Remember Mois???

Hello possums...

Yes I am still alive and kicking... what has the ol' Lissa been up to since April???

Um well, May seen me visit a retreat! It was Mothers day weekend... and a whole lotta fun.. I drove and picked up a few peeps along the way.. Bathurst is 4.5hrs from here, but it took us 10.. there were a couple of quilt shops along the way that we just had to visit!

Then the 17.05 I had a birthday, well I dont remember my FORTIETH.. so it doesn't count does it???? I was soo darn sick, I would of gladly curled up and died that week, I had a monster of a flu.. hung on for 4 _)(#_)(#*$@# weeks..

June come along.. yep I was still sick, but I did manage to finish two quilts in May, so I did have something to snuggle under.. not much happened in June...

July pooped its head and I have had FOUR yes FOUR root canal treatments, so far this tooth has cost nearly $2000... so guess where all my $'s have gone??? thank god for health insurance, but I am still out of pocket a LOT...
Oh speaking of pooped.. we all had Gastro.. the week the kids went back to school, of course kids can't get sick in the school hol's now can they??? so we had the 'out of body experience' (was a chucky gastro btw) for a bloody week.. LOVELY..


august is here, and I thought I'd better do a quick post to let peeps know I am still in the land of the living, nothing really to show of what I've been up to, cause I haven't been up to much to be honest!

No pics to share, I can't remember where I put my camera.. silly Lissa.. I could use my iPhone but I'd have to dig out the instructions (I think I put them with my camera, both have been MIA for about the same time)

BUT I have been laughing myself silly at this site..


People of Walmart! I swear I have never laughed so much ... do people not own a mirror? and what makes it OK to go shopping in a bikini??? dont understand that one..



anyhoo, next post will have pics...


Lissa
VERY itinerant blogger
sometimes quilter!

Do you EQ???

Did you know there is a New EQ out very soon?? EQ7???

Now I have a hankering to win a copy of this, and you can too!

just go here and you can win one of ten copies and also win a copy to give away on your blog!

How freaking cool is that????

petals, I will give you all an update of whats doing in the "Land of Lissa'' have been crazy busy instead of just plain ol' crazy lately.. EOM sucks, work sucks and I am running away to retreat next week (YEAHHHH)



Lissa
who knows she has not enough warm clothes where the retreat is, might have to drink lots of alcomohol to keep warm!

I'm Not Crazy.... My mother had me tested...

Anyone else out there LOVE the Big Bang Theory??? It's essential viewing in Casa de Lissa...


I just love that show and Sheldon on it, he is too darn funny.. My favourite line he says is "I am not crazy, my mother had me tested!'... and Bazinga! is a word that has entered Casa de Lissa's dictionary! We have bought Seasons 1&2 on DVD and the kids have watched it sooo many times..


Just had to share with you petals I got LOTS of happy mail today...


Happy Mail = SQUISHY MAIL!!!
I got four, yes FOUR parcels....





Two from the US - apple core stamp & Klojses (bad spellink there) and two ink pads.. I am going to hand piece these two quilts and cannot be bothered tracing around templates blah blah blah, too boring and life is too darn short.. so I got the Cindy Blackenberg templates from Pappy's Quilting...

The fabric on the left come from Quilt Fabric Closeouts, I am embaressed to say how much this fabric cost, there is 11 x .5 yards and one yard of another 6.5 yards for under $30 US I beleive (Plus postage very much a bargain for australia)

the stuffs at the front, well let me say.. I am bloomin confused.. I am in a Retreat Angel / Mortal Swap.. the angel sends to the mortal and at retreat all is revealed.. today I got a parcel from Victoria and one from New Zealand.. am I confused? Um yes! first parcel I got come from South Australia! either my angel is a get about or is super sneaky, I am going with super sneaky... I got Breast Cancer Scissors, they are Fiskars which are fantastic scissors.. I got two FQ's of red, I am trying to get reds/pinks for a project and the other parcel I got a 'Muffin' which 40 x charm squares, a fridge magnet and a very cute notepad! Am I spoiled or what??? Of course I deserve to be spoiled...


its four flippin weeks to my birthday, I could just be having a birthday with a ZERO in it... hmmm lets just say its before 5 but after 3...

Knee is sore as all get out, but I am sure I'll survive.. beast of a GP didn't give me a cortisone needle yesterday but some more pain killers! I dislocated my knee again on Saturday, but I am sure I'll survive to whinge another day!

Well now that you possums have got over the shock of me posting twice in the same week, let alone same month/trimester I am going to head off and play with fabric!!!!

Lissa

Friday Night Stitch In - April

Hello possums...

first off, I thought I'd show you all a pic of my baby.. Now like most babies this one is more like a toddler than a baby.. it doesn't behave itself all the time and needs a stern talking too occassionally (although I dont think I ever swore at my 2 yo's) I have had it for yikes, six months now and it cost me a couple of weeks pay.. the automatic scissors are brilliant (when they work and dont unthread the whole $%#*& machine) and the automatic presser foot lowering is lovely (cept when the machine is feeling bullimic) but it SEWS beautifully and behaves itself more than the Janome piece of crap I owned.. that machine wasn't A lemon more like an ORCHARD of them...

OK now to friday night sew in.. I am sorry I can't show you the front this is my retreat challenge quilt and a few of the retreatees visit my blog so I cannot show it, but this is the back! LOL
I had this quilt booked at in a local quilt store months ago, I dropped it in when I said I would and they informed me 'that they couldn't quilt it'.. now was I upset? um you betcha! Because of my knee injury crawling around on the floor is not an option I cannot baste a quilt even if my life depended on it, I just can't do it.. I dont quilt tops very often as I dont have the time or the inclination.. I was very disappointed, and then remembered a lady who gave me a magnet for her quilting business three years before, and even better, it was still stuck on the fridge! Rang her Monday, dropped it in Monday and picked it up Friday.. the ironic thing is, she owns the EXACT machine the shop does and had no problems quilting it... if you are in Newcastle NSW you can go HERE for more information.. If you aren't in Newcastle, she is happy to do mail orders for her quilting service in Australia...

