Not Enough Time to Craft

Catching up.....

2012-02-01T18:57:00.000Z

..............with you.

I recently finished this crochet scarf that I started in November. I bought the yarn and pattern as a kit from the Toft Alpaca Shop stand at the Harrogate Knitting & Stitching show

I didn't like the orginal pattern so developed my own and I have given it to a work colleague that fell in love with it.

This week I have finished this little shawl called Ambleside from Raverly. Unfortuately it is too small for me so Jan, if it fits you, you have gained a little shawl.

This Kaffe Fasset fabric is for my Mouthy Stitches swap

I am in the process of making some hexis, I hope my partner likes what I have got in mind and I hope I can pull it off.

I am here.....honest!

2012-01-23T22:16:00.000Z

Just a short note to say I am around. Work, a cold and tiredness has got in the way. I have been reading blogs though.

I'll be back tomorrow or Wednesday to tell tales of Quilt sales! (depending when I can get good photos of the purchases!

Today........

2012-01-11T21:40:00.000Z

I've been shopping for fabric without spending any money, how good it that?

If you having been following my blog for a while, you will remember back in October I was fifty. I had a lot of lovely presents that I've enjoyed or have still to enjoy such as an hour's flying lesson.
4 of my work collegues got together and bought me some vouchers for a LQS and today I spent them!

Lisa from Australia sent me this pattern which I love. I've bought these fabrics for it.

These fabrics are mainly Makower

These 3 FQs are Moda Hometown by Sweetwater

I bought these 3 FQs 'just because'

These FQs are to add to my increasing Civil War collection

1 metre of Moda Wild Rose

Have you seen this? It is going to be just beautiful, I shouldn't but I'm going to. The Wild Rose fabric is for the blocks.

Not bad for not spending any money, eh?

Right! back to...

2012-01-10T22:16:00.000Z

...........quilting!

In Blogland recently I've seen lots of Bowtie quilts and I've fallen in love. I'm going make lots of these from my civil war scraps (I'll be still buying civil war fabrics because I love them)

Like many Bloggy ladies I have taken part in Temecula Quilt Co's 12 Days of Christmas free pattern. I had quite a few charm squares left from my Modern Tablerunner swap and as they were Moda's 12 Days of Christmas I thought they were appropriate.

Today I finished the quilt top and hopefully I will quilt it tomorrow.

Back to Bowtie blocks, I still had charm squares so some playing around and here we are!

I'm going to try and quilt this too tomorrow.

I have decided........

2012-01-09T18:22:00.000Z

..............to move on.

As I've mentioned before I suffer with depression and have done for quite a while (thank you, menopause). Since the back end of 2011 I've really been struggling, I've also been fighting with a new back problem (I strat physio the week after next). I've worked over the weekend but today I took a sick day as I couldn't face another 12 hours fighting with my back at work, the bending, pushing and moving has got too much. As you can imagine it didn't go down well.

Over the weekend someone asked me if I will be in the same job until I retire. This question has made really think. Combined with the 12 hour days which I'm finding too much, the stress of being a manager, working for a new company and some other issues I'd better not air on a public blog in case it comes back to haunt me, I've decided enough, is enough............I am going to change my job. It has been coming on, probably 2 years but I didn't want to change the status quo. This might seem to some - so what, just get on with it but I've been in this job 12 years and I've seen many ups and downs, we've also built up a good reputation and kept it - which, in this industry is an achievement. The home is like a another family and I know I'll be missed and I'll miss them but for my long term mental and physical health I need to be pro active and change my life style. At present I feel very trapped and so unhappy.

Ideally I want to lessen my hours and try to get back some life/work balance, I also want to work on improving my health and to do this I need to move on. Wish me luck! One thing seems apparent, there seems to be plenty of RN jobs about.

Our Christmas!

2012-01-03T23:42:00.000Z

Photos of our Christmas! Every one has one of the animals on it! My Mum with Molly!

Gomit with Meg

Molly on the Chair arm supervising DD (off picture)

Meg with her new Christmas toy - a kong that wobbles and lets food out of it as it knocked across the floor.

We even have a reindeer on the Christmas cake!!!

Santa Sack 2

2012-01-02T22:30:00.000Z

Here are my pressies from Lisa from this year's Santa Sack Swap. I've realised I've forgotten to photograph the actual Santa Sack.

I love this quilt pattern. I go to Nantwich Fabric sale at the end of the month and I'm going to buy the fabric for it.

Look at the face on the snail! so cute!

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T11:23:00.000Z

Happy New Year!

I hope that you all enjoy your New Year's Eve whatever you are doing.

Looking forward to another year's fun and friendship in Blogland

Photos of recent 'doings' to show later in the week

Happy Christmas!

2011-12-24T16:06:00.000Z

Merry Christmas

have a Happy, Peaceful New Year!!!

Robins!

2011-12-20T17:12:00.000Z

I love robins and for me they are synonymous with Christmas. When buying Christmas cards I'm always drawn to ones with robins on. I love watching them in the garden, cheeky,beady eyes, always watchful.

A new start!

2011-12-17T21:43:00.001Z

Here is DD and Gromit at his passing out parade 3 years ago. Now as you can see Gomit is in the British Army but unfortunately he has permanently injured his shoulder and is no longer 'war' fit. This means that if we were in a situation we had to send troops into a war zone the Army doesn't think his shoulder won't stand up to the strain so at the beginning of April he will be officially discharged on medical grounds. He is home for Christmas leave and doesn't have to go back. Now he has to look for a job on 'civvy' street. The Army has trained him in air conditioning and refrigeration so that will be the field he will look for a job. I am crossing my fingers & toes that he is able to get a job as in the current economy jobs are not two a penny.

If he gets a job him and DD can move out of our house. That will be strange as I've got very used to having them here.

P.S I've had to put the word verification back on the comments box because of unwanted spam.

A little tree!

2011-12-16T23:03:00.000Z

This year I've not made any Christmas presents so far but a few weeks ago I made this little Xmas tree out of yo yos which I thought would make a nice little present so tonight I've made some more yo yos to make a couple more trees for some of my neighbours. I've nearly made enough yo yos so tomorrow night (as long as I don't snowed in at work, we had snow today) I'll start sewing them together.

An evening out

2011-12-14T23:07:00.000Z

This evening DD, Oh! Bearded One, J, her husband C & myself went into central Manchester to the German Christmas Market. J & C & DD have been before but it was the first time Oh! Bearded One and myself have been.

It was great fun!! Loads of people, loads of food and loads of Christmas lights - a really lovely atmosphere! It was very cold though.

DD & I bought some Christmas decorations and we also bought some German sausage and marshmellows.

Here we are, drinking Gluhwein, which was lovely on such a cold evening.

This time of year is very different to this time last year. On the 14th of December last year Oh! Bearded One was having to have his eye surgically removed due to eye cancer (Choroidal Melanoma). Here we are, a year later with him fully recovered and a good prognosis!

A good day!

2011-12-13T22:35:00.000Z

I've had a good day today, I've got a couple of finishes which always leads to a feel good factor.

The 9 patch blocks pictured above are made from fabric donated to me by Julie for me to make lap quilts for work. I think the fabric is a 'Me and my Sister' design for Moda although I can't track down which particular one. Anyway she sent me the equivalent of at least half a jelly roll. All the fabric was cut into 2 & half inch strips. I loved the fabric but felt it wasn't quite right to use for lap quilts so I am using it to make a quilt for one of my work colleague's twins (girl) and have substituted some other fabric I have bought to make a quilt to be raffled.

This is the raffle quilt. The fabric is a Makower panel, various FQs and the border fabric is the same Makower range as the panel.

Anyway, both quilts are now made into flimsies. I'm going to send them to Jude for quilting.

The 'Me & my Sister' quilt top.

Tomorrow I might just have to go shopping for backing for these quilts - such a hard life! I do go back to work on Thursday so I would like to have everything ready to give to Jude when she is ready to quilt them for me.

These 2 tops were on my 'to do' list for January and they are done in December, how good is that?

I've cut the fabric for twin 2 (boy). Hopefully I'll get that done before Christmas as well.

After Christmas I should be able to concentrate on some of my other quilts that have been started.

A finish!

2011-12-10T22:27:00.000Z

Moda Fruitcake charm pack and some FQs

I've finished the binding on this quilt this evening, just in time for Christmas!

Another job ticked off the 'to do' list. I also wrapped some Christmas presents but I ran out of paper before I could get anywhere near finishing them. I'm going to Chester with J tomorrow so I'll get some more then.

2011-12-08T22:23:00.000Z

I've had a PJ day today, as the weather has been so horrible, rain battering against the house, high wind and cold. I have done one useful thing, I wrote my Christmas cards!

When I went to the Harrogate Knitting & Stitching show I bought a crochet scarf pattern from Toft Alpaca Shop stand. It is a lovely scarf with a flower at one end. I started as the pattern but I'm sorry to say I didn't like the way the pattern is written so I'm doing my version of it. This is how dar I've got with it.

This evening I also started a Christmasy thingy which I'll show, perhaps tomorrow.

