Sunday, April 01, 2007

Luddite post

Well bad news on our Mac - it won't restart using the installation disk, so we have quite a serious problem. There's some software that will probably fix it, called Disk Warrior, but it's out of stock everywhere until the end of this coming week. So, I won't be able to download any photos until then. Unless our new computer, which we are ordering this week, is available before we can fix the Mac. I have heaps of photos to download from the wedding, from my parents' visit to Canberra and of Campbell's quilt, aka Wonky Geese.

Speaking of Wonky Geese, I have made quite a lot of progress! I have got the borders on and the whole thing basted with safety pins, ready to quilt. I am dying to show you a photo of it, as I realised after putting the first border on that the top was too small, so I added a second border in the most unbelievable red/orange/yellow fabric. It sure is eye-popping. I really like it though! Will post a pic as soon as I can.

Of course I'm now a little flummoxed as to exactly how I'll quilt it - it will be on the machine, as I unfortunately don't have time to hand quilt it - two more babies due in May! I may try a meander with monofilament, as the quilt is so busy/bright, that it doesn't really need more colour. But I'm a little nervous, as I've never done freeform quilting on the machine. Well there's got to be a first time!

We've had a lovely, relaxed weekend. My neck/shoulder is almost 100%, the antibiotics I'm on have done the trick and I am just about over the sinus infection/head cold, and I am feeling the best I've felt in ages. Romily and I have had two great outings together this weekend and she's been a little angel. We had morning tea at a cafe this morning, and she sat on the chair opposite me. We shared a piece of orange and poppyseed cake and we each had a drink - me a cappuccino and she a 'babycino', which she calls 'cino, cino'. It was just the cutest. I am totally in love with my little friend - she's just gorgeous and such fun to take out and about. She waved and said 'byeeee' to the waitstaff as we were leaving and everyone in the cafe was smiling at her. I had one of those wonderful mummy moments. Ahhh.

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Over at Fairybread Quilts, Jenni has been discussing the outrageous price of quilting fabric and books in Australia. I popped into my LQS on Friday night to pick up that great fabric I used for the border and tried not to chafe at the $22.50/metre price tag. I will be checking out some US online stores like the Quilt Shack and a few others for future orders, as I just cannot afford the prices here with the number of quilts I plan to make this year. I was also inspired by the discussion to see if I could find a copy of a book I saw in the LQS - 'It's okay if you sit on my quilt' by Mary Ellen Hopkins. I found a copy for sale on Amazon - while I was there I also ordered 'Machine Quilting Made Easy' by Maureen Noble. I got them both for less (including postage) than I would have paid for one at my LQS. Amazing!

Well it's off to work again tomorrow - but a short week as we break on Thursday afternoon for Easter. Hooray! Four days off in a row!

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Lily - I can sympathise with you totally - I'm unsure what the exchange rate is of A$ to £'s but we regularly pay anything between £8 or £9 up to almost £13 per metre for quilting fabric over here. I know we should support local retailers but everyone only has so much disposable income to play with and you do have to try and stretch it as far as you can

Joyce said...

Quilting fabric is very expensive here too. Luckily, we are only two miles from the US border so once in awhile I go down there to shop. We also get pretty good sales sometimes. It explains why my stash is so small though.
On first read of your post I thought you were expecting twins. I wondered why you weren't more excited. On second reading I decided that your friends were having babies! Lol.

Clare said...

I'm with you on the prices. I'm talking roughly 16 Euro a metre here. If it wasn't for the fabric warehouse at 5 Euro a metre or 7.50 a kilo I would be scuppered.

Duyvken said...

I hear you on the price of quilt books! It's crazy. I only own one so far (Modern Quilt Workshop by Fun Quilt Studio) and I bought it on Amazon. I also bought some fabric online but that was a little harder, it's so nice to see it in person, you know? I look forward to seeing your quilting when it's done!

Lily Mulholland said...

LOL Joyce! No, not twins!! Yes, two of my friends are having bubs in May.