3rd Quarter FAL

Its time to report in on my progress in the Finish a Long hosted by Rhonda.

My first thought when I saw her post was, bum (or a slightly stronger word than that) I haven't finished anything, but I thought I would double check what I hoped to do back in early July.

Well, I was wrong. I did finish one thing and one thing only during the last 3 months and it was something I had down on my target list, so I'm counting that as a success.

This little top has been made to be donated when the LMQG decide on a charity to support. Its around 36x36in and I don't even know if I've posted about it since I finished it. The last 3 months have been a blur of mainly work with bits of fun in between....

I quilted it using random curved lines using the walking foot. Not sure if it is a method I would use again though.

I used up a lot of scraps in it so I'm always happy with that.

Sewing this, sewing that

Do you ever feel that time is just slipping away much much faster than it should be? This summer has flown by so fast its shocking.

Work took over most of it - that was really my compromise to them when I took the job so that I could work part time in term time. 5 days away from home every week is hard. I used to do that not just for a couple of months but years on end yet I never felt so drained by it. I suppose I was a lot younger when I first started doing it and maybe I was more willing to sacrifice my social life back then. This year, mainly because of the fantastic quilting community I am part of meant I wanted to do social things as well. The net result - knackered!

I'm now back at college one day a week and working part time so hopefully I can achieve a better balance. That includes commenting more on blogs. I have tried to keep up with my reading, but I've been hopeless at commenting so please accept my apologies.

I've done very little stitching, but have been doing some in the hotel using my improvised sewing studio - the chair!

I joined a English Paper Piecing Bee and the first two blocks are for that.

I enjoyed doing it so much I started some more of my own.

Then today I did something I hadn't done in years. Embroidery - but not just any old embroidery, but special Aneela Hoey embroidery from her new book Little Stitches and taught by the lady herself!

We had a fab day, sewing and chatting and laughing and eating lots of goodies provided by Pennie....chocolate brownies......yum!

This was how far I got with my little girl on the swing......

and here she is playing with all the others.....

I had to go for the green dress didn't I???

More fun with the London Modern Quilt Guild

So having dinner with Tula Pink wasn't enough for the LMQG. Oh no.

Sunday we had our monthly meeting at Liberty's. Yes, that shop!

And we had a talk by non other that Sholto http://www.sholtodrumlanrig.com/home.php who is the designer behind the Liberty lifestyle range. We got to see the pics of some of the original prints that inspired the range and how they got adapted. There was some boos from some of the guild when they saw the purple colour way that never made it to production, someone had to make some tough choices!

We also got a sneak peak at some designs from the next collection and also know the theme of the one after that!!!

I also found out that Sholto had designed the V&A cottons for the Quilts exhibition a few years ago. One of my favourite ever prints was in that; the green lattice was the first fabric I bought by the metre.

Like a numpty though I was too interested to take photos so you will have to take my word for it!

I have done a little bit of sewing, I've set up a sewing room on my hotel chair and am doing some EPP. Roll on next week when I go back to class and part time working. Being at home more might mean I get some more done!