I know it is a very cheesey title but I couldn't resist - I have two very proud girls.

While that cheeky little boy you can see in the back of this picture was fast asleep on Saturday afternoon, Madeleine, Pippa and I whipped up a sewing storm. Ever since Pippa gave up her day time sleep, Madeleine and I have struggled to find time to sew together. Well, this weekend we found a solution - Pippa joined our sewing circle and she loved it.

We used the great book Sewing School. It has a perfect selection of projects that Madeleine can do fairly independently and that Pippa can do with help from me. They picked out the hat pattern, traced off the pattern together and then we all cut and sewed. Pippa sat on my lap and was totally absorbed in ever stitch. Madeleine needed a little help tying the knots but the rest was her work.

They had such a good time together and are so proud of their hats. They wore them to Grandma's birthday celebrations and Madeleine took hers for Show and Tell at school.She even found the time to whip up a scarf to complete the outfit.

Here's to more Saturday afternoons sewing with my girls.

Can you guess where Maryanne and I are heading?

Yep... that's right - eight nights in New York! (Should I also mention that we will have NO children with us and maybe, just maybe we may be able t0 finish a conversation for the first time in six years?)

I couldn't resist this print from Spotlight for a zippered travel purse - so cute!

Stop by again if you'd like to learn how to make one (it's essentially a zippered purse with a flap and pockets) We'd love to see you!

Here is Mum's Cathie's Campfire:

And for me, this block was a reality check.
I think my confidence was running a little high after block one! After 2 hours, lots of miss cut triangles and lots of stitch ripper action I have ended with a rather wonky Cathie's Campfire. My Cathie is no girl guide! But I have decided I must be honest and show the good, the bad and the ugly.

The fabric is from the Amy Butler Soul Blossom range, I used in a peasant dress for Pippa. I have worked out now that the print is much too large for a 4 1/2 inch block. I am sure I could have cut it far more cleverly  and made it look a whole lot better if I had thought it through but I didn't!

In our sewing classes, I often  say if you cut right you will be alright. I also say that everything is fudgable - fabric has stretch! I am now realising in patchwork, if you cut right you may be alright and that fudging is sometimes not an option.

So what else did I learn?
The best instructions for me are ones like these, where they give you a formula to determine the size you need to cut pieces based on the final size you want your pieces to be.
If I miss cut pieces, throw them out. If they stay in my work space, I will inevitably sew them to a correctly cut piece and create a patchwork disaster.
Trim my threads as I go,or else I will end up with the world's most hairy quilt.
Simple is often good...

So for Block 3 we will be doing a very simple 9 patch!

PS If you would like to read more about the background to this project and Dear Jane quilts in general,head on over to Whip Up where I have written a guest post.

Saturday was a leisurely morning for us - stories in bed, pancakes for breakfast and pyjamas until 10am.

But then there was a phone call...

Olivia (Age 4): "Aunty Maryanne, when you are at work do you ever see dolly patients or do you only see human ones?"
Maryanne: "Well, dolly patients aren't really my area of expertise Olivia, but I have seen one or two over the years. Do you have a dolly that needs my help?"

Dolly certainly needed some extra special care.

Here is a copy of my clinical notes:

Presentation:

• Large right axillary and lateral chest wall laceration, resulting in almost complete amputation of right upper limb.
• Large quantity of thoracic innards (aka as stuffing) have become outtards.
• Mechanism of injury vague. I presume from the injuries sustained that a major traction force had been applied to the upper and lower limbs by two children who both seemed to believe that Dolly was theirs. The children involved have remained tight lipped.
• Despite a significant life threatening injury Dolly seemed to be in good spirits
  

Procedure

• Dolly was taken immediately to theatre (also known as the kitchen table).
• Outtards were returned to the thoracic cavity where they have become innards once again.
  
• Several reinforcing sutures were made to keep R arm intact.
• Laceration was closed with 10 large sutures using Gutterman thread
• Due to significant tension across the wound it was decided to reinforce the chest wall injury with a cream on pink polka dotted thoracic band. This was designed to coordinate nicely with the patient's pink gingham stockings.
• Despite a lack of anaesthesia, Dolly tolerated the procedure remarkably well - her smile never left her face.

Post-Op Course

• Dolly has recovered rapidly from her injury.
• She was discharged int the care of her owner with strict instructions to treat her more gently in the future.
• Some say she looks even better than before her accident!
  

All in a days work really...