More Oakland, More Cats

I was early for my cat appointment this week so I took a tootle around Oakland. Actually I was looking for a cash machine, but en route I found a huuuuuge lake. 

There weren't any ducks visible but there were geese flying about and also the usual urban birds. A blackbird had found a chunk of bread and was about to fly off with it when something slightly bigger - possibly a Thrush? - strong-armed it away from him. To add insult to injury, the Thrush didn't even fly off but just sat there munching on it. 

The poor blackbird was left hanging about waiting for a chance to get it back. Can you see him on the left? I felt so sorry for him!

Next to the lake was the Cathedral of Light. It looked fairly impressive from outside - quite like Liverpool Cathedral. 

Artistic close-up. 

There was a service going on or I would have explored inside too. 

As often seems to happen, a block or two away from the money buildings, you get the run down houses and homeless living on the street. 

This weird house reminded me of The Munsters! The van outside is a phenomenon I've become familiar with since moving here. It seems like white vans and trucks are fair game for graffiti artists, judging by how many of them you see covered from top to bottom. I have no idea how the owners feel about it but you certainly see a lot of them. You also get the wall-based graffiti although it tends to be murals rather than the tagging you more often see in London and Tokyo. 

After a good perusal of the area I was ready to catify myself, and I was not disappointed. 

He later moved from the 'bagel' to the 'baguette'. 

Then there was a guy called Pilgrim who I just read was adopted this morning. 

So adorable. Then a different ginger boy was curled up with his mouse. He had assumed more of a 'croissant' position. 

And then there was the little 8 month old who was my best buddy on this trip. I didn't get his name but he was so adorable. He was very curious about anyone going past outside. 

I started off sitting in that chair and he came over and jumped up in my lap and was adoring the strokes. Anytime anyone went past he'd put his paws on my shoulder to get a good view out. 

He really was instantly loveable. I can't wait until we're in a flat that allows pets so that I can actually leave one day with my adopted cat. This little black cat was just the latest in a list of cats I've longed to be able to take home with me!

I Don't Actually Know What I'm Doing

When I graduated the most hated thing said to me was along the lines of "Oh, but you can do anything. You could get any job. You've got all your options open!" I didn't want lots of options - I wanted a clear indication of what I should do next whether this be some internal instinct, an actual hand on my elbow guiding me towards an actual building, or something in between. I now find myself in the same god awful place, with the exception of graduate training schemes, for which I am now somewhat age'd.

I've transitioned from left to right. 

I need to be able to go back to the UK 3-4 times a year so that's 8+ weeks of holiday I need straight off. All my experience is in England so I'm unfamiliar with any US working practices. I've just had 18 months off. My main field, project management, has different qualifications over here. I kind of feel like a 3-pin bird in a 2-pin world.

In fact I kept finding myself humming Jake-the-peg yesterday which won't make much sense to most people and is, in any case, almost as non-pc, given last year's court case, as two-little-boys. I seriously thought Rolf Harris was innocent, right up until the guilty verdict. Anyway. I digress.

I have pondered consulting a career advisor but my experience of them in the UK has suggested it is a good career for people who also don't know what to do with themselves, which doesn't necessarily make them suitable to advise you on your own direction. Pooch is away for a few days for a conference so I'm using the time to have a bit of a think. Any advice? The more specific the better.

Sunprints and Massdrop

I got this lovely fat quarter bundle in the post yesterday!

It is Alison Glass's Sun Prints - 17 FQs all together in a 'cool' colourway. I got it for $42 including tax and shipping (which was free in this case) so less than $2.50/£1.70 a FQ. Bargain! A few months ago another quilter posted about Massdrop and I signed up for their emails so see what kind of things they had available. What with all the upheaval of recent months, this is the first time I've had a chance to participate in a 'drop'.

What happens is that someone (anyone) puts forward a suggestion for something they'd like to buy. This then becomes a 'poll' that anyone can vote on. Voting doesn't commit you to buying, but it helps the site owners work out what would be of interest to their customers. They then go off and contact the manufacturer and ask them if they'd like to offer a special deal. The manufacturer offers a deal so there is a start price if one person buys, then some percentage less if, say, 20 people buy, then another discount if, say, 50 people buy and so on. You can see current votes here and current drops here. Although there are a tonne  of quilting things you also get lots of audio equipment, shaving apparatus, high end pens, geek chic and pretty much anything else people might desire.

