Tah-Dah

Completed at last!! I decided I would make a lap quilt for my sister, so that she could cuddle into it, after chemo. I did the simplest pattern I could find - a central square, with borders all round and then joined together. Her favourite colour used to be blue. I just hope she hasn't changed her mind! There was no way I could ask her, without letting the cat out the bag.

I used to make a lot of wall hangings and small samples, for when I was demonstrating a technique, so I used to stipple these examples using what is now called micro stippling. I always hand quilted larger objects. Because I wanted to get this to my sister as quickly as possible (the chemo started last week), I decided to machine stipple it. I always use a large herringbone stitch to baste the sandwich together (you can see a great picture of how it looks on Lynn's blog, 'Nebraska Views' here), but when I have fully basted one way completely, I turn the quilt and baste at right angles. It doubles the work, but ensures the quilt layers will not move during machining. I forgot to take a picture of the quilt, when I had finished basting it. I found the stippling really hard on my neck, when I started. I was tensing up, trying to manoever the quilt, but I bought a pair of machine embroidery gloves, when I was at the Sewing and Hobbycraft Exhibition, and they made life so much easier! They have rubber 'bumps' on the palms of the gloves, and they grip the surface of the quilt, as you lay your hands on top. I was able to quilt for longer periods of time, and my neck did not get so sore. I stippled using a dark blue thread. This is a picture of one of the blocks below. It is not, by any means, perfect, but it got me started again.

Thankful Thoughts

I have a couple of friends, who send me funny emails every day. I must admit I enjoy a good laugh, and I have a quirky sense of humour (a typical Glaswegian!). Occasionally I get an email from one of them that makes me sit up and think. Appropriately enough the email I got today is called 'Think'. I hope you enjoy, if that is the correct word, and I hope it makes you think. (see below)

There was a blind girl who hated herself because she was blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She told her boyfriend, ' If I could only see the world, I will marry you. ' One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her. When the bandages came off, she was able to see everything, including her boyfriend. He asked her, ' Now that you can see the world, will you marry me? ' The girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind. The sight of his closed eyelids shocked her. She hadn ' t expected that. The thought of looking at them the rest of her life led her to refuse to marry him. Her boyfriend left in tears and days later wrote a note to her saying: ' Take good care of your eyes, my dear, for before they were yours, they were mine. ' This is how the human brain often works - when our status changes. Only a very few remember what life was like before, and who was always by their side in the most painful situations. Life Is a Gift Today before you say an unkind word - Think of someone who can't speak. Before you complain about the taste of your food - Think of someone who has nothing to eat. Before you complain about your husband or wife - Think of someone who ' s crying out to GOD for a companion. Today before you complain about life - Think of someone who went too earl y to heaven.. Before whining about the distance you drive - Think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet. And when you are tired and complain about your job - Think of the unemployed, the disabled, and those who wish they had your job. And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down - Put a smile on your face and think: you ' re alive and still around. Till next time. tich

New Book

Just a very quick blog tonight. I have been busy binding a quilt today, but will not get it finished, as I am going out tonight.

I bought this book just before I went off island. I read Terrie Sandelin's blog (here), and I do love mini quilts, so that is why I bought the book. I have to finish the quilt I am working on and a baby quilt, and then I am going to get my nose stuck into this book!

Thankful Thoughts

My sister started chemo yesterday and seems to be coping really well. Thank You.

Bernina Machines -Favorite Feature Contest

Two posts in one day - I am excelling myself! Bernina is holding a contest to say what you like best about your machine and also what improvements you would like. Here is the link.

Good Luck.

tich

Bernina Tip

As you all know, I love my Bernina 630E, 'Loopy Locket', shown here with the embroidery module attached. I use it almost every day, sometimes only for a couple of hours, but she and I are getting to know each other a bit better.

I bought a straight stitch plate, a while ago, but when I was changing it, I managed to break off one of the lugs on the back side of the plate. I couldn't believe it, as I am so careful with the machine. I phoned up my dealer, who is 280 miles away, and I received a new lug in the post. I also managed to include a smaller embroidery hoop as well in the order (a very late Christmas present!). It was really easy to put on the new lug. The assistant, who is a marvel on the machine, said she had done the exact thing, and in future, when I am changing plates, I HAVE TO LOWER THE FEED DOGS. It works like a charm. It is much easier to get the plate on, and I no longer worry about breaking anything. Thank you, David Drummond, Edinburgh. You have saved the day again!!

I'm Back!!