OK onto my next project... my Farmers Wife Sampler Quilt blocks.. I have had a little frustration with these blocks, the first set of templates were printed incorrectly, my printer had scaled them..... so i had to reprint the whole 103 pages again.. frustrating?yes.. I think this problem could be alleviated by having a one inch square on the .pdf page and you could see and measure the first printed one was correct... Pics are a bit dark, cause I take crap pics... LOL

I have a few more cut out ready to go.. My gripe with this quilt is there is no pattern.. not one of the templates has a measurement on it.. very frustrating but I think the frustration is worth it.. I'll put more pics up when I get more done.. I am machine piecing this, and I am becoming an expert at unsewing real fast!

Yesterday I went to see "Wicked" in Sydney, I liked it (can't say I LOVED it but I thought it was good) but Missymoo aged 12 3/4's didnt' like it at all, too much singing apparently.. um I explained it was a musical and thats what happens.. she enjoyed shopping at Paddy's Markets and the factory outlets before hand much more! kids eh???

well thats enough from me, I have probably bored you shiteless if you have got this far!

Lissa

PS that pic of my sewing machine, thats my sewing 'area'.. I dont have a sewing room, my machine sits on top of an old singer treadle.. thats it... one day when one of the kids move out or when Dags (aka super DH) finishes my shed I might get more space than treadle machine top!

Gotta LURVE a Four Day Week End

g'day possums...

we've had a four day weekend this weekend, something about chocolate / easter ??? I LOVE four day weekends!

So what did I do?? I SEWED!!!

What did I do? Um, well I may of worked on this...

The top was finished (apart from borders) wasn't happy with how some of it was laying so did some rapid unsewing and then fixed it (sort of).. I have been auditioning borders for it, I am thinking of going with a chocolate float and perhaps using the background fabric as a solid border but maybe scallop it? I've not done a scalloped border before so I would like to try this! Oh crap, after studying this post, I HAVE SEWN SOME (a lot) in the wrong way.. bugger bugger poop.. looks like I have some un-sewing ahead of me.. oh pooop.. I hate UNSEWING!

what else did I do? well I got busy finishing off

I made four of these bags, I just had to sew arms on, I do have to sew buttons on the arms, but the buttons I have here (only a few 000's of them) none of them looked right so I'll be off to the quilt store sometime this week to find some suitable ones.. These dolls are called "Sewing Sue" its a pattern in the Kindred Spirits "Needleworks" book.. I changed it a little, it had a lot of embroidery on the legs / arms and button hair.. I like red headed dolly's so I gave my dolls red hair and freckles.. I just need to add the buttons and a wee bit of rouge and they are done...

I have also finished off my 'Challenge Quilt" for the quilt retreat next month, I wish I could share a pic but alas is a SECRET challenge.. its off to the quilters this week.. the challenge was 'recycled flannelette shirts' the whole front of the quilt had to be shirts except the binding... to say it was a challenge was an understatement... they stretch and play silly buggers...

I went to lunch in Sydney on Saturday with this mob . I don't get to go as often as I'd like, its a 2-3 hr round trip for me, but I try to go a couple of times a year!

I have been busy working on an old lost project, miniature dresden plates I started these um, a long long time ago.. I used to stitch them whilst waiting for Missymoo at dancing...

Now for a gripe.. today, I wanted to start a BOM that I had bought from the US.. I'll not name it, as I don't want to be SUED BUT.... there is a CD that you can print templates off, there is a site you can go to to print templates off, but no where does it mention what size they should be... grrrrrr... I made one block and it measures 6x6 I thought OK.. but they are supposed to be 6x6 FINISHED not unfinished... talk about frustrating.. the book doesn't mention this either, it just says 6x6 nothing about finished or unfinished...

Now is it just me or am I being unreasonable, that a pattern that has cost me $'s, should have the measurements for at least the squares that are involved in the quilt??? apparently my printer settings are out, so I'll have to wait to get ink / adifferent printer to reprint them, BUT the clincher is, the pages that print off there is nothing to check if your print settings are correct... I have printed patterns off the net before that have a 'test square' on the page so you can check this...
OK, I have vented now, so I am happy! LOL

I am off to start dinner, my dad is coming up for a baked dinner, and of course I get to cook it.. we also ran out of vegies so have sent the dags out to get some more.. I am into "Meatless Month #4".. not sure how long I'll go on, cause I think about meat constantly! LOL not good for a vegetarian I am thinking..

Oh and the MRI.. *sigh* not good news... I am needing an operation, but I have to wait until I get less of me to have it.. I have given myself to September to shift some lard... apparently the problem is if you are a fat blonde tart that you can get stress fractures where they take a 'shingle' of bone from one bone to fix the knee cap.. my knee cap is moving 2-4 cm's... it was happening a few times a day, but now it is nearly every time I get up from sitting... and its also 'locking' so I have to sit down again to hopefully get up again before it unlocks.. fun and games!


take care possums...


Lissa
PS pics um, 'borrowed' from Pennie/scquilters blog my camera is flat - again!

Friday Night Stitch In :O)

Hello Possums....

I did it.. I got some sewing done!!! yeah!!!

If you have a weak stomach, avert your eyes....... NOW!!!!

this poor tangle is not a dismemberment... its four dolls I am making, I mean, why make one when you can make four???

The pattern is a Kindred Spirits pattern from "Needleworks Book" there are quite a few projects in there I'd like to make...