2011-12-06T19:54:00.000Z

To brighten your day!!

Looking forward to 2012

2011-12-05T22:54:00.000Z

I have spent some time today thinking about what I have achieved this year and what I would like to achieve next year.

I haven't been very prolific this year. I have finished one quilt, a bag and 2 flimsies, one of which is quilted and nearly bound. I have also finished a few small items for swaps this Christmas.

I have underestimated how much time I've ended up with. At the beginning of the year I wasn't anticipating my company falling apart and the home I work in being taken over which has meant a lot of extra work. I also have had periods where I have been poorly motivated. Also when it comes to buying fabric I've been spoilt for choice. I am a Moda girl and Moda have produced quite a few lines that I absoluately had to have - lol.

I would like to try to make 2012 a year of finishes rather than starts and minimal fabric purchasing. In the first part of 2012 Moda aren't producing too many lines that I must have so that helps. Of course I don't what they have got planned for later in the year.

Below are photos of the quilts I have got started. I have also got a few cross stitches on the go (covered in an older post), not to mention knitting projects. I want to finish 12 items in 2012. I just need to decide which to tackle.

This block is from my 9 patch internet swap from the back end of 2010. As I am hand quilting this it is going to take a while and I'm not going to put a time scale on it.

I love this quilt and I really want it finished so I think this must be a priority.

This is one of this year's flimsies. I really wanted to make a Halloween quilt so I made the blocks and put it together. I had 3 goes at quilting it but none of them worked so I want to put it out for quilting but at present I can't afford it but hopefully in the New Year I can and it will become a 2012 finish.

This is the 2nd flimsy from this year. It is quilted, bound and I just need to finish hand stitching the binding down. This should be done this week.

I've slowly done a bit more to my Grandmother's flower garden quilt. I did a lot when I was on holiday in France in June but I've not touched it since. Again I'm not pushing it.

These rail fence blocks are for charity lap quilts for work so I'll just keep plugging away at these as and when I feel like it.

This a block from 'Double Nine Patch' from Fons & Porter Love of Quilts July/August 2011. I fell in love with this quilt and decided to had piece the blocks. I'll hand quilt it as well.

I made these blocks for 2 baby quilts but have changed my mind about the suitability of such pale colours for crawling babies and toddlers. The quilts were for twins. I've started other quilts for them which will be much more suitable. I will make up these quilts as I need to make a quilt for a gift as the fabric is lovely.

These blocks are from Barbara Brackman's Civil War BOW. I am very behind with these blocks. I have got some cut out waiting to be made up and then I need to catch with the others. I really want to finish this quilt so I intend to get the blocks finished as soon as possible even if i don't get the quilt made up into a flimsy.

This quilt top is one of four small lap quilts I'm making for work. These must be finished as soon as possible so after Christmas I must get moving on them.

This is a quilt I started because I had seen a similar quilt and I really wanted to make it. This is one block but it is nearly at the flimsy stage so this could possibly be a finish for 2012

Henrietta Whiskers - I've got 2 blocks made. At some point I'll be inspired to finish it as I still love it.

These blocks are a spin off from the Rouenneries quilt featured above. They will probably make a lap quilt but I've got to finish the blocks for the other quilt first.

This is one of the first quilts I made - a disappearing 9 patch. I'm hand quilting it so who knows how long it will take me to finish it as it doesn't really inspire me now.

This quilt is the 2nd one I've made out of this fabric. The other one is quilted and has been given as a gift. I'll quilt this one when I need a gift.

This quilt is 'Stepping Stones' from one of Pam & Nicki Lintott's books. The fabric is Moda Morris Workshop. I love this so this must be a finish. A new Morris fabric range is out and I would really like some of it.

The fabric range is Moda Hemming House and the blocks for this quilt have been made for ages. One to finish ASAP.

As above, using the same pattern which is from Fabric Trends magazine.

This is Bunny Hill's Postcard Cuties. I've wanted to make this for ages. The blocks are made but the applique need to be done. As I've got a lot of handwork prepared I need to decide which I want to do fisrt and get on with it.

I think I need to apply the same reasoning I do to clothes buying - I need to take more time thinking about the quilt and fabric to make sure I really, really want to make the quilt/buy the fabric.

As I see it I have 2 priorities - the Rouenneries and Morris Workshop quilts. As for hand work I think I want to work on hand quilting the international 9 patch blocks and hand piecing the Double 9 patch blocks, then if I fancy some applique I'll have a go at Henritta Whiskers. My 2012 finishes hopefully will include some knitting projects. I am not so sure about cross stitch projects as I am having so much trouble seeing to do cross stitch now.

Xmas bits & bobs

2011-12-05T20:41:00.000Z

Here is my Modern tablerunner swap in place for Christmas! I love it!

The conservatory tree. The photo of the sitting room tree was all fuzzy so I'm not downloading that.

The bookcase!

A very sad Meg! She had been for a very long walk yesterday and was tired and had pulled a muscle in her left back leg, which she tends to do when she has had a lot of excercise. The leg has just about recovered but she has been happy to lay about today.

My Santa Swap Christmas sack! now on its way to Oz.

Christimas is a coming!

2011-12-02T23:15:00.000Z

I am now on a week's annual leave from work. I chose to have a week off about now so I can prepare for Christmas.

Tonight I went to the Trafford Centre on the edge of Manchester and did some more Christmas shopping. I have now nearly finished it.

Tomorrow I am going to put the Christmas decorations up which will make me so happy. I love the twinkly lights and as I have found this Autumn so miserable I need twinkly lights to cheer me up.

Harrogate!

2011-11-30T23:59:00.000Z

Well! we went to Harrogate on Saturday. We had a really nice weekend. This year it was rather windy, which was different from last year when we had to stay overnight because we got snowed in!

We went for the Knitting & Stitching show which is held every year in the International Conference centre which is in the heart of Harrogate. Historically, Harrogate was a Spa town, a place you went to take the waters, supposedly to heal from as many ailments as you can think of. These days it is more famous for Betty's tea rooms.

We British love our tea! If there is a problem to be solved we stick the kettle on and make tea. Betty's tea rooms take tea drinking back a era to when tea was served at 4 o'clock with cucumber sandwiches and dainty cakes

My friend, J and DD booked a table for Sunday afternoon for the 3 of us to have afternoon tea as part of my 50th birthday celebrations.

Here we are, with our afternoon tea laid before us!

By the time we had eaten our sandwiches and scone we didn't have room for the cakes so they were put in little boxes for us to take home with us.

DD & myself

We had shown the staff the invitation that DD had given me for my birthday, they loved it and at the end of the tea they presented me with this little cake. Such a sweet gesture!

As for the show! We enjoyed looking around it but we didn't buy much this year. Money is tight so I only bought the fat eighths shown in the bottom picture and a yarn kit to crochet a scarf which I have started so hopefully photos when it is completed. DD bought a hat kit for me to knit for her as she doesn't knit but she loved the hat! We have decided to give this show a miss next year and concentrate on the Festival of Quilts at the NEC in August instead where there are many more fabric stalls as both J and I are much more into quilting than anything else at present.

On other news, I have received my Modern tablerunner swap. I absoluately love it! I love this fabric range (Moda Figgy Pudding) and the colours are perfect for me!

Look at the quilting!

Thank you, Sarah!

Fat eighths to add to my Civil War fabric stash

Off to a show!

2011-11-25T19:25:00.000Z

Tomorrow I'm off to the Knitting & Stitching show in Harrogate. I'm going with my friend, J and DD. I am hoping to buy some more Civil War repro fabric.

and maybe some yarn

and maybe a precut or 2.

Last year we got snowed in and had to saty overnight. This year we are deliberately staying over.

It was also this weekend that the Oh! Bearded One started with problems with his eye which culminated with him having his eye removed. I am hoping nothing like that happens. I have to be honest and say I am feeling slightly uneasy as this anniversary comes up.

Modern tablerunner swap

2011-11-22T20:14:00.001Z

I've finished my Modern tablerunner for the swap of the same name (see sidebar)

We had to send a Christmas ornament as well and this is my offering.

The tablerunner! Made from Moda 12 Days of Christmas which I love. I hope my swap partner also likes it. It is now off to Canada.

I couldn't resist showing you this photo of Meg! so cute!

2011-11-16T18:19:00.001Z

Here, in Cheshire, it is very dull at the moment. I can't wait to put the Christmas tree up but it is still too early so I've looked for something to substitute. I went into town this afternoon and I found the basketweave vase and the fairy lights both reduced. The lights help brighten up my mood during the dull miserable November.

I'm supposed to show photos of my Modern table runner on Flickr but it has been too dull to photograph it. I go back to work tomorrow so there is no chance until Friday morning at the earliest. It is well on its' way to being finished. I've started to go to a local quilting group. It will be my 2nd visit tonight and my friend, J, is going with me. I will be taking the runner with me.

May we never forget!

2011-11-10T23:15:00.000Z

11th minute of the 11th day of the 11th month of 2011

May we never forget those that gave their lives so we may live ours now

2011-11-07T20:50:00.000Z

Meg is has been doing a lot of this, this weekend.

