WiP Wednesday

I rarely do WiP Wednesday but have decided to start on the basis that it might focus my mind now that I'm going to have other commitments.

So keeping it real, I shall list only a couple of things.

First up are my blocks for the City Sampler. Since starting these last Friday I have made the first 15 blocks, which are all crosses. These blocks come together so easily and I am loving the combination of different Tula Pink lines and Oakshott. I have a way to catch up with the sewalong, which are at the mid fifties but who knows, I might do!

Second up is my gorgeous Stitch Tease quilt top, the theme for which was curves.

I have the batting and I'm going to do a pieced back...just need to decide on the fabrics. The only thing is that I left a lot of my basting pins at my mum's and so energy is required to face basting it with thread...and if I do that then I'm quite tempted to hand quilt it on my big hoop! Am I mad?

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced.

Saturday MashUp

Zaki broke up from school yesterday for a 2 week holiday.  The children were asked to wear fancy dress.  There was only one solution.

Dinosaur fancy dress

For those of you who read this blog regularly, you may remember the saga of the dinosaur costume, which we bought for mildly dinosaur obsessed Zaki as a Christmas present.  The sales assistant at the dinosaur shop in the Natural History Museum left the security tags on. After contemplating buying tag removers from ebay or smashing the no doubt permanent ink filled tags,sanity prevailed and The Natural History Museum in London were super helpful and removed the tags and reimbursed the postage. Best friend Louie came as a pirate, Mia as a bee and Yacout was a cat.

It`s not a holiday here but it felt a little like one.  Perhaps it was because of some gentle sewing while watching High Society on Channel 5.

While I appreciate Parisville is so last year or even the year before, I feel about Tula Pink`s Parisville like many people feel about Denise Schmidt`s Flea Market Fancy.  My scraps are diminishing and a pouch is a way of having your own portable collection of personal eye candy so yesterday, I made a little pouch. It was the first time I used interfacing as opposed to batting, and I really like the more streamlined finish it gives,

Parisville scrappy pouch

When your children are young, you witness development on an almost daily basis...yesterday I came downstairs from making lunch to find that scribbles had turned into drawings.  I had become Mummy Potato Head. "Look mummy, you have your arms above your head!"  I love being Mummy Potato Head.

Zaki`s drawing

The Good News or The Bad News?

Do you want the good news or the bad news first?

When asked this question, I always plump for the bad news.  Better to get it over and done with.

My Across the Sea quilt (ATSQ) is basted and I`ve started quilting it.  No, no - that`s not the bad news. I went for wavy lines as I thought straight lines might be a little harsh and I don`t have the FMQ foot here as the shop forgot to send it to me with the new machine.  Well this morning I thought the  ATSQ would be my favourite quilt.  I was so happy with it.  However, I`ve given up with it for today.  It`s lying in a dishevelled heap. My wavy lines make it look like some cheap quilt you would find at the local market.  The lines are about 3 inches apart.  Perhaps I need to go denser. 

And the good news?  Well the good news is that I received some goodies in the post. Yes, our postman is back!

First off is this lovely fabric I had ordered and forgotten about.

Loulouthi FQ bundle in the Eleni colourway by Anna Maria Horner.

Prince Charming FQ bundle by Tula Pink in the coral colourway.

But that`s not all. I received my first mug rug and goodies of The Goodie Swap 2011 from lovely Judith in Northern Ireland.

Judith had gone to so much trouble, taking into account favourite colours and incorporating Moroccan inspired shapes in the mug rug, which is so beautifully made.  There`s also a handmade silk brooch with silk from Cambodia and the most amazing camera pin, which Judith asked her daughter to make - knowing I love photography.  I love it - it`s so beautifully made and the detail is incredible!

Oh and what do you think Zaki has his eye on?  Yes, the Gummy Bugs..which Judith sent especially for him and which went down a treat.  Thank you so much Judith!

If a miracle happens, I`ll post a photo of my ATSQ tomorrow and if not I`ll cry.  

Don`t forget to check back tomorrow night for the winner of the Intrepid Thread sponsored giveaway!