In a Garden

I had a wonderful gardening weekend - in other people's gardens. The NZ Trillium Group had their annual get together this weekend and there were some wonderful gardens to visit. It was pouring rain but that didn't stop a good turn out but it did stop me after I got soaking wet despite a good jacket and umbrella. It is totally inspiring the wonderful large country gardens that some people have that cover more than a few acres, especially when they do all the work themselves! It inspires me to get into my garden more and try to tame the jungle and reclaim some of the garden beds from the weeds. I don't want to take on too much that will draw me away from my quilting but I really should spend some time each week in the garden. I think the first tasks will be to do lots of spraying with Round-up to kill off the weeds and then to put down lots of compost and mulch. After that it is to carefully maintain each area as I bring it back into some semblance of order.

I also bought some small treasures for the garden but it isn't worth getting too carried away and buying too many at once. For me often the best way to keep track of myself and what I am doing is to have a gardening type diary and write all my plans in that.

Ken will be away soon and I have my plans for when he is away - time will need to be found for gardening in all my plans - there seems to be so much that I want to do during this time - two months will go along very fast.

Creative Urge

My creative urge seems to be waning at the moment. I am keen to start something new but just cannot find something that calls to me. There are lots of ideas that I am keen on but again nothing stands out. I really must get into my stash and start to use it more but when I decide go look through for a set of colours there doesn't seem to be much selection - if I want a dark blue they all seem to be medium or pale or too patterned or not quite the right colour or shade. I have been dyeing lots of fabric lately so the creative urge hasn't quite left me but when it comes to making a decision to overdye some fabric or do some printing then I seem to not quite find the time or the weather is wrong or some other reason. I am the same with housework at the moment too - mind you I am always like that with the house work.

When Ken is away for his two months sabbatical then I really must get stuck in to all the things that are sitting waiting for me. There is so much to be finished off with my patchwork and I really must put Christine's quilt together and start to quilt it for her. I thought I might set up the sewing machine on the dining table which will give me lots of extra light during the day and at night I can have the TV on for company. I really should dive into 43 things and add my plans to that - I really don't go there much but it is a good place to put those sorts of private lists. Ahh those secretive little lists that I have on bits of paper in my pockets and in notebooks. I keep meaning to have a book of lists and one day I will have one - it can be an art book too with doodles in it and some pictures just to give interest in it. Another of my wonderful ideas that really doesn't seem to go far I suppose.

What's happening

After a big busy weekend retreat I am going to have a lot of quilt tops sitting waiting to be quilted - ten in fact. I think I might send a couple of them away to be professionally done just to get the numbers down (and they will be my largest quilt tops too). There are five quilts that just need borders and three to be bound. I am on the lookout for something new to get on and start sewing.

Small change of plans

My timing has had to be changed and I now go over to the US in July. Hopefully I can get to the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. It would be good too to catch up with other quilters over there - I always enjoy seeing what other people are doing.

Time Flies

My goodness it is so long since I have written anything. Have things been bland and boring - not really, but I suppose there just hasn't been anything that seemed exciting enough to inspire me to write. And of course now there is.

I have finally decided when I want to travel to the US next year. I saw a quilter on TV who takes week long residental workshops in her home - it look good and sounded great so I contacted her and it all has gone from there. I am now hoping to spend a week with Judith Trager at her home in Boulder, Colorado. And finally I will go at the end of April and hopefully catch the AQS show in Paducah Kentucky and end up home again mid June. It feels good to have started to make some definite decisions re my travel.

It is not long until Ken is away on his own trip too - only about 5 weeks which is not long at all. I have big plans for myself when he is away. I want to do a spring clean on the house and set up my sewing machine in the dining area and quilt there during the time he is away. I will have to get Christine's quilt done then as it is the only bit opportunity of time that I will have. I really need to get on and quilt a couple of my other larger quilts as well.

Lots to do, lots to plan - lots of my beloved lists to write!