Tracking my precious...

So today I decided to use the tracking thingy they sent me when I placed my order for the new sewing machine. And out of all the places I expected it to be, resting confortably through the weekend, I did not expect it to be in Germany!!! Aschaffenburg to be more precise.

And now I'm curious. Why does my sewing machine needed to travel to Germany? It left Oswestry & Wrexham, UK,  on the 28th, the day I placed the order. And now it's gone to Germany? Oh, I wish I was a sewing machine... I hope she's taking pictures!

It's the last day, I'll miss it so much! [Blogtoberfest Day 31]

So a whole month has passed, time sure does fly when your having fun! I vow to be better next year. Also with my new sewing machine, I'll probably have a lot more projects to show.

One thing I like to do is mark a moment to remember later on. Like this one for example. Today I am here with this life of mine as it is. Next year by this time, how will my life be? I'll be 30 for one, and I'll be doing something completely diferent than what I'm doing today, profession wise. So what will I be doing? Will I miss the life I have today or will I be completely happy and gratefull as I usually am with the life I've been given?
And so I mark a present moment, to make sure that on October 31st 2011 I will stop at a given time, probably when I'm right here writing on my blog and will think wow, I remember perfeclty where I was one year ago, I marked the moment. Am I making sense?? :)

Where do you think you will be next year? Do you remember where you were a year ago?

[Blogtoberfest Day 30]

Hello!

So big preparations are under way, I've got loads of projects going on at the same time, some sewing related, others not so much...
And, as we move towards December, it can only get worse, me being, as i've mentioned, the proud owner of a gift shop.

I must say I'm a bit sad that Blogtoberfest is about to end, even tough I missed a couple of days, it really kept reminding me of blogging, which is always good.

Regarding the Christmas Twinkle Collection, more precisely it's third project, I am at the quilting phase, which is all by hand as you know (not really by choice but not as bad as I thought it would be).
I struggling because this time I did a very poor work and sandwich making. The glue didn't work, think I'm running out of it, so the fabric keeps shifting. Amazingly enough, this was suppsosed to be the most basic quilting I will do for this Collection, only horizontal qullting and yet it's been harder than the previous two...

I think I need to get ten times as much pins as i have right now to make this work properly and forget the spary glue all together as I think it gives me alergies... nice!

Oh, and by the way, by my estimates, my baby is arriving in 4 days!!!

Actually

Forget about my latest post, just a little why-can't-things-go-my-way rant. My baby is on it's way. She should arrive by next week,like Monday or Tuesday :)

AND a free thread pack (50 different colors) and Sewing Kit

AND a Walking foot

AND a 1/4" seam foot 

AND an Open toe craft foot 

AND a Free hand embroidery foot

AND an Extension table 9.5" x 18"

Guess I'll just have to learn what all of this stuff is for :)

[Blogtoberfest Day 28]

I can´t believe Blogtoberfest is almost over! It went by so fast!
So today was meant to be the day I would buy my new sewing machine. But as usual, nothing is that simple, so I really don't know how it will turnout. One of the many downsides of living in this country, if you want quality with a good price, you have to get it abroad!

Wish me luck!

Cravings [Blogtoberfest Day 27]

Hello!

I hope you like the changes I've made to the place. I needed a fresh outlook.
What I also need is to buy fabric. It's been way too long I've bought anything new and spending my days looking at amazing projects and fabric cabinets from all of the other very talented bloggers I follow isn't helping!
But I am about to invest in a new sewing machine and truth be told I already have fabrics for the next 5 projects I have linned up, so I don't really need fabric, but I really REALLY want it... To hold new fabric in my hands, to imagine the possibilities, it's just all too much, particularly knowing I wont be buying new fabric until December at least. It's just too cruel!

Third Christmas Twinkle Collection Mini Quilt [Blogtoberfest Day26]

Finnaly a quilt I can speak of and show you properly! :)
It's the third from the Collection I'm making for friends and family this Christmas Season (which for me has kind of already started, since I'm gifting them to people whose birthdays are around this time). The first is already delivered, the second one I can't really get into it except to say it's finished and looking very cute and this is the third. The third is for a friend of mine (and her cat).

