Have you ever wondered how a challenge or a swap between bloggers starts?
Well, I started one just the other day… by being a smart-mouth.
I was bemoaning on Twitter that I was cold. Now I know that living in the tropics should exclude me from complaining about the cold, but temperature is relative. When it hits 12 degrees overnight here, it is cold. We build our houses to be cool; high ceilings, few internal walls and doors and certainly no heaters. SO… I had a whinge that I was cold.
Suse of pea soup lives many thousands of kilometres south of here in a place that really does get cold. She read my whiny cold post in front of a roaring fire whilst wearing many hand-knitted shawls and told me to toughen up.
So I quipped to her that I was not enjoying the benefit of a hand-knitted shawl.
She was straight back to me with a tongue-in-cheek offer to make me one.
Now I don’t know if she really meant it. She’s a busy lady. Maybe hand-knitting a shawl for a whingy, reptilian North Queenslander would not be her idea of fun. But I called her bluff anyway…
and offered to trade her a quilt for a shawl.
This is how one corner of you quilt looks so far Suse…
hope you like it.
Whoohoo! I love it so far! How exciting!
And I did start your shawl today – but it’s coming out kind of stripey at the moment and I’m not happy. I’m debating whether to keep going and see how it looks at the end and then overdye it if necessary to get a more uniform look, or rip it now and start again in another yarn …
Decisions decisions.
Pretty! Don’t you just love blogging?
Indeed I do!
OOOHHHHH…..love these colors!
You may thank Amy Butler for that!
Oooo lovely!!
I have had people in Oz ask how can I bake when outside it is 50 degrees. People must remember that homes here in the Middle East are built to handle such conditions being made of concrete, double glazed tinted windows, tile flooring (carpet? who has carpet?), ducted air con in every room. Not too dissimilar from homes in FNQ!
Forgot to mention that we only have tiles – no carpet.
Geez. Do I have to take up knitting or other warmth creating crafts to get me one of your quilts? Well… if it’s gotta be done, it shall.
I’ll let you know when I’m ready.
I’ll be here…
You’re right..it is cold and our houses are not built for it…so therefore they are colder than a southern house. I think you deserve a warm shawl..can’t wait to see it! The quilt looks great.
Your logic is as impeccable as mine…
What a great deal, that was one productive whinge – for both of you.
The quilt looks lovely, and I have no doubt the shawl will be divine.
You certainly make a whinge sound like a good idea.
Is it ever a bad thing to have a whinge? If it is it never stops me…
Hmmm, seeing as Montreal is actually properly really cold (unlike Queensland), I wonder if I could have bagged myself a blanket instead of a shawl?!!! Too bad I don’t twitter…
I am, of course, joking – what a fabulous swap idea!
come to twitter… come to the dark side.
Ooo, that looks beautiful! Must moan more on twitter…
That’s what it’s for.
You two are going to be so happy ! A match made in crafty heaven for sure.
We should be at Sewjourn making stuff for each other…
Seems to me like a win-win situation!
couldn’t agree more.
Came over from Suse and I must say NEITHER of you know cold!
Try -10′C.(a lovely February day in southern Ontario, Canada) It requires a little more than a shawl I tell ya.
Will trade my first born for hot sunshine on those days.
No such thing as a negative comment, let alone a negative temperature in my life… no, no, no.
If you don’t like the shawl Suse knits you then I’ll knit you one!!!! For a quilt of course!!!
PS. I know my chances are really slim though!!!!
You have done four socks, though…
Such a special deal for both of you!! I love it when the virtual world collides with the Real world!
a very handy collision.
What lovely fabric combos in your quilt … I recently had some ladies learning to sew from Scotland (they are now Aussie Residents), anyway, they were amused that quilting is so “big” here…. apparently it’s not in Scotland … I asked why? They said they don’t need quilts – they have central heating and double glazed windows ….. hmmm…. I thought that was funny!
Meanwhile I have three quilts on my bed in the tropics. CRAZY!
Oh I love the colors! What a good idea to do a swap!
We were pleased with our idea!
Having seen your quilting and Suse’s knitting I think this is a genius idea – both of you will be so happy!
Just need you to take a few photos of the spoils of our labours…
That is a nice quilt. I love the fabrics. I would love to be cold right now. I’m sitting in shorts and a tank top, sweating. Begging Mr. Budget to please let us turn the thermostat just one little nudge cooler. Puh-lease…..
Is Mr Budget home? Just do it, then fix it when you hear his car arriving…
It looks gorgeous! Wow you are a swift worker. How inspiring you are.
As for green eyed babies – I have a hazel eyed and a blue eyed baby. Maybe next time we’ll get a greenie…? I have brown eyes. Who knows! xxx
Thank you kindly.