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OI! Hello! It's meeeee!
Hello! It’s me, Caity! Shocking you as I reveal the alarmingly unflattering arms-length self portrait to show you my even shorter hair and new green framed glasses! Wooooo!
Yep, that is grey at the temples there. The pink just fades too darn fast, so I’m going BLONDE next. At the next haircut. And I finally got to see my waxer today, so I’m no longer auditioning for any roles as “grotesquely bearded lady” – just “slightly spotty” one. And given how NONE of you wanted to hear about my facial hair woes mentioned in the last post, I’ll just leave that there, eh?
Sewing: ummmmm – well, I’m going to Gardam’s to order velvet tomorrow after gym… does that count? And I’m planning on rethreading the @*&#!)&*(# overlocker (serger) tonight and replacing the needle that broke right before I went on holidays. Provided the front room has cooled down some – our wee hoose has no insulation and the temp got up to 36 degrees INSIDE today. That’s 95 F… hot for Toowoomba, but nowhere near the summer scorchers of my childhood.
(In primary school in Dubbo, we all FERVENTLY believed that when the temperature outside reached 46 degrees (115F) we’d be allowed to go home. I have no idea if it was ever true, but I do remember when the temperature sat at 44 or 45 degrees for weeks and we’d have our classes outside under trees instead. Back in my day, sonny, we didn’t HAVE aircon at school…)
And I will confess to ordering a couple of new Vogue patterns: I like this one from Sandra Betzina especially.
Once my stupid swelly belly problem is a bit more sorted, I’ll sew up some skirt patterns… in the meantime, it’s just easier to wear loose dresses and tshirts with jeans.
Quilting: After quite a long hiatus I actually feel inclined towards making some fibre/quilt art. I’ve been so out of that loop that I haven’t even read the last few issues of Quilting Arts… horror! And I’ve let my subscriptions to most of the other magazines lapse. In their most recent email, though, there were some books coming out this year that looked worthwhile…including this one by Melanie Testa:
Doesn’t that look inspiring?
And now I really need to go and get settled for sleep. I’m trying a new gym class in the morning and I’m feeling very nervous…
… and yes, it was awful. Not because the psychiatrist was awful – she was actually helpful, and pleasant, and worth going on with in the new year - but because I have immense difficulty trying to dig through my memory about previous treatments etc. (Keep a record, you say? IF I COULD DO THAT SORT OF STUFF, I WOULDN’T NEED THE PSYCHIATRIST!!)
Then I ate according to my emotions and not my Eating Plan.
AGAIN.
Boysenberry Cream Cheese muffin.
Great choice, Caity: FIVE HUNDRED AND THIRTY EIGHT CALORIES. TWENTY TWO POINT EIGHT GRAMS OF FAT.
In an Eating Plan that’s supposed to be 1100 calories and about 30grams of fat FOR THE ENTIRE DAY. Oh, well done, that girl.
There were plenty of other choices. I even had a gluten free muesli bar in my handbag.
*HEADDESK*
*HEADDESK*
*HEADDESK*
I can’t even talk about the rest of everything right now. I’m going to go lie in the (hot!) bedroom with my (stifling!) CPAP mask on and agonise about THE ENTIRE WORLD’S PROBLEMS for a few hours now.
I’m sooooooooo tired! I slept all day yesterday. And I mean ALL DAY – I woke up at 4 pm, still feeling tired. Today – made it up a WHOLE HALF HOUR EARLIER. Arrgh!
And I’m still tired. I’m getting to bed early (straight after The Bill last night, and probably even earlier tonight) – just … well, pain makes me tired. A lot.
So even though there are patterns cut and waiting, fabric washed and ready, and I’ve even unearthed the pressing ham… I’ve done NO SEWING.
Which means I still have NOTHING TO WEAR! Which wouldn’t be a problem if all I was planning on doing was staying home and sleeping but I am going ON HOLIDAYS in two weeks!
Ugh.
And I didn’t get to meet up with the lovely Brenda, who was in town for a family do. I also didn’t get to go out to the movies to see Australia, or to an afternoon tea with friends… bugger bugger bugger bugger!
Dentist tomorrow, the routine 6 monthly torture session – I’d much rather that than wait and discover horrible damage, but still – it’s … unpleasant.
Not much room for interesting blogging when all I do is SLEEP, dagnabbit!
Well, so much for His Lord High bloody Gastroenterologist saying I don’t have coeliac – three slices of sultana bread yesterday and I am bloated and miserable!
ARRRRRRRRGH!!!
Too sick to do much.
Talk to you all later.
(Okay, I admit, I’m TRYING to let it go, but it still smarts!)
Had a lovely thing happen today as the TeaBot5000 and I were coming out of the town library. A lovely woman came up to me and said “Excuse me, are you Caityquilter?”
YES!!! We’ve been reading each other’s blogs for a while, and have quite congruent interests (quilting, reading, poodles, technology) and had yet to meet up – so she said “When I saw you standing there I thought that HAD to be you!”
We had a brief chat about the frustrations of dealing with technophobes, and the joy of meeting up (virtually and in person) with bloggist kindred spirits.
We’re going to meet up for a lunch soon.
Lunch, dahhhhlings!
*post abandoned as neighbout’s screaming child is getting TOO MUCH!! More later when my head has stopped exploding… Jebus may love the little children BUT I DON’T! Actually, it’s the parents I blame…*
Hmmmph!
Yep, again with the disgusting gross embarrassing oral thrush.
ARRRRRRRGH!!
Fortunately I recognised the symptoms and had a repeat of the prescription from last time. Still don’t know if the lozenges are supposed to be orange or lemon flavoured – they’re just yuk! I’ll have to try and get in to the doctors this week *sigh*
So anyway – I’m sewing. Or at least getting ready to cut out this:
Simplicity 3921 – I’m making view A, a simple little bolero top.
One side will be plain black cotton, the other black with little white dots – that way it will be reversible and coordinate with the next few things I’m making – and that’s the whole point of the Endless Combinations Contest over on Pattern Review.
The dress I wore for the cup lunch was piece 1 – so piece 2 has to go with that; then the next thing has to combine with either piece 1 or 2; then piece 3 has to combine with any of the previous ones… it’s a great way to make sure I’m not sewing “orphans”.
(And speaking of the cup outfit, I was thrilled to bits that two other blogs featured my hat – the original inspiration, “Outsapop Trashion“, and also “The Lazy Milliner“- wooooohoooooo! THAT’S what blogging’s all about, making connections!! The hat itself went un-noticed at the lunch, except by those on the same table. Next I’m going BIG or not going at all!)
I also cleared my fabric stash of a few pieces of fabric that were so very very autumn I couldn’t even use them as bottoms pieces or linings – fortunately they went to a good Autumn home!
Ow. My mouth and throat are really sore. Obviously I’m working at just the threshold between well and sick – the least bit of stress and overtiredness and BAM! Down I go.
Off to cut fabric now. Talk amongst yourselves.
Certain people at a group I won’t name but will no longer be associated with in any way need to read this:
Maybe this is even too advanced for them....
and stay the heck out of things they know nothing about.
ANGRY!!!!!
When sorting through a box of fabric flower making stuff* I got from Nana, I found this treasure: it’s sterling silver with diamantes. I’m not sure where it came from – stuff has ended up all over the place during various moves, so it might not have been Nana Miller’s at all.
