Quilts and Quilting

Cos right now, I feel like a steamroller has run over me.  The Cold from Hell (now with added asthma!) is still dominating my life. Ick.

Look for me as soon as I can remember how to breathe and think simultaneously,

C

MAKE ME SICK!

I am down with The Dreaded Lurgey.  Mr Beloved even had to go to the LIBRARY For me today - so you know I’m really crook!

Arrrgh.  Bed, again. Still. Grrr.

Sorry for the not posting thing - I am spending more time horizontal (and wrapped around a hot water bottle) than vertical at present.

The good news is that I have an appointment with the specialist on the 15th July - and fingers crossed will be able to schedule surgery (TAHBSO - yep, the works) AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.    Yep, then I have to deal with menopause all of a sudden - but at least the ovulation and period pain WILL BE GONE FOREVER, muaaa haaa haaa!

My GP is wonderful and agrees that after an (unsuccessful - it made things WORSE) trial of The Pill this is the next course of action - having a specialist “look at things more closely.”

“They can look at them all they like ONCE THEY’RE IN A JAR”, I said.

Back to bed.

I am cold.  Toowoomba has been freezing cold and windy all day - which is part of the reason I stayed in bed for most of the day.  I’m only up now because even though Mr Beloved has just read the starting grid for tomorrow night’s Formula 1 grand prix, I want to watch the qualifying.

But I have a completely irrational desire to make THIS:

Vogue 8421.  I want the version on the right, with the impossibly huge sleeves.  Do I own this pattern? No.  Do I have fabric to make up into this pattern already in my stash? NO.  I am crazy in love with it anyway?

YES!!

*sigh*

It’s Susannah’s fault - she’s wearing something like this in one pic in the new book, and I am smitten. Also with the vest thingummy she’s wearing over it -I could ROCK that whole look.  Especially now I’ve worked out what shape I am (Vase.  Yep, vase.  Huh! Now if I could just work out what bloody COLOURS to wear, I’d be set!)

The fact that the blouse takes 3.6 metres (of 115cm wide) fabric and most of that is in the sleeves WILL NOT STOP ME.

Being too bloody cold to do anything but dream about it might!

Remember how I’ve been in HEAPS of pain because of my hips?  Uh huh.

So what did I do on Tuesday night?

Well, because I AM A TOTAL NONG, I put the big cutting mat on the lounge room floor and cut out a dress.

AND…?

Um, you know the feeling of trying to move a rusted piece of metal?

Yep.  My hips.  AAAARRRRGH!

Today has been about three things:   Ibuprofen + heat + extra codeine….

Haven’t done a meme in AAAAAAGGGES and since Gwen tagged me - here we go!

7.) 6 peeps I wanna know more about (in no particular order):

Anyone reading this - Tag, you’re it!

Off to Brisvegas with the girls - fabric shops!  WHEEEE!

Talk to you when we get back….

because I HURT, dammit!

Calling the pain management doc first thing tomorrow and BEGGING him to inject my right hip with whatever it damn well takes to make it STOP HURTING!  It could be napalm for all I care, just MAKE IT STOP!

Bed now.

Just watched Trinny and Susannah do their body shape show. I’m more confused than ever - what shape am I??

That’s my silhouette, traced from a photo of me in me undies. (no WAY would I post that!!) You might need to click to see it bigger. The line across my boobs is because that’s the widest part.

I’m on the list to get their book from the library but that’s months away yet - and I’m not buying another book where I’ll only use half a dozen pages! Maybe I’m this shape?? OR maybe this one (if I had more of a waist)

Opinions? What shape are YOU?

*sigh*

My knees are buggered after my very short session working with only SIX different exercises int eh gym. How pathetic! However, I have allowed to three entire squares of Lindt 80% chocolate in my calorie count today, and that has lifted my mood considerably.

And so to bed.

The Plume dress.

Interesting idea, but would it work on a curvy women - especially in a plus size? Course I wouldn’t pay 298 POUNDS for something that’s going to be knocked off in every high street shop anyway. (Unless perhaps it was silk jersey,in aubergine. Then I tend to lose any sense of reason.)

[Found on The Thoughtful Dresser, which is a very cool blog.]

(Mr Beloved does not like having his picture taken!)

The tears were worth it - this turned out to be an almost wearable prototype!  (I’ve said he’s allowed to wear it at home only, he can wear the next ones in public, LOL!)  You can see my review on Pattern Review here.

After a good nights sleep:

Mr Beloved explained why the screw for the overlocker needle wouldn’t go back in: As ex IT support sysadmin, he insists that there is a “Frustration Field” generated around equipment that has somehow misbehaved or otherwise not met the expectations of the user.

The fields are quite powerful, and have a half life of anywhere up to 12 hours. Any attempt to rectify the fault before then will be nullified by the force of the Frustration Field .

Thanks for your help, though, I am greatly appreciative that there is someone more experienced with this beastie that is so generous!

That’s why I could NOT get the darn thing back in last night - but this morning when the FF had dissipated, it took Mr Beloved under a minute.

Same thing happened with converting the machine to coverstitch and back - although I did also take the precaution of giving it new needles.