I am not affiliated with Massdrop, except as a customer, but they do have one of those "invite your friends" links so if you want to have a look and see what's what then click here to register and if five of you do, and then buy something, I get something. Not sure what so don't feel obliged! But I have been very happy with their service and will definitely be joining in future drops.

A Bonus Quilt

I went to lovely Scrap this morning. I was looking for plant pots, plant pot saucers and low volume fabric. I ended up being moderately successful, although quite a lot of high volume fabric came home as well. How much would you guess this lot cost?

There are about 30 bundles there varying from postcard sized to larger than a fat quarter and it includes Kaffe, Kaufman, Moda and half a dozen other recognisable names. $12 was my total - except that as well as a HUGE pile of fabric I also came away with a hand quilting hoop I could probably hula with (or at least my ickle niece could), a nice wooden picture frame, a load of plant pots, plant pot saucers and a finished quilt top. All for $12. I felt bad only topping it up to $20. The quilt top is pretty amazing.

My photos are awful as it was very overcast today and we still don't have proper lighting sorted out.

There seem to be about six different yellow fabrics in play. I assumed it must be machine pieced from the size (72"x84") but quickly saw it wasn't when I examined the back.

Tiny stitches and quarter inch seams! I can't imagine putting all this effort in and then not taking it any further - but it will not go to waste. As soon as I saw it I realised I could finish it and include it with my own Hands2Help quilt for charity.

I thought I had scoured every inch of Scrap when my eye fell on two large filing cabinets as I was leaving...

Ermergerd. There were thousands. I have a few wish listed vintage patterns that I must look up the names of before my next visit. Scrap is a seriously amazing resource. Then my eye fell on one other thing. I'm not going to embed a picture of it here, but those not easily offended might like to know what I spotted inside a bag awaiting sorting. Made me laugh - goodness knows what kind of art project those were part of!

Quilts of my own making have also been on my mind. I laid out the final section of my Mum's EPP quilt last night.

This is why I was so pleased to have found the hula-quilt-hoop - I plan to hand quilt this sucker once it is all stitched together. I have been doing a lot on it recently as the new flat is still in great disorder leaving me unable to easily access my supplies or sewing machine. Tomorrow brings a table and chairs and a sofa (we've been sitting on the floor since Saturday). You can imagine that I am greatly looking forward to the arrival of both!

Hands2Help Update

Moving has sucked up all my time so I haven't much to blog about at the moment. However, having now got all my possessions in one place for the first time in 18 months I am reunited with all my fabric. This is what I will be using for my Hands2Help charity quilt.

At least, this is it minus two other matching cuts which got separated from these ones and are elsewhere and yet to be unpacked. I bought them from the Fat Quarter Shop at least 2 years ago - possibly 3 - and they seem perfect for this as they are all half yard cuts.

As for pattern, I plan to make use of the excellent Craftsy course "Playing with Curves" to make a drunkards path type quilt such as the one below, by Karen Ackva.

Circles ahoy!

San Francisco Cherry Blossom Festival

I saw *so* much cherry blossom in Tokyo and loved every minute of it. I was looking forward to seeing some more in Japantown at this event but seem to have been optimistic - this was cherry blossom in spirit rather than in person. Not that that held back the festivities. Japanese festivals have a specific type of food known as "B food" and this was similar.

Pooch was very disturbed to find that the Takoyaki (octopus balls) were largely made of beef - although he did eventually manage to track down some genuine ones. Me? I went for the Moffle - a waffle made of Mochi (pounded rice paste). The cream was vegan and made with coconut milk.

I hardly need to mention how delicious it was. The picture tells the tale.

As well as dancing and drumming and other japanese activities, there were a lot of people in Cosplay outfits. This is when people dress up as anime cartoon characters. First up, Power Rangers.

Followed by...who knows?

And of course the SF Giants (baseball team) made an appearance.

Kind of.

It was absolutely boiling hot in the sunshine so we didn't stay too long but it continues next weekend so I might go back... for another Moffle!

Fussy Cut Squares

I joined Instagram purely in order to find swaps. I'm happy reading blogs and using facebook and Pinterest - I don't need another outlet. Having said that I have been posting occasionally and am @lixieyarnover if you'd like to link up. One of the swaps I found recently was the Fussy Cut Square one which has been going for a year already. I signed up for April and the theme was "Sewing". A few hours later and I had my twelve blocks.

The blocks don't have to be the same so you can use up scraps. You also get a template which you use for paper piecing. This was just as well as my accuracy left a lot to be desired and on several blocks I had to redo the outer triangles several times to get to the right finished shape (4.5").

This is what Flickr user Amanda Kattner has done with her blocks.