Lily of the Valley brooch
Isn’t it pretty? It needs a good clean, though – one of the stems is wobbly, and the silver is very tarnished. I’m off to get a quote from a local jeweller to see what can be done.
Can’t you just see this pinned to a plain (vintage!) dress or (vintage, to die for!) hat?
Anyway, that’s a job for tomorrow. We used up too much bandwidth this month and so our internet is cut back to dial up speed ’til the new month. PAINFUL!!
So tomorrow I’ll try and mostly sew, I think. Hmmm.
I went to Quilters today – first time in ages, since I was so sick before the surgery that I wasn’t going much of anywhere – and THEY DIDN’T RECOGNISE ME!! It was hilarious watching people whisper “Who’s that?” to each other.
Last time they saw me I:
- looked really ILL
- had long hair
- had different glasses
- wore no makeup
- only dressed in jeans and t-shirts!
And today I went in the new frock with cute shoes, a little bit of face on, and my short short haircut – and, if I do say so myself, looking better than I’ve done in YEARS.
Quite the difference.
And now it’s past my bedtime again – catchya tomorrow!
*yeah, more on that later – I need to figure out how to get a spirit lamp (?) that burns without making soot, I think?
So I’ve been a busy little bee, sewing. I’m striving towards better “build quality” with each thing I sew… but…..
You know how there is a series of books called “The Missing Manual: The Book That Should Have Been In The Box”? (Pogue Press O’Reilly are awesome technical publishers, BTW. If you’re stuck on something techie, they are THE go- to books, IMHO.) Well, what I need is a “Missing Manual” for the Big 4 pattern companies! It would include things like:
- cut the interfacing to the SEAM lines (not outside cutting lines) of pieces you need to interface, it reduces bulk and makes things turn in so much more nicely
- when to put in a grosgrain waist stay
- WHEN to finish which edges in construction – the stupid patterns assume you know this, except when they suddenly remember to say things like “Finish long facing edge…” – NOT HELPFUL, arrgh!
- reminders along the way to hand baste to check fit
- ideas about alternative ways to finish seams
40 is the new...
Yes, I have at various times read most of these things in my treasured collection of Threads magazines; but with my menopausal memory (like a steel… sieve! Yep, that’s it, memory like a steel sieve, me!) I can’t keep so much in my head. Most of my functioning brain space these days is taken up with thoughts such as “HOT! Why is it so HOT In here?” and “What was I doing… why am I in this room?” and “Did I just eat that gingernut… or if not, where have I put it?”
Last night I spent HOURS – literally hours – trying to work out how to pin something together that should have been simple. I know, I shouldn’t attempt to sew when I’m tired; but I reckon losing those brain cells to another general anaesthetic combined with the lack of hormones has made me even sillier than before!
Paris Frocks At Home
Actually, the more I look at this book at Vintage Pattern Info, the more I see where my Missing Manual went – this is all the sort of stuff I was talking about! ARGGGGH!
Could it be that I’m not only menopausal, but need to TIME TRAVEL for sewing lessons as well?
(ooooh, imagine being able to grab that yummy David Tennant as Dr Who and travelling to various couturier’s workshops – who would you pick first? I think I’d have to at least go to Charles Frederick Worth and see how HIS seamstresses managed those princess lines he allegedly invented!)
Right, I’m off to iron a frock – I’m going to a TUPPERWARE PARTY this arvo – LOL! (It’s an excuse to eat yummy things and drink champagne and be giggly with the girls – gotta love that!)
Like this sweet young thing, I’m busy sewing. Results soon!
Sewing, sewing, sewing....
The One Hundred by Nina Garcia
And I got a new book! (Thank you Mr Beloved, *Mwah Mwah*!) BUT I have to swear off magazines. No buying at the newsagents/shops except for Australian Stitches Magazine and Burda World of Fashion. Even some of the ones I have subscriptions for won’t be renewed. (Quilters Newsletter, Cloth Paper Scissors, and maybe even Quilting Arts – I’m talking ’bout YOU!)
Magazines are to budgets what biscuits are to diets – they kinda creep back in, and all of a sudden they’re making you fat. Yep, magazines make my house look FAT, I hate seeing clutter everywhere! (And after seeing the dietician this morning and not losing anything AGAIN this week, the gingernuts done with, too.)
The illustrations are just superb – Ruben Toledo is a genius! Have a look inside the book here. (I’d scan in more images that I’d like to comment on, but I am SOOOOO clumsy with the new image editing software that’s it’s unbearable. Grumble grumble.)
Ruben Toledo Illustration
Also bought some “suck your tummy in” pants at Big W. (Or for those of us who remember the old ads- “I can’t believe it’s not a GIRDLE!” – well that’s because it bloody well IS!!) Also a couple of HOT PINK T-shirts because they were 2 for $16 – I can’t make them for that. Some poor worker at the #74 Hot-Pink-T-Shirt-Factory-and-Political-Prison-Somewhere-in-China sewed them. Which I feel slightly guilty about, but it’s HARD to be politically correct when you’re a pov! And I’ve only just learned that after years of wanting to wear HOT PINK, it’s actually a good colour on me – wooo hooo!
(and yes, HOT PINK does need all caps – how else do I convey that the colour is not some prissy little baby pink, hmmm?)
And now I really should stop faffing about on the ‘puter and go sew this #*&)@$) zipper that I’ve been procrastinating about for days – once that’s done I can go ask my sewing buddy Sue to help me with the hem!
New ‘puter. Hooray for Linux Mint! FAST!! and STABLE!! two things my poor old Windows laptop was not. And HOORAY for wider bigger screen! Boooo, however, to ASUS for having their download site not working. (And boo for not providing Linux drivers straight off – yep, I’m a convert!)
Booo for having to remember a gazillion different log-ins and passwords though – maaaaaaaan I have NO idea what some of them were!
Also – BOOO for pattern instructions that leave me scratching my head. I’m still hoping to get the dress done to wear Wednesday morning, but there’s more to still be done than I was hoping…
Go forth! SEW!!
So, I just made View A of this skirt, with the lovely cascade formed by a couple of pleats and the shaped hem.
McCalls 5430
Pattern Description: Skirts A, B, C have waistband with self-ties and inside buttonholes; skirt A has front pleats creating a cascade; skirt B has optional trim; skirt C has self-faced pockets; length is 2″ below mid-knee.
Pattern Sizing: 6-20. I made a size 20.
I tissue fitted the pattern and thought I would have enough overlap to allow for my swelly belly – NOPE!! Close, but I don’t know if I can wear it in public. (I think I might have forgotten to pleat out the pleats. Truly, I am such a NONG sometimes!)
Wrap skirt
What do you think – can I go out in this or should I leave it in the wardrobe until my belly goes down?
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes! Of course, the pattern illustration girl is unrealistically tall and thin, IMHO….
Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes. The only tricky bit is the waistband and attached ties – but just read the instructions through carefully and you won’t have any problems.
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
Like: It was quite simple to construct.
Dislike: Unless it’s an hour on some planet with a MUCH longer day than Earth’s, there is NO WAY this is a one hour project! I’m sure I spent at least that long just pressing during construction.
I am, however, now QUITE motivated to learn how to use a narrow hemmer foot properly – because doing the whole “ease stitch, press up, then pin and stitch” on that much hemline, as per the instructions, is just silly. Next time I might just use the serger for a rolled hem -there’s a LOT of hem!
