Organising fabric

Well this post is a bit of a teaser.
Some Ladies, four Ladies, actually, think that I have some sort of chronic disease about organisation.
Well probably I have, and let’s see if I can persuade them
They are all lovely Ladies, and I don’t mind what they say, I can take it lol
So, this is my last acquisition.
This is just between us
I do have some fabric, and its sort of everywhere, it’s nice from time to time, to check what you have:
Well yesterday I found this very nice plastic four drawers stand.
On Special Offer for £15.00. Bargain !!
I thought well that will do for my fabric, and a bit more.
Wrong!! It only has my fabric, patchwork fabric, without the fat quarters, without the Liberty Collection, and without the Bag Fabric collection, ooopsss, did I mention I found a whole, yes a WHOLE box of fabric in the range of smaller than FQ and bigger than Scraps, yes I did, shame on me I know
So I got a bit carried away buying fabric, but the stash looks lovely
Here she is in the respective drawers and stand



Sideways



And the front


Already found a nice place for it, now start using it Carla
Have a lovely weekend
x

Books

Unfortunately books and reading is a very rare thing on my daily Life
Just not enough hours in the day
So when it’s time for the beach holidays, I start thinking in advance what am I taking to read
Well this year there’s one borrowed, one bought and one that was given as a present
They are heavy, but there are two full weeks, and two long flights, I’m sure there’ll be enough to read



Two in Portuguese, and a BIG one in English
Can’t wait!!

How to brighten up a grey and rainy day

Easy, so …… so easy
Just wait for the postman to deliver the post



Instantly your day brightens up
Mine did

Sorting out my scraps

As a very organised person, there was a box, that was getting on my nerves.
My beloved Scrap Box, was just messy, and I don’t do messy
So with a lot, and I mean a lot of patience I started tackling that problem
Let’s colour coordinate
Let’s organise
So the journey has started



I would be lying if I said , that I didn’t need a push..
I did, and it’s February, let’s say, it’s a course, let’s say it involves scraps, and yes I can’t wait!!
So excited

Let’s recycle and be creative

Well I’m a truly coffee lover
And last week with my new coffee machine, obviously that came in a cardboard box
So the creative side kicked in







And the result, add some fabric scraps and here we have some homemade tags




All you need is a bit of time, cardboard and imagination
And be ……………… creative.
Mr Clooney would be proud, and he can always pop in for a coffee

Scrap Quilt ….. FINISHED!!

And this is how it started!!

With a £5.00 Scrap Bag



And this is how it looks, the end result

She’s Huge.
She’s Lovely .
She’s a Beauty.
And she’s Bright.
It has been a pleasure, a challenge and in the end a bit of a headache, if I might say so!!
But worth it every single step.
There’s just something indescribable about a scrap quilt, and it’s an amazing feeling
Sadly she hasn’t got a name yet, but she’ll have to have one soon, just need the brain to start thinking about it.
And because it’s Sunday, I wouldn’t held my breath!!
Brain usually is turned off
That will come soon hopefully ….
Next………………………

Have a good Sunday everybody xx

Lunchtime

It’s nice during the week to get a break away from computers, telephones and all of that.
And I’m a very Lucky Lady, don’t I know it. I live and work in a lovely city, surrounded by a gorgeous park.
So most of my lunchtimes, I go for a walk, it takes me around half an hour, walking fast to go around the lake, pass the cathedral and get some fresh air.
It’s just beautiful and so inspiring, and at the same time, because I don’t do gyms, I exercise.
So, the walk, the exercise, the scenery and the peace, it’s what my lunchtimes are all about it.
And I love it





The quality of the pictures is not that great, but it’s taken from my mobile, I suppose I should take the camera with me
I just can’t resist when this is what I’m surrounded
And I truly appreciate.
Have a nice evening x

One Sunday in London

And this was the sky  in London today


,

Always a pleasure to go to Anthropologie, love this lamp

Just love this shop

Love these old suitcases
The quality of photos is not that great, because they were taken from my mobile
And then stopped in Liberty’s … of course , no pictures unfortunately, too busy looking and touching
What a lovely day

Shop Update

Yes I know it was supposed to open soon, but unfortunately or if we see in a different angle, fortunately, the stock is rapidly going down with friends.

So the plan .... she says ..... is to open in the New Year

It always amazes me, and I'm so grateful, how the 'Simply by Carla' bags are having so much success without any sort of advertising, or shop or anything like that

I always said that friends, and friends of friends would be the first ones to have the opportunity, because of all the encouragement and the support that I received from them

With the Patchwork weekends, obviously it delays the bag making, but soon, hopefully they will come out.

For the time being I'm having the pleasure of seeing MY bags already out there, and it's a wonderful feeling, let me tell you

A Huge Thank You to everybody for making the beginning of my dream so successful and I'm savouring every single moment.

