The first FIVE

The first five Row by Row panels that I have made are now forming a border to my Happy Room.

I am really pleased with how they have turned out and plan to work my way around the other walls as and when I get new ones made. I used 3M Command large picture hanging strips to attach the panels which means I can easily remove them, swap them around or take the whole thing down without leaving marks on the walls... well that's the theory!

Two more bags

The bag making continues and I managed to make two more last week. Both were made as gifts with people in mind.

Both are reversible, the blue one having the insides the same as the handle.
The red one has black and white polka dots inside.
Don't you just love daisies, I wish I had a lawn full of them instead of clover!

Hemsby holiday #2

Saturday 17th we set off for yet another chalet holiday near Gt Yarmouth. No internet other than through Chris's phone, so the blog had to wait.

First stop was Brewers Fayre Gt Yarmouth for scampi and chips

We shared an icecream

One of our favorite places to eat cheaply

Soon settled in and sat out in the sun

Sunday was Fathers Day and the family arrived in time for lunch
at the American Diner and some fun in the amusements

Huge portions and great sixties music.

Eleanor still in her plaster cast, enjoyed the records used as place mats.

A visit to Blickling, National Trust Property

The gardens had a display of the most beautiful stained glass
Leaves always a favorite of mine

Walking the grounds in the pleasant sunshine

The lake side view

In one of the rooms there was a Stitching display / sale
The work was really excellent and I loved this poster.

General view in one of the galleries

Overall the week was really good, good weather, eating out everyday [ a favorite thing of mine], the family visit and a happy time. Also the chalet was really comfortable with everything we needed.

Row by Row #1

Collected my first Row by Row pattern from Fabritastic Peterborough on our way home from our Gt Yarmouth holiday [ more on the holiday later].

The shop is on an industrial estate and the owner extremely helpful. There is a large version of the pattern on display and as I was the first person to visit the shop since the Row by Row 2017 went live on the 21st she asked if I would have my photo taken with it.

I cannot wait to make this panel and bought the kit so I have no excuse except six loads of washing  and some tidying up  from the holiday.

BSK day

Enjoyed another day at BSK Bedford working on machine embroidery. I decided to make a cushion using an Anita Goodesign pattern. Having now completed the embroidery I think I would prefer to make it into a bag for a gift. It was a fun day with lots of laughs even though there were only four of us there.

At the moment it is just an embroidery, will it turn into a cushion of bag ??

When I arrived home Chris had made dinner, so all in all a perfect day.

A walk along the old railway line

We took a walk along the old railway line during the week, and usually after we park the car we turn right and walk along side the railway tracks that the preservation group have laid, but we decided to turn left instead. This track leads further into Northampton with houses on one side and open fields on the other.

At the start of the walk is a large container that has been tastefully covered with graffiti I suspect this was done to stop people scribbling on it but I don't know the back ground to the art or what the container holds. If you know perhaps you can leave me a comment.

I loved this sign post, looking like a large chain.

close up of the sign.

The flowers along the path are at their best at this time of year.

A ballet bag

I need a few 'emergency' gifts, and thought I'd make a few bags. They always make a nice gift. Plus it will downsize my fabric collection.

I had a small amount of ballet fabric left from another project and thought any little girl would probably like a bag made with this fabric. It went together well and I think I will try and make more bags like this.

A pretty ballet bag with a boxed base.

Family Tree

About 30 years ago I got really interested in making a family tree, and the hobby has continued in all shapes and sizes.
I have two wall quilts depicting my family tree, one is made using photos printed onto fabric and the other machine embroidered.
Grave yards have been searched, family members asked for information, record offices around the country visited, and of course all the on-line facilities used.  One on-line facility I come back to often is Ancestry.com and some time ago they introduced a DNA testing kit. I have wanted to take part ever since they introduced the kit but could not bring myself to spend the money. This week they offered a £10 reduction on the kit for Fathers day so I sent off for two kits, one for Chris and one for me, which arrived the next day.
It was easy to use the kit and they are in the post back for testing. It takes 6 to 8 weeks to get the results and any matches they can find to my tree... I cannot wait to see where we come from.

What are my origins?

Another Charity quilt

While my life seems to have been turned upside down lately I have managed to hide away in my Happy Room and do some sewing.
I still had a pile of 4.5 inch squares, found while re-organising, so made a quick easy lap quilt for a charity, probably Linus.  I used lilac fleece for the backing and again machined the binding on.
I quilted the fabric with a zig zag pattern across the width and then across the length, it gives a nice design on the back.

4.5 inch squares, all different, make for a pretty lap quilt

Zig Zag quilting in both directions make a "windmill" design on the back.

The "what a week" continues

Last night Elanor managed to hurt her arm while attempting a walk over [ whatever that is! ] at gym. A hospital visit resulted with her staying in overnight. Ten o'clock this morning she went for surgery and  this is how she looks now...

