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Monday 28 November 2011

Couldn't help myself...

I spent the day in the next city today, a good 80km south, home of the most northern traffic lights in New Zealand (the country does continue for a few hundred kms north - but hey, who needs traffic lights or even round-abouts when your biggest traffic jam is caused by moving stock lol). Talked to the specialist about oldest DS's Diabetes (type 1), went to numerous shops for birthday and advent calendar presents, spent an unbelievable amount of money on a glorified mp3 player (speak iPod Touch) on request of the boys (push-over mother...) and on the way home I made a quick stop at Bramble Cottage because I wanted to get some black-on-black fabric - LQS didn't have any last weekend. There I cam across "Mortimer" by Castilleja Cotton, check it out on www.castillejacottom.com/xcart/Mortimer-Quilt-Pattern.html (copy and paste in your browser window, I tried linking it but at least in the preview it didn't work).
I had not wanted to buy any mo kits, feels a bit like painting by numbers, but this one was just too cute, and Julie had done a great job quilting it! For just under $50 for the kit of top and binding, I took it and now plan to secretely put it together for christmas for my middle DS who already has three cuddly turtles and knowing him would just absolutely adore Mortimer. Another WIP, but it won't be able to go on the design wall except wehen he is on camp with DH later this week. Might have to get fastfood to feed the other two DSs in the meantime...

Sunday 27 November 2011

My First Quilt


On Leeann's site I saw the post about linking to Bonnie Hunter's First Quilts! - here is mine:


My very first quilting project was a Crazy Patchwork kit from Spotlight which still is a UFO. But shortly after that I joined a Beginners Sampler Class at Grandmother's Garden in Gordonton (Hamilton) run by Ngaire Brooks (started in Jan 2006). My youngest was just moving out of the cot, so I knew I wanted to make it for him. As in all beginner sampler courses, Ngaire introduced us to a variety of techniques incl. paper piecing etc. While I wasn't too bad at it, I have never felt compelled to go back to handwork. My biggest challenge at the time were accurate cutting and accurate 1/4' seams - my old machine had no such foot and my eye wasn't all that good even with tape markings. Regardless, he still sleeps under it, though the new dinosaur quilt will be for him, too.