Send it this way please! Seriously, I have barely sewn a thing in the last week and a half and worse still, I've been struggling a bit to work up the enthusiasm to do *anything* except sit in front of the fire at night watching Australian Masterchef, my new fave tv viewing and wishing I was out there in that sunshine. Not like me at all, and no reason for it either, seeing as I'm working on some great projects at the moment that I am totally in love with. I suppose life is getting in the way a little on the home front but hopefully with me having a week off work next week, I can catch up with myself and do some daylight sewing (and taking pics).
Anyway, feeling a bit sad I had no finishes to show you this week and no post since last Friday, I decided to just do a quick progress post. This is for the quilt that is no 1 on my Winter Stitching list (by the way, I am blown away by how many people have linked up. The linky is open till Monday 31st so there's still time for people sitting on the fence about it. Not thinking of anyone in particular.... really....)
This is a quilt for our friends' daughter - its going to be bigger than a baby size quilt, more a toddler bed size quilt. I suggested a red pink and aqua palette to her mum and was really pleased she liked it - seeing how its my fave colour combo at the moment. And I have GREAT fabrics in these colours.
I drew up a rough sketch but only sat down to work out the details last week of the cutting requirements. Then I did some trial blocks. Its pretty much a square within a square design. There are 3 different blocks, with 3 different sizes of central square (or rectangle for one of them). I was really pleased with these blocks and happy this will work.
These blocks will work in lots of different ways and can be turned around to change the placement of the centre block to really add interest to the design.
I did not give much thought to the cutting that would be required. The acres and acres of cutting. Silly me.
This quilt will have 56 blocks at 8" square cut, 7.5" square finished. Each square needs 5 pieces. That is 280 pieces to cut for the quilt front. Now those of you who know me know I like to take shortcuts. I cut all my fabric for the ATS quiltalong in about half an hour flat - I normally cut lots of layers together. But the square centres really cry out for fussy cutting and the other pieces are all different sizes so its not really that straightforward. I cut for about 2 hours today and got about 2/3 of my centre pieces cut and a small number of the surrounding strip pieces for the blocks. I really love the fabrics and I'm hoping they sew up as well as they look when they are cut!
But the bad news - there's still a pile of fabric waiting to be cut! Oh well, just writing this has made me look forward to it ;-)
Bring on Tuesday morning when I will be shooing the kids off to play a game, or even watch a dvd (yes, bad mammy moment in planning) and get the rest of these in some kind of order! I won't get to do my FMQ post this week for Cindy's practicealong unless I manage to squeeze an extra hour into tomorrow, which is unlikely. But I will link up next week on the double! And hopefully, by then one of you will have figured out how I can recover my sewing mojo and crank up the productivity again!
PS - there is another giveaway running over on the Sew Irish Facebook page for the last pair of tickets to the Dublin Knitting and Stitching show for Irish peeps - pop over and leave a comment on the giveaway post to enter.
23 comments:
Oh I love Ozzie Masterchef too, in fact I hate the UK one now!
Good luck with your cutting pile :oD
Aussie MC is so much better than the UK version - love it. I thought I saw a `Lost Mojo` poster on the lamp post near our house...will keep a look out for it and send positive mojo thoughts your way. You are so amazingly creative and inspiring and it will return. In the meantime, enjoy your fire in the evening which I am insanely envious of. Your quilty top of the list project looks lovely.
Oh I feel you- I haven't sewn anything this week except for my disastrous FMQ attempts! I swear, the thread is going to be the death of me! It is the tension and the bobbin that is giving me a royal headache as I have adjusted it ten milion times and my bobbin thread breaks and I can see the bottom thread on the quilt top every time. Then I got one of those awful thread nests today. I almost cried- and not because I think I can't do it- I know I can totally get the hang of FMQ - it is just that I can't get the darned thread to stop breaking so I can even sew anything! UGH!!!!!
OK hissy fit over, sorry to have high jacked your comments.
xoxo
Sending some mojo your way my friend!
Don't long too much for the Australian sunshine. We are having spring rain at the moment and I am wearing a tracksuit and sheep-skin slippers! It has ben like this for three days and will continue for a few more - according to the TV news last night!