Waiting to go home

Starlings

I have two feeding blocks hanging in the tree in my back garden and one in the front garden. The birds love them and I love watching them pecking away and trying to hold on to the wire cage.
Recently a large flock of Starlings have moved in and I can hardly keep up with the food blocks, three blocks replaced in a day! Having a pond also attracts the birds.

Starling using the water bubble stone as a jacuzzi

Using the bird bath for a splash about

Queueing up for a turn!

Hospital visits

What a week, and it's only Wednesday!
Monday I had to see the knee consultant at Three Shires Hospital about my dodgy new knee, but he assured me everything was okay, just swelling of the knee tissue which could take another six months to calm down. The straight leg and bend were better than he hoped! "See me in 6 months".

Tuesday Chris went into Northampton General Hospital for removal of his gall bladder. I dropped him at Admissions at 7.30am, spent the morning worrying about him, especially after the previous two appointments had been cancelled. I called at 11.45am to be told he was just out of surgery, please call again around 1.30pm.  At 1.30pm I called and was told to come and pick him up, I was amazed he could come home so soon. As soon as we got home he went to bed and slept until 6am this morning. He now has a list of things he cannot do, including driving, lifting, vacuuming, lawn mowing and ironing [ I don't think he knows we even have an iron!]. I intend to keep my eye on him!

While he was in hospital to keep my mind active and away from comfort chocolate [I did succumb to this!] I made a Linus quilt from a pile of 4" and 2.5" pieces of fabric I found during my sort out.

Found during my tidy up

Sewn together in rows, then safety pinned fleece to the back.
Using my wavy ruler drew lines with a Frixon pen from top to bottom and side to side.
This is an easy way to quilt as there is no turning of the quilt in the sewing machine,
just wiggly down the rows and then iron off the Frixon marks.

Final step I cut 3" binding [ wider than normal]
folded in half and sewed it down by machine on both sides.
BINGO a complete quilt in a morning

Re-organising AGAIN!

Two new units from Ikea with four pretty baskets enabled me to have a sort out in the corner of my Happy Room. Why do I have SO much "stuff" ? I guess anyone with a hobby says that. It is difficult to throw things away that one day you might need, but something has to go in my room.
I have not bought any material for quite some time and use fabric from my stash, all the white cupboards plus some more not in the photo are full of fabric, but it does not seem to make any difference however much I use to the overall "stuff" everywhere.

Love the new Ikea units.

I'm not very keen on sewing down the bindings on quilts, all a bit tedious. However I now have four Row by Row panels and two single bed quilts waiting for the hand sewing of the bindings for them to be complete. I'm giving my self a July deadline to get them finished.

Just waiting for a needle and thread!

June IAM day

June already, seems like we were celebrating Christmas only yesterday... where does the time go?
I'm sure the older you get the quicker time flies past!

17 years ago we got together as a small group which has now risen to eight and a spare [ Pauline who comes if someone is missing!] to work on crafts once a month. I so enjoy these days.
We all seem to dabble in a number of different crafts which makes for an interesting "show and Tell" after lunch.

Penny had been working on her bobbin lace

Row by Row design by Penny

We all loved Clare's owl panel baby quilt 

Back of Clare's baby quilt

Jenny's hexagon's were growing into a beautiful quilt all by hand

Christine [ who joined us just for the day] had been busy with her Embroidery machine

A bathroom hanging by Christine

Christine's lunch bag made using Thermal wadding

Help? I can't remember who's bag this was... sorry

Love Pauline's Fox cushion with hidden zip

Ann made this picture for her Button & Bows spare bedroom.

Day 2 of the girls visit

The girls arrived sleepy eyed early in the morning and we discuss a few ideas for the day.
Finally we decide to go to Salcey Forest and search out the tree top walk. Grandad is persuded to put the Gruffalo app on his phone.

The start of the walkway to the tree tops.

Not too keen on bridges you can see through, I decide to give it a go,
thinking I will just walk a little way as my latest knee has really been playing me up.

While Eleanor races on jumping to make the walkway sway !!
Abigail and I keep going.

We all reach the top and the views are wonderful,
now for the walk back down for me while the other three climb the open stairs to the high view point.

Above the trees

Back on ground level we follow the Gruffalo trail and by pointing the app on the phone
at the signs a cartoon appears and as if by magic the girls can stand behind it for the photo.
Not too sure Chris is keen on his head being in the photo but hey-ho!

Glad the snake they find is another cartoon from the app.

The weather is perfect and we all enjoy the walk even though I am struggling now with my knee and FitBit telling me I have walked over 5000 steps [ the most by far since my knee replacement]

Back home for lunch, sticky ribs, peas and the new potatoes the girls dug for yesterday.
We decide the weather is so nice we will eat in the Summer House.

The afternoon was spent playing board games. We even found a game of Triominos  that was last played with Richard  over 30 years ago.