At last I can tell you my big secret ..........

..... Remember how busy I have been this year?  

Remember how I couldn't tell you what I was doing?

Remember how I couldn't even show you what I was making?

 

Well, ta da, drumroll, fanfare, waving fat quarters in the air, at last I can share my secret.  

 

This is what I have been working on like a thing possessed since the beginning of the year:

 

12 quilts, 12 brand-new designs, together with this:

 

 I can now tell you that my first book is making its steady way through the production process with those wonderful folks at Martingale Publications. 

 

It doesn't yet have a definite title or publication date, and I haven't seen the front cover design yet, but the manuscript has been checked and proofed by the Copy editor and the Technical people, the illustrator is nearly finished with her bit and the photographer will shortly be working his/her magic.

 

Excited?  Oh yes, you have no idea how excited I have been or how difficult it has been not to let anything slip before now. 

 

As soon Martingale tell me more then you'll be the first to know

 

(and before anyone asks, I already have more than enough designs for the second book .......)

The winner is ....

... actually, before I tell you that, I owe you all an apology.  I bet you have all been sitting by your computers all day, just waiting for me to tell you who the lucky person is, haven't you?  Well, I am very sorry, but I completely forgot until a short while ago that I had to draw this today.  Luckily, I did remember eventually, and what's more I've worked out now how to show you all the results of the draw.  I knew I'd be able to work out sooner or later how to do this, so, without further ado, here it is:

Now, I guess you'd all like me to confirm who that is?  Well, I could make you go to the Giveaway post comments, and count down, but cos I'm feeling kind, I've done it for you, so here it is, the winner is

Congratulations Cheryll, I'm sure you're going to love this book. Cheryll actually says on her blog profile that she loves to make Christmas items.   Please would you email me your address so I can get this fabulous book in the post to you?

Thanks everyone who entered this giveaway, I wish I could have given a copy to each one of you, but on thinking about it, it's as well I can't - just think what my postage bill would be!

Anyway, keep visiting, there's going to be another giveaway soon, and this one is also a great Christmas-themed item.

I'm perfecting the art ....

... of prevaricating.  I now have four quilt tops all ready for Bertha to come out and play with.

They are Paulette's quilt from our barter, Christmas Stars, Chocolate for Christmas and the yellow and gold one (well OK, that one still needs a border, but it could be ready by now if I had put my mind to it.)  So why isn't Bertha out and working her magic on them?  Cos I'm trying to decide how to quilt them.  Usually I have an idea, check it out with my quilting software, and get on with it.  This time?  Well, after the week I've had, do I have to explain?

If you're looking for the giveaway, it's here.

I'm not safe ....

... to be left on my own at the moment!  After my idiocy the day before yesterday, I remade those blocks yesterday and they're fine.  But ....

I then went back to another project I had started and got it wrong again yesterday.  This project involved printing some hexagons from the internet with 2" sides, cutting some cardboard at 2" x 4" , sewing hexies together, covering the card pieces and inserting them into the hexie "tube" I had made.  All went well until that last bit.  There was no way the card pieces would fit.  No matter what I did.  I went to bed.  Got up this morning, measured the card pieces, yep definitely 2" x 4".  Puzzled over it a bit, then thought I'd just check the hexies.  You're all there already aren't you?  You're right, those 2" sides had shrunk to 1 1/2" while I wasn't looking!

Final proof that I'm loosing my marbles came a couple of hours ago when I pressed the wrong button on my coffee machine and used hot water to make an iced cappuccino.  Aaaaggghhh.

If you're looking for the giveaway, it's here.

Spot the Difference ....

The block on the right is 1/2" smaller than the one on the right.  That's what happens when I sew when not feeling well!  5 blocks, all wrong.  I only discovered it when I tried to sew them alternately with the other, correct, blocks.  Eeekkkk.  What had I done?  Well, see those pinwheels in the centre?  They're the problem.  I made them, pressed them and before I trimmed them I checked on the computer exactly what size they should be.  It said 6", finished, so what did I do?  Cut them to 6 " UN-finished.  Today was spent making more blocks to the right size.

If you're looking for the giveaway, it's just below this post.

Giveaway spotted right here ............

We all know winter's coming, (unless you live in the southern hemisphere of course, in which case summer's on the way) so I'm giving away this book which could help you decorate your home for the cold times ahead.

