Cups Galore

Well, I'd rather be quilting! I decided to make a 'spring clean' of my whole Last Quarter Cleaning task and took out my cabinet of cups to wash them (they were a bit dusty) and reorganize the saucers and cake plates. I have lots of extra cups in storage so I'm thinking of rotating them and bringing a new stack in and packing these away. And I suppose now is as good a time as any to get that done.

I'm happy to report that I have discovered some forgotten gems and am loving picking and choosing. Now I just have to get them back into the cabinet - all organised and easy to access.

I think I'm starting to get into this whole 'organisation' thing as it doesn't feel as bad today as it did yesterday. I mean, cleaning is just so boring. But I'm trying to remain motivated. After all, I'm tidying up so that I can return to quilting. And I'll be able to enjoy new cups of coffee as a reward for my hours of toil.  New pretty cups to excite my morning ritual is definitely something to look forward to right now..

What I'm Making This Month: October

I don't turn on my TV very much nowadays, but when I do - it's usually to Chromcast a sewing tutorial! My DDs have been asking for several travel organizers each, made from their favorite Fassett and Tula Pink fabrics. They're completely uninspired by shop bought offerings and want to enjoy their love for fabric in a practical way. 

In the past, I spent HOURS drafting and redrafting bags just like this one, so I know how much work is involved in getting it done, making it nice and sewing it right. Those creations of 15 years ago are now thoroughly worn out and in the intervening years, my DDs simply purchased replacement bags when needed because it suited their lifestyle. But they've grown up a bit now and have a desire to make these kind of one off items. I guess they've come full circle: homemade' is no longer the unfashionable option it once was! But for me personally, I'd rather be quilting and don't have much patience for drafting 'practical' patterns anymore. Luckily for all of us, I don't have to.  

Today I'll simply be following an online class tutorial which includes the pattern to make it. And my DDs will be joining me for some weekend sewing. It'll be our own private workshop at home, in our own time with as much pausing and rewinding as we please. It's going to be fabulous. 

Whenever I think about how much technology annoys me, I remind myself how lucky I am to be alive during this revolution. Just 10 years ago, this wouldn't have even been possible. Today, we're sewing what we really want in fabrics we really love at a time and place that suits us. Perfect.

WOW: Finding My Stuff Again

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

This week I'm getting my house back in order. It looks like a creative workshop setting instead of a home and it's time to sort it all out. I really don't enjoy tidying up and cleaning but I must admit that one of the advantages of tidying up is finding my stuff again. This glue pen has been missing for months and it's been a real shame as it's one of my favourites to use when I'm working on turning applique in my living room as part of my 'footstool creative station'. I even went online to but a new one before this one re-appeared again.

It's a small victory in my uphill battle of taming the creative mess that has taken over the house. Have you purchased multiples of  a quilting or craft item.. simply because you couldn't find the first one at home? I probably shouldn't admit that this has happened to me a few times before! Anyway, back to work, I have lots more to get on with doing.

What's Your WOW?

An InLinkz Link-up

Charming the Cups

Well, by now you already know that I am elbow deep in 'last quarter cleaning'!

All this sorting out and arranging is really tiring. I need a nap to recover from all this disorganization and I've only just woken up. Today I'm tackling my cabinet of cups which are so sweet and charming but so hopelessly stacked and neglected that they keep swaying side to side, threatening to topple over. And again, my family have staged a cup intervention and now I have to sort all my mess out. I don't know how I ended up with so many cups. I suppose I just like pretty things. I kept meaning to sort them out later and never got around to it. Yes, they do look like a neglected mess. It's a bother to dig them out and find the right saucers - which defeats the purpose of having them, so today I'm making this cabinet user friendly again. 

I don't collect things for the sake of it (except maybe fabric??), I use all these cups. As I don't drink tea, I drink coffee from them. Usually you get served a latte in a glass, but I serve lattes in teacups just because they're so pretty. I adjusted my coffee machine to make the perfect teacup sized coffee and it's bliss. And a coffee somehow tastes better from a fine bone teacup. I have no idea why this is, but when I am out and about and taking a coffee in a cafe, well, it's just not the same. Speaking of coffee, I think I need one right now before I get started.

