GROUP DAY SEPTEMBER - CATCHING UP ONE

Trying to catch up on all the things I have been unable to put on here since being offline. These are the photo's from my Groups day, if you remember, they had requested a project, I came up with one that will last possibly two to three months, which will take us neatly to the end of this year. Annette, very quickly ran up the centre for me so I had a sample to show them, here is Annette's sample she made - unpressed, no time to get the iron out, there will be a few more borders on this before they start to sandwich and quilt it...

Hmm, it was quite surprising how many placed the vase the 'other' way up...

Not that it matters really, nice one Irene...

Jean playing peep-bo, that's better I like to see who is behind the picture...

This is Annette's in negative format...

Very pretty, love the colours...

Aha Joyce is busy stitching away at the previous months block, she had a bit of trouble with it and brought it back to sort it out...

Precise placing going on here...

Very nice Sue, finished at last, perfect points too, well done..

Janice deciding which stitch to use for the applique...

Different placement going on here...

Michelle's pretty dotty flowers...

Perfect work from Linda as always, was good to see her back with us...

Dee, busy stitching away, lots of edges to go round, it looks lovely Dee...

Well done Suzanne, another block finished, soon have a Quilt...

Look now Di is playing Peep-bo...

Betty busy stitching away at her own thing...

Nice smile Sylvia, where is your block though?

YES...Well done Joyce, finished...

Hmm, I think that is ready for pressing now...

Lovely colours, these are being decided upon for the first border which is a 4 patch...

So there we have it, stage one of the first project

Let's see how they get on in October.
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Is anyone else experiencing problems loading pictures onto Blogger, this has taken me ages to get right, it appears to be double spacing too. Something wrong here I am sure. I never had the little squares round my pictures before, I used to be able to move them where I wanted too, but now it plays up and deletes some I am trying to move, not funny Blogger, really not funny.

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ONE STEP FORWARD - TWO BACK

I have just discovered I am unable to answer any of the comments left here by email. Honestly, if it's not one thing its another. Do you wonder I am fed up? Probably not, you are probably so fed up with me you wont bother coming much more. I am on the verge of giving this up, nothing but nothing is going right so why do I persist in torturing myself by carrying on with this. I just do not know. ARGH. I want to smash something, I want to scream. I want someone to come and put everything back to how it was before the Bernina broke. It is from then everything has gone wrong. I want doesn't get I always told my girls, and now my grand daughter, and just look at me, I want I want I want.

Something that DID work - hooray - was the Embellisher machine. I realised I hadn't made a postcard for the swap I am in on the Popular Patchwork Forum. It is called - UNDER THE SEA - if you go to the PP site then the forum and click on the albums you will see some truly wonderful works of art, look for the postcard groups to see what everyone is coming up with for this theme. I digress. I decided to give the Embellisher a go for this, so I got some wool and some other stuff and just shoved it under and came up with........well, I came up with something I thought looked like the sea, 'H' not too sure. [typical] Anyway I persevered and have finished my Postcard, just got to write it and post it off to Fay in Israel now. Here is a picture of the back in its unfinished state, when Fay has received it, I will 'turn' it round so you can see what I did.

I am going to an Embellisher Machine class with my friend Di next month to learn how to use it properly - I hope. I didn't have a clue what I was doing, but I have to say I was jolly pleased with what emerged - tell the truth - don't faint - I smiled!!!!!!

Hmmm, a query, why is the spell check not accepting Embellisher as a word? Very strange.

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In case you are wondering why I had a three day break!!!!! I was house sitting for my Suzanne. I think -!! - I am back now.

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MORE ON THE GOOD GRIEF POST BELOW

Thank you all for your comments on this post, I will write to Marie Osmond, but, when I have calmed down a bit, no use sending her an angry letter, not her fault after all.

Well, the machine didn't make it to the shop, 'H' didn't take it! No comment!

