Well, hello there....

... let me introduce myself. I am Caffy. I have been tweeting away and loving sewing and craft for months now. But not really doing a lot. This is because I have moved from pillar to post in Ireland. First of all in May 2011, I gave up my job as a ICU nurse and worked up and down the UK for a ICU nurse agency for 2 months.. for we were moving to Ireland to rent 5 acres of land and run a B&B and I was saving! This turned out to be a disaster. Our dream of the good life and self-sufficiency was totally over and I had to get back working or our family of 2 dogs, Quinn (my fiancee) and myself would be on the street!


Back to nursing.. but in Ireland....


I got a job and moved to a house just outside Galway, it was also terrible! We moved into the house with the work half done and the workers downed tools and never picked them up again... we didn't have a sink for 5 weeks! After 3 long months we managed to get out of the contract and now we moved to here, lovely Oranmore in Galway County...


OK, so sewing... well, whilst I was up and down the UK working for the agency I spent 2 months living with my parents-in-law-to-be. My mother- in-law-to be is a fantastic seamstress and knows the whole shabbang, from couture techniques, to quilting, to pattern design.... if only I could copy and paste her knowledge into my head, I would be a very happy lass! Anyhoot, she saw potential in me... I had subscribed to 'The Art of Knitting' magazine back in Leeds and had been busily knitting 5"x5" squares of varying stitch and embellishments. On visiting she spotted my work and was impressed! I then moved in with them for 2 months when hubby-to-be was trying to dry out a soggy Irish farm. I spent my days off working through Cate- by Burda. I bought too heavy and cheap fabric, but we did it! I don't like it and I'll never wear it but I learnt techniques are invaluable.

Potential?!

You Cate be serious... well, I was...

 

So...


Now I am in a nice house, that is warm and dry and complete... I am going to dust off the sewing machine again and start sewing seriously now! I have been doing nothing but reading and building up a stash of patterns, haberdashery and fabric... so here goes nothing... and if you're reading this, thanks for coming along my journey!


Project Number 1....

Capegate! Speak to you tomorrow!

PS..... First of the gang has had a baby boy! Here is the hot water bottle cover I have made for him ,it cold and will last longer than booties. I quilted the material in 2" diamonds... used a lot of thread! Also had an epiphany in the process, not to mark out the quilting but to tape it... i have appliqued (sp?) a 'H' as the wee man is called Harry and will bias tape with the same multicoloured fabric.