A Quilt for Sue

Sue is a very ill lady and her friend is collecting blocks to make a quilt for her.  If you would like to support a fellow stitcher please click here for more information and how to help

New Arrival

Meet Jack the newest addition to our menagerie.  He is a Border Terrier puppy and officially my elder daughters 21st birthday present but he had taken everyone under his spell.  Our other dog is getting used to him but as you can see below there is quite a size difference!  I hope they are going to be good friends.

The cats are not so sure about him though.  Holly has taken up residence on my printer

which is less than helpful when I want to use it!

Jack is into everything - wastepaper baskets are being emptied all over the house and nothing is safe from his needle sharp teeth -  but has very quickly made himself at home despite turning it upside down.  He is growing really quickly and has already grown into his collar which was slightly too big for him when he arrived a fortnight ago.

New Book

I had a surprise in the post today, a copy of Cloth Doll Artistry by Barbara Willis which I won in a draw at ukclothdollmakers.  It is a lovely book, a mix of clear instructions and sheer inspiration so thank you Jules who organised the draw.  Here is the link for it at Amazon

I am not usually lucky in draws but this week I also won a fat quarter of fabric at a Quilters Guild event.  It was a pie & pea supper at which American Quilter Faye Labanaris was talking about a series of quilts she has made entitled America's Stately Wreaths each one featuring the apropriate state flower.  The fabric is two William Morris panels - I'm not sure how I will use them yet but no doubt inspiration will strike sometime.  Any suggestions anyone?  Last Sunday Faye ran a workshop to create an applique block of British wild flowers using a variety of ribbons, fabric markers and ultrasuede.  This last was new to me but very nice to work with.  It was really enjoyable to spend a day hand stitching in good company.  I completed about a third of the block on the day and will post a pic when it is finished.

Back at Last

It has been an age since I last posted but at long last I have the internet connection (it took 6 weeks after our move to get connected) and the time to start posting again.  The last few weeks have been really busy trying to get the house straight (still failing on that one) and generally getting to grips with things.  There have been delays and hiccuphs - such as problems with our water supply which was so useless I couldn't use the washing machine and had to filter all our drinking water - but although we are still waiting for our shower to be plumbed things are slowly moving forward now and the water is now good and plentiful.  As you've probably guessed it is from a spring so no chlorine or chemicals which is wonderful.

I have managed some stitching time and have a split nine patch quilt on the go. The pic shows the blocks laid out but I want to make 3 more to make it larger.  All of the fabric has come out of my stash - I had to use some before I went to the Great Northern Quilt Show and added anymore! - and I have used some of the fat quarters which I couldn't resist when I bought them but then couldn't use.  It has taken less than a day to stitch the blocks so it seems like a good pattern when you need something ready in a hurry.  I came across it at http://www.justhands-on.tv/

I finally finished the above quilt which I call Goose Chase.  Well I had to because I entered it for the Great Northern Quilt Show.  It is the first time I have entered a competitive show and it nearly didn't get there!  As it had been so long in the making I decided it should be washed before it went on view and one of the colours in the central ring bled.  I managed to sort it but nearly had heart failure at the thought of all that work potentially ruined.  I don't usually wash fabrics before piecing as I like to work with the crisp fabric but this might make me make think twice. 

This quilt had also been on its travels.  I was delighted when it was accepted for the Quilters Guild Summer in the Park  Exhibition at Rufford Craft Centre in Nottinghamshire.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get to see it having just moved etc.

I will hopefully be posting more regularly now and still have lots of things to share so until then...........

Moving

 We have finally moved in to our new house and everything is chaos even though I thought I was really organised.  Now I know what stress is!!!   We managed to move ourselves, three horses, 1 dog, 4 cats, 1 chincilla and the fish without losing anyone and even kept our sanity and tempers.  I have been so busy decorating that I have not posted for a while and have just discovered today that we will have no telephone or internet until 23rd July (apparently BT has a back log!).  So lots of sewing time once we are straight but no blog posts.  Hopefully, will have something to share when I am back on line once more.  Just as well we have decent mobile phone reception.
I will have lots to catch up with when back on line - it will probably take a week to get through all the e-mails!

I took the process pledge

When I can grab a few minutes at the computer and escape from stripping wallpaper, cleaning etc at the new house (pic shows youngest daughter hard at work!) I have been working my way down the list of quilts at Amys Quilt Festival (if you have not yet found your way there, there is a link on the right) and at Marit's Blog I came across the Process Pledge.  The idea is that those of us who blog about our quilts (and other crafts) should make a pledge to share more about our thoughts and the process of designing and making our quilts.  I decided to join in as I always love to read about other stitchers creation processes and it will hopefully prove motivating for me as well perhaps being interesting/useful for any other crafters out there.

I am just about to start a new quilt which is to be for my son and his partner.  I have found a pattern called 'In the Pink' which is being offered as a block of the month by Esther Aliu and which features both piecing and applique.  I have been given a free reign to create this quilt as regards pattern but they would like it to feature 'peacock' colours so I will have to change the colours in the pattern.  I would also like to try and use fabrics from my stash rather than buying new ones (that will be a first if it happens!).  At the moment I am trying to decide on the colours and the applique method but I probably won't actually start sewing until after we move.  I'm itching to get started though ............perhaps I will find time to at least select the fabrics.................

New Home

At long last we have completed the purchae of our dream home and hopefully my last move ever!  It has taken nearly three years to find a actually purchase and the dream we have been chasing is actually starting.  This is the view from the front door over our fields (all 80 odd acres of them) and beyond and still beautiful even in the rain.  Plans include a livery business, a proper studio with room for me to teach as well as some hens and a proper veggie plot but Rome wasn't built in a day and first we have to get the house habitable ready to move in before the end of June.  I think stitching (and blogging) may get a bit neglected for a while!