"Should I really love my notebook this much Doctor?"

When Mr Locket and I had our little trip out to Borders on Saturday I found this lovely book on knitting and crochet - lots of history and interesting facts, basic "how-to's" and some fun projects - and all for the bargain price of £3.99 - don't you just love cheap crafty books?!!!

But what really set my heart a-flutter (and actually cost more) was my wonderful new

note-project-design-idea-list-planning-pretty-much-everything-book

I really, really, really love it (which is rather worrying!)

I mean, I've had/have lots of notebooks (many in use at the same time) but this has to be the Rolls Royce of notebooks, it really does!

Not only does it have lined pages for all my lists (I really like lists, you know)


but it also has plain pages for sketches (not going to show you those because I really can't draw)

squared paper for planning mini-quilts (can't show you because they are secret)

and lots and lots of pockets!!!!

Plain paper ones for popping leaflets in,


Clear plastic ones for designs or lists (again)

Little ones for business cards (or Moo's)
and big zippy ones for pens and pencils or more lists!

I LOVE IT - did I mention that before?


It is meant to be a "travel journal" but I just stuck a couple of my Moo stickers over the offending words and hey-presto it's my design book.

Should I be seeking therapy for this?????

In other "Lucy's lost the plot" news, I may have become slightly obsessed with making mini-quilts over the last couple of days (which is probably a very good job as I do have 20 to make)

I have started 5 already so here is a little sneaky peek



And I will leave you with this photo of the back-seat-drivers I had to put up with the other day!

150th Post Giveaway Winner

The winner of Chick-Chick and Barney


is Sarah with her accurate guess of 42 (that's 196 in continental size) for the combined shoe size of the little Lockets and their BIG cousins.

It was a pretty hard challenge because apart from Fred who is a small-size 12 they all have particularly large feet for their ages

Daisy (age 7) = 3.5
Dorothy (age 10) = 6
Em (age 12) = 8
Ped (nearly 15) = 12.5

If there had been two correct guesses I would have set a tie-breaker question where you would have to guess how tall my nephew is - I don't think anyone would have got it right as he is already 6 foot 5!!!!!

So congratulations to Sarah - I already have your address from the mini-quilt swap so I can post it to you if you like or as we live so close perhaps we could meet for a coffee somewhere?

Hope you are all having a lovely day - we tried to go to the allotment but got absolutely soaked! Nevermind - it leaves more time for sewing!

An Unexpected Treat

A strange thing happened yesterday


I went out for coffee at Starbucks


in a Borders Bookshop.



Nothing unusual in that you may think



But this is where it gets strange...................................


I got to spend time with this gorgeous guy I used to go out with years ago but don't get to see very often these days........................

(and my husband didn't even mind!)

We had a nice lunch.............................


We then had a SECOND cup of coffee


AND cakes

we had time to look at our books (about running and knitting but not both at the same time - that would just be silly)


AND we had a PROPER conversation without interruption, analysis, cross-examination, and other helpful advice!


How was this all possible?


Because the Little Lockets went to stay at Granny and Grandpa Dog's house with the BIG cousins and a collection of uncles and aunts WITHOUT mummy and daddy!

It made us laugh when we saw the picture next to our table and read the text underneath........

- it couldn't have been more appropriate!


The stupid thing was that we really missed them!!!!! We obviously need to arrange more sleepovers so we get used to it!

In the meantime I have been busily working on my mini-quilt-production (the list has increased to 20!!!) and I have 3 "on the go" with ideas for the others starting to accumulate in the back of my mind.
A little sneaky peek to prove I have been working hard!

Hope you all had a good weekend,

Lucy xx

P.S. Don't forget - there is still time to play "guess the shoe-size" for my 150th post giveaway - just leave your comment on this post.

Post 150 - Edited to add a clue!

Well we all know I can "talk a bit" so it won't come as any surprise that I have reached my 150th post so keep reading as I will be doing a giveaway at the end of this long rambling monologue.

I have gone completely "mini-quilt-swap" bonkers and have arranged to do 17 direct swaps on top of the one with my partner Leanne!

I'm really excited about this at the moment but don't be surprised if panic sets in soon! Thank you everyone who has asked to swap with me - I hope you like what I make for you! All of you that is except for Mrs Moogsmum who sent me this helpful email in response to my question of what she would like me to make........

"I'd just like something that is very very complicated and reflects the hours and hours of anguish and toil required to produce it. Sorry I can't be more specific but I hope that's of some help :)"

On Monda's much more helpful suggestion I will be setting up a flickr group soon so you can post pictures of your quilt-swap gifts and creations - and sneak-peeks, fabric choices etc. I'll let you know when this has been done.