We went down to stay with my daughter, last week, and I was not organised enough to have posts ready to be published when I was away. My husband had just come back from a magic convention in Blackpool, so everything had to be washed etc., and then we were off. We wanted to give the grandchildren their Christmas presents, as we could not get off the island together, earlier. The person who looks after our animals, when we are off island, was involved with the murder trial, so we had to wait until that was over. I also wanted to go to the above exhibition in the Scottish Exhibition Conference Centre (SECC) in Glasgow. It started at 9.30am. My friend, whom I haven't seen for nearly three years, was coming down by bus from Kirriemuir. We met up at 11.45, but by that time I had bought few (cough, cough!) things. We had a great day!! It was so nice to see her again - she is such a nice person!! (I am on the left of the picture.)

I bought lots of material, and odd bits for doing various crafts.

During our stay near Edinburgh, we went to Ikea and various other shops. When we do go off the island, we find that we romp round loads of shops, trying to get things, which are not generally available where we live. This does not make for a relaxing holiday. We also went to see my husband's Dad, who has dementia. He was having a really good day, and he recognised us both. We took him out for a meal and then afternoon tea, and he thoroughly enjoyed himself.It was so nice to see him smiling and laughing.

Thankful Thoughts

It was a nice change to get off the island, have a couple of meals out and shop till we dropped, but there is no place like home. I looked at the tide going out of the bay, this morning, with the waders (birds) looking for food, and the sun glinting on the water and felt myself relax. Our washing is done, the baking is cooling down, so I am away to wash my material and play with the rest of my goodies.

Happy Mother's Day on Sunday!

Rosemary

I haven't been blogging lately, as my husband is off island, and I have been 'in charge'. Sounds very pretentious, but I have not had a lot of time to go online. The hens, ducks and ponies have to be fed and watered twice a day, and of course, as soon as my husband left we got snow, so I have been breaking ice on all the water barrels and trying to get the stand pipe outside to work. The last two days it has been so cold that I have had to haul the water from the house, as everything outside is iced up. This is most unusual, as we are so close to the sea, but the weather forecast does not look good for this coming week, when my husband is coming back up. He is going to get a rough journey, I think. On top of that, I have had a sick dog. Penny had to get an emergency hysterectomy last week. We were really disappointed, as we were going to breed her in May, but we were told, if we did not get the operation done, she might die, so there was no choice. She is fine now. The stitches came out today, and she is running about in the snow, without a care in the world.

The top picture shows the colours I chose for the pinwheel quilt. I was going great guns, but I got sidetracked, and I am now working on a new project (naughty, naughty!) I am not going to show the blocks until it is finished, but it is an easy block to do, so that should not take too long. Here is a sneak peek of some of the blocks.

Thankful Thoughts

My sister is now back home and waiting to start chemotherapy and radiotherapy. We have been talking on Skype. It is great to have her back talking and laughing with me. She has a great sense of humour. Thank You!

Till next time.

tich

Flower Clasps

I have been having fun making these clasps for my granddaughters. They love pretty things for their hair, so when I saw a tutorial on this site here, I got going. Arlette's blog has a lot of great tutorials, and I am definitely going to have a go at some of the pincushions. I love pincushions, but find that my pins go rusty in them, as we are so close to the sea. Back to the clasps. They are really easy to make. I was not concentrating, when I made the first blue gingham pins, and kept on folding. As you can see below, they are more like daisies than flowers, but they will still be appreciated.

These are more what the clasps should look like. Arlette sent me a nice email, giving permission for me to link to her blog.

I bought this quarter inch foot, or should I say my husband bought this for me, along with another hoop, for Loopy Locket, my 630E Bernina. I have been having a bit of trouble getting my points to meet, and I thought this might help. I now have perfect quarter inch seams, but some of my points are still not perfect. Anybody got any tips? I am a perfectionist, when it comes to patchwork, and try to keep things just so (or sew?)

I realise I have not been indicating when I have updated my 100+ Reading Book Challenge, so I will put a link in the blog, when I have completed more books. (here)

Thankful Thoughts

My sister has come through her operation. They could not get all the tumor, but she starts radiotherapy soon. Thank You! Thank you to all the nice wishes that have also been sent from blogland!

Doesn't the sun make all the difference to how you feel? We have had a period of really lousy weather. Long, dark, murky days, with lots of rain. Then we had a few unexpected days, when the snow fell and actually stayed. But suddenly we woke up one day and the sun was shining. There was no wind, and the bay was absolutely calm, just like a mirror. Glorious!

Till next time.

tich