Thursday, 6 June 2013

Extreme Handsewing & Happy Mail

...okay, not so extreme...but I seem to be doing a lot of finickety hand sewing at the moment.  This is essential hand sewing though as it is an EPP block that Marguerite has been waiting for...for too long!


Marguerite designed this 9" block herself and it is made up of lots of tiny pieces. She wanted the inner and outer tips to be a contrast to the centre pieces.  Now I have got used to the basting of those itsy bitsy triangles, the block is coming together quite nicely and I shall get this off to Marguerite next week I hope. This is my second attempt, having mislaid my first partially completed first attempt!

I have received quite a bit of happy mail over the last week or so and so I have a couple of thank yous.


A very cute little pincushion from Helen that I won some time ago, and my mum  forwarded to me in a recent parcel. Thank you Helen!


My low volume layer cake from the recent swap organized by Rebecca - she kept a super close eye on the fabrics and as a result, this is an incredible collection of beautiful fabrics. She sent a 'just because' FQ of one of my favourite Loulouthi fabrics, and my winnings from her recent SMS giveaway - 2 yards of owl flannel which will be perfect for my young nephew and niece (I have a new nephew!) Thank you Rebecca!


and a couple of quilt backings from Julie at The Intrepid Thread. The blue is from Amy Butler's Cameo line and the green is Pagoda's Lullaby for Free Spirit.

There was also mail in the form of a couple of textbooks I need for a course I am starting next Monday - not that happy but necessary. I won't be around much over the next few weeks as I have been told by the course director to forget my life for 4 weeks - yikes! I am doing an intensive course (in a real classroom here in Marrakech) so that I can teach English as a foreign language.  Yes that means grammar and syntax and lexis and other things...so I shall definitely be missing my machine!




30 comments:

MariQuilts said...

Lovely block.....but yes, seems very finicky!!

Catherine said...

Oh, lovely block - great choice of fabrics too, making it even more pretty. Good luck with your course!

Anonymous said...

the block does look finger pricking

Heather D. said...

certainly looks extreme to me!! I'm impressed.

Love some of those layer cake fabrics.

Catherine said...

Fabulous block and you have received lots of happy mail

CJ said...

Lovely fabrics, you will be busy. Hope your course goes well and that it isn't too full on.

Mary said...

I was a bit daunted when I started the block but I've actually really enjoyed it - although it's taken me ages! Jealous of all your happy mail.

Susan said...

Oh becoming a teacher- good for you! At least you will be able to dream about pretty fabric in your brief moments of down time!

QuiltCandy said...

Loving the EPP! Although it does look fiddly! Best of luck with your course, it sounds like hard work but it will be worth it in the end and you will you will love your sewing machine even more when you return to it in a few weeks!

Nat at Made in Home said...

Love the epp block!!

AmandaK@whatthebobbin said...

Fun loot. The EPP block is amazing.

Mrs Flying Blind... said...

Oooh get you teacher! Good luck xxx

Wens said...

Lovely block! It does look pretty extreme to me :)

Kelly said...

I think those teeny tiny triangles would drive me to drink, so I am very impressed :)

Judith, Belfast said...

Gorgeous mail! I hope we can still make grammatical and spelling mistakes after your course!! Jxo

Jessica said...

Look at you and all of that happy mail! Those fabrics are to die for, and your block is so detailed and impressive.

Jess @ Elven Garden Quilts said...

Love that block! Good luck with the course, sounds incredibly full on!

www.randomthoughtsdoordi.com said...

you have gotten some lovely mail. That EPP looks very intricate. Good luck with it. Teaching ESL that's perfect for you.

Canadian Abroad said...

Great post! And good luck with the course. I am sure you will do great. Grammar was never a strong point for me though. I would be shaking in my boots!

Charlotte said...

oooh - lovely post! Good luck with the course :-)

Robin Waggoner, Quilter and Designer said...

Good luck on your class and with your projects.

Fiona @ Poppy Makes said...

Lovely mail and I really need to get working on that EPP block!

Sarah said...

Good luck for your course! Man, they don't make you do that sort of intensive course when you teach English to kids. Maybe they should! I can say this, I'm an English teacher. I hope it helps you to get work in Morocco, more money for fabric ;-)

Archie The Wonder Dog said...

I love the EPP block so far - I imagine it's quite time-intensive? So glad you got the pin cushion and that you like it. Phew ;o) Good luck on your course!

Katy Cameron said...

The feather will be a breeze after this, honest!

Good luck with the TEFL-ing

Dianne Neale said...

The block is coming along nicely! Good luck with the course. I looked at doing that here, but decided I'd rather stick pins in my eyes than teach!!

Dianne Neale said...

The block is coming along nicely! Good luck with the course. I looked at doing that here, but decided I'd rather stick pins in my eyes than teach!!

Rebecca Lynne said...

So much goodness in this post and I was happily surprised to see myself in here! My husband was/is an ESL teacher. He taught in Taiwan for a year. It is very rewarding work and unfortunately for me he does correct my grammar constantly. ;)

Indianna said...

Good luck with the course and I'm sure you will fit some sewing in as stress relief!

Karen @ Pieces of Contentment said...

Love your EPP block, looks like a great design.