Wednesday embroidery workshop

Having owned two machines with embroidery attachments [unused for some years!] , a friend booked me into a workshop at BSK Bedford to "get me going again!"
Wow it was a real learning experience, firstly I have never used a Babylock machine and found having no foot pedal difficult to manage, BUT I loved a lot of the features on the machine and the teacher Val was very patient. All the fabric and threads were supplied and within 5 minutes of arriving I was embroidering [ well... the machine was!] the front of my bag. No resting on this workshop, while the machine was doing its thing, we were using another sewing machine to start making up the bag.
At home time the bag was finished, and I had booked up for two more workshops. Now to dust off my own machines...

Two new toys from America

At a quilt show in Green River Wyoming I managed to buy two new "toys" and as soon as I can "find" my workroom again will start using them.

The first is a pair of rulers for cutting fancy shapes to make Double Diamonds.. looks really neat!
The second is a Bloc-Loc square up ruler with a dip in the middle where the seam from half square triangles fits, making it flat to cut out, such a simple idea but very clever.

USA 25c help!

Can anyone help me? I am two USA quarters missing from my 2004 - 2008 State Quarter set.

I need Alaska and Hawaii from the Philadelphia Mint [little P on the front].

Having manage to collect 98 of the coins I would really like to complete the set. Happy to pay postage etc.

USA act 6

Some of the sights of Yellowstone, from frozen lakes and lots of snow, to hot mud pools. A sighting of a wolf causes a big traffic jam as he wanderes across open ground.

USA act 5

Jackson Hole Wyoming, our nearet town. The antler arch featured in an old Clint Eastwood movie, and there are one on each corner of the town square. Bronze statues are everywhere, I'm saying hello to a cowboy and his dog.

USA act 4

An enjoyable visit to a Yellowstone Visitor Centre, after seeing a Moose with her calf.

A scary moment after a beautiful waterfall, there is a hold up on the road, "oh I see a buffalo coming this way!" Agh!! it walks right in front of our car and long the side of where I am sitting, it sure is a big powerful creature.

USA ... ACT 3

Quilting on the Green, Expedition Island Pavilion, Green River, Wyoming.

After a nice meal at Penny's Diner, we went to the quilt exhibition for the opening evening. We were mad very welcome and when asked to fill in a form saying how far we had travelled caused a bit of a stir when I put 7000 miles !! The one thing on my shopping list was a kit for the American Icon [a cowboy], so this was the first of many things I bought. Some of the quilts on show were fabulous, I especially liked the first picture next to the diner.. sorry I did not take a note of who made it, but I think it was made to raise money for a museum.

USA trip .. Act 2

Meet the lacemakers of Wyoming. During my stay with Ann Barney I was invited to meet a group of lacemakers that meet regularly at a Senior Citizen home. After a lovely meal we sat around and chatted making lace, I showed them some of my lace that I had brought with me.

USA visit.. Act 1

The start of a three week trip to the USA, found us arriving in Salt Lake City Utah and picking up our hire car, which CJ fell in love with as it is new and big! After a nights sleep we set off for Wyoming and the cabin our friends had lent us for the first week, it was 4 or 5 miles down a track, with nothing for miles other than the odd deer making an appearance. CJ settled in the cabin where the only neighbours were the bulls in a pen, and cows in the fields, but the views and peace and quiet were welcome sight. The Green River runs through the property, and was part of the original Oregon trail.

gnitsub hsatS

This is my "Stash busting" report from the USA.. as you can see by the heading I am going the wrong way!! Since arriving in the USA I have increased my stash [ a small selection in photo] by 63 yds.
33 yds were here waiting for me, when I arrived, having been ordered in England.
7 yds are in a kit called The American Icon, a wonderful kit of a cowboy that I purchased at a quilt show.
Finally yesterday I won $140 at a casino and promptly spent $139.75 on 23 yds of fabric on the way home.

QOV top finished

The QOV quilt is now finished and ready to post to Judy of http://www.patchworktimes.com/ .

I just love the pattern Judy designed for followers of her blog to use. I did not have time to complete the fancy border, so substituted a red, white and blue plain border. The quilt measures 55 x 72 inches.

A mad moment for a really good cause

On Monday May 24th, Judy Laquidara, Patchwork Times blogger, asked for help to make quilts for injured service men with a deadline of June 6th. I thought I would like to take part but my problem is I only have until Friday to finish it, and could not start until Tuesday afternoon.

So it has been sew sew sew around here, and I have managed to get the centre made, and will add the borders tomorrow, so it can go in the post on Saturday 29th May.

Luckily Judy has offered to long arm quilt and finish the binding.

Bags bags and more bags!

Another enjoyable day on the Tilly and Fran workshop at Pitsford. Not only did I make the bag to hold my sewing kit but 16 of us were treated to home made biscuits, jacket potatoes with all the trimmings followed by a lovely dessert and finally tea and cakes... what more could a quilter want? To complete my new bag I made a matching pin cushion, scissor case, thimble holder and needle case.

The two bags on the right have two pockets inside and one on the back, they are very comfortable to wear and will be ideal for travelling with passports etc. I just love them and intend to make two more this week to match other outfits!

It's finished... yippee!!

At last I have finished my large quilt as you go pinks and greens quilt. The central part was made in 5 strips and after quilting joined to gether in the quilt as you go method. Then I made the large top and bottom pieces and again after quilting in simple wavy lines joined as before. Finally on Monday I managed to get the binding sewn on, and it it now ready for our bed.

A new "toy" joins the Happy Room

Having wanted a treadle sewing machine for some time, I found this lovely old Singer, not only a treadle but also fitted out with electricity.

Having done a little research the registration number F6490012 says it was made in Clydebank Scotland in 1915, I am hoping to find out more about it, and replace the belts and electricity cable. I also hope to find a set of extra tools and bobbins as these are missing.

Now I do not need to stop sewing if we have a power cut.. I can just treadle away!

Knitted beaded bags

While searching for some pony beads, which I never found!, I came across some of my beaded bags and one that I had forgotton about that needs finishing. Knitted on very fine circular needles the beads are made by transfering strings of beads onto silk thread. Maybe I should finish the green one now.

Northampton Australia to Northampton England

One of the Northampton quilt groups I belong to have become twinned with Northampton in Australia. Yesterday I received this wonderful postcard, my very first fabric card, from Meg in Australia, so now I have to work on one to send back to her. This is so exciting.

Six days North of the border!

Chris had to work for two days in Scotland, and as it was just before a weekend and Bank Holiday I decided to join him and we added a couple of days to make a break.

His first job was in Middlesborough for a couple of hours and then onto Edinburgh, where he worked and I drove out into the countryside to Purely Patchwork a quilt shop at Linlithgow. After this we moved to Loch Lomond where again left to my own devices I took off looking at the lochs and beautiful scenery. Eventually I drove down a track that seemed narrower than the car! even the Highland cow seemed surprised to see me!

Our last 3 nights were spent in Penrith with a visit to Just Sew Patchwork shop [ that's me standing outside the shop ]. Some of the quilts hanging in their workroom were really beautiful and the staff very friendly.

Chris found the James Bond 007 Museum very interesting, they had so many of the cars, tanks, helicopters etc used in the filming.