(They took FOUR SHOPS to find - arrggggh! I must find a source to order them online.)

Now I’m off to watch “grumpy doctor” (House.  Even when he’s being a total jerk, Hugh Laurie is still gorgeous!) More later.

WAAAAAH! Just when I thought my overlocker and I were going to be friends:

Lat night I got the coverstitch set up and stitching beautifully. Tonight? ARRRRRRRRRRGH!!!! NOTHING would work! Needles coming unthreaded, tensions that would not reset - I unthreaded and rethreaded the whole shebang. Read through all the instructions ticking them off as I went. Adjusted each tension a lot of times. Tried the ultimate computer nerd trick: “Have you tried turning it off and turning it on again?” all the way down to the power point.

THEN - one of the little grub screws that holds the needles in place CAME ALL THE WAY OUT and I can’t get in back in again and I’m terrified I might have stripped the start of the thread in the hole it goes into. At least I have the teeny weeny thang, but - ARRGGGH!

Poor Mr Beloved has just spent the past half hour rubbing my back as I sobbed, full on SOBBED - with only being able to *sob* get*sob* a *sob* single *sob* word*sob* out* sob*each*sob* breath *sob*!!

I’ve packed the machine up ready to see if Dale the (wonderful) Sewing Machine man can see me as an EMERGENCY tomorrow…. meantime, I think I’d better go to bed, don’t you?

OMG, I did it!  I worked out how to make the overlocker do a really nice coverstitch!  WOOOOOT!

Right now am sooo tired - and have lost a VITAL piece of paper for a job I needed to do…ummmm… yesterday-ish?

Meantime, STOP!  DON’T TOUCH THAT DIAL!!  EXCITING *yawn* PICTURES OF A COVERSTITCHED HEM  WILL BE POSTED TOMORROW!!!

(Well, I was excited!)

With the windchill this morning, that’s what the weatherman told us it was.  MINUS BLOODY FOUR!!!  I coulda stayed in Canberra for weather like that!

No cutting out fabric tonight, I am too cold.  Our house was not built for such temperatures - I’m off to hide under the blankets!

Inspired by Marji of Fiber Arts Afloat I have been starting to go through my pattern stash, to see what I have in the way of warm outer layers that might be worth sewing up (hopefully without a gazillion tricky alterations). And I discovered that I really like to buy coat and jacket patterns (I haven’t even looked at ones that come as part of suits here…).

In reality I have actually made and worn exactly ONE of these patterns.

ONE!!

Most of these have only ever been out of the pattern envelope for a read, not even had the tissue unfolded, let alone cut:

Now, even bearing in mind that this represents *mumblety* years of pattern acquisition, that’s a lot of coats and jackets.  Obviously I feel I NEED something warm, but just haven’t got around to MAKING it yet! Some of them I wonder WHAT I was thinking. Me, in a classic Chanel style? Ummmmm……

The one that I’ve made and worn so often that the hem and cuffs have abraded and the lining is about to disintegrate is the Burda 4385 here, in the longer style. Not in white, obviously - I don’t really do white, not even for shirts, let alone COATS!  Mine was a red loose woven wool thing.  I don’t think I even have it any more.

The one I’d most like to try next is the V8399 Marcy Tilton jacket - but the only review on PR says there are dreadful problems with the draft and the instructions - I find this odd, because normally Marcy’s patterns are really good. But as it “broadens shoulders” and I’m pretty sure my shoulders are somewhat broad anyway, it might not be a wise choice. (even if that WOULD make my waist look smaller…)

Anyone have a favourite out of those posted here?  Anything you think look especially “Caity-esque”?  I’d love some input!

I’m off to get Mr Beloved to help with the next step: Retrieving fabric tubs from the back of the shed so I can see if there’s a fabric I love that I can use for whichever pattern.

Not much happening here.  Went to the GP today, to discuss ultrasound results and further treatment.  Still trying to track down why my Ferritin (stored iron) levels are continuing to fall - ulcer, girly problems, bowel, WHERE?!?!  Did solve one issue and will hopefully be having surgery later in the year/early next year (need to lose some more weight first, mainly.)

Boring, huh?

Honestly, between that and a couple of other little tasks, the day just disappeared.  Unless you want to hear about the ongoing grossness that is Mis KitTerns abcesses?

No, didn’t think so.

… indeed, FIGHTING! the urge to go out. *sigh* I cannot justify taking the car out just on a whim, especially when we HAVE to go out tomorrow for medical appointments.

I need (? Hmm, not sure what Maslow would say about that!) to replace the Butterick 5001 pattern I was working on yesterday with a bigger size while they’re still at half price. I really really want to check the mailbox to see if Ottobre is here yet.. and check the one newsagents in town to see if the new Burda has come! ARRRRRRRRRRGH!

The Butterick pattern: so far I have added 2 inches (TWO INCHES! ) across the back; I know I need to add nearly as much in the arms; the length will need to be adjusted, the waist too - and I need to work out how to do a Full Bust Adjustment on the wrap over bodice.

See why I was thinking going up a pattern size or two might be easier? I’ll still have to do a FBA but the rest of the pattern shouldn’t require as many alterations. I’m tempted to just wait until I’m fitting better into the smaller size but I am so sick of having nothing nice to wear.