Fabric Used: Quilting cotton from my stash. (Robert Kaufman Fusion Roses in red from Hancock’s of Paducah.) I probably should have thought more about the wrong side of the fabric showing in the cascade – but I can live with it.
Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: None! This is straight out of the envelope. I *should* have altered it to accommodate my larger than normal belly, but I didn’t.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Already got the next one cut out – this time view C with pockets and top-stitching.
Conclusion: Don’t go into this expecting to make a skirt in 1 hour – there’s just NO WAY! But it is a simple and wearable skirt that will be fabulous for summer.
**************************
BTW – my hair is even shorter now! Mr Beloved thinks it’s a little too severe this short. I kinda like it. And did you see how Constance posed just like in my avatar?!
Oh, and I got my new glasses today – they fit better than the old ones, and are slightly stronger. Purple frames again! Also, the lenses aren’t scratched – amazing what a difference that makes. I try to be careful with them but ya gotta LIVE, eh?
Had the most gorgeous afternoon today – it was the long anticipated FROCK UP High Tea to celebrate darling Chriss’s birthday. She claims it was her 50th – but truly, that can’t be right! No way this sweetie looks fifty, don’t you agree?
Happy Birthday, Chriss!!
We were treated to a scrumptious high tea. Chriss assures us that any food consumed at a birthday party contains ZERO calories, so we all enjoyed ourselves.
High Tea - Calorie Free!
Here we are saying “KIWI!!” in honour of Chriss’s home country, Noo Zillund.
The party was at Platform Nine – which is the Toowoomba Railway Station’s dining room! They had display cabinets of artefacts from when we had a true passenger service to Toowoomba…(mutter mutter grumble, that’s a post for another time…)
It was the best birthday party ever – and the sweetest pressie from Chriss’s Darling DH. (altogether now – awwwwwwww!!) She’s also getting A SEWING ROOM!!
Rock on in your 50s, sweetie – the best is yet to come!
That’s me, trying to get ANYTHING done right now! I feel quite sluggish and plodding. Today was the warmest day so far (31 C, according to the TV weather) and I felt like I was melting! Oh dear. Bring on November 11 and those oestrogen pills, eh? Hot flush plus actual warm weather is going to be .. interesting.
But in GREAT medical news – my blood pressure has fallen some more, and I am now switching to the lowest possible dose of the pills – yay! A few more kilos (and even less pain, I hope?) and maybe I will be able to get rid of one medication once and for all.
I am cutting out fabric (Shock! Horror!) in preparation for sewing the skirt and the dress. Meantime, I have lost my Magic Book – the one where I have very carefully stuck down pattern pictures and written the fabric amounts – I’ve spent HOURS on it and I can’t find it! I’m hoping that by posting about it, somehow magically it will turn up, thereby making me look like a twit.
Pics to follow when there’s something worth photographing…
… was HOT! Today was the warmest day we’ve had this Spring – misty this morning, burnt off to a sunny blue sky, and is now darkening into this:
Stop just sitting there and RAIN!
so far for all the darkening clouds, we’ve had about six drops of rain.
The Stitcher’s Dream Day Out was held (as usual) under (in?) a marquee on the lawns outside The Quilters Angel. There were about 140 women in the tent – and not a whisper of a breeze. Mostly that was ok – just with my wonky thermostat, I had to lie down on the cool grass a few times.
The projects were gorgeous – remembering that I am NOT a “girly-girl”, and pink really isn’t usually my thing! Everyone gets a kit with the materials to make one of the projects, and all the patterns so you can make the rest later if you want to. The theme was “Vintage”.
Samples plus more by designers
I was quite happy with the my kit: the design was shown mounted as a wall hanging, but I think it will probably be a cushion: (please note – my photo is wonky, the actually piece does have even borders!) This is “Butterfly Dreams” by Leanne May of Candlelight Creations.
So far, this is where I’m up to:
Um yeah, Chriss and I may have spent more time chatting with each other and the other ladies on our table than actually stitching!
Today I also got to meet up with someone I’ve known online for AAAAAGES but never met face to face before – Carmel! When she’s had a chance to get home and on her computer, there will be photos.
I’m off for my “nana nap” – you know, the little lie down you have to have after going out? (or just because it’s the afternoon…)
… I am probably gently snoring at the cute anaesthetist. And the doctors scalpel has probably already revealed just how thick the fat layer is on my belly…and the various nurses etc will have handed him retractors to get my muscles out of the way. Within 2 hours or so all the girly reproductive gear will be GONE GONE GONE and off in the pathology lab to be examined.
YAY!!
Mr Beloved will be posting updates as soon as he can. But be assured, I will be back home and blogging for myself REALLY REALLY SOON!
Love yers all,
Caity
Major overhaul of immigration policy
Josephine Tovey
July 29, 2008 – 12:03PM
July 29, 2008 – 12:03PM
The Minister for Immigration, Senator Christopher Evans, has heralded a new era in Australian immigration law in a speech in Canberra this morning, bringing to an end the previous government’s practice of indefinite mandatory detention, which he slammed as “dehumanising” and detrimental to Australia’s international reputation.
Caity sez: Hear Hear!
The senator told an audience at the Australian National University the Rudd Government would “fundamentally overturn” the previous government’s immigration policy, and implement a risk-based policy of detention.
“Under Labor’s reforms, persons will be detained only if the need is established. (emphasis added by Caity because she is thrilled and relieved that this will be the new policy.) If a person is complying with immigration processes and is not a risk to the community then detention in a detention centre cannot be justified,” he said in the speech, titled “New Directions in Detention – Restoring Integrity to Australia’s Immigration System”.
The senator said all those now held in detention centres who met health and security requirements would eventually be released into the community, but could not say when that would occur. We must hold the government to this – DETENTION OF ALL CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE !! sez Caity.
Those arriving by boat on Australian shores will still be detained to undergo mandatory health, identity and security checks, but would be released into the community once they had been cleared. Ok, but how about a timeline, then? Say, “within 4 weeks”? I don’t think that’s unreasonable, do you?
“The set of values adopted are designed to drive the development of a very different detention model.
“The values commit us to detention as a last resort; to detention for the shortest practicable period; to the rejection of indefinite or otherwise arbitrary detention,” Senator Evans said.
Children will also no longer be detained in Australian detention centres. Our household cried with JOY when we read this.
Unauthorised boat arrivals made up only a small fraction of Australia’s detention centre population, comprising six out of 357 people now detained in facilities throughout Australia, he said.
Most people detained under the current policy were those who had overstayed their visa.
Senator Evans strongly criticised both the morality and the effectiveness of the former government’s approach.
“Desperate people are not deterred by the threat of harsh detention; they are often fleeing much worse circumstances. The Howard government’s punitive policies did much damage to those individuals detained and brought great shame on Australia,” he said. (Caity’s added emphasis again there, because Yes, they did. )
The senator began his speech with an anecdote about eight Burmese people who had been left languishing on Nauru, despite being recognised as refugees.
“When I asked why the eight Burmese had not been settled in Australia in accordance with international law there was an embarrassed silence.
“Eventually the answer emerged. The Howard government had ordered they stay put. They had been left rotting on Nauru because the Howard government wanted to maintain the myth that third-country settlement was possible,” he said.