I already have some of the fabrics I'm going to use for this collection cut, so it was just a matter of choosing the right ones for her :)


A touch of Amy Butler :)





So basically I used Amy Butler (don't I always??) combined with some Moda and a couple more cottons.

My mini sewing machine doing it's magic :)

I was actually surprised I managed to get so many things done today. I finished the top in about one hour I think, but granted, this is a rather easy top to assemble. It's just that usually I get my attention pulled to so many different directions I tend to take longer to get things done :)



And voilá!



top pressed and finished awaiting the next steps



[Blogtoberfest Day 25]

Second one is done! Can I finish the third before the end of Blogtoberfest? :) Pictures soon, I promise :)

Amazing giveaway at Little Bluebell

If you pop by Little Bluebell you'll have a chance to enter an amazing Bliss Giveaway. It's almost over!

[Blogtoberfest Day 24]

Having nothing of much importance to say on this Sunday, I would just like to leave you with a quote of one of my favourite people in the entire History. A man who, still today, is far too advanced for our age, not to mention his own.

"I have from an early age abjured the use of meat, and the time will come when men will look upon the murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of men."


Leonardo da Vinci


Can't wait for that day to come. In the meantime, I'm trying my hardest to become a vegetarian, which is really hard when you only like about 5 different vegetables, if that. :) I'll get there!

[Blogtoberfest Day 23]

So sorry about the lack of photos, I'll be able to show the results of what I've been doing in a couple of days. In the meantime, just fnished quiting, so I'm now on to the binding, which already is giving me a headache. I am considering a white binding which is not very common, however, since the quit is so heavy in colour and pattern, I figure a nice little white would look nice...

Sewing Machine troubles

As I've told you before, discovering that my lovely first ever sewing machine didn't actualy do most of the things I needed was quite a blow. First because I bought it in June, so it's less than a year old and already I'm thinking about replacing it, feels kind of disloyal. Second because I really like it. It's cute, blue and really has a great personality. She taught me a lot. Unfortunately I can't really free motion quilt with these traits. Or quilt a larger item for example.
I wont list here all the faults I now, being more experienced (just barely), find in it. Sufice to say, I need to decide if I really want to advance on my learning or if I'm really just doing this for a bit of fun and am happy with what I already know. The truth is I'm not. Like every other passion, I want to excel, I want to be able to do things people think are really hard to do when in fact we know they aren't. I want to create. And for that I need a new sewing machine.
This conclusion, of course, led me to much more questions than answers. Like bugdet of course. And what do I need from a machine. What are important features to look for? And as I begin researching more questions arise. Mechanical, electronic or computerized, how many stiches do I really need? is a needle threader really important? Can a ex demonstrator machine be in as good shape as a brand new one? Is the discount worth it? Mind you my current sewing machine doesn't even have a light! I confess I was lost. I do believe mechanical last longer than computerized, I am very much afraid of depending on technology, don't really know why.
Also, one of my biggest problemas is the lack of models available to me here in Portugal. The ones that are are very expensive. I've never seen a Bernina for less than 2000€. My budget is 600€ tops, but I would like to make a good investment.

With the help of my best friend (as usual) I (well she) found an english site with a great offer for a Janome 6125Quilters Companion, that includes besides the machine, of course, a walking foot, a 1/4" seam foot, an open toe craft foot, a free hand emboidery foot and an extension table 9.5"x18" as well as a thread pack and a sewing kit. Oh and a hard cover, 5 years guarantee and 25 different stiches. Has loads of stuff I didn't even know I needed but I sure need them now! I realise it's an older model, but fits my budget so perfectly, it's less than I was intending on spending which means I could probably order it as soon as next week. Also they have free delivery in 5 days, which is pretty perfect.

