Sunday Super Stash

It should be known that I haven't written a Sunday Stash post in 7 weeks. And that I fully acknowledge that I'm a total craft addict who spends pretty much all my discretionary spending on craft supplies. 

So with that information in hand, these are my recent purchases. The list just kept getting longer and longer as I kept remembering things. If they stop making craft supplies tomorrow, I should be good for a while.

Warning: you may want to get a snack before you continue.

I went to a conference for work which had lots of great natural play supplies. I couldn't go past these colour pencils for my kiddos.

I have wanted pearl cottons for the longest time but they are pricey locally - ebay to the rescue! I plan to get a bunch of these in solid colours too.

I am on a fabric destashing page but sometimes other craft supplies sneak in. I totally scored with this baby for $50. I have since spent more than that on additional supplies, but you get that. This will revolutionise my much neglected scrapbooking.

Got a great deal on these at Spotlight - on sale plus $10 off coupon. Again for scrapbooking, and the girls. Girls love glitter.

Another little treat for the girls from the wonders of online shopping - no way could I find these cute little Japanese cartoon tapes locally. And they were only 13c a roll, so the kids can stick them anywhere and I don't care. It was a bulk lot, this is just a sampling. They are freaking adorable.

Again for the scrapbooking - some bargain washi tape bought online. It was a bulk lot but my friend bought the doubles off me. For about 1/5 the price you can get it locally, I'm a happy girl.

I went splits in an order from Fabric Shack with Kristy and Marieka - great way to cut down on postage. I filled out my Domestic Bliss collection... major, major love.

Alyce was doing a little destash so I bought some Washi FQs from her, since I missed this range when it first came out.

Also in my Fabric Shack order, some Good Morning hexies. Is this not a wonderful blender?

Between Spotlight having 30% off on fabric and another destash page purchase, I have lots of new backing fabrics. Two for planned quilts, the others just because.

Along with the backing fabric above, I bought a scrap bag off the destash page. Seriously, some people's definition of scraps is very generous! There are some fabulous bits in here, and I only had a couple of the prints.

I am part of a paper piecing bee called Wombat Stew - you may have seen the beautiful house blocks that have been made for me lately. I PROMISE to do a show and tell very very soon. 

But my beautiful bee buddies also popped in scraps - again with the very loose definition of scrap here - don't they have incredible taste. I love these fabrics!

I feel like I can call myself a real quilter now, because when Spotlight had 40% off fabric, I picked up 2 2/3 bolts of homespun. I had to wait for it to come in, but it's totally worth it having neutrals on hand. 

Last but not least, glitter glue for me and the girls - discounted from $7 to $2 a bottle at Spotlight. Love a sparkly bargain.

And that is the end of today's confessional.... linking up with Fiona's Sunday Stash and hoping you are enjoying lots of crafty indulgences in your life.

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WIP Wednesday - Polaroid Rainbows

I was part of Kristy from Quiet Play's Say Cheese Polaroid Block Swap, and while she's just sorting most of the polaroids now, I was lucky enough to get mine a few days early because we are in the same real life quilt group together, so she brought my swaps to the meeting.

Can I just say first that I Spy prints are waaaaaay cuter than they ever used to be. Just looking at these cute little fussy cut morsels had me giddy with delight!When I cut my 50 squares for the swap I cut myself an extra set and then crossed my fingers I wouldn't get any doubles back, with a plan to having 64 blocks to work with in an 8x8 layout. I also decided I was going to rainbow strip my background, and while I have a zillion other things I could be working on, I couldn't help but start playing with these cuties right away.

And I am so, so in love with the results (which are looking a little fuzzy here, but I took a zillion shots and none of them were completely in focus. Waaah!).

Check out some up close polaroid goodness:

We used this tutorial to construct the polaroids, and when I got them back I just trimmed up the sides. I was totally lazy and didn't even measure them to make sure they're all the same because I knew I was going to frame them again and precisely cut that block. 

But just in case you need some tips on wonky framing, here's a mini-tutorial. 

You will need about 18 inches of 1 to 1 1/2 inch wide sashing to border each block. This is a great opportunity to use up little scraps you've had around for ages. While I used solids, I totally think this would work in tone on tones or blender prints - think background paper for a scrapbook page if you will. 

So take your 1inch (rough cut) strips and chain piece them to either side of your blocks. I like to chain piece as much as possible, chain piecing is your friend! It doesn't matter if you go top and bottom or left and right here. I actually did half each way for easier piecing down the track. Cut them apart and press open.

