Another 2 borders

 I've got another 2 borders on my mums quilt. The third border is the one that has taken the longest as it required 24 square in square blocks. Although my square in squares are not perfect, they are getting better as I go.

Border 4 was another round of 3in squares. What I am most proud of with this quilt is the care I have taken with my seams. Making sure they don't get flipped over while sewing and getting them to line up.

Next I need another border of the blue material, followed by the last border which will be made from 6.5x12.5 in strips with four 5x12.5 in strip in the corners.Still hopeful for this to be my January finish, although it will be close!

I also received the second order of fabric I've been waiting on to finish the strip twist quilt. Although now I have it, I'm thinking of starting all over again!

And I reversed, traced onto vilesofix and started to cut out the frilled neck lizard.
Getting to the point where I will actually have to start doing stuff with the lizard instead of prep work! Eeeeeeeeeeeek!!

Yay! A Fabric Delivery!!

Yesterday I got home to some squishy mail from the Fat Quarter Shop. It held the fabric I needed to keep going with the quilt I am making for my mum. So, today, despite the fact I should be cleaning my house for the house guests who will arrive this evening, I cut and I sewed! But first, what was in my package??

Maid of Honour blue Double Stripe for the backing of mums quilt,

Alliance Blue Boxes Under the Bed for borders within mums quilt,

 Sweets Multi Heart O' Plenty and

 

 Michael Miller Pink Sprinkes on Top.

The last two were to pad the bag out :)

So I cut the last of the fabric I needed for mums and started sewing.

This is the centre panel with the first border. The centre panel is made up of seven 4.5x16.5 in strips. The first border is 1.5 in strips..

The second border is made up of thirty six 3.5in squares.

There will be another 4 borders. The third is made up twenty four square in square blocks that will measure 6.5 in sq. The fourth will be sixty 3.5 in squares similar to the second border. Fifth will be 2 inch strips of the blue fabric used in the first border. Finally, the sixth border will twenty eight 6.5x12.5 in strips with four 5x12.5 in strip in the corners. If you want to get a general idea of what it will look like, check out this post. I am still hopeful I will be able to make this my January finish.

Frustration!!

OK, I have hit a wall! I have 2 projects almost ready to sew together, but am waiting on the delivery of some material before I can go any further! I've started to prepare the stuff I need to start the lizard and I am contemplating doing some work on my Block of the Month, but it requires more cutting and I want to sew!!

On other news, I've decided to take on a 100+ books in 2010 challenge! I think it's too much to subject what should be a craft blog to, so if you are interested in following what I read, check out my new blog - Kylie's Reads. I know, I'm up there for creative titles. I'll still track on here and put what I am reading in the side bar, but won't be posting about them.

Off to try and decide what to do.

OPAM Challenge 2010

Yep, I'm signing up again for the One Project a Month Challenge. I managed a total of 8 finished items last year. I am really hoping to manage at least one a month this time.
This year, places are limited, so if you are interested, head over to Kris at Tag Along Teddies or Pegs at Happy in Quilting to sign up.

Currently reading...

Every Secret Thing by Marie Munkara. I'm reading this for book club. Only pages in and it has already made me laugh out loud several times (can be embarrassing on the ferry!) A friend who has read it already told me I will cry as well. This is the story of a catholic mission in the Northern Territory and their often vain attempts to convert the local bush mob. My favourite part so far is when a child asks the bishop this question about the serpent in the garden of Eden.

"But why did Eve eat the apple? Wouldn't the snake have tasted better?" queried Jeremiah
"And why aren't there any black angels? Why are they always white?" asked another.
"And if God made the world, then who made God?"
"And why is his name dog backwards?"
His Most Anxious, head spinning from this onslaught, looked to Sister for assistance. But Sister, harbouring a long-held contempt for his Most Sleazy and having borne the brunt of similar questioning herself, continued to clean up her desk and ignored him.
"Er, well, the snake might have been poisonous, " he proffered.
"Poison snakes don't clomb trees!" Ruth flung back amid murmers of assent from the rest of the class.
"Well how do you know that it lived in a tree?"
"Look here," said Cecilia, showing him their text with a beautifully illustrated depiction of Adam and Eve being shamefully ousted from the Garden of Eden while the snake leered at their retreating backs from a nearby bush. 


I must warn you (and it's most probably fairly obvious from the above passage) the book is not exactly complimentary to the Catholic chuch.


I have also managed to squeeze in another book.

The True Story of Butterfish by Nick Earls. I first came across Nick Earls in my role as a teacher librarian and his young adult books. Very rarely have I found a young adult author whose adult books are just as good. I'm fairly sure it was a passage from Bachelor Kisses that had me laughing so hard I could hardly breath. Butterfish is the story of one half of once highly successful band and his return to Brisbane and a "normal" existence. It was hard not to draw parallels between Butterfish (the name of the band) and Savage Garden. One band member very out there and appearing to love the hype, the other more reserved and wanting to stay in the background. Two hugely successful albums, followed by a band break up. Earls himself acknowledges the similarities, but assures us that's where it ends. Hmm, think I may have to add Nick Earls to my list of authors to read all of!

What to do??

So many options! My sewing mojo has returned with vigour and I am excited about so many projects. I have so much I want to do this year and here are the three I am starting/ contemplating at the moment.
A couple of years ago I got a copy of a magazine called Country Favourites. No 2 to be exact and immediately thought a quilt in it called English Tea Garden would be great for my mum. I've been collecting fabric ever since.

So yesterday I started cutting - there is alot of cutting!

For Christmas Leigh got me this  kit.

I've never attempted anything like this before and I am excited! It came from a patchwork shop in Tuncurry called Just Patchwork. I had to unpack it all and take a look!

Now I'm even more scared! The pattern is huge! If you look over in the top right part of the pattern, you will see a 1cm2. Gives you an idea of how big it is. I've made a list of the extras I need to buy for this and will hopefully be able to get them sometime this week.

The third thing on my want-to-start-now list is a strip twist quilt using this jelly roll I got awhile ago.

So hopefully this is the start of a busy and productive year! Wish me luck!

Currently reading...

All You Need is Love. Fifteen Journeys into Motherhood by Suzy Zail

I picked this up while doing the Christmas shopping. It's the exact right thing to start the new year with. Fifteen different women tell their story about motherhood. Same sex parenting, single parenting, donor egg, grandmothers raising grandchildren. The common theme - love.

Now a question, I finished My Life Among the Serial Killers today. Given I started it in 2009, but finished it in 2010 (only just, but still!) which list do I add it to??