I also traced this pattern off and got some small amount of embroidery done... Its a Rosalie Quinlan pattern (which for the life of me I can't remember what it is called)... I have actually traced this pattern before, but someone (pointing at 'self) might of thought it was new fabric and chopped it up in error.. silly lissa... so it was retraced and the whisperweft straight on the back so I dont make that mistake again (well not for a long time)...


I did also do some 'secret sewing' I wish I could show you, but its a secret... I am off to retreat in May and we are having a recycled flannelette shirt challenge, the top has to be 100% recycled flannelette shirts... flannelette is a _)#(*$@#(%*& to work with.. I HATE it.. To be honest, if I hadn't paid $6-8/shirt and bought 11 of them, I would of abandoned this challenge, but soldier on! I got some interfacing at spotty the other day ($2/m or $7 for 10m's?? no brainer there)and it has made a huge difference... :O)))


well thats all thats happening in the land of Lissa.. Having my MRI on my poor old fat knee on Monday (well both knees are old and fat, but one is sorer than the other)... wish me luck!




Lissapoo

Where did February Go???

No pics with this post possums.. secret squirrel/sewing happening here...

so I wanna know... who stole February??? I am sure I blinked and it disappeared...

I have had a crook knee all year, seen the surgeon last week and not so good news.... I need an operation... my kneecap keeps dislocating and popping out of its home.. painful? um yes... I am having an MRI in a weeks time, so wish me luck.. The surgeon gave me the worst case scenario and its not lookin' good.. being a fat blonde tart hasn't helped the issue either, so please wish me luck... the other downside is that my right knee is so sore I have been favouring my left leg, so of course now thats playing up too... I knew this was coming, something about seeing the same surgeon 12 years ago perhaps??? you just can't rush into these things..

Not much happening here.. usual mum / family stuffs.. I am hanging for the school holidays so I can get some serious sewing time in (after work of course)

I am really hanging for the annual quilt retreat I go to.. Missymoo 'gocco-d' my signature squares last weekend, so that was a huge time saver... just have the fabric to add to them and I am done.. I am working on the challenge quilt too for the retreat (its the secret squirrel sewing)

I have a new 'puter, the old one, well lets just say I got sick of fighting the kids for it! LOL I needed a computer for my courses..

Oh the only other news I have.. I have been reading blogs about "Meatless Mondays".. so I turned a Meatless Monday into a Meatless Month, now its been a Meatess 'trimester'.. three months.. am I missing meat?? not too much (although I could kill a honey king prawns from the local chinese takeaway).. I'll go back to eating meat a couple of nights a week.. do I feel healthier? maybe but I am so tired.. I am anaemic anyways so I guess this hasn't helped... havent' lost any weight either, which is poopy, but I guess if you substitute meat for chocolate well... teehee.. Actually I tell a lie.. I have more or less got my lactose intolerance under control.. gave up tea last year (never drank coffee) been about 7 months since I had a cuppa... gave up soft cheese and milk so I think I have it under control.. if I could give up choccy........


anyhoo enough blathering from me..


Lissa

One PLUS ONE does not equal TWO

I am dumb.. I mean COME ON!!!

I had a stack of 4 patches left over from my 4 patch variation quilt, so I thought I'll make the onpoint 4 patch quilt.. well lets just say I can't add up.. I was 90 short, not one or two or twenty but NINETY!!! Oh my god.. I hate to admit it, but I have signed up to do a distance learning course this year in ACCOUNTING?? is that funny or what??

I have a four day weekend this weekend.. I managed to snaggle a day off work on Monday before the public holiday..... so I am thinking to myself... FOUR DAYS OF SEWING.... I'll get a head start Friday night after work!

Friday - it was 43C coming home (43c = 109F apparently).. so no sewing too freaky hot..

Saturday - well it was hotter, they said it was 42C in Newcastle but I am out in the sticks and no chance of an 'ocean breeze' out here.. how hot was it?? damn hot! so I did manage to do a bit of sewing on the said four patch (pic is in previous post) I have about 9 rows to go and about 90 bloody 4 patches to make.. Oh and of course I can't just use any old fabric so now I am searching the stash for my scrappy quilt 'til still look scrappy but not like 'the stupid cow ran out of fabric and just used any old thing to finish this sucker' look.. you all know that look? I got mighty cheesed off with myself so I just fiddled with my hexagon quilt (only one row to go peeps)

Sunday - well its not hot, its overcast and I have a few things on the go already.. I really want to finish my four patch top but I keep getting distracted by kids / cat / fabric fondling

I have a confession of sorts to make.. Well I dont really think I need to confess as this blog IS called 'Fabricologist Anonymous".. I um, needed some fabric to finish off this quilt.... (some have seen it before)....

... and its friend the backing...


Yes, dear readers, its the "Bendigonia Behemouth"... another 'additional factoring error' in ALL its glory....
Now when I half made this top (the nine patch / cobble stones) I had realised I had grossly under estimated the fabric I needed so I swiftly went and bought another 8 meters (um 9 yards for you non metrics amongst us).. well of course do you think I can FIND what was left over??? approx 4 yards of fabric disappeared.. Now I am thinking I may, just MAY of used it for something else (signature squares for last years retreat???) anyhoo, so whats a girl to do??? (this is the confession bit here petals)


GO SHOPPING!!!!!

OK of course the quilt shop I bought the original fabric at, doesn't have any left and hasn't dealt with that mob for awhile... so I did buy some other stuffs... so the next shop I went to, well that had something so close that I am going to use it and stuff what anyone says... and of course, the little wool shop nearby had a heap of stuffs on sale, so I mean, COME ON... whats a girlie to do???

You likey??? See the fabric on top, you know the Bella solid??? well thats all I went out to buy... LOL I did get some lovely burgundy batik (if batiks can be lovely - eek they still feel like shower curtains) for a wee floaty thing on the Adelaide Signature squares.. and I did get a red oriental to put with the Bendigonia Behemouth.. I am still mathing out how to sort that one out.. (I want the 9 patches to be centred the siggy's? not so fussed).. the rest is stash.. isn't the French fabric lovely???? most stores in here have sold out of that sucker so I was lucky to 'find' that much.. no charm squares to speak of anywhere down here!

