Busy Busy Busy

It's been another really busy week around here and there hasn't been much time for creativity. Anthony has moved out this week in his usual chaotic style.

Both he and Nicki seem to be happy and are counting down to baby's arrival. They have everything in place - the pram is assembled, the cot is up and the rocking cradle is ready with a lovely little quilt and matching bumper.

They have all the other paraphanalia that goes with babies - nappies, dummies, bottles, babyclothes, blankets, toys, monitors , even toys for the bath but I think that is more to do with Anthony!

The house is very quiet without him he always was the child with the most to say and still is, I shall miss him.

Steph has been very poorly. She is still suffering with the headaches and been sick necessitating several visits to the doctors and an evening in AandE. Because the headaches are stopping her from getting any sleep she was prescribed some sleeping tablets but had an allergic reaction to them which got progressively worse. She should have had some more tests this week but was unable to have them done so this has put her further back. I feel so sorry for her she really is suffering at the moment.

On a much nicer note though when I got home yesterday the postman had left an envelope all the way from Australia with some goodies inside.

There was a little handmade doll, very cute and the fabric is lovely the picture doesn't do it justice.

The doll was accompanied with a needlepoint kit and a very sweet card made by Penny the very kind lady who sent me all this loveliness.

I have managed to make this flower brooch for Pam. A while ago I made a little zip up purse/bag for Barbara and Barbara has been taking great delight in tormenting Pam because she hasn't got one. Well now Pam has got something Barbara hasn't! Honestly and I thought the children had left home.

I'm hoping to have some time over the weekend to be creative. Enjoy your bank holiday weekend.

Not Much

There hasn't been much creativity going on since my last post. Last week Neil and I went to Wales for a few days. Unusually I said it wasn't long enough - normally I can't wait to get back!. Unfortunately before we went I'd been ill with an awful cold and throat infection that made me lose my voice for two days. Neil was happy though. But I was so tired and just getting over being poorly that I wasn't able to appreciate the break.

All I've managed in the last three weeks is 20 star blocks. I wouldn't have managed these if it hadn't been for Barbara. I think I may have driven her mad, I was having trouble concentrating but we got there in the end.

I am so far behind with everything including all the blogs I usually read, there must be a lot for me to catch up  on, I'm hoping to read a few blogs today so I'm off to start now.

It's Worrying

Chicken and Mushroom Risotto for last nights tea. Made by me without a recipe and it was lovely. Is this the start of the slippery slope?

The bottom of my shoe. I thought it was a very nice pattern and I'm sure I will be able to do some work in my sketchbook (when I find it) using this pattern. 

Iv'e decided to go curvy on the border. I think it will look vey nice once it's stitched and the blue pen has been washed away. Barbara made the templates for me , she is our template queen and will spend hours making the right one. Hopefully today I wiil finish marking it up and you never know I might get some stitching done.

Nearly There

Thanks to Barbara and Pam my quilt is now layered and basted just waiting to be quilted. I'm looking forward to doing the quilting. I have decided to do diagonal lines because it means that the little square in the middle of the blocks will become four little triangles and I think they will look very cute.







It doesn't show up very but using the rust dyed and painted fabrics I made another fabric ready to make the Artists Trading Cards.



The brown paper is from the bag the stamps came in, I have also used an old road atlas. The two small plain beige squares you can see are tea bags. I used some of my grandmothers cotton lace so they will be very special A T C s. There is even a label from a Layer Cake kindly donated by Pam.



Today I'm hoping to make at least one A T C.

Thomas Is Finished

I managed to get the Thomas bag finished. Neil put the grommets in for me. I'm very pleased with it.







And in keeping with tradition here is Barbara modelling the latest model.

Barbara really is a good sport.

I hope Neil's nephew likes it. He had no idea what sort of a bag I was going to make or the fabric I used.

Yesterday's Progress

Yesterday I managed to get all the blocks pieced and the blocks joined together in rows. Today's aim is to join all the rows and if I'm really lucky get the borders on.