Thing is, once I DO get all the alterations done? This could end up being a TNT (Tried and True) pattern for me. IF I EVER GET THE !@#&!@(*& ALTERATIONS all done!

Mr Beloved has never helped tissue fit a pattern before, but is doing a fabulous job.

Meantime, How delicious is this outfit?

It’s from Burda - Spring/Summer, 1966. “An asymmetrically buttoned dress for afternoon or evening, with a spiralling decorative seam. Angled buttonholes mirror the line of the decorative seam.”

There are another 30 pictures of the same season’s lines on the Burda site right now.

And 24 images from Autumn 56/Winter 57… droooool! Although this dress owes rather more to curtains in the living room than I’d like. Eeeeeee!

And except for the fact that a) even with “shapewear” my waist could never be that small and b) it just doesn’t get cold enough in Toowoomba for such an extravagant coat, I’d make this. And I’d need the hat and gloves, of course. Can’t you see this in a stunning periwinkle blue wool? Or perhaps this rich purple… or since this is pure flight-of-fancy shopping, unrestricted by such mundane things as price and fabric weight - how about THIS?! *swooooons*

I have to go have a wee lie down now….

I’ve been looking at this “Gypsy Gripper” tool and saw on live at the Stitches and Craft show last week. It’ s the same tool that glass repair people use to lift panes of glass - a really good lock on suction handle. Someone had the wonderful idea of using them to hold your big (and little!) patchwork rulers steady while you use a rotary cutter.

So - did I pay approx $36 for the “official” patchwork version? NOPE!

I went to Aldi who had them on special this week for $10.

And it works BRILLIANTLY!!

If you’re only using a small ruler, you just flip one of the little levers down to hold onto that.

So - locals - they were at the Clifford Garden store, right down the back.

Well we did go down the hill to the Stitches and Craft Show, and I must say Sue and I were both quite restrained in our spending! It was wonderful to go with another sewing type, really changed the focus. We watched most of the fashion parades and found them really worthwhile - proving again that the illustrations on some patterns do NOT do them justice.

For example this jacket - a bit *meh* on the pattern, but STUNNING made up - a really versatile little jacket. Stephanie (Perpetual Patterns & Can Do Books) had sold out at the show, so I might have to mail order it.

There was one model in the show that was a size 14, D cup - and admittedly she was nearly 6 foot tall, but she was NOT a lightweight skinny minny - so wonderful to see a REAL size model looking great in the clothes on parade.

There were no photos allowed in the show (pity, since some of the clothes made up from commercial patterns really were scrummy) and the art garments by Ruth Osborne, Kirry Toose and Trudy Billingsley were full of interesting ideas for lesser mortals to borrow. Sue Neall (of Stitches, the Australian Sewing Guild and now Sew Inspirational) did a great job hosting and explaining the parades, and also managed a quick change for each parade - the woman never stops!

Another pattern that was definitely a “flick past” in the pattern book but absolutely stunning made up - this little crossover top , Vogue 8120. We saw this made up in knits and in several colours - it looked smashing.

As did the tunic and flat front (but elastic waisted - very nice, not your granny’s elastic waist!)pants in  Vogue 8335. Again - not a stunning illustration, but wow, terrific sewn up.

I mentioned that I was reading Pattern Review before heading down - I only ended up buying one pattern - the Sewing Workshop Mimosa Top and Pant.

(I know, a bit summery - but I’m planning on wearing long sleeves under it. And the pant looks very flattering.)

Kerryn (of the astonishing makeovers in Stitches magazine) was at the Australian Sewing Guild stand at the show, and I showed her the pattern for the top - she suggested that on my figure, extending the bottom edge to a diagonal would be more flattering that having a strong horizontal line just above my hips. I’m definitely making a muslin first one this one.

And this is the fabric I bought (from here - they don’t have fabrics on their website, but will very soon) to make the top. Now that I look at it draped on me I’m wondering if the print is a bit blocky… what do you think? It’s more rust/brown/tan than the orange-y flash photo shows, really - but I think it’s ok with my colouring?

Wait ’til you see the fabulously wearable fabric Sue bought - oh my, just swoooony!

I would have loved to go to some of the workshops that the Australian Sewing Guild was running - but there just wasn’t time.  Maybe next year…

A sad day - John Cargher has gone.  I loved listening to Singers of Reknown - and he recorded his last program (after 42 years!) only last week.

He was so generous with his knowledge, the program was a joy to listen to, and opened my ears and mind to a lot of music I otherwise wouldn’t have known about.

(If you’ve never heard his voice, do pop over to the site and download a program - it’s lovely.)

Well, now that my host server has decided to WORK again (grrrr!) I can post!

I’ve been crook, obviously. Booked in for another scan next week, and seeing my helpful GP again soon. Got to get this sorted out, arrggggh!

HOWEVER, on Saturday I had the BEST day - went to Brissy with Sue. GIRLY SHOPPING!! Oh man, I’d forgotten how much fun it is to just wander around the shops. I didn’t try on any clothes (there were no fat chick shops) but Sue did, and managed to score some good buys. I had fun just seeing what was “in” in ready-to-wear, and we both grabbed piles of ideas for our sewing - especially from the David Lawrence outlet store - over-runs, samples, and seconds, but still worth checking out.

