Just keep stitching...

xxx

Binding times...

Today my view mostly looked like this...

My Siblings Together quilt was basted, quilted and binding on, all by the time the sun came out and made the conservatory too hot to sew.

In that time I also had a visit from the RAC man.  He wired on my exhaust pipe, as the car was making horrible noises this morning; fortunately for my sanity and purse it is only a broken bracket.

So just now I thought I would machine stitch down the binding, for the first time ever.  I hate it.  I got halfway round and decided enough was enough.  I only have about 180" to rip out.  I really think I should be putting a fancy un-picker on my birthday list what with the amount of time I have spent with my cheapo one this last week or so!

Do you machine stitch down your bindings?  Am I the only one who thinks it looks rubbish?  Or am I the only one who makes it look less than acceptable?  I do love finishing of my quilts by hand, which, it would appear is a bloody good job!

One step forward...two steps back...

The quilt now has the binding attached...

I just need to get it finished.  I need to have it done by Saturday as I am giving it to my parents to put on the wall during my dad's open studio in June, and I would also like to double my reveal as my entry into the Blogger's Quilt Festival which starts on Friday - no pressure there then!

Steps back...?  Well, lots of faffing about with my MacBook's innards again; so I am typing as fast as I can!

Friday sorted...

I spent the first half of the day helping the girls sort and clear out one of those corners of their bedroom; you know the type, full of stuff, paper and who-knows-what, masses of it, crazy-making mess.  Fortunately we finished before the recycling bin lorry came.

Then after lunch we watched The Desolation of Smaug, and I managed to get 210" of binding stitched down.  It was a long film!

Other than that, my parcel of bag-makery arrived from Bag Clasps...

... and I cut out a pattern...

My Typewriter Sidekick Tote is my most loved and used bag, and I have often thought I should make the larger size too, because I do tend to haul a lot of gubbins about with me.  So with yesterday's shopping, I think I have a plan.  Just need to get a bit more interfacing and then there'll be some handbag action xxx

Prepped and ready...

I crossed a couple of things off my To Do list today, keeping myself occupied with the help of a little skiver so-called poorly child, who, 10 minutes after pick up at 9.30am, seemed as right as bloody rain!

So first I made the binding for Terri's quilts.  As far as I know, the tops are still in block form and then need to be quilted, but I am ready!

Then I made the next additions for Jude's Brit Bee Medallion, but I forgot to take any pics, but as they are secret anyway, no biggie.

And although I have the MATO applique at the ready, I feel a little lost when I don't have a bunch of EPP on the go; so I sizzixed into yesterday's bundle and a dozen complementary prints, mostly Liberty, including my first quilty fabric purchase from the V&A exhibition in 2010!

I am not sure what these will become yet, whether I will stick with my usual random, or make pretty flowers, I cut 8 hexies of each print to keep my options open, and time will tell.  I am just happy to have some basting to keep my fingers busy.

So until next time dear folks; it'll be Random Thursday, and if the sedative hasn't worn off, you can probably expect something a bit more random than usual!

Woo hoo Wednesday!

I got a lot done today.  I didn't think I would, but things fell into place rather nicely.

I pieced the backing for my Stitch Tease-Scrap Vomit, and made the binding; and after that little bit of mathematical fun and games, the quilt is 72" square not 60" (doh!), the basting is going to be a bloody cinch...

My fabric deliver arrived...

I was able to then get Di's Brit Bee borders on, hence the little-bit cryptic pic...

Then, oh yes, another thing, I finished my Brit Bee Secret Santa cushion!  I will keep that one under wraps for now as i) it's a secret, ii) there's something that is bugging me about it and iii) if I decide to keep it and make a different one, you will never know!

So I feel a bit more in control of my stitchy destiny this evening compared to last night; well I was, until I saw the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day date, and now I have something new to panic about.

(Bad) Sports Day...

Oh my sense of fair play and sports-womanship is wearing pretty thin already, and we have to do it all again tomorrow (my birthday!!!!)...

At least it was sunny, for the whole 4 hours I spent at school to witness the girls' combined 15 minutes of fame!

In the brief few minutes, before I had to go back again to pick everyone up, I managed to get the binding attached to my Stitch Tease Quilt...

...so that's me sorted for an evening or two.

Another Sunday Evening...

... with some lovely binding to finish off!

This morning I quilted and attached the binding to my #xplusalong.  Best laid plans of the afternoon got hijacked by Nintendo DS internet settings, passwords and the like; but I managed to get halfway round, and I am not going to bed until I have finished the other half!

I have caught up on emails, and although I've been quiet on the commenting, I have almost caught up on my blog reading; so I am not ignoring you, just eager to get to the finish xxx

Just another Monday...

The kids went back to school today, albeit not in uniform; by the looks of the field at pick up time, there had been a lot of snowman building!  I went back to work, nothing at all exciting to report from there.

Highlight for me being the kids getting excited when they turned round, and the cloud had lifted for the first time in days, so they could actually see the Downs on the walk home...

Not exactly Alpine proportions, but they are our mountains.

I did do a little bit more of the #scrappytripalong binding last night, and now I only have about 60" left, so what am I doing here?  I best get cracking!

#iliketobinditbindit

This afternoon we settled down with a few of the Christmas Sky+ leftovers, including Madagascar 2, and I got on with binding my #scrappytripalong...

I am now over halfway round, about 5 out of 8 yards sewn; I was thinking I might get it finished this evening, but maybe I need to give my eyes and fingers a rest and have something to look forward to tomorrow evening.  Still undecided.

It has snowed and thawed at the same rate all day, so we are no worse/better off than we were yesterday; school have already texted saying that they hope to be open tomorrow, so saving that binding may well be a good idea; another day of kids, or a day at work, it's a toss up which I would prefer less!