Almost back to normal...

HELLO.  Remember me?  I am a dreadful blogger; one post a month was not what I was aiming for when I started this thing up.

However life does tend to get in the way, and this past fortnight has included various ups and downs.

Among the ups were a trip to Windsor to celebrate with my Aunt after she was presented with a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List, which was terribly posh but a nice chance to catch up with my widely-flung family.  Then Bike Husband and I went to Liverpool to see one of our favourite bands, Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, at a teeny weeny gig that was absolutely brilliant.  Plus, we stayed in a hotel afterwards - bliss.  And then on the Saturday we went to Thought Bubble 2013 in Leeds, and that was brilliant too!  Lots of fascinating comics were purchased and much fun was had.

Less fun was Train Boy getting sick and having to have time off school (he's fine now, don't worry), and my computer breaking.  That last bit is why it's taken me a while to get back up to speed here - although we do have a spare one that I borrowed, it runs like an elderly dog and I couldn't work out how to do my photos on it.  Not that they're quite right even now, since I can't find my photo editing software and they're all a bit dark and out of focus... look...

Scrappy Kaleidoscopes!

Although I am quite pleased with how the quilt looks in real life.  This one will probably go to the shop once it's actually quilted up.  And I'm even more pleased with this one:

Hopefully Ella will like it too...

All it needs now is something nice and light for the borders and backing, which I've ordered online, and I shall be on my way to finishing it in time for Christmas - phew.

Now I need to get back to work.  See you next week - honest!

68 Days to Christmas...

This week I have wrenched myself away from the scrappy strings and squares at last.  I'd made a significant dent in my scrap box and besides, it isn't as if I don't have other things that need getting on with.

One of the most guilt-inducing is this one - a dollies quilt for Ella, the daughter of a very good friend.  I'd promised to make one and suggested it might be ready for Christmas… last Christmas.  I KNOW.

But I am making good progress at last, thanks mostly to my extremely helpful cat Emma.  At least, she thinks so...

"Get on with it, Monkey Butler."

And now at least I have all my blocks finished, if not yet framed, embroidered with faces and buttons, or arranged in order.  The block was originally based on one by Sarah Fielke in her quilt "The 'Burbs" from Material Obsession, but as you can see it's evolved a bit from there...

Here are closeups of a few of the dolls I'm most proud of:

Ms Pink Hair likes knitting, punk rock, and hair dye.

Ms Sari likes thunderstorms, chocolate and cats.

Ms Ballet Dancer likes classical music, foot rubs and smelly cheese.

(ohhh, she was a headache!  But Ella is a fab ballet dancer so I knew I had to put one in)

Ms Kimono likes horror films, spicy curry and bubble baths.

You'll be seeing more of this once I get all the buttons, faces, jewellery and the rest sewn on.  Surely the end is in sight within the next 68 days?  See you next week!