I am persevering with using it, even though I really do not like it one bit. Between bouts of silence, moaning, shouting, moaning, sulking, moaning, anger, moaning, moaning, always moaning, some of the things I have found not to my liking have been corrected.

• Machine now tilted so I can see the needle as it sews
• Blue bobbin case purchased to enable it to free machine ** see footnote
• Second 1/4" foot purchased for me to vandalise it!!
• Shelves rearranged to enable my small lamp to light up work surface as machine light rubbish - in my opinion it throws a shadow on the work, the B had two lights
• Pile of scrap fabrics in box near work area to enable quick testing of stitches being used, some sandwiched with wadding, some not
• Notebook also at hand to write down what I do, as I do it, so to speak, i.e., length of stitch and width of stitch used for certain work, not used to the numbering of these....yet!
• Manual of machine at right hand, thumbed regularly
• Good book to read - not the manual - one from the library to take my mind off the darn machine!

** Although 'H' purchased this Blue Bobbin Case for me to be able to do the free machining which I absolutely love doing, also the thread painting, it doesn't seem to want to do it as the 'B' did. I have, after much struggling, managed to get the top to work reasonably well, but the back of the work is not good. The thread either goes tight - which it shouldn't with the BBC, or it makes little dots of thread all over the place, which makes the back look like it has a case of measles. I know it sounds like I am being picky here, but I do like the backs to look near as good as the fronts as I can make them. Just me and my way of doing things.

Oh, a minor point, but the stupid, sorry, the little horseshoe foot you get in the quilters pack you have to buy, specially for the free machining etc, is soooo tiny, you are unable to use it for any zigzag free machining you wish to do, which means you have to change the foot, that in itself is a joy to do. NOT. It is not a simple case of just swapping the foot part, there is minor surgery that has to be done.

OK I'll shut up about the thing.

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Is it me or is Blogger having a dig at me now? Since my computer has been fixed, I am finding it quite hard to post these musings on my Blog. The page keeps jumping up and down, sending me boggy eyed at times. The spacing is different, the pictures are a nightmare to load....come on...is it me?

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Popular Patchwork girls---

I cannot get on the site, all my passwords have been wiped off this computer since it has been fixed. I have managed to remember some, but that one eludes me. I have lost a lot of the stuff I had saved too, oh joy! It also managed to wipe off all my Quilt programmes I had, 'H' has got most of them reloaded for me, but the EQ6 seems to have disappeared. Oh and just for fun!!!!! all the Quilts I had designed in my Quilt Pro have 'gawn', never to be seen again. Ho hum, what fun! Just remembered, I also had quite a few in my Kaleidoscope programme too, cant face looking tonight. Mind you, maybe I will be able to work out my Dear Jane now it has been reloaded! What do you say!!

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SWAPS FINALLY DONE AND POSTED

This was made for the Summertime Mini Quilt Swap I joined,

I managed to get it in the post by the skin of my teeth...

I used my sari silks for this...

close up for you...

this is the back...

close up of back...

Next is a block made for Angela from Popular Patchwork Forum - she chose to have Butterflies as her blocks, this is what I made for her - it is a Cabbage Butterfly, my way!!! This is just one of the little butterflies I stitched in the spaces...

and another, this is the one I signed with my name and year on it...

one of the 'Cabbage' butterflies...

and the other one, hot fix crystals on them to make them sparkle...

the complete block...

hope you like it Angela, sorry it took so long.

Now we have a mini bag for yet another swap I was in...

this is the inside of the bag - it is totally reversible in case the receiver doesn't like the outside!!

picture of the back and the front, she elephant and the giraffe pictures, are little panels I have attached as mini pockets...

I really hope everyone likes their swaps when they receive them, I do hope they all arrive safely at their destinations.

They were all done on the new machine by the way

I have had terrible problems getting these pictures up here, I do hope that isn't going to be the norm, I don't think I can cope with many more things playing me up just now.