I must confess I'm excited, bet you hadn't noticed before I mentioned it ;)

Aha!! [Blogtoberfest Day22]

I now realise why I failed so many days of Blogtoberfest... I arrive at blogspot and even before clicking on the new post button I'm immediately drawn to the posts from the blogs and pages I follow. Before I know it I'm emerged in so many beautifull things I completely forget I meant to write! Almost happened, just now!

The story of this particular fabric...

As you know, I'm just starting in this quilting/patchwork business and so I didn't have any fabric stash. however there is one fabric I decided to incorportate on some of the quilts which has a very special meaning to me.


Can you guess what this used to be?

 This fabric used to be a cotton kimono. When I was about 7 or 8 not really sure, but I know I was really small, my dad went to Japan, I remember thinking how exotic that sounded. On the day he returned there was actually a power failure so we had no electricity. I remember opening the presents he bought us by candle light in the kitchen :) He bought me what I think was my first watch. It was really cool and I could see all the different time zones in different cities of the World. He bought us a portable cd player which was unheard of in Portugal at the time. I know I had never heard of it at least. Wasn't really that portable, we couldn't move it much without jumping the cd... And he bought all of us some kimonos, of course. My mom's was blue silk, my sister's was cotton pink and mine was red. I loved it, made me feel really fancy. I used it years on end until I was for some reason polishing my black shoes and managed to stain it really bad in the front. Also I lost the belt, my sister and I were always tying each other up trying to see who could get free the fastest and belts were a must. So a few months ago when I was talking to my mom about possible fabrics I could use for the quilts she remembered this old number, kept on some drawer.
It was much harder to cut than I thought. The fabric is old, it's really soft so each time I pulled a side, it gave. Some of the squares I could use, some were too bent out of shape, so I'll just have to save them for some next project. Funny thing is, out of all of the fabrics I'm using, this has the best feeling by far, it's so soft and comfy, just like a quilt should be. :)

[Blogtoberfest Day21]

Hello!

I must say I haven't had much news, or ate least not many I can blog about. I've been busy quilting as you know. I've been doing two at a time, they are completely different and at different stages of work, so it's been kind of hectic..

Sneak Peak

As we enter the last 10 days of Blogtoberfest, I have to say I had no idea how hard it would be, I failed miserably, days just seemed to merge, I sometimes was very surprised to find out that my last post actually wasn't from the day before, but much older than that. I here pledge to make a much bigger effort from now on, not only for the next Blogtoberfest, but also during the whole year!

On to the next! [Blogtoberfest Day 19]

So as I keep repeating to myself over and over again, I have 6 projects to finish by Christmas, as well as a Christmas table cloth I was hoping I could get done. I would really love to turn the table cloth into a kind of family project, with my mom and sister, but I'm not really sure I'll be able to do that, although my mom has been helping me out with some of the work, I wouldn't have been able to finish without her.
Yesterday I made the sandwich and am now in the quilting stage, which should be easier and quicker than the last one, since it's a completely different project and I've decided to make the quilting pattern wider. Also I hope all the experience from the first on will be usefull for the others.

Wish me luck!

Signed, sealed, delivered!

It's oficial! My very first mini quilt from the Christmas Twinkle Collection has been delivered!

But it's still October you say. I know it's October, but bare with me. If you offer something Christmassy on Christmas Day, people won't be able to enjoy it for long or as intensely, because for me Christmas builds up to that particular day and then it kind of dies down, Except if your spanish and open your presents on January 6th ;)
So for everybody whose birthdays are from October on, it makes sense to offer somtehing they will be able to enjoy in the first cold winter days as well as during the Christmas Season.
Also this quilt is not heavily themed, just some splashes here and there.