Isn't it amazing!? It is this image that inspired me to join.

A Lot of English Paper Piecing and a New Home!

I am back from the UK and have gone straight into the process of moving into our permanent rental. I'll share a few pictures but first, here is one of the projects I took with me to sew while I was away.

It is in three pieces at the moment and it is the top right piece I am currently working on, working vertical strips and joining them to grow it from right to left. This is the quilt I am making for my Mum and she chose a lot of the fabrics, which were all fat eighths at most in size. The pieces have 3" sides and I made all the pieces while I was in Tokyo last year. This is my design...

...so I'm getting there gradually.

My EPP "Feels Like Spring" swap also got underway while I was away so I have made these since getting back using 1" hexagons.

The pouch is going to be a very simple zip up one but I hope my Partner likes it!

Our new flat is only 20 minutes walk from our current one so we popped over there yesterday to put our 13 (!) signatures on the lease. That's 13 signatures each - there are only the two of us living there. We had each forgotten quite how spacious the place was but I know it will quickly fill up with furniture.

There is lots of light and sun comes in throughout the morning. The unusual L shape of the living area means that one bit will always be quite dark but I am planning lots of lamps for it. Pooch will have a desk and chair there so it will be his little hidey hole plus my shelving area.

We have a huge IKEA shipment and another from Amazon due on Wednesday next week so I will be doing an awful lot of flat pack assembly and arranging. But once it's all done I'll have a proper place for my craft stash - hooray!

SkipNorth 2015

For the 11th year running we were in Haworth, Yorkshire, for the annual spinning and knitting holiday. I had a wonderful time and met several new people as well as catching up with old friends. Here is a taste of what went on.

I found it really hard to resist Wingham's weaving looms and can see one joining me at home before another year is out. 

If you are interested in coming along another time then simply join the SkipNorth Group on Ravelry.

Nice Niece

I have been back in England this week - for the SkipNorth knitting holiday and for some niece action. And we have been very active. She started off wearing one of the three 'My Aunt Rocks' top I got her (in 2Y, 3Y and 4Y sizes).

Then she helped me brush my hair.

This was quickly followed by her 'helping' her Mum brush her hair, and hitting her on the head with the flat wooden side of my hairbrush. (Fnah fnah). There has been lots of shuffling around in my shoes.

This isn't something she'd done before but she was even more excited when a pair of silver ballet flats arrived yesterday and has been 'wearing' those a lot. All that activity tired her out, so she snuggled up with Mum.

Then this morning she insisted we go out while Mummy was having a lie in, and we found a (non-muddy) puddle!

That is a reference to her beloved Peppa Pig who jumps in muddy puddles. It is also who is on her top. While we were out a lady gave us three red balloons!

I was amazed they survived being dragged around so much but she was loving it.

So lovely to spend time with her (and my sister of course).

Making a Costume

I was invited to a "Leprekhaaaaan!" party and my first thought was "Yippeee! Star Trek!".

I am a real Trekkie. I love the films and the TV series up to and including Deep Space Nine. Voyager and Enterprise I am pretty "meh" about and although I love the reboots (hello Benedict) the true Khan for me is still Ricardo Montalban. With this in mind I decided to make myself a uniform that would look at home on DS9 or earlier. Where else to look for inspiration but Pinterest? This pin seemed to fit the bill.

I got two men's t-shirts from Thrift Town - a 2XL Black one and a XL red one. Next, making the pattern...

I was able to keep the collar of the black t-shirt but the rest all needed recutting, including the sleeves. Some sewing, a bit of fitting and a back combed beehive later and...

My badge was made out of felt.

I am so happy with how it turned out! And the party, which took place last night, was a great success!

Hands to Help Quilt Challenge - Sign Ups Open

I have got hold of so much free/cheap fabric recently, I am keen to make something good with it but I have a real hang up about the things I make being useful. I hate the idea of making endless quilts with no idea of a recipient. Solution? Make one for a charity! There are three charities benefiting from this challenge and I am aiming for one helping chemotherapy patients. To read all about each of them see this post on Confessions of a Fabric Addict. 

She is encouraging international participants and there are two options to deal with costly shipping. 

1. You post her just your front and back and she quilts it for you. 

2. You give to a local charity other than one of the three main ones - so a hospice or other charity close to you could benefit!

Reasons to take part? Apart from the general feeling of good will and the chance to show off your sewing skills, there will be lots of giveaways with great sponsors and discount codes for fabric shops. 

Click on the image above to read more and sign up!