Take pity on my Blogger and do it right.....please

GOOD GRIEF

Well, I appear to be back, I wonder how long for this time!

Hubby says he is fed up with me moaning all the time...hmmm is that what I am doing then?

Is it my fault I cannot get on with my new machine?

Probably!

Am I expecting too much of it?

Probably!

The computer has been fixed...everything, and I mean everything about it is different. I shall have to learn all over again...

Probably!

I cannot access any of the groups I am in - or was in - all pass words gone, am I cross? Probably!

I have stacks of stuff to put on here - if only I could find it!!!

Update on the sewing machine...I am trying really hard to get on with it, I have, or rather hubby has, bought all the gizmo's recommended by various people to make it easier to free machine. It seems as though I/we cure one thing and then another problem rears its ugly head. So yes, I am still grumbling about the new machine, I desperately want to like it as I have so much to do. I am doing more unpicking than I have ever done in my life. I hate moaning so much, and I know it must be boring for those around me to hear or even see me at the moment with such a long face :-( but I really cannot help it. Quilting is a BIG BIG part of my life, or was, I am I know in a bad mood when things don't go right, and at the moment this machine is just not playing the game. It seems to me if it is supposed to be a Quilters Edition machine, it should by rights do what a quilter wants it to do. When I set it up for free machining - and what a to-do that is - I gaily stitch away, but am constantly waiting for the thread to break, which is its latest game. Or the back is one long continual thread, hence the unpicking lark. People have said to me why don't I take it back, believe me when I say this, it is going to the shop tomorrow, to hopefully find out just what it is that is wrong with the darn thing. I realise now it is too late to return it for my money back, I/we have spent so much on all the bits and pieces for it it is just not viable to return it now. Unless Janome would like to give me my total monies back and I cant see that happening. I do have another idea, it was mentioned somewhere and I cannot remember by whom. I shall write to Marie Osmond about it if I get no satisfaction from the shop. Janome owners will understand why! She is the front NAME for Janome, so hopefully she will listen to my problems and help me!!! Do you think?

If all this is boring for you I apologise, but do you have any idea the misery I am in because of this. All I want to do is Quilt.

Oh, and guess what?

Hubby fixed the Bernina.

Yep.

In about half and hour or so he had the new motor in, cleaned the machine thoroughly, it looks like new too.

So WHY you are now thinking, am I not using that?

I have no idea folks.

He has put it UNDER my table.

When this Janome goes to the shop, I will be using it no doubt, my girls cannot believe I haven't whacked it up onto the table and been using it. I really do want to, but then again, I have got to crack this Janome haven't I, or it has all been a waste of money. Which I cannot afford to let happen. What would you do?

NEW TABLE AND WONDERFUL POSTCARD

This is my gorgeous new table which Rebecca assembled for me...

so big, my large cutting mat fits on with room to spare -
if you look closely you will see what hubby has done for me,
he has tilted the machine on a piece of white plastic,
this makes it easy for me to now see the needle,
I couldn't before - neck problems -
this is then stuck onto a piece of perspex
with two wooden handles stuck on it at the front,
enabling me to push the machine away when I am done with it -
hand problems -
neat huh!
the machine isn't stuck only the white plastic to the perspex

foot pedal and no table leg to gnaw at MY leg...

loads of storage space underneath...

tons of stuff hidden out of view -
I am now searching for a nice set of drawers [not that sort]
to put under there to make it neat and tidy
it's the Virgo in me!!!!

Hmmmmmmmmmm
You know,
you would think that as it has a new home and a brand new table,
that blooming machine would be a bit more considerate and WORK for me,
darn thing
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Look at this fabulous Postcard I have received from my friend
Elisabeth
in Austria,

such a clever card Elisabeth, I love it.
Thank you very very much
xx
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HEADER QUILT

A couple of close ups for you of my Header Quilt
it appears to be getting a bit of attention.
I loved making it - great fun
Trapuntoed totally,




the complete Quilt.

