I finished!!
23 Jan 2011 2 Comments
in Craft, Sewing Tags: Craft, Finished Projects, Quilting, Sewing, Stitching
12 blocks for my friendship quilt all stitched. Not a great photo, but then my camera isn’t that great either. It has taken me nearly 10 months to get to this stage. A lot was done quite quickly, but then everything ground to halt as the rest of the world took over, I dabbled with some knitting & tried out a sewing machine for the first ever time. I really enjoyed doing this stitching, it was something I had never done before, but definitely something I will keep doing. Have just started my next project – stitching some Prints Charming panels that my dear friend gave me for my birthday last year.
Now to start the next stage – need to catch up with the lady who started me on this, who I think is probably the busiest person I know!!
Zumba!
28 Oct 2010 2 Comments
in Craft, Exercise, Friends, Sewing, Weight Tags: 12WBT, Craft, Quilting, Sewing, Stitching, unfinished projects, Weight Loss, Zumba
For the last three weeks I have been going to Zumba classes at Salsambada – once a week on Tuesday evening. I have managed to juggle babysitters, get dinner organised before I go and head off for me time.
I was very apprehensive about going – I had heard it was fun, but it looked like it needed co-ordination, something I certainly don’t have. I managed to convince a couple of friends to come with me and we headed off to the Serbian Club.
To my surprise it was so much fun. A whole hour to myself, dancing (which deep in my heart is something I would love to do & look at salsa dancing very wistfully) and exercising without realising. I didn’t think I would be able to keep up, and certainly didn’t think I would be fit enough. But all these morning workout sessions have achieved something – while I sometimes feel tired, and sometimes have a stitch I can make it through the whole hour.
The best thing about where I am going is that there are 3 or 4 instructors. So lots of people to watch and people to help. They do it slow and then speed things up – you can go at your own speed to a certain extent. The instructors also teach Salsa so they know the steps well. And they look like they enjoy it too!
This week my friend and I both felt like we put a whole lot more effort in as we are getting better at being able to manage the footwork. So instead of taping our feet we are doing kicks. And keeping in time with the music.
Zumba is my new friend, and hopefully one I will continue on with into next year, and not finish with once 12wbt is over.
In other news, today I paid my deposit for Sew it Together next year. I feel like a bit of a fraud as I still haven’t finished any sewing projects or even the practice knitting project. So I had better get moving on my last block, finish cutting out the material for my quilt top & sew it together and then get started on some of the embroidery projects I have. I am really looking forward to it, just need to get myself together!
Kelli
Look what I did!!!
16 Jul 2010 2 Comments
in Craft, Friends, Sewing Tags: Craft, friends, Quilting, Sewing, Thank you, unfinished projects
My first ever quilt top!! And I didn’t really do it all myself. The wonderfully generous Sheridan helped me – she taught me how to cut, has lent me her old sewing machine & showed my how to sew the squares together.
When I had my first go at the machine she reminded me that I probably hadn’t touched a machine since year 7 sewing – um, not quite. I didn’t get to use a sewing machine in year 7 sewing as it took me the whole 8 weeks to handstitch around a stuffed toy – so nope, no sewing machine playing for me at school. This was the first time I had EVER used a sewing machine. And it was fun.
It is not perfect and it is very small, but I did it. I think this is also the first time I have even had fabric in my house! And this afternoon I have cut out more squares to make a second quilt top, with the plan to then sew them together. At the moment I am planning on making this little quilt bigger and then the next time I meet up with Sheridan she will show me the next steps to turn this into a quilt.
We have had a very busy school holiday period here, and there will be a few other things for show & tell over the next few posts. But I think our holiday highlight was the visit from Sheridan and me learning how to use a machine!!
Superwoman?
