Jennie's Threads

Another year is over and it has been a hell of a year. I gave birth to Josh on 18th January and it's been a crazy ride since then - we've had loads of great family times, exploring the local National Trust and English Heritage properties and venturing further afield too. I can't believe that Josh will be a year old in just a few weeks time. Jess started nursery and Mia continues to love school and really excel at everything. I went back to work in June, and whilst it's been hard work juggling everything, with more travel that I was expecting, I still love my job and I'm looking forward to the challenges of 2020. I've also fitted in some sewing - people keep asking how I do it but the reality is that if I didn't do I would be incredibly unhappy - it's what keeps me balanced day to day and whilst on maternity leave it gave a me a focus that wasn't just feed, change nappies, sleep, change nappies, feed.... whilst I love being a mother and I love my ...

Well it's safe to say that going back to work has made a serious dent in my sewing output! Inevitably. The thing I've found hardest has been to carve out time at the sewing machine. I'm still sewing nearly every evening, but it's hand sewing. Going into July I want to remedy that and try and spend more time at my machine. Not quite sure where that time will come from mind you! Here's what I did achieve! Lots of EPP, including picking up my Pollinate quilt again: But here is a Brimfield block in De La Luna: EPP Geo-Diamond - I've now got four blocks so I can play with layouts a bit! A Hexie Shutterburst: I love the fabrics I picked, but the finished block surprised me a little: the aqua blends and the pink pops! Sharks Dinner When I have been working on my machine, I've been piecing Summer Sampler blocks... I'm planning a blog post to talk about the Summer Sampler 2019 in more detail, but for now, here's my favourite block so far...

May has been quite the month! It's my final month of maternity leave and has been dominated with chicken pox... Mia got her first spot on 9th May and by the end of the month both Jessica and Joshua were covered in spots... But at least it's over and done with before I go back to work... My highlight of the month was ticking a box on my bucket list: two years ago we visited Belsay Castle and viewed the quilt show held by the Quilters Guild local region. At the time, I was just finishing off my 365 Quilt Challenge and said how much I would love to see it hanging at the next display at Belsay. The show happens every two years, and was on over the bank holiday weekend. Here is my quilt hanging in the Library! Despite the chicken pox, I have been sewing! I finished my Trinket Quilt: A pincushion : And a cushion : I finally framed the Moon Moth embroidery I was working on 6 weeks ago: And finished off the set of zipper pouches I'd been working on ...

You may or may not be aware that I am the proud curator of The List! I have a bullet journal, which I couldn't live without - it's what makes me productive and stops me forgetting things. Most things. And in that bullet journal is The List. The List is a list of all of my current Works in Progress (WIPs). As the start of the year I had over 120 WIPs. I have certain friends, hereafter referred to as The Committee, who believe that 120 items is too many. The problem is that I am a sucker for a sew-along, and go bananas for a block of the month, and there are just so many good ones out there. And the start of the year is a bad time - everyone has new projects and I sign up for them. If you follow my blog regularly, you will be aware that I do also finish a fair few projects, but the ratio is generally to start more than I finish in any given month. The Splendid Sampler. I've made lots of blocks, but not enough, and I'm not sure of a setting Down The Rabbbit H...