I only managed to get this far because Barbara helped me for which I am very grateful. She passed me the blocks as I was sewing them into rows and she kept them all in order.



I'm of now to join the rows, here's hoping for a productive day.

Finished Bag

I've finished the bag and I'm very pleased with it. It took 5hrs to do each beaded ball but it was worth the effort. I think they finish the bag off nicely.




Remember Barbara and the picture of her with my 3D piece on her head, well she's been at it again with the bag this time. It's a good job she has a sense of humour as she doesn't know I'm putting this on my blog.



Yesterday was the first meeting of our new group, the group with no name as yet. This term we are looking at Goldwork, but not in the traditional way.

We did some rust dyeing which by the time I had got home yesterday had already started to work. You can just see it through the bag. I'm going to leave it until tomorrow evening (if my patience lasts) to rinse out the fabric.

This is the start of a goldwork sampler except it's not gold thread it's a coppery colour but teacher says that's okay.

We have been looking at different stitches - from left to right Straight Stitch, Zig Zag, Satin Stitch, Vermicelli, the squiggle is meant to be Feather Stitch but it wouldn't go right. I'm going to have another go.

In the evening I went round to Barbara's to take a picture of her passion flower, it's a very good specimen.

And it has fruit which when it's ripe Barbara is going to pick for me so that I can grow my own.

Finishing Things

Last week I started quilting my half-square triangles quilt, but then I lost the pictures and couldn't show you but I've managed to find them. I have now finished the quilting so all I have to do now is the binding.


Here's a shot of the back.



This is something else I've managed to get finished this week. A bag for Barbara,
it was meant to be part of her birthday present. Her birthday was in June. For some unknown reason I had a mental block with this bag and I really struggled to make it. The annoying thing is I've made one before with no problems.



I ended up putting on a self cover button because I just couldn't find one to match or that looked right. Even though it was late Barbara was pleased with it.

We have had a new Australian magazine in at the shop this week. It's a lovely magazine which is going to be issued three times a year.

For those of you who like to crotchet there is an article on the technique. In case you wanted to know the pattern for this teapot cosy is in a book called Really Wild Tea Cosies by Loani Prior. If I could crotchet I would make it.

And there is an article about keeping sketch books. I'm going to pay particular attention to this one. My homework for the summer is to keep one and I'm hopeless at drawing so I just feel intimidated at the thought of this, but I've got to do it so I'll give it a go.

Enjoy your weekend.

Something Finished, Something Started

Pam and I are taking part in the Peterborough Artists' Open Studios for this and the next two weekends.
This is one piece that I am proudly showing. I'm so pleased with it. It took a long time but it was worth it.


I'm now working on my 3D piece for my City and Guilds. I had planned to make a vase but it's evolved into a 3D Structure/Vessel.
I'm enjoying this piece of work because I've got much more freedom with it and I'm using some of my treasures (which makes Neil happy). You know all those things you hang onto just because you like them and there's bound to be a use for them some day.

There is a silver heart in there somewhere, once upon a time it was actually part of a pair of earrings but I lost one, well I knew I'd need it one day.

However there is always some one who can find another use for things.

Barbara thought it would make a great Sunday Wig. Not sure what Sunday has got to do with it but hey she's got a sense of humour and let me take this photo. I'm not sure that she'll be speaking to me when she realises what I've done with it.

Thank you Barbara.

Abnormal Behaviour

Neil is always saying I'm not normal and he could be right. At 7.30 this morning I found myself in the kitchen making a rhubarb crumble and that is definitely not normal behaviour for me.


The baby quilt for the raffle is finished and has been delivered. Barbara is holding it up for me, I did manage to get a photo of her after a lot of persuading.

I am very grateful for her help, between us we have made a lovely quilt.

The move went okay (for house moves) it would appear that nothing got broken. There are some things missing but I'm sure it's just a case of finding the right box. I think the removal men got bored half way through, even though the boxes were labelled according to the rooms they were to be delivered to most of them have ended up in the conservatory in no particular order. Still that's what bank holidays are for - sorting through boxes.

