at last...a bit of stitching...and some reproduction fabrics...

still typing one fingered here due to my arm still being in a sling...

after visiting the doctor during the week with mr armchair driving me  

as a cheer me up we called in to my local patchwork shop steph's after my appointment...  

and bought this lovely little package of what i call reproduction prints...

which i think complement the few i have at home...

along with this jelly roll 'civil war homefront' by barbara brackman...and a very informative book below on america's printed fabrics 1770-1890 also by barbara...

and from this era i have some fabric which is very similar below..

the top piece of this pic is the fabric i have...

the bottom piece is a pic from the book...i thought a pretty close match...

1. 
   and whilst at steph's i had to get this eiffel tower fat quarter to add to my collection...

meanwhile...i thought perhaps i might be able to try some cross stitch using my right hand...

but no that didn't work as i still needed the other hand even though this was on a frame...

so i had a rummage in a box under the table...

and came up with a little cross stitch in this little 'theatre bag'...

and perfect...i still have use of my left hand but have to keep it bent in the sling...

i am supported by pillows around me and can do a bit of cross stitch with the right hand for a little while...and have frequent breaks when the fabric gets too 'heavy'...

meanwhile mr armchair is doing a fabulous job caring for me and jojo...

i still cannot do anything...

can't cut my own food...

i can choose my own clothes but i can't put them on...

and so it goes on...

he is a real hero and i couldn't do this without him as we have no family members here and we are fairly new to this area...

i did say to him that he might be happy to get back to work for a rest ha ha...

i still wonder 'who cares for the carer' especially if they are on their own...

A Belated BirthdayGift...(Ber)nina all set up...Japanese Fabrics for Shattered Nine Patch...and an Award!!!

I'm having a fabulous time at the moment being involved with Cabaret...

lately it feels like whenever I go out I go to the Kit Kat Club!!!

Amidst all this a surprise birthday gift arrived from my dear blogging friend Simone!!!

Little parcels all wrapped up...

and on opening...a sewing machine mat...

I have started using it...and it's fantastic Simone...I just love it!!!
Thank you so very very much Simone!!!
And so very very handy too for all those threads as I still work my way through getting used to using Nina!!!

Here is the new table and chair all boxed up...

Chair all set to go...

And what a surprise to find that the seat lifts up for storage...YAY!!!

Table all set up...

And here is the little accessories box all set ready to go!!!

From a previous post on The Shattered Nine Patch quilt which my Needlework Group is going to begin soon...

For this quilt I have decided to use Japanese fabrics...
Above is the fabric I have chosen for the back of the quilt...it is really stunning!!!

Beautiful gold with an awesome eagle on it...I couldn't resist...

originally I was going to use a black backing...

but the eagles kept calling me!!!

And the fabrics for the quilt...
to see the shattered nine patch...go over here...

Here is The Versatile Blogger award I have received from Natima which I am to forward on...as usual to hard to choose so dear readers...please accept this as I think you are all Versatile Bloggers!!!

Thank you so much Nat!!!

OPAM (One Project A Month)...September 2010!!!

Can't believe how quickly September has come and gone this year...with 2 more projects for OPAM completed...how I have loved this little challenge...

I can honestly say I have never finished so many projects before in this amount of time!!!

Thank you so much to Peg and Kris for hosting this!!!

First off I started with this gorgeous fabric sent to me by my dear blogging friend Simone

together with these fabrics...

and stitchery...

made into a Sewing Companion...
this wonderful little companion was a project by Fiona from my local Needlework Group!!!

I had these little velvet baubles and I couldn't resist using them on the spine!!!

I love to add extras if I can to any projects...

As Coco Chanel once famously said...(as you walk out the room take one thing off)...Less Is More

Less is More is a 19th century proverbial phrase. It is first found in print in Andrea del Sarto, 1855, a poem by Robert Browning

I'm a bit the other way...as you walk out the room add something else...More Is More ha ha!!!

Amidst all this Mr Armchair putting together my new sewing table purchased at The Craft and Quilt Fair...

I think I'll do a separate post on this another time...

the inside...

The blue felt is a start to another project from my Group...a little pincushion!!!

And here it is all done Yay!!!

If I can I like to sign and date all my work...

And I can't seem to get enough of the Elm Creek novels lately...
have just finished The Quilter's Kitchen by Jennifer Chiaverini...
I wouldn't mind getting into the kitchen with Anna and cooking up some meals for those Quilters!!!

Next I'm ready to start The Lost Quilter and have ordered The Quilter's Holiday!!!

Dress rehearsals are in full swing for Cabaret...

(put on by our local Amateur Theatre Group, The Bay Theatre Players)

will post some pics up next post...

and I'm starting to believe there really is such a place as The Kit Kat Club...

complete with Sally Bowles!!!

What good is sitting alone in your room

Come hear the music play

Life is a Cabaret old chum

Come to the Cabaret...

Lyrics by Fred Ebb

OPAM...a new sewing machine...catch up with a friend and a postcard from Russia!!!

Wow...the end of August already and another OPAM (One Project A Month)...

how I am enjoying this project hosted by Peg and Kris!!!

Thanks gals so much for hosting this!!!

This month I have finally finished my A Christmas Wish quilt which was a free BOM (Block of the Month) by Gail Pan...

above is the front of it...

and here is the back...
After beginning cross stitch back in the 1980's...after my daughter did a free sample from Family Circle magazine...I went and bought another copy and did the same...and was hooked!!!
I still have many cross stitch projects here to do...
but slowly I fell into stitcheries...
now into quilting!!!

After over 30 years of the same sewing machine last week Mr Armchair and I purchased a new Bernina machine...(instead of saying machine now I will call it Nina)...with a built in stitch regulator...
This will allow me to do free motion quilting with Nina...that's the plan anyway!!!
I'm all keen to learn quilting now and perhaps some machine embroidery!!!

And here is Nina on our dining room table...
I am so keen I have also ordered a new sewing table and this arrives tomorrow!!!

And look Geo...here is the stitch regulator...

The sample from the shop...my bit is on the right!!!

And my gool old trust Husky which I shall keep and treasure always!!!

Hopefully tomorrow this will all be organized LOL!!!

And in the mail today this postcard from Sue...
showing The St Basil's Cathedral in Moscow...
Thank you Sue!!!

And last week my good friend Natima was in town and we caught up at our favourite bookshop and had a coffee!!!
Great catch up Nat...lovely to see your family again...and Happy Birthday!!!

Now I'm looking forward to tomorrow and starting to get organized...

Happy Quilting...Dzintra♥x