my creative space - progress report

It's been a quilty kinda day here today. Quite fitting really given the weather is finally starting to feel slightly cooler.

So you might remember this pile from last week's creative space? Well here it is a week later





I'm not sure if it's finished yet and since I don't have a cot set up I have no idea if the size is right or not. I  have had moments of sheer joy piecing this in it's haphazard, 'a-little-bit-of-this-a-little-bit-of-that' way. And then at other moments I have been so stumped by indecision about what should come next that I was wishing for a pattern.

BUT I figure I must be on the right track since the Mr's response was along the lines of, "Wow. You should make it bigger because I really like this one". Not entirely sure if that was meant to be a reflection of all my previous quilts or not ....

Speaking of which this one was picked up from the long arm quilter, Suzanne (you may remember her handy work from such quilts as this) today.





Just a sneaky peek for now. The final reveal will happen once the binding is on. So don't hold your breath or anything.

For more creative spaces head on over to Kirsty's place.

my creative space

"... at the end of the day, it's only a quilt". 

I have had these words ringing in my ears since I read them on Monday on Kate's excellent blog series detailing her process of making a quilt. And with this as my mantra I am making a solemn vow to slice and dice (in a Kate like fashion*) into this ever growing pile of loveliness





I've been amassing this lot for a few months now and even though I was given this amazing quilt featuring my latest colour combination obsession I still have a unstructured, choppy, piece-y quilt in mind to make before this new little person of ours arrives. I think it's taken me this long because I've been too scared to forge ahead and just have a crack. Well enough of that. Time to start chopping and sewing. After all,  (say it with me), "it's only a quilt"!

EXCEPT of course when you walk out of your front door on the way to school, only to find a massive parcel stuffed in your letterbox and the return address is listed as this person, at which point you tear open the parcel (even though you're running late for said school pick up) ...





... and pretty much faint on the spot at what you find in your hands




In this case, I promise you, it's not just a quilt. It's a very, very thoughtful, gorgeous piece of art from a truly amazing, generous and talented woman! Thank you Rita, so much. You have no idea how much this will be treasured.

For more creative spaces click on over to Kirsty's.

* minus the slicing and dicing of fingers!

29 weeks and counting ...

The blogging mojo seems to have exited stage right around these parts. I love it when I read blogs that have seemingly ordinary day-to-day stories (I'm a bit of a voyeur like that), but lately mine have seemed way too ordinary, you know?

And then I remembered something that is so ordinary it's extraordinary ... I am cooking up a human.





Yeah I know tonnes of us have done it and done it a few times over but it is pretty cool isn't it? There's a person in there. Sure there's the three toilet trips a night, the varicose veins the ridiculously enormous bosoms that now appear to rest on the belly (cleverly edited out of the photo), the extraordinary tiredness coupled weirdly with insomnia, the low blood pressure and iron levels ... mmmm good times. But then every now and then I remember that this will be the last time I do this and of course how much I wanted to get to this stage last time and then suddenly this little guys cartwheels and elbows (or knees?) poking out aren't such a pain. Sort of.

my creative space :: crafty friends

I was going to tell you a tale of knitting woe* for today's creative space but then I went to my craft room meet up last night and was caught completely unawares by some surprise, handmade and of course gob-smackingly stunning baby gifts. And so of course I have to do a little show and tell.

First we have a so-cute-I-can-barely-stand-it little elf hat from Jen





I wish I could describe the silky softness of this hat. The only thing I can think of that's softer is an actual baby's head!

Next there was this awesome pillow from my long-time friend and all round crafty genius Sally





It'll be interesting to see if the new bub even gets to clap eyes on this considering Luca has taken quite a shine to it. And who could blame him?!

Next there was this gorgeous, gorgeous kimono style top from Suzy





Basically I can't stop looking at this. The colours are right up my alley and the softness of the Liberty fabric is so perfect for a item of baby clothing. I was instantly able to visualise my new little dude in this very cool shirt!

And then there was this from Alison





Yep that there is a quilt folks. She made me (well, the baby I guess), a quilt. And in my newest favourite colour combinations too - a bit of yellow and lots of grey. I was speechless.**

But wait did you see this bit





Good lord. Is there anything this talented lady cannot do? I think not! My only hope is that this baby is not a vomiter. Because if he is there is no way in hell he is going anywhere near this quilt! For a much better photo and more details take a look here.

Pretty good huh? It's great to have crafty mates that's all I can say!

Oh and by the way you may be wondering why so early on these offerings? Well it seems there was some mix up about my due date with the general consensus being I was due next month. An easy mistake to make considering how H-U-G-E I am!!

For more inspiring crafty folk pop on over to Kirsty's.

* I am on my THIRD and FINAL attempt at the BSJ. Stay tuned.
** Actually that's not true. I'm pretty much never rendered speechless though I was very overwhelmed with joy. Which probably actually made me chattier.

my creative space :: that'll do

A long long time ago the Mr was throwing out a stack of old business and casual shirts and having just read Handmade Home I came over all "nothing must be wasted" and screamed at him to, "stop right there and give me those perfectly good shirts which could be made into ... something".

So they sat and they sat until I had the brainwave to chop them up and make them into a quilt for Luca. I thought big squares, quite simple, piece of cake it'll be whipped up in no time.

In the meantime some further inspiration popped up when Kate made a lovely lap quilt for her little bloke.

But still my shirts waited ... and waited until finally recently in a few marathon sewing sessions the top was done





In the end I also included a beige hail-spot shirt of mine which I could never quite part with but that made me look like I was in need of immediate hospitalisation which I think has given it a bit of a break from all the blue.

And finally, with a bit of support via twitter, I got up the guts to chop in to one very special shirt ...





... one that the Mr wore on our first date ... almost (gulp) twenty years ago.

Now to back it and quilt it.

For more creative spaces you just know Kirsty's got the goods.