OK I am going back to the ironing board, back to the sewing machine as I want to have a few things accomplished on my days off...


Wish me luck petals and pray there is no adding up for me to do!



Lissa

Friday Night Stitch In

Hello petals...
I signed up for the Friday Night Sew in (button on the side there).... what did I get up to??? well considering I nearly forgot about it ROFL not a lot! I had a crap day at work (I am a debt collector for the state government) so one of the girlies at work and myself took ourselves off to the bar after work.. of course I was driving so I could only have a couple of drinks (two large vodka's) so of course, I couldn't run the gauntlet home so I had to wait a wee while for my drinks to 'absorb'.. do you know what? vodka makes me sleep (I am an insomniac btw)... anyhoo, what did I get up to??? wellllllll


the centre of my Adelaide Signature Squares is done.. I am going to put a border around this and as I had two more signature squares I am putting them into the border.. the backing is washed, I have the rest of my batiks out so I have audtioned a few and will do a pieced border..

This top should (and I use that word very loosely) measure about 60 x 72 " when done.. a large lap size...

I am not a fan of batiks, I like the palette I just dont like the 'feel' of the fabric.. it reminds me of the shower curtains that would stick to me when I was a kid trying to have a shower! I loved it when my parents reno'd the bathroom and we got a slidy door no more sticky shower curtains!

of course, I had started the signature squares, so wasn't a HUGE amount of sewing involved (two hours mebbee???).. so I dragged this out..


I am a 'leader/ender' sewer.. I made these four patches as leader enders last year, I made the four patch variation out of them and have enough for this sucker.. (well I might have to make some more but not too many).. I ran out of the double pink fabric so I ordered some from the US.. I bought it in backing width as it was a lot cheaper than buying it by the usual 44".. crazy... anyhoo, I am half done with this one.. I did have to do a bit of unsewing with this top, cause I kept sewing the flippin' triangles on the wrong way! doh! This top is made out of 19th Century / Civil War reproduction and a couple of 'would be if they could be's'... its more pink in real life that in the pic, I just suck big time at takin' pics.

This top should measure around 80" square when done.. not sure about adding a border to this quilt, but if I do, it'll probably be about 90" square

Now I would of liked a finish last night, I am trying to get all my UFO's up to top stage so I can start some new stuffs LOL


My hubby asked the question last night... 'where are we going to put all these quilts?'

My reply was 'bend over and I'll show you!'... hahaha.. we have a quilt 'chair' I have quilts piled up so high that they are toppling over :O) its a VERY unusual decorating item, one I've not seen one those home reno shows..

anyhoo, thats it from me.. I am off to do some sewing and off to do some washing while the sun is out.. its a beautiful day here in Newcastle Australia and NOT HOT.. woohoo.. last Saturday was 15C (30F) hotter than our temp we are expecting today..wooohoo..


take care petals :O)

Lissa

Tempting the Fates (or the evil pussy cat, whichever!)

Now now, dont be surprised, tis a post from me, again in the same month even... what is going on with the world, has it gone crazy??? I intend *cough*cough* to blog about my finishes or even flimsies, so at the end of the year, I can actually say 'Holy crap I did finish some stuffs'.. so without further ado...

I have been playing with blocks this week.. Once a year I go to quilty retreat with about 150 of my closest friends.. now this is always fraught with a little apprehension, as I dont like crowds.. thinking about it even now, I get that heart in the throat feeling, but I go each year and have fun each year and get a wee bit tipsy (sometimes drunk even).. and I sign up again for the following year! This year we are off to Bathurst, which is about a 5 hr drive from here :O)

Anyhoo in thinking of the retreat, I thought I'd better work on my signature squares from the LAST retreat (of course the year before and the year before that aren't finished but we wont go there)... Last year was half square triangles the theme was 'wine and roses'.. the colours had to be wine or rose coloured and batik (or rose)...




This is my first layout.. I thought hmm its so-so.. went to get a drink and a snack.. and come back to this....I know I was very very stupid.. I mean, he was EYEING off the blocks in the pic above, but sheesh from quilt layout to destruction in seconds... I swear he must be speedy gonzales! :O)

well seeing tho the booger cat didn't like this layout.. I tried this...

what do you think??? I think I like it.. the four that make up the pinwheel's are my roomies and I at the retreat.. I have a bit of fiddling with colour placement, but I am happy with this..

I also finished these two tops this week, and they have been posted off for a quilty holiday already... The first top is the blocks from the 9 patch swap I did with Christine last year..I am very happy with this.. I did try blue and also red as the alternating block but the brown sets it off nicely.. this will be a lap quilt for the lounge (we have big laps here)


This quilt top is from an AP&Q magazine from early last year.. it was supposed to have a 'pie border' (english paper pieced circles) now I just knew I'd never get it finished so I added more blocks to make this quilt humungous.. its a very very large twin size, I just added a very small float of 1" and then another border which I'll trim back to 3".. I think it looks good... my eldest boy likes it so I might have to share!


Speaking of booger cats (he is no longer a ba$tard cat by the way, he has been very loving this week, he is not a friendly cat at all, but he has been wanting to sit near me, and follow me around and snuggle next to me when I am watching TV.. I know, he must be on some chill pills or something!) The kids think this pic is funny, cause you can't see his legs or tail, its all there peeps.. the kids call it 'octocat' but alas, a cat doesn't have eight legs silly kids, but its still funny.. this is cosmo's fave sleeping position...