 

There are some great projects here from lap quilts to table runners, wall quilts to cushions.  

Just take a look at this quilt, which is my favourite,

or this fun cushion being beautifully modeled by Mary's cute little dog Rufus.

Need a present in a hurry?  How about this table runner?

What child wouldn't love to have this wall quilt hanging in their room on Christmas Eve?

Love working with wool?  Then this is just the project for you.

This book has been given to me by Martingale & Company, to give away to one of you.  So, here's the deal:

1) leave a comment on this post for one entry

2) become a follower and tell me that you have done that (or tell me if you already are) for a second entry

3) post about this giveaway on your blog and then come back and tell me you have done that, for a third entry

I will keep this open for seven days, and will close it at midnight BST on Saturday 25 September, and announce the winner on Sunday.

I've got ..........

.... shopping envy I think.  Yesterday my father got the new Kindle he had been waiting for.  I played with it last night and now I want one.  My daughter has just bought a pair of Ugg boots, and guess what, now I've seen a picture of them, I want some!  My son is in the process of buying a new car, but this time I don't want one. Pheww.

On another topic, 2 people, Ms Shell Creations and Ms Zany Quilter,  have given my blog a Sunshine Award, which is really lovely of them.  I should pass it on, but I can never decide who to give it to, so I am posting the award on my sidebar, and want to give it to  all of you who come and visit me.  My blog wouldn't be the same without you, as I'd feel stupid talking to myself, so thank you all.

The winner is .....

.... someone, who must have an amazing vocabulary.  She submitted a list with 160 words on it! I came up with about 45 - yes, this time I could play along with you all, since I didn't really know the answers.  Hmm, maybe it's a good job I didn't win though, or you'd all be accusing me of cheating. 

The best word though was submitted by Midge, who came up with  AQUITACHRILMONGLIST.  Guess who actually fell for it and was about to Google it to find out what it meant when she told me her husband made it up?  See, told you I'm stupid! 

Anyway, if the winner would email me with a snail mail address, I will get the little prize in the post.

Oh yes, I haven't told you who it is, have I? 

Shellie from Shell Creations step forward and take a bow.  I do suggest you might all like to go and have a look at the snowman she made during the day - he is gorgeous.

Since I'm an idiot ..........

... I forgot to take the time differences between UK, US and Australia into account, so I am leaving the word puzzle open for another 24 hours I will close it at midnight , GMT, tomorrow, Monday.  If you're not sure what time that would be for you, this  is a useful site that works it out for you.

Thanks to everyone who joined in yesterday's Quilt-a-long and helped to make it fun.  I hope that you enjoyed yourselves and that you'll be back next month.

I'm stopping .........

.... for tonight, but thought I'd just show you what I've achieved today.  I have always wanted a red and gold quilt for Christmas, so this year I thought I would actually get on with it.  I played around on the computer, and came up with this design.  When I   have done enough blocks, it will have a narrow red border, a wider yellow one with red corner stones and red binding.  I would have liked to make it bed size, but haven't got enough fabric, so it will be a throw. Now I am finishing for tonight, thanks everyone who came and played along with me.  I hope you've enjoyed your day and got lots done.

It's a puzzle ........

.... not a quiz today.  When you feel like having a break from sewing, see how many words of four letters or more you can make from "Christmas Quiltalong". Names and plurals are not allowed.  Email your list to me and tomorrow about this time I'll announce who has won the "puzzle prize".

I should have said about the recipe that I used a quarter of the quantities by the way, which gave me 14 cookies.

PS Don't forget to add your name to Mr Linky's list.  If you have trouble doing it, please let me know, cos he is obviously not full of Christmas spirit today and is really playing up.


PPS This is Post no 5 today so just scroll down if you want to see any more.

It's time .....

... for tea.  The cookies were made from the recipe Pat gave us last time round.  Apparently these were originally made by Pat's father, who had a bakery and were one of his best-sellers.  Pat's brother now makes them, and I can tell you they are DELICIOUS!  (They should have been iced, but I was too impatient, so I skipped that bit.)  If you want to try them, go to the comments, here.

Not quite ......

  ... so tidy now that I've made a few blocks, and a lot of mess!

A little music ......

