What I did on my summer holidays...

...is not as much sewing as I would have liked.

After initially feeling pretty good, the pesky health stuff (update at the end for those that are interested) has been taking its toll a bit and hence I've not done much sewing for the last couple of months.  Blogging has also suffered although I am over on Instagram slightly more often - I'm sillybananasewing

However before I started to feel really rough I got a few things done.  I decided I would make myself a quilt so I rummaged through my stash and found a Hometown layer cake and some Kona Cream I bought for a project that I never got round to (like about half the fabric I own!).

I had purchased some patterns from Alison of Cluck Cluck Sew when she had a sale and so decided I'd use her Suburbs pattern.

It came together really easily and I love it - I can definitely see myself making it again.

The soft, slightly faded colours and the cream background remind me of the seaside so I'm calling this one 'Beach huts'.  Inspired by Trudi's Free Motion Quilting workshop at the Fat Quarterly Retreat I decided to try quilting it with swirls - the fact that the quilt was for me meant that I could relax and not fret if it wasn't great.

 

Not perfect but I was really pleased with how it turned out - I need to work on my consistency and spacing but I'm glad I bit the bullet and tried something new.

I backed it with Ikea 'Britten' number fabric as I felt like I wasn't a proper modern quilter without having a quilt backed with it!

Quilt stats:

Beach huts 

Size: about 60" by 70"

Pattern: Suburbs by Cluck Cluck Sew

Fabric: Hometown by Sweetwater for Moda; Kona Cream; Bella Solids (random blue)

I also finished a quilt top for the little lady (much to the disgust of the wee chap who informed me in no uncertain terms that he has been waiting long enough for his Cat in the Hat quilt and made me promise I would not make any other quilts until it is done!)

I bought a half yard bundle of Handle with Care with coordinating solids from Pink Castle Fabric last year and wanted some nice easy sewing that would showcase the fabric.

It badly needs pressed but at the moment I am seriously lacking in energy and it was a case of press the top or blog about it!

And whilst we were doing the photos my two little monkeys decided to join in!

Thanks for stopping by

Sarah

Pesky health update

Well I have now had 4 of my 6 cycles of chemotherapy - all three cycles of Taxotere and one of FEC (which I can't say without wanting to add "Drink! Arse!").  

My oncologist is pleased with my progress and says I'm tolerating the chemo well, which I suppose I am but I will be glad when it is over as it is starting to take its toll.  I just have no energy (hence the lack of sewing) - I made tea last night and microwaving some spuds, defrosting some bolognese sauce and grating some cheese left me knackered and needing a sit down!  In addition the FEC is making me feel really queasy - like really bad morning sickness.

And unfortunately I've ended up in hospital after the last two cycles because I keep spiking really high temperatures.  I have felt fine on both occasions but got admitted for IV antibiotics because of the risk of having an infection which can be dangerous if your immune system weakened by chemo.  Both times my blood counts have shown my immune system has been fine and other tests have shown no sign of infection so they think it is just how my body is dealing with the chemo. It is frustrating and disruptive but I keep reminding myself that there are plenty of people who have much worse side effects and a much poorer outlook than I do, so while I have had some down days, by and large I'm staying positive.

And talking of the positive, I had a mid point ultrasound and that showed that my tumour has shrunk substantially and broken up and the three abnormal lymph nodes have all shrunk too.  This shows that the chemo is working (thank goodness - I'd hate to be going through it if it wasn't!!).  

But at least it is only another two cycles so by the end of October it will be over and done with and I'll be on to the next phase - surgery!

Take care

S

Fat Quarterly Retreat

Hello

Since I'm going to the FQ Retreat next weekend I thought I'd join in with the getting to know you linky party.  I watched in envy last year so I bought a ticket as soon as they went on sale this time round.

I'm Sarah, a 40yr old (well almost, my birthday is tomorrow) Scot living in the East of England.  I'm married to a wonderful bloke and we have a 6yr old son and a 3yr old daughter.  I work part time as a forensic scientist which I love.

I've always sewed or embroidered (my mum is a fantastic seamstress and taught me when I was young) but that tailed off after the kids were born.  Then when the little lady was about a year old I was looking for a new hobby and I stumbled across quilting and off I went.  and through quilting I've rediscovered my love of sewing in general.

I'm coming to the retreat with two friends Jill (The Nocturnal Stitcher) and Anna (who doesn't blog).

Below is one of my most recent and favourite quilts, Starburst.

I love bright, rich colours and have a soft spot for star blocks in general.

This is me

But as a result of some pesky health stuff by the time of the retreat I'm probably going to be looking more like this

So if you see me in one of my little hats please say hi.

I'm doing
Crochet with Laura Taylor
Free Motion with Trudi Wood
Portholes with Lu Summers
Blog Design with John Adams

See you soon!
Sarah

Q2 Finish along results

Time to link up with all the other lovely finishes.  I laid out my hopes for the quarter here - one apron, three quilts and a cushion.

And amazingly, despite having done almost no sewing for the past month (because of pesky health stuff and a complete kitchen remodel) I completed four out of five!

I've previously blogged about the memory quilt I made my aunt, and the Starburst quilt I made for my friend's wedding.  Both were well received which was great.

I also finished the apron for the Crafty Cooks Apron & recipe swap which was great fun and good to do something different.

My final finish is a quilt for my Mother-in-law, Jill.  When she came to stay at Christmas she asked if I would make her a quilt so I said I'd do it as a birthday present.

We have totally different tastes in fabric so this quilt is much softer and more muted than others I've made but I'm really pleased with how it turned out.  I used a jelly roll of Athill Range by Cabbages & Roses and quilted it in a loopy design using a Gutermann variegated thread.