This is his other fave spot to sleep.. I chopped my sons head off, as he'd KILL me if I put his ugly mug on my blog.... he has just had most of his hair chopped off.. he has one of those 'rock band' hair do's now.. oh the joys of almost 16 year olds.. I shouldn't complain as 3 years ago, he wouldn't brush his hair or wash it without us nagging him, now I am always looking for my hair straightener! The beast's hair 4 months ago, was longer than mine and was heading to his waist.. he had 8" off last hair cut! its lovely hair though.. If only his 14 yo brother would look after his hair.. boys eh??? anyhoo... here is a pic of Cosmo the no-so-bastard-cat in his fave spot in the world... awoken by the beast for the photo opportunity! (yes it is a shoebox a smallish shoebox for a very large fluffy-bastard-cat)

well off to do some sewing and some washing.. we have sunshine today after 3 weeks of very iffy weather.. of course sunshine after 3 weeks of raining makes 1. the grass grow VERY long and 2. makes the weather very muggy :O( muggy = poopy weather.. Dags mowed the lawn on Thursday and I swear it needs doing again.. Miss Smelly is off to her friends for a swim in the pool so I'd better get some clothes on.. apparently going out in the car in your pj's isn't acceptable it embaresses 12 yo's.. who would of thunk that???

take care and quilty huggers.. 'til next time


Lissa

When Bad things happen to not-so-bad (nor good) peoples!

Hello Possums....

want to see a pic of what I am working on????



These lovely blocks were artistically arranged, placed after much to-ing and fro-ing last night... I also squinted at them from afar, took the SPECS off to even have a blurrier pic.. and was very happy with the layout.. well of course I came back to EEK... CHAOSS!!! all 5.1kgs of the furry booger...

Now to look at him..
I know... he is cute, and has that sort of 'butter wouldn't melt in his mouth' look about him.. but let me remind you all, he is a BASTARD CAT... pardon the french, but he is of very questionable parentage as well... a REAL bastard of a cat....... as I was telling him off for 'skidding' or 'quilt rearranging' as I am sure he calls it, he did a big 'dump' in his box, so I cleaned that up... when I come back inside, oh of course, he left me a present on the carpet, a lovely FURBALL... cats?? they are as bad as kids, but at least there is the RSPCA for naughty bastard pussy cats.. I can't threaten the kids with the POUND...

Of course we'd never send Bailey the Wonderdog to the pound.. she is a very good watchdog (sometimes she even gets off her bed to bark at peeps rattling the gate)
she likes to think she is an inside doggie, but she isn't.. she does do a mad dash through the house from time to time as she has taken a liking to bastard cat food :O) he is too fussy, but ol' Bazzie, well she adores tuna with wild rice and lordy knows what else we try to tempt the furry devil with..

here is a pic of Bazzie we took very recently, she is starting to look a wee bit grey around the gills (a bit like myself)

Okay, back to the quilt... I fiddled and have squinted (and took the specs off) and very quickly got a pic of it reassembled again.. I'll be stitching this tonight, I am not into parties or big gatherings, I am a bit 'shy'.. now I know people who have met me in the flesh might think this is HILARIOUS but I truly am a shy wall flower.. I have been known to have panic attacks thinking about having to go to big functions... Anyhoo.. this is the quilt... so far... I have about 20 seams or so to sew and its done!


These blocks partially were from the block swap that Christine had organised on her blog.. I had a few extra's that worked as well, its civil war / 19th century repros.. I think there could be a few 'would be if they could be's' but hey, I am not the quilt police so it works for me! I want to get this one finished to send with a few others off to my friend to get quilted sometime in 2010!

speaking of 2010.. Happy New Year to you all... I am hoping for a safe year for all my family and friends, an easier year for my dad.. much happiness for my dear brother and cooler weather! how long until Winter????? 6 months?? crikey!!!


take care possums...



Lissa
the itinerant blogger

Only 364 days to go...

Hello possums...

yes just a heads up... christmas IS COMING!!! its only 364 days to go.. Now please consider yourself warned.. there will be no excuses now for last minute shopping or sitting up on christmas eve waiting for the 'darlings' to go to _#()$*_)( bed so you can play santa...

I made this heart some years ago.. I think it looks cute.. I had to remember where I put it so I could drag it out this year...

I didn't do a lot of decorating this year... we have two tree's but since we have had a certain furry booger living with us, I only put one up.... he wasn't bothered at all by the tree this year, no ornaments committed 'ornamenticide' while we were at work/school... last year we'd come home and find more ornaments on the floor than on the tree...
So in thinking that we'd have 'ornamental carnage' I put a whole heap of red decorations into this tall glass vase I have had for at least 20 years, I bought it before I'd left home! Its a simple idea, it was on the table (didn't get a pic) with the forest of miniature trees..

So what did santa bring Lissapoo? well I got a new pandora bracelet (um no. 4 bracelet), a pandora necklace, 7 charms and two quilting books (the Elm Creek series).. I also got some lovely perfume (Giorgio which is my fave) and a few bits and pieces... So I was thoroughly spoiled (which I deserve to be)..

Sewing wise? um still not much happening here.. I have been buying fabric ten times quicker than I sew.....

So I thought I'd leave you a pic of Bailey the Wonderdog, busy doing what she does best.. see the blue pool in the background?? well its hers, its her favourite place to be in summer.. she even SLEEPS in it when its darn hot (it is summer here and we've had some scorchers already)

And this is Cosmo's favourite spot too.. the kids aren't allowed to bother him when he is in his play tunnel, it didn't take Cosmo very long to work out the kids don't annoy him here so he has some lovely sleeps in here!

Deeeaaar Santa... - Fat Quarter Shop's Jolly Jabber

Deeeaaar Santa... - Fat Quarter Shop's Jolly Jabber

A letter to Santa.....

Dear Santa....

well I did promise I'd be good this year... the lumps of coal I got in my stocking last chrissy were a bit of a reminder / nudge to remind me to behave myself this year..... to honest, the coal was a bit of a crap thing to do... I mean, you can't always be good can you???

