Happy, healthy sewing machine

I gave the sewing machine some extra TLC the other night (using this helpful guide) and it's working beautifully again. Usually, when it plays up like it was, I figure it's time for a service, and bring it away. But I already had my other machine in for a service and wasn't ready to be machine-less for two weeks, so there was no other option than to do it myself. I'll certainly be doing this more often now! Thanks to a happy, healthy sewing machine, the latest quilt is now completely quilted and waiting to have its threads buried.

Today though, I am getting stuck into a rather crazy little sewing project (which I will show soon) which is keeping my mind off the fact that I have to do some public speaking this evening.

Book buddies

I love these shots. I love the fact that Daniel likes to settle in next to Caleb when he's reading. I love that Caleb happily shares his stories with Daniel.
I love that they are becoming the best of buddies.......just like two other kids I know...

My sewing space

Today I packed the first boxes in preparation for our move into our new house. I can't believe we are finally that far - well, we hope to be in a few weeks time anyway. I'm really looking forward to the extra space and light. But it occurred to me as I was quilting away last night, that I will actually miss this sewing space I have here. It's right in the middle of things, sandwiched between the dining room and the lounge-cum-playroom. It's not beautiful, but it has enabled me to accomplish a lot of sewing in between all the craziness of life with four kids.

In the new house, the studio is about last on our list of things to finish, so I will probably be using this door-and-crate setup for a bit longer, just not in the middle of the living space!

Sewing wins the day

Yes, the sewing won out on Tuesday. It was a tough choice, though - I was certainly tempted to go shopping, Natalie. But I was also very excited about this latest quilt. I think it's my favourite to date! If I can get my sewing machine to behave (it's having some attitude issues) I will start quilting it tonight.

Oh, and for some reason, all of our babies have had an overwhelming urge to trample on my quilt tops and quilts the moment they are laid out on the ground...

A rather nice dilemma

My mother-in-law has kindly invited Caleb and Daniel to come and play for the day. Which gives me a whole day to myself! So now I have a dilemma - to sew or to shop. I have a new quilt top cut out on my sewing table, all ready for piecing. I also have a whole lot of shopping and looking to do before we move into our new house. Both options will be so much easier to accomplish without the two little boys. Which option would you take?

What is it about afternoons?

While I'm eyeing off that stack of fabric over there, my boys have other plans. One is on my lap crying because he's not allowed to have another drink of juice (he had his last one a whole 5 minutes ago).And the other one is pouting on the ground next to me, indignant that he's not the one sitting on my lap.
From about 3:30pm onwards, that pretty much sums up afternoons around here. It's all about 'just hanging in there' until dinnertime. And hoping that they grow out of it soon.

Creative juices

Working on another quilt got my creative juices flowing! With new quilt ideas filling my head, the only way forward was to get them down on paper. I'm really excited about the way this new design is taking shape, and I don't think it's going to wait till we've moved to be sewn up. The 28 blinds that still need to be sewn are just going to have to wait!