We have been to the Lake District. The weather was beautiful!

This is Derwent Water on Saturday morning.

My 50th Birthday!

2011-10-31T23:09:00.001Z

Sorry I've not posted before now, life has got in the way as it has a habit of doing.

Thank you for your kind birthday wishes! I had a wonderful birthday and lots of wonderful presents. My work collegues collected to buy me a kindle which I love. The Oh! Bearded One and our friends bought me a flying lesson and a photo makeover, so exciting! I had lots of other things too - well spoiled!

My birthday cake that DD made. The bottom layer was a chocolate sponge, the middle layer was jam sponge and the top layer was a fruit cake which I have eaten virtually by myself - lovely!

The Oh! Bearded One and myself!

All 4 of us!

DD and myself.

My balloons, from DD. She organised the colour theme, the table decorations, balloons and lots of other things.

DD put up the decorations at home

On this photo you can just see a box by the chair. DD gave me the box, it contained 50 wrapped presents, they included things like socks, chocolate, hand cream, lip salve, tissues and a couple of little books.

Even Meg's crate had balloons on it!

2011-10-22T00:20:00.000+01:00

to me!

Well! It has arrived - my 50th Birthday weekend!!!!

SofM is home and my friend is in a hotel just down the road and loads more friends & relations will come tomorrow, all in rediness for my party tomorrow night.

I can't believe I'm this old. I am now middle aged, how did that happen? I'm not impressed!

If you are celebrating something special this weekend, really enjoy it. To my mind these celebrations are to be savoured and enjoyed, especially when spent with family and friends!

Some things.......

2011-10-17T21:16:00.000+01:00

I've been working on

A Sufolk puff Christmas tree

A Christmas robin cross stitch

A knitted waistcoast

A quilt for a raffle prize at work

My giveaway 9 patch blocks that I'm quilting as I go.

..............and some other things I can't show!

I feel like this.....

2011-10-14T17:06:00.000+01:00

If you look closely at this fabric you will notice that the edges of these FQs are quite uneven and jaggered which is how I feel just now - work again!!! Sometimes I wonder why I do what I do! Depression and sulking in bed has been today's story!

Anyway, these FQs are for Susan's Modern Christmas Tablerunner Swap (sorry could get the link to the correct post to work).

Sunday morning!

2011-10-02T21:16:00.000+01:00

This is how I spent my Sunday morning! Reading 'Quiltmania' and Elm Creek Quilts and surrounded by pets!

I've been playing!

2011-10-01T19:56:00.000+01:00

I've been playing with this charm pack but I'm not showing the results as they are for a swap!!!

Scarecrows!

2011-09-27T23:41:00.000+01:00

During August a village I drive through to get to work held a Scarecrow festival and a flower festival. The village is called Lower Peover (pronouced pever, not pea over as we thought when we first moved to Cheshire). This village's other claim to fame, other than the odd Scarecrow festival, is that General George S Paton and General Eisenhower held meetings with senior members of the British War Cabinet about D Day in the local pub.

Anyway, getting back to the scarecrows!

..............they started appearing all over the village about 3-4 weeks before the flower festival was held.

I just loved this one!

This is the second festival the village has had, I think it is great fun!

A walk - Part 2

2011-09-23T21:55:00.002+01:00

We've left the village behind and we are now out on the main road (A556) between Manchester in the north and Chester in the south. This bridge is known as the Blue bridge for obvious reasons. It was built in 1938 and it carried the Northwich bypass over the River Weaver.

Just before the bridge is a footpath down to the river.

We are now looking back at the bridge but walking towards Northwich.

This lock is Hunt's Lock.

With the railway viaduct in the background.

A closer view of the viaduct. You can't go far in Northwich without coming across part of its' industrial heritage.

This is Riversdale swing bridge, a new bridge that has replaced an older structure that had become too dangerous to use. It was opened in December 2010

This is St John Deane's 6th form college. It was a grammar school and dates back to 1557 and it is one of the best 6th form colleges in England. Both my children went there. DD did a year there to do her AS levels and SofM spent 2 years there, doing his A levels. This photo shows the old part of the college, on the other side of this building is a brand new building with state of art everything.

Riversdale bridge again. This bridge links our side of Northwich with the college side of Northwich. Unfortuately the bridge was closed whilst my 2 were at Sir John Deane's, they had to go the long way round. We are lucky it was opened again, National lottey money and Sustrans (national safe cycle routes) were responsible for getting it open again.

This is an Edwardian pumping station. It was build in 1910 and pumped sewage from the low laying areas of Northwich to the main sewage works on the other side of town. It is now a grade 2 listed building which means it is protected by law from being knocked down or altered. There are a few grade 2 listed structures in the Northwich area as a result of its' industrial past.

Views of the river Weaver and the boat marina in the centre of town, less than a mile away from our house.

I hope you enjoyed your jaunt through Northwich.

A walk - part 1

2011-09-20T21:19:00.000+01:00

As promised, a walk! in 2 parts as I think there are too many photos for one post. The Oh! Bearded One, Meg (dog) and I did this walk on 4th Sept (our wedding aniversary, 29 years). It was a nice, warm afternoon for a change. The photo above shows the local Methodist church. My children went to Sunday school and I worshiped here when they were little.

All over Cheshire there are sign posts like this, I love them, I love the old fashioned style.

This mosiac is fairly new and I wasn't aware it was here, just shows how long it is since I walked through the village rather drove through it. It shows the church & new hall, a canal (you can't go far in Cheshire and not encounter water in one form or another), the symbol for the local independant school and the influence of salt on the area.

St John's church and brand new church hall. This is the church DD & Gromit got married in (nearly a year ago!)

You will see a theme developing here - black and white buildings, Cheshire is famous for them!

Hartford Hall hotel. Part of the hotel was a 17th Century Nunnery and Manor house! The old part of the hotel is lovely - log fires and old oak beams

Part 2 tomorrow!

2011-09-19T22:50:00.000+01:00

On Friday I tried to quilt this quilt for the third time, it is just not happening, I had to unpick the stitching and I am now giving it up as a bad job. Jude, this quilt will be heading your way when I can afford to have it quilted but I've 2 baby quilts to have done first. I'm not even attempting them!

Earlier last week I was working on these, they are not finished and I'm not telling you what they are for!

I've had a fantastic response to my plea for 1.5 inch strips - thank you, ladies, so much.

Tomorrow I'll take you on a walk.

A Cheeky Ask!

2011-09-15T00:46:00.000+01:00

As I've posted before I've started making these blocks from my 1.5 inch scraps. The problem I've come up against now is that I've not got enough variety of scraps. Why is this a problem you ask? just wait until you do have enough.

Now I would wait except I want to sell some wheelchair quilts at my work's Christmas fair. I made 4 small quilt tops like the one you see in this photo but I've lost 3 of them (I suspect in the deep depths of the loft as I haven't found them in my sewing stuff) so I thought I would use the scrappy rail fence blocks to make some more. My lovely old ladies feel the cold even in a centrally heated home.

Where the cheeky ask comes in- is - I am wondering whether you lovely ladies could spare a few 1.5 inch strips for me to use in these blocks. I want to make 4-6 quilts measuring 36 inchs square and if I don't sell the quilts I will donate them to the home. I am trying to sell them first as it will make more money for the residents fund.

If you are willing to help me please either e-mail me or leave me a comment.

Thank you in anticipation.

2011-09-08T20:55:00.000+01:00

Whilst I watched 'Homes under the Hammer' and 'To build or not to build' I worked a little on this little cross stitch...........

......................and I sewed a bit more binding on this little quilt. I've got 3 more of these quilts and I don't what I've done with them!

This afternoon, following my success of 'mucking' out SofM's bedroom, I 'mucked' out my own bedroom. It was nearly as bad as SofM's. I still need to clean the windows and I also want to go through my wardrobe. I usually do that at this time of year as the weather turns cooler. I also try to decide what I need to add to my clothes, this year it is a pair of black trousers as the last pair I had were too small for me!

After all that hard work I am now taking it easy! I do have to say I did find it hard work and my back aches, I'm either old or unfit of both!

Empty nests!

2011-09-06T00:05:00.000+01:00

Karen at Sew Many Ways has set up a club..............

......................An empty nesters club (click on the button to join yourself)

which is very appropriate as SofM has gone back off to Edinburgh for the new academic year.

He didn't want me to take his photo!

I've spent the afternoon mucking out his bedroom, 4 months of dust bunnies and lots of rubbish! not to mention mucky socks and boxers (probably too much information! -lol)

I've taken over his space until next summer, when I suppose he'll be back whilst he tries to get a job. I've moved the room around to make it better for me to use as a sewing space as The Oh! Bearded One is fed up with me using the dining table and although I have a desk in his office I don't like to sew when he is working as I don't want to disturb him so using SofM's bedroom will better, especially as I want to do lots of sewing on the run up to Christmas.

