Cousin Isabelle

Meet Cousin Isabelle. She is a good and kindly soul and as a family member is often included in events but sometimes she feels like she is the poor relation. Today she makes her debut as a member of the dance troupe and has a pretty outfit for the occasion.



Only two more members to meet and then you can meet the whole team. There has been a flurry of activity as they perfect their steps. Can you guess who the last two are?

Today at Kate's we celebrated Wendy's birthday. Here are some of the goodies on show and we always have a delicious muffin baked by Wendy and yes she did bake her own birthday cakes. You have to be here to taste them and they are yummy. Sorry Rosemary, you can have yours when you come back from Australia. Lucky Rosemary is going to be meeting up with blogger Elyte and having a visit to Quilts in the Barn. I am not envious - much! Sue-Anne if you see Rosemary she has a hug for you.



This is my effort so far with the first quilt from Carolyn Forsters book. It was a quick and easy one to construct and the beauty will be the quick and simple utility quilting - I hope. Wendy has a much better photo on her blog and if you pop over there you will have a little sneak preview of the dancing dollies.



Lastly, I apologise for not having a better photo of this wonderful quilt. My friend Jill is making this or rather finishing it as a labour of love. It belonged to her sister in law who sadly lost her short battle with a rare cancer last year. This partly made hexagon quilt was discovered in a cupboard and Jill set about finishing it. Trisha didn't believe that she was a good stitcher but I can tell you she was and her daughter's will have a fabulous gift when it is done. Jill tells me that there are enough hexagons and fabrics to make another quilt so both girls will have one. It has also been a trip down memory lane as they have looked at the fabrics from old dresses and blouses.



Happy Stitching

Shirley.

Utility Quilting - Review

I recently purchased this fabulous book by Carolyn Forster. I saw it advertised on the back of the Fabrications magazine and immediately sent for it. I am a big fan of Carolyn's and if you have not come across her before then do check out her blog and web site. In the past few weeks there have been very favourable reviews for this book and you can find out where they have been shown on Carolyn's blog. It has beautiful photography and if you want to know all about big stitch quilting and other easy ways of finishing off a quilt then this is the book for you.The diagrams are easy to follow, well written and a series of step by step photo's show you the way. All aspects of quilt assembly are covered too so a beginner would easily know how to start and finish off and the more established quilter would still find it useful. I have no vested interest in this book and I purchased my copy before the reviews came out but it is now a firm favourite. Carolyn also has a book out called Quilting on the Go plus several individual patterns.



All the projects in the book are doable and believe you me you will want to do them. Starting with the first quilt in the book I have put together my strips along with a gorgeous piece of Philip Jacobs fabric and I am itching to start. The lavender is for a little extra border.



Spring is on it's way and at Kate's on Wednesday we sat outside for our lunch enjoying the warmth. Today however, it is cold and blowy. My friend Angie gave me this lovely bunch of flowers and I love the springlike colours.



On Friday I went to the quilt exhibition at Radstock Museum. Radstock is not an easy place to get to and there was a huge hold up of traffic right in the centre. We, Joan (from Dotty Dolly quilt shop) and myself (I was driving so read I)missed the turning and had to turn back and queue again only to find that the museum didn't open till 2pm. We queued again to get out and headed for Frome, had lunch and indulged in a spot of retail therapy. Frome ( to say it read froom)is a lovely little town and has some fabulous individual shops, Millie Moon for fabric and Marmalade Yarns if you are into knitting. Then we headed back and queued again. Dedication.



This week I have been sewing, honestly. There are 3 more dollies waiting to burst on the scene and then they will be ready for some formation dancing.

This afternoon however, I have been catching up on this sampler from The Historical Sampler Company. I love it and once upon a time I would have happily cross stitched all the time but now my eyes won't let me do it, just in small doses. Today I stitched the word "sweetheart" and the underlying border. I also broke a needle and I don't think I have EVER broken a cross stitch needle.



Happy Stitching.

Love Shirley.

Waiting In The Wings......

Are three very excited girls wanting to make their entrance onto the stage. They have been practising and are now ready to show you what they can do. These girls are sisters, not always devoted to each other but, when it comes down to it they love each other and know what is right.

Mary - Is the eldest of the three. She has a great sense of what is required of her and is strong willed but, sometimes she wants to break free and do her own thing.



Edith - Is the middle sister and is sometimes overlooked by her family and often she causes mischief to get her own back. Deep down she is very loving and she is loved.



Sybil - Is the youngest of the sisters and the youngest member of the troupe. She is a daring girl and likes to shock but she is also the most kindest and caring of girls. Sybil has an ambition to be a nurse.


Exit stage left.

Encore!

Take a bow girls.



There! I knew they were ready to meet their public. I love the fabric I found the other day and think it will make the perfect backing.


This morning I came downstairs to make a cup of tea and the light filtering through the window blinds was highlighting the trees outside and it looked pretty amazing.




Happy Stitching.

Shirley.

