Never mind 'what time is it?' What day is it?!

I spent last weekend sat on the sofa watching movies and old re-runs of murder mysteries - the quaint kind, nothing gruesome or gory - and I got all my ring pieces sorted out for the Single Girl Quilt-along.  I'm doing the baby size which involves 4 rings, and I've used various bright subtly patterned and solid reds, purples, blues and greens.  Once I finally decided on the layouts of all four rings I then had to trace and cut 124 pieces... 

It looks bloody enormous at the moment but keep in mind every single piece will lose 1/4 around the edges.  All very time consuming, the only tricky part so far has been ensuring everything stays in the exact order i need them!

With this done that brought my current WIP total to 4 quilts...  To be honest this kind of got me down a bit during the week, I mean, 7 weeks into 2011 and I've still not finished anything yet!  I get very frustrated sometimes not being able to get things done, and the things done are done in what seems like twice as much time as it should take.  I know its the same for everyone, most people feel at some point that they aren't getting time to do everything they want to get done.  But for most people this is due to work commitments, parenting commitments etc - not cos they cant stay awake for long enough! 



Valentines day not entirely without a cuddle!

However....  The last couple of days I've put a concentrated effort into doing a bit, then sleeping, then doing a bit more.  In other words I've temporarily moved into the spare bedroom, the room where the sewing cupboard is located!  It really does need to be temporary as I'm in danger of losing all sense of time and reality...  but I'm keeping it up until at least 3 of the 4 are finished.  Hopefully by the end of this weekend! Here's how things are going so far.

Having sewn nice (ever so slightly wonky) lines to grid around all the blocks, I decided to do a teeny bit of detail around my favourite framed blocks, so I marked off an inch around each corner (half an inch away from the edge) and used one of the supermachines fancier stitches in between.

I got the binding cut, folded and ironed

and attached to the front.

Keeping things simple I just did some straight-ish lines on the first of the zigzag quilts

And I like the teeny wee triangles it created on the back!

Just before I go, in the spirit of passing on good deals found, here are what I think are two good ones..  First, Pink Chalk Fabrics Monthly Solids Club  which for me has worked out to the equivalent of about £1.40 (that includes shipping) per Fat Quarter for 8 co-ordinated solids, which can and will include designer solid ranges (which can often retail for anything between £1.50 - £3.50 per FQ, NOT including delivery) delivered to my door every month!  Woohoo! 
Secondly, a certain web/mail order "french" fashion retailer I wont name cos I would not want to give them free advertising is doing a great sale on flannel duvet covers, one of which would easily provide at least two cosy flannel crib size quilt backs, and give you left overs.  Lovely colour selection too...

Must go, WIPs to finish - so many ideas for new quilts to start!