Living in Edinburgh

2011-08-30T22:19:00.000+01:00

As quite a few Bloggy persons have been in Edinburgh over the last few weeks for the Edinburgh Festival, I thought I would show you some photos of a typical Scottish tenement flat, although this one was a tip as it is student accomadation and my son was moving out at the end of last term, also it hasn't been particularly looked after and updated.

Old tenement blocks in a lot of the Scottish cities are build in this mellow stone. They tend to have high ceilings and large windows which makes them cold in winter (Scottish winters are the coldest in the UK)

The internal hallway

A bedroom

Part of the internal hall

The kitchen/diner

The high ceiling in would would have been the sitting room.

What would have been the sitting room but now a bedroom, look at that large bedroom.

The landing and staircase leading to the flat.

This is the second old tenement flat SofM has lived in whilst living in Edinburgh. This coming year he is going to be living in a brand new flat with all mod cons which will lovely for him but the disadvantage is that he will have to keep it much cleaner - lol. A lot of student accomadation with private landlords is grotty - to say the least!

What I've been up to!

2011-08-29T18:21:00.000+01:00

Over the weekend I've been on nights and it has been quiet so I've been knitting hats to sell on a craft stall at work just before Christmas. My head is buzzing with ideas to make or knit to sell. The only trouble is I'm going to have to work so much over the next month I'm not going to have time to sew anything - Boo hoo!!

I've been getting to know my new machine.......................

........................and I've made a few more blocks for this quilt. I want to finish one of the 2 quilts I'm making for our bed before the winter, it doesn't matter which one but I do need to get on with them. It is August bank holiday Monday and it has rained and is quite cold. I've been tempted to turn the heating on but I'm under the duvet at present.

I missed entering either of my animals for 'Pets on Quilts' but here's is a couple of photos I've taken recently.

This tinker has been laid on my Christmas quilt today, which is over the back of the conservatory sofa.

2011-08-21T21:41:00.000+01:00

I've been on holiday from work this week and DD has been on nights so I've had a good excuse to sew. Also I've received my 50th birthday present to myself - a new sewing machine!!

I wanted a computerised machine but I knew I wouldn't use anything really fancy. I've been wanting a new sewing machine for about a year now. My first machine was a Bernina 900 that my Mum bought me for my 18th birthday. I sewed on this machine for nearly 30 years. In 2008 I bought a Janome 7025 which is a fairly basic machanical machine, it is also a bit lighter than the Bernina which is useful if I take it out of the house for any reason. I have been really happy with this machine but I wanted a few more decorative stitches and an alphabet. I had already decided that I wanted another Janome (I feel Berninas are now overpriced). Over the last year I have been debating which model to buy, the choice was between a MC5200, a MC4900QC or a DC4100. I was also aware that Janome had brought out the TXL607 which is replacing the DC4100. During August, on certain web sites there has been £100 off the DC4100 so I relooked at all the machines. I love the look of MC5200 and the MC4900QC but I know I won't use all the features on them and the 4900QC weighs 11kgs which I would find too heavy to lug about due to the athritis thing I've got going on. I thought the DC4100 would fit the bill (not too fancy but with what I wanted), especially with money off so I ordered one. There was a bit of a mix up between the shop I'd ordered from and Janome so the delivery of it was delayed by over a week. It came on Thursday. I opened the box and realised it wasn't a DC4100 but the newer machine, the TXL607. When I checked the web site the DC4100 is no longer available so I've got the newer machine at the same price as the DC4100, I'm well chuffed (very happy).

Sooooooo.........I've been sewing. Now I should have been working on my Santa Sack Swap (sorry, Lisa, you will get your swap) but I was very easily distracted by my wish to make a halloween quilt.

This quilt is a bit of a variation on a theme - surrounding a square within a square except I made 9 patches (one of my favorite blocks) for the centres of the squares. I used Marcus Brothers Wickedly Wonderful. I bought a 12 FQ pack in a Fat Quarter Shop sale 18 months ago or so. The top is now made up, the backing is ready so I've just got to quilt it. I can't decide whether to stipple it or to use the walking foot and a decorative stitch. I'll think about it.

The binding is now attached to Christmas squares, it just needs hand stitching down. I've also attached the binding to another little quilt that will be for wheelchair users at work in due course.

Also just to show I can finish knitted items, here is a beanie that is for Hats for Heros. These hats are for UK troops serving in places like Iraq where it can get very cold. Our LYS is co-ordinating the local effort.

Erddig!

2011-08-17T23:34:00.000+01:00

Yesterday we had a day out at Erddig which is a National Trust house in Wales, near Wrexham. The day out was in celebration of my Mum & Dad's birthdays.

Mum & Dad!

The garden.

The still room

The large square box is an ice cream maker!

The laundry!

A rather large mangle

A clothes airer, unfortuately the photo is on it's side.

A bed sheet press.

A few more photos to follow tomorrow.

A quilt!

2011-08-16T18:47:00.000+01:00

I've got my Christmas quilt back from my quilter, Jude. I am so pleased with it, it is everything I hoped it would be. Jude has used a holly leaf & berry pattern on it.

............................and just look at what she did for the backing. I didn't quite have enough of the big print to back it completely so she used what I did have. I think she has gone the extra 'mile' for me and I really am pleased with it. I just need to bind it now, which I will try to do this week as I am on holiday from work this week.

A close up of the quilting.

Another close up of the quilting...........

......................and the star on the back!

Tomorrow I'll tell you about our day out.

Birthdays & shopping!

2011-08-10T21:21:00.000+01:00

I am not feeling half as depressed as I was, despite living in a country that is going to the dogs (I am referring to the serious rioting that has been going on in some of our cities, it is appalling behaviour and totally unacceptable) and hearing the news that Gormit (son-in-law) is going to be medically discharged from the Army due to a shoulder injury that has left him with Arthritis.

Yesterday was my Mum's birthday and in 2 weeks time it's Dad's birthday so last night we went out for a meal and next week we are going on a day out to Errdig, a National Trust house in Wales. We don't live that far from the Welsh border. We usually have a day around this time of year in celebration of Mum & Dad's birthday.

Also, last night I got round to taking a photo of Mum & Dad with the quilt I made for them for Christmas.

Nancy Halvorsen FQs from Quilter's Trading Post

My friend, Jan (Gromit's Mum) and I went on our quilt shop hop today. We were very lucky with the weather as it rained and was very windy but it only rained when we were in the car. We went to The Quilter's Trading Post in Whitchurch and Castle Court Quilter in Whittington near Oswestry on the Welsh/English border.

2 Advent calender panels to make up for a craft table at work in December from a wool/habadashery shop in Whitchurch.

This photo shows my haul from Castle Court Quilter - a metre & a half of sale fabric for the advent calenders, some Civil War FQs and 6 FQs of Benartex Montana Modern.

We had a late lunch in Oswestry and we had a potter around the town centre. We came across a yarn shop and of course, as knitters, we couldn't walk past. I've bought this pattern book and a ball of yarn to knit the hat shown for when I go walking, as my last walking hat accidently got felted by DD.

So, all in all, a good day!

Depression has set in.

2011-08-08T20:02:00.000+01:00

No quilting over the last week but I have been knitting but I'm not showing you yet as I never finish anything so I am determined to finish this. Even my Mum knows I never finish anything and has something to say about it - lol!!

What's with the depression - well! I have had £1500-£2000 pounds worth of jewellery taken from my jewellery box in my bedroom. Some of the jewellery is not replaceable because it was my Gran's. We think it has been taken by someone visiting our house on a regular basis over the last 10 years and have had no reason not to trust. It has been reported to the police but they are not pursuing it as they feel there isn't enough evidence and when I reported it to my insurance company. they said I couldn't claim because the person had been invited into the house! I was very upset and cross when I found this out.

You might think I was silly for leaving the box visable and with hindsight I was but I thought the person could be trusted but then a person's life situation changes and it makes people do things that they may not normally do. Learn from me, do not leave temptation in people's way.

Now I'm depressed - I'm sleeping too much and have no motivation. This coming on top of the issues with work is just too much.

I need to pull myself together as I've loads of things I want to do, especially quilty things. I have a day out with Jan to look forward to on Wednesday. We are going on a quilt shop hop. Also it is Mum's birthday tomorrow and we are going out for tea.

Farmer's wife quilt

2011-07-29T22:25:00.000+01:00

Like the rest of Blogger Land I want to make this quilt. I bought the book when I went to the Uttoxeter Quilt show back in April (see post) but I wasn't ready to start it because the hand work I was doing was on my Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt. My friend, Jan, has already started it. I have nearly finished the individual flowers for that quilt so I am ready to think about having something else as a portable stitching project.

This will fit the bill nicely (yes, I know I've got the double 9 patch quilt I've started the other week but a girl has to have variety, especially when she has a short attention span)

This project is just about to get to big to cart around.

Having read other blogs I've decided to use Nicole's link (be sure to read her post dated 25th July) to print the templates out and then to laminate them

This is how they come off the printer.

I am in the process of cutting them out, they will make nice stiff templates that should last, hopefully. There is a quilt a long group for this quilter but I've not decided whether to join, I would be about 9-10 weeks behind, not that really matters.

