There is definately a nip of Autumn in the air , I'm not bothered , at least we know how to dress for autumn . The summer has been a no go so I'm not going to be missing that .

Plenty in the garden that needs attention but I'm not rushing out to do that either ,it will be better to wait until the frost has decimated a few plants . I shall just sit oblivious to it all and get on with my crochet and sewing .

 

I found this very useful information on Pinterest and think it is worth printing and hanging near your cutting table .

 

Bye for now , off for my eleven o' clock coffee .

Whichever Way You Look At It

Yes, I'm praising my own work . Whichever way I look at this quilt I really like it , I'm pleased . If you cannot say that about your own work then hide it away .

I bought a book when I went to the Malvern show earlier in the year . The book is called Floral Quilts from Grandma's cupboard .  A Leisure Arts  book .  I paid £17 for it . When we came home bluebell looked on the internet and got it for £6 NEW!!! . grrrrrr,

The book has 8 quilts in and I shall make them all . I like doing applique .

The birds will have plenty of cover in my garden this year , everything is pretty lush with all the rain we had .

I'm now off to have my lunch . Jacket potato with chilli .  Hopefully I will be sewing this afternoon if Pinterest doesn't capture my attention . I have fabric cutting to do as well . I did intend to pop to the town for knitting yarn but a neighbour called so that didn't happen . I seem to have open house , there is always someone dropping in . I never turn anyone away saying sorry I'm going out . 

Orange Happiness

What a bargain , this beautiful lidded basket was just 50p from a charity stall .

This is a quilt I have made this week . I love the colour orange . It is not for anything special but it does add sunshine in the conservatory even though the sun isn't shining . It is machine quilted . I didn't want to spend a lot of time on it  .

This is the backing on the quilt . £2 a yard from the fabric guild . I feel pretty sure it is viscose  . It doesn't matter to me . 

Well onward , We are off  to the quilt show at the NEC tomorrow so I must justify sitting quilting and having a day out by pulling some housework in but for now it's a coffee.

Rooting around

I spent a morning in my garage rooting through my fabric stash earlier in the week . I sorted out my bright colours . I have made the top of a quilt and I might even find time to get it on to my quilting frame this weekend . I have 2 tops waiting to be quilted . Yesterday morning I spent time again rooting through the stash . I saw a quilt tutorial on the blog of http;//cubbyhousecrafts.com   very easy , just the sort to bring down the pile of squares I sometimes cut and keep ready for a quilt .

Thursday afternoon Bluebell and myself went to spend the afternoon sewing with 2 of my friends . I use to sew with these friends on a regular basis . It promises to be a regular get together again starting the end of the month .

We are off to the quilt show at the N E C Birmingham on Thursday. We really enjoy that . Dare I say to myself  careful Kathleen , no patterns , I'm not saying the same about fabric , I want to have Rowan fabric the big flower prints that Kaffe Fassett designs . I will not hold back..

It is my younger son's birthday today . This morning I sat thinking about the evening he was born at home .10 Ib 3 ozs . A good midwife , easy birth . Half a century ago . Mmmm.

I have been off tea for a few weeks but this morning I have had 2 cups and I am now off for a third cup . Perhaps I had sme duff teabags .

If I don't blog again over the weekend , have fun. Bye . 

Bygone days

This is a picure of my husband chatting to the shepherd in Cyprus .I was just browsing through my Picasa .

bye for now

All's Well That Ends Well

Bluebell came this morning for us to go shopping . As she came through the door , Hi , are you alright ? well yes and no I replied . Whats wrong now, she ask .

The thread broke on the overlocker and I cannot find 1 hook that the cotton should go through . Tut tut and more tutting  , let me look sez she with all the confidence of a solver of life's problems . This is a new machine so we are both on unfamiliar terrortory . I have had an overlock machine previously but this one is a super duper .  Bluebell tilted the specs on her nose and peered inside with all the confidence that the problem would be solved in the blink of an eye .

Then what does this do and how does that work , what is the number 1 bit .

after a short time , no joy . In the words of the song , things were getting nowhere , so we put plan B into action . Phoned Steve our machine man . We worship the ground he walks on . I told him the problem , and, can we come and see you . when sez he , today said I , what time sez he  , we will be leaving home in 10 minutes I told him .

He takes the machine out of the box , shows us where the missing link is , threads it up and bingo . Sorted in seconds . thats why we worship the ground he walks on .

So two happy ladies ,and a bag of 5 Sainsburys doughnuts in the shopping , more happiness . Oh! life can be so lovely sometimes .

