Och, I’ll be so happy when this wretched flu is done! I’m so over it! Today is Day 16, and I still have a scratchy voice and revolting cough, and I’m still so tired. I’d decided that I really should make the effort yesterday afternoon to go to my brother-in-law’s 60th birthday party, but after the simple enough task of showering, washing and blow-drying my hair, getting dressed (and then again because I didn’t like what I’d first chosen), then skin care, flossing and brushing teeth, makeup, getting myself over there, then saying hello to everyone and pushing them back as they dove in for the kiss and hug, and explaining why with as few words as I could get away with, I was exhausted. I lasted just over 1/2 hour, then Moshe had to drive me home. Probably should have just stayed home, but I thought I’d be OK for a little bit. Anyway, it’s enough already. Go away, nasties!

So last night I’m sitting on the couch with my darling, watching more episodes of White Collar, with my iPad open as I casually scrolled through the latest blog posts on Feedly, and there it was! A post from Tessuti showing off their latest addition to their swimwear fabric range.

Now, last time I’d seen one of their gorgeous swimwear fabrics that I really, really, wanted to sew myself up a Bombshell Swimsuit, it was the fabric that the gorgeous Sophie from Cirque Du Bebe used for her version. Now of course, in my usual fashion, I deliberated waaaaaaaay too long about whether to buy this fabric or not, and yes, I missed out. I was really bummed, but I told myself it was all for the best. Why do we actually say things like that? No idea. In any case, I’m sure Tessuti will restock, or at the very least, will get something else in. AND THEY DID! Well, not restock the beach fabric, but they did get a whole heap of other very gorgeous alternatives! So, off I went, and here’s what I bought. Yeah, not one, but three pieces of fabric. I figured that although I may not make up three swimsuits, I certainly might use the fabric for a pair of leggings, or a tank top, or a little summer dress. So, woohoo! plenty of options!

Now, on another matter, last Saturday, while Moshe was off with his friends at the footy in Adelaide, I spent a little time on the quilt I’m making for him. My eyes nearly jumped out of my head when I read the date on the last post I wrote about this quilt – September 30th 2012!!! Yep, it’s pretty much a year since I touched it! I first posted about this great idea I’d had back in February 2012, when I decided to make the Parson Gray Curious Nature quilt for Moshe’s birthday last year. I bought the fabric, cut out the pieces (although not without a few cutting disasters that led to more fabric purchases!), and sewed up the quilt top, just in time to present it to Moshe on his birthday. Next, I sandwiched it and pinned it and then spent ages trying to figure out how to quilt it in a way that would really do justice to the magnificent fabrics and the stunning quilt design.

As much as I prefer hand-quilting over machine-quilting – I like the softer hand it gives, as well as the fact that I can say I’ve made the entire quilt myself – I decided to send it out to be quilted by the amazingly talented and very lovely Vicki Jenkin of Vicki Jenkin Quilting. She’s a professional long-arm quilter, and her work is seriously outstanding. I’m really thrilled with how it came out. By early November, I had the quilt back, and all there was to do was trim the edges, cut the binding strips, and pin and sew it on. However, this quilt sat in my sewing pile for several long months, hah, actually a whole year, until last Saturday, when I pulled it out and got it to this stage:

So now I’ve been tossing up whether to wait till I can get out of the house and down to a shop to pick up a walking foot for my new machine before sewing on the binding, but I just did a test on a scrap bit of quilted fabric, and my machine seems to handle it all beautifully, adjusting the tension perfectly as I sew. So, I’ll sew on the binding sometime in the next day or so, then hand-stitch it down on the other side, and it’ll be done. Finally. Then I’ll show you some decent images of this quilt. My computer is throwing a hissy fit and I’m actually not sure if it’ll recover one more time, or if it will be the end for it.

x Helene