The ups and downs of quilting and being a mum

I didn't know what it was called before but thanks to the very talented Modflowers I now what it is that I suffer from...quilting fear. Yes, quilting fear, it is awful, the self doubt and loathing because you know what you want your quilt to look like, you know how to do it, but can't quite pluck up the courage to actually put needle to quilt.  The anxiety. 

I suppose quilting is quite an investment.  An investment of your time. An investment of your precious material.  

....okay that was written about two weeks ago...What a lot of tosh/wishful thinking on my part...I do not suffer from quilting fear, just plain incompetence.

I cannot stitch in the ditch...successfully.

I am really fed up of unpicking 'gone wrong' bits.

I am not sure Big G will ever get a finished article.

I may have to go on a course so I can find someone to stand over me whilst i attempt the last two lines of stitching in the ditch.

I can't even think about the binding...don't think I have the stomach for making my own, even though I really, really, really want to have a go.  

Sometimes I know my ideas far exceed my actual ability...but I do like to have a go.  I must stop doing it to myself!

I know a bad workman blames his tools....but my table is only 1.5 m2 and my trusty sewing machine doesn't have a walking foot and the table cloth keeps slipping (take it off then...yeah I know) and how am I supposed to stuff half of a single  quilt through the right side of the needle bit and concentrate on what I'm doing?  

I was so excited today as this was the first day in yonks that I've had the day to myself, no important calls to make, errands to the post office, children to take to appointments, a tonne of washing to be done.  Every thing is done...except the quilt!  

Anyway it all went pear shaped again and now I'm completely deflated.    

Humpf....

Sorry for the rant.  

Will be back on my best behaviour next time. 

Here are some nice pictures to cheer us all up again.  

Big G is growing up, it hit me this week.  

She sat her last GCSE exam on Monday, and then travelled to Broadstairs by coach to stay with my sister for the week.  ALL BY HERSELF.  

She is perfectly capable, very sensible and I'm not worried about her safety anymore than I normally worry (!) - its just that she took it all in her stride.  Didn't need directions to the coach station, booked it online herself.....

...don't think she needs me as much any more.  Something I've been longing for...but now that it has started...I'm not ready and I'm sure sure that I even like it!

Bloomin heck - this parenting lark is hard work!

Til next time my lovelies

x

PPS - Just as I was about to press the 'publish' button, the postman  delivered the mail.  I noticed a brown padded envelope addressed to MUM!  

I opened it up and this is what I found.  Thank you Big G it is beautiful.  Just like the scottie dog on my Cath Kidston pencil case I had at uni! 

Ignore the stain on my old tea towel.   

So although Big G may not need me quite so much anymore - she still thinks about me.  Yay!

x

A bit of this, that and the other

Life has been a little hectic recently, hence the lack of posts.  I don't have time to think straight some days; let alone upload photos and write about what I've been making.  Which is incidentally ...

absolutely nothing!   

I still haven't finished Big G's quilt as I got cold feet when it all went a bit wrong - in quite a few places - front and back - top and bottom.  I popped a few pics of badly sewn quilt in here as I don't have any 'oh look how lovely and nicely made' pics yet!!

I roped in mum and she helped me to unpick my stitch in the ditch stitches.  She actually showed me a clever way to remove a lot of stitches in one go.  

You may know this already - but for those of you who don't... you know when you sew using a machine,  the top reel of cotton catches the bottom cotton, so the underside doesn't actually go through the material (still with me?!; and can, therefore be pulled, gently but firmly, out of the clutches of the top stitches (if you cut the bottom stitch in a few places then each section SHOULD pull out reasonably easily).  Im sorry if you are totally lost!

So back to the story, mum and I spent about an hour removing 8 lines of stitching, so now the quilt is only one third attached.  It is so tricky to get all the layers through the machine as it is, let alone when you have the added hassle of trying to stuff half of the quilt through the space to the right of the machine.  So I'm wimping out - yet again.  Big G has been most understanding, well sort of, actually she thinks I'm being 'totally dramatic' about the whole thing - teenagers (pot....kettle....)!

A blurry pic of the abandoned and disgraced half quilt... I then stomped out of the living room muttering and cursing. 


ALL IS NOT LOST MY FRIENDS!

I have been scratching my itch to be creative by Postcrossing as much as possible.  

I briefly mentioned sending happy mail via Postcrossing in an earlier post and promised I'd dedicate a bit more time to it in a future post.  I do try to keep my promises.  

It is my new favourite thing - I think it is bloody marvellous.  What am I rambling on about now?  Visit this website: www.postcrossing.com (not a link - can't do those!) and have a read up - THEN register. 

This is what happens.  You send randomly chosen people a postcard.  They could be anywhere in the world.  Each Postcrosser has a home page where they can write a little blurb about themselves; what sort of postcard they'd like to receive, what languages they can read and write in, what hobbies/interests they have.  All this information can help you to decide what sort of postcard (and extra mail) to send them.  

Some people put a lot of effort into their postcards and make/decorate envelopes etc.. its up to each individual.  

I discovered postcrossing via the digital version of Flow magazine.  I read their yummy article and eagerly followed the links and signed up (free) immediately.  The only rule is that you actually have to send a postcard within the mail.  

Anything else you choose to put in the envelope is up to you.  

 Also a good way to promote my blog!  (Cheeky!)

Some Postcrossers explicitly ask that you only send a postcard. Strangely I actually bought these two weeks before I even read the delicious Flow magazine article.... It was meant to be!! 

 100 Classic ladybird covers!  Fabulous!  So far the recipients have loved these postcards.

The 3 above were purchased from Charity shops - 6 for £1.  Charity shops are always full of classic, weird and wonderful postcards.  I bought these three as some Postcrossers request city sights.  

As an aside - I bought this lovely tablecloth from the same charity shop as the London postcards. 

 I have so much fun setting aside a little time in the evenings putting together some fun, beautiful and surprising mail for a stranger somewhere in the world!  

Wallpaper samples from my local DIY store - they make sturdy, interesting and tactile envelopes. 

Anything goes!

Well that was a higgle-de-piggle-de post.... hope you could keep track of what I was wittering on about?!

Stay sane folks - keep creating.  

Claire x