As the weather seems to have brightened up a bit, we went to Fanshawe Gate Hall to look round the garden. Jim seemed to enjoy it, and much was admired:

and this:



But sadly, his essay still isn't finished, so we had to return home so that he could gaze at a computer screen for hours and hours, in the pretence of writing some masterpiece or other on "Scottish Identity in the Nineteenth Century".

So I thought 'Hooray' and set about sewing some squares together. The pattern, such as it is, is from Lisa Bergene's book 'Passionate Patchwork' - a book that I love to look through in search of inspiration. This is supposed to be used for country picnics:



Obviously it still needs to be quilted, but this is the top completed:



But (as usual) I now want to add more - perhaps some extra borders.....

And hooray again - although the garden isn't super sized, the apples are doing well:

Where has the weather gone?

Well, it's Saturday again - and no sign at all of summer. There have been one or two brief spells of sunshine - and then the rain again. Certainly little opportunity to sample one of these:

Jim is writing a 2000 word essay today on Scottish identity in the nineteenth century, so the safest place to be is probably anywhere else but under the same roof - which seems as good a reason as any to go to the John Lewis sale!!!

Hooray - at last a legitimate reason to go. I can honestly say that we don't need anything, but I am dutifully ringing siblings to see if they have any requirements (just to legitimise the expedition further). And of course, if there were to be anything in the fabric line reduced......

Où exactement?

I'd like to claim that in fact I've been travelling to exotic climes, and so had no time to post anything - but alas, although I have been away, it was to Dieppe in France - but lovely nonetheless.

It was only a short visit for 4 days duration, but I struggled to find any places where I could exercise my credit card - just as well though, when the exchange rate sems to be worsening by the day.

I did find one mercerie in Etretat - the beautiful village on the coast, where the cliffs have eroded part of the cliff so now it looks as though an elephant is dipping its trunk in the water - but it was during the pause-déjeuner, and so was closed.

No major advances on the sewing front - but I'm now making a quilt for a nephew. It's an I-Spy quilt, and I bought it as a kit - but am now wishing that I'd taken my time to consider my options before hacking about with my rotary cutter. The patterns on the fabric just aren't small enough for the pieces that I'm cutting, and although I think it will look fun, it won't be as I had planned it.....

June Days

The weather has been absolutely glorious (with one or two exceptions) over the last few weeks, and at long last the garden appears to have plants in it, rather than stones and weeds.





































Yesterday my new copy of "Quilts in the Sun" arrived, by Kaffe Fassett. I say "new" because I'm sure I had a copy last year, but it appears to have disappeared into thin air. I'm absolutely sure that Jim hasn't taken it, and so, having spent some considerable time looking for it, decided to be reckless and purchase another copy.

So while the football was on last night, I spent my time drooling over the luscious photography and trying to decide which project to undertake first. Of course, mentally I've allocated the next six months to making things, but sadly I feel that I may have to go to work once or twice.

Does it work??

So, after much huffing and puffing, I finally - after 14 months - uploaded some photos to my PC. Time to see if I can transfer them here.....

And if all has gone smoothly, we should be able to see a photo of the cushion made by me for my mother, Mrs F, last year......

I bought it as a kit, although shamefully I can't remember who made it. Jim and I had travelled down to Oxfordshire for the day to take some things to my brother and his family. After a swift cup of coffee, we started on the journey home, but then decided to pause in Shipston-on Stour for sustenance. Needless to say, Jim found a CAMRA pub, where he sampled the local ale, and I settled for J2O (oh! the joys of being the driver....).

But it was all to the good, as we then visited Burford Needlework, and rather than pace up and down as usual, Jim volunteered to come into the shop, having mellowed with the intake of beer - and proceeded to find the design, and suggested that I make it for Mrs F. At that time she had a dog which looked remarkably like the ones depicted.

Well, of course it took months to finish - and during this time, the afore mentioned dog passed away - leading to a real dilemma over the Christmas present - should it be handed over or would it be too painful.

in the end, as Mrs F had got another puppy, I felt that she would perhaps appreciate her gift.

It's always proudly on display whenever I go to visit her - of course, it may well live in a cupboard for the rest of the year....