Oooooohhhh…remember Black Friday…..all those lovely sales……

I’m getting gorgeous deliveries from my nice postman, but they are blowing my stashbusting (ha!) efforts sky high….

Next year I think somebody needs to take my credit card away from me and hide it from me at Thanksgiving.

So far I’ve had this lovely lot from M is for Make….

And these in the Fat Quarter Shop sale..

And this gorgeous Madeline Tosh yarn from Eat Sleep Knit

(Can anyone tell me how I can magic this into a hoodie for my daughter by Christmas?)

What is even worse is that isn’t even the end of it. I know there’s more to come……which is great and not so great all at the same time, if you get my meaning.

However lots of progress is being made on the quilt, so hopefully in a day or two I should have something gorgeous to show you!

Helen

Well, to be honest everybody was out by a million miles, so in the end I did the random number thingy and number 16 was the winner!

Congratulations to Steph in rural France (you can check out her blog here!)

And the answer is…

None the wiser?

Barcelona! 

An hour and ten minute flight from Zürich (and a present for my husband’s birthday). My very first visit ever to Spain and Barcelona is fabulous. Everyone agreed that our visit was too short and we need to go back. It was also seriously cold (especially on the top of the hop-on, hop-off tourist buses and in the restaurants, which don’t seem to have any heating at all!).

The high points…..the fabulous Gaudi Cathedral (Segrada Familia) still under construction and utterly breathtaking, views of the city and last but not least a Barca masterclass (5-1 against Bilbao).

Now it’s back to reality and Christmas preparations and the snow for me!

Helen

I haven’t had a giveaway for ages. I think it’s time, don’t you?

The prize for the lucky winner is three fabric candy bars:

• Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Joanna Figueroa for Moda
• Luna Notte by 3 Sisters for Moda
• Fandango by Kate Spain for Moda

For those who don’t know what a candy bar is: It’s 40 5″x2.5″ rectangles of one fabric line. These are oldies but goodies!

All you need to do is answer the following question:

Where am I this weekend?

The prize will go to whoever guesses nearest. One guess per person, an extra guess if you become a subscriber, international participants welcome!

I’ll choose a winner on Monday!

Happy guessing!!

Helen

So that’s it then. Winter is well and truly with us. The ski resorts will be pleased.

We’ve had a moderate little dump of snow – 6 inches or so – and as usual all services carried on as usual, no late trains, closed schools or car accidents as a result. The Swiss certainly know how to do snow. Which is just as well really!

I’ve been making some progress – and am feeling disgustingly self-satisfied (and quite relieved) as a result!

• The quilt is basted and ready to quilt next week.
• The Secret Santa is at the post office as I write and ready to wing its way to far away parts
• The first Christmas presents have been bought and sent off. This includes those to my brother and his wife who have decided not to do Christmas (that goes with the not doing family bit), which I am ignoring, because Christmas is one of the very few times when they are forced to have contact with us and as almost our only relatives (and the only aunt and uncle my kids have) I’m not letting them off the hook that lightly! (Yes you’re right – they LOVE me!)
• I’m planning my next contribution to Stitch Tease – which is due to be sent off tomorrow…..next week, anyone? Will you forgive me?
• The house is clean(ish) and the laundry is up to date.

I’m polishing my halo!!!

Helen

I can’t put it off any longer.

What? (you may well ask!)

The worst job in making a quilt. Basting it all together. I really truly hate it. I get cricks in my back and my neck, my knees hurt and almost invariably, by the time I get through and turn the package over there will be some horrible little puckers somewhere. Usually right in the very middle. Urgh.

I hate it, but there is absolutely no getting away from it.

I’ve never felt happy with pinning and this quilt is far to big to spray baste (can you imagine the pickle I’d get myself in if I tried to do that 🙂 ), so there’s nothing for it but to grovel around on the floor with my tacking thread.

I tend to do twenty minutes or so and then have a break to stretch out the back-ache.

Slowly, but surely I will get there. If not today, then hopefully tomorrow.

And then I get to do the real fun stuff! I LOVE machine quilting. Yum!

Have a great day! (Here it is so dark and grotty you wouldn’t believe it – hence the very dark photo!!)

Helen