We have action!!

"Oh Donna, Oh Donna..

I know a girl, Donna is her name and since she met me (at Quilters and stitchers fair) , life's never been the same......."

Why?? Because she reminds me constantly about the great quilting frame in my sewing room that I haven't been using!!!

Well, Donna at chookyblue, do I have news for you!!

On my second afternoon of cleaning I finally got my sewing room to this stage, so i can see the quilting frame. (I took a before shot but am too humiliated to share!!)

I got the other side to an organised stage like this..

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with some handy new Aldi containers. Lots of fabrics sorted by projects, i think that will work for me...and I can see them! Dh will have a fit when he sees more shelves and containers, One and a quarter walls are fully shelved ( & full!)-but, the search for the perfect container is a woman's never ending search for some kind of organisational Utopia! Life will be organized there!

As I could see the quilt frame I proceeded to get it to work. The frame was initially set up wrong, then I found out the machine was set up wrong, today i had the time and inclination to fix it and we got results.

TA Da!! Real honest to goodness quilting!

Well, if you don't look too close it's not too bad!

Soon got bored with a play piece so decided to work on one of my million tops.

Having fun getting my stitches to be even but I will perfect it if it kills me as a stitch regulator was a LOT! Do you remember what they quoted at the Quilt fair Donna?

I was very naughty-I just used vintage chenille on the back so noone will be able to see how badly this first one went.

I have only been able to get stitch in the ditch type patterns up to here, I am loving the stipple look.

Actually, i think I may be in love. Maybe I will join the get 5 things done by July challenge!

Have a great day and remember you have 2 days to comment...on this or the last post-I'm pretty relaxed about giveaways, for the chance to have some cards come your way

Traps for new players. Episode 2.

Catching up with bloggers has lots of upsides. One for me proved to be getting the "getgo" from Donna about using my absolutely fabulous quilting frame ......that I got months ago.

Now, I was going to get so much done on it before Christmas but the few times I have sat down to work it out I have been in a hurry and, more importantly, it didn't make sense! Lots of lovely piecing and normal life has also distracted me, so when Chookyblue and I actaully saw my frame working at the quilt show she pretty much told me she would annoy me until she saw action.

So today, after getting my roots magically restored to a colour that does not match my mother's, I sat down in peace and quiet to work my way through the video and load a quilt.

Well, it's not really a quilt, just a play piece until I get the hang. Fabulous huh!???

But wait, is anything looking wrong about this setup, could there be a reason I have repeatedly looked at it and decided it doesn't make sense??

Yep, I imagine you got it in one!!!

It is impossible to slide the machine around the quilt with those two metal supporting bars there.

The glider piece is completely around the wrong way!!! Both DH and the sewing machine man should stick to farming I think!

I am just waiting for DH to come and help me fix it and then it will be all go, as it was incredibly easy to load. So thanks for the motivational talk Chookyblue!

Speaking of Chookyblue, here she is! Front left, next to me on the right, with Jodie Ric Rac left back and Annie's flower garden on the right.( Who very fortunately could catch up with us after an appointment)

Did a few purchases, Chookyblue is showing my cutting mat and BIG quilt coat hanger on her blog, they don't want to load for me here. A few other little things were:

-some magazines from the sponsors, 2 sizes of suffolk puff makers, bright chenille...'cos you can never have too much!! and A big wooden T that is likely to get covered in fabric.

-photo transfer fabric sheets, some new apply-kay stuff that works like visoflix but removably sticks your pieces in place, also doesn't "go off" like visoflix if you store it for a while. Some hangers and a bag pattern and handles for making a cool new bag.

Miscellaneous "stuff". Tractor fabric for my new nephews quilt, daisy notions,some nice necklace beads, a wooden kit for a ribbon dispenser, some cute tins (as Chookyblue's girl "made me") and some quilt block inkable embellishing blocks that haven't come out well so I will have to show you again another day.

Very lucky that Jodie bought her cart to hold all our stuff and that Chooky's girl liked dragging it around-and yes, she was well looked after for it!

I actually have to do some work at school tomorrow to give the teachers time to get sorted for Parent teacher interviews straight after school-I envision a storytime session, then I have the kids home on holidays for 2 and a half weeks.

Have a great day, Tracey

Remind me he doesn't have to stress about Christmas.

Wandered past the local sewing machine shop a few weeks ago, saw a sign in the window saying, "come and try the new Husqvarna Inspira quilting frame". Unusually enough, DD was actually at school and I was at leisure, a dangerous combination!

Now, some people are quilters, they race through the patchwork to get to the quilting stage....they quilt wholecloths, something i appreciate the look of ...and may even try one day....but the love of the quilting process is not why I cut up my little pieces of fabric.

I love the patchwork of it, the sewing together of the little bits, (like the pixels that make up a photo) to get the big picture. I adore using the discarded and giving it a second life but I equally love holding a beautiful fabric range, like my Roman Holiday pieces, in my hands to play with.

I have all this fabulous creative fun...then the basting and finishing comes along and spoils it for me, wrecking my knees, further upsetting the old scoliosis and generally bringing the whole process to a halt....amd I hate a slowed finish.

I tried the wooden quilting frame and was very happy with it-until I went inside the doors of the sewing machine shop.

I saw, I played, I took a brochure and went home.

I told DH I had a new project for the egg money, yes, it may take until DD goes to University but it is fun to save.
Put the brochure on the office fridge, told the quilting girls and pretty much left it at that.

Then, the Saturday after shearing, DH turned to me and asked where he needed to order my Christmas present, I hazily asked what he meant and turns out he meant this.......

I said, "but i was going to save!' and he answered, "don't worry, you can always think of something else!!"

And of course if the deal is far more reasonable with the Husqvarna Viking Mega quilter machine and a DH thinks that you have had a tough year...etc etc, then you may even have this as well......

It can be used separately to the quilting frame, but i doubt it will ever be off.

It all arrived yesterday, the shopowners husband and DH spent hours setting it up, I just have to add the laser for following the patterns ...and the practise fabric and batting...and it will be right to go- after i watch the DVD of course.

It is on a moveable slide so it moves forward and back and up and down, you quilt all the one length, then just roll the quilt on the the next section. It can be done with the laser, following patterns, or free hand, using those handles you can see at the top of the machine. It is not quite a longarmer, but then I have no intention of taking other work in-I would lose my patchwork time- probably just letting my quilting girls have a go. It will make a lot more sense when you see it all set up with a quilt loaded.

So my husband is smelling about as sweet as this rose at present, he wasn't sure about me getting it pre-Christmas, says I will be disappointed on the day!!! But i just have so many quilt plans/tops, I couldn't wait 7 weeks!

Will I be disappointed on the day girls?? I shouldn't think so, but that is where you better remind me!

Off to go and dream happy quilting dreams! Tracey

Gratitudes: Need you ask!