I did promise I'd not drink copious amounts of alcohol and be oobnoxious... well, I only drank copious amounts once or twice this year (*fingers crossed*)...

I did promise that I'd finish everything I started, those chocolate bars were very tasty, the bottle of schmirnoff also VERY good... a few quilty things did get finished this year (*fingers crossed*legs crossed*)....

I did also promise that I'd retire from nagging my husband... I like to call it 'repetitive-persuasion-done-at-volume' this year, so yes, the nagging has stopped.. (*fingers crossed*legs crossed*eyes crossed*)

I also learned that the anklet I've been wearing was actually my HALO (Ooopsie) so its all shined up and glowing somewhere closer to my head....(I think they call it a choker???)

so ok, I fess up... I wasn't such a good possum this year, but but BUT... if you were to deliver something from your Elves at the Fat Quarter Shop like

or even

I'd be so occupied I'd not have time to run amok...

Now if I was to be considered on the 'NICE' list and erased from the top of the naughty list, I am sure either one of these lovelies would point me in the right direction... Of course I'd be too darn busy sewing up a storm to even think about creating chaos and havoc in my wake...

So please dear Santa.. I am reformed 'Naughty List Leader' and now shining my halo daily please send me some lovelies to play with....

Lissa

PS no I have not gone nuts... the Fat Quarter Shop is having a super giveaway, check out this post for information!

Ahem.. I lied again

Hello Petals..

yes 'tis I.. the itinerant blogger...

What have I been up to for five months? Um not a great deal! This working full time is certainly over rated.. between work and family I dont get a load of time to do any fun sewing.. I did get myself a new machine in September and alas, I've used it um for about 2 hours!

I did lose my quilting mojo for awhile.. and this horrid heat has put the kybosh on sewing no a/c in the sewing area...

I have also discovered Norwegian Blogs.. This blog "LeKaQuilt" caught my eye awhile ago Thanks to google translater I can now read the blogs as well as enjoy the eye candy.. I am not quite sure about what I like about what Norwegian quilters are doing, but they seem to do clean lines and the colour pallette they use interests me.. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I do enjoy reading the blogs! And I keep seeing SNOW on their blogs, which is hard to imagine after 43C yesterday at work.. and I was on the coast.. EEK.. and of course, yesterday was the day they decided to 'fix' our a/c at work.. we've been freezing all month and yesterday finally they got it right throughout the building...


Helen Stubbings Is doing a giveaway on the above quilt pattern.. its a QAYG job and I just love this.. I've not done a QAYG but I think this one would be fun to tackle! Lots of redwork and its just my 'colours'..

so what I have been exactly doing?? um not a great deal.. the bastard cat is mellowing.. he is sitting at my feet as I type, wondering what the heck I am doing on the darn computer and why I am not in the kitchen opening a tin or two for him.. he let me shave his tummy through the week, so he isn't feeling the heat so bad.. I feel for him when its summer.. Bailey the Wonderdog is in her pool already, we bought her last year another kiddies wading pool and she is having a snooze in it at 8am! its quite funny, I'll have to charge the camera up and take a pic..


Have I had any finishes lately? um no.. LOL I am awaiting some 9 patch blogs to come home from Christine's 9 Patch swap. I know EXACTLY what I am going to do with these.. I have a pile of 9 patch repro's from another swap, so I am planning on doing one quilt on point and one not like a scrappy irish chain and maybe make the quilt reversible? Idont know whether to do two quilts or or a double sided quilt.. hmmm

Anyhoo..enough rambling, please go and check out the blogs..

Oh a link.. this is a favourite of mine : QuiltShops if I am looking for anything in particular, I can usually find it here and on sale.. with our $ so good against the US I've been buying up fabric ten times faster than I am sewing.. ok, another lie there, not much sewing, but I have added about 50 meters of fabric to the stash in the past 4 months! I signed up for TWO BOM's as well.. The one & this one


what was I thinking?? um I wasn't thinking, thats the problem! Did I mention I loathe triangles????????? I guess I'll have them mastered after doing these two quilts...


take care


Lissa
the itinerant blogger
the sometimes patchworker

Ahem.... so I tell FIBS...

Okay okay okay...

yep my last post I promised not so long between posts and wow, nearly 4 months.. CRIKEY FOUR FREAKING months have passed by...

after numerous emails and reading this blogpost I thought of a NIKE ad and thought 'JUST DO IT'...

What have I been up to since February???

Um I could have finished a quilt or three (putting binding on the last one)


I did finish a couple of tops



2007 Scquilters Retreat - Bendigonia Behemouth BACK (all signatures)



Bendigonia Behemouth FRONT (not sure about borders so have put this into the 'too hard' basket at the moment)



Perth 2008 Siggy squares, I thought of sunshine, so I have sort of kinda did a colour wash with the sun radiating from the left hand side.. its a signature quilt as well.. not sure about borders probably do a simple thing (I am a simple person)

I might of even gone on another retreat.. and come home with some more fabric.. UH OH.. this is only SOME of it.. Um I didn't take any pics but there are some Pics on Bernadette's blog, as we were roomies!!!


I might have even remebered how to crochet.. my friend Bernadette found this pattern so I had to make it (I think I finished it in two nights??) a certain furry person loves it for some reason, have to keep it in the car otherwise I go to work with a scarf that looks like it is ANGORA instead of plain ol' wool... this is for a book mark of course, but I used bigger hook and wool rather than perle thread.. it was a bit wavy, but I am sure thats the person driving the crochet hook rather than the pattern.. I am only 39, but I hadn't crochet anything other than granny rugs for um, 25 years at least!