Ok, here I go..

Last Quarter Cleaning

It's October today and that marks a steep turning point in my household. From here on, the year seems to simply snap shut. We have a whirlwind: it's our birthday season which overlaps with the holiday season and year ahead planning season. It doesn't sound like a big deal, but year after year it has a way of all coming together in a big swoop. Well this year, I have an extra thing to do and get done before this all starts - and that is to get my 'areas' under control. My family have put their foot down, I have to reign in all my creative hot spots to make the house presentable again. I must admit that looking at these images is rather confronting. I really have let things get out of control and look shabby. 

This here is my winter and night time nook. That crochet throw is not for posing (not that you could ever accuse it of being beautifully staged), I like to keep my shoulders warm and this colourful ripple never leaves my chair. That ugly lamp is a very useful daylight lamp. I really wish it wasn't so awful to look at, but it's so useful that I can't bear to part with it. Next to my chair I have two trolleys of essential 'stuff' I need when creating my masterpieces. If you think that front trolley looks bad (and I admit, it does) then you'll understand why I simply cannot show you the one behind. It's too embarrassing - even by my relaxed standards.

Crammed in tightly between the trolley and my chair on the floor is my knitting bundle. I have about 3 projects on the go and I like to have them handy in case the mood takes me. 

This here is not a footstool, it's a work station. To be precise, it's where I keep my night time applique activity. As you can see, I like to make good use of my time. I don't watch TV more than once every few weeks or so, but when we all sit together we do it in this room and whilst I'm sitting in my chair talking, I might as well be turning some applique edges, which I do. All the time. 

This is a new addition to my domestic take over. It's a square 8 seat dining table. I mean, seriously how fabulous is it?! It's where I've parked my Brother Scan N Cut machine and laptop computer. I prefer to work out in this open area around family rather than shut myself away in the room we've designated as our 'office' (which I do when I'm writing up a pattern.) But I think I'm going to have to move it to the garage and then restart my 'multiple workstations' practice in the New Year. This is because most people don't understand that I need 3 dining tables to work on. They think dining tables are for eating from. Amateurs. You either get it.. or you're not a quilter. 

This is here is my latest conquest from Gumtree which is a kind of Craig's List classifieds. It was truly a bargain. And who doesn't need an extra buffet and hutch combination to take up that spare wall in the living room? Fortunately this wall feature will be staying put - packing it away in the garage would make no sense as its too much work for my DH to keep bringing it in and out. It weighs an absolute ton. It's so handy for storing my random quilting odds and ends on. Although you can see from the mess on it right now that I need to sort out my supplies properly and make it look somehow organized. The only regretful thing about it is those handles. They are so ugly. I actually purchased replacement handles to match our existing wood furniture pieces.. but they got lost in the mail. Then I re-ordered them, and they arrived, but I have misplaced them in amongst my 'stuff'. I'm hoping they will show up as I tackle all my creative nest areas this week. 

Here's an update to my opinion on magazines. I love them again. I was completely bored and done with them last year but somehow I have found lots of new titles that are keeping me entertained during my daily coffee breaks and now I wouldn't be without them. But I have run out of space, so I will be donating my previous stacks and limiting myself to the current year only. This is another task to get done today. I need to sort them out and move on, otherwise I will end up with thousands of them. And I'm the kind of person who doesn't go back and re-read old titles, so it won't be too hard for me to let them go.

Sorting our living spaces is fine, but what I really need is to win the lottery and purchase another house to store all my creative pursuits in. Apparently it's been done before, by a quilter in the US, so I live in expectant hope. In the meantime, I'll be tidying, reorganizing and getting ready for the holidays ahead.

No Fool Like An Old Fool?