For example - knit dresses with double faced satin ribbon on the inside of cascading edges and hems - not only helps stabilise the edge, but also means the dress looks really finished inside and out.

There were some really - interesting! samples at the Cue store - things that I’m glad someone said “Ummm, NOT for production!” - and that was also the only store with no mirrors in the dressing rooms, just one big one on the back wall of the store - which I agree with Sue was icky - you kinda wanna know if something looks REALLY dreadful before you have to come out into the glare of the whole store, you know?

We looked at shoes, yum - agreed that the slightly furry leopard print shoes would either

a) have to be petted all. the. time. or

b) be guarded carefully from our dogs….

The find of the day, however, and one we both REALLY regretted not buying (we didn’t even check the price!) was this handbag. Forgive the bad pics - I took them with my phone and I was so busy laughing that the phone shook! Is this not the absolute muppet-est handbag you’ve ever seen?

Sue and I looked at this and immediately thought of the Yip Yip aliens meeting the telephone on Sesame Street….

Isn’t it FABULOUS!! I would be unable to use it, it would become a puppet that I would have to keep playing with. But I am seriously considering driving back down to Jindalee just to get it…

I tried on lots of hats (Have I mentioned I LOVE hats?) which reinforced my determination to get sewing on some - hats hats hats!

Eventually we were shopped out and headed over to the 2QAQ meeting. LOTS of inspiration from the Reddy Art Quilters, who had brought along their journal quilts and Artist Trading Cards (ATCs); and an ATC swap which got out of hand (some people are GRABBY!) and ended up being inequitable. Grrrrr. Simple rules, you get ONE BACK for each one you put in - Linda should N OT have ended up short!

Thankfully, the wonderful organisers of 2QAQ have said the swap will NOT be a free-for-all next time, to prevent that happening again.

I was really thrilled that Sue’s ATCs were all snatched up, too. Next month I’ll have some done… my small contribution to the economy of Jindalee DFO was to buy two small rubber stamps from Smiggle - an elephant, and a skull and crossbones for Mr Beloved. So my ATCs will certainly feature those!

But right now, I’m off to watch the F1 grand prix. If the weather is warmish this week we’re planning some fabric dyeing; and on Tuesday I’m hoping to be well enough to get to quilters and am taking my Shiva sticks and supplies so we can have a bit of a play.

I’m too sick to deal with this.

See you all in a few days when I’m back from the doctors and the latest round of pathology reports.

(I just spent over an HOUR writing this the first time only to have it not save when it said it did - dontcha HATE THAT??!!)

Vogue Sewing: If I could only have ONE sewing book in my library, this would be it. Sue brought it to Quilters the other day, and I managed to borrow it from the town library today. Clear illustrated instructions on all those tricky bits you forget between times. Love it!

Saturday Night Hat I love hats. But I have a large head. (Settle down there in back…) I need to make hats!

Plants and Their Application to Ornament: A 19th Century Design Primer Saw this on Serena Fenton’s wonderful Layers of Meaning blog. The plant is illustrated on one plate, and facing is the same plant interpreted in design. Gorgeous!

Create Your Own Hand Printed Cloth: Stamp, Screen and Stencil with Everyday Objects. I’ve been following Raynas blog for a couple of years now. I’d love to take a class with her one day - in the meantime, can’t wait to get this book!

Last, but not least: The Toothpick: Technology and Culture. I adore Henry Petroski’s engineering/social history books, If anyone can make pages on the toothpick entertaining and informative, Henry can!

So there you go - now show me five from you wishlist, please! TAG!!

Friend M called and said “Get down to Mac Campbells - they’re moving and there’s heaps of books for ONE DOLLAR!” - shortly after Mr Beloved and I had discussed whether we would avoid going in to town today or not.

So we went.

Cos you know if there’s one thing we just don’t have enough of in our house, it would be books, right?

Muuuaaa haaa haaa!  Some may end up going in to the next charity book fair - but some have useful, inspiring, relevant stuff.  A dollar each!  Gotta love that.

Off to read now.

My very dear friend in Canberra, Mr. R, recently went to Japan for the sakura (cherry blossoms). I had asked him to keep an eye out for Patchwork Quilts Tsushin or Quilts Japan - but he said when he got to the newsagents it was just about impossible to tell at a quick glance what the magazines on sale were about (”Coulda been patchwork, coulda been p0rn - who knows?”)

I’ve just ordered an issue of Patchwork Quilt Tsushin for myself. $32, from New Zealand, which worked out the cheapest way to do it. “Couldn’t charge your mates to look, couldja?” says the (comedic Scotch) voice from the corner. “It worked when I was young!”

ANYWAY, Mr R. found these treasures for me “In a tiny little arcade full of shrines” . He said they worked out to about $12 Australian each (!!) and they are AWESOME! (oops, two are upside down here. Never mind!)

They are full of line drawings of traditional Japanese designs. Like this:

Combine that with Laura Wasilowki’s reminder of how easy it is to carve your own stamps for printing onto fabric in this months Quilting Arts Magazine? I could be kept out of mischief for a very long time.