31 May 2010 7 Comments
in Family, Garden, Home, Knitting Tags: Craft, Family, garden, home, Knitting, Quilting, Sewing, unfinished projects
Today as I went for my morning walk I pondered the concept of Superwoman! The expectations that I think society places on me, the expectation society really does place on me and the expectations I place on myself. And I think that I am the hardest on myself. I look around my house and see the mess, the dirt and the disorganisation. I don’t see the tidy spots, the places where special treasures are stored, the fact that the fridge and cupboards are bulging with food and the clean, ironed clothes are sitting in cupboards. When I am at work I only see the jobs still to be done, the filing piled up and the folders waiting to be put away. In fact everywhere I look and go I just see mess and disorder, including my car.
I am trying to be Superwoman. And why? Because as a girl child of the 70s I was told I could have anything I want. The successful job, the lovely house, the happy healthy children, a caring husband and a happy life. I think, as many women my age have discovered, this is a myth. As I work myself into a frazzle trying to achieve the unobtainable the pit I am in just becomes deeper. The caring husband – well he never existed in my fairy tale! The successful job – 2 children kind of limits what you can do in a career especially if you do not want to do the 9-5 thing. Lovely house – well I have what I can afford, but it is mine and it isn’t too bad really. Happy, healthy children – doing OK on the healthy front, not to sure on the happy but on the whole I do think they are. And the happy life – well that I can’t answer right now.
The other day as I was hanging out the washing and looking at my backyard it suddenly hit me that I am trying to do everything that in a lot of families 2 people do – raise children, look after a house, look after a garden, manage the kids activities, earn money to support the family and be involved in the community. Oh, and have a social life as well! And at that point I decided to cut myself some slack.
So if my house is messy when you come to visit, or the floor of my car is covered in potplant dirt, or I haven’t managed to provide a homemade afternoon tea, or my garden is overgrown and full of weeds – tough! I am going to be nice to me. I am going to make the time to play with my kids and be superwoman for them. I am going to focus on the things that matter and pursue my dreams – one of which is to actually finish a project and a really big one is to actually make a quilt.
And in the meantime I am going to finally finish that darn scarf I am working on!
Some Stitching
24 Apr 2010 3 Comments
in Sewing Tags: Family, Knitting, Quilting, Sewing, Stitching
This is part of my first ever attempt to create something involving sewing. This is the 7th block I have completed for a friendship quilt my pastor’s wife is teaching me to make. So far it is fairly simple – trace a picture & then backstitch around the outline. I have found it to be really relaxing to sit down in front of the TV & sew, something I thought I would never say.
I don’t really know how all these blocks are going to end up as a quilt and so I will be needing lots of guidance and teaching.
Sewing is something totally beyond anything I have ever done before. I have knitted a scarf for myself, and have half a scarf knitted for one of my boys, but that is all very simple knitting. Nothing tricky there & I need Mums help to finish off. I plan on picking up the half finished scarf soon and finally getting it finished.
I feel all thumbs when I pick up something needing to be cut, drawn or sewn. Nothing ever ends up straight and is often quite wonky, something I think is very obvious from the picture above. I have also hated sewing in the past – couldn’t see the value in putting all that time into something. But now I understand. It is very calming, keeps hands too busy to pick at food and keeps the mind quietly ticking over in that down time.
I truly hope I have found a new hobby. I have a few other projects to be started and I will be roping in lots of people to teach me.
I have organised with my Mum to borrow the sewing machine which she has in the cupboard. She borrowed it from my Grandmother and has never used it. Problem is I need to learn how to use that too. You can see how much sewing is done in my family by how often this sewing machine has been used. Mum even mentioned to me that she was worried about opening the box it was in in case there is a nasty surprise as it has been so many years since it was even looked at, let alone used.
Sometimes I really wish that sewing had of been one of my Mums passions and she had taught me when I was much younger. I envy those people who were taught how to do these things at home and don’t have to struggle to learn new skills as an adult.
I figure if I manage to finish this quilt and learn to use a sewing machine, then maybe I could actually buy some of the fat quarters I have been drooling over and do something useful with them!
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