This new story has cheered me up immensely. Here’s to HOPE!
edited to add: Of course the Oppostition has IMMEDIATELY jumped and rather than thinking through policy alternatives, or the good of the country, has just said (in effect): “SHAN’T, So There!!”
Grrrrr.
So here I am after yet another day spent mainly in bed… I did get out to the doctors but could hardly walk, so we didn’t do the lung function stuff today after all. We’ve re-scheduled- she thought it might be a good idea to do it before the anaesthesia. (ya think?!)
Doc prescribed Brufen for the pain and swelly belly – she was very sympathetic but limited in what she could offer, with the TAHBSO now just 4 weeks away.
Mr Beloved went out to (local department store) Bailey’s closing down sale and bought me two nighties for the hospital trip – in the worst weather I’ve seen since moving to Toowoomba – the news tonight confirmed that with the wind chill, our 4 degrees outside temp actually felt more like minus four.
Still quite apprehensive about the op – not so much the operation itself, but the aftermath: recovery from the wounds, healing time, and of course the fear of what the pathology might turn up. I find it hard to believe that these symptoms are benign; the sheer swelling and pain are making me so miserable and nervous…this can’t POSSIBLY be normal. And you know those ads on the tv lately about ovarian cancer? *shudder* At least soon we will KNOW, there’s comfort in that. But I’m still a bit ok a LOT freaked out.
(That’s my eye there – one of them, anyway – being FREAKED OUT. Note my “aztec sun” eye pattern which is apparently typical for “Autumn” colouring. There ya go!)
Poor little Constance has been doing her Faithful Guard Dog Schtick™ non-stop: she has to be convinced to eat when she’s on duty, and will only leave her post to go to the loo when I do, or when she becomes utterly desperate. The least sign that I might be getting out of bed brings her to full alert – even tuning over to get a better position around the hot water bottle or stretching my toes has to be treated as moving to Defcon 1. (And if I swing my legs over the side and slide my feet into my slippers – the Twirly Whirly Poodle HaPpY dAnCe of JOY™ must be performed. With vigor.)
Poor old cat cat was brought up from the shed after quite disconsolately sitting in front of the unplugged heaters, and looking at Mr Beloved as if to say “These ones don’t work. MAKE THEM WORK, Daddy!”
Time to download my podcasts (including this new one from Wendy Harmer and Angela Catterns – yaya!) and head back up to bed. The podcasts are such sanity savers – when I’m feeling slightly less blah I work on the Tuesdays and TV quilt and listen, but mostly I just turn off all the lights, huddle around the hot water bottle, and enjoy the audio without distraction.
Hoping to get to Toowoomba Quilters tomorrow if I’m not too sore and miserable… although it’s a bloody cold room… hmmmm. Maybe not.
Yep, I’m still here. Except most of the time “here” involves curling up around a hot water bottle and moaning. Not conducive to actually sitting in front of the computer.
I did manage to get to Toowoomba Quilters this week – our raffle quilt is finished (and I know at least one person currently in Finland who will have been cheering to hear that!) and the show is ever so close – not sure if I will have anything hanging other than my Dancing Beijing challenge quiltlet.
So – no sewing, no weight loss, nothing exciting happening here – I’m not even reading very much, because I find it easier to sleep than deal with the pain. VERY BORING. Mr Beloved is doing pretty much all the “keeping the house running” stuff. He is wonderful.
He’s also well along the path to bringing teh interwebs right to my bedside for After The Op. No small task, and involves a HUMUNGOUS reel of some mysterious wire called Cat 5 and much climbing ladders followed by crawling about under the house.
Normally we Do Not Allow either TV or computers in the bedroom but I think this is a fair enough exception.
I’ve just about run out of sitting up for now. Hope to catch up on reading blogs and email later….
Although at least now I have my voice back…
Been getting quotes from the various parties involved for my surgery – so far it’s about $1000 out of pocket expenses; that doesn’t include pathology (obviously they can’t give a quote before they know what’s getting sent to them – hmmm.)
I’m just so bloody tired of this! It’s really frustrating.
*sigh*
Anyway, onwards and downwards, eh? I’ve managed to walk some this week; the dog is much happier for it and I’m enjoying it – even on a day like today when the temperature was only 12 and the wind was QUITE brisk! Big parka and the mp3 player and we still had a good forty minutes.
I’d put on some weight last week (not much, but it’s the first time it’s gone UP – disheartening, really) so tomorrow the dietician will do another impedance measurement to work out what % is fat and what is muscle.
And now – I think I’ll go get a nice hot cuppa tea – brrrrrrrrr!
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!
1) What was I doing 10 years ago:
Heck, most days I can’t remember what I was doing 10 minutes ago! Fibro fog and pain have sapped so much of my memory… or as Mr Beloved often says to me after I’ve asked the same question for the third time in half an hour – “Oh look, a castle!” There are GOLDFISH out there with better memories.
That said – 1998, hmm. Well, I was living with my second husband (except we hadn’t actually got around to marrying yet, although by then we’d been living together 5 years.) I was into quilting; a member of Canberra Quilters, and probably FREEZING MY BUTT OFF in the snowy Canberra winter! My mental health is certainly better now; although my physical health is probably much the same.
2.) What are 5 things on my to-do list for today (not in any particular order):
1. More sleep?
2. Pick up and sort all the &$#$&@)& magazines on the lounge-room floor so I can
3. Vacuum and dust the lounge room so I can
4. get the jersey fabric I bought yesterday spread out to dry so I can
5. Lay out and cut the Butterick 5001 dress (possibly using a slight amount of creative piecing, since I bought the fabric for one size smaller than I ended up cutting the tissue for…)
On the other hand, I might just go back to bed and re-read back issues of Threads, because it’s a wet drizzly day here!
3) Snacks I enjoy:
Cheese! Although I had my first piece of cheese in NINE WEEKS the other night – really really enjoyed that 35 grams of cheese! (When I left home, the fridge at Mum and Dad’s filled up with cheese because I wasn’t there eating a kilo+ per week!)
Almonds. Or pecans. Love nuts – very high in fat, but apparently they’re the GOOD fats, so the dietician tells me.
Apples. But they have to be crisp – can’t stand a floury apple, acck phhhtht!
I can stay away from chocolate 3 and a half weeks out of every four. but that last half week JUST THROW IN THE LINDT 70% and NOBODY WILL GET HURT!
4) Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
Buy up all the house blocks around us, remove the houses and fences, and build hire an architect and a project manager to build a really well insulated house on passive solar principles with an independent water supply and sewerage system, with a sound proofed studio/techgeek room for Mr Beloved, and a big light filled sewing room with enough cupboards to put things away and room to WALK around proper height cutting tables…. sigh!
Travel a little bit – just a couple of quilt/musuem/faberic shopping trips would do. Maybe one month a year. And definitely see more of Mum and Dad, and my brother and his family, and my Canberra friends.
Buy a house or three for friends who could really use the financial break (and somehow persuade them to accept the gift as what is is!)
Don’t think I’d do much else different – oh yeah, except I’d hire a CLEANING LADY! (or cleaning bloke) to come in twice a week and dust/vacuum/do the bathrooms. Happy with my car that we got in August, so that wouldn’t be an issue. Mostly just live a quiet life, but have enough money to give to things that were worthwhile (funding some scholarships for textile artists who otherwise wouldn’t have access to materials/ study opportunities, perhaps.)