*sigh* back to these Minutes…. committees, arrrgggggh!

I was laughing myself silly the other day when Terry mentioned her excitement when she finally got her hands on the latest issue of Quilting Arts magazine - (”The new phone books are here! The new phone books are here!”) and I have to agree - this must be the best issue yet! (Terry’s article on finishing small quilts will be put to use TONIGHT - how good is that!)

Also laughing because one of the ladies at Quilters today said “Where are all these fabulous new garments, Caity? I think you’re making them in fantasy land!” (I dreamed I was….)

Well - yeah, and no - I’ve been asleep most of the last week. Not very productive! But after one of those horrible sleepless nights last night (and a good sleep in this morning, making me late for Quilters) I think I’m just about back to the right cycle. Maybe I’ll get more stuff done this week.

(and BTW - WHY can’t I buy bras like this with good “forward projection”, huh huh huh? It’s EXACTLY what I want. Hrrrmph. Bring back Maidenform’s stitched cups, say I!)

Talked with the dietician today about goal setting. One of my big problems has been that I get overwhelmed by the big end goal - I need to break it up into manageable DOABLE chunks of specific tasks.

I have too many ideas floating about, I need to pin them to the pages of my journal. For example: the new Ricky Tims Rhapsody Quilts book arrived yesterday, along with a book I’ve looked at for ages (thanks to recommendations from Jane Dunnewold, Sarah Ann, and Brenda) - it was cheap on Amazon, so I grabbed it:Notan: the Dark-Light Principle of Design. So I’m doodling ideas, already starting to design the applique for a Rhapsody style quilt - based on our cockatiels. (it makes sense in MY head, trust me!)

And there are so many other things I need/want to do:

• Finish typing the minutes from the Exhibition Committee meeting on the 5th (time flies!) [ETA: DONE, bloody DONE DONE DONE!!}
  
• Find a copyright free image of Toowoomba Violets as background for a flyer (might have to go find some to photograph!)
• Go to Officeworks to buy printer cartridges to print flyers
• Actually finish fitting at least one of the sewing projects in muslin so I can cut it out in the real fabric
• Finish the brown skirt (Just a couple of buttonholes, buttons, facings and hems to go)
• Find brown shoes to wear with new skirt!
• Return library books
• Finish Mum’s quilt for Mother’s Day (I hope!)
• Work on Dad’s quilt (for Christmas 2007 - oops!)
• start walking again for 5 minutes per day initially, building up to 40 minutes
• Clean the house before the dust buffaloes develop sentience and stage a coup
• think about the quilt I want to enter in the 2QAQ juried show
• Think about which quilts to enter in the Toowoomba Quilters show
• Think about quilt to enter into Queensland Quilters Show (uh - maybe not this year…)
• Read the latest Quilting Arts, Threads, etc
• Chase up where the Studios magazine has got to - I’m sure I pre-ordered it - hmmmm
• organise (slightly late!) birthday card for friend J (we’ve been friends 36 years!)
• yada yada yada a gazillion other things!

But right now I’m off to watch Time Team.

(Which reminds me of another thing that makes me laugh - pay tv. Who has TIME?! I barely get a chance to watch the free-to-air!)

I’m about to start week 3 of this diet from hell medically managed weight loss program. I’m doing ok - shakes, bars, real meal; shakes, shakes, shakes, bars, real meal; shakes shakes bars sakes OH MY GOD YES A REAL MEAL….

I’m having a hard time with “craft” blogs that mention food EVERY OTHER POST. Is it wrong to want to murder whoever first thought “Hey, I know! FAKE cupcakes! All the torture, none of the reward!” (Yeah, I kinda thought it might be. But still…)

And my usual reading matter is letting me down, too. Ever notice how many damn FOOD scenes there are in cosy mysteries? Or in “chick lit”? Or romances? Even the steamy ones mange to include FOOD.

And I admit that this may not have been the ideal time to borrow the anthology “Many Bloody Returns: Tales of Birthdays With Bite” but my name finally came up on the reserved list at the library. (New Jim Butcher, Charlaine Harris, and Kim Harrison stories? I had to read those.)

Every TV commercial shows the over-abundance of calories available. Encourages the viewer to eat snacks, to “tame the hunger”. To consume more calories in one burger than I get to eat ALL DAY. (I could get very boring with calories and how much fat is in stuff, but I’m trying not to. Trying HARD.)

I sit and people watch at the shopping centres and you know what? There are LOTS of people much fatter than I am.

And also worse-dressed: I have NEVER inflicted low-cut jeans and the inevitable muffin top they create on an unsuspecting world. In my great mercy. Sadly, many residents of the Darling Downs are not so kind.

Pass the mind bleach.

I’m sticking to my 1150 calories a day. It’s too expensive not to. But I’m getting really shitty with the world for parading excess food in front of me, dammit.

Yep. The completely narcissistic phase of the diet has hit - let’s hope it passes quickly.

Bloody exhausted. Didn’t manage to get out of bed all day. Poor Mr Beloved kept coming in saying “Don’t I need to feed you again?” I couldn’t manage to have the last Optifast shake until 10pm, I felt too full from dinner.

