Patchwork koala bag

I've finished the sewing project that's been taking up quite a bit of my time over the last few days.  It's a shopping tote, but with a patchwork block.

My daughter has a thing about koalas.  I've been meaning to make something koala-related for her for a while and I'm really pleased how this little bag has turned out.  The pattern is based on the front cover of a patchwork book entitled "Quilt a Koala" by Margaret Rolfe, which I saw on the internet.  I have another of her books (Patchwork Quilts to make for Children) but that doesn't have any koala patterns in it.  I had to enlarge the pattern, but as it's based on straight lines, that was fairly straightforward.  I had fun picking fabric from my stash - I knew there was a reason I had collected all those fat quarters ;-) - and I think it's come together well.  I hope my daughter likes it - she's having to find a new flat at the moment, and I know it's quite a stressful time for her.  

I did , however, have a momentary disaster first thing this morning, when I tried to iron out some creases in the fabric I intended to use as the lining.  This happened:

More haste, less speed.  Note to self, check the temperature of the iron first!

I had coffee with my friend this morning - she also gave my hair a trim (it had got so long at the back that I had ringlets LOL) and I will be making some new chair covers for her later in the year.  We had a good natter and caught up on each other's news.

It was brighter today, still cold but the sun did put an appearance.  N is finding it really difficult at the moment with the weather.  However, a bit of really positive news is that I have an interview for a job!  We got the phone call this afternoon.  It's a part-time position, just a few hours a week, but I think I could be of use and that the job could be useful to me.  The money would be nice, but I think it's more than that.  We talked about it after the phone call and we both feel it would help to give some structure to our days, and give us a little time apart from each other to do our own things.  I'm really pleased to have been called for an interview as that suggests that I might be the sort of person they are looking for.  When we come back after the weekend, I will spend some time researching so I have a better understanding and knowledge of the project the position will be supporting.

Bean seedlings reaching skywards

   

This is my 50th post - ta da!!  The blog seems to be evolving a little life of it's own.  I look forward to sitting down and documenting what's happened here.  Nothing earth-shattering, just a few thoughts, what we've been doing and making, things that have caught my attention.  Taking the time to write it down helps me see that we are settling into our 'new' lives at home.  There was always going to be a period of adjustment between leaving full-time work and feeling at ease with a life at home.  Last year we did some travelling (other people buy new cars or have a conservatory built) and that certainly helped us wind down.  Now we look back and we can't believe how much we've changed since we were at work.  Yes, we have uncertainty at present with selling (or not!!) the flat, and the possibility of moving, and will I get another job or not, but we have definitely got a different outlook on life now than when we worked.  We've slowed down, we appreciate the little things, we are happy to step away from the consumeristic bandwagon that seems to dominate many peoples' lives.  We spend very little yet eat very well, cooking from scratch and enjoying it.  We had no idea our lives would change so much, and I think we still have a lot more to discover.