Now on my last post I did promise a giveaway.. I asked my son (aka the beast) to pick a number and he picked "ONE" so if you posted on my PREVIOUS POST you could of won... so VICKIE from NT if my guess is correct, please email me your snail mail and I'll pop a wee surprise in the mail to you!!!

her comment was....
Vickie said...
HOLY snappin duck poop, good to read you is alive and kicking girl..hmmm been spendin again eh?some nice goodies there-and whats with all this winning eh..new name fr you "queen of winnings"
cheers Vickie

1:15 AM

I have had a poopy week.. the shingles are back - yes again... no spots, just the pain, I am sure I'll survive.. what brought on this dose? last Saturday, I drove past my g/fs street, had planned on calling in then thought 'nah I'll go home' then something told me to go back, so I backtracked and I had a lovely afternoon chatting to my g/f and her hubby.. four hours after I got home, my g/fs hubby passed away.. he was only 41.. so I have had the shock of that and the funeral this week.. so no wonder I have shingles..


Also check out Mid-Ohio-Knitters Blog she is having a giveaway!!!


Well I think thats enough for you all to take in.. next post, I'll put up some of the redwork I've been working on!



take care


Lissa

Yep 'tis I...

Hello possums...

well I did promise that it wouldn't be so long between 'drinks' or posts..


This is about all I have done lately... not much, its Gail Pans 'freebie' stitchery of the month... I am lazy (as you might already know) so I am doing mine in redwork.. so far so good.. block 2 is ready to be stitched..

But I have been a tad busy (same o same o) and I am sure you are all aware of what has been happening to this poor country of ours.. 189 dead in the bushfires, I think they are up to 1834 homes gone, 7000++ people homeless and the number of dead is expected to hit more than 300 in the coming months... we have the fires in the south and and flooding up north, over 1000 homes flooded up there.... a lot of aussies are rallying together, donating quilts, orphan blocks, tops... if you want to help, please check out
Australian Red Cross - need $'s.. with so many people homeless, they need funds.. if you are overseas, $1 AUD - 64c US..
OzComfortQuilts - Jan is an amazing woman.. the amount of quilts she makes for charity each year is mind boggling.. she is happy to take off your hands, those orphan blocks, quilt tops, and of course, finished tops.. I have a few orphans to send to her.. I know this woman 'in the flesh' and she is a generous woman, so please, why not whip up a block or two or more and send to Jan.. she also has a tutorial on her other blog on how to make her QAYG blocks.. she has been calling for 10.5" finished 'heart string' style blocks..

There are so many people doing some wonderful things... I'll post a few more links in my next post..

we have a lovely country, a country of extremes in so many ways... we are on day 6 of rain here in downtown Newcastle, and we have been blessed not to have flooding in our area, although there are flood warnings further 'up the valley' please keep your fingers crossed for the farmers!

well not much sewing getting done here, to say I have had a poopy fortnight is an understatement and I know dragging a sewing machine out and doing 'something' or anything would cheer me up, but yesterday, well a quick trip to the quilt shop always cheers me up.. and to be honest, this is a FABRICOLOGIST blog so I have to keep the masses happy with a pic of the newest members of my 'family' (thats the stash family)...

for the aussies, the fabs on the left, the repro's are from, that place that we all say we dont shop at, but often visit... spotlight.. they were $9.95/m (a bargain for non aussies)..

the Aviary charm squares, they are sweet, I got two lots but somehow have misplaced one lot! doh! the rest of the 'loot' come from Onpoint Patchwork which is on my way home from work, and I never ever seem to get there, they have a little bit of everything and a lot of thimbleberries..

KA requested pics of my other 'fetish'.....

Yes I am embaressed/chuffed to say I am the owner of not one, not two but THREE pandora's.. and yes, I wear them together all the time.. I feel a bit odd now when I take them off, my arm feels like it is floating away.. I am thinking I am going to end up with like a tennis player arm one lovely muscly one, and one with the saggy 'fadoobeeders' (fadoobeeders = tuck shop lady arms / batwings).. oh well, I love them and to be honest, I haven't bought a lot of them, my darling daddles (aka the father) bought me my name for christmas he nearly fainted when they told him how much.. I thought it was kinda funny, as he bought my REAL name and not my nick name... so there, my secret is out, my REAL name isn't Lissa.. its MELISSA..

I did also get some 'cheer up' mail the other week, I won a giveaway on Bozzy's blog... I was having a poopy day, and come home to this 'stash' of habby items.. the pins are wonderful, I love clover applique pins and these are perfect like the clover ones.. the silicon bobbin holder is also something I have coveted and the yoyo's in hearts were perfect for valentines day (oops forgot to take a pic of what we made)..

Thanks so much Lynda!!!


I was also very lucky (might have to rush out and buy me some lotto tickets)
before christmas I won a giveaway on a few blogs.. firstly a wonderful pattern from Kerry from My Favourite Things.. Miss Lara has eyed this pattern off.. I also won a lovely pattern from Annie from Hatched and Patched I also won a lovely Lynette Anderson designs pin from Kim @ Honeysuckle Cottage, it was wrapped in a lovely piece of fabric too.. Thank you sooo darn much ladies! I love

Which leads me to thinking.. I have been sooo darn lucky with 'winnings' (some days I feel like I am a blog whore, I LOVE blogs, I could spend all darn day on the net checking out what peoples are up to) online, that stay tuned possums, I am going to have a giveaway.. not sure of what yet.. (a teenager or two could be on the cards!).. but I am not saying my next post, could be the one after, but there is a giveaway.. might be some stash (if I dont get my finger out) or something fun.. I haven't thought about it too much as you can tell, but stay tuned possums..

Cat 67, Tree 2

Hmmm

this is an 'after' pic of the poor ol' tree..