Oh, and I’d definitely get a little sister for Constance, from the same breeder, because she is a joy and a delight and the company would be good for her.
5) Places I have lived:
Toowoomba, Queensland.
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory.
Albury, border of Victoria and New South Wales
Wagga Wagga, New South Wales
Dubbo, News South Wales
Griffith, New South Wales.
6.) Jobs I have had:
Arrgh! Lots of different things – mostly I have lost jobs because of depression/mental illness, now I look back at them. Yuck, confronting!
Fruit and vegetable seller (several times), Executive Assistant (glorified Secretary!)/ Receptionist (also several times); retail sales (electrical, fine china, books – I can’t deal with the people contact these days.)
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.
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.
“Hang on Mother, we’re almost there!”
(the original cartoon by Victor C.Anderson, published April 1, 1920, found on the wonderful Filboid Studge blog)
I shall forgo my customary Easterpest rant (formerly called the Australian Gospel Music Festival) – suffice it to say that it’s very difficult to have a quiet and contemplative Easter when there are THUD DOOF DOOF DOOF SCREAM YELL noises coming at you from all directions.
Now that we have a new council (Queensland just did the mega-merger thing that NSW did 20 odd years ago) I will be petitioning for the damn “festival” to be moved OUT of our central city park, and far, far away.
Grumph.
After much consideration I ordered three things from Hancocks of Paducah last night:
The All in One Quilter’s Reference Tool (C&T Publishing) – my friend Sue showed me this at Quilters a few weeks back and since then I’ve been thinking “Dang, if only I had that I wouldn’t have to be sitting here puzzling out how wide to cut this @*#$&)* strip/triangle/block…” It was only $13.95 US – and the cheapest I could buy it online even in Australian was $33. Worth the share of the postage, yes?
Second thing: I’ve been a fan of Suzanne Marshall’s beautiful applique for as long as I’ve been quilting. I deeply regret selling her “Take Away Applique” book – not because I wanted to make her patterns, but because the gallery of her quilts was so gorgeous – and she included both the positive and negative judging comments for each quilt. Ah well, I needed the money at the time…
Anyway, I ordered her new book Adventure and Applique. $20.98 from Hancocks – $21.56 is what I would have paid as a member on the AQS site – except they won’t accept orders that go to post office boxes (so you can imagine what THEIR shipping costs!) To buy the book in Australia (even if I could get it) the cheapest price is $33 + postage (fishpond.com.au) – but it would be AT LEAST twice that if I bought it from a quilt shop.
And they wonder why I shop online?!
Last,but possibly most deliciously – some Hoffmann fabric. 4 yards (fingers crossed, it’s not confirmed yet!) of this lusciousness from the 2008 Hoffmann challenge. I’m thinking it needs a 
truly groovy shirt pattern – just got to find one that I love. Maybe one of the Sewing Workshop oriental-inspired shirts? (I would have to grade up the pattern to get it to fit me currently, I hate doing that…)
Any pattern recommendations,please? I’m also considering using it to make this top (size 2x only needs 2 yards…) – it’s not like this is an actual stripe that needs to be matched, after all, it’s more of an overall texture.
Right – off to watch the prancing; then later on the Malaysian Grand Prix – even though my beloved McLarens have been penalised AGAIN (we suspect it’s mostly for Not Being Ferraris…) – I know Lewis will still drive his cute little butt off!
later edit: Bloody prancing had this SUCKY “look how far they’ve come” show on – I have NO interest in seeing that, I want to see DANCING, dammit!
At least I got to talk to my parents tonight (Mum loves her new bag, hooray!) and had a surprise phone call from Robert who was sitting at the Qantas lounge waiting to fly to Tokyo, lucky thing!
So – here it is. Quilt-as-you-go strip quilt, finished. (ok, except for a few loose threads that I need to deal with, but sooooo close, ok? Oh, and a label, Yep.)
I managed to make 12 blocks at the strip piecing party at Quilters; the other 8 I made at home. So some of the blocks are completely from my own stash – still, I tried to keep it random.
My favourite part? The way I totally miscalculated how much fabric I’d need for the sashings and binding – hence the bright orange binding. Special, yes?
In health news: MY HIP IS F’ING KILLING ME!! The lower back pain has been helped considerably by the spinal block injection; but my hip feels worse. It’s probably not, it’s just that it’s no longer competing with other pain just at that level.
And update on TheAuthorityWhichControlsOurLives: There is no update.
That’s part of their own special brand of torture – you’re not allowed to know the outcome of the interview. You just get to hang around in a panicky limbo, wondering whether the next pension payment will hit your bank account and let you do wild and crazy things like – oh, I dunno, PAY THE ELECTRICITY BILL and continue to buy no-brand generic tinned food from the StupidMarket.
Grumph.
I’m still exhausted. The interview at TheAuthorityWhichControlsOurLives was really draining on Monday – I sat and bawled my eyes out for an hour.
So much so that I was at Quilters today for less than 90 minutes.
Feel free to pop over to the Toowoomba Quilters blog and see a quick slideshow of what we did on Saturday… 
Strip party went ok – thanks to Di’s wonderful organisation. Taking my own chair has DEFINITELY helped – but I think I was just upright for too long at once today.
Night.
Still no quilty news here… OH wait, my fabric arrived from Emerald City Fabric and Craft – yay! The paisleys were larger than I had expected but it’s gorgeous – and the background was chocolate rather than black, so I’m going with one of the greens/turquoises from the print for the other fabrics in M’s Miranda bag.
Yummy?
Speaking of chocolate, I just made another batch of my infamous gluten free choc fudge brownies – just as well Mr Beloved reminded me, I was busy cutting fabric for the backing squares for tomorrow’s strip party. I think it’s going to be a hoot – although there will always be someone who can’t cope with the Rules of Engagement!
If that happens we’ll just hand them a chocolate brownie and smile, yes?!
I didn’t buy the pecans I usually have in the brownies -so they have been christened “Eunuch brownies….”
I realised as I was packing my machine etc tonight that I have one needle left in the packet – and one in the machine. Oops! Sure hope I can find a packet of 90 sharps first thing tomorrow morning…
I’ve been a bit distracted by pain today and by my visit to my doctor. Came away with two new referrals – one to the physiotherapist (for the “Trouble with Dribbles”, as Mr Beloved joked – arrgh! Once a trekkie, always a trekkie …) and one to the gastroenterologist.
Again. *sigh*
Because I am losing iron even though I take the supplements every.single. day. ARRRRRGH! In the last 4 blood tests, my ferritin levels have dropped from 39 to 15 to 13 to 8… normal range is 30-150. Guess who probably has to have iron injections? Problem is, we have to find out WHY it’s disappearing. Or if I’m not absorbing it, to start with. If it’s not one thing…
Look for pics tomorrow – I have spare batteries in my camera and I’m not afraid to use them…
So, for weeks I’ve been psyching myself up to go to hospital this Wednesday. But when there was no phone call from admissions by 6pm, I got a little bit freaked out. How would I know when to turn up? Where was I supposed to go? When could I eat? Panic panic panic!
So I phoned the hospital’s pre-admissions call centre number.
“Um, I’m meant to have a day procedure tomorrow but no one’s called?”
