Vintage Sheet Fun

I've joined the band wagon and have finally sewn my squares from "Use the Loot" into a vintage top.  I'm absolutely thrilled with the results.  I have another vintage sheet quilt in a different pattern in the works so I will have 2 complimentary quilts.  I think these will look sweet on each of the girls beds.

Until next time...

In progress at the moment...

This quilt will be for Project Linus when it is completed.  I just loved how I could use strips to make the units and make such an attractive pattern.  I will definitely make another zig-zag quilt to keep.  It was quick to put together and very easy to assemble.  For instructions follow this Link

Aren't these peas in a pod adorable?

Until next time...

Wordless Wednesday...

Alittle colour finally appearing in the garden...

Until next time...

Discovered treasures...

Some of the blogs on my reader are there simply because they inspire.  It might be their style of quilting or perhaps they take really pretty pictures.  Last week as I hip hopped between blogs this post caught my eye..not because of what she wrote, you'll see it is not in English, but rather because of the quilt and the way it was photographed.  I'm sure I've seen several versions of this quilt in blogland, but it had never really caught my attention before now... 

You know what happened next don't you?



I bought the book!  Although it was first published in 2005, it still seems to be popular... and I can't wait to get started!!

On a more comical note, This was the other discovery I made this weekend....



Seems my DH bought this shirt in his youth for some Hawaii themed party.  And wouldn't you know it is made from 100% cotton and I have finally gotten permission to cut it up! LOL 

Until next time...

Too cute not to share!!

Until next time...

Jennie Rayment and Rocheberie Quilters

Ineed a weekend to recover from my weekend!  My sides are still hurting with all the laughing I did on Saturday!! 
They say that you can tell a lot from a woman by her shoes.  To the right, is a picture of the shoes that Jennie Rayment wore during her talk on Saturday at Rochebeire Quilters.  Not only did she sport these boots for the duration of her talk, but she did so while teetering on some school desks.  Jennie is not only a talented woman who has made some stunning quilts, but she has a fantastic manner of speaking that makes the ordinary hilarious.  Jennie told us about her recent experience running the London marathon and her rather unorthodox approach to the training before hand.  Jennie's visit left us with much inspiration and smiles on out faces.

You might recall this post when Jennie came to Rugby 2 years ago.  Well this time the twiddling was a little different, but resulted in some very pretty blocks.  This isn't mine, but rather Bunty's who was a mission to complete it.  Gotta give credit, were credit is due! :o)

Many heads were down sewing away.  It was a really fantastic day!  If you want to see more of Jennie's talk and the final surprise at the end of her talk (you've got to pop over and see it!!) Then visit Angie's Blog.  She had front row seats and got some fantastic pictures!!

Here is Lynda working away...

Our trader for the day was Crafts and Quilts from Heart of the Shires.  They have some of the prettiest fabric and I have never walked away without finding that must have piece of material.  If you are in the Northampton area she is just up the A5 and well worth the visit!

Until next time...

Feeling proud of DD1's knitting...

Anyone that knows our family, knows that I'm the sewer and my DD1 is the knitter.  And, we have a little informal agreement...I'll sew her things and she can knit me things. 
After seeing some of the wonderful socks people have made I have, for several months, asked her to make me some, to which the reply was always an emphatic "no"

Can you tell what she is working on?  Yep..those are socks!  But they aren't for me...they are for herself..which is fine by me...I figure that by the time she has made a pair, she will fall in love with sock making and then the next pair or two will be for me :o)!

She is using a pattern from Ravelry (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bunny-hop-socks---eyelet-tops)  and the yarn is Happy by Wendy in the colourway Capricorn.

Until next time...

For nature lovers...

Ok I'll warn you now...if you don't like bugs or are at all squeamish then look away now...go on to the next blog..nothing to see here!
...
If you are still reading, then I'd like to share the wonders of the things we discovered in the garden this weekend.  My DH happened to notice a number of large wasps using our garage as a freeway and he went to investigate.  They were making a "bee" line for a cardboard box that was storing the patio umbrella.  As we hoped the weather would merit the patio umbrella he removed it from the garage and found the beginnings of a wasp hive.  (Incidentally, the British weather did not cooperate..and the umbrella remained unused) 

Just look at those perfect hexagons!  And the carefully placed eggs in each of the cells and the papery consistency of the hive.  Isn't it remarkable that nature has such beauty.



From the side it looked almost spun like a paper flower with the ends twisted together in tight.



Not long after this discovery, DD2 asked for some assistance to remove a strange looking bug who was trespassing across her chalked hop-scotch game.  Using a lid (you didn't think I'd handle it did you?) I moved him (or her) over to the compost bin.  Although it isn't nearly as beautiful as a ladybird, I was quite fascinated by the pattern on its back...and even more pleased that my Fuji could capture it.  Interestingly enough if you google brown bug UK you not only find these shield bugs, but several pictures of Gordon Brown...hmm I wonder why that is? :o)  Apparently this is a common green shieldbug palomen prasina and this is its winter colouring.  I'm not surprised it is not dressed for summer...it certainly still feels like winter!!!



Until next time...

Free Pieced letters..sort of?

I did it!!  I finally completed my words à la Tonya.  As you can see from "Lily" to the "valley" I got better at winging it and the latter word is constructed more in the spirit of the technique.  I also constructed the two "e"s at the same time as to keep them uniformed..that, I think, is slightly breaking the rules, but I couldn't help it.  My "f" turned out a little funky...but I don't have so much as a 3" square left of the "everything" fabric to make another attempt...so it is staying.

Overall, I'm glad I've given this method a try, but I think next time I might work on a smaller scale...it turned out a little larger than I had planned!!

Until next time...