Feeling fit and ready for sewing.

Micki gave me this award last week and I have yet to thank her publicly owing to the fact that I have not felt up to a great deal thanks to this flu. I heartily apologise for this as it is a lovely award as it means that this blog invests in and believes that blogging makes us close. Proximidade translated to English means vicinity or neighborhood. I do believe that there are so many people out there who I feel I have come to know through blogging and feel that I share their journey. There are too many that I follow to be able to select just a few to pass this award on to so all my blogging friends are invited to give themselves this award. The blogging neighbourhood continues to grow which is a wonderful thing. Thanks so much Micki.

I had a lovely surprise last week when I received an email from Katy of Popular Patchwork magazine. I had entered one of their contests and won. I had completely forgotten about it and was delighted as I have never won anything in one of these contests before. My prize was Qilt-O-Grams by Cheryl Malkowski which is on fabric postcards. It is a lovely book and arrived at the same time as a copy of Machine Quilting Unlimited so I was set up for a few hours of happy reading.

I have been having a great time today making silk paper, the second lesson in Dale's Ratty Tatty Paper class. I have made loads of silk paper in the past but one of the method is by using fusible web - no water, no mess, very easy and beautiful light and airy paper which I shall look forward to using.





These are casts made from silk rods



I also discovered that the newspaper that I had used to protect the work surface while I had been spraying had turned a beautiful iridescent colour and the paper towel that I mopped up the excess with is just begging to be used.





I have also managed to keep up with the Friday Block Party and finished the blocks for Weeks 3 and 4. I don't think Rotunda will be reappearing any time soon - too many small pieces. I do like the fact that this block party is really making me work hard to improve my piecing - not something much needed in art quilts. May not be obvious to others but I can see an improvement already.
Rotunda block



Dewy block



I have decided to join the 2009 Journal Challenge organised by the Contemporary Quilt Group of the Quilters Guild of the British Isles. The format is 6" x 12" which is challenging but I thought I would post a little snippet of work in progress.



... and finally, the reason that it sometimes takes me so long to get things done on the computer (or anywhere else for that matter). This is Jack who was actually lying on my arm until I reached for the camera, absolute pest but I love him dearly.