Anyone for Placemats??

It's been Quilt City around here the past couple of weeks - have gotten my sewing groove back and getting lots done - have lots of squares cut from scraps: getting 5", 4", 3"and 2" squares and 5"x1½" rectangles going and anything else goes in the bin - I'm trying to get sorted and clutter free!! HA! Trying, I said. I am also listing some Quilting notions and lots of fabric on quicksales (used to be Oztion), so if you are itching to spend, drop in - I am planning to get rid of half my stash (only so's can buy more fabric of course!!) and have been doing some each day. I have a wardrobe - make that 2 wardrobes - full of fabric - and it'll all be at very cheap prices (there you go, my commercial plug for the day)

I finished (on schedule too) the first of the SCQ Christmas Swap - and as I've now given it to her, I can put a photo up. The one on the right is her "Xmas Bag" to me - I fell in love as soon as I saw it. It really is gorgeous. I was pleased with mine because I’d never made a tote bag before and this was easy peasy and looked so nice! I have started April’s, just waiting on some webbing to complete it. I have ideas (and bought some stuff for all bar October and November, so all sorted really.

Luana Rubin of eQuilter sent out a request for hearts for the Christchurch earthquake victims – to the right is my contribution. The idea was to actually have ornament “softie” hearts so people could pick which ones they liked. I liked this idea because rather than hang them up, as I found for myself, you can easily use them as a pin cushion too :o) – and as you can see below, my friend Viv scored one too whilst I was in the mood and the polar bear fabric was out!

Ideas for the Christmas Swap have been flowing, helped by the fact that I agreed with 4 of my Facebook friends that we’d make a handmade gift each (ie each of us send a gift to the other 4 people) and the first one (from Anne) was a drink bottle holder which is such a natty idea and very useful for a person who has to walk every day even tho some days I don’t!

This is where the placemats come in – my first placemat which I loved was my present back to Anne and I love that fabric (Metro Market by Robert Kaufman. Looked so groovy, now I’ll have to have my own. I use Insulbright as the back which is heat-resistant so hot food is fine.

My next trick was to make not only a heart for my good mate, Viv, but I also made her a tote bag too. She’d told me her favourite thing was Polar Bears and guess what I had in my stash? Yep – the results are at left. I was really pleased with the bag and I hope she will be too. Will post off tomorrow.

My little owl friend on the right here is going to be a potholder for some lucky recipient. The fabric is by a hugely talented Australian designer Saffron Craig whose designs are just funky – do go and look – and I’ve found I’ve gotten very fond of owls (maybe brought on by Harry Potter books!!)

I haven’t finished them yet but am making a present (or 2 or 3) for Kellie, Viv’s daughter and one for Helen (who’s Viv’s sister) so it’s all in the clan of what I dub my “Adelaide friends” I was a resident of Adelaide in 1970 and actually lived with Viv, her Mum and Dad and other 2 sisters for a few months, so it’s my pleasure to make the gifts.

Next on the list will be to finish both a “Think Pink” quilt for raffling at work for the Wesley Hospital Kim Walters’ Choices, "Think Pink" Morning Tea we have every year. I missed out last year and 2009 so am going to make a beaut for this year – I think this is modern funky and vibrant, and I’m the quilter so what I say goes - and make a quilt with the “Birds in the Air” traditional block in muted tones of the darker side of the colour palette (browns, olives, maroons, purples, etc). As my own preference is for bright, vivid colours, it will be interesting to see how my colour sense holds up so far out of my comfort zone.

On the work front, I can’t start my authorised 2 hours a day until I get a visit from the Occupational Therapist people, HR check with sundry medical personnel that I am OK to work and IT update my laptop. I have been sent my chair from work so my bum is much more comfortable so guess that’s a start…. In the meantime, I’m having a great time playing in a couple of online casinos (shock, horror) but like at Norths, I get bored quickly so it isn’t a problem (yet! ) Of course, I guess I could do housework, washing, wash puppies, mending, washing up