As I've been ranting, it's been a really difficult task, not for the task itself but due to the lack of time I've been having. It was the first time I hand quilted and I was really insecure about it. Also, it didn't help I lacked a proper method before starting it.
By Saturday night it was in the washer, by Sunday morning it was dried. Had a bit of problem with the purple fabric which bled a bit (amazingly enough the small part bled, the large one didn't!). By dinner time it was delivered and greatly appreciated as all quilts should ;)


Here it is, ready for ironing

 So it's a 40" by 56" mini quilt. I mixed a lot of fabrics, from Amy Butler and Moda to some lovely Ikea fabrics,like the backing and the lovely purple, which is from a pillow casing I fell in love with. The binding is solid red cotton.  For the hand quilting I used Gütermann beige thread which works really wonderfully even for such an amateur like myself. If only my stiching matched the quality of its thread ;)
I just love this quilting pattern. I was really disapointed when I realised that I wouldn't be able to machine quilt with this batting (which deflated a lot with the washing, don't really know why, but it was still really fluffy and more comfy looking than with my usual batting)
In the end, I loved hand quilting it, I think it looks much better than the cold looking machine stitch (my machine stiches at least) and was much happier once it was done. This quilting pattern for me looks really luxurious, don't really know why, so I'm guessing I'll be playing with it for a while for the next quilts.


Mushi loved it and wouldn't actually get off it

My cats love every single quilt I make, in every single stage of it. I really don't know why! It's pratically impossible to take a picture of a quilt without a cat standing or sleeping on it. Particularly my Mushi.In this particular picture you have a mini quilt straight out of the drier so she was in kitty heaven!

Here you can see the backing, all in Ikea fabric

I've had this idea a while back of how to incorporate buttons in my work, because I am obsessed with them. Also I was thinking of the best way of storing the mini quilt. So I thought why not find a way to fold it so it almost looks like a pillow you can just set it aside on the couch and always have it close. So this is what I came up with. I even tried laying my head on it and it really makes a great pillow! Also, it looks perfect on my white couch and with the most delicate side hidden, I'm guessing it will be better kept this way. I know it looks like a sleeping bag, but it's much smaller than it looks because I folded both sides in :)


Ready for delivery!

I must confess I felt kind of nostalgic to let this one go, also a bit nervous about how it would be received. I tried finishing it a day early so I could gift it before hand and thus avoid the public display, but I couldn't as you know, so it was indeed displayed for all to see and people seemed to like it :)

Delivered at last :) One down. Six to go!

Ok, this is getting embarassing!! [Blogtoberfest day 18]

So it's been like four days since my last post which is kind of embarassing. Please believe me when I tell you it was completely impossible to produce anything worth reading during these days. It was all just too much! It's better now and I have since racked up a lot of stuff to share, including pictures ;)

[Blogtoberfest Day13]

So by now I'm kind of desperate to see this quilt finished. I'm not liking the result, it's sloppier than I would like so I'm considering undoing the whole thing and either chose some other way of quilting, like knots or something like that or starting all over. My biggest concern is the washing and drying, which by now is essential, given that I've undone my quilting so many times it shows! Also I like that lovely fluffy look a quilt has when is all washed and dried.

It's decision time!

Keep on quilting... [Blogtoberfest Day 12]

Hello.

So today I have no pictures to show you, since I'm in the final leg of the race to complete the first of the Christmas Twinkle Collection. I'm probably in the middle of the hand quilting, already my fingers are a disgrace! Also I can't tell if I'm a left handed quilter as there is so much I do with both hands and so much I do with my right hand only, but I'm officially left handed... I still have to wash and dry it, so I'm really struggling to meet my deadline. Also after that particular deadline I have less than two weeks to complete the next one which has only the top at the moment. Then when THAT one is complete, I'll have exaclty 15 days until the next... Of course after that I'll have about a month and one week to finish the remaining 4, 3 of which are still a bunch of cut up strips on my desk...

It would be totally achievable if I didn't have my gift shop. As you know, gift shops are particularly hard work on Christmas.... But one step at a time, i figure...

