Look me in the eye by John Elder Robison John has Asperger Syndrome. However, he wasn't diagnosed until well into adulthood. Growing up he was just thought of as weird and, as he got older, dangerous. Getting a diagnoses answered a lot of his questions.
The Spiderwick Chronicles - The Field Guide by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black. I've been reading Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone to Luke and I have been wondering what to read him next. I'd heard of The Spiderwick Chronicles, but had never read them so I bought the first one and thought I would check it out before I read it to him. Looks like a goer!
Another subject that facinates me is the holocaust. I find it unimaginable what the vicitms of the Nazis went through and even more unimaginable is that you would do this to someone else for any reason at all. Often we forget these men who we (quite justifiably I feel) call monsters had families who may or may not have agreed with their parent's beliefs. Either way, what we see a man to be and what his children see him to be can often be two completely different things. As their child, how do you marry the two??
Welcome to my July check up! I'll include everything done since my last check up in April. *blush*
Completed projects April - June - none! I totally blame moving. Well that's my story and I'm sticking to it!
Projects started -Again, none. See excuse for completed projects.
Books read -14. Just short of 5 a month. (Last counted Celluloid Killers)
So, current projects as listed at the side of my blog.
Blackboard Quilts - No progress. Still.
Sampler Quilt -No progress!
Luke's Frog Quilt - Still cutting – bit is my next priority! He has been so patient!
G's quilt – quilted – needs binding and label.
I Spy quilt – finished – needs labelling
Designer Mystery Block quilt – all blocks made. Next to do sashing and complete the top.
Other things I really need to get onto this month are:
Luke's Quilt!
Only one more after this! I wonder how it all ends???
Today I managed to cut and sew the last of my two Designer Mystery Block of the Month! I already have the finishing kit (sent over 12 months ago with the first block) so now all I have to do is get it all together! So I thought we would go on a bit of a retrospective of each block and it's designer.
First up was Brenda Riddle's Cross Stitch.
Second was Star Struck by Sandy Gervais.
Third was Peace in Flight by Joanna Figeroa.
Four was Double Treats by Bunny Hill Designs.
Five was Peppermint Star by Vicki Bellino.
Six was Sunrise Star by Margot Languedoc.
Seven was Sawtooth Patchwork Block by Debbie Beaves.
Eight was Star Party by Bonnie Olaveson. (www.cottonway.com)
Nine was Pinwheel Wonder by Deborah Schoof. (www.deborahs-designs.com)
Ten was Steppin' Up by Camille Roskelley. (www.thimbleblossoms.com)
Eleven was Anka's Star by Heather Peterson.
Twelve was Harmony by Me and My Sister Designs.
And all twelve of them together!
I've really enjoyed doing these blocks and have learnt a heap while doing them. I loved the fact that it was the only BOM quilt I could find that was pieced and not applique. I will put it together, but given that every time I pull out the machine, Luke asks if I am working on his frog quilt I think that needs to be my next priority!
Oh, I also finished quilting my friend's daughters quilt, I only have to bind and label it. Will put the binding on and then use that as my sit on the couch at night sewing.
Well it has been awhile since I sewed anything! As you can see by my side bar, my finished list is sorely lacking! I'm hoping for a better second half of the year! I have however finished something in the past few days and am hoping for another finish by the end of July – but more of that later.
My wonderful friend Emma, over at Sampaguita Quilts, was clever enough to be published in the Australian Quilters Companion. This issue to be exact.
I, in between moving and everything else going on had not got a copy. Emma had a few spare and sent me a copy which was absolutely lovely of her. Thank you Emma for doing this. You are a true gem!
This is the quilt she had published, I highly recommend her blog to you if you haven't already discovered it – she is incredibly talented.
At the end of April/ beginning of May I went to Canberra to visit my folks. While there, I had to visit some of my old haunts there – specifically Addicted to Fabric and Rosemont. I was searching for eye spy fabrics to make a quilt for my son's teacher before the end of the year. This was my haul from my Canberra trip.
Fat quarters from Addicted to Fabric and Rosemont
I'm not sure whether I got these from Addicted or Rosemont! I love them either way!
I got this pack of eye spy fabric and the eye spy roll from Rosemont. They have the best charm square packs! 
I also travelled to Berrima to spend the day with my sister who came down from Sydney. We checked out a few craft/ pottery/ antique stores while we were there and I picked up some gorgeous mugs and jug to go in my new kitchen. Of course, I had to visit Berrima Patchwork and was lucky enough to discover they still had panels of the Very Hungry Caterpillar fabric. I ummed and ahhed about getting this so long that most places sold out. Discovering it here I decided was fate, so I bought it along with a few other things, including a lovely seascape fat quarter
Then my husband mistakenly let me go to IKEA by myself for the first time! Every other time we have been there (and there have been a few!) he has rushed me past the fabric section. There alone, I finally got to have a look and picked up these two prints.
I think the pink will become cushions for my daughter. Not sure about the animal print, although I have a few friends expecting babies...hmmmm
More recently I have finished off the eye spy quilt for my daughter's old daycare centre. It will go on my July finished list and as soon as it is labelled it will be delivered.
As for what is going on now, as I type, sitting in my machine, most probably a 1/3 quilted, is the quilt of love for my friends daughter. We have been lucky in that it has been a while since she has been in hospital, so I figure I shouldn't tempt fate too much longer. I have decided to free motion quilt some butterflies and stippling so expect it to take a few days to do. It will, however, end up on my July finished list!
So now I am almost up to date. I will try to do an update of my projects later this week. Tomorrow I am taking 3 children (only one of which is mine!) to the movies, so don't expect it then. I won't promise anything as we all realise that would be foolish! Hopefully though I will update more regularly from here, especially if we can get a stable net connection to this machine!
Happy quilting all!