Can you imagine, when she bites into the apple!
YUK!

AND MORE -

I am cross with myself 'cos I wanted to get these on here yesterday
Wednesday
because that is when I got these extra gifts, but I was slow off the mark
and I missed the fun, cos it was
09.09.09
Never mind,
Enjoy

My yummy birthday cake, not a lot left now...




It is [was] gorgeous, thank you Annette...

Suzanne and Richard bought me the lovely flowers,
it was too late to photograph them last night...

Then today.....
Just look what I got from hubby...

An Embellisher machine....WooHoo....

Two Janome's sitting in tandem....
Annette switched her phone off in case I rang her!!!!!

AND
Fanfare of trumpets here....
A new MOTOR
for the Bernina...

Fingers crossed folks...

Just look at all that copper wire glow...

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OK, going back a few days, I treated myself to a new table, the one I was using was a gate leg style and the centre legs were rubbing my leg something awful, which made for a lot of pain. I decided I would have a kitchen style table, one leg each corner type, I found this one in Homebase for £98 and.. if I paid for it by the Saturday, I got 15% off. Not wanting to miss that , I walked to Homebase and paid for it, then asked if hubby could pick it up the next day...what a cheek, but they said yes..

So here are Rebecca and hubby assembling it for me..

She loved doing it for me...

In case you are wondering, she is wearing her ballet dress...
well, what else do you wear when doing a bit of DIY?

Just realised I didn't take a picture of the completed thing, will do that tomorrow, the table is gorgeous, but very BIG.... just as well now there are two machines on it, with a possible third in the background, hahahahaha
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Suzanne and Richard went to Italy for a week to their apartment. I gave them strict instructions they were NOT to bring anything back this time. Fell on deaf ears. They went to Rome to the Vatican, climbed 300 odd winding stairs of which the banister was a rope !!!!! scary or what? Then they had a fabulous view of Rome apparently. Haven't seen the pictures yet. This is what they brought me from there...

this is just the bag,

This is the gift...

I used to collect bells you see, she forgot I don't anymore
but I like this one so it doesn't matter.

So all in all, I really am a very lucky person aren't I?
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All I need now is for the hospital to come through with my appointments again for my Acupuncture treatment for my neck and I shall be one happy person. My neck is really bad. The lady who was doing my treatment has done something to her foot and is off work until OCTOBER....Argh!!!!!!!!!
Get well soon Enid
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LUCKY ME

Just look at all these lovely things I received today...

it being my birthday, the one like the Beatles song,

Will you still need me,
Will you still feed me,
When I'm.....................

Just love this wrapping paper...

Another 1/4" foot for the new machine,
I am going to rip the metal piece off this one....
VANDAL!!!!

Fabulous Book and Bulbs from Di,
how did she know this was on my wish list??

Chocolates from Annette and Rebecca plus a bottle of Rose,
SUPER
then blow me,
if I didn't get another bottle from Suzanne and Richard!!
My girls know me well don't they!!

My cards..
the Winnie the Pooh is from Annette and Rebecca with a gift voucher for
Pelenna Patchworks inside,
the Bear card is from Suzanne and Richard with £20 inside,
the fabric postcard is from Annette and Rebecca -
her second fabric postcard

Thank you everyone for my cards and prezzies

I also received these from my friend Brenda in Australia,
apparently a friend of hers was going into a Care Home
and she wanted everyone to have a piece of her stash,
what a wonderful thought,
Brenda thought of me and chose this foot which will be very handy,
there is a Pin also of a Kangaroo,
Then a card made by Brenda and the sweet little Kimono made
just by folding the fabric, clever eh!

Thank you Brenda

Then what a surprise this was,
I am in a swap for a Summertime Quilt
and I received this beauty from Rachel in America,
what a beauty it is.
Thank you so much, I love it

Happy Birthday me
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