Summer (!) School Holidays

Means less time to sew than ever!

But it also means trying to spend time doing fun stuff...

weather permitting!

We keep hearing how other parts

of the country have glorious sunshine.

Not us! Today it poured with rain again
as I drove to fetch the boys from Grandma.

Yes, you read right!

I am driving again.

Just short journeys to get back into it,

but it certainly feels good to be free again!!

** 

Last weekend we went for a picnic

in the fells.

The kids love it there

and we can sit on a quilt

and watch them paddle and potter around.

Baby-Kalico loves crawling around

 trying to eat the long grasses :)

*****

I am so behind on my blog!

I forgot to post that the week before last,

a friend came to visit

 and while she looked after our 2 girls,

I sewed up some dribbly bibs for her daughter.

Here the 2 girls are modelling my samples...

I didn't sew Miss-Kalico any,

as she's a weirdly non-dribbly baby ;)

But her friend has enjoyed testing her bibs out...

Even though it's exhausting work!

*****

Miss Kalico is now 9 months old and

has been enjoying the singalong at a local coffee shop

 where the shop owner

has kindly stocked some of my sewn items...

I'm never going to be rich,

but it helps make the school holidays

a little bit more fun :)

*****

Here's a parting shot

of Miss K on 'my' quilt...

 Nothing is sacred in this house :)

When I grow up, I want to be a quilt...

... said the rose star block

as she was pinned to her friends :)

Quilt Inspection

I'm still sewing these rose star hexagons....

I'd like to be sewing more in the studio

and on a sewing machine, but time is limited...

Miss Kalico has given the latest block her approval :)

*****

Lately, I have managed to do quite a lot of basting

and sewing while being the broken-legged passenger...

We are about 45 minutes from

anywhere 'big' so I can get quite a lot done,

as long as I don't look down for too long...

Well, Actually I Have Been Patching...

I worked so hard to get those bags made

for a local shop and completely forgot

that I have been slowly,

(very very slowly!),

working on my rose star hexagons...

3 more finished to go into this quilt.

Did I mention I'm making it single bed size?

Thinking it's for when Baby-Kalico

gets a 'big girl' bed in a few years time.

With any luck I will have it finished by then ;o) 

I only work on these blocks every now and again.

Sometimes I'll get lots of pieces basted while waiting

for a hospital appointment.

Other times, I might manage a few stitches

while watching (the rain delays

during) the Wimbledon tennis.

Somehow, as I try to do more

with my leg, I get less time to do anything else...

*****

And rain! Boy have we had rain...

non-stop rain. And when the sun shines

you can't hang your washing out

because a few hours (minutes!!) later

it WILL rain...

Yes, the UK weather is a sad state of affairs!!

*****

Little people, keep me cheery though!

Baby-Kalico is still toothless,

but we have had all the symptoms

(for weeks now) of teeth! :o(

So for a while now she not been feeling 100%,

but she still manages lots of smiles!

And she never says no to some fun food.

Here she's eating her favourite sweetcorn rings ;)

Not been Patching...

... I've been a bag lady instead!

When the Cat is Away...

... Friends come to help to take you to the hospital

and in return you teach them how to baste a quilt,

the Sharon Schamber way

using one of Kate's gorgeous tops

for Project Linus.

A team effort and a quilt basted!!

And to Summarise...

It's time for an update!!

The last few posts have been somewhat cryptic...

My rose hexagon quilt has been quilted

and is now awaiting scalloped edges and binding.

I love the panto that Chris at Fathers-Heart suggested.

I think it's called Rosie (although I can't remember for sure.)

I am having second thoughts about scalloping the edges

as there is not much border to scallop,

but we'll see...

*****

The studio is great, but in dire need of storage

hence no shots of it in all it's glory.

It is an amazing space to be in with the sky lights

providing lots of natural light even on the darkest days.

DH has done a fantastic job on the studio -

I feel very lucky indeed -

and it does make me feel very creative.

I think the long term goal with the studio

will be to offer workshops for bag-making,

simple quilting, crafting etc etc... the workshops will

include home-made and delicious lunch,

tea, coffee and freshly baked cake

and a finished project to take home.

(Well that's the plan anyway!)

*****

The hand-crank Singer was a rescue job.

It was being sold for a few pounds and

was just so beautiful that I just had to have it

for the studio in case we have a power cut! :)

Unfortunately, I do already have a few sewing machines,

though only one (my treadle) is as beautiful as this one....

so that's why it had to be very hush hush LOL.

*****

A friend very kindly gave me a mountain of scraps.

Thank you C! I have been enjoying them very much.

Why do other people's scraps seem so much better than your own??

I'm not sure, but they do!!

I was so bored of my own scraps,

but now I am seriously scrap happy!!

*****

The family continue to delight me...

and the boys have been absolute stars

helping Mummy around the house

and looking after their little sister.

I am still on crutches which means that if I want to walk,

I have no use of my hands at the same time.

Really difficult for carrying things

(like babies!!) :(

 Little Miss-Kalico is now forwards crawling

so she's a lot more stable and together

we have conquered the stairs.

I was having to call the neighbours to ask them

to get us down the stairs, every time I was left alone in the house,

but now I can get down the stairs

on my behind while holding her on my lap

and letting my crutches slide down the stairs

in front of us. It's hard work,

but it's one more step towards independence

and I need that right now.

*****

I normally like to be a blogger of few words,

but obviously not this time :)

Wordless Wednesday - Hexagons Quilted!

Who's Been Sleeping On The Guestbed?

I was checking on the guest room for our visitors

when I spotted a 'lump' under the quilt...

Very comfy :)

Luckily our visitors like cats!!

Pssst... Can You Keep A Secret?

Not sure what we say in this country...,

but I reserve the right to remain silent

for fear of incriminating myself ;)

Who's Been Sleeping In My...

...Studio!

Happiness is...

Happiness is...

♥ Quilty mail from bloggy friends...

May Britt sent me a stitchy get well gift in the mail.
It really brightened up my day!!

She also kindly sent everything I need to do the stitchery

including needle and thread!

So generous and so thoughtful.

Plus, I am now the very proud owner

of one of May Britt's beautful crochet owls!

Thank you so much May Britt!

*****

Happiness is...

♥...Kitty Love!

*****

Happiness is...

♥ Sleeping on the window bench in mummy's room
(under her Double Delight!)

*****

Happiness is...

♥ Letting little Kalico's scribble on your cast

the day before it came off!

*****

Happiness is...

♥ Brotherly love!

*****

Happiness is....

♥ Acting like a child when you are only five years old ;)

*****

Happiness is...

♥ Being one step closer to walking again!

Wordless Wednesday - More Rose Stars