And now I’m going back to bed, having achieved abso-bloody-lutely nothing all day. Again.  It was a public holiday here today so I didn’t miss much, anyway.

It’s not “the cover of the Rollin’ Stone”, but hey - I’ll take what I can get! Here’s me looking FAT in the local paper last Saturday.

Yep, I’m the ginormous one in the blue tent t-shirt. *sigh* click to enlarge image and see me in my hugeness.

Nice bit of publicity for the club, though! That’s Di in the yellow. Chris and Linda don’t have blogs (I suspect they have busy lives instead!)

Went to the Gardam’s do tonight - it was PACKED!  But wonderful. They had 20-50% off everything in the shop.  I saw some of the other Toowoomba Quilters there, too.

I was very restrained - I had orders from a couple of girls (Hi Chriss! Hi Vicki! got your fabric, sweeties!)  who couldn’t make it this evening, and I bought two lots of 2.4 metres (enough for tops, I hope) of these luscious silk/rayon blends - reduced to $19.95 per metre - well, I HAD to have some at that price!

(Sorry for the flash flare - I’ll take better pics tomorrow in daylight.)  Both fabrics are devore, (that should have one of those French accents, but you know what I mean, yes - “burn out” fabric?) - so they’re sheer but still covering.  Flattering for those wobbly upper arms, dontcha know, while still being  a bit sexy.

The brown and blue fabric will be the little jacket for this pattern, over a plain brown jersey dress; and I think the wonderful milk-coffee/brown/teal/grey/burgundy print will become this rather nice tunic top.  (I hope I’ve bought enough - oh well, will have to work with what I’ve got!)

(I WILL make a muslin first.  I was an IDIOT for not making one for the brown wool skirt - oh well.)

Before and after going to Gardam’s, I went to Swish with the girls - Sue, Jan, Maria, and Jenny from Melbourne.  Didn’t do my diet (ahem! “Medically supervised weight loss program”) too much damage, but did enjoy myself. I hadn’t been there before - it was quite pleasant (although the music was a little loud for my ears - yet another sign I’m getting OLD?!)

So - tomorrow is Toowoomba Show Day, a public holiday.  I plan to sleep in, then finish my brown skirt; perhaps watch the new DVD that arrived today - “Explore the Painted Quilt” by Linda and Laura Kemshall.  I reckon the book is one of the best textile related buys I’ve made in the last few years - lots of info and inspiration  - so I’m expecting the DVD will be great! It comes with a CD of patterns and worksheets - good value.  Will write a proper review soonish.

Gawd, look at the time - I’m off to BED!

I had LUVVERLY birfday, thank you all!

Isn’t that just the sweetest! Sue is such a sweetie!

I should explain that I am on a TOTAL paisley kick right now - if it’s GREEEEEEEEEN paisley, so much the better!  And I pointed out lots of ‘em to the girls when we were at the Auchenflower shop last weekend.

More pics soon

PLEASE let me know if you’re waiting on an email or response to a comment - I’m soooo tired on this reduced caloric intake and getting up earlier thang…

Too tired to even drink my cuppa!

G’night!

Tuesday Tuesday Tuesday.. Ahh, it must be Quilters day! It was, so I went. Had a lovely time chatting and *gasp* actually managed to get a couple of sets of triangles hand pieced together.

Then when I got home, I found Mr Beloved had done this:

Yep, that’s where the architrave was. The whole door frame had to come off because of termite damage.
And this is what remains of the board framing the doorway. The wrinkly layer? Is PAINT. The little buggers had eaten away every scrap of wood in some areas. All those layers of paint were all that was holding it up.

That’s higher up on the same board.  Sickening.

HOWEVER, it does give us a chance to redesign that doorway - we were going to do a sliding door, but have decided that a good curtain with a pelmet is more practical and will keep that room warmer.  There will probably be a small bookshelf over the door now because - well, we need the shelf space!

You can see in this shot that the termites even managed to damage some of the native cypress - which is supposed to be termite proof!  We’ll see how this looks once it’s had a sanding, though.

(See that hint of the 1940s apple green hiding in there?  That’s the colour the house was originally painted in 1947 when it was built - that colour EVERYWHERE!!  Walls, doors, kitchen cupboards… unremitting apple green.   I like it - but not THAT much!)

Two quilt mags arrived today - and oddly enough, both had feature articles on “Packing for a quilt retreat”..  the May/June Quilter’s Home (my favourite mag!) and the  May issue of Quilters Newsletter.  I took them to quilting, so I haven’t read them yet… looking forward to that this evening.  I notice that Quilters Newsletter have 3 pages of pictures of Gloria Loughman’s quilts - nice to see an Aussie featured, and her quilts are stunningly beautiful.

On the weight management thang:  The “milkshakes” are better than I though they’d be, and I seem to only be feeling hungry about 10 minutes before the next time I’m meant to eat - so that’s fine!  I must say I am really looking forward to my 90 grams of lean lamb and lots of veges tonight, though.

BTW  - I put mascara and a nice new lippy on today.  A friend at Quilters said “Are those new glasses?”  I said, nope, I have mascara and lipstick on today and she said “OH!  That’s why you look so much brighter!” (or words to that effect.)