Hard At Work

I've been as busy as a bee so far this week.

On Friday I was asked to donate a raffle prize for the maternity hospital and it was one of those conversations when you hear the words come out of your mouth but can't quite get them back in quick enough and there it is, too late you've said it. Oh yes of course was my reply, I'll make you a baby quilt.

And this is it, the picture doesn't do it justice but I'm very pleased with it. I used a charm pack and it went together so quickly that I managed to get the quilt top made on Tuesday. It's going to be a joint effort with my good friend Barbara. Yesterday we got it layered up and basted and Barbara has very kindly taken it home to quilt and then I will finish it off with the binding.

I also managed to make the fourth bag from the Honey Bun strips on Tuesday. I love these bags they are so pretty.

I haven't been sleeping too well lately so I have taken up bedtime reading, I can't remember the last time I actually read a book I'm always looking at them.
This is the book I'm reading. I love William Morris, if I could go back in time it would be to see him. He's my all time hero next to Neil of course who is the most important man in my life.

It's a great book, not so much about William but more about the house as the tittle suggests but there are some glimpses into family life.

I have been given two lovely pictures by my niece Willow. I promised to bring them to work and put them on the wall and I thought I would share them with you as well.

Thank you to you all for your kind wishes I am feeling better now.

A Week Of Craftiness

Pam was back at work on Tuesday after her week in Scotland, check out her blog for a beautiful sunset photo. It was very quiet without Pam but she was missed and it's nice to have her back.
You know the saying while the cats away the mice will play, well this mouse couldn't wait to play. This is Barbara sitting in Pams chair and she loved every minute of it.



It has been a real week of craftiness here this week.

This is a chicken I have made using commercial ribbons. It's just one bit of homework I need to do for my course.


Next is some experimental work using wire, I have knitted three dresses they aren't finished yet but if teacher is looking then she will know I am doing some homework :-)

Here they are in close up.

This is a baby quilt made by Fiona a regular customer. She thought we would like to see it because she bought the fabric from us and she was right. It's lovely and bright just what every baby needs.

Then there was Steph and she has been very busy.

First some Raspberry and White Chocolate Chip Cookies that she made. They were very tasty.

Then of course there were more chickens. She has made these into doorstops.

She has also made a Holdall but has taken it away with her this weekend before I had a chance to take a photo.

I managed to finish my Courthouse Steps quilt including a wavy border. I have got to take a photo of it but I will show you.

Tomorrow Pam is teaching a quilt class. It will be her first time at teaching and I am confident that she will be an excellent teacher - she has put a lot of time into the preparation for the class and made lots of samples and comprehensive notes. If the shop isn't too busy I am hoping to take part in the class as well.

I can't believe it will soon be my 50th post and time for a giveaway. Doesn't time fly by.

Why I Love The Postman

The Postman called yesterday with an ordinary-looking parcel for me. On closer inspection it became obvious that it was no ordinary parcel - the label said from The V and A. I immediately knew what was in it and I couldn't get it open quick enough but when I did I wasn't disappointed. Neil had ordered this book for me some time ago.

It's actually four small books each with a c d rom.

I have chosen two pages from each book to show you. The first is Indian Florals

This one is my favourite, I love William Morris.

This picture is from the Digital Pioneers book.


This one is from The Fifties. I love the white flowers they look so delicate against the blue background.

This picture shows a quilt made by Sam (Barbara's) daughter and it's her first attempt at patchwork. She has done a brilliant job. She made the quilt top from two charm packs and some extra fabric for the sashing.

This is mums latest quilt, the colours are wonderful.


And now my quilt, which is coming along slowly. I have started quilting it now (my first attempt) in wavy lines. I couldn't do straight ones could I, why did I choose to do it the hard way?


I have made a few mistakes and it's not perfect :-( but I do like the wavy lines. I keep telling myself it wouldn't have looked as good if I had done straight lines, and it makes good practice. You can see the lines better on the back.

I've added this picture just because I like the Sunflowers.