Sunday 30 March 2014

ARE YOU READY ...

..... for this weeks photo in..   Alsha's Space: 52 Weeks Word Photo Challenge ? The word for this week was .. STRETCH .. oh my goodness! I am sure she is enjoying the torture we go through each week!

I came up with ..
 

as I have been STRETCH....ing this to meet the bills.. clothes.. kids .. FABRIC .. for what seems like the whole of my life!!! lol x I seem to be doing something right as I'm not in jail !! lol x

Remember to check out the other entries .. or join in if you have an idea for next weeks word xx

Keep smiling .. hope you remembered to put your clocks FORWARDS  in the UK xx

Diane x

Saturday 29 March 2014

OH MY....

.. goodness x I was out last night with some of the girls I used to work with x We went to a restaurant called Panama Hatties .. you may be able to guess what type of food we had xx lol x

This morning I need FLUIDS and QUIET xx I have the kettle on .. boil asap! Some calming hand stitching to do x AND some thing to read ..later ..


.. sure I will be feeling like me soon x lol x

PS... you girls in the UK remember to put your clocks FORWARDS to-night xx

Diane x

Wednesday 26 March 2014

LAST NIGHT WAS ..

.. quilt group in Congleton, we had a make .. which was a bow tie block ...


it was fun and quick .. and I have an idea what I am going to make with it xx .. watch this space .. because of course I have nothing else to finish off!! lol x

This morning it was cold and a bit breezy .. but the sun was shinning .. so I loaded my mum and dad into the car and off we went to Mostyn in North Wales .. WHY? you ask ? WELLLL .....Aberkhan is there .... I managed to find (!) some fabric...


for quilt backs .. and some buttons that were on sale..


I think this is my favourite ..


AND .....I was spotted by a fellow blogger who recognised me from the mug shot at the top of my blog!! Oh Wow!! It was such fun x We checked out the new cafe and gift shop xx

THEN it was off to Prestatyn for the BEST fish and chips xx NO pictures .. because we ate them all ! Is it the fresh air that makes them taste so good? mm don't know xx

It was VERY windy and cold ...




...but a beautiful day ... no cobwebs are left on .. or in .. us!!!!!! lol x

Hope you had a good day too x

Diane xx

Monday 24 March 2014

HERE WE GO .....

  ...   the word for this week was ... STAR .... mmm what to choose ? If you follow the link you can see what others chose. ... Alsha's Space: 52 Week Word Photo Challenge x

After MUCH deliberation (well a bit anyway!! )I choose ..


...as regular readers will know .. he shines VERY bright for me x Having seen him on stage in Les Miz AND 4 times live in concert ... AND waiting for my tickets to see him again in November ... he just had to be my choice xx .. by the way there are MORE cds in the car .. and dvds in the front room ...

Have some FUN to-day xx I'm listening to Alfie x

He-He

Diane x 

Sunday 23 March 2014

YESTERDAY WAS..

.. Do-Your-Own-Thing day ... I worked on a quilt that STILL isn't finished .. so no pictures yet!..I sewed the binding onto this one ..



I was given a bag of ribbons and trims ...


......that just might find its way into a challenge/swap for Sandbach x ...AND I was given a project  by another quilter .. Gwen has started but not finished this ..


...she has donated it to our Linus quilt drive .. just need to decide WHAT I am going to do with it xx

It was a lovely day to be inside as brief bursts of sunshine were interrupted by driving rain xx

Hope you have had a good weekend x

Diane x

Saturday 22 March 2014

THIS IS ...

.. an article worth taking a few minutes to read .....margaret-cooter: Hiding work (and self) away .. only takes couple of minutes to read .. but you will be thinking about it for longer ... well I have been anyway xx

Diane x

Thursday 20 March 2014

WHEN YOU HAVE TO.....

... stay in .. because you are waiting for a delivery ...WHAT do you do? WELLL... you could sew .. but then being me I don't always concentrate fully .. because I'm listening for the door .. or the phone x

SO I decided to do my next favourite thing ... SO I have ..


banana bread, and plain rolls , and a chocolate cake (waiting to be filled with cream x


AND...


some cheese and tomato bread x

THEN when the delivery was made I finished off a top ..


the Sandbach Quilt Group charity this year is Linus .. I just need to layer and then quilt .. and this will be my contribution x

A GOOD day ... hope yours has been good too x

Diane xx

Tuesday 18 March 2014

THERE ARE MANY....

...joys and opportunities in belonging to this wonderful world of on-line quilting x One is that you are invited to step out of your comfort zone and .... pattern test xx I have done this a couple of times .. with varying degrees of fun and sucsess!!

When I saw this one I thought ..."why not?"..


WELL .....there was a lot of maths for one thing!!! I had various false starts and struggles! THEN I gave up on the ALGEBRA!!.. well thats what it looked like to me! AND.. did what I should have done in the first place and ...went with the chart!! I KNOW!!!!... but the idea is to test the instructions!...


... by the way it looks crumpled because GUS....


came to be my companion and sideline cheer-leader .... and sat on it!.... SAM...