[after asking for information] “No, I’m not seeing you on the lists..”
*panic panic panic!*
“Which doctor, dear?”
“Dr H. For xyz?”
“That’s on THURSDAY dear! Tomorrow’s Wednesday!”
“Oops! Lost a day there! My mistake! Thanks! Bye!”
*hides head until pillow until blushes calm down to only being visible from MARS…*
Yep… that’s me folks, unable to read a calendar.
I *did* remember that today was shared lunch day at Quilters, and that I was doing a demo – you can see it over on the Toowoomba Quilters blog if you want. Foundation pieced flying geese.
It was NOT good – I am NOT GOOD at doing talking in front of people these days. I got terribly flustered and embarrassed and rushed and got myself confused and left stuff out… I am much much better in writing than in person.
Annnnnnnnnnnnnd to add to it all (and I can’t believe I’m telling you this, dear reader – it may be TMI (Too Much Information) but I have a new and wonderful symptom that is complicating my life just that little bit more….
It’s been a bit of an issue since The Fall in 2002… I didn’t pee for over 24 hours and then – ahem – needed assistance. But now it’s – well, a little less controlled.
Could be from the whole “OH MY GOSH YOU’RE FAT!” thang (gotta love this: “Q. Does weight have an effect on bladder control?” A.”Even a few kilos can make a difference. A five to ten percent weight loss can help improve bladder control by reducing intra-abdominal pressure.” Colour coded just like the packs – Oh, goody!)
Add a side of tomato juice (who knew?!) and some stress and … well.
Good thing I’m seeing my doc on Friday, eh?
I’ve been ASLEEP.
*sigh*
Remember I told you about the horrible chair at quilter’s? Well, that set me up for several days of worse than usual pain, which buggered my sleep patterns, which made the pain worse – and round and round and round we go, where it stops nobody knows!
At least I got out of the house and had blood drawn on Thursday. Back to the doctors next week to see the results.
I have managed some sewing – more Mirandas – and since Mum doesn’t have internet access at the moment (she’s in Adelaide, with Dad, visiting my brother & his family, and going to all sorts of exciting things like the Adelaide Festival and Womadelaide) I’ll show you her Miranda bag, too. (She knows she’s getting it, she just hasn’t seen it yet!).
This is the inside of Mum’s Miranda bag. I added a hooky thingummy (What ARE they called?) for keys/phone – as soon as I can find some more I’ll be adding them to my bag, too! I actually finished Mum’s bag and book a while back, but there was no point posting it to her yet because they’re away. I adore this fabric – it’s long gone from the shops now, though. (Chez Moi for Moda, “Fresh Air”. Too too yummy!)
Then I did two Mirandas using the same fabrics in part of them – I think they came up well.
This one’s for J, in Oregon, a late birthday pressie. Might have to wait until after next pension day to mail it though! and that’s another little (A6) blank book covered to match.
Here’s the inside: more of that yummy suns/moons fabric (which I’ve had in the stash for ages) and some clouds for the pockets. The stripes are another stash find – I’m using up fabrics that I’ve held on to FOREVER Because they were “too good” to use up. Nope, off they go – into the world where they will (hopefully!) be enjoyed!
And finally, here’s A’s Miranda. Same sun/moon and blue fabric for the top half, but with a wild orangey swirl for the bottom. Because I’m pretty sure A works in a big visual diary, I decided to cover an A5 brag book – room for 80 photos – instead.
and Here’s the inside of A’s Miranda – hand dyed fabrics, because A is a hand dyeing GODDESS. This one’s going in the post whenever I get out of the house next – probably Monday. (I can afford to post within Australia this week…I think… eeeks!)
And now – I need to write up my tutorial for Quilters on Tuesday. Just a quick demo on Flying Geese – and some paper pieced variations. (I’ll pop it up on the Toowoomba Quilters blog after Tuesday, too.) I know there are other quick ways to do flying geese, but honestly – paper piecing is so quick and accurate – and no bias triangles to deal with (because they’re stabilised by the paper, you can ignore fabric grain if you want to) .
I’ve made this pattern of offset little geese just 1 inch wide… no way would I even ATTEMPT that without foundation paper piecing!
And there’s V8s on later – wooo hoooooo!
I slept in today after a bad pain night. Which meant that I didn’t get to Quilters until about 11:30… which meant that all the decent chairs were taken. So I sat in one of the &^!@#% chairs and am damn near crippled AGAIN.
We rent the meeting space and the chairs are part of the deal – and they are bloody awful. The chairs are the wrong height for the tables (DUH! Brilliant, eh?), they don’t stack well, and even bringing your own cushions doesn’t help much.
I know I’m not the only one who has issues with them.
However, I betcha I’m the only one next week who brings their OWN CHAIR in! It’s that big a problem. My knees are killing me, I can hardly move my left hip, and my back is seriously SCREAMING.
The chair that I’m thinking of buying is $9.98 and has NO stupid moulded seat that has sunk over time to become a cradle of excruciating torture. No bent legs to tangle with the other bent legged chairs just waiting to trip you up.
Come the Revolution, sistahs, whoever designed those chairs is going to be one of the first up against the wall. Right after the person who BOUGHT the rotten things for the hall. And the person who decided there was “YEARS of life left in those chairs, no need to replace them!”
And there will be no blindfolds and no last cigarette… just their screams for mercy as they are battered to death with these ugly uncomfortable complete non-eco-friendly MONSTROSITIES thud thud thud and SPLAT and thud and…
…Ms O’Connor has been dressed in a lovely white jacket with VERY long sleeves and has been taken to a nice quiet room.
Where there are no chairs.
I get to be ARCHIVIST for the club – WOOHOO!
AND…
Dancing Beijing: Olympic Hope
( I don’t have the exact measurements – it’s about 24″ across)
Please go see the other winners and all 14 entries at the Toowoomba Quilters Club blog.
I’m kinda excited that it’s only one more sleep ’til the Toowoomba Quilters AGM.
Stop looking at me like that!
Seriously, I am on tenterhooks – (did you know that’s a fabric processing term, btw? It really is – linen used to be stretched and dried in the sun, and it was pegged out on hooks. There ya go.) – I am nominated for a position in the club that I think is within my abilities and time available – and I kinda want it.
Also, the Dancing Beijing challenge judging is announced tomorrow – and I’m no excited for me so much (really ! STOP looking at me like that!) as for two of my sweet quiltgals, who did the most AMAZING pieces!
I’m off to sew now.
Oh, did anyone want to hear about the weight loss thingy?
YES! We’re having some lovely rain again today. There is NOTHING as good as hearing rain on a tin roof.
Well, it’s Tuesday, so it must be quilters day, yes?
Yes!
I had a lovely time at what Mr Beloved cheekily refers to as “playgroup” – that’s more accurate than he knows! Honestly, I go to quilters for the company and the opinions and the chatter. Any actual hand sewing I get done is a bonus. Today I only managed to applique down one 5 inch circle, but ooooh, I had fun!
(I decided to take a different project today, even though I’d packed “Tuesdays and TV” ready to go. Having just finished Mum’s late Christmas/early Birthday pressie, I thought I’d better get a wriggle on with Dad’s.)