A boat trip!

2011-07-28T18:57:00.000+01:00

On Saturday we met up with some friends that own a canal boat. Although the friends are from Sheffield, their boat was moored up in our part of the world.

Their intention was to go down this...................and they invited us knowing we like canals.

This is the Anderton boat lift. It dates back to 1875 and was built to take working boats carrying cargoes up and down between the Trent & Mersey canal and the River Weaver. It was operational until 1983 when it was found to have severe corrosion and to be structurally unsound.

When we came to Cheshire from Sheffield in 1992 the boat lift was derelict and a very sorry sight, in fact it couldn't be seen because the trees had grown up all round it. During the 1990's there was a huge fund raising project to restore it. There is a visitors' centre which can be approached by road or canal with a nice cafe.We often walk the dog on this part of the canal as it is only a mile away from home.

The boat was originally a working butty boat dating back to 1912 but it was converted to a leisure boat in the early 1980's

Here you can just see a little bit of the inside of the boat, it even has a household washing machine in it.

Here, we were waiting on the canal bank to board the boat.

Some other canal users!

This is a lock, a big lock on the River Weaver which able to take a sea going vessel. There was our boat and another behind us and there was still plenty of room for quite a few more boats!

The lock gates, which were huge and also original from when the lock was built.

The gates opening to reveal the river

The lock had taken us down about 2 feet between the 2 different levels of the river.

This is a swing road bridge over the river, it is part of the A49 going towards Warrington. We moored up just past the bridge and went to a pub on the right hand of the river, just off the side of the photo. It is a pub we use quite a lot for lunch.

A little shopping!

2011-07-27T20:31:00.000+01:00

I am still around but work is taking over at present and I don't really expect things to get better until the company situation has been resolved.

This quilt top is now at the quilters.

I've bought half a metre of this for the binding in readiness for the quilt to return to me.

I went shopping in my LQS last Friday. I had seen this panel on The Fat Quarter Shop website ages ago but I prevaricated and didn't buy it but once I saw it I had to buy it.

I also bought a metre of the border fabric and a couple of FQs. I have ordered some more FQs to use for the borders for the rest of the panel.

This is where I've got so far -this was Friday afternoon's output.

A finish!!

2011-07-15T14:37:00.001+01:00

There have been lots of starts round here but very few finishes, well, today there has been a finish - ta da!!

I made the blocks for this quilt on 26th May and put them together today - it only took about an hour and a half.

The fabric is Moda Fruitcake. I used a charm pack and some FQs cut into 2.5 inch strips.

I am not going to quilt it myself, I am going to send it out to Jude as I would like some sort of Christmasy design quilted on it using some of her lovely thread.

I was supposed to work this morning, in fact I went into work to find that I had no qualified staff on nights tonight so I came home so I can go back on night duty. I am on nights for the next 2 nights anyway - so no more quilting for me until Monday or Tuesday.

More quilting!

2011-07-14T21:29:00.000+01:00

I've managed to make the settings for these 9 patch blocks so far this week. I want to finish the settings by the 10th of August. My friend, Jan & I have a quilt shop hop planned and I want to buy the fabric for the borders on this jaunt. I have run out of the reddy coloured fabric so I've ordered some more along with some fabric for sashings. When I come to sash these blocks I'm going to be cutting off some points because on some of the blocks there isn't a quarter of inch border to attach the sashing to, never mind, I'll try to wing & a prayer it so it won't be too obvious once the quilt is quilted.

This afternoon I've been playing with my rail fence blocks.

I've now finished one hand stitched block.

This is want it will look like with sashings. One down, 19 to go!

Bits!

2011-07-13T21:42:00.000+01:00

I've got a new bag for work. It is reminiscent of a school satchel. It's got some good pockets which is always useful for a work bag. It is from Accessorize and was half price. I had seen it at full price but wasn't prepared to pay it. When DD saw it at half price and asked me if I still wanted I snatched her hand off.

I've made a few more blocks for my scrappy rail fence quilt.

Tomorrow I'll show you where I've got with my 9 patch Civil War quilt.

I shouldn't do it!

2011-07-11T22:14:00.000+01:00

Yesterday Jan (DD's MIL & my close quilting friend) & I went to Chester, to Liberty Bell, a wonderful quilting and American whismeys gift shop. We love this shop and if you ever visit Chester you must go.

Anyway, I bought this fabric. The FQ's are for my Civil War BOW and the pink and brown fabric are for a new quilt. This is where the title of my post came in.

The object of my desire is in this magazine.

This is the quilt, I love it!!

It is just coincidence that my pink fabric is the same as in the mag but I'm using a brown fabric for the sashings as I don't like the blue.

I really shouldn't start another quilt as I've so much already on the go but I have just fallen in love and it is also a good way to use up some scraps.

The sahings and pink squares all cut out.

In the instructions for this quilt the 9 patches are machined in strip sets but I've decided to hand piece it and hand quilt it so it should keep me going for the next 10 years even though I'm not going to make it as big as the pattern. I've been having great fun finding and cutting up 1 & a half inch squares for the 9 patches.

I've got this very cute tin to be able to carry this project around in.

In other news you may have heard in the news that the UK's biggest Care Home operator is closing. I work for this operator. It has been an unsettling time and it isn't getting better at present. I think is highly unlikely my home will close but we expect to have a new owner and of course it is a very worrying time for our older people who live in our homes.

Scraps!

2011-07-08T21:15:00.000+01:00

Now, as you long time quilty girls know, when you quilt you make scraps - all shapes and sizes!!!

And lots of quilters talk about trying to use their scraps up. Bonnie Hunter is a great source of information when trying to sort and store your scraps and I am sort of using some of her advice but I've only recently started to have enough scraps to do something with. As I love 9 patch and Grandmother's flower garden blocks, a lot of my scraps will be cut into 2.5 inch patches but I fell in love with the rail fence quilt on the front cover of August's American Patchwork & Quilting magazine ............... so here is my first block using my scraps for this quilt. It is very simple and I'd give you the block measurements & strip sizes but I'm concerned that I would unwittingly be in breach of copyright.

My other civil war quilt

2011-07-07T22:18:00.000+01:00

Last year I took part in an international 9 patch block exchange. We each made enough 9 patch blocks for 2 each for each lady that was taking part. In the end we each got 70 blocks.

This is my pile of blocks. I've been procrastinating about how to set them and make up the quilt top.

I have now finally decided!

As part of this year's civil war BOW we have made this block - Union Square. I decided that this setting would be perfect for my 9 patch swap blocks.

Here are the 2 I've made up so far. I think a narrow sashing in navy blue will also work very well.

What do you think?

Next Civil War Batch!

2011-07-06T23:25:00.000+01:00

Due to being on holiday and work I'd got rather behind with my Civil War blocks. I have now caught up.

Here are the next 10 cut out. I'm not quite sure how I got behind by 10 but never mind, all sorted now.

They are mainly in order - this one is Missouri Star - no 19

20-New England block - I really like this one.

21-Underground railroad

22-Blockade - this one I had to unpick and redo, doing it my own way as I am afraid I couldn't get Barbara's way to work.

23-Illinois Roads

24-Ladies Aid Album

25-Calico Puzzle

26-Barbara Frietchie Star

27-Irish Chain

Here are all the blocks so far laid out together. We are now just over hald way. This is going to be a big quilt, I think it will easily fit our king size bed and I haven't even thought about the sashings yet!

More from my hols

2011-06-28T22:48:00.001+01:00

Some more photos from my hols in Normandy, France.

This is Mont-St-Michel (take a look at the link as it will give you far more information than I can), a very rocky island off the coast of Normandy.

The Oh! Bearded One!

There were a lot of elements of the Cathedral at the top of the island that made for great quilting ideas!

Can't you just see some of these floor tiles made into quilts?.

....................and just wait until I show you some of the windows.

Holiday-part 2

2011-06-22T19:06:00.000+01:00

I hope you realise I have enough photos from this holiday to do months worth of blog posts. I will try to put the odd bit of knitting and quilting!!

The kitchen diner, a lovely big room and the table would be wonderful for basting quilts and sewing on it.

The sitting room

Both rooms run the ful width of the house which made them large and light.

The bedroom and the en-suite shower room

I would love to live in a house like this!

Tomorrow, I'll show you some of the places we visited.

Now I'll go back to dying from the cold my boss gave me - thank you V!!!

My holiday - part 1!

2011-06-21T21:33:00.000+01:00

My holiday in Normandy seems a life time away. We had a lovely time and the weather wasn't too bad although it was on the cool side and windy at times.

This was the Gite we stayed in. It was beautiful! There were 2 beautiful horses in the field behind the gite and there was a bird feeding station which encouraged loads of different birds which were great fun to watch.

It was too cold to sit out on this veranda, unfortunately!

It had 2 bedrooms, a big kitchen diner and a big lounge.

This property used to have apples grown on it and then they were made into cider. The photo above shows the apple press.

This is also a piece of equipment but I'm not sure what.

Before I went away and since I've got back to work, it has been really busy. It hasn't helped that we have a sense of impending doom because of the issues of the company I work for.

