Surprise (9)

Well, I just had a lovely surprise. I had forgotten that my blog address is now on the bottom of all my emails. I sent an email to my younger son, who came to look and emailed me to say how impressed he was and that it had made him think about doing one for himself. 

I felt a bit better today and managed to sew several of the black and white blocks together ready for quilting. Clue 1 for Bonnie's Orange Crush quilt came out today, 150 4square blocks. I'll try to make a start on that in the next few days.

DH has gone to France for a couple of days' business, so I can please myself, eat when I feel like it and leave my sewing out rather than tidying up at the end of the day! I don't much like being on my own at night though, so break all the rules and let Rosie sleep on the bed.

Here's a wonderful picture of Number 2 son looking quizzical. 

Feeling sorry for myself! (8)

I've not done any sewing for days! I've been feeling pretty wretched for some time now, and by Friday was feeling really poorly so I finally gave in and went to the doctor, who diagnosed an sinus infection that's run amok and escaped into the tissues in my face, head, neck, shoulders etc. That means anti-biotics of course, which I hate because they upset my stomach, so I end up eating tons of yoghurt, which I'm also not keen on. So I'm feeling really pathetic and moany!

Anyway, that's enough self-pity. I shall just stay in bed and watch old Fred Astaire films for a day or two so that I'm ready to enjoy Bonnie's new mystery when it starts on Tuesday.

No new photographs, but since it is now officially summer time in the UK (the clocks went forward one hour overnight) here are some lovely flower pics I took last year. Aren't they cheerful!

Work in progress (7)

I've just realised what fun it will be to use this blog to record my 'work in progress' so I've taken some photos of the two quilts I'm working on at the moment. I decided, for my second 'proper' quilt to do a sampler quilt, and I really fancied using black and white. It's been great fun, no chance whatsoever to get bored with the blocks, and I've learnt so much. When I laid the blocks together they seemed to need a bit of lifting, so I've gone for the scarlet sashing. Very dramatic. One of the joys has been quilting as I've gone along, so much easier for hand quilting. I've still got three rows to join on and then the border to do - I think I may machine quilt that - there may be rules about not mixing hand and machine quilting, but who cares.

(6)

It's not been the greatest of days. I spent about three hours at the hospital this morning, for tests, which wore me out, though at least I managed to get hold of the Easy Angle ruler at Hobbycraft on the way home. Had to rest most of the afternoon, managed to get supper and was then laid low by complete exhaustion, so I'm now in bed - and it's only just gone 8 o'clock! Still, I did find the energy to wash my fabrics for the Strawberry Crush quilt - I've not washed fabric before starting before, so I'll see how it goes.

I've done a bit more quilting on the black and white quilt - I'll get a photograph of it tomorrow. That's it for now.

Strawberry Crush (5)

Well, the die is cast! I've chosen my fabrics for the Quiltville Mystery. I had to go out and buy most of them as I just don't have a stash yet. Another British quilter told me that English quilters don't have a stash because it's so expensive. I think she's right, I just buy what I need and then have just a few scraps left over. I think we'll be living on bread and jam for the next few weeks after yesterday's shopping trip. I really love the colours though; I've been really brave and gone bright, bright, bright! I've cut some of the 2" strips now, just have to wash the shirts I bought from the charity shop and then cut them up to add to the pile.

I don't know how much I'll get done today as I have a hospital trip this morning, but I hope I can do the next chunk of the quilt I'm making for my husband's birthday. I'm keen to get as much done as possible before the 1st April. I'll post pictures of my various ongoing projects in the next blogs. 

My next challenge is to try to work out how to add this to the Quiltville Web Ring - just too many challenges!

Wow!!! (4)

I've been so impressed with the various blogs I've been reading over the last couple of weeks, so there's a high standard to live up to. I've no idea how other people get to see it, so will continue with the idea of it being a private diary until I find out if I've 'gone public'!

I've slowed down a bit on the quilting/crafting work over the last week or so as I've not been too well. I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and it flares up every now and then and then there's nothing for it but to rest. I have been making a small 

wallhanging though. Inspired by Bonnie's Maverick Stars (Bonnie at quiltville.com) I've just had real fun, no measuring or careful placing, and handquilting with embroidery floss and star sequins. 

First Efforts at quilting (2)

As I'm planning to use this blog as a kind of diary of my creative activities, I thought I'd start by adding pictures of my quilting efforts so far. These are the placemats I made for Christmas 2007. The tablecloth I have used for many years was getting stained, so, together with a collection of old Christmas napkins, I made a strippy set of placemats with sparkly felt Christmas trees in the middle. I was really chuffed with the results, they really made our Christmas table look jolly.

This is my first 'real' quilt. I found the tessellating design in a book and made it in lovely brown and maroon stripes, checks and floral fabrics. 

Here is a cushion I made for my husband for Christmas.

Since Christmas I have been working on a couple of new full size quilts, but have found time to do a few other projects. I have made a couple of handbags, one for myself and one for my niece's 18th birthday present.

   

I've also made a couple of 'quillows' or cushion quilts for my sons. I'm really pleased with the results, which I think reflect my son's very different personalities.

Well, here we go! (1)

Well, this is a very new venture for me. I've never written/created/made/done a blog before (I'm not even too sure of the correct vocabulary!) but it seems like fun and a way of sharing my thoughts and creations. Even if no-one else sees it I'll know it's there. 

I've recently started patchwork and quilting, and am getting pretty obsessed by it - thank goodness I have cleaners come in every couple of weeks, so all I have to plan is the washing, shopping and cooking, and then I can get down to sewing.

One of the things I hope to do is to publish photos of my on-going and finished creations, whether quilts or the products of my other interests, embroidery and paper crafts.

Here is a picture of my very first quilting effort. I made this little lap quilt for my mother-in-law who had recently had a big operation on her knee and was feeling the cold. She is very fond of owls, so I was delighted with the owl fabric I found for the border.