Getting Blogging

I've had so much on lately their has been no time for blogging but today I have loads to report on.
After Nantes Di Ford payed  another visit at my home. Its always so nice to have Di here along with some very excited ladies who hadn't seen each other for a while.
The new project started was Pendle Hill whilst some  choose to carry on with their Sutton Grange or  Jane's Garden.
Its always a nice day where everyone contributes a dish for lunch and that is another treat in itself.

Di's PENDLE HILL 

Heads down and all very busy.

We had a little show and tell with a couple of quilts that Di would be going on to teach at Cowslip Workshops.

A very happy band of Di Ford UK fans

Di is remaking the Mount Mellick quilt in red and again this is a winner.

Shirley from Stitchery Do Blog brought along her Sutton Grange which is coming along nicely.

Here is my Sutton Grange, I have changed the Drunkards Paths to Broken Dishes and am piecing the next border too rather than applique. All the outer block now made I need to get sewing!

Thank you Di  as usual we all had a marvellous day with you and we learn so much.

A little more progress on my Abigail Rose quilt. Not to many more of those hexes to make. 

Back from the Longarm quilter has come my Texas Stars. As always Sandy has done an amazing job. Thank you Sandy you really know what I like. 

And here we are at Quilts UK a couple of weeks back. I took Abi along with me and she posed beautifully for me in front of my Jane's Garden which got Judges Merit and was quilted by Sandy Chandler. 

She was so sweet, mummy had told her she was going to a quilt show. As we left the show she said but I haven't seen the show. Bless her she thought their was going to be some sort of singing and dancing event. 

I forgot to show you these lovely gifts I received in Nantes from Linda, Randi, Ellen and Sue.

Finally today's gift in the post from Di Ford this gorgeous book with fifteen wonderful quilts in it. I Face booked Di to thank her and said if I had known what was in the parcel I would have kissed the postman but he really isn't my type and am sure he would have run a mile!

I've had a busy month and better get back to some sewing. 

Happy Stitching. 

A Quick Post

I spent a happy time away at Easter and visited Berrington Hall where they had costumes on display from the BBC drama's Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice  and Mansfield Park.
Absolutely gorgeous costumes and I was surprised how short Hugh Grant must be as I'm 5 foot nothing and the model with his costume on  wasn't much taller than me.
Here a few snapshots of the day.

This is Hugh Grants costume

The following dresses were behind a glass screen as they  are original dresses from the period. Just look at those early cotton prints, very pretty and feminine. 

These ones are of the butlers room and the laundry

Finally a little progress on my Di Ford Sutton Grange quilt. I decided not to make the applique jockey cap blocks but to make these  broken dishes instead. 

Much faster for me as I do enjoy piecing. 

Hopefully I will have some more eye candy from Nantes to post next week. 

Until then. 

Sue 

At Last

Yes as last I'm back, January I was full of cold for most of the time but my head is now clear and sewing has commenced again. 

So what have been up too, well I finished Max's quilt and when he's big enough for his cot bed it will be ready for him.

Then I finished my Texas Stars and it took a while to decided on the fabric to set them in. I was determined to dig into my stash and after lots of diliberation came up with this one. It's will be going to Cornwall at the end of the month for quilting. 

So now it's back to my Di Ford Sutton Grange. This is going to take me a while and I still have Abi's quilt to get on with too

It's really cold here at the moment but have escaped the snow that has been falling further north. It's just the weather for staying inside by the fire and sewing and that's just what I'm going to do. 

Happy stitching. 

Sue 

Jane's Garden

I'm a very happy girl ( who am I kidding) GIRL!!! as my Jane's Garden arrived back from the The Quilting Company yesterday.

I love how Sandy has quilted it, just about the right amount of quilting for my liking. It was started with Di Ford  at the quilt show in Nantes last year and my first attempt at needle turn appliqué it's not to brilliant but am happly with the overall effect. 

Just needs binding and now the darker evenings are drawing in it will be a nice project to have over my knees. 

Now back to the pink and brown quilt. Lots of you left me comments about leaving the mistake in but once you know you KNOW . So now it's been corrected and another quilt top is finished. I know this is only a simple design but I so enjoyed working with these colours and design. 

So what's next??? Plenty of UFO'S to be finished and will start digging into those. 

Sue 

A Day With Di Ford

What a special day we had on Saturday with Di Ford coming to do a workshop at my home. I know everyone learnt such a lot from her in the time she spent with us. 

My goodness I'm looking at my fabric in a whole new light now and am really beginning to think I'm in double trouble with my stash because as I look at it ( not even going to show you the cupboard) I think I can double the size of it as it seems it has two uses. One for peicing and two how I look at fussy cutting it. 

Now I really do need to either sit and sew day in and day out for the rest of my lifetime or find the elixir of life so i can get through the mountain of fabric. 

Di bought some of her quilts to show us and the detail in them is simply amazing.

Detail in Rotherfield Grey

Phoebe 

The Morrell Quilt

Everyone listening intently to Di

This is Sutton Grange which we made a start on. 

And guess what Mery even got to lie down on Di's quilts. I hear you all gasping! But Di didn't mind one bit and requested I take a photo of her. I guess my girl knows a good quilt when she sees it! 

A final decision was made about the border to my Jane's Garden which I started with Di in Nantes last year. It now needs to go off to the longarm quilter. 

I measured and re measured through the centre of the quilt but it seems to have very wavy edges. It's a much finer fabric than the rest of the quilt so am hoping Sandy will work her magic and it will come out right in the end. 

I even got a photo at long last with Shirley http://stitcherydo.blogspot.co.uk/.

Of course I had to have a photo with Di too and I'm just noticing the French dressing I spilt all down my sweater. 

What a wonderful day with freinds, good food and a great teacher. 

We love you Di, please come back to the UK again soon or we may all have to emigrate to Melbourne.

 

Sue 

Border or Not

I have been pretty fed up this weekend, the specific parasite that I picked up in India is back with me. I was at the hospital yesterday morning where they ran some test and it seems it has been laying dormant since my last round of antibiotics.

Yesterday I just shivered and had a high temperature so I just lay on the sofa with movie's and my glorious fire on. 

Today I'm feeling a bit better as the antibiotic seems to get to work pretty quickly and have just been doing some hand sewing on my Texas star blocks. 

I got my Jane's Garden together earlier in the week but now here's the question? border or no border. Di hadn't finished her quilt when we did the workshop in Nantes. As it is now is how Di gave it to us drawn up. 

The border fabric is the same as around the appliqué centre. Luckily I had some of that one in my stash. 

Slowly, slowly my Texas star is coming on. 

 So it's back to my fire and resting, but before I go I forgot to tell you that it was a big birthday for partner in crime a few days after mine. I thought it needed a present to remember and saw this lovely folk art painting. I really loved it especially as the girl is holding a pumpkin. Sue always helped me on my stand at the quilt shows when I had my shop The Pumpkin Patch  so she seemed appropriate for my special friends Big Birthday.  http://audreyeclectic.blogspot.co.uk/. 

 

Just looked after I published and find the original photo from Audrey's site is not coming up on my blog, but do go and have a read of her blog and look at her Etsy site. 

Till next time. 

Sue