Bless you x

Updates

Well let’s start with the first scrap quilt, the red one, the one without the name yet.
Well little did I know, that adding two borders was going to cause me so many problems.
Little did I know that a 1 and 1/2 inch blue border could do that. But it did
So, just keeping a mental note to myself, that whenever working with fabric in bias, forget the borders, saves a lot lot of time.
But still…. I love it, it’s not finished yet, hey …. but no problem, will soon be finished.
I’m really pleased with the way it turned out, and really love it



Once I finished you’ll be able to see how that blue strip frames the quilt nicely.
All I need to do now, she says is the binding!!!
I really am in love with this one.

The second scrap quilt the backing fabric arrived today.
And I’m too very pleased with the choice, wanted some colour, and I surely will get that



I can see a green binding coming along!! It’s just asking for that.
Funny enough I have both backings in pink, both backings dotty, hummm …..but both very different.
So for the near future, i.e. this weekend I’m going to try and start/finish the red one, it would be lovely to sandwich the second one, it’s quite a beast in size. Let’s see.

So much to do, so little time, and with these cooler nights, I seem to choose to read for the hundredth time my Quilting books, always ready for new ideas, new projects, just love to be wrapped in a quilt with a nice cup of tea and my books, and the quietness of the nights. I really do find this, just so relaxing and confortable. But it’s ok, I don’t feel guilty, I feel relaxed and that’s exactly what I love about Patchwork, it’s to make the most of every moment, and I surely do.
Have a lovely and peaceful evening x

So what has been happening in ….

… the Simply by Carla little studio?
Well to tell you the truth, not really much, apart from the receipt of even more fabric ….. lovely!!!
This has been in my wish list since day one when I saw it was coming out last month, so it has been there for around six months
When it came out, well I wanted some, and here it is.
Ten lovely fabrics, with a lovely soft touch



I’m dying to put my hands on this fabric, so soft, so me!!
Still on a soft touch, this next selection, is also a great selection, will have to add more beige, more soft colours



And because some days you just have to go bright, here is some brightness, not too go together, but some ideas are flowing already



Really there’s no chance of me being bored is it?
Absolutely love being surrounded by beautiful things, and I sure am achieving that.
x

The Weekend

I bet you were expecting to see a bit of Patchwork, and those two quilts quilted and ready…..
Well, it just didn’t happen, that was the plan, but…
Arrived there very early on Saturday, after a beautiful drive, quite roads, just great for a two hour trip
After a nice cup of coffee, set up and it started well.
After two borders added to the quilt, and with lots of space to lay the quilt, six tables all joined together, the space was just great…
Here was the problem, the border wasn’t straight, problem of working with fabric on bias…
Even the best laid plans go pear shape…. and this one did!!
But I’m not one to give up.
By then was Saturday night, and a Lovely Migraine started….
After a sleepless night, and I had a fantastic bedroom, with a wonderful bed mattress, all new, could I sleep, no I couldn’t.
Absolutely peaceful, and I was wide awake, me and the migraine.
Following day, still with the migraine, I quilted the top.
And that was all I did, because I left at 4.00pm
Still with the Migraine.
Coming home was tough, driving in the dark, and with the motorways really busy, and of course with accidents in the middle.
But I got home safe, unpacked the car, tidied everything up, and had the longest bath you can imagine.
Would the migraine go? No!!
It’s Monday, and she is still here, not as bad, but still here.
So now you ask, did you have a good weekend?
I had a fantastic weekend, surrounded by lovely people, lots and I mean lots of lovely food, surrounded by lovely quilts, gorgeous work those lovely ladies did.
Ok my quilting didn’t go according to plan, but Life, and Those moments were just Special.
The atmosphere, the way those Ladies helped me in a crisis moment, to overcome all those little issues with my quilt.
These moments are what makes Life Special, not always go accordingly to your plans, but than probably Life wouldn’t be so much fun.
It was a Lovely weekend, with lots of laughter and that’s exactly what it matters.
And I’m such a Lucky Lady to know wonderful People
And for that, I’m so grateful.
And here are some more photos from Farncombe Estate in the Cotswolds.

All going well, the experience will be repeated next year!

And this is it……

 

Absolutely Breath Taking!!!

See you later

x

And the Big Weekend is nearly here

And I can’t wait!!
Sewing machine properly cleaned. Check
Fabric. Check
Wadding. Check
Bidding ready. Check
There’s only 1001 other things to do, honestly it’s like moving house, and I will make sure I’ll take a picture of the car loaded, honestly !!
Still hoping the other fabric arrives tomorrow, you never know ………. but, there’s always the third quilt, which involves a lot of hand sewing, and I mean a lot!!!
Will have to show you pictures of that one, next week.
And did I tell you, that in this parcel, that is arriving very soon, apart from the backing from my other scrap quilt, there’s some AMAZING fabric arriving too!!
I’ve been waiting for that collection to come out, and it has, so looking forward, and it will be a very soft one
So I’m sure I’ll have lots to talk about it, Sunday/Monday and please, sun, don’t be shy, because I do have plans for my camera, to come out!!
Just remind me, how many hours are there in a day?
I can surely say that for this weekend….. not enough!
Have a great one everybody
x