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.

Found At Last

Last night I managed to get my hands on something I've been looking for for a while now. It's wrapped up in the yellow fabric.


A little teapot. Iv'e been trawling through lots of charity shops looking for a small teapot and you'll never guess where I found this one, in the pub - honestly!

It isn't what I had imagined I was looking for but when I saw it I just had to have it. Since Stephanie left home there is only me for cups of tea, Anthony is never around long enough for the kettle to boil and Neil doesn't drink tea, so I wanted a single person's teapot. I had thought I would get something delicate and floral all over but I saw this and decided it was perfect. It has got a little chip on the lid but I guess that is to be expected and I can live with it.

I also bought some gorgeous vintage buttons.

Aren't they lovely and all from a trip to the pub. Must go again.

There hasn't been much creativeness going on because I have hurt my neck and been having physio and resting.

I have managed to sew a few strips of half square triangles together and finally get this quilt top ready for its border.

Look What I've Finished

I am so happy to have finished this. You don't know how relieved I am. It's not the best of pictures but I finished it yesterday afternoon and just had to take a picture immediately. I will hang it properly and take another one.

Thanks to Pam for holding it for me, now she's concerned about her elbows!

Now I've got to set to work and crack on with my 3D piece.

Nice Treats

On Wednesday morning I made these - Spicy Pumpkin Muffins. They didn't last long I took them with me to my City and Guilds class and Anthony ate the ones that were left.


This morning I made these Apple and Sultana muffins. I've bought them into work with me and I'm pretty sure I won't be taking any home. Bad luck Anthony.

Bag Phase

I must be going through a bag phase. The one on the left is great fun, I love the birds. And just in case you're wondering the one on the right is made from William Morris fabric.
I have made another William Morris one but forgot to take a photo.

On Sunday we went to the Hub to see the Undercover exhibition. It was very good and well worth a visit if you're out and about in Sleaford. There was also an exhibition on by the Textile Study Group. If you do go this exhibition make sure you have a look at the Book Jacket by Jenny Blackburn. It is a real work of art, stunning.

Unfortunately I took photos on my other camera which I haven't got with me sorry. I'll post them another day.

I hope you all enjoyed the weekend, I did some gardening.

Home Baking

It's been a long time since my last post and there hasn't been as much creativity going on as I would have liked. The reason for this is I've had another chest infection, a very bad one this time and I am on my second course of steroids and antibiotics at the moment. But I'm getting better now.

In fact so much better that yesterday I actually baked a cake! It's an apple cake and it is lovely, it won't be around for long. If you fancy making it the recipe can be found here. You won't regret it.

As promised here's a picture of my shawl.

I did manage to make a bag.

And some tea dyeing has been going on ready for my next project. I counted up and I'd used 23 tea bags and got a very good effect.

It looks a bit orange in this picture but it isn't really.


I had to show you this photo just because I'm a wicked mother and Anthony has a sense of humour. Great hat.

I have finally finished the Attic Windows quilt and I'm very pleased with it. The quilting took me a long time but that was me being a perfectionist. I could have quilted each block in one continous line but I didn't like the idea of the stitching lines crossing over each other, so I quilted each piece within the block seperately. This meant that I had 16 thread ends to sew in for each block uuugh. But worth it.


I think it looks great and will make a lovely christmas present. How organised is that?

You get a better view of the quilting on the back.

Close up you can see all the lines of stitching.

Treasures Found

Gosh how time flies. It's been ages since I last posted but I have been very busy. For a start I've tackled box mountain, which has been revealing. I found lots of things that I thought I'd lost including a shawl made for me by my grandmother in the 70's. I think I was about 10 years old and shawls were very much in fashion then. I'm so pleased to have found it, it's a real treasure. I meant to taken a picture to show you and forgot, I'll do it later in the week.

I have found one thing that got broken during the move, it didn't cause me any distress but Neil replaced it immediately! What is it I hear you asking, if Neil replaced it immediately it must be important must'nt it? Well I can assure it wasn't important, it was the lid to my food processor!

We did manage to fit in a trip to Easton Walled Gardens.


Don't the tulips look lovely, red is my favourite colour.

This is my sewing room and the mess it was in late yesterday afternoon.

I'm sharing it with the tumble dryer at the moment. Doesn't it look a mess?

This is how it looked at 10pm yesterday when I was doing some homework.

I've surprised myself with the amount of sewing paraphernalia that I've managed to accumulate over the years. Some of it I haven't seen for a long time, not sure where it's been though. I've got three button boxes and thousands maybe millions of beads but I'm not counting them.

Must go and do some work now I've got a meeting of my City and Guilds group tomorrow.

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.

I Forgot

In my rush to show you the lovely cakes yesterday I forgot to show you these gorgeous little books. They were very kindly made for me by Gina. The covers are made from a carrier bag which had been used to carry home some purchases from Easton Walled Gardens. Think I need to go back and get another bag.

I love books especially handmade ones.

The pages in the one that ties up are removable, very practical.

If you are like me and love handmade books or would just like to attend a workshop with Gina she will be at Art and Stitch on 24th April for a book making workshop.

Blog Swap

This swap was inspired by silver pebble . Silver pebble has been swapping skills and I arranged to swap one of my little bags for some of Gina's lovely cakes. Three pieces have already disappeared and it wasn't me.

Gina did bring some of this to class today for us all to try a piece and I can tell you it tastes as lovely as it looks. Thank you Gina.

Pretty Things

Now I'm sure by now you all know that I don't like to cook so you may be wondering why I've taken a photo of two mixing bowls. They were yesterdays purchase from Tescos, no they weren't on my shopping list they just looked pretty so I bought them. I'm sure I'll use them some time if only to make some Rice Krispie chocolate cakes.

Here's something else that wasn't on my shopping list. I bought it for Steph, it's a Tea Caddy.

Steph has come to stay for the week because Nick has gone away on a course. It couldn't have worked out better for me because we are moving house on Friday and she has been a great help with the packing, which isn't finished.

Okay I know I said I wouldn't but I have. I've started another quilt, it's Attic Window and is a christmas present. The fabrics are very pretty, not ones I'd use in a quilt for myself but perfect for Neil's mum. She is a very keen gardener.

This is another two bags in the making which I am hoping to finish today.

Tomorrow I have got a meeting of my City and Guild's course. Iv'e had an email from teacher requesting a tutorial ohhh!

I haven't got time to move house.

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.

HoneyBun Bag

I'm back and on steroids. A couple of weeks ago I went down with sinusitus which was really bad. I had a course of antibiotics but it didn't get better but worse. So bad in fact that I got lost on my way to work one day. I had real trouble concentrating, even struggling to put a sentence together. I have had to have a second course of antibiotics and a course of steroids, it had got so bad it was causing problems with my asthma. Thankfully I can now say I am starting to get better.

I have managed to get some sewing done.

These little bags are lovely to make. They are made from a Honey Bun and you get four bags from one roll so they aren't expensive either. I've just got one more to make.

Because I was poorly I missed a meeting of my City and Guilds group (not good) but I have still done some work on my hanging and progress has been made.

This is the first of the three panels, also the largest and it's finally finished.

This is the second one and I have made good progress with it not long and this one will be finished with one more to go.

This is how they look together. It's such a relief to see it starting to come together I was getting very despondent- even thinking about giving up. Anyway I shall plod on.

I have got a lot of catching up to do, emails and blogposts I have missed. I have been informed that one blogger has been doing a lot of cooking.

Pam has been on holiday for the week, some where nice and warm but I will let her tell you all about it. She will be back tomorrow and I'll be so glad, I've really missed her.