Flowers

I officially leave my job tomorrow, but my last working day was last Thursday, so for now I am a 'Lady of Leisure' for the time being.  I did get a nice bunch of flowers.

Jamie, my youngest and his wife Carly gave me some flowers for Mothers Day.  David and I babysat last night and taking the flowers home afterwards, they were left in the kitchen sink overnight before finding a vase to put them in.  

So 2 lovely vases of flowers. Outside the flowers in our garden are doing well.  Of course we have daffodils and last autumn we bought a mixed bag of daffodil bulbs which have really done well this spring seen here with some periwinkle and pieris. 

The bight yellow Kerria has taken off alongside the white Stellata Magnolia, which doesn't stay in flower for long.

What didn't flower last year but has made an appearance this year are some Grape Hyacinths

It's good to see plants coming along nicely in the garden.

What I've been up to this week

I've been influenced by Diana's blog, the Cheshire Quilter, to make some bookmarks.  For me it was a way of using up odd bits and pieces of pelmet Vilene and Bondaweb/fusible from postcard making, which I've cut back on this year. Of course it also uses up scraps, but as you all know it doesn't really reduce the size of the scrap box.  When I went to Bourne Quilters on Thursday some were taken by the ladies who took a fancy to them.

I've also taken a Craftsy class called Machine Embrodered Appliqué. A bit disappointed with the class instruction but liked the embroideries, so have had a go at the apron pocket, although I can't imagine me with a pinny apron, so the pocket may get another use.

I think it turned out well, although each piece was Bondawebbed, I felt they didn't need it as they held down well after being pressed.

I've given my notice in at work and taking a few months off.  The job itself is quite complex and quite difficult to pick up and felt it wasn't the job for me.  It's been a diffcult time for me and know it won't be easy getting another job after a break but felt I needed it. See how things go.

International Quilting Day

Yesterday, Brenda, Ann. Lynn, Linda and myself went to a village near Blandford to where Tarrant Valley Quilters hosted a day for Quilters as part of International Quilters Day.

Barb, who organised us all had some helpers who did some mini workshops, crazy patchwork, making a felt strawberry and fabric tags, pictured below.

Forgot to say, we were each given a pretty name badge

Found this lovely little fox (he is hiding a Creme egg) on the bring and buy table and pictured is a little box that we also made.  

With a delicious lunch and cakes and tea in the afternoon we were well catered for.  A quiz, show and tell it was a really packed day, but none the less a really brilliant one with lots or chatter too.

A lady called Jenny gave me this little poem, which is rather good.

How true it is!

An Update

Thought I'd do a quick catch up as I've not posted for nearly a fortnight.  Not much sewing done until today, when I went to the machine embroidery class working on my landscape.  Here's how it looks now.

I should have looked at frames and mounts earlier as I found the picture was slightly small for one size, and a lot was lost behind the next size down, however it was suggested that if I added a bit more sky at the top it sort the size issue out.  Good thinking, and I added a bit more hill on the left.  I added a the fencing  and more stitching on the hills and sea.  Its difficult when working close to seeing the effect, but photographic just creates that bit of distance and it doesn't look too bad.

The class is in Wimborne, which is a small but bustling town just a short distance away from Poole and Bournemouth.  I really liked the view at the back of the library and museum beside the River Allen

Can't resist daffodils, especially when mixed with primroses!

Almost a fortnight ago, I received my package from Pam, my swap partner in the Olympic Mug Rug swap, all the way from Virginia, USA.

My gorgeous little mug rugs came with a small bag and a beaded scissor keeper. She'd received my package just the week before and loved hers.  A really good swap.  I've decided not to take part in the Quilting Gallery swap for Easter, but instead will take part in the Popular Patchwork forum's swap which is Easter themed too, but to an individual design, rather than the design chosen by the swap organiser.  So will have to get my thinking cap on.

Last Sunday was the first of the really Spring like days.  We went out to Corfe Castle in the afternoon for a wander, which was really busy as a lot of other people were making the most of a sunny warm day (in case it disappeared again, but there have been a few more sunny days this week).  I took photos of sculptures there.

Tomorrow is International Quilting Day (or I've heard it called Worldwide Quilting Day).  How are you celebrating it?  I will be joining friends going to a small group in a village hall near Blandford.  Taking some hand sewing with me and something for a bring and buy.  I hope it'll be a good day. 

Have a good weekend, whatever you do.

One and a half socks

Today I am linking up with Wool on Sunday with Janine at  Rainbow Hare.   I don't do as much knitting or crochet as I could, but occasionally some appears in my blog.




I am knitting a pair of socks, one of which I will put back on needles and carry on with as it didn't go quite so well, but the other one I'm pleased to say is now at the grafting stage at the end of the toe.




The wool I bought for this was way back when I lived in Yorkshire and bought from John Lewis store in Sheffield and is a Kaffe Fassett one by Regia.  We've been lived here in Dorset for over 3 years now, so the yarn has been waiting patiently to be knitted.  I've found recently that rather than sitting with my iPad that I'd feel more productive if I did something in the evenings so the knitting has come out.

I can't do Kitchener stitch without looking at an old magazine that has step by step pics so when I find that it'll be a sock done!

February sewing

Although a short month, there has been some sewing last month. I made this table runner, shown with some daffs


And without.

I can also reveal the mug rugs made for the Winter Olympics Mug Rug Swap, which I sent out to my swap partner, Pam in Virginia earlier this month.









The pattern was designed by Amanda, The Patchsmith, and I was really pleased how they turned out. I know that my mug rugs are making their way to me in the post, so hopefully some pics of those I the next few days.

I also signed up to a Craftsy class and am plodding my way through seeing 'Free Motion Quilting a Sampler' by Leah Day. Lots of lessons, about 14 I think and she does go into quite a lot of useful detail. It was on special offer when I signed up and I think well worth it. So I started to have a go yesterday using some fabric that I was never going to use in a quilt. Being a peachy colour with white thread doesn't show up too well on a photo, but it was just to get a feel of the stitching, especially as I haven't used the Pfaff machine that often for free machining. Here goes




Some wiggly spirals


Some arch shapes (can't remember what they're called)


Some snake paisley shapes, though they look more like flames.

So that was February. March will have Worldwide Quilting Day on 15th, and I will be stitching with friends. Not sure of other plans for this month but I think it may involve a bit more free machining. As it's the 1st I will join in with Fresh Quilting Day with Lily's Quilts.

http://lilysquilts.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/fresh-sewing-day-and-small-blog-meet.html

(Please excuse not posting the badge from the blog as I'm typing on Blogpress)



Sue W- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad