February Round 2- Some Frustrations

 I mentioned previously that I hoped to crank up the sewing machines. I did make a start and managed to sew 2 long sleeved shirts from an old pattern in my collection, well I thought I was doing great. The shirts have ended up being sleeveless. I need to drop the armhole, widen the sleeve a bit. My swimming regime has strengthened my arms. Lucky for me, I had to work the weekend where I could pick up bias tape (I know I could make it, even though it has got pretty pricey) from Spotlight Bundaberg to finish them off. Whilst in there, I had a look through a pattern book. Apparently these are also going the way of the dinosaurs. The parent company has been sold in the USA so I believe that my collection of patterns and Burda Magazines will have to suffice in the future.  I did manage to buy this pattern. I recently found a Muu Muu pattern 2nd hand and this is slightly similar to it. So, I get around to cutting the pattern out to discover that it is probably the wrong size. I did a bit of online shopping for the smaller size and paid albeit reluctantly the inflated postage price for 1 pattern. Since running a small online retail business I know what the actual AUSPOST postage charges are and am glad that I do not inflate my postage costs for my customers. I have the fabric sorted for the second style, just waiting for the smaller pattern to arrive. I am thinking we might use these as a style for our future Pop Up shops for Batik Fabrics.

One of my fabric customers purchased a set of fabrics for the Modern Quilt Studio Mystery Quiltalong commencing February 20, 2026. I looked it up, read about it, They are using Grunge fabrics, whilst I prefer Batiks and obviously she does too. I signed up, decided to use prints as opposed to her tonals and I think I will use a navy background while she is using cream. We get our first instructions sometime on Friday or Saturday so we will start doing some sewing. I need 23 fabrics plus background so a few may be deleted or swapped. We will keep you updated.

Beginning of Febrary 2026

 Often been said "Where the bloody hell did January go?". I feel like that this year. The heat, the tennis, trying to unpack fabric boxes, keep up with the fitness routines and trying to tidy up after Christmas, (shifting furniture to accommodate all of the grandkids that needed a bed) kind of spilled over into re arranging 5 rooms in this house, including the Batik Fabrics Online fabric rooms. So, February (the BEST month of the year) has arrived and I feel just maybe, I am catching up.

My new corner for my laptop, instead of using the large table (my sewing table) as a very untidy desk. My laptop was currently in use in the other office in this photo.

It was a very hot day, so here it is out under the one air conditioner in this old queenslander.

A flatbed scanner is on the sewing cabinet. The table you can see, belongs to a purchase made late January. I went on a road trip to Strathpine, met a wonderful lady who was selling her 1 year old Juki Industrial Straight stitch sewing machine. I was driving Dad's RAV 4, and the table plus machine fitted perfectly in the back so I figured he was smiling from above. One of his lifelong passions was visiting clearing sales and acquiring old stuff and making do. I have actually used it to sew a facing on a quilt. 

My thoughts are, I used to have to clear my table of paperwork, fabrics etc, lift a heavy machine on, set it up etc before I even sewed a stitch. Now, I just walk in, remove the cover and turn it on, It actually talks to me, sit and sew. Plus, it is under the air con!  Happy Days. 

The fabric room just inside the door, still needs a bit more re arranging but there is lots of new fabrics to move in yet so is still a work in progress.

The main cutting table, and the Long Arm sitting patiently waiting. I use the table part as storage for stationery supplies and underneath for fabric. I do turn it on regularly to keep it oiled but I do still hope to have time to actually quilt with it again.  Will let you know how February turns out, as we go.

January 2026 No New Year's resolutions.

 I am finally catching up with the date. Christmas 2025 and now New Year 2026. I have been reflecting on life in general after Dad's passing at the age of 90. I know that after birth, death is a certainty, and you always hope that family members live their lives to the fullest that they can. Having experienced infant deaths in our close family members also makes you grateful for long lived lives and cherish your grandchildren if you are lucky enough to have any.

I have not made any resolutions for this year. I have come through 15 months of lifestyle changes including weight loss, a fitness regime that seems to be working, and managing CPAP therapy to the extent that I no longer need prescription drugs to lower blood pressure and manage my blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. I am also pleased I no longer have to run the machines that measure those levels too in my professional job. One dream for this year though is to make more of an effort to keep up with family (all too often it seems we catch up at funerals!) We are going to have a family reunion in Mundubbera in July. I seem to have been tasked with the preliminary organisation of it. We are going to walk/ride the new Rail Trail from Philpott into Mundubbera for a start.

I didn't find much time for my art quilts in 2025,and hope to enjoy a few hours per week delving back into creating. I think we have 2 exhibitions for Tangled Threads this year. Time and Place is one theme which I have a piece nearly ready for. The Space Between is the 2nd theme with a colour challenge lurking in there for good measure. I will try to show my progress if any.

The above quilts are of a Baltimore Style shadow applique quilt I made in the 1990's which we ( my sister and I) worked on re-creating using batiks and some more modern applique from April to July 2025. We finished it in time for my Pop Up shop at Bundaberg Quilters Exhibition in August 2025. I am so lucky in my Tangled Threads group we have a long armer who custom quilted it for me. I now stock suitable background fabrics and patterns for the new quilt in my online shop, Batik Fabrics Online.

On the farm front, we have continued the leucaena plantings and also pangola grass. This has helped with shortening the turnover time of finished cattle leaving the property and has eased the stocking rate pressures. I really wish someone would take over the farm accounting as well but the magical fairy hasn't arrived yet. Yes, we have also been chief dog whisperer while his owner goes travelling.

I have successfully transitioned to a casual microbiology scientist filling in on weekends once a month for where I spent a huge chunk of my life. Pathology Qld's upper bean counters (or whatever it's new title is) as it changes with each new Government have maybe realised in this era of difficulty finding regional staff that are suitably experienced are utilising their older employees in a more appropriate way. I am now 1 of 3 casuals which provide enormous assistance to the permanent staff.  How long will I keep doing it for? Depends on my health and fitness. I did have some elective surgery in October to fix 2 issues and that seems to be fixed at this stage so that could help to keep me there longer.

I have systematically been cleaning out my fabric room and with some re arrangement of our living room and spare bedrooms have a much better organised work space for batik fabrics and my sewing. Still a huge work in progress though as I have quite a bit of new stock to process.

I did attend the Australian Quilt and Craft Market in November for retailers. It was quite interesting to meet some wholesalers in person and meet some pattern designers too. The flight home was an adventure with a fire in the Qantas terminal shortly before we were due to board our flight. We ended up staying an extra night in Melbourne and finally left 13 hrs later. My daughter (the well seasoned traveller) says Melbum is now NOT on her bucket list to return to, causing her PTSD.  I am not sure if I will spend the dollars to attend this year. 

Currently I am also working through learning to use EQ8, the quilt design program I have had for years but struggled to work out how to use it to its potential. I want to do this for further designing of blocks and quilt patterns for Batik Fabrics Online. So, looks like another busy year (I hope sales wise) ahead and hopefully some spare time for art quilts. I know I say it every year, hope to blog more too. Hope to see you around as well.