Have you been suckered into buying any of the products advertised on Instagram? I have! And the evidence is all contained in this bright silver postage satchel. No fool like an old fool? I think so.

Over on Instagram the ad for the INVINCEABLE power cleaner totally won me over. I mean, who wouldn't love a spray solution so effective and so powerful that it practically does all the work for you? Not me, that's for sure! Just the possibility of spraying some dirty surface and then miraculously wiping away a cloth full of grime with zero effort on my end was to good to pass up. As it turns out, it was also too good to be true. But as my cleaning style is already that of a spray and go kind of woman, so I was putty in their hands before the video even ended. The only question I was left pondering was how many miracle powdered tablets was I going to need?

It's true to say I don't exactly have a grip on housework. It's a daily necessity that gets in the way of what I'd rather be doing (which is anything else at all). But that doesn't stop me having mid scrolling daydreams about being a marvelous cleaning wizz with all the new gadgets. I somehow convince myself that I could really be on top of these chores if I just had the right tools. And those tools must pass my first level of inspection - the AS SEEN ON TV badge. If it has that, it's pretty much on my wish list. Fortunately (although I will admit I have begrudged them at times) my family has, up until now, swooped in just seconds before I hit the 'buy now' button countless times, and followed up with why such and such product is a fake, a bad idea or just plain impossible. 

But this purchase slipped the net. I just went ahead and spent over $35 on an empty plastic bottle and 5 baggies of powdered washing detergent. 

My heart sank when I peered into the bag. I had a gut feeling that this invincible spray and wipe cleaner wasn't going to be so invincible after all. Trying to salvage some self respect, I made up the formula and gave it a go on a small bench top area. It fizzled slightly and then just sat there in pool of what looked a lot like $35 dollars worth of detergent. I gave it 4 hours to work it's magic like the bottle suggested. But 6 hours later it was the same puddle of detergent and it really hadn't cleaned a jot. 

 At this point I would have said that I'd paid $35 for an ANY ANGLE SPRAY BOTTLE as declared on the front label. But that isn't entirely true. You see, the bottle won't spray on any angle other than directly upright and the screw top nozzle is already cracked.

So if you see this advert on Instagram, scroll on..

Morning Glory: My Bird Eyes

Here's how I stitch embellished my bird eyes. 

I stitched around the eye with a brown thread, and then created a larger inside eye circle with that same brown and finished it with a white dot. 

I just think that white dot adds a spark of life

And I did the same thing for the second bird

They're such characters, I love them

BOM 2018, My Biggest Year Ever! 

Morning Glory is my current paid BOM. It's an applique and pieced quilt. 

You can start this BOM today! 

Simply click the quilt image to learn more.

To see some of the breathtaking examples that are taking shape, simply visit my Free BOM Group on Facebook where progress images are being shown all the time. It's a massive inspiration and I warn you, it's addictive!

Morning Glory: Still Stitchin'

Right now I feel as though I've been stitching for a hundred years. I completely underestimated how much time it would take for me to tackle all this hand embellishing. It feels like every time I look up, there's an extra inch I hadn't noticed before.

Today I'm working on the berry stems because I think the red detailing just adds something extra. And this quilt can really take all this extra embellishing and special touches so beautifully.

I'm just weaving a few specks through, but they are gorgeous..

I love how this looks....

BOM 2018, My Biggest Year Ever! 

Morning Glory is my current paid BOM. It's an applique and pieced quilt. 

You can start this BOM today! 

Simply click the quilt image to learn more.

To see some of the breathtaking examples that are taking shape, simply visit my Free BOM Group on Facebook where progress images are being shown all the time. It's a massive inspiration and I warn you, it's addictive!

WOW: You Know What Flowers Mean!

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

I've been designing again! And another bouquet means another quilt pattern is on it's way. These blooms are just jumping with fragrance, they are so sweet and meadow fresh. I really think I should take up gardening as I am so obsessed with flowers and plants of all kinds. But then I think about how much sewing time it would eat up.. and I decide to stick with the fabrics instead.