More of the Gite and where we've been tomorrow!

Holiday!

2011-06-02T20:58:00.000+01:00

Tomorrow the Oh! Bearded One and I are off to France, Normandy to be precise. We drive down to Dover and catch a late ferry, stay in a travel lodge type hotel in Calais and then drive down to Normandy during Saturday which is 4-5 hours from Calais so I am reliably informed by the Oh! Bearded One.

I've got lots of books, magazines and my knitting sorted to take but I still haven't decided what hand sewing is going - lol, such hard work, having to decide!

Now burglars beware we are leaving the fearsome burglar deterrent at home!

Be aware she may lick you to death!

See you in 10 days!

Knitting!

2011-06-01T20:31:00.001+01:00

Whilst I was away over the last couple of days I knitted a bit more of this! This little cardi has been on the needles for ever. It's very easy knitting but it is constructed in a slightly strange way. It is knitted from side to side, knitting the fronts and back in one piece, then the sleeves and the back of the neck as another piece. I finished the fronts and back, then cast on for the sleeves.

This will also be going on holiday as well!

To find this photo I went through the photos for the whole of my blog. It is embarrassing how many items I've started to knit and haven't finished, even my Mother has remarked on it, not good! I've got to finish something!

My weekend!

2011-05-28T20:03:00.000+01:00

This weekend is taken up with working and going to fetch SofM back from university.

I should have gone yesterday but a work colleague is poorly, in hospital, so I am covering some of her hours she should have worked this weekend. I put my trip off until tomorrow, I am going to work in the morning and then I 'll drive up the motorway as soon as I leave work.

SofM is at university in Edinburgh which is a lovely place to go for part of a Bank Holiday weekend. It is a 4-5 hour drive from Cheshire but hopefully the traffic won't be too bad. The Oh! Bearded One is not going with me as he is in Wales on a Scouting weekend.

I will be taking my sock with me. I've actually turned the heel on this so I am now knitting the instep. I've still got to graft the toes on another pair as well.

See you Tuesday. Hope you have a good weekend.

Christmas square within a square quilt

2011-05-26T21:56:00.002+01:00

I didn't think I would get to do any more machine quilting until after our holiday but I managed to cut the rest of the fabric I needed and then made up the blocks this afternoon.They went together easily and quickly. They are now ready for me to put together into the top after my holiday. I think I am going to put the top out for quilting because I would like the quilting to be Christmasy and I'm not beyond the straight line and meandering stage.

New starts!

2011-05-25T21:07:00.000+01:00

A couple of weeks ago I was a naughty girl and started a new cross stitch! I just couldn't resist!

This sampler is called Heart Pot and it from the Heritage Sampler company. It was featured in a UK cross stitching magazine. I can't remember for the life of me which one it was and the chart isn't near me at present.

I just had to start it straight away. I have a lot of cross stitch supplies from when I regularly cross stitched so I had everything I needed.

I made another new start on Monday. This square within a square quilt made with last Christmas's Basic Grey range, Fruitcake. I am using a charm pack and yardage - very simple but hopefully, beautiful! There won't be any more machine quilting for a couple of weeks because of work, going up to Edinburgh on Sunday to fetch SofM back for the summer and my summer holiday to Normandy in France the week after next. So it will be knitting and working on my hexis.

Quilts for Twins

2011-05-23T20:31:00.000+01:00

As you may have read recently I have a work colleague who is having twins. They are due in November. I had already decided to make her a baby quilt and had chosen which one I was going to make.

I had chosen one from this book. I am using a Moda Lily & Will jelly roll so when I cut out the one I wanted to make I cut out another one at the same time, knowing it would come in. Well! it has now.

This one is called 'Building Blocks'

This one is 'Stepping Stones'

The basic block is the same for both quilts, a 9 patch with surrounding strips of the same design.

One quilt needs 13 blocks and the other needs 12. I cut the quilts out back in the middle of April and I made the blocks up last week. I am probably now going to leave the blocks for a while, until I am on holiday later in the year. I'll have time to make up the quilt tops and quilt them. I've bought the batting too. I don't want to make them up completely until she is further on in the pregnancy. I am not particularly superstitious but I would like her to be further on before I finish the quilts.

The colours are quite pale but they look more washed out on this photo than they actually are.

I won't be knitting as well for these babies becuase her Mum has already started.

Baby quilts

2011-05-14T20:03:00.001+01:00

Do you remember these?

This is a jelly roll cut up into 2 quilts from Pam & Nicky Lintott's book ' Two from One Jelly Roll Quilts' from a Lil & Will jelly roll. I had cut one of these quilts for a collegue at work who is expecting a baby in November and I thought the other quilt will come in for another baby some other time. Well! she found out she is expecting twins! so i need to get on and make both quilts!

Checking in!

2011-05-07T21:20:00.000+01:00

Just to let you know I've not disappeared, just in the middle of a heavy working perion so no quilting going on. I've been doing a bit of sock knitting and I was very naughty earlier in the week and started a new cross stitch sampler but the last few evenings I've been too tired to cross stitch.

I'll be back soon.

Barn Door Swap

2011-04-27T22:42:00.000+01:00

I've made my next couple of month's Barn Door Swap blocks this afternoon.

I'm not telling which block is going to whom!

Uttoxeter purchases part 2

2011-04-26T20:44:00.000+01:00

Here's Uttoxeter purchases part 2

A hand made glasses case that I can wear around my neck, especially when I'm out as I'm always swapping glasses - reading to sun to varifocal, it drives me mad. It's the one thing about aging that really gets to me.

Some magazines!

A handmade handbag for my SIL for Christmas.

2 really nice wooden frames for cross stitch

Some cheap FQs to make I spy quilts when I have enough different FQs.

FQs, just because

I bought this fabric from a quilting shop in Wales that is closing down (the owners are retiring)

They are Moda fabrics in ranges that I already have.

Cross stitch update

2011-04-25T23:04:00.000+01:00

This is where I'm up to with Dad's wizard. I have to say it's not been touched for a week or two. I'll have another go at it later in the week, on evenings I've been at work, I find an hour spend on it each evening on the days I work 12 hours helps it to grow.

Someone else on another blog (sorry, at present I can't bring to mind who) suggested we show the back of our work if we are brave enough so here's the back of 'wizard'

When I was in Wales a few weeks ago I came across a wool shop in Fishguard. It is a lovely wool shop with a cafe attached to it. Not only does the shop sell up to date patterns and yarns, it also sells patterns and some yarns going back to the 70s and 80s. I bought several patterns including the one above (I bet you remember this one, Jan) I knitted with one of these yarns the first time round. I like the pattern and I think it could look good in a modern yarn so I started knitting it in Sirdar Calico. Even though the tension is roughly the same it came out really big so I ripped it back and I am knitting a different pattern that's turning out much better. I am going to have another go at this, it will not defeat me as I like it too much.

Before it was 'frogged'

Recent Civil War blocks

2011-04-24T20:53:00.000+01:00

Last week I caught up on my Civil War blocks.

Here they are in no particular order.

No 11 London Square

13 Little blue basket

15 Fort Sumter

10 Lincoln's Platform

14 Fox & Geese

12 Louisiana

16 White House

All blocks done so far

I'm going to have some fun putting this quilt together as each block measures slightly differently. I think my cutting & measuring are not as acurate as they could be. Hopefully I'll get better as I go on.

Happy Easter!

2011-04-23T23:40:00.000+01:00

Happy Easter!!!

Uttoxeter - Part 1

2011-04-22T20:18:00.000+01:00

I'm writing this post in the middle of a thunder storm. We've had a beautiful week which has been great as the Oh! Bearded One and I have been on annual leave.

The Oh! Bearded One has spend a good chunk of time in the garden which is now looking lovely. I've had 2 quilting days and a shopping day as well as visiting Uttoxeter quilting show.

This was the winner, applique and hand quilted, also very subtle colours.

I've not photographed any other quilts. A lot of them were blue and I'm afraid blue and purple in quilts don't do it for me. There were some nice quilts but very few that 'spoke' to me.

Here are some of my purchases - a Moda Java charm pack to go with the Java fabric I've already got. I want to make table mats with this. I bought the other charm packs because they are older ones and I missed them when they first came out.

2 book purchases - 'Simple Graces' has been on my Amazon wish list for a while. I love the colours that Kim Diehl uses.

I've been looking at 'Dear Jane' quilts and other quilts of this type but I felt they were too much for me. The Farmer's Wife quilt looks more 'do-able'. I fancy hand piecing these blocks and I'm going to use the remaining Civil war fabric once I've done most of the blocks for Barbara Brackman's BOW.

Here are some more Civil war fabric for the Civil war BOW.

This is a kit I really liked. It is from White Cottage Country Crafts. I've bought things from this company before.

The colour combination!

I've got some more purchases to show you, also the quilting I've been up to.

Uttoxeter Quilt Show

2011-04-15T21:18:00.000+01:00

Is anybody going to the Quilt show at Uttoxeter race course?

I'm going on Sunday with my friend, J.

If you are going I'll see you there!