Oh and did I mention I wanted to make a Christmas table cloth...
One day at a time... And this is day twelve :)

Well, if it's going to be a day of.. [Blogtoberfest Day 11]

...then it really should be a day off! As such none of the routine stuff I usually do were allowed yesterday. As a result, no computer, as a result of that, no blogging. Sorry again. Back to the routine, expect me to be around for the next 15 days until my next day off ;)

An update... [Blogtoberfest Day 9]

Hello!
Well, today would be one of those days that, if it wasn't for blogtoberfest, I wouldn't write. First because I feel very lethargic, it's raining a lot, it's very dark outside just makes you want to sleep in and drink some tea and watch some of your favourite movies. But I can't because I have to work every freakin day of the week! Except tomorrow, when I have my day off, because I get to have those twice a month...

So anyway, yesterday I started to hand quilt. I know I'll feel really good and proud once I'm done, except I don't know when that will be, since it will take me forever to finish. Also, due to the thickness of my batting, same reason I couldn't machine quilt the thing, it's really hard to rock the needle, so my stiches tend to be longer and more apart than I whished. Don't know how it will turn out, but I'm hoping by the end of this project I'll be much more experienced in hand quilting so it will be a really great learning oportunity. Whether it is "offerable" is a completely different issue...

So yesterday... [Blogtoberfest Day 8]

...I found out that I'm actually a fan of hand binding, it looks lovely, like it just got there by itself, no stiches in sight :)

So that's what I've been doing, though I've been having some difficulties...

EVERYTIME I take this out to work on, my kitties immediately jump and fall asleep :)

And...

...to compensate for my lack of blogging yesterday. here's an Awwwww moment :)

Still managed to do this as well...

First I did this...

And then it turned into this.

I've sewn the two ends together, but i'm thinking that if the stiches show on the final product, I'll just take them out and be done with it. I've been trying to decide if i prefer a thin strip or a larger one. This time i decided to go with a thinner one and see how it goes...

AAAHhhhh!!! Forgot about day 6!!!! [Blogtoberfest Day 7]

Well... this is harder than I thought! I totally forgot about Day 6 so sorry. I meant to do it but kept putting it off...
Day 6 was acctualy quite productive, as I started quilting my first item. unfortunately, it soon became clear i wont be able to machine stich the center of the piece, because the bating is just to darn high for my little machine.
I did as far as I could, now I'm not sure I wont have to start over... here's a glimpse :)

I think it's cute, but I'm not so sure this is the best way to go. Think I'll have to think about it some more... No time left though :(

Scrappy Tuesday [Blogtoberfest Day 5]

So today is a very important holiday in Portugal. It marks the 100th brithday of the Portuguese Republic and there are dozens of events going on all throughout the country. I, of course, am working, as I do every single day of the week... I so miss holidays and weekends and staying in bed until late in the day... This sucks!

Ok, now that I took that out of my system, I'd like to introduce you to my very own first scrap jar!

I haven't had a lot of projects yet, ergo not that many leftovers. I wonder if I'll ever get to use these, I certaninly hope so, must be one heck of a feeling to use these scraps most people would throw out. But all the blogs and pages I follow have really inspired me in all sorts of ways. I admire your creativity, your drive and have learned much from you also. Including how to be less wastefull...
Regarding yesterday's sandwich, I've managed to continue to work on it, even though I don't have that much progress to report.
Yesterday I used the spray glue as I usually do, but somehow I think I did something wrong. Don't really know if it has to do with the fabrics used or the fact that my batting is diferent from what I usually use but it didn't really stick. So I decided to pin it as well, though with the use of the glue it wasn't necessary to pin as much as I would have to otherwise.

Can't really show you any pictures at this time, but I will. Very soon :)

Now on to the quilting. My most dreaded step. First of all because my sewing machine doesn't do free motion. So I'm forced to do straight line quilting. Which would be fine if the lines would indeed be straight, which they usually aren't. I think I'me more experienced now than the last time I quilted, but I'm still nervous... Anyway, I've got my lovely seam ripper now so it should at least be quicker to undone... That's the spirit! ;) Wish me luck!