I WILL MAKE AN EFFORT from now on, I promised myself, to at least do that much - I’m not a spring chicken anymore, ya know, with 40 happening… THIS WEEK!  ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHH!

Think I’ll go read those mags now - see ya later, chickies!

* Yes, I have listened to waaaaaaaay too much Monty Python in my life!

SO! As Di and Sue have already blogged, we went down to Brisbane on Saturday for the first meeting of 2QAQ - the Queensland Quilters Art Quilters group. And met up with several people who I only knew from email or blogs; and one that I’d known when she was posted in Canberra with the Army (and she’s still as full on and a little bit scary as ever!)
It was lovely to meet Linda - and next time I’ll have some ATCs ready to swap. And the meeting was chaired by Sue Dennis - I’ve admired her work for ages.

2QAQ is already planning a juried quilt exhibition, as well as a journal quilt project, so that gives us a couple of things to work on. I’m looking forward to going to the meetings, I might even *gasp* take my turn DRIVING into Brisbane!

I’ve also joined the main group of Queensland Quilters - so maybe I’ll even have some quilts in their show this year (October).

Before the meeting, we stopped in at The Quilters Store in Auchenflower - which was worth the trip by itself! I didn’t buy much, really - two more King Tut threads - one in black/white grey for the Miranda sewing theme bag, and one in greens and brown for Maria’s Chocolate PaisleyMiranda.

I also bought a new unpicker (since I have worn mine out! Does that tell you much about my sewing skills, hmmm?) and an awl - both of which were about half what I’d pay in Toowoomba. Somehow I don’t think it costs $7 extra PER UNIT to ship a seam ripper up the hill, do you? AND THEY WONDER WHY I DON’T SHOP LOCALLY!!!

Then this evening I had a dinner out with another person I didn’t know before - Jenny, a member of the Southern Cross Quilters, who is currently in Toowoomba for work, but normally lives in Melbourne. There were some awkward silences, I think…

( I am NOT good at social stuff - arrrgh!)

I don’t get out much, so two lots of people things in two days is something exceptional for me. I discovered that Toowoomba on a Sunday night is CLOSED - even the convenience store was closing at 8 pm when we popped around to buy eggs for Jenny’s breakfast! Seriously, she’s been told all these horror stories about “Don’t walk anywhere in Toowoomba, even during the day” - huh?!? We were the only two people on the street, but it didn’t feel unsafe.

I do not understand this town.

Anway, it’s bloody cold here - the current temperature at the airport weather station is 13.7 C (12.5 with the slight wind chill); in reality it’s 9 degrees outside and about that inside our bedroom too - which is about what we’d expect in the absolute middle of winter, not at the start of Autumn.

I’m off to bed… and tomorrow I see the dietician and start on the weight loss program….

IwenttoBrisbanetotheQueenslandQuiltersArtQuiltersmeetingitwasfabulousIhadagreattimebutnow…

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Ok, well it might not be a “adventure” to you, but for me it’s a big deal: I’m going to this tomorrow with my friend Sue. And we’re allowing plenty of time so we can go here.

I got peopled-out while window shopping yesterday at Grump Central - got home and collapsed into bed a 4:30 in the afternoon! Slept right through (apart from a nearly 2 hour long phone call with Maria) , and then slept again all day today - I was exhausted.

In other news - apparently cloche hats are IN IN IN this season - HOORAY! They are my favourite ever style of hat (although I will have to work out what to do with all my hair - how do I make a neat low chignon??) . I’m a hat person, and am seriously considering making a cute little cloche to go with the brown outfits. (Or not so little - on fatchicks, it’s all about proportion, after all….)

And the January Burda World Of Fashion magazine had a double page spread on hats - you know, I really REALLY want to do a millinery course sometime. [click to see larger image - it's worth it.]

Speaking of fat chicks: I had my official medical for starting the weight loss thing. I had to sign forms saying my doctor had explained to me the risks of gall bladder, cardiac, and other problems that could be unmasked by weight loss; and that I understood that my hair might temporarily shed more, that I might be hungry (!) and that this is a drastic decision and I HAVE to consume the required amount of calories and especially water; also that if for any reason I need emergency surgery while I’m on the initial (up to 13 weeks) part of the plan then the doctors HAVE TO BE TOLD so the IV fluids compensate; and that my usual medications will have to be even more closely monitored. Eeeks!

So - regular blood and urine tests, weekly visits with the dietician, sessions with the psychologist - on top of my normal rounds with my GP, the pain management specialist, and the physiotherapist. Maybe the idea is to keep me too busy to think about food??!

But it’s this entire re-programming thing, or resorting to gastric surgery - and I don’t want that. So the doctor did all the necessary checks - blood pressure (both sitting and standing, because apparently this sort of weight loss can trigger orthostatic problems - ie, you fall down when you try to stand up); a measurement of electric impedance (tells you fat/water composition, apparently) etc.

She also warned me that any initial loss would be water weight, as my body tries to regain its equilibrium. (Why did the !@*&)#s at Weight Watchers NEVER say that - instead they made you feel like a failure when you couldn’t match that intial loss each week??)