...could not stand the swearing and left us to it!! lol x

EVENTUALLY .. I had a quilt top..



still not right ... but a LOT closer.. to the origonal pattern x ....when you see the blocks in the wrong place while looking at the pictures ... it is ...TOO LATE ....to go back and change it!! I was just happy to have finished it xx

AND .. Adam and Caroline (son and partner just want something to keep their feet warm xx bless them x)

I started quilting with a variagated black and white thread .. very nice .. it twisted and broke and became a birds nest ... despite everything I tried!!!! SO I changed to a black and red varigated .. not so pretty ... that .. never broke or misbehaved ONCE!!! 

THEN I added some applique over the worst bit .... NO I AM NOT UNPICKING!!!!!


At last I have a finished .. well almost just got to sew down the binding .. little quilt x Feedback sent .... on to the next project xx

AHHH......

Hope you have fun to-day

Diane x

Sunday 16 March 2014

THE WORD FOR THIS WEEK WAS......

......... SIZE...if you visit Shaz's blog.... Alsha's Space: 52 Weeks Word Photo Challenge ... you will see that she interpreted this in quite a surprising way ... to me any way!! lol x

My interpretation is ...


I laugh every time I look at this picture! it looks as if I am stood in a hole!!!!

It was taken on Bonfire night (celebrated 5th November here in the UK) a couple of years ago. While I was growing up I was always .. that tall girl! I stopped growing at 5-8 which was considered tall for a girl.. it was always the same at work .. I was the one who was asked to get things off the top shelf x

THEN I had a son who stopped growing at .....6-6... so NOW when I stand by him I am the short one xx ... how things change x

Hope you are having a fun weekend

Diane x

Friday 14 March 2014

GOOD MORNING....

.... you may remember me saying that is was to be the Sandbach quilt group meeting last night ... and that the FIRST challenge would be announced to the ladies xx WELL 24 turned up for the meeting ... AND ... 24 took the challenge xx I am SO happy x (must have sold it right!!! lol x)

NOW some folks had asked about it .. and maybe joining in x

SO ... here goes..

This is a challenge in 2 parts .FIRST..each of the ladies was given this ..



it is thick interfacing .. I think maybe used for pelmets or bag stiffening .. aprox 9.5 x 4 ins in size. It can be sew through, stuck to ,ironed on and is generally sturdy but pliable .The ladies have a month before the next meeting to make ... A BOOK MARK. They can keep the original size .. they can cut it up .. they can use any method they want .. to make a book mark.

A friend and I have been making them as fund raisers and so I had LOTS of examples to show them ..



SECOND part of the challenge is that it is ... A friendship challenge/swap.. so they each got to draw a name out of a hat .. and they make for that person. THEY decided to keep the names a secrete so that next month they will each have a lovely surprise xx

NOW if you want to join in and make your selves a book mark... go for it x If you want to swap and make me a book mark .. let me know in the comments box .. and I will swap addresses and send you one back xx Giving me a clue as to colour and theme would be helpful xx ... off to make one for my partner based on the colour of the jumper she was wearing last night xx

Have a fun day

Diane xx 

Wednesday 12 March 2014

YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE ...

... with buses! None for ages then they ALL arrive at once  xx lol x

WELL... last Saturday was The Quilters Guild regional day ... Last night was Congleton quilt group meeting .. and Thursday is Sandbach quilt group meeting !! I will be issuing the FIRST of the challenges (with my new job as challenge organiser hat on xx)

ITS A MYSTERY .. despite various attempts at bribary I have NOT divulged any details xx lol x

It has been suggested that I share the details with you girls .. so that you can join in ...SO .. if you check back Friday I will share the details and any one who wants to join in .... CAN xx

NOW because a picture always cheers up a blog read ...THESE..


are the cakes made for tea last night ... by me ... with CONSTANT supervision from the sidelines by my youngest grandson xx lol x

Hope you are having FUN

Diane x

Monday 10 March 2014

THE WORD .....

 ........  for this week was ... HAPPY .. each week it is set by Shaz on her blog... Alsha's Space: 52 Weeks Word Photo Challenge .....(anyone can join in at anytime ... or just pop over to see all the entries xxx) ...on the first look I always think.. oh yes I'll do .. THEN I start to think about it !!!

ALWAYS a mistake as I then change my mind over and over xx Mind you I have managed to come up with a picture each time xx lol x

This week I decided to go with ...


from the moment I made the decision I was going to ... DO IT...I got .....HAPPIER ...and so I decided it qualified for this week x

Off to see what the next word is x

Diane x

Sunday 9 March 2014

THE WEATHER IN.....

.....Cheshire to-day has been glorious... looks as if Spring just might happen x


I managed to spend some time in the garden ... always good .. in between making this..


my eldest grandson is 11 this week and requested a cake .. with as much chocolate as possible please !! Judging by his face....


and the lack of cake for lunch boxes I would say it was a success xx

Have a fun week

Diane x

Saturday 8 March 2014

IT WAS.....

... the Region 13 (of The Quilters Guild Of The British Isles) .. Regional day to-day in Frodsham x I always love these days x We had 2 speakers who both brought LOTS and LOTS ... and LOTS of work for us to see.. touch and drool over xx

AND ...I managed ... despite a struggle ...to find some fabric that wanted to come home with me ...


SUCH a lovely day x

Yesterday I had my next to last parcel from the Stash Bee ladies...


Its been a great weekend .. hope yours is as much fun xx

Diane x

