that is the best birthday gift I could ever ask for - even if the day itself was awful.