It’s genuinely scary. This is not your regular faffing about diet, this is SERIOUS. I have to do this.

So, I went to Gardam’s in between doctors appointments today. You know that skirt from the January Burda? I got the DREAMIEST already patch-worked linen on a cotton voile baking (so no lining needed, yay!) - it has wool inserts and various textures - I love it! I’ll show you a pic of the finished skirt as soon as, ok? (Unless you’d like to see the material uncut?)

It’s dry-clean only - I can’t even REMEMBER the last time I bought fabric that needed dry cleaning - come to think of it, I can’t remember the last time I took anything to a dry cleaners.

I can’t believe this though - it’s BROWN!

Do I own a single pair of brown shoes? Umm, nope! Well, I guess that’s what I save up for next. And I bough a beautifully subtle poly herringbone (that looks like fine wool, but at about a third of the cost) to make that Butterick vest pattern…. I figured if I was going to go with the brown skirt, there was no point in going halfway!

This is especially amusing to me after buying fabric to make Mum and brown bag, and now Maria’s chocolate/green/teal bag… brown is CATCHING!
And Mr Beloved was only saying this morning that “Those ratty old t-shirts have GOT TO GO, Caity, they are NOT flattering.” So yay for the sewing bug making a welcome re-appearance in my life, eh? It’s partly inspired by Sue, who is doing WONDERFUL things; partly by re-reading back issues of Threads, and also looking atErins’ A Dress A Day blog, and swooooning over her use of Liberty fabric - which I can now save up for and lay-by at Gardam’s - yay!!

I’ll be off to curse at the overlocker (serger) later tonight. I know I can get it sewing a nice three thread edge once I have it set up….

BUT - look what else Gardams just got in today! Sue and Di and Faye and Jan - and any other Toowoomba Quilters - you have GOT to get down there and grab some of this, it’s too too wonderful…. from the Loralie Designs “Sew Fancy” range:

[click on the thumbnails to see much bigger images]

Sewing Machines

Scissors

and Mannequins, Oh MY!

And what am I doing with this - Yep, you know it - another Miranda bag! (possibly the most useful bag pattern ever - and the easiest to make, because of the care Joan Hawley has taken with her instructions. I know I rant about it but truly - it’s that good!)

This time I’m going to make the longer handles and only use it to cart stuff back and forth to quilters. Makes sense to have a dedicated bag that I can just grab and go, I reckon.

Also, Toowoomba girls - call up Gardam’s and tell them you want to come to this:

I’ll be there, it should be a fun night!

[Mum, anything I should be looking out for, since now we're BOTH sewing in brown?!]

later edit: Mr Beloved commented:

It should be noted that Caity is not paid or otherwise induced to rave about Gardams.

It should also be noted that “Ewan Gardam” anagrams to “A mad, new rag”.

Pretty impressive shop, though.

…”forward projection”. I call it a bloody brilliant “sheepdog” bra: round ‘em up and get ‘em heading forwards!

Yep, after the AGONY (and sweat - ugh, is it just the physicality of trying to get bras done up, or is it the whole nerve-straining experience?) of trying on over a dozen bras…

SUCCESS!!

Three new bras - all the same style - two in “toffee” (a not totally disgusting beige, as pictured here) and one in a very pretty (but less practical) sky blue.

The Fayreform “Charlotte”. Padded straps - oh, bliss! Full coverage! Less jigglement!

Most of the other bras I tried on had an unfortunate tendency to squish my boobs towards my armpits. And while my boobs do like to lie down and sleep there at night, by day I want em paying attention and looking straight ahead, thank you very much!

Even with the embroidery, this bra doesn’t look like”I have lichen growing on my boobs” under a t-shirt (and a big thank you to DebR for that memorable phrase!)

And Mr Beloved, bless his cotton socks, went out a got me a full length mirror. (altogether now - awwwwww!) so in a little while I’ll go have another try at that pattern.

If it turns out that the bra doesn’t fix the whole issue, I have found the pattern alteration solution in a back issue of Threads - gee I love their online index! (If you’re interested, it involves measuring the bust point and drawing a line from the mid shoulder down to intersect half that measurement, on a line parallel to CF - aren’t you glad you asked?!)

Then I got to go to playgroup (quilters!) for just a little while… before rushing off to the physio. Who was super nice and HELPFUL - turns out the wee problem? Is connected to the hip problem; the hip problem’s connected to the ….spine problem, the spine problem’s connected to the fibromyalgia, (are you humming along yet?!) … now hear the word of the specialist! Dem Docs dem Docs gonna…. DANCE around….

Yeah. So in fixing each little bit of each thing hopefully we’ll get to a healthier whole. EVENTUALLY. And there’s also the small matter of using better strategies for both my brain and my bladder. We’re workin’ on it.

And now - got the new Burda WOF in my hot little hands (the January issue - with this skirt - at last!) and all the fabric for Maria’s Miranda bag washed, ironed, and ready to sew. So why am I still at the computer?!

Oh, I forgot to tell you - the electricity substation EXPLODED this morning! Which meant that the big transformer on a pole 20 metres from our place id a big FWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMP!-y surge and we lost power, half way through breakfast. But it’s fixed now, obviously.