I might get working on  this pile of colourful fabric today  There doesn't seem promise of sunshine so I'll make my own . I have in mind a snowball pattern , that way I can have big sqs,. with the corners as accent colour . Perhaps a little variation sq,. here and there . When I'm sitting in the conservatory and the sun don't shine I will have my own sunny colour . I spend all my spare time in this room mainly because of the good light .

I sat yesterday and finished off these 3 covers for the twins that will be arriving later . The fabric ones are approx 22 inches sq ,. I backed them with white fleece , no batting , blanket stitched the edges and then 1 row of d,crochet . I think just the right size for the little seat thingies . Should be easy to wash and dry . The crochet one is about twice that size . I was told a couple of weeks ago they were about 2 , 1/2 pounds each , so growing nicely . I have made bootees but have a feeling I have wasted my time there . When eyeing up other peoples babies they seem to be encased in an all in one garment , no feet showing plus when looking at baby clothes it seems to be proper little socks .

I like watching the tv programme ,One born every minute . I never cease to wonder that babies seem so active as soon as they are born . They open their eyes and although they cannot see seem to be very aware . When I had my babies it was the fashion to swaddle them in a blanket . Poor little things were bundled like a straight jacket , now they have striped suits on in strong colours with a matching hat . They look like little little escapees from Alcatraz . Fun though isn't it . I smile when I see them all togged up to go home . 

well! I've had 2 coffees , sat around blogging , done 2 rows on my crochet blanket , fed the birds  now I must shower and begin the day proper .

A positive day

Yes a positive day , the flow on the pump in the fish pond sorted . Bluebell called to ask did I want to go to the fabric guild ?  Of course I do , there is always a little more room on the shelf for a fat quarter of fabric .I bought fabric that was £2 a yard ,so 5 yards in my basket . 100% cotton ,good quality ,very nice .  I also bought fleece to back my baby quilts for the babies to be born in the Autumn .  I also bought 3 yards beige check 60 inch wide @ £3 a yard . I have plans for that . In one of my Kaffe Fassett books there is a Kim Mclean quilt . I shall use the beige check the background  . I intend to jiggle the pattern around a bit . The pattern has hearts in the applique , I'm not a fan of hearts on quilts .I have lots of magazine supplements I can look through for leaves and flowers to replace the hearts .

I'm off to make coffee before I settle down for the evening

a day when doing a lot but achieving little .The humdrum housework goes o'k but I have been trying to increase the flow of the pump in my fish pond . It has been getting lower all week . I have had the manual out , it explans what to do but I haven't had any luck so far . It seems the rubber gloves will be back on again tomorrow for plan B.
The roses are not from my garden , I should be so lucky . The weather we have had !!!  They were £3 from Aldi . makes one wonder is it worth the spraying and feeding to grow your own . I would say the garden is a 75% disaster this year .
I've sorted fabric for a Kaffe Fassett quilt and cut fleece to back 2 small cot quilts . I may just make a start on something after I have had coffee and 2 Jaffa cakes . The enthusiasm is like a damp squib . I did get to the post office to enlarge my pattern to 200% but up to now thats as far as I have progressed .
But I have blogged

Trying to commit

I said yesterday I would try to commit a bit more time to my blog so here goes .This is my Lavender hedge that has flowered really well again this year . I should be cut now if I want to keep the lavender but I always feel it's a sin to chop it . Other people get pleasure from it , I notice them stop and look as they are passing . I would feel guiltyso it will stay for the bees and passing folk to enjoy. It is about 10 foot long .

Bluebell went on her hols last week . She bought me gifts  .This beautiful china cup saucer and plate for display on my dresser . A lovely wool felted flower brooch , it looks really nice on my cream cotton jumper , and a tablet of hand made freesia soap .  I love receiving soap . One very happy lady here .

This is a cot quilt I made this last week for a neighbour . I might find I have it left on my hands . It has happened in the past.

And this is a shop quilt I fell in love with when spending a day in town last week . Pale grey and white . The strange thing is , I cannot bear the colour grey . I don't wear it . I don't paint furniture grey . Never have liked it .BUT perhaps I'm facing my demons , I fell in love with this quilt the moment I saw it . I'm not a fan of stripes either but this quilt has stripes too .

I have had days lately when I haven't felt very energetic . I noticed after eating anything with wheat I was very uncomfortable , so I have modified my intake and lo and behold my feet have stopped being swollen . I hope it is just a passing hiccup , I love sandwiches . I have also gone off tea drinking , normally  I drink a lot of tea . After a cup of tea I feel swamped with fluid so I have to leave that off . It cannot be the milk because I feel o'k after cereal and I have milk in coffee and thats o'k.  Pehaps I should ask the doctor for a allergy test .

Nothing else to report today , let's see what tomorrow brings