In Australia it is the middle of summer and summer holidays. The schools are all having their big break... 6 weeks long. Many businesses shut down between Christmas and New Year as sole traders take a bit of a break. Many companies close for a bit longer (particularly manufacturing plants etc) and the work force has their annual leave.
We had 2 of our children home with us for Christmas, which was lovely, but a little disruptive to the usual routine (delightfully so). As well as Christmas and New Year celebrations, we have had my brother call in overnight and also Boyo celebrated his birthday. We have had a bit of extra entertaining, some board game playing, extra cooking and .... well not as much free sewing time as I usually get.
I have done a little bit of work on my En Provence quilt. Bonnie Hunter released the last 2 clues in pretty quick succession this week but a busy weekend and early part of the week meant I didn't get much sewing time.
I also sabotaged myself somewhat. In my last WIP Wednesday report I somewhat gleefully reported I had an empty scrap basket. I had ironed and cut and sorted my way through all my scraps till I got to the bottom.
WELLL then in the post Christmas euphoria I decided to tidy up my fabric storage cupboards and went through all my boxes of fabric (sorted by colour) refolding fabric and getting out the odd bits, and putting them into my scrap basket. I also did a major sort out of my picture fabrics, leftovers from when I used to do year quilts (see HERE for explanation of what they are). There were lots of little bits in there that went into my scrap basket and ... in just one day by scrap basket was back to its overflowing status.
I then was determined to get it back to its pristine state and spent ages each day it seems on my feet at my cutting table once more cutting and sorting the scraps.
I didn't need to do my ironing as the fabric wasn't too badly scrunched. Despite my determined efforts in the time I had available I wasn't able to get the basket emptied.
Another session and I think I would have gotten to the bottom but it will have to wait now.
Yesterday at Patchwork Group I was able to get a bit of preparation done on the next 2 units. They are 2 lots of quarter square triangles. I prefer to use the 4 at a time method rather than the ruler method Bonnie outlines in her clue. (I have some of the speciality rulers but ..... not the ones she demonstrates for making the units so I decided to stick with what I knew) I got the squares all cut that I will need - lots of greens, some yellow, some neutrals and some light purples. I got all the lines drawn and the first lot of stitching done on the green and yellow ones. Still lots to do. Then I can start to put them together. I am NOT looking forward to that as I am not happy with some of my units. They ended up a bit small and I am not convinced my fudging skills will be enough.
Now I am away from home for a week. Today we drove to Brisbane (a 10 hour trip) and we will be here for a week. I have bought my sewing machine with me and hope to get the next 2 units of En Provence done and hopefully some piecing of the blocks.
As well as my En Provence project I have also bought some Australian prints with me to make a backing for a quilt for the daughter of our 2004 Japanese Host son. She is the nearest thing we have to a grand daughter so she deserves a special quilt. At first I thought I would make a quilt from scratch for her but I was working on "Stingen Em Along", my String X quilt (another Bonnie Hunter pattern) shortly after we heard of her arrival. I really liked how the quilt turned out and want to give it to someone special. The backing will be a little bit of Australia for her.
How have you gone with your WIPs this week. Have you had time to work on them or has the holiday season proved as disruptive to your schedule as it has to mine.
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