Tragedy strikes

After only having had my NEW quilt on my bed for one week, I popped it in the washing machine (delicate setting, as I do all my other quilts) and all the vertical machine stitching came undone.  After wondering and considering most everything that could cause this, I realized that I recently organized my threads and remembered finding a bobbin in the thread box with slightly glimmering thread.  Still wondered where and what I used this for.  Now I realize I put it there for a reason............ it was wash-away thread and when I re-organized the threads I must have moved it to the bobbin holder.  In future I will definitely label the bobbin..... what a bad way to learn a lesson!!

Renovating the kitchen

The first day ............ the builders came today and this is what's left of my kitchen.  The house is a huge dusty old mess but luckily no cooking can be done, so I am quite content to retreat to my sewing room.

Screwed up my freemotion foot of my Pfaff Grand Quilter but I've already ordered a new one and worked on a Row BOM cutting and adding the sashings as this will be done 'quilt as you go'.

Hubby went to Bultfontein, a nearby little town, stopped at the quilt shop there and came home with a very welcome 'goodie' bag for me..... anything from rulers, fabric kits, applique paper, thimbles, markers and the cutest little carry-all bag.

Hylettha's Daisy Chain

I think there's a reason why 'binding' and 'bed' both start with B's as I often find myself doing the back of my binding (by hand as it should be done!!!) in bed.  Started last night but didn't get to finish so the final couple of stitches were done today amidst cleaning, washing, ironing and listening to the most welcome summer rain falling outside.

Fellow quilter, Hylettha van der Merwe went to Australia with her daughter and brought me back a 4" charm pack and ever since I saw this picture of the Daisy Chain quilt in the book "Making Scrap Quilts to use it up", I just knew that one day I'll make this and upon receiving the charm pack, I did !!

Started in February 2009 and big enough to cover my 2.2 m diameter round bed.

Completed:  12 October 2009

Hexagon Stars

Finished the last couple of binding stitches this morning in bed.  This quilt is from the book "Magic Stack 'n Whack Quilts" by Bethany S. Reynolds and I was so fortunate to have the author as teacher via the internet.  This quilt was done in a record time as I cut the first fabric on the 18th of September, so less than a month until completion and I love the colors!!

Furthermore a new "quilt helper" has moved in on Thursday, 9 October in the form of another ginger male cat, now called Sushi, still very skinny but already quite at home in the Pringle zoo.

Kentucky, the baby cockatile is growing up fast and have a couple of feathers already.  Still just eating and sleeping most of his days.

Hexagon Starts completed:  11 October 2009

Quilt helper???

I often read about quilters referring to their cats as their 'helpers', I am sorry to have to disagree.  Trying to freemotion quilt whilst having to move this huge body around is no fun at all!!

This is Socks, who simply walked into our house as a skinny streetcat in February 2009 and refused to go.  My daughter often says the cat did not run away from his previous owners, they asked him to leave!

Done the final quilting of this Kaleidoscope quilt and now only for the binding.