2011-04-10T21:24:00.000+01:00

I take it that no one is interested in this, if you are let me know and I'll send it to you as I'm not going to use it and I really would like it to go to a new home.

Today I cut out my outstanding blocks for the Civil War Quilt (I am 5 blocks behind) and I cut out the two quilts I want to do from 'Two from One Jelly Roll Quilts'. One of these quilts is for a work colleague who has a baby in November. I know she likes these colours so it should be fine.

They are now ready to sew. I wasn't able to start sewing as I needed some thread but wasn't able to get into the study for the Oh! Bearded One and boxes for a new computer. His old computer was soooooo slow so he has decided to upgrade and he has spend today setting it up.

Over the last few days I've been knitting and I have continued stitching the Wizard - photos to follow laqter in the week.

I'm feeling better, not so low. I've seen the G.P about the hot flushes I've been having and I've started Clonidine as I don't want to go on HRT. I'm not sure that the Clonidine has made any difference so far but I'll carry on for a bit longer.

St David's

2011-03-31T21:53:00.000+01:00

As you are aware the Oh! Bearded One & I had a few days away in St David's, Wales. St David's is the smallest city in the UK because of the beautiful cathedral. Really St David's is a village and an attractive one. The cathedral has been a place of pilgrimage since the 12th century.

The cathedral

The Oh! Bearded One in the garden of the cathedral.

In the cathedral there a lot of kneelers that have been hand stitched. Unfortuately I've no more info about them.

But aren't they pretty?

Things!

2011-03-30T15:07:00.001+01:00

One of my collegues will be having a baby in November God willing. I've been wanting to make a baby quilt for ages and I've got my wish. I ordered a Lily & Wil jelly roll from the Fat Quarter shop (I love this shop)

I chose the green & brown colour way as my collegue is a modern girl and it will suit her and her home. I am going to use a pattern from 'Two from One Jelly Roll Quilts' by Pam & Nicki Lincott. I'm looking forward to make this. I'll have enough of the jelly roll to make another quilt as well.

Here's where I've got with Dad's wizard. I've done an hour or so most evenings so it is coming on but there is still loads to do so it will keep me quite for ages yet.

Now for a give away. I got this chart free with 'Cross Stitch Collection' magazine. I won't do this design so who wants it? Just make a comment in the comments box and I will make the draw on 6th April

Not working today as I just couldn't get going today, woke weepy and low. Fortuately I should have been in the office today and things are quiet. I 'm more put together now and I am going to see the G.P next Wednesday (couldn't get an appointment until then)

2011-03-29T21:45:00.002+01:00

I am still plodding on, still a bit low in mood. I enjoyed Wales though.

Still knitting and cross stitching (hopefully a photo of the cross stitch later in the week), no quilting.

We've had a sickness bug at work which isn't fun, I'm hoping I don't go down with it, I had in October but unfortuately immunity only lasts 3 months!

Photos later in the week!

A funny old week!

2011-03-17T20:51:00.000Z

I've had a funny old week. My working week has been strange, by the end of the of the week I'll have done 2 twelve hour days and the rest of my hours at home and in a meeting. I've also been very 'down' in mood. The national and international news is worrying and your heart goes out to all the people that are suffering in the world. I try to count my blessings as I've lots of them but because of my depression I find I'm very affected by external factors even though I try very hard to use coping strategies.

I've not done any quilting this week and it is unlikely I'll do any for the next 2 weeks because we are away in Wales for a long weekend and then I work 9 days straight. The photo above shows what I was up to the last time I sat in front of the sewing machine - candle mats!- using Moda Fresh Cottons. I also quilted one of my 'charity' quilts which now needs the binding on it.

Like a lot of blog land I've bought this book, it is lovely and there are some really cute quilts. I've also enjoyed the history in it. I am looking forward to making one or two quilts from it.

I've been plugging away at this cross stitch, I've added a bit more than is shown here.

Sorry, I can't resist this photo of Meg that DD took, she just happened to be around to capture Meg on camera late one evening.

On the knitting front I have been working on the cushion on the front of this book (I've got the American version, cheapest option on Amazon). I've done half the back and 6 of the 9 squares for the front. I love, love, love the yarn that this cushion is knitted it - Rowan Felted Tweed. I could knit acres and acres with it, not necessarily making anything in particular.

Cross Stitch Part 2

2011-03-10T14:18:00.000Z

Here are some more of my WIPs

This is the newest wip, I bought this design before Christmas, started it with great enthusiasm and this is how far I've got. In my defense I am finding it very hard to stitch pale colours on pale fabric. My eyes aren't as good as they used to be. I will need to stitch this one over the summer in good day light.

This lady is for DD and is one of a pair, it is also another one that I'm stuggling with, needing daylight for but I've got to get on with this as DD will probably move out sometime this year and will want them for her new home.

I started this one ages ago, probably around 2005. I think I started it in mind to give my Mum. I've done quite a bit of work on this one over the last week or so.

It is a design from 'The World of Cross Stitching' magazine

Unfortunately I can't find the colour picture of this one and I can't remember when I started it but it is a while ago. I know that because since I started quilting around the time I started this blog in 2007 I've hardly done any cross stitch although it used to be my first love.

This design is of a wizard with a dragon and a crystal ball and it is for my Dad. He is a great fan of this sort of thing and would love me to do one of the designs on black fabric that are about but my eyes can't cope so this one will have to do.

Now Manxgirl posted about her wips the other day and I contacted her to invite her to join me in a stitch along to encourage us to get some of our wips finished. We will be posting a photo of our success or otherwise once a week. I am going to concentrate on the wizard for Dad as I would like it finished for his birthday in August.

There is cross stitch part 3 to come and these are the kits I've got in hand waiting to be started-LOL

Cross Stitch Part 1

2011-03-06T21:17:00.001Z

The other day I got out all my cross stitch WIPs. There are a lot of them and since I've photographed these I've found another one!

I rather like cross stitch maps, I've completed two and these are the others I have in progress. This one is of the Cheshire ring which is a canal circuit and we have been on part of it in a canal boat.

This map is of the whole of the canal network of England.

I've done the map of Derbyshire in this series and we now live in Cheshire I wanted to do the cheshire map

This is how far I've got and I probably started it in the early 90's

Showing Northwich here!

We love the Lake District so of course I wanted the map. This one isn't started yet!

The Oh! Bearded One wants me to get them finished!

I've got a few more to show you!

Needlecases!

2011-03-01T21:10:00.000Z

I thought I would show you some old needlecases I own. These needlecases have belonged to various members of our family but apart from one I'm not sure who they belonged to. If I remember rightly they all came out my MIL's sewing box when we cleared the house after both my MIL and FIL had died. We cleared the house in 2005.

I love this case as it is cross stitched on Hardanger fabric with what looks like a piece of old blanket in it. The Hardanger fabric is stretched over cardboard and lined with brushed cotton.

This needlecase was stitched by the Oh! Bearded One when he was in primary school in Norwich. He told me he was about 10 when he made it and he enjoyed doing it. He also said he wouldn't know where to start now to make it.

His Mum must of used judging by the needles in it. It is stitched on rug canvas with thick cotton and lined with some sort of man made fabric

I love this needlecase, I love it because it is flowery and a sunhat.

The brim and base are cardboard by the feel of it, I'm not sure how the crown is formed though.

It is very neatly stitched.

This isn't technically a needlecase. It is more of a purse. It is cross stitched on Binca with thick cotton, then lined with cotton. The lining is attached using button hole stitch

These items live in a drawer, I don't want to use them as they are quite fragile now.

Civil War blocks

2011-02-28T23:06:00.000Z

Here is my next crop of civil war blocks

Log Cabin - of course!

Birds in the air

Richmond

Kanas Troubles

Cotton Boll

All nine together

This week

2011-02-27T20:33:00.000Z

I've had a week's annual leave from work.

We have had Oh! Bearded One's cousin (P) to stay for a couple of days which was really enjoyable.

I've taught P, the very basics of quilting.....................

We started with a Moda charm pack called Awesome.

I showed her how to lay the patches out to get a pleasing design then to sew them together, butting up the seams and using a rotary cutter to cut out the borders. She got as far as sewing the inner side borders on. She will now try to finish it at home.

Whilst P was here we went for a walk around Vale Royal Abbey (if you use this link explore the site as this Abbey site goes back 100's of years and there is a good history page)

I've lived in this area for nearly 20 years and although I know of the place and have passed the end of the drive many, many times I haven't actually seen it.

It is a very imposing building as it is now but when it was an Abbey back in the 13th Century it really must have been something to see! The present building was build in the 19th Century.

It also helped that it was a beautiful day, reasonably warm, dry and sunny!

Today it is Gromit's 25th birthday. DD made him a cake

He wasn't impressed having his photo taken!

Hopefully I'll post quite a lot this week as I've taken loads of photos today.

I've been up to this!

2011-02-21T14:53:00.001Z

Last week, on one of my days off I bought this magazine. In the village about 2 miles away there is a really good newsagents. They stock lots of craft magazines including ones form the US. It is a bit varible what they have in but generally we get most of the popular ones.

