Things I have learned this bank holiday weekend...

don't rely on the weather - it will inevitably wrong-foot you; don't take short cuts - they always end up being longer than you hoped; don't wear black when trying to assemble a queen-sized patchwork quilt; don't try to assemble a patchwork quilt using only pins - basting, pressing.... mmm, yes, must try doing that next time; don't try to machine quilt after two glasses of wine; do pay attention to detail and take your time (that's probably never going to happen); do go to bed before the next day arrives; my sister needs me but with any luck, her craft studio will be just that by the end of the week. Anne - I'm expecting great and glorious things to come out of that room now you have space to let your creative imagination fly!

So, thanks to the rather crappy bank holiday weather the garden took a back seat and I vowed to pay attention to my quilt. I started it late last Summer thanks to some inspiration and a short class from Marche, a very talented lady who showed us how to patch by hand. For some reason, best known only to who knows whom, I decided I would make a hand patched quilt - it was almost a cushion, but no, that was far too lightweight, I could do better than that and I had an enormous stash of fabric so why not? Why did I decide on such tiny diamonds? Clearly high on ambition and low on common sense! After many evenings, many sore finger tips and pin pricks later, lots of blood sweat and tears - well, no tears if I am honest but a lot of cursing later, along with aggravated tennis elbow, wrist strain and shoulder ache from being hunched over my lovely new sewing machine quilting my lovingly patched quilt - practically dragging it through the ditch quilting process it is ....... almost finished!!! And if it weren't for the fact that I have to fly off this afternoon I dare say I would have been burning the midnight oil again to get it really finished.



Just waiting for the finishing touch - a trim of Cath Kidston fabric all the way around - it's ready and waiting......


It's by no means perfect and I don't think I will ever do anything on this scale again - the tiny diamonds and the seemingly huge dimensions but I think that on balance, the love/hate relationship with my labour of 'love' will come out as a 'love' in the end. I'll be itching to get home on Friday so I can finally, finally finish it over the weekend. My son thinks I am prolonging the project on purpose but I really do want to put it to and on the bed as I have lots of other projects patiently waiting to be finished or started....





a felted bag to be assembled and embellished





a crochet blanket to assemble

and a host of lovely little bits and pieces just waiting to be converted to something gorgeous!

So, all I need to do now is win the lottery so I can give up this going to work for al living lark and spend my time doing the things I love. One day maybe. Note to self: buy lottery ticket.


Better go and pack so bye for now!

One potato, two potato...

three potato, four lovely little potato tops poking their heads up in the veg patch - hooray - I feel almost like a proper gardener now!

Weather - come on, make your mind up - to be Spring or not to be? Everything is looking rather lush, mind you, after yesterday's downpour and the water butt is full again.

Having deliberated and cogitated over what to do about my quilt I have finally decided to undo the previous quilting and start over - eek! Now that a new piece of wadding has arrived from the Cotton Patch I think I should do it properly and attach the border and then quilt. More haste, less speed, Jules - patience is not one of my virtues and I always pay in the end. When will I ever learn?

but there's always time for a little crochet

29 edged

just a basket full to go ....

but bed beckons me now.

To garden or to craft - what a dilemma

It looks like the weather is returning to it's dismal normal self so I won't be torn between the garden and the craft stash. I made the most of the nice weather whilst it was here and the garden is nice and tidy, the hostas are valiantly poking through the rather hard ground and the borders are starting to burgeon. The helibores are nearly over but are just the prettiest of plants, shy but gorgeous with their heads turned modestly to the ground. My two alpina helsingborg clematis have a mass of flowers this year - must have liked the harsh pruning afterall! I almost can't wait for the astrantia and geraniums to start flowering! Oh happy days ahead....

Adele bought me this lovely hydrangea for my birthday on Sunday:

Clematis alpina helsingborg - abundant with blooms on both front and back plants

a freebie plant swap from my neighbour, Shelia Margaret (real name Sheila whom I have mistakenly called Margaret for the past three years so she shall forever be known as Sheila Margaret)!

Pretty little helibore - daintily bouncing in the breeze (which seems to be revving up to more of a gale to be honest):

Well, that's Wednesday almost done with - over the hump and all down hill to the weekend and who knows what delights might be found at the car boot sale .... and then on to Anne's sewing room (and who knows what we might discover in there!) If I'm lucky I'll also be able to squeeze in a bit of time using another of my birthday gifts from Charlotte - one of our younger sisterhood members . Charlotte works at Reed's on Saturdays - amongst what seems like a million other places and was guided by my sister to buy this from there

but who's going to make me a cup of tea and bring me a biscuit?

The Sisterhood Springs into action

...well, we had a leisurely start as there was so much food and wine to eat and drink - but we did look at books and do the teensiest bit of knitting/crochet.

We managed to sit outside for a short spell while the rain held off - it's amazing how fast you can move when the cakes are under threat of a drenching!

and yes, I really, really must finish this quilt!!!

I may be getting old but I am a very lucky 'girl'!

Yes, clearly I am old - but my sister thought I was only 46 today so I think I'll go with that - after all, older sisters always know best! It's been a lovely day even if it did start rather disappointingly with cold, rain and not so hot car boot sales - yes, not just one but two today but all I managed to buy were yet more plants for the garden .... will it ever end? ... and a few bits of lace.

My lovely sister arranged for the sisterhood to meet for my birthday this afternoon and also catered it so all I had to do was tidy the house and get ready. We had the best egg mayo sandwiches courtesy of some of Anne's customer's pet hens - so, so yellow.... yum, crisps and dip courtesy of Jan and also some sparkling rose and deliciously ripe strawberries and clotted cream. Adele made the most fabulous carrot cakes - almost too pretty to eat but we overcame that without much resistance! Of course, no tea party would be complete without strawberry tarts and chocolate cake but I think the chocolate cake may have been a calorie too far and nearly tipped us over the edge! Thank goodness for leggings is all I can say.

Anne, big sis of superb taste and Made and Found fame, not to mention the publisher of a very pretty blog; gave me some gorgeous gifts:

this beautiful Jan Constantine Love cushion to add to the one she bought me for Christmas and the one I had to treat myself too - couldn't have one being lonely and now the little one completes the family!

and these fab books - can't wait to have a go at some of the projects

One lucky sister may just end up getting a quilt like this for Christmas (not sure which year though as my last one remains

unfinished again ..

.... maybe next weekend, depending on the weather and how the 'sorting Anne's sewing room' project fares).

This gorgeous towel from the new Pip Studio range that's just arrived in the shop - really too pretty to use but I shall enjoy looking at it and giving it the occasional stroke .... soooo soft and soooo pretty.

I've spoken to all my boys, the sun eventually came out and now I have my feet up with a cup of peppermint tea... hmm, I must really be old then but after an afternoon of such indulgence I suppose it's not surprising!

Ta-daaaa

In the spirit of thrift and recycling my sister kindly donated an old, faded deck chair to me. Three coats of paint and a rummage through my stash of fabric later and I now have a new addition to the garden. Now I can relax in style (despite the fact that my sister says I never do). I have had this piece of Designer's Guild fabric since the 90s when I had another life as a stay at home mum and could gad off to London for the fabric sales... My hoarding gene has served me well and I think the end result is rather stylish and goes so well with the little daffs that are just hanging in there with a last gasp.

.

and a close up of the fabric

And the patchwork quilt? Well, it's really hard to stay inside and sew when the sun is shining!