Sewing Companion

Yesterday I got out of bed and said to my darling husband that I just had to sew today. The past few weeks I have been very low on energy and inspiration, but I had a piece of novelty fabric in pink that I thought would make a nice quilt for a friend's little girl...

I cleared the kitchen table, set up my cutting mat, rotary cutter and rulers and started to cut this large print into what I thought was usable strips....

I cut other solid pinks to go with the large print, but because my novelty print was odd sizes (6.75" and 5.25" to accomodate the design) I suddenly lost my way with it..

Frustrated and desperate to sew something, anything, I grabbed a pile of strings and random strips and sewed a few blocks...

Last night as I was clearing away and cutting solid squares so that I could double my string blocks, I had company...

Lovely purry cat company!

All quiet on the homefront

I have been neglecting this poor old blog because I have not been sewing up to 'post exciting trips to Germany to meet quiltmakers and spend time with wonderful quilty friends' standards.

Sewing-wise though I have been making lots of reversible sunhats for summer...

I love making them because I can handsew the lining in while watching TV (not that I watch much TV, but when I do...)

The boys and I went to the beach by train on the long weekend, but we ended up in the cinema and market to escape the howling wind. In the market I bought ice creams for the boys and lots of yummy wool for me...

(The bonus about having a four-year old is that he only eats half an ice cream, so I technically got wool AND ice cream too LOL)


The weather has been very dry. Windy, very windy, but sunny too. So lots of time has been spent in the garden. Growing seeds, starting a little flower bed...

And letting Abby explore outside (making sure that the door is open so that she can charge back in when something startles her... ;-0 )


April was really busy with lots of overnight guests and even a birthday for me. I was spoilt by my friend's daughter who made me this magnificent cake when they came to stay:

And Vicky made me this gorgeous bag out of a sweater that I had worn, loved and managed to shrink in the wash. Thanks Vicky, I love it!

Next year is a BIG birthday for me. I will have to change my gift motto which is usually 'If I can't eat it, drink it or bath in it, I don't want it' to 'If it isn't slimming, anti-ageing and in an easy to open container, I can't use it' :-D

Happy Easter

Quilty Cat

Sadly, I have NO sewing to report. In fact it's a no-sew zone around here as we have had quite a lot of guests lately as well as things going on including school holidays and getting out into the garden and hospital visits and and and...

However, we are enjoying our little Abby who seems to like my quilts (clever girl LOL)
and we have been so grateful of the sunshine that we have been picnic-ing in for the past few days with our guests! Lets hope the sunshine and the quilt appreciation continues!!!

ps. the cushion was a Christmas gift from my dear friend Vicky (Thanks Vicky!!)

At last another girl in the house!

We now have a little girl in the house, that means it's not 3 against one anymore LOL. Yesterday we collected our little Abysinian cat and we are very happy to have been able to give her a home with us....

She likes sleeping IN our duvet cover. Not on, not under, but in :-)

She is friendly, intelligent and a great addition to our family. We look forward to many happy years together!

Wordless Wednesday

Roses and Daffodils

This photo was taken on a friend's fence on their farm as they have lots of daffodils in bloom at the moment. I wanted to show where I'm up to on squaring up my hexagons, but the wind was not playing along:

I have been known to drive around just for a photo opportunity with a quilt :-)

This curious and very friendly bottle-fed lamb came to investigate...

Here you can see that I am trying to square up my hexagons: Another little lamb on our friend's farm: The boys having an explore: Before visiting our friend's, I tried to photograph the quilt top on our farm. There may have been sun, but there was just so much wind so I had to give up and try elsewhere.... On Mother's Day we went to Harrogate for lunch. As we walked past Betty's I saw this Easter Egg: This photo is from about 2 weeks ago on the same friend's farm: And these lambs (also from about 2 weeks ago) are from 'our farmer' where we live... So it seems, the minute you complain about the rain, the sun shines :-) It's a bit like buying an umbrella. Now I'm going to complain about the wind and buy a windbreaker!!!

Stop the world, I want to get off :-)

Maybe it's a post Bonnie-Hunter-high...

...or maybe it's that Spring showed it's head with baby lambs and daffodils followed by 2 weeks of rain... ...maybe it's quilt tops needing basting and no time to do it...

... maybe it's that there seems to be more going on right now than at any other time of year... Whatever it is, this blog is neglected and my machine sewing is in a similar state! I have started work on my rose hexagon quilt again. I'm trying to square it up as I hope to hand piece a border... handwork is about all I can do while I try to re-re-organise my sewing/laundry room because next week a very special guest is coming to stay!

Merriment with the Muslin Mistress

It all started harmlessly enough...

A lovely lady talking about her quilts...



And there were some really lovely quilts made by this lady: Jennie Rayment



She manipulates fabric....



...and tells many a fun tale about her quilts and travels and life...



And then she took her clothes off!



We had already gathered that she had a fine sense of humour...



That she liked making her own tucked and twizzled undergarments...



And that she is an absolute scream....


But, boy is she brave as well as talented!
It was a fun night. Quilts, strips, nips, tucks and all...

and it was fun being invited to an evening at a new guild.

Is Spring Springing?

I love it when the sun is shining and there are lambs about,

it means Spring MUST be on it's way!!!


Time to start a lttle Spring cleaning on the outside of the house

(now that he's almost finished on the inside...)

Thought I'd take some quilt photos outside,
but there was almost too much sun :-)


DS2 had a friend to play, they had a great time outdoors
in such glorious Spring weather...

Cathedral Stars so far...

I have managed to get the blocks from the Cathedral Stars course that I did

with Bonnie Hunter and at home to top stage...

... I think I may need to take a rest now :-)

What's happening here then, eh?!

My war on my UFO's continues...:

I have sewn together my NYB blocks and am now contemplating borders...

Black with cornerstones or piano keys of multiple colours???
I may need to think about this for a bit.

Then I have started work on my Cathedral Star blocks again.
Like Lisa, I also don't want this to be another UFO!


Just a few more star blocks to go...

I have also completed ALL 12 super-size Jared takes a Wife blocks...

... but have stalled with the sashings...

DH continues to finish up his Do It Himself UFO's...
This time with laying super new flooring and finishing up the dining room/study...

And DS1 has taken up the trumpet.

In an attempt not to curb his enthusiasm,
I will refrain from wearing my earplugs when he can see me :-)