Out and About

It is a while since I last posted something here but fret ye not. I have been out and about. Last week was my sister's 50th birthday and so I went and spent a few days up in Stoke. One thing I didn't do was take my camera and so have no photographic evidence to mark the occasion. My niece Megan (Megan papier on my sidebar - I need to learn how to do a link) has a blog and if you have the time perhaps you would pop over and leave her a word or two of encouragement. She is 17 years old and a great girl. I am biased of course because I love her. Meg has posted a little about her Mum's birthday. I took my sister to the theatre to see Jason Donovan as Captain von Trapp in the Sound of Music. He was great and we had to keep snatching the spy glasses off each other to ogle Jason each time he came on stage. We also enjoyed a delicious meal beforehand plus a little drop of vino.( Well, a bottle to be exact but we won't mention it!!!). Maria was played by Verity Rushworth better known as Donna Dingle in Emmerdale. She was a real sensation and in my humble opinion better than Connie Fisher.

I also had the great privilege of visiting Barbara Chainey for a delicious lunch of the local delicacy of cheese and bacon oatcakes. I also had a private viewing of a selection of her antique quilt collection housed in her tardis - sorry, cupboard. Some absolute beauties and I came away with a few ideas I can tell you. Thank you Barbara for a lovely day. This blogging medium is a fantastic thing, putting like minded souls together. Again, you can check out Barbara's blog.

On Saturday we met Sarah and Olly down at Lyme Regis in Dorset. It was one of those gorgeous days when you feel that spring is here, when the sun comes out and you think Oh Thank you, thank you, thank you for the bit of warmth on your face and it makes you feel so good. I would like a bit more of that please.



Mick and Olly on The Cobb Harbour. Golden Cap in the background. Lyme Regis is famous for being immortalised in the film The French Lieutenant's Woman. When you see Meryl Streep staring out to sea, well, this is it.



It is also famous for it's fossils.



Today at Kate's we celebrated Pat's birthday with the usual exchange of presents and tea and cake. Pat has just returned from New Zealand and brought with her lots of goodies to show and tell. Sorry, didn't take any photo's in the excitement.



This is a section of Kate's quilt hanging in her studio. It is amazing and is hand painted and appliqued with shells and you may just see some of the wording on it. It is just so soothing and beautiful.



Wendy has been working on these little beauties for some time now and were from an inklingo swap. I think she has now hatched a plan for them and it was a treat to see them again. Those diamonds are 1" and therefore 2" hexagons.



Just a little burst of colour from Kate's threads hanging on the wall.



Finally, are you still with me? not fallen asleep? This is a bit of my offering. Work in progress. It needs its borders adding and scalloping. This little project is from Cupcake Cottons. I walked past their stand last year at Malvern so many times that eventually I gave in and bought this kit and may have to buy another one this year. They are a great new business venture and have such great fabrics and kits.



I need to be making decisions now on that background fabric as I am 2/3rds of the way through the hexagons and before I know it they will all be done. Decisions, decisions.

Happy Stitching.

Love Shirley.x

I Love Stoke on Trent

A few weeks back I was sent this fabulous book by Barbara Chainey. It is called The Lost City of Stoke on Trent and is by Matthew Rice. (Talented husband of Emma Bridgewater). Those of you who have been paying attention will remember this is my place of birth and my occasional references to it.




Inside it has fabulous little paintings and drawings like the one shown and chronicles the lost heritage of Stoke on Trent and the buildings that made it a once world famous centre for excellent pottery. You will notice from the cover that there is a huge untapped resource for patchwork designs from the pottery tiles alone. Thank you Barbara for the gift. It has given me great pleasure reading it and my head is buzzing with ideas for that Potteries Heritage Quilt. Thank you too for the pink fabric.



At Kate's today we celebrated Rosemary's birthday with tea and yummy cake. There was also a bit of sewing to be shown off.

Kate has been making this lovely little heart quilt, beautifully quilted and covered with red buttons.



Rosemary finished this pretty little cot quilt for a friend. One thing I love about Rosemary is the fact that she chooses the most prettiest fabrics for whatever it is that she makes and I sit there secretly coveting them, well, quite openly really.



I wanted to show you a close up of the baby in the pram because it is so cute but the photo is rubbish.



The little wall hanging is also by Rosemary and again note those pretty fabrics.



I even had a little bit to show and tell myself today other than hexagons. This little project was started many moons ago after watching a programme on Quilters TV with Eleanor Burns. I made half of the blocks, promptly put them away and found them the other day minus instructions. Eventually I managed to work it out and put them together. It needs a little border and then the outer border. A soon to be finished project. Yeah!



Finally, The List. I can honestly say that it has been a hit this month. I managed everything on it except for item 13. I am happy that I didn't get to item 13 as that one gets me into such trouble. One other thing is that I have decided not to do the Civil War Blocks. Having done 2, not liking my fabric choice too much and not wanting to start again with another set of fabrics I have abandoned them. I may do a few more at some point and make something smallish with them. I am enjoying seeing what everyone else is doing though. I haven't produced a list for February, just doing my own thing as and when I can this month.

These socks are destined for my niece and they took an age to finish and I was glad to see them done.



Happy Stitching.

Love Shirley.x