In this particular magazine there are several projects I like. This was one project I thought I could get on with straight away. I've wanted a bag for work that is a bit bigger that the average handbag but not as big as a holdall. Many of the handbags in the shops are too big and too expensive. I decided that this one would fit the bill.

I've used the fabric left over from Mum & Dad's quilt that I made them from Christmas. This fabric range is Makower's Winchester.

I'm really pleased with how it turned out and it is the right size. It is the first bag I've made like this and I think I will be making some more.

On the same afternoon I made this little glasses case for my boss. She has some little off the peg reading glasses that she tends to leave by the computer. I thought a little case was just the thing and made it out of scraps. I'm going to make some more to sell at work but I need to resize the pattern because it isn't really big enough for the average pair of glasses.

The week before last I bought 2 Moda Portobella Market Charm packs form Quilter's Trading Post & 2 metres of a medium design from the range from Lymington Fabrics. I've been following Melissa from Happy Quilting. She has designed a quilt along but me being me, I can't wait for her posts so I'm having a go on my own. I don't think it will be quite the same but the dsign will be near enough.

All the bits are cut out, this is the first full block I've done and the the other 8 4 patch centre blocks are done. I think I am going to have a go at quilting this as a I go as the finshed quilt top will measure in the region of 48" if I don't put borders on it. I won't manage to quilt the whole thing myself and I can only afford to send certain tops to be quilted.

I've joined in Bunny Hill's Henritta Whiskers free BOM. The fabric I am using is Moda Garden Party, I'm using a layer cake and some FQs, wool is also used in this project. This is going to be such a cute quilt and becuase there is some hand stitching as well as machine stitching I will really enjoy doing it. I have also got the blocks made for her design 'Postcard Cuties for Winter'. I've just got to get on the the applique and handstitching.

I've also finished the back of my waistcoat.

A trip out!

2011-02-13T21:04:00.000Z

2 weeks ago J, J's DD, my DD & myself went to a cafe in Chester where you can paint pottery. I was very sceptical at first as I can't paint or draw and didn't think I would enjoy it. I only wanted to go with them because I was promised a trip to Liberty Bell. Liberty Bell is the most wonderful quilting and American gift shop in the middle of Chester. Just before Christmas it was absolutely beautiful.

Anyway back to the pottery painting. This cafe is tucked away near one of the Chester walls. They offer various pieces of pottery to paint and they also do good, reasonably priced food. As you can see I painted a pot stand with various quilting blocks! I really enjoyed myself and I would go back (DD's boel turned out well too!)

DD made me this little wool heart, the ribbon on it came from Liberty Bell.

My bed quilt

2011-02-12T21:00:00.000Z

This last week I've been puttering about, both at work and at home. Work isn't very busy at present, we've got empty beds, we think, because of the hard winter and the country's financial situation, so not too much stress at present.

DD has been on nights this week which means if we are at home during the day we have to be very quiet as she doen't sleep well. So what can a Mum do? Quilt of course! I've been working on various things but the main one has been the Rouenneries quilt for my bed. As you can see above I want to set the blocks on point. I've done another block since this photo. I've even worked out how big the setting triangles need to be.

Here is the pile of pieces I need to make 36 12" star blocks to make my king sized quilt.

Now the side effect of this quilt is production of loads of triangles as a by-product of the middle square and the flying geese piecing.

So what do you do with loads of these?

You make loads of these of course!

Pinwheel blocks!

From every main 12" block I get 3 pinwheel blocks. Put together I think these will make a lovely little lap quilt by the time I'm done.

I'm beginning to feel like a proper quilter!

Good News!

2011-02-03T19:00:00.000Z

The Oh! Bearded One received a letter today. Nothing unusual in that..................but this one was special because it told him that he has no greater risk of developing cancer in the future than before he had the eye cancer. They can't be 100% sure but they seem to be 99% sure..................hooray!

I will update you at the weekend with my quilty endeavours.

This week...

2011-01-29T21:40:00.000Z

................................I received this fat quarter bundle from The Fat Quarter Shop - one of Moda's new lines for this spring, Antique Fair, designed by Blackbird Designs

The colours are beautiful, soft and subtle. I am currently thinking of doing one of Carrie Nelson's designs out of her book, Miss Rosies' Spice of Life quilts.

This week I've have been working on these.........

My knitted waistcoat

Cross stitch table cloth

and my Moda Morris Workshop quilt from Layer cake, Jelly roll & Charm Quilts by Pam & Nicky Lintott

This is an old photo of these blocks, I've added about 8 blocks this week.

There won't be much quilting next week, a very heavy work week starting tomorrow.

Flimsy finishes!

2011-01-26T17:20:00.000Z

As my back hasn't completely settled down which means I can't do any heavy housework (what a shame!!!) and I'm working a 8pm until midnight shift, I've been sat at my sewing machine. I've got these four lapquilt flimsies finished for work. I didn't feel up to fighting with the backing, batting and pinning today so I'll have to start quilting them another day.

The middles of these quilts is Moda Wild Rose and Park Avenue, a mixture of 2 scrap bags. The borders are Park Avenue FQs. The block is rail fence and the quilts measure about 35 inchs.

I also did some sewing on some blocks I've had cut out for a while but it was too dark to photograph what I've been up to so I'll save that for another day.

Right, off to Beavers then work!

Civil war blocks

2011-01-25T21:38:00.000Z

These 2 blocks are my latest offerings for Barbara Brackman's civil war quilt (see button on side bar).

- 7 Stars and Texas Tears.

I found this block hard and I'm not 100% happy with it, I may redo it in due course but I'm leaving it at present. That's why I take part in these on line things as they stretch me and make me learn new skills. The reason this block is not quite right will be my human error, either not cutting out accurately or not piecing accurately. I think Barbara assumes the quilter has experience as her instructions are quite basic which is fair enough but it is causing me a little bit of difficulty.

Yesterday's purchases

2011-01-24T20:58:00.000Z

Yesterday J & I went to the Nantwich Quilt fabric sale. This is an annual sale where fairly local traders come and sell some of their end of lines at much cheaper prices. We were a bit disappointed that there wasn't more Moda fabric for sale. Last year there was a lot more Moda.

These half metre cuts are to finish the charity quilts for work. These pieces are all now cut up as borders and ready to use on these quilts.

2 jelly rolls at much reduced prices. I've already made a quilt using Moda Verna. I love this range and was happy to get hold of a jelly roll in it. The Blessings one is nice too.

Some Moda Figgy Pudding FQs and half metre cuts to add to what I've already got. I love this range and very happy to add to it as it becomes less available. I may not use this fabric for a while but it will keep until I'm ready to use it.

These are various bits and pieces. A navy blue half metre cut to use with some blue and white 5 inch squares that have been cut out for at least 2 & a half years. These squares are to make a disappearing 9 patch quilt. The yellow flowery fabric is Moda simplicity and is to use on DD's quilt. The piece with green in it is Moda Allspice tapestry and is to add to some I already have. The spotty is Moda Patisserie. The one next to it is Moda Glace which is to add to a jelly roll and charm pack I've already got. The last fabric is a Makower one and is to use as a backing to the 4 lttle quilts I'm making for work.

These bits are from a scrap bag. I was attracted to it bacuse it held scraps of various Moda lines I like and have got. I'll probably use them for hexis or 9 patch blocks.

This fabric is from Nancy Nalvorsen's range, Cider Mill Road. J also bought some. we both fell in love with the range. I'm not sure what sort of quilt I'll make with these.

These pieces of fabric are evenweave and 1 piece of Aida for cross stitch. They came from Willow Fabrics which is very near where I work.

I also bought this aida tablecloth for £3. You can't tell here but it is cream.

You can just make out the aida band on it here.

This is a Christmas tablecloth kit. The tablecloth has an aida centre. It should have been £20 and I paid £10 for it. I'm really pleased with it and as you can see I couldn't resist starting it.

I managed to walk round the show dispite the bad back. I'd had enough by the end though. I've taken the day off today and I'm doing a 6 hour shift instead of a 12 hour shift tomorrow. It's settling but will take a day or 2 longer yet. It was such a hardship that I spent the day sewing, at least I was sewing lap quilts for work!

You know..........

2011-01-22T13:07:00.000Z

.....................that say that says 'it never rains but it pours', well, I am now residing in bed because my back has 'gone'. I was at work this morning. I was sat on an office chair bending over to pick something up off the floor that I'd dropped, as I straightened back up I felt something 'go' and pain. The Oh! Bearded One had to come and fetch me as I can now hardly walk.

I have done this before so I'm no stranger to this type of back pain and it will settle but it is a b"£$%^ nuisance. I'll be very upset if I don't get to the Nantwich quilt show tomorrow!

Lots of TV watching and seeing if I can manage to do some stitching or knitting this afternoon.

Meg

2011-01-20T22:35:00.000Z

Just a quick update on Meg. She has had her ears cleaned out and the vet is wondering whether she is allergic to something so she may have to have allergy testing.

No quilting today as it has been a work day but a few days of knitting.