Trim your sashings to the edge of the white. Now chain piece the other two sides and press.

I have just got myself a 4 1/2 inch ruler and it is soooo handy, and perfect for this job. If you don't have a square, then you can cut a template for one, but this is a great investment. They're also useful for squaring up components of larger blocks.

Say hi to my cute little foxy friend, whack your ruler on top in whatever wonky shape your heart desires, and trim. Tip: If you do this standing up you're more likely to be able to do all four sides with your dominant hand and no tricky block turning.

Now pair up your squared up blocks. Make sure the wider polaroid piece is at the bottom. This is where the alternating directions of sewing on the sashing comes into play - if you did this then you'll find you have four vertical strips that are all one piece which will go through the bottom layer of your machine easier. Totally not compulsory, but it does make a wee bit easier.

Chain piece your row together.

 Then stitch your finished row to the rest of the quilt. And of course you can totally leave that to the very end and sew all the strips together at once, but that's my least favourite part, so I prefer to do it as I go.

Now, in exchange for that maybe useful tutorial, I need YOUR help. I have basted and we are ready to quilt. But I have NO idea how to quilt it! Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

I'm linking up with WIP Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced.

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I Don't Want To Be That Girl Anymore

I am a non-finisher. I am easily distracted. I have way too many UFOs and WIPs. And I don't want to play like that anymore!

I might joke about having Quilter's ADHD, but to be honest, I really wouldn't be surprised if I had some level of honest-to-God ADHD. I know I've always struggled with procrastinating and finishing things, because I have the letter my 5th grade teacher sent my mum on the subject.

So I've been having a super productive few days - I finished quilting and binding a quilt, I got 10 bee and BOM blocks done, I sorted some more scraps.... and then I look at my project list to move the finished quilt and I realise I still have an immense number of half finished projects in progress. I stared at that list and wondered where the heck I even start. It wasn't fun.

I have to say, I am really glad I am being motivated by the 100-Day Hustle. We're at day 10 today and I'm doing alright. I can tick off one of the five quilts I wanted to have quilted and bound, at least. I added keeping up with bee blocks to my hustle list and I am happy to say I am mostly caught up. While I have added my mum's quilt to the list, I am very easily resisting any quiltalongs or new projects I am seeing online. 

One thing about machine quilting is that it gives you plenty of thinking time. While I was quilting, I was pondering my creative goals for the next year. I know I want to get everything that's hanging over my head finished ASAP, and then start fresh, one or two projects at a time. I don't want to be the girl with a million WIPs. I have to-do lists in every other aspect of my life, I don't want it for my creative outlet. 

I did start (and finish!) a quick little project today before I started block sewing - a new heat pack. I saw this cute one over at Pomegranate Quilts and thought she was just genius to make a heat pack you could tie on - certainly easier than trying to balance it when you get off the couch to raid the fridge for chocolate. It was a very quick project, and since I woke up with quite a headache this morning I have put it to good use already today. 

I really want to free up my sewing time so I can make more useful little things like this without feeling guilty I'm not tackling that to-do list. 

Do you ever get like this with your WIPs? Does your creative life ever become a chore when the to do list gets too much?

Jane xx

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Grumpy, grumpy, grumpy

Do you ever get super frustrated and cranky when you don't have time to make stuff? That's my life at the moment and it's not fun.

There's plenty of stressful stuff going on around here, so I feel like I'm juggling balls left, right and centre. We're at the tail end of a massive revamp of my craft room, which I'd love to show off when I'm in a better frame of mind. It's all good, but I feel like all I've been doing in here lately is assembling flat packs and moving stuff. I have plenty of sewing I 'should' be doing but very little motivation, cos sometimes the WIP list can be very overwhelming.

Here is my sewing table.... see if you can spot the sewing machine. Inspiring, huh... not bloody much!

The only thing I haven't had time for lately is sewing. And when I don't do something creative I find myself getting very grumpy. When I go to work contemplating fabric, I know it's time for some quality time with my machine.

So tonight, I'm putting on my jammies, breaking out the chocolate, pulling out some fresh, new fabric and making goodness-knows-what. I'll turn off the computer and plug in the ipod instead and I'll spend some quality time playing. Not on anything I have to be doing, either. I might even (gasp!) start something totally new.

Hope you get time to do what makes you happy, too.

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