A certain critter, who shall remain nameless (but who is often referred to as 'the bastard cat') has been having a WOW of a time with our tree... well until the unfortunate incident of him in the tree and the tree toppling over.. I have never seen a furry critter run so fast.. he plays it 'safe...r' now by just 'tinkering' with the baubles that are on the lowest branch.. of course now, there are no deco's on the bottom of the tree, they are all on the floor UNDER the tree.. I took great pains in 'decorating' the tree this year, had everything BALANCED, and it looked perfect.. of course I should took a BEFORE pic, aka, before Cosmo attacked it..



this pic, well pretend your glasses need updating, stupid darn camera.. I have no idea how long the new 'freebie' will take to get here, but I am sure you guys are thinking 'not bloomin' soon enough'.. I like homemade deco's but I am lazy, so I got the felted ones from a cheapie shop a couple of years ago, they were like $1 each at the sales, felted reindeers, reindeer faces & santa faces.. the crochet snowflakes come from Target, I did plan on getting mum to teach me how to make them, we got these on sale too, they were 50c each I think.. I bought every single one, planning on making a few dozen more to just do the tree in snowflakes.. which is ironic when you think about it, as snow doesn't fall here in Winter, let alone in the hottest part of summer.. Oh the red baubles are covered in red buttons.. I just hot glued them on.. going to do some white ones when I get a chance, have to find some plain ol' white baubles first, and some white buttons *W* I am sure I got a tonne of them about!!!


Oh, by the way.. the HOT returned.. its so blucky today.. had the a/c going and the kids..

No fabric arrived in my house this week.. which is probably fortunate for me, cause dags would have a cow at me.. I am already in the poop, as he bought some Pandora charms for a certain person (Miss Lara) and found out how much they are.. hmmmmm.. when you have TWO pandora bracelets almost full, well he now knows how much I been gifting myself.. ooopsie.. so lucky no fabric turned up, dont know what is in store for next week though, as I do know there is something on its way from Hancocks!


dont you just love gifting yourself?? I mean you ALWAYS get something you like, and you just know you'll appreciate it????

Nothing sewing happening this week.. I do have a few things I have to make and get into the post this week, so I am going to be busy..


Well I am gonna go and get myself out of the heat..

Oh... a link.. instead of a blog to go visit, I have a vintage embroidery freebie link to share.. click here .... masses of vintage patterns for you to redwork or embroider.. I remember doing that once.. LOL



Lissa
the itinerant blogger
& definately the itinerant patchworker!

Cool Giveaway Daisy Quilts!

Daisy Quilts is having the coolest giveaway...



Why not go and help celebrate her blogiversary!!!!


Lissa

PS another cool site to check out is my friend B's. I met Bernadette at the quilting retreat this year, but I used to chat to her on ICQ a zillion years ago.. is it still around??? ICQ??? I found ICQ group chats nearly as frustrating as a toddler and up there with a bastard cat! LOL
Bundy does the bestest ever machine quilting, a few of my tops are off on a quilty holiday at the moment with her! I can only DREAM to be as good as her... apparently practice plays part of it??? LOL

Ooops I did it again!!!

Blurry photo's that is..

found out 'WHY' I suck at taking pics.. my DARLING Monster (aka DS Morgan aka Morgy the Monster) has been JUGGLING my camera.. yes ##%#%#@&*()&#@ juggling my camera.. I was talking to him the other night and FOUR times he dropped it while talking to him.. I bought a new camera using some 'flyby's' I get from using my credit card a LOT.. LOL it should be here by the end of the year, but until then.. just pretend you forgot your glasses..

OK whats a week without fabric?? I mean I dont have time to SEW it lately, so why not keep the US economy going by buying fabric from there?? I got the fabric pictured from ebay, autumn rose quilting or something like that, for $46 US posted for SIX YARDS yes, SIX.. six of any fabric in australia would cost me at least $120 + postage, so I am a happy camper with this lot.. backgrounds are impossible to find in Newcastle too..

a post or two ago, I asked if someone wanted to swap magazines with me, and someone came to the RESCUE!!! My new bloggy friend Caroline sent me this lot, some yummy lindt chocolate (who doesn't love lindt chocolate, my second fave after Cadburys Rocky Road - a new to me favourite), a cute needle book and a gutterman tin of thread! and of course the Quilters Newsletter Magazine I HAD to have.. I want to make the Civil War Crossings quilt, lovely pinks and double pinks and a bit of chocolate thrown in for good measure! Thank you so much Caroline..

Um you might notice something else.. I finished another two pin cushions, not convinced I like working with felt much, but I sat up and finished both of these on Saturday night last weekend.. 2am I put the last stitch in, and looking at them you'd guess that too! the slip stitching is dead dodgy, but hey, only rude people wouldn't comment, and fortunately for me, the felt police are yet to visit..

I have had a crap week at work..

We had mums 'anniversary' this week, I still am numb about her passing away last year.. I thought I'd be OK for work, but stupid here *pointing at oneself* forgot the work she had.. I am a debt collector, and I also help create revenue for the Public Hospitals in our state.. I had to create invoices for 'cremation certificates' all morning... But I managed to get through the day with minimal tears..

Ok thought I'd leave you with these two cute pics... they are taken a wee while ago (why they aren't blurry)

I love this one of the bastard, I mean, evil one.. I just love how the fabric and the cat sorta kinda blend together.. he has been behaving himself *touch wood*, and I am most anxious about the safety of our christmas tree which will go up on Monday!


and this pic of Bailey the Wonderdog, who really isn't an inside dog (we did try for two VERY LONG YEARS to housetrain her) but she is allowed in for visits after baths and a dash of 'psycho spray' (doggie cologne that makes her go pscho).. she isn't, um, allowed on the LOUNGE.. the one she is sitting on is one I found in a junk shop for $50.. I think its one of the copperart ones, but its great to keep pet hair off the lounge, the one scrunched up behind her, is my version of 'Ruths Quilt' by Leanne Beasley.. I called mine "Lissa's Quilt", cause well, I dont know anyone called Ruth, and my name is Lissa! LOL