Tea, Fabric and Elyte

Hello everyone. I would like to say a very big thank you to all you lovely people for your kind words of comfort this past week. It has been a terrible week in all ways. On top of the shock a viral illness hit me with the force of a sledgehammer.

One really lovely thing to happen this week was the opportunity to meet with a fellow blogger. Elyte and I realised that we had so many things in common that when she said she was coming to the UK for a holiday I hoped that she would fit us in her itinerary. A very big thank you to Keith for doing this for us. We had a lovely few hours together and chatted away like we had known each other for ever. The Internet is truly an amazing concept.



We exchanged a few goodies. The tin contains yummy biscuits and the design is from Emma Ball who is one of my favourite artists. How clever of Elyte to guess this. Plus some lovely fabrics to play with.



I have been sewing hexagons again this week. It is the only thing I can concentrate on. Hexagons are the sewing version of comfort food and in times of severe stress they should be the order of the day. The total lozenges now stands at 16 with another 6 ready prepped. I don't have a plan for how many I need, I shall just keep going until I declare it enough.



Sarah just happened to look out of the window the other day and said that there was a pheasant on next doors roof. I tell you we get some odd things appearing in our garden from time to time. We are less than a mile from the town centre and a short drive away from open fields and I guess these creatures just get lost on route. He certainly shouldn't have been in our garden.



Once again, a very big thank you to you all for your kindness and support. You are the best.

Happy Stitching

Love Shirley.xx

Mum

As you will know from a previous post that my Mum was recently diagnosed with Alzheimers and had also been having some tests at the hospital which were all good and positive. It is with such great sadness that I have to tell you that today my mum passed away. It is a great shock to us all and we will miss her so much. The only comfort at present is that she and her family have been spared the onslaught of this terrible illness.

The above photo is Mum's quilt which she loved and the other was taken at mum's 70th birthday party and is of my mum and my sister and brothers and myself.

Shirley.

Sarah Morell

This week I took the plunge and started the Sarah Morell quilt. I have been gathering a few fabrics and watching and learning, waiting for the right moment to start my own masterpiece. This quilt isn't for the faint hearted but nothing ventured, nothing gained and I am not one to shy away from a challenge. This is the centre of the medallion block and as far as I have got. There is still quite a bit of work before this block will be finished. Only another 60 - yes 60, blocks to go.



Having finished the little sweater for Rachel I have now started something a little warmer for her. She may get it in the summer!! The yarn and pattern are from Bergere de France. Whilst I was knitting I was suddenly aware of the pattern in the ball of yarn and thought it interesting. Inspiration is everywhere that you care to look. In this I see a log cabin set on point.



I am still in love with hexagons. I am re-using the papers from the kaleidoscope quilt and using fabrics only from my stash. It will be just very simple and lovely I think. Sometimes they are the best. I can cut out and sew and stitch whenever the urge takes me.



Yesterday we went for a drive down to Dartmouth. It is a beautiful place on the River Dart in South Devon. This photo is at the River mouth looking towards Dartmouth Castle. It is also where The Mayflower and The Speedwell docked before sailing of to America. They started off together from Southampton but the ailing Speedwell needed repairs and didn't make the journey. This is what they would have set sail to. Dartmouth is also home to the Naval College.



On the opposite side of the River is Kingsbridge. It is steep and pretty and you cross via the ferry. It was also home to Agatha Christie, famous for her crime writing.



This lone swan was majestically swimming in the harbour, just waiting for some attention and no doubt a bit of food.



There are some fabulous buildings to look at and again the inspiration is there if you care to look.



How about the Mayflower as the centre medallion and all those applique blocks?



How about some English Paper Piecing?



Happy stitching.

Love Shirley.

Lone Pie

This week I managed to make the sum total of one pie. That makes the total 11. Yesterday I found this little cookery book at the garden centre and thought it very appropriate. Amazing what you can find when you get a theme going.



All the hexagons are now finished on the kaleidoscope quilt and this is where I have come up against a brick wall.

Plan A - could not get anymore fabric. I had the idea that I could fussy cut more shapes to make a border. This would have worked brilliantly and I still have it in my head that this is what it needs.

Plan B - did not have enough of the left overs to do something creative for the borders. Again it would work but still did not have enough fabric.

Plan C - still thinking about Plan C. Maybe Plan C is to carry on searching for some more fabric and then I can carry out Plan A and even add Plan B. We will see.



Sunday morning we woke up to quite a breezy day. I heard something fall and when I looked out of the window there was the giant sunflower - gone. As you can see it was uprooted like a tree. It had been quite magnificent.



Saturday's post bought a lovely package from Elyte in Australia. Elyte's quilting group are the Bluegum Quilters and they were focused in the Australian Patchwork and Quilting magazine. In November they are holding their exhibition and Elyte sent me the magazine and a few little goodies. Notice the lovely pink fabric and some pretty wooden heart buttons. The fabric is from a range called Under the Australian Sun and Elyte tells me they are gum blossoms. Also there came with the magazine a dvd on perfecting bindings and borders. The quilt on the cover of that is to die for and on my ever growing wish list of quits to make. Thank you Elyte. I am so excited because I am going to meet this lady sometime soon when she comes to England. Counting down the number of sleeps now Elyte.



I also enjoyed reading about Frances Leate(Quilting Owl blog) and her amazing studio. Frances is responsible for me joining in with Pies and Tarts. Well, I am of course responsible for my own actions but Frances makes the most yummy of pies and I just couldn't resist. No will power, I am afraid.

Last week I also finished a piece of knitting that I was quite pleased with. I cannot show you the results as no sooner had I finished it, Rachel whipped it away and wore it. Several of her friends have put in requests. Fat chance girls. You may be waiting a long while in the queue for finished items. Let me just say that it was a pink and pretty little sweater. She is after all her mother's daughter!!!

Happy stitching.

Love Shirley.