Somehow whenever I think I’m going to get absolutely masses and masses done it doesn’t quite happen. Today was a bit like that, with lots of little things needing to be done, kids needing lifts, laundry….you know what it’s like.

I did manage to make some more blocks while Andy Murray got thrashed at the Australian Open. (Such a shame. The first set was brilliant but the poor man was clearly still tired after his long match against Roger Federer on Friday. Djokovic had had an extra rest day, which doesn’t really seem very fair…)

First up was another Rouenneries Deux Firework block…

…I can really only manage one of these at a time. They are satisfyingly large – I now have 5 out of 12 or 16 – but there’s quite a lot of sewing in each one. 😉

I then decided to make some more of the wonky log cabin blocks that I started at FQR last year. Now these are quick!! I’m using a jelly roll of Spring Fever and I’m half hoping that I can somehow make enough blocks to make a quilt for Siblings Together, a charity that helps children who are separated from their siblings in the care system in England. They run summer camps for siblings and give the kids a quilt to take home with them afterwards.

I’m not sure I’ll have enough fabric – I’ve only got a jelly roll of Spring Fever – so I imagine I’m going to have to get creative with sashing and borders to get up to a sensible size. These blocks are SUCH fun to make though….no matching, no meeting points …just whizzing along.

Ah it does a girl good!!

Hope you’re enjoying your Sunday too!

Helen

So here we are….Saturday evening and I’m caught up with the two Stitch Tease bee blocks I needed to get done. They took a little longer than I had expected, but when it’s minus 6 outside and cosy and warm inside and the house is quiet and there’s a cup of tea next to me and nice things on the radio, a few extra minutes sewing is really rather delightful. Sorry I can’t show you the results….but I will show you all the finished quilts in the spring when I’m allowed to!

Until then….here’s a couple of sneaky peeks…

I’m making these blocks out of my stash. Well OK, right now I’m supposed to be making absolutely everything out of my stash. And after today I’m feeling even less tempted to do any fabric shopping because I had one of those ‘OMG how on earth am I ever going to use up this lot ?’ moments. Whichever way I look at it I have got way, way too much fabric. I’m going to need to live till I’m 300 to use this lot up. I’m telling you, it’s bad, really, really bad!

I know it’s stupid – I mean how could I expect to see a difference after making two, albeit large, blocks? But somehow I had it in my mind that I could make significant inroads into the laundry basket full of all the smaller scraps. DREAM ON SISTA. If anything all that rootling around stirred things up and made it look like I have even more….

……eeeeeeekkkkkk!

Somehow I have to do something to use up really major amounts of scraps. Really, really lots…and fast!

Does anyone else periodically have state of the stash crises? What do you do?

I need some help here!

Helen

Hey it’s the weekend!

I don’t work Fridays, so after my very snowy run this morning I rushed around like a crazy person getting all necessary shopping and chores done so that I could have a head start on my Stitch Tease marathon sewing weekend.

I haven’t touched the sewing machine all week – and it feels soooo good to be back!

You might remember that I’ve been in the Stitch Tease bee for a good while now – it’s a secret bee and involves making panels or big blocks in secret for the other members – in the spring we’ll be done and then we’ll each receive our completed quilt top. Because there are only 8 of us the individual pieces are pretty big – and some of the requests are pretty ambitious and creative….so I kind of got cold feet and am a couple of months behind. This weekend is catch up time.

My husband is away skiing and the teenagers are doing their own thing, so after my first week (well, ok, 3 days) at work in almost two decades I’m claiming the weekend for myself.

Right now I’m working on Di’s block – she wants words and I’m hoping to get to Susan’s too. Susan wants scrappy stars – with white stars and a scrappy backing. Di’s is tricky and I’m having to be creative, but Susan’s will be much more within my comfort zone.

It’s good to be sewing. Love it, love it, love it!!!

Helen

Today I’ve been at home after two days at work. I rather foolishly thought that I’d be able to get some sewing done today, but have had so much other stuff that needed doing that it hasn’t happened. I keep looking wistfully at my fabric though. Roll on the weekend sewathon!

My husband is away skiing this weekend and I’m holding the fort at home with the teenagers. As none of them want to be seen dead with me and they are either out or locked away in their bedrooms I figure as long as home is under control I can give myself a sewing weekend.

I’m horribly behind in the Stitch Tease bee – mainly because the blocks are big and scary and involve me having to do creative things, so I’ve put them off and put them off and in a week or so I’ll actually be two blocks behind, so I really have to get my skates on. I don’t like being late. It’s really not in my nature.

So this weekend, come hell or high water, I’m going to have my nose to the grindstone and progress will be made. There are actually still three blocks to do – but I’d be really happy if I could get one done and one started. Two done would be brilliant. I think it might be more or less possible. I’m going to try anyway.

A little sewing stress would provide welcome relief. Going back to work has been nice (all two days of it), but shall we say that there is a lot that needs to be done and quite a lot of it is in areas that aren’t my strengths (can you hear me screaming in the ladies!). Sewing is always good mulling things over time, so I could well kill two birds with one stone!

Watch this space – I’ll be posting regular updates at the weekend, although as all the sewing is secret for the moment, they could be a little cryptic!

Helen

Today I went to the office.

For the first time in more years than I’m going to tell you!

I took my new briefcase and wore a business suit and became an accountant again.

And I loved it!

My colleagues are nice, the office is relaxed and friendly. They gave me flowers. There are free Mars bars by the coffee machine and the coffee is Nespresso, my favourite. I got to have a nice lunch with grown-ups!

Despite the fact that I spent the day learning about the computer system and dealing with taxes and VAT, the hours flew by and I came home from work on a high.

And the house hadn’t fallen down in my  absence.

I think I’ll go back tomorrow. The dog is coming in tomorrow and I’d hate to miss him.

I have the feeling I’m going to enjoy this and it’s going to do me good. It’s also made me – even after a day – noticeably more efficient with my time. Which is a good thing, right?

Helen