It was finished in time for her birthday at the beginning of June but it still hasn't made it to the post office (hangs head in shame)!

So all in all I'm very pleased.  I'm not joining in with Q3 because of the pesky health stuff but I may be back for Q4.

Bye for now

Sarah

Definitely NOT a quilting post

I know those of you that stop by here occasionally do so for quilt & sewing related stuff so I just wanted to let you know that this post will not be about that.

I've thought long and hard about whether to post this here are it was never my intention for this space to be too personal but rather a record of my sewing exploits.  But sometimes things happen and life gets in the way of your plans and I just decided I'd rather be open.

In the middle of May I found a lump and after a battery of tests it was confirmed on 31st May that I have breast cancer - only a small tumour but it has spread to my lymph nodes.

Needless to say it was a bit of a shock - the whole 'why me?' stuff went through my head - I'll be 40 next week (not exactly the present I was after!) and I have two small kids.  But after a few days and a few tears we got over the initial bombshell and started to get on with things.

The initial plan was surgery followed by chemo but further scans revealed a number of additional tiny tumours, which doesn't change my prognosis but did change the treatment plan so now it is chemo first.  I started last Friday and although I wouldn't do it by choice it wasn't as awful as I feared.

I'm lucky that it has been caught early, that I have an excellent chance of survival and that I have a wonderfully supportive husband, family and group of friends.

And I live close to a centre of excellence for cancer treatment and have a fab oncologist who has arranged for me to have my second dose of chemo on Monday 22nd July rather than Friday 19th July as originally scheduled so that I can still go to the Fat Quarterly Retreat - woohoo.

So in all likelihood I'll be the one wearing a selection of little hats.  And guess what - you can even get Liberty print chemo beanies!  Every cloud.........

Right, there we go.  Now that is dealt with normal sewing service can resume!

Take care
Bye
Sarah

Claiming my blog

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

I'm late to the whole claiming my blog malarkey because of a whole lot that is going on just now.  But better later than never!

Blogger's Quilt Festival - Highland Star, a quilt for Anne

The second quilt I'm entering in the Blogger's quilt festival is very different to any other quilt I've made for a couple of reasons.

The fabric would not be my normal choice and the process of making it stirred very different emotions than usual and I'd like to explain those differences.

We start with this man

This is my Uncle Eric.  He was a wonderful man, kind and gentle with never a bad word to say about anyone.  He loved his family, his friends and was always there for anyone who needed help.  Unfortunately a few years ago he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and despite the best efforts of his doctors he died in September 2012.

Understandably my aunt, Anne, was devastated and I felt at a bit of a loss to know how to help.  We are a close family and as a child I was at boarding school as my parents were expatriates and during half-term holidays I would stay with Anne & Eric but I now live in Cambridgeshire, some distance away from the Scottish Highlands where my aunt lives.

So I asked my Mum if she thought Anne would like a quilt and I suggested I could use some of Eric's shirts.  Anne said she would so I got going.  I wanted to use a traditional quilt block and I found a tutorial by the fabulous Bonnie Hunter called Smokey Mountain Stars which seemed to fit the bill perfectly.

It wasn't plain sailing as some of the shirts were polyester cotton blends and one was lyocell and as a result the fabric shifted much more than I was used to with quilting cottons but it all turned out well in the end.

I've made quilts for babies, for a wedding, for my kids, because I wanted to try something new or just because I loved the fabric and I've always enjoyed the process but the making of this quilt allowed me time and space to reflect on my uncle's life in a way that I don't think I would otherwise have done and for that I will always be grateful.

I called the quilt 'Highland Star' as everyone used to say that Eric was a true Highland gentleman.  I'll be delivering it this weekend when we are up in Scotland.  Hopefully my aunt will like it.

Quilt stats:

Name: Highland Star

Size: 56" by 64"

Quilting: Free motion loop by me

Fabric: Shirts and various Kona & Makower solids

Category: Throw quilt

Thanks for stopping by

Sarah

Blogger's Quilt Festival - Starburst

Its that time of year again when quilting bloggers around the world show off their quilts and tell the stories behind them.

And as an added bonus this year Amy is letting us each enter two quilts which is great because I really wanted to show off my two most recent finishes, for different reasons.

My first quilt is Starburst

I follow Melissa of Happy Quilting and love her style so when she started the Starburst quilt along earlier this year I was very tempted to join in but held off as I had various other quilts I was trying to finish.

However halfway through I found out that one of my oldest friend was getting married (this coming Saturday) and that was all the excuse I needed.  I had several Juggling Summer prints that I had purchased and I felt they would suit my friend's style so I ordered some additional fabric and jumped in.  I chose the main backing print as a nod to the traditional double wedding ring pattern.

I love this quilt, so much so that it will be a big wrench to give it away.  I love the pattern and the fabric and I love how it represents how far I have come since I first started quilting.  It is definitely the best quilt I've made and while it is still far from perfect I am really happy with it.

I quilted it all over with a loopy free motion design.  I'm still a novice at FMQ so I stuck to the design I feel most confident with but I took my time and it was definitely an improvement on previous attempts, particularly as this is a big quilt at 82" by 82".

It is also the first quilt I've labelled.  I used a tutorial by KarrieLyne of Freckled Whimsy and I really like the subtlety of it.

Quilt Stats:

Name: Starburst

Size: 82" by 82"

Pieced and quilted by me

Fabrics: Juggling Summer by Zen Chic and Kona Iron

Category: Bed quilt 

Thanks so much for stopping by

Sarah