In the meantime you should have all received your swap partner's questionnaire details - if you haven't please let me know because cyber-space does like eating my emails sometimes. There was a bit of a delay in me sending them out because of it being the school holidays - sorry about that!

The last two days have been spent with my lovely nephew and niece (BIG sister Ally's children) who are staying with my mum and dad for the week. The little Lockets absolutely idolise their big cousins and have been having a fantastic time.

We met up in Durham yesterday so I could take all the children to the cinema to see The Spiderwick Chronicles. Unfortunately Fred and I spent most of the film here.......


as it was rather scary - but at least it gave me time to get on with some of the sewing for Lina's mini quilt - photographed here hiding behind the gorgeous purse that Lesley sent me that has now become my sewing carrier!


We also managed to find time to go and buy new school shoes for Fred and Daisy (although sadly not for the bargain price of £5 like Dorothy's shoes the other week - and Mrs Moogsmum wouldn't text me any money to pay for them - how mean!!!)


Fred's new alien designed especially for him by the Sausage Monster enjoyed getting in on the shoe buying act although unfortunately they don't cater for monopods in Clarks!

This leads me neatly into the 150th post giveaway.

As you know, I don't have a printer and I am too lazy this time to write out everyone's name to draw from a hat, and I'm far too lazy to use a random number selector and then have to count through comments to see who matches the number, so this time I have decided to do a competition of sorts.

The winner of the giveaway

good old Chick-Chick and Barney (complete with their own supply of chick crumb)

will be the person who correctly guesses (or gets nearest) the (UK) shoe sizes of this motley crew of feet then adds them together to come up with a combined number (eg. 10.5 + 2 + 4.5 + 6 + 9 = 32) Does that make sense? To help you I have found this chart here which should make the international size conversion bit easier.

(I know you can't really see Daisy's feet because of my handbag but you will just have to make it up!)

(Edited to add a clue - the children are 5, 7, 10, 12 and 14)

GOOD LUCK!!!!!

(by the way, I don't even know the answer yet - just off to ring my nephew and niece...............!)

P.S. Hope you like the Little Locket artworks at the top of the post - thought my monologue needed some decoration!

Mini-quilt Partners and other Sewing-y things

The Mini-Quilt Swap Partners are:

lucy and leanne
trashy and kitty
lesley and kajsa
monda and jodie
dottydesigns and sarah
gina and katy
anne and susie sews
dottycookie and rachel
she quilts and hikebikekayak
stephanie and fran
wmk and annie
sew to bed and lissa
charlie and nicky
kylie and michaela
quilt dude and kitschy
annieb and marie

I hope this suits everyone - I can't wait to see what you all produce for each other!

I will be sending the questionnaires you have completed out to your partners on Wednesday so can anyone who hasn't returned theirs yet get it to me as soon as possible.

Once you have your partner's details please send them an email to say hello. You might also want to see if they have any particularly "mini-quilt requests"!!!

I mentioned in yesterday's post that I really wanted you all to make me a mini-quilt so I could have a whole wall full of them - very greedy I know!

I had already to do a direct swap with Lina but then this morning (in a mad moment) I decided to contact my "Ballarat-Bloggy-Buddies" Jodie, Lissa, Annie and Rachel (accidentally making Lissa move home in the process - I thought they all lived there!) and have arranged to do direct swaps with each of them too. The deadline is much looser than with the general swap but it will be fun to see what different quilts get made.

So if anyone else would like to do a direct swap with me (so I get my really big wall full of mini-quilts) then feel free to send me an email (as long as you don't mind giving me a bit of time to get yours made and can cope with the fact that I am not a very skilled quilty person!!!)


My other sewing news is that the Little Lockets and I have been having fun this holiday with Lynette's free Noah's Ark block of the month stitcheries . I enlarged the design by 141% for Dorothy and by 200% for Daisy and Fred whilst I am stitching it at the original teeny tiny size.

I even got them winding my threads for me - love this technique to stop it tangling!

This is how we are doing so far:

Dorothy's

Daisy's

Fred's

and mine

They are really excited about choosing their fabrics to add the borders. It is a really good sized project for them - big enough to keep them interested and small enough to be manageable. Thanks Lynette we are going to have lots of fun!

Lucy x

P.S. Thought you might like to know that this is my 149th post..................................

