Sorry no can do - Raconteur

Hi everyone,

I have spent several hours most days for the past month trying to convert my hand drawn designs to computer ones and am unable to do it.  Ben, the fellow who was helping me, has also finally called it a day as for some reason the program we were using just doesn't like my computer.  

It takes me two or three hours minimum to draw a hexagon but as soon as I save it the whole thing is covered with lines all over the top.  Although when I print the lines disappear the downfall of this is that I can't save as I go and so if I make an error everything is back to square one.  Also I am unable to save it to the blog without the lines... figured it is better to enjoy myself sewing rather than struggling with the computer!

So I must say sorry to those of you who were waiting to try some of these designs.  Hopefully I can get the whole thing published when it is finished.

See Jane Run

WOW!  Have been trawling and just came across some fantastic fabrics .. this one here is Andalucia Earth Moorish Tile.  Couldn't you do some interesting things with it.. just look at all of the reflections and rotations... plus the colours.

If I wasn't on a no buy challenge I could definitely give this one a try.

The blog where I found it,  laniejane also has a competition going and the winner receives a bunch of the fabrics... what a great way to promote the fabric and the blog... check it out... entry is free.

Clean Sewing Room

Well my sewing room is now clean.. admittedly the hall outside of it is a traffic hazard and a half but the room is clean.... that never worked with my mum and after tomorrow won't work here either but it has taken the better part of today to reach that level that I just had to gloat.

Decided to make a pin cushion yesterday and it looks like it may actually be working... will upload a photo tomorrow when I am hopefully finished.  The design is the oriental one on Luixin's web site but I have changed it so as to make it using regular piecing rather than english paper piecing and it makes it a rather quick project.

Will also upload a couple of photos but alas my card reader is at present nowhere to be found and I have given up looking... I bet it is in Richard's room:-)

Fibre Art Techniques

Eiloren has many free tutorials on techniques similar to those found in Quilting Arts.  Plus a great site and interesting blog to go with it.

Progress on NYR

Oh I don't believe it.  One week has almost passed and my 2009 goals have barely been thought about.

Let's see

1) 15 mins cutting scraps - no can do.  All of my scraps are still packed away and will only be unpacked later in the week - acceptable excuse

2) scrooge quilts - see number 1 plus no access to machine

3) one finish per month - still plenty of time

4) finish UFO before starting new project - nothing new started so OK

5) try one new free motion stitch - see number 2

6) write up patterns - Success did that one

7) quilt write up - success also although it is written up on a site with no public access at this stage.

so in summary 4/7 is not bad 

NYR

I would love to say that I thought of these myself but no that would be a lie. However I feel these are modified goals that I can achieve.

So for 2009 my goals are
1) 15 minutes at least once a week cutting scraps into usable pieces.
2) one hour a week working on scrooge quilts
3) at least one finish a month
4) finish one existing project before each one I start
5) expand my horizons -try at least one new style of free-motion quilting
6) refine my sewing 'business' -- one hour per week to be spent writing up my patterns for publication
7) one quilt write up per week on my blog

New Toy

Well Richard has decided to upgrade his DSLR and as he couldn't sell his old one on ebay Paul decided he would buy it for me.  Boy have I forgotten how to use these cameras, but I am looking forward to playing with it since it gives so much better pictures than the old point and clicks.  That being said though I think I am limited, at least for the time being, to landscapes ... since people quickly become frustrated because of the time it takes me to set up.  I suppose that was the reason I gave up on them years ago... the kids were aging just in the time it took me to focus!

Hopefully I have a chance tomorrow to go out and try a few of the features..... mind you PJ has said I will also need to learn how to use his software ... I don't know where they think I am going to find the time.

Raconteur - patterns

Well I have had several people requesting the patterns for my raconteur quilt blocks and as they won't all be finished until late next year I am planning to upload some until I finish them, and then hopefully organise publishing them. This will give everyone an idea at how much fun it will be to make

Every fortnight, hopefully starting February, I will upload the pattern for a new mini hexagon. This will be available for free download for one month after which it will be removed. After I have finished uploading the total block (one block = seven hexagons = seven fortnights) the pattern will be available for purchase if you missed any of the hexagons.

Not sure if you want to make it? Give it a go! It costs nothing to try and you will be amazed at how addictive these cute quilt blocks are.

Why won't it start sooner... because Ben, the young fellow who is drawing the patterns up initially and then teaching me how to do it myself, is on holidays and I have no idea when he is coming back. Plus I know I will be flat out with xmas etc

Paris

Paris is fantastic.  PJ met us at the airport and then escorted us to our motel and then we walked everywhere... Pantheon, Notre Dame, Champ de Lyse, Louver, Seine and the Arc de Triomphe, plus many more I can't remember.

The wide boulevards are superb as you can walk along this and  never feel crowded no matter how many people are about.

We spent eight days in Paris and saw most of the major tourist sites - here is a photo of me with the Seine in the background.

It was the most relaxing place, particularly in the morning as nothing opened before ten.  Paul and I were out every morning by 8 and had it to ourselves.  We then checked out whatever we wanted for the day and then wandered home.  As our hotel was in the 5th arrondissement it was a walkable distance to everywhere,we probably walked about 10kms each day, which helped to counter the baguettes and cakes we ate daily.

Kuala Lumpar -October 4th - 5th

Well today is the start of our holiday.  With only 80 odd people  on our plane I was able to nab a whole middle section to myself and so slept well.  This meant that when we landed in Malaysia I felt alive and well, with no jet lag. Paul didn't sleep so well but was still able to get up and go.

It is rather interesting wandering around.  I am amazed at all of the Islam mosques and Hindu temples,  there was even a small one behind one of the stalls in Chinatown.

Our hotel, Hotel Malay is right in the centre of Chinatown and so we check out the stalls every time we go out.

Breakfast is definitely interesting - a wide selection of dishes but they are all curry based ... actually all meals are curry based here, I suppose like we would expect of Indian food.  

This is a photo of a temple which was just around the corner from our hotel.  Check out all of the intricately carved statues.