Too much of nothing happening...

And yet, not.  I feel very guilty that I haven't written anything for your delectation since the 26th April... I haven't really been doing anything much except a spot of socialising, a smidgen of sewing, a crumb or two of craft, a something of upholstery... nothing to keep me from writing another thrilling post about it all... but, as I get started, I realise I could have written three posts - one about the Royal Wedding Party my lovely neighbour Lyn went to, one about Upholstery School, and one about the rest of this rubbish...


So, let's see.


I finished Kaz's dressing gown & she sent me a picture - I think she was happy with it, apparently she wore it to a Royal Wedding party:

There was nothing particularly hard about it, the sleeves were a bit tedious because I was trying to do a piped cuff, but my brain would not go where I wanted it to, so I ended up just sewing the bands straight on.  I think it looks OK.  I also cheated a bit & used fabric glue to stick the mitred corners of the hem down, next time I'm up in the Hunter I'll stitch them in place, but I wanted to make sure it got to Kaz by Friday, and if I stitched them, it wouldn't have.  I did do a fabulous blind hem, so I'm sure the transgression of fabric glue will be forgiven.  Don't want anything to hold up my beatification...


I made a cushion for Kaz on Sunday to go with Archie's chair - I found some sew-in piping I've had for a few years, tucked in a drawer - I dragged the drawer out when my lovely neighbour Lyn came by seeking aid for her Royal Wedding Party outfit (but more on that in the second post for today!) - and thought to myself, as you do, you know, "Oh!  Cushion!"... anyway, Kaz wanted brown birds on one side & green spots on the other, so here 'tis:

I think the brown piping just finishes it nicely.  And I worked out how to put the zip in at the top, with the piping.  Quite easy, really [quick tute:  sew the piping all the way round one side first.  Then put the zip in as normal, using the sandwich method, then, before you sew up the side seams, make the flap - about 1/2 centimetre (5 ml/.1968"), pin it into place & top stitch it down.  Then sew up the side & bottom seams.  Easy!  Drop me a line if you get stuck, isabellagolightly[at]gmail.com]...

If I was making another one, I'd also top-stitch the green side, just to make sure it didn't flop open, but as it's going to have the bejezus stretched out of it by a cushion insert, I don't think it'll matter.


What else?  I made pencil cases for my colleagues at Upholstery School, did I mention those previously?  Yes, I think I did.  Actually, I've just checked and I didn't.  Here's some pics:

Brown for me, green for Caro, white for Nat.  


What else?  I started on the quilt for somebody I can't mention, and I'm doing the same pattern as the one I did for Nelly, the Cathedral Window one:

The fabrics are really nice, gender neutral, (I think), but I've had a bit of a headache putting them together in pleasing combinations - unlike the blocks above, there are only five colours for 36 blocks (cream, white, blue, coffee & brown), so it's been very tricky to make a 6 X 6 pattern which doesn't duplicate any of the pattern/colour combinations - and although I've stitched all the blocks together in 1 X 6 strips, I'm not sure I've got it right:

That's my task for today, to get the quilt top made.  Dinner is sorted (last night's lamb curry, good thing Mr Golightly loves leftovers), the washing will get done in dribs & drabs, my upholstery school assignments are up to date (but more on that in the third & final post for today), so, in theory, nothing will stop me.  

So, Gentle Readers, I must go away now & put a load of washing on, then I can come back with a semi-clear conscience to tell you all about Isabella Golightly's Adventures at the Royal Wedding.  Betcha can't wait!!


Ciao!