A lovely Sandwich [Blogtoberfest Day 4]

So yesterday I still managed to make a lovely Christmas Twinkle sandwich :) Also, I'm in love with this Ikea fabric, so much so I've decided to do the backing of all of the projects in this fabric. Also I think it look great just as it is, I had thought of maybe adding something to it, but now I just can't!
For the first time I'll be trying this batting It's not as natural as the one I'm used to, but also it's much thicker and warmer, I swear my feet were burning just by standing on it! I still have no idea how I'll bind this... In my mind I see it perfectly finished, I just haven't been able to find the equivalent in reality ;)


The very first on ready for trimming and quilting

 How soft and comfy does it look? :)

Rambling [Blogtoberfest Day 3]

Today I woke up and it was raining. Also I'm really missing my sewing projects, but I can't get back to them until I finish my home makeover project! Why must I multitask? Damn ambition! Today I hope to finish all of the furniture and the details, tonight the bed was already tested and made it impecably. Maybe I can even start my quilt sandwich tonight? wishfull thinking maybe, but a girl has to have goals.

Also I'm really sad because due to the rain, the Animal Day celebrations had to be canceled. Yesterday was so magical, and those little pets really deserved to have a weekend just for them... How can all these people that care so deeply for these animals have such bad luck? They should have amazing karma! flowers should bloom in their path... It's really unfair!

But let's turn this frown upside down! I've been wishing for Fall for so long now and it's finnaly here... Also, just heard that the one puppy I bonded with was taken out of the kennel and into an association, so he is now safe! And he's a she! :) Hope I can get to know her a bit better, she was really sweet, even though she was so very thin you could feel all her bones...Why can't I have a big house????

Amazing giveaway at It's All About the Fabric!

Just found out about this amazing giveaway @ http://itsallaboutthefabric.blogspot.com/
It's one of the greatest giveaways I have seen since entering blogoland: The Entire Collection of Anna Maria Horner's Innocent Crush Fabric in a Giveaway!

How great would THAT be???

Today's Schedule [Blogtoberfest Day 2]

So today I wont be doing anything particularly artistic, I will however be very busy and I expect to finish the day feeling accomplished and happy.

So, as usual, working until 4p.m., then I'll be going to some early Animal Day's celebrations. My fave animal protection organizations will assemble on a beautifull garden in Lisbon and since I've been meaning to visit in like forever now I'll find them all together. It's also a pefect oportunity to meet face to face some of the people I speak with daily on Facebook but actualy never met! Just don't really know how I'll carry all the foodbags, Dog food is heavy!!!

After that amazing event I'll go to a friends how to do some pet sitting of her lovely cat, I've been doing that for some time now, and now that the Summer is gone, I haven't been there for a while and I really miss Maria!!

Also, I expect to assemble some furniture eventually, thus ending the extreme makeover home edition of my home.

All in all it will be a great day!! Just no quilting, I'm afraid...

Home makeover extreme edition [Blogtoberfest day 1]

Well, at least for me it really feels like it... We've been redoing my mother's bedroom it was really dated and also from the time my parents were married, so I figured it was a really good idea to completely change it. Little did I know that I would be doing most the work, particularly the furniture assembly (Love you Mr. Ikea!). Couldn't really take pictures of the process and now it's too dark and we haven't installed the lighting yet. So I'll just leave you with the description. Light grey walls, white ceilling, we painted the existing cabinet dark grey to match this dresser we bought. Bed and night table are all white. Pictures of the after soon :)
Oh yes! Also bought fabrics. Very wicked of Mr. Ikea to sell fabrics also... Wish I could live at Ikea....

Blogtoberfest 2010!!

That's right, I've decided to join in on the fun. Also, I'm hoping it will get me more disciplined about bloging daily.

Here's the full explanation by Tinniegirl, join us!
http://tinniegirl.blogspot.com/2010/09/your-journey-starts-here-blogtoberfest.html