House Building

This week there have been two houses built. All the pieces came from the scrap bag and Wendy may recognise the ones on the right as they came from a rummage in the scrap bag that she gave me. I know they were meant for the doggy pillows and yes, I know, I am shameless but, the real scraps have gone into the pillow. Honest!

Total houses built - 7.



Quiltmania is my favourite magazine and I just had to make this little pouch from this issue. It took a bit of humming and arrghing and some head scratching but eventually it worked out and I am thrilled with the result.The pattern is a log cabin formula and is made of folds of fabric. The fabrics were a gift from my friend Pat last year and high time they were used. I can see lots of possibilities with this little bag and may be making a few more. The hardest part was fitting the little zippers onto the zip itsself. Fiddly. Inside though, it is finished beautifully as per instructions.



Down at Cawsands the other weekend I found this beautiful hydrangea in a churchyard. It was a blustery day and this flower was rocking about so I am amazed to snap it so well. The petals had gone skeletal and looked quite beautiful. They look like handmade lace.



The bedroom is at last finished and no I didn't lock my husband in there or the builder for that matter. The builder/decorator did a great job and we are pleased with our new look room. I patiently waited my turn and over the months the doubt kicked in and I thought my choices of everything wouldn't work, but it does. Phew!! The kitchen too is now neat and fresh and I am on a mission to de junk my house.(Not my sewing room though).



I did sew together quite a few hexagons but thought that they would save for the grand reveal. One day that will happen.

Hope that wherever you are you are staying warm/cool and enjoying some stitching.

Scraps

They say that nothing good ever comes from staring at the bottom of an empty glass but as I finished my Babycham there at the bottom of the glass was a hexagon. Who would have thought to look there for one. The more I looked the more I saw as they graduated in size down the stem of the glass.



Talking of hexagons. I am still plodding on and still have many more to sew but I am halfway there.



Today I have been indulging myself in a little bit of scrap sewing. Selvedges to be more exact. I had all my scraps neatly stored in a box and of course now it looks like an explosion and I am wondering how I am going to get them all back in the box and shut the lid. It also has not made even a little dent in the mass. This probably will be a wallhanging.



Two more Farmer's Wife blocks which brings the total up to 13.

Block 12



Block13.

This was definitely an unlucky number. I discovered that the sizing is completely out on this one. It has gone back in the box until I have the will to put it right and continue. Lesson learned - check the size before stitching. It is so out that no way can I even fudge it.



All the small blocks for Dancing Dollies are done and there are 3 very excited girls waiting in the wings to make their debut on the blogging stage.



Total housebuilding stands at 5. These 3" blocks really do make the most of tiny scraps. Now I knew why I was saving them.



DIY of a different kind. My new bedroom. Well, it will be in a few more days. By the end of the week I expect it to be completely done, new curtains installed and all shipshape. Meanwhile, everywhere else looks rather untidy and will need an early Spring clean.



Happy Stitching.

Shirley.

I Love Sewing

Just before Christmas I spotted this little decoration in a shop and it had to come home with me. I think it will look good in my sewing room against the red wall.



This week I have been working on a little bit of secret sewing. I cannot show you the whole thing as it is a sample for Barbara Chainey's new pattern book which will be out later this year. Hope the stitching will pass muster. Thank you Barbara for sending me pink fabric.

Edit - the stitching won't be appearing in the pattern book, just the patterns. Barbara will be using the samples to show what the patterns look like made up.



I have also been catching up with the border blocks for Dancing Dollies. This pattern is a delight to do and the colours are just so cheerful. The dollies are still awaiting to make their debut but all in good time.



One more house to add to the collection. There is no pressure to make one a day which is just as well as I have only made two this week. It uses up the smallest of scraps proving that you shouldn't throw them away.



The other day we went to Dart's Farm Shop and we managed to wander into the alcohol section. As you do. As I turned a corner I gave out a gasp and a ooh in degrees of delight and I heard this voice say " Are you alright Madam?" There in front of me was a little crate with the words RETRO Drinks and my favourite tipple of yesteryear - Babycham. Haven't seen these for years but they are still being made and here in Somerset at Shepton Mallet. So, a few bottles came home with me. Yesterday we had a little drive out to Budleigh Salterton on the East Devon coast and there in a Bric a Brac shop was a Babycham glass. Perfect. Quite a collector's market for vintage glassware. Hmmm, Cheers.



Happy Stitching, hic!

Love Shirley.

Building Houses

A new day and a fresh new year and I have started it with a new project. If you want to join in then the details can be found at Jeanneke's blog. I am not sure yet if I will make all 366 houses and if I can stitch them all on time but I will have a jolly good try. They are tiny blocks and I am hand stitching them. One down, 365 to go.



A few days ago I managed to finish this pair of socks. They are for my sister and only 10 months late. I am sure she will be pleased to see them though.



No resoultions this year. I fail miserably to keep them. What I have promised is to just go with the flow of things and to not worry if things don't go to plan. Does it really matter how many UFO's I have or how many more I start? One thing is for sure I am going to enjoy every stitch and I am also going to enjoy seeing everyone else's stitches and maybe with a more relaxed attitude some of those projects will become finished ones.

Happy stitching.

Love Shirley.