I don’t think Dad reads the blog (I know Mum does, HI MUM!) so I can show you the fabric I was appliquéing. I could only buy 1.5 metres when I first found this print; foolishly, I thought it might be enough. Then my quilt plans changed and I decided to get all complicated and I desperately need more. (Which I HOPE, fingers crossed, I might have found on eBay… Emerald City Fabric and Crafts have been very good to me so far…)
AND – happiness! I’ve been looking for green paisley fabric to make best friend M a Miranda bag – isn’t this just PERFECT?
The black background will really work well with free motion quilted plain black fabric – I can see more King Tut thread in my future – maybe #936 “Pharaoh’s Treasure ( “Red, med green, dark green, gold”) or my favourite (three 500 metre reels used so far this year) #910 “Bulrushes” (”brown, light sage, tan, dark sage” – this is the one I initially bought because I though the green and ochres were perfect colours for quilting Australian bush scenes.)
Dang! Somehow it has gone after midnight. I’m for bed and more of that lovely rain on the roof.
OH! Meant to say I got Baby Pfaff (the 2034) back from the repairer today. Dale at Downs Sewing Machine Repairs -he’s worth every cent - that baby is purrrrrrrrrrrrrring! Makes the Goddess Pfaffalina’s trip to see him just that more urgent… I’d forgotten how smooth those machines SHOULD sound!
When did you last have your machine serviced, hmmm?
I’m busy being quite boring, Beloved Readers – doing lots of mental preparation for the week ahead.
Monday – library trip is needed, (nothing to READ!) and a trip to the “Let’s pretend we aren’t REALLY ripping you off” medical refunds place; and checking the post box for an eagerly anticipated cheque… and to post some SURPRISES! and I have to go to the bank to get money so I can pick up my sewing machine from the repair man… and – big procrastination item , this next one: I have to find out EVERYTHING I need to know about this weight loss program.
The things that didn’t work about WW for me should be addressed if I go ahead with this one:
1. The leader refused to help when I was STUCK on a plateau for ages – there was no support.
2. And she was – well, not so bright, and would perpetuate incorrect info sometimes. Yes, I know, I’m picky. See cartoon below.
3. When I started walking a lot and put ON weight, again – no support. Grrr. No “Hey , well done, you’re walking!” either. If I’m paying money, I want CHEERING, dammit.
Also, my wonderful GP (general practitioner, my primary care doctor) would be doing the medical support side of the program – I feel like I have a better chance of success with her actually taking the allergies and injuries and other medications into account, you know?
BTW, I get REALLY REALLY tired and pissed off with people who try to tell me that weight loss is “A simple energy equation” and that if I “eat less and exercise more” the whole thing will be solved. Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. Let’s just ignore the chronic fatigue/back injuries/depression/coeliac disease/polycystic ovaries, and thryoid issues then, will we? FUCKERS!!!
Ahem.
Tuesday: Quilters. Don’t know if I’ll have time to prepare what I want to do as a demo on flying geese – we’ll see. Actually, aiming for NEXT Tuesday would be better, cos then the club AGM will be out of the way. Good.
I’ve made some more progress on my Tuesdays and TV quilt (here’s what it looked like a couple of months ago) by stitching during the boring bits (ad breaks and safety car laps!) of the V8 Supercars today, and again during the boring bits of the prancing. The LQS might even have FINALLY got more of the precut paper triangles in, since the ones I have are quite battered after being pieced over and pulled out three or four times each.
English Paper Piecing is the perfect activity for Tuesday Quilters meetings, cos I can do it while I’m talking. And if I can’t chatter to my quiltgals while I’m there, I might as well stay at home and sew by myself (and that would be BAD, cos I get a bit cabin-fever-ish after a few days.)
And that’s as far as I’ve got in the planning so far.
So what have I been doing?
Well, I’ve made another Miranda bag – here’s a sneak peek. (dontcha hate that you never see those stray threads until photography? Arrgh!)
Got to post two on Monday, and I was hoping to get a third done but – it’s too HOT.
And today was the first race of the V8 Supercars season – wooohooooo! Because it’s a 500km total race, the second 250kms will be run tomorrow. Can’t wait!
Tuesday I overdid things and it’s taken me until Saturday arvo to really get back on top 
Was going to go to the movies (and possibly see the delicious Johnny Depp in Sweeney Todd) but all three of us were way too tired – so we had tea and chatter at Vicki’s instead. Chriss and Vicki are both newish Toowoomba quilters, and lots of fun. But coming on top of spending 10- 3ish at Quilters, I probably should have slept in between, not gone racing round on errands…
Wednesday I went to the doctors – still haven’t gone and got the bloodwork done, oops – and I’m coming round to the idea of at least finding out more about this new medically managed weight loss program. Problem could be the $$- it’s not cheap.
Today is the hottest day of Summer so far (35 inside the house – although the Bureau claim 31. Nope! Yesterday wasn’t far behind at 34/ 30…)
We have Western facing windows in the bedroom, bathroom and sewing room- which means on hot days, those rooms get hotter and hotter – it’s just not bearable to go into them from about 11am until around 9pm. I’m hoping we’ll be able to get some sort of blinds/awnings to help with that….
It’s finally cooled down enough to go to the sewing room – I’m off to cut some sheet acrylic.
Off to Quilters tomorrow – hopefully this week I will get some actual sewing done! Ive dragged out Elspeth, my poor little Scottish Featherweight (Singer 221) who has been sadly neglected since the Sisters Pfaff arrived in 2004. Little Pfaff (the 2034) has been in hospital and I can’t afford to get her home until Wednesday – oh noes! She was well overdue for a service. The Goddess Pfaffalina (2144 with the 2170 upgrade) is due for her grease and oil change next…
It’s so long since I’ve sewn on Elspeth that I have no idea where the quarter inch foot has gone. I gave her a warm up this evening to get the lube flowing again, and downloaded a threading diagram (yes, it’s been THAT long!)
(this isn’t Elspeth – just a generic pic from somewhere. But Elspeth looks like this.)
She was made in Clydebank in 1951 (you can tell by the serial number, which starts with EH – hence ElspetH) and sews very sweetly. One of the things I love about old straight stitch machines is that they only do one thing – sew forwards and backwards in a straight line – but they do it so very well. I’m quite looking forward to playing on her tomorrow!
I was hoping to get a lesson plan and printouts done this week to have a demonstration at Quilters (foundation pieced flying geese, with variations) but I slept instead. I was wiped all weekend and slept for another few hours this arvo. Sheesh! at least I have a quilt top section that shows one of the variations – just got to dig it up from the sewing room to take.
I did manage to get my hospital admission (day procedure) sorted out though – just waiting on pre-admission to call me back for the medical history on Friday. One more thing OFF the procrastination list! Oh, and bought more interfacing for another couple of Miranda bags – long overdue gifties.
Right – tomorrow is a long hard day. There’s an anniversary to deal with, quilters, and then movies with the girls – I better get my beauty sleep!
TA DA! I made this bag last night (and a teensy bit this morning.) It’s the Miranda Day Bag pattern from Joan Hawley’s Lazy Girl Designs. ( I bought my pattern from Punch With Judy, but there are a lot of places you can get it.)
The fabric is a Hoffmann ( I think!) that I’ve been hoarding for years. So the bag is part of my new policy about fabric generally and my stash in particular – I have so many “holy” fabrics that are so nice I don’t want to cut into them. But I am being strong and making them into things that I will enjoy. That way at least I get to see them, rather than bury them and forget how much I liked them.