Mini-quilt Swap Participants

I have kept this swap smaller to make it more manageable so I am sorry to those of you who were too late to sign up.

Here are the participants

me
trashy
lesley
monda
dottydesigns
kajsa
gina
anne
kitty
dottycookie
rachel
she quilts
leanne
stephanie
wmk
fran (currently without a blog but we are working on her!)
sew to bed
charlie
kylie
hikebikekayak
katy
susie sews
sarah
quilt dude
nicky
michaela
annieb
jodie
lissa
annie
kitschy
marie

(I have included the people who emailed me early to express an interest in this swap which is why there will be some names here that aren't on the comments on yesterday's post)

Those of you who have signed up should have received an email from me with the html code for the swap-badge and the questionnaire. If by any chance you have not received it could you let me know straight away. I need all the completed questionnaires back by Wednesday afternoon (unless I have yours from an earlier swap) so that I can allocate partners and publish the list on Wednesday evening.

This swap should be great fun - but I just need to clarify something that has been making a few of you anxious - the binding! When I said that the quilt needed to be properly bound what I meant was that it should not have raw edges. This can be done by binding or backing the quilt and turning it through like a cushion cover - or any other method you like as long as it is "finished" and ready to hang up.

I hope this sets your minds at rest!

I'm really pleased you all wanted to play and I'll leave you with a photo I borrowed from Lina of the lovely quilt she gave away for her 100th post.



Lucy xx

Mini-quilt Swap - LIST NOW CLOSED

(Janet Bolton mini-quilt made by me from My Grandmother's Patchwork Quilt)

Encouraged by all your lovely comments about my swap-organising abilities I have decided to go ahead and organise Swap No. 3 (I know, I must be mad!!)

A Mini-Quilt Swap

The inspiration for this swap comes from Wee Wonderful's stunning "quilt wall" that she created for her baby's nursery. Ideally I'd like you all to make a mini-quilt just for me but that sort of defeats the object of a blog-swap doesn't it???

(I have included some photos of examples of mini-quilts to inspire you!)

(image borrowed with permission from Kajsa at Syko)

The rules for this one are as follows


1. To make a mini-quilt that

• measures no less than 7 inch x 5 inch and no more than 14 inch x 12 inch
• Is fully bound
• Has loops or a sleeve for easy hanging
• Is labelled with your name, the recipient's name, the date and "Lucy Locket's Mini-Quilt Swap 2008"

(image borrowed with permission from Rachel at Four Wise Monkeys)

Your quilt can incorporate any form of textile art - applique, stitchery, patchwork, needle-turn applique, embellishment - anything you like, but please take into account your swap partner's colour preferences when you design your gift.

(Janet Bolton's lighthouse design made by me for a friend's birthday)

2. You should also include

• a card/letter for your partner (this does not need to be handmade)
• some craft supplies either bought or from your stash but not worth more than £2/$4 (some buttons, ribbons or thread etc)
• but NO CHOCOLATE or SWEETS (to keep the Customs Officers happy!)
  

(photograph from American Doll Quilts by Kathleen Tracy)

3. The parcel MUST BE POSTED ON OR BEFORE SATURDAY 24TH MAY 2008 (unless a serious reason arises to prevent you from posting within this deadline in which case you MUST contact both me and your swap partner immediately)

(photograph from American Doll Quilts by Kathleen Tracy)

4. please take a photograph of what you are sending

(mini quilt by Moogsmum - and now owned by ME!!!!)

5. Obtain proof of postage from your Post Office when you post your parcel

(image borrowed with permission from Monda Loves)

6. then email me and your partner when you have posted your gift

4. You MUST email your partner as soon as you receive your gift to thank them

(image borrowed with permission from Kajsa at Syko)

5. You should then Blog about what you have received as soon as possible to publicly thank your partner (unless you do not have a blog - in which case please send me a photo straight away so I can blog it for you)

(image borrowed with permission from Monda Loves)

I am going to close the list when I feel I have a manageable number and reserve the right to choose who can take part.

Please do not sign up to this swap unless you are sure you can fulfill all the requirements. I don't want to seem too harsh but it is such a shame when these things don't go right and people are disappointed and it makes organising it a complete nightmare when participants don't follow the rules.

Also, my job as swap organiser stops at the point of gathering names, arranging partners and keeping track of who has received what - the responsibility of what you send and when you send it rests with you.

Crumbs, that sounds really strict - I don't mean it to - I just want to make sure it runs smoothly so EVERYONE is happy!

Hope I haven't put you all off

Lucy xx