Sew long!

Sorry, I couldn't resist one final oh sew funny pun!

I'll still be reading too many sewing / homemaking / parenting blogs, but my days as a blogger myself are over, at least for the time being. I've had fun with Mama's Sewing Room, but 8 months in I really have to admit that I just don't have time for blogging at the moment. I've completed my Diploma of Professional Counselling but I'm starting the advanced papers soon, and focussing on networking and looking for more volunteer / work experience opportunities. Whatever "me" time is left, I'd rather spend it all sewing!

I have three little projects on the go at the moment, which I will share in this my final blog post :)

Christmas mug rug from a great tutorial by Ryan Walsh; still have the binding to attach, which will be red:

Quilting my quilt; once I'd finished my patchwork I only did 3 lines of actual quilting and decided to quit while I was ahead! The mug rug taught me what else I'm capable of so I went back and quilted all the borders and am in the process of quilting each individual patch:

Toddler nappy wallet with matching change mat, a quick little project using some fun farmyard fabric:

Thank you for visiting Mama's Sewing Room. Happy Sewing!

Cushion covers & note to self re. patterns

Not a great photo but I'm in a hurry to get back into my sewing room before my little girl wakes up! I learned how to make envelope cushion covers several months ago, from Jane Bolsover's Sewing Machine Basics. These have turned out nicely although I forgot about getting the stripes aligned in the first one, got it half right in the second, and in the third it's all good - lesson learned about working with patterned fabric - some extra thought is required! Anyway, they brighten up our much-hated sofa (another note to self: do not buy furniture when heavily pregnant and in a hurry!).

Back, with bunting!

By some miracle I've managed to finish all my remaining diploma units, my final practical is booked for the end of the month, this morning we placed a holding deposit on a lovely new home, and I've already made great progress with the packing!! So, I'm already back in my sewing room! Woot!

I used this tutorial as a guide, but without the applique - saving that for another time! I expected the bias tape to be stitched to the top end of the triangle but here it's threaded through - I had a bit of trouble keeping the topstitching neat at the corners for the first two flags but by the third I'd figured it out and whizzed through the rest. Looking forward to hanging this in my daughter's new bedroom!

Keeping the blog alive...

...two practicals passed and the final one is set up for the end of October. Unit 15 is passed, 16 is submitted & 17 is almost done, which only leaves 18. On track! But, no chance to sew, blog or study in the next 3 weeks as we have to find a new rental home, and move, in that timeframe. Gah! So, once again there will be bloggy silence and no time in the sewing room either. Very sad. But I'm keeping my eyes on the prize - by the beginning of November the diploma will be all but finished & my sewing machine will be set up in our lovely new home - wherever that may be - and my Christmas sew-a-thon can begin!

And so, to bed!

In an effort to become more accepting of the fact that my daughter wakes up at 5.30am every morning I have decided to focus on the positive i.e. more hours in the daytime to put to good use.  However, note to self: do not try to demonstrate this by making fish pie from scratch at 6am. Annabel Karmel you have a lot to answer for, 65 minutes start to finish my a**!!

That aside it has been a good day - playdate mid-morning (by our clock), got through some chores in the afternoon, we all three ate the thankfully edible fish pie for dinner, and this evening I have finished and submitted Unit 15: Client Suitability & Clients at Risk. Will spend the next week or so preparing for the practical assessments which are on 26th September. Then will complete Unit 16: Case Managment asap so I can organise the associated assessment, which is also the final practical assessment. Then....a good long rest from it before tackling the final two units. There is no real rush, and I need to go a bit easier on myself. Am knackered! So yeah....to bed!

The early bird catches the worm

So they say. But I'm not in a mood for catching anything at 5.30am which is when Miss M wakes up every single morning! Husband and I can alternate now as I've started giving the first feed after breakfast rather than as soon as she wakes, which is great, but oh boy these early mornings are a killer even though it's only every second day these days. Cannot believe I think that 7am is a lie in! Anyway. Soon enough she will be a teenager and I'll not be able to get her out of bed until noon and I'll look back and laugh. So they say!

Have been flat out studying since I arranged two more practical assessments for the week after next. Unit 14: Family Therapy came back with a pass yesterday (it's a pass / fail system) and I almost have Unit 15: Client Suitability & Clients at Risk ready to go. It's self-paced so I don't need to go so mad for it but the end is in sight now and I'm just looking forward to taking a good proper stretch of time out once the diploma is finished, before I move on to the advanced units I've elected to do. I do enjoy all things counselling-related very much, but it will be a real treat to have a break from studying for a while. The timing should be great - all being well I'm going to have the months up to Christmas to sew sew sew, with no study hanging over me. Woot!

Only 106 sleeps to go!

I've never been one for the mad countdown to Christmas, but this year I'm starting early. I don't mean writing the cards for overseas or starting the pressie buying already - I'm not that mad (or organised!) - I'm talking about my Christmas sewing plans. Spotlight kindly emailed me another one of those vouchers this week that draw you in and make you SPEND NOW! Only valid for 5 days!! So off I went today intending to buy $15 worth of Christmas fabric (after the $10 voucher)...and I handed over $40. Oops! I blame my daughter, who was not in a shopping mood and was very vocal about it, and I got distracted and confused about the pricing, and then I bumped into a friend, and I got chatting to the lady who was there to do the quilting demos, and then I saw a lovely Christmas panel and then I wanted some red bias tape and then I needed some red thread...a leeeettle more $ than I had intended (as of course Spotlight intended!) but I now have the beginnings of a very nice Christmas stash. Time to get inspired!