I am so IN LOVE with this pattern! Joan has really gone all out – it’s more like a book than a pattern. There are step-by-step photos for EVERY Step. The instructions are clear and well written, and in a font that’s easy to read. Even a beginner would have no problems with this pattern – just cut and stitch in the order listed and you’ll have a fabulous bag too!
I’m a slow sewist, (I refuse to write sew-er, because even with the hyphen it looks like I’m talking about municipal drainage) but I got this done in about 5 hours. (I have taken longer on this same pattern when I’ve done much more intensive quilting for the outside, but really you don’t need to go overboard.)
So I spend time making sure the threads are knotted and buried, and press the seams over a tailors ham, etc. You could probably do it faster, but it’s not a huge project – it would certainly be something you could sew in a day.
I ran out of the interfacing I had wanted to use, and so used a fusible pellon wadding as the interfacing in this bag – it makes it a bit squishier but is still firm enough so the bag stands up ok. (Nothing worse than a floppy bag when you’re trying to find something…)
And how good is this – it fits in BOOKS! and magazines. And a whole heap of other things that you might need to take along to your quilters meeting. Yeah baby! Notice that the orange binding on the top of the bag is actually a “Faux” binding – it’s the lining, but attached and stitched in a very clever way. When Joan says “Lazy Girl” she’s not kidding – this is a real time saver, and makes such a neat transition between the inside and outside of the bag.
Here’s a shot of the inside so you can see those groovy pockets better. (That’s my coin purse – a little vinyl ladybug. I have a bit of a thang for ladybugs.) And that rectangle at the bottom is what makes the bag so stable. You can buy specially cut inserts to use but I managed to scrounge some scrap Perspex (ahem, that’s a brand name – of course I mean “Sheet acrylic”) that I cut to size.
I’ve used the short handles option – knowing that if I make long handles I would be tempted to sling the bag over my shoulder and carry way too much stuff. I think it looks awesome with commercial handles (rather than fabric) but I didn’t have the $$ to buy any – or the patience to wait.
Joan keeps adding updates on her blog about her own and other people’s groovy Mirandas, and things that make it even better. (Feet! That’s what I should do, like Tracy has done on her Miranda – bag feet! They stop fabric bags from wearing out so quickly.)
Ah well, there’s always the next bag – I’ve promised one for my best friend M (who gave me the sheet acrylic). Her favourite colour is green and she adores paisley – so let me know if you see any fabric that would be just right.
I was going to make up Lazy Girl Designs “Chloe” bag next – but do you think I can find the pattern in my sewing room? ARRRRRGH! I reckon I have enough of the “Fresh Air” charm squares left after making my journal cover to just about do a Chloe in patchwork.
Although now I think of it, darling Annie (she has a SHOP! Wooohoooooo!) sent me a groovy tool especially designed to help make woven strips from bias, (meshwork! Ahhh, that’s what it’s called!) since it looked so gorgeous when Joan made a Chloe up with this technique, and I’ve been inspired by some of the gorgeous woven bias handbags that Luana showed on her blog from the Tokyo International Quilt Festival…
This post brought to you by the word GROOVY, the colour orange, and the letter Yogh….
I truly do (heart) my readers – HAPPY VALENTINES DAY, you sweeties! Especially to my lovelies who have saved content from my old blog for me. *sniff* a gal couldn’t have nicer friends.
IN CASE YOU’RE WORRIED about nuking your own blog – let me just re-state that it is actually much more difficult to do than you’d think! My problems happened when I was working too tired, doing behind the scenes stuff on my domain – and on most blogs you just don’t have access to the code to do it.
And if you’re smart (ha!) you’ll BACK UP your blog (and indeed, your whole computer) regularly, using one of the many handy dandy back up programs around. A quick search of tucows.com will give you a few options to choose from in free and shareware. (Just scroll down past the paid ads first, ok? The free stuff is down below.)
And in the worst case, you’ll often find that your blog posts have been cached on google – that is, they are stored from being looked up, and you might be able to grab some back. Tanya the Art Butcher and Susan in Stitches even went so far as to retrieve some for me – awww!
And now for the something new – I have finished one of the things on my to-do list! Heeeeeeeeere’s my brand spanking new journal cover. It’s made from mostly the Chez Moi for Moda “Fresh Air” fabric that I wish I’d bought more of – but at least now I get to look at it every day, rather than leave it in my stash.
I started by piecing nine of the 5″ charm squares into a nine patch., which I then cut into quarters and stitched back together. (When inspiration is TOTALLY lacking, start simple!)
Then I realised that wasn’t quite big enough so I added some strips left over from another project I’m in the middle of. (I sure hope they’re left over and I haven’t mis-cut anything for that project, or I am going to have to get VERY creative!)
Next, I quilted it with lots of pebblycircles. I used dense free motion quilting because a journal cover has to stand up to a lot of abuse – and also because I really love the thread and wanted to see it.
Once that was done I trimmed the edges, then cut a heap of 2″ squares. Inspired by a long ago article in Threads magazine by Bird Ross, (“The Incredible, Reversible, One-Technique Jacket” by Bird Ross (No. 40, pp. 30-35 – oh my gosh, that was published in April/May 1992!*) I finger pressed the squares (with the right sides out) on the diagonal to make triangles. These make the binding – start stitching with free motion stitch, stop and add a triangle wrapped over the edge (the diagonal is on the raw edge of the quilt) and stitch over it. Then you go back and stitch over it another few times if you want to.
Oh, somewhere in all this I decided that some torn strips should be zig-zagged on top of the quilting, too. And I really wasn’t kidding about “ruining” a new journal by scribbling on the first page – now I’m free to mess up the rest of the book with ANYTHING. How liberating!
Then I grabbed the journal and folded in the short edges of the now edge-finished “quilt”, and sewed along the top and bottom edges. Not only does that hold the book in the cover, it’s a really useful place to put loose bits and pieces of things… so long as you don’t forget you stashed them there….
Once the cover was on the journal, I decided it needed something more on the spine – so I free motion zig-zag quilted some more of the binding squares over the top.
I’m pretty happy with it!
I did use up most of a reel of King Tut thread, though. But using pretty (and easy to quilt with) thread makes me happy, so that’s ok.
I also got the free motion quilting done on the other project -so I can now start cutting *that* up – pics soon!
* If anyone still has issue #40 of Threads and is willing to send it to me, I will MAKE YOU A JOURNAL COVER in whatever colours you want.
I now don’t lend my Threads magazines out, ever…
And guess what? One of my FAVOURITE tv shows in back on tonight – Grand Designs! WOOOOOOOT!
Later edited to add – the buggers showed us a 1998 episode. WTF?
Ok, let’s try not to think of this as a monumental cock up. I’ll think of it as a chance instead to have a new start.
Quite frankly, the old blog’s architecture grew like topsy, and things were not as organised as perhaps they should have been.
So – a fresh start is a Good Thing, right?
But just so you know – the very last post before I hit that delete key one too many times was about my Dancing Beijing challenge quilt for the Toowoomba Quilters Club.
So here it is again. As I wrote before *sob!* I don’t know quite what the appliquéd shapes represent – some people have seen them as athletes, some as kits, or banners… what do you think?
And btw – please please update your bookmarks/blog reader and links for me? Ta ever so.
