I actually managed to have my ‘me time’ this week. I mean I still had to cook dinner, unload the dishwasher, iron…but most of the day I stayed home and pottered to my heart’s delight. And my heart’s delight it most certainly was.

It’s been a long time since I had a day like that. A day to catch up, work on bits and pieces, finish up projects, tidy a little here and there. Days like Thursday make me feel unbelievably contented. Calm, happy, name it what you will, it was a very good day. A mental health day, I guess. I imagine if I managed to have time like that every week then I wouldn’t have appreciated it quite so much. For an awful lot of years before I went back to work I had that possibility…..I had days like that, but somehow they never had the same flavour of forbidden fruit and stolen time. It’s crazy, but I’ve almost forgotten what that life was like. Since going back to work in January my life has changed almost beyond recognition – for the better I think, certainly for the busier, but feeling challenged makes me feel more alive and that’s good.

Anyway, back to the sewing and knitting …

Here’s what I did..

First up were bee blocks for Annabella for Sew European…

Deja vu? Yes, I was making Churn blocks for Nicolette last week for a different bee!

Then I finished a skirt that’s been hanging around half-done for ages.

I don’t know about you, but I’m never completely 100% sure about making clothes from quilting quality cotton – I’m hoping that when this has been washed it will soften up a bit and lose the cardboardy feel.

Then I finished the sleeve of my Soay cardigan – this has been hanging around since the days of Noah and I have no idea why I never finished it. I mean I like Soay, it’s my favourite color, lovely yarn to knit with….who knows? Anyway, now it’s moving….I’ve also changed the sleeve. Soay actually has a short sleeve, which if I’m completely honest is a bit daft in a cardigan. In my humble opinion if it’s cool enough to need a cardigan, then you probably want one with a sleeve…oder? (as the Swiss would say!). I’ve gone for 3/4, being a bit less granny-like…..so far I’m liking it!

Finally I made two more Fireworks blocks….

I feel as though I’ve been making these for ages and I’ve still only done 10. They are time-consuming though. There are a zillion pieces per block. I need to sit down and have a cup of tea to recover from just cutting out for one block! I’m aiming to make this 4 blocks wide by 5 long – 20 blocks in total, so I’m half way there…..phew!

Not bad really for a gentle self-indulgent day!!

More soon!

Helen

I almost think I’ve got it sussed. Things are just about back to normal. The two of my children who are still in school are back in school (the third is chilling before university starts next month), I’m steadfastly sticking to my 3 days a week and no more at work, the house and garden are at an acceptable level of semi-chaos and I’ve actually had a bit of sewing time.

Last weekend I knuckled down to get some bee projects done and sent off:

For European Siblings Together, this for Betty…

and these for Nicolette…

and these two little beauties for Jennifer for Stitch Tease...

All very different and I had fun making them.

I also have a plan for tomorrow, when I have a day off…..

I’m having a me day. I haven’t had one for a while, but I’m planning to listen to books on tape, work on UFOs and just generally potter and see where I end up.

Now how good does that sound? (This is where I confess that I almost can’t see straight I’m so excited!)

I’ll tell you how I get on!

Helen

I realized a couple of weeks ago that I have way, way too many unfinished projects. Not real UFOs that have ended up in the land of the unloved and that won’t ever be finishes, but actually nice things that I really want to get done when I have time…

Half of me dreams of being the sort of person who dutifully finishes one project before she starts the next….my sister-in-law is like that. I’m full of admiration. But then she also only buys the fabric she actually needs for each project. She is an absolute model of self-discipline. I really thought that nobody could possibly do that until I visited her in Canada many moons ago and saw it for real. She lives the sort of simple waste-free life I can only, in my undisciplined jumble, humbly aspire to.

And believe me, I do aspire….but somehow over the years the problem has become so huge and out of control that I’m really running against the tide. I have been trying very hard for quite a while to use up what I have and not add any more to the stash. There was a little bit of a blip at FQR (which I think is perfectly understandable, don’t you?), but on the whole I’m doing OK, sort of. Actually lack of space often makes up for lack of discipline. I have a big old fabric cupboard and everything has to fit in there and if it doesn’t, well then we have a problem. (At this point I usually make another rag rug out of the old uglies….that uses up 15m a pop and gives me another few inches!)

Anyway enough burbling. This week I’m on my hols and although the family think I’m stark staring bonkers, despite being in a very hot place I have finally finished my plain vanilla sweater: Lightweight by Hannah Fettig in Quince and Company Chickadee yarn in the leek colourway. It is fab, if I say so myself….it’s just too hot to try it on…..

Roll on the autumn….

More anon….I will try to do better….

Helen

I know, I know…..it isn’t good. I seem to have gone to being a daily blogger to being a slow blogger to an almost non-existent blogger in the space of six months. Not good. Not good at all, but I guess it’s something that we all experience from time to time. Circumstances change, life gets in the way and with little time to sew and as a result not very much produced, nothing edifying to write about. There’s only so much I want to or should say and you want to read about the trials and tribulations of parenting teenagers…

Anyway I’m here now and I’m resolved to work on the old work-life balance thing….I haven’t quite got it sussed, but more because of work circumstances than anything else, and that should all be resolved soon….(she says hopefully).

I should have written earlier because I wanted to tell you all about the Fat Quarterly Retreat…..I guess you’ve seen all the photos all over the web, so I won’t bore those of you who didn’t go with even more.

Except for this….

Katy’s fabulous Stitch Tease quilt seen in the flesh for the first time….. (along with all the stitch teasers present….Susan, Di, Di, yours truly, Katy and Hadley). This is absolutely one of the coolest quilts I’ve seen in a long time! Girls, we did good!!

and my great partners in crime – Di (Quiltova) and Di (Mrs Random).

We had a blast – it’s the people ,you know….kindred spirits and all that…and the classes were pretty cool too….

Its nice to go  a quilting event and be one of the old ladies…actually I’ll rephrase that. It’s not nice to be an old lady (which I’m not…quite…), but it’s great to be at a quilting event that is young and not full of old ladies and people who wear strange patchwork clothes.

On that happy note….more anon….

Helen

Today was a lovely day…..what with Andy Murray playing brilliantly and winning Wimbledon and time to just sit and sew, which is something I feel like I haven’t had for a good long while.

I managed to get the two rounds finished for Shevvy for the EEP bee….hand sewing in front of the tennis – not much beats that!

I also had fun making two blocks for Elisabeth – she asked for blue, teal, turquoise and cream/white. I chose two very different blocks from this wonderful book. As you can see, I really am a wonky stars girl at heart!

It feels like life is getting back to normal and calming down…at least until the next drama hits us!

There’s never a quiet moment with three teenagers in the house!

Have a good week,

Helen