I'll leave beautiful blooms to the experts and keep rewarding myself each time I tick another item from my Quilty To Do List. I'm feeling so productive this week, it's wonderful.

What's Your WOW?

An InLinkz Link-up

Morning Glory: Hand Stitched Details

After stitching the centre down, it's time to add some little embellishments. Although it's such a minor thing, a touch of hand stitching can really add dimension to the block. On my vase, I felt that the gold ornamental petals should be outlined with red thread to bring it all together.

I'm using this Aurifil thread. It's become my go to brand my stitching these kinds of details and embellishments on my blocks.

It was lovely before but the red just adds a little something..

If only hand stitching wasn't so time consuming! As I sew I listen to audio books and it really does help the time go along. I often find I'm so engrossed in the story that I forget all about the time and don't even realize that an hour or two has passed. It's definitely a good hand sewing trick and I recommend it to everyone now. I don't really know how I entertained myself during these hours of hand detailing before audio books (I don't generally listen to the radio). However did I keep myself entertained? I can't even imagine being without it now.

Anyhow, back to another shift of stitching..

BOM 2018, My Biggest Year Ever! 

Morning Glory is my current paid BOM. It's an applique and pieced quilt. 

You can start this BOM today! 

Simply click the quilt image to learn more.

To see some of the breathtaking examples that are taking shape, simply visit my Free BOM Group on Facebook where progress images are being shown all the time. It's a massive inspiration and I warn you, it's addictive!

Morning Glory: Sewing Down The Centre

I've gone up a gear in my Morning Glory routine. With BOM 2019 right around the corner, I want this gorgeous quilt top finished and that means sitting down and sewing on. 

I'm stitching down my applique shapes on an old Bernina 440. This is actually my 'travel' and workshop machine but I'm still in between machines (can you believe it?!) so it got the job! I'm using a 37 size foot and stitching with Superior brand invisible thread. This is an extra fine polyester thread rather than a nylon. I don't use nylon threads because they melt under my hot iron - and I don't have time for that. 

My trick is to release the top tension and stitch in a small zigzag stitch with the invisible monofilament. 

There's so much sewing down to do 

I have to work in 'shifts'

So, it's 2 shifts down and a few more to go.. 

BOM 2018, My Biggest Year Ever! 

Morning Glory is my current paid BOM. It's an applique and pieced quilt. 

You can start this BOM today! 

Simply click the quilt image to learn more.

To see some of the breathtaking examples that are taking shape, simply visit my Free BOM Group on Facebook where progress images are being shown all the time. It's a massive inspiration and I warn you, it's addictive!

'Cherish' is Launched

Meet my newest quilt pattern. It's a blooming beauty! Here we have a quilt that's just inviting itself to cozy up a bedroom. The centre is an applique arrangement of beautiful flowers, freshly cut from a garden teeming with ladybugs, bees, daisy chains and blooms! 

And the colours - oh the colours..where do I even start? This is a pattern you can really trust with those prints you love to pieces but don't want to cut up because they're so pretty. I know you know what I mean!

To make things even better, the shapes are large and easy so that even applique novices can feel confident and the simple hourglass blocks bring all your favorite fabrics together to frame your lovingly made applique blocks. Are you in love yet?

Quilts this pretty are simply impossible to forget. You've already seen my idea for a grey chambray background (above) to make your fabrics pop. But what about a creamy light background to play up the charming blocks that just beg for your attention with all their little details? And I can also see this quilt coming into it's own in reproduction fabrics too. Fabrics old or new, this is a beauty that's just waiting for your special touch. 

The finished size of 68 x 80 inches makes it perfect for a single bed. And who wouldn't love a bed covered in this cheerful, loving quilt?

'Cherish' (68 x 80 inches)

Complete PDF Pattern

$12.95 USD

What you need to know:  

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Check your email for the follow up email (and check your spam / junk folders if you can't see it)

The pattern will download to your computer directly.