If I see your mojo I'll send it home quickly!
Haven't seen the missing MoJo around here,but will keep an eye out for it ;) In the meantime enjoy your fire (I too am green with envy). We had Snow today!
A few days on the sofa are not a terrible thing, especially in front of the fire. You are amazing if you cut all the fabric first, I cut some and build some blocks then cut more - I like the sewing so much better than the cutting. I have no good route to returned mojo, I just start something new but that is not the best route for sure.
This "lost sewing mojo" thing seems to be going around...methinks someone has stolen it all and is out there creating up a storm. Well, it's sure not me. It's almost to the point that it's depressing. I get really excited about a lot of projects and a lot of fabrics are inspiring me but...that's as far as I've gotten. However, that Winter Stitching List is calling to me and I've been scrambling all week so that I could set aside this Friday to spend the entire day in my sewing room, tho. If that doesn't work, I don't know what will! Maybe forcing that first step is just enough to get us going again? Maybe just doing one small, quick project is what you need? That sense of accomplishment can be a real motivator! I pray your mojo returns soon! I know I'm not alone in looking forward to seeing your creations! :o)
I think I stole it....it gave me the energy to finish my Halloween quilt. I will send it back to you...only after I finish a few more projects, ok?
Seriously, though...I completely feel you. Those are hard times when you know that you have amazing projects just waiting for you!
Adoring the fabrics you have cut there! My sewing mojo is hit and miss these days too. :/
Your mojo is hiding from your Winter Stitching list - it must be just getting up a bit of energy, then it will be back with a vengeance!
All that cutting is bound to be a downer - but once done, producing blocks will get you all enthused again.
If not, the fire, chocolate and MC isn't so bad xxx
Oh, I've so been there with masterchef, once you get started it's totally addictive! I'm afraid I've been a fence-sitter on your winter list, will try to get it written down and linked up this weekend, I really need the focus! Hope your mojo returns in full swing (ahem!) xx
Just looking at all those fab fabrics you have pulled for this quilt is getting my sewing mojo going. Maybe you need a small easy and quick project that is all for you and all for the fun of it.
Cheer up Sarah!, you will be catching up on all your projects next week for sure.
I know that sewing mojo feeling too well! We all had the icky vomiting bug last week and I just couldn't get to sewing after it was gone. I find that if I just sit down and sew something easy and mindless for a couple of hours I'm usually ready to tackle something more substantial after!. For me my mindless sewing is making bibs for the shop, they are cute,but quite boring to make!!!
Can't wait to see how this comes together, I like all the fabrics you've chosen.
I lost my mojo this week too! Do you think mine is with yours on a sunny holiday somewhere? I think its because it's suddenly dark outside. Ive lost my stitcihng spirit.
I'm going to try to take on a few small projects today for the quick, fast reward. If I find my mojo, I'll ask if it's seen yours anywhere. xx
Don't panic, I'm fairly sure that your lack of mojo is something to do with the general greyness sitting over Ireland at the moment and the torrential rain which was a permanent fixture all weekend!
I am sending you lots of happy vibes Sarah! You will be back to your normal, wonderful, creative, super-productive self as soon as the sun comes out... and I've heard the forecast is good!
I lost mine for a bit too but it's coming back, as will yours ;) Personally I love cutting - so satisfying when you're done!! Those blocks look great and it will be so worth it!
oh no, missing mojo, not good. A few days away from sewing and you will be as good as new again-it happens to us all! Your blocks are going to look fantastic
look under that big ole pile of fabric waiting to be cut, perhaps your mojo is there! I hope you find it soon, I know how fustraiting it can feel when you want to sew but dont feel like sewing (yes I am a woman full of contradictions!) X
your mojo is still there or you wouldn't have all those gorgeous pieces cut out - maybe it's the thought of sewing them all together - once you get going it'll be ok - you have to beat mojo's into submission - start at no 1 on your winter list and keep going....
Hope it turns up soon - it's probably having a quick restorative holiday before it starts tackling your winter list!
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