.... to put you in the Christmas mood. Go and have a look here to see the brilliant video that Midge from Soggibottom has found for us.

I hope you're having a good and productive time? I have got some fun planned for later, but I'm trying to give everyone time to wake up first.

Good morning everyone ...............

........ well, I had a disasterous start to the morning!  You know that I frequently change my backgrounds (I get bored easily!).  So I wanted a nice Christmassy one today, but it all went wrong!  All sorts of things happened, almost everything on my sidebar went,  my page with the Chocolate for Christmas pattern disappeared, the layout was all different, etc, etc.  I didn't worry though, I went straight into P A N I C K mode.  So I've just wasted the last 2 hours recovering everything.

Anyway, I'm good to go now and just like last time, I've put Mr Linky on here, and I hope you'll all add your names to the list so that we can go visit each other from time to time during the day.

I'm ready ...........

.......... to start first thing in the morning. I'm looking forward to it and hopefully we're going to have some fun.

Do you like my new cutting table/ironing table?  It's part of the old frame I had, and is the perfect height for me.  Being tall, cutting on the dining table was quite a struggle, but this is brilliant.  No more backache, whooppee!

Little Person ..........

 .......  thought he'd just ride in to remind you that there's only two days to Grandma's next Christmas Quiltalong Day.

We're back ....

.... from our train tour of the east coast of Scotland.  It was everything we hoped it would be - wonderful scenery, wonderful food, wonderful weather, a wonderful time.  This was not the first time we had taken a trip with this company, but previous excursions were all day trips.  We had quite an adventure, with one major mishap.  The engine that was being used to take us to Oban, couldn't get us up the hill out of there, so they had to send for another engine to come and help.  That night we should have got to our hotel in Glasgow about 7.30 - we arrived about 3.30 am!  Still, we were comfortable, well fed, and Oban is very pretty.  Here are some photos for you, and the viaduct in one of them is the very one that is in one of the Harry Potter films.  Don't ask me which one, I am not a fan, but that's what I was told!  Enjoy the photos.

Free slideshow created with Smilebox As you can see, there were no photos of the food - it didn't last long enough!  To give you an idea, breakfast was fruit juice, cereals/porridge/melon, followed by egg, bacon, hash brown, mushrooms and beans or kippers, then toast/croissant and coffee. Lunch was a light meal, such as fresh salmon with aspargus and then there was dinner.  That was a choice of soup or something such as haggis and neeps, followed by fillet steak with madeira sauce, mangetout, carrots and potato dauphinoise, then there was a chocolate torte, and to finish off cheese, biscuits, grapes and celery and coffee.  Are you hungry yet?  Imagine a menu like that every day of the trip.  Now we're home and eating light meals!

Bossy Boots is back ....

....... from her holiday to remind you that it's a Christmas Quiltalong day on Saturday, so get your projects out, your rotary cutters or your Go! cutters at the ready, your machines oiled and ready to go cos there's just 3 days till the fun starts.

Choo Choo ..............

.... tomorrow we're off on our short train trip to Scotland.  We'll be back on Tuesday, and I am not taking my laptop.  Well, steam trains don't have internet connections, so there's not much point is there? The steam bit is for Mr Fixit who is very happy that our train will be hauled by four different engines (no, not all at the same time!).  What's in store from my point of view?  Well, I get to sit in a very comfortable armchair type of seat, while somebody brings the scenery to me and fantastic food at least three times a day.  Seems to me a holiday doesn't get much better.

Yesterday ......

.......... I met a bloggy friend for the first time.

Ms Quilting Prolifically called in with her daughter.  They had been to Harrogate to deliver two of her quilts to be hung in the Northern Quilt Show this weekend. To get there, they almost had to go past my front door, so they called in.  We have tried several times before to meet up, but the fates always conspired to prevent it, but this time we beat them.  It is lovely to meet people you've got to know through blogs, and we had a lovely chat.  She also had a giveaway on her blog recently, which I won, so she delivered my prize personally. 

There were 2 quilt pins which I sort of collect and a kit for a really gorgeous little pincushion.  The other thing she gave me was a wonderful mug rug, which she made specially for me.  Just look at the quilting on this

Apparently, this little beauty was made and quilted in a morning.  When I grow up, perhaps I'll be able to quilt like that?