You will REQUIRE an UPDATED PDF Reader in order to open and print the PDF Patterns.

*If you don't know how to download computer files, open PDF's or print, please don't buy this pattern. 

  Note:  

When you receive your download, be sure to SAVE it to your computer.

If you print it directly from the browser download screen, it will not be backed up to your computer and your print out might be missing pages, depending on your internet memory and download speed. 

Click here to read my tutorial on printing my PDF patterns at home

WOW: Working On Cherish

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

So many designs, so little time! It's hard picking and choosing between what to work on, what to design and which sketches should make it to the pattern drafting stage. And to complicate matters further, I'm constantly changing my mind. Oh well, I suppose it's all part of the creative process. And I can't complain because I do love it so much.

It's been months since I worked on my about to be released design 'Cherish', so I'm double checking the fabric requirements and getting it all ready for release. I love this design - it's so lively and happy that even working on it puts a grin on my face.

I can't wait to share it with you..

What's Your WOW?

An InLinkz Link-up

My Pick! Book Of The Week #3

My pick this week is as easy as it is fun. After all, who doesn't love a bit of folk inspired whimsy? After the week I've had (despite it being only Tuesday) I definitely need some mood boosting colour and this cutey is coming off my shelf and under my crayons for some art therapy, pronto!

To be honest, I fell out of love with colouring books about 2 years ago. Perhaps it was because I received so many of them. They make such easy and appropriate gifts (what could be better than gifting some creative down time?), that between the activities and classes I run, volunteer and meet at, somehow I ended up with a whole stack of them. Or more accurately, a whole car boot load of them. I don't ever remember telling anyone I liked or collected colouring books. I mean, I'm sure I didn't. But somehow word got around that I did .. and then it got out of control. I suddenly had so many. They didn't even make it into my house. 

Yes, I'm afraid I must admit that I passed 99% of them on because I could see that they just weren't my thing. I didn't even re-gift them. I simply became that person who gives things away to almost anyone at almost any opportunity. Any friend walking me to my car to say goodbye after a quick coffee or lunch would inevitably end up with 2-3 colouring books tucked under their arm. And this went on for a while. And the worse thing was, the more I gave away, the more I seemed to receive. At one point I had 57 of them in my boot and I didn't know why.

Then, one day my DH was tidying up my car and he discovered my colouring book stash. He was totally perplexed how I'd managed to accumulate so many without purchasing a single one. I told him I didn't know what to do with them all and he promptly delivered them to our local Op Shop. To this day, I have no idea why I didn't think of that myself? 

Of that whole colouring book chapter in my life, this pick of the week was one of the very few I decided to keep for myself just in case the mood to colour in ever took me. And now it has. 

So now I'm off to sharpen my crayons..

My Instagram Account Has Been Hacked!

Update: After many emails, in app reports and stress, I have now been un-hacked, have taken back control of my account and am happy about it! This has been a huge cyber security wake up call. 2 step verification for everything from now on. My Instagram account is cosy, it's only 4000+ followers so I am super fortunate. Browsing Google I can see that hundreds of users with many more followers than me did not get the happy ending to their hacking saga that I did.

My Instagram account has been hacked!

It shouldn't have happened to me. I do all my own blogging and Instagram-ing, so it's not like my password is compromised, stored anywhere or easy to crack. My mistake is that I didn't have 2 step verification activated. If I did, this couldn't have happened. Please, if you're reading this, go and update your Instagram password. I would hate for anything like this to happen to you.

This morning, I received an email from Instagram advising me that my Instagram password had been changed. This worried me immediately as I knew I hadn't changed it. This is the email:

So I immediately clicked the link to 'reset my password here'. When I got on the Instagram platform it was obvious that whoever hacked my account had also deleted my email and my username. So technically, my hacked account didn't even exist. This loophole meant that I couldn't take back control of my account. It also makes the email above completely useless. Because if you have changed your password, you wouldn't need to reset your password and if someone has hacked you, you CAN'T change your password anyhow. So what's the point? This email link doesn't give you any special overriding powers at all. 

I tried to log into my hackers username account, thaddeu_waltons2p, hoping that this email generated link would work just the once to seize back my account, but that was wishful thinking. 

After 45 minutes of reading everything on the help and support section of Instagram, I filed a complaint that this hacker was impersonating me. Because he is. He hacked my account and changed my user name to his own and deleted my email. But my images are still there as is my name, image and details. As part of my report I had to take a photo of myself holding up an ID and send this to Instagram too. I was anxious but hopeful. Then this afternoon, I got this reply from Instagram:

Thanks for contacting us. It looks like you're having a problem logging in. To get help with login issues or learn about what you can do if you think that your account has been compromised, visit the Help Center: http://help.instagram.com/374546259294234/?ref=cr

So, it looks like someone devoted exactly 3 seconds to my filed impersonation complaint before binning it. I'd already read everything over in the help centre concerning 'compromised' accounts and they all advised the account user to LOGIN to their account and update the password. Something I can't do.

So, thaddeu_waltons2p hacked my account and is now impersonating me and I can't do anything about it. I tried to secure my original username "esther.aliu" and breathed a big sigh of relief that it's available. This is good news. The bad news is that this new "esther.aliu" account is empty. I've lost all my posts. I've lost all the wonderful and tangled connections I made over the years. I don't want to let my old account go. And I certainly don't want anyone to impersonate me. I'm just so annoyed.

And Instagram? After making me file a complaint, upload a picture of myself holding up ID and explaining everything in detail.. they just think I'm having 'trouble logging in.'

WOW: Basket Case Quilter Alert!

WOW = WIPs on Wednesdays

If you follow my Instagram account, you'll know that the minute I set eyes on this fabric, it was MINE! Sometimes fabric just calls out to me and this fabric was shouting. There's something about the baskets, I'm crazy for baskets and as I stood there I was wondering what I would make from this fabric.. and also if there was enough fabric on the bolt?!

Anyway, sometimes you've got to stop what you're doing and just make a little something special just for the pleasure of it. I decided to use one of these gorgeous baskets for a special little something below. I just had to pair it with the green fabric. It was the first fabric I thought of to match it up with in the shop too. Isn't it funny how some fabrics just slot into an idea straight away?

Now that I've got the first play out of my system, I'm thinking about a table runner with some naive applique fruits and sprigs in between for an easy table length. Hmmm, I'm still deciding. One things fore sure, whatever I make - it'll be devoted to theses abundant baskets on blue. Sigh. 

What's Your WOW?

An InLinkz Link-up

'Australis' by Jenny Henry

It looks like we're starting to gather a flock of Australis birds at the moment! Look at this beauty! You won't be surprised to find out that this gorgeous project is created by Jenny Henry. As well as being a Moderator in my Group, I'm always showing off her work because she is so talented and prolific. Jenny makes more of my projects that I do, so I'm doubly lucky that I get to show off her creative flair and see the results! Jenny has a superb eye for colour, I am always saying so over in the Group when she posts progress pics because I am always so impressed with her ability to use fabrics together to their best potential.

Anyhow, look at this wonderful bird. Isn't he just a sight! It looks like creative backgrounds will prove to be a feature of this pattern. Although I envisioned a plain background when I designed Australis, boy was I wrong. These textured, interesting backgrounds are really adding another dimension to the wall hanging and I love it!

Here's a close up of the fabrics Jenny used on the body, aren't they super effective?!

I love everything about Jenny's incredible wall hanging, it's a masterpiece.

Thank you so much for once again allowing me to share your creative talent Jenny. 

WOW: Morning Glory Progress

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

Today I am busy finishing my Morning Glory borders, left and right sides. I did 4 earlier in the week and now I have 4 left to do before I stitching them into position.

I can't wait. I am loving Morning Glory more and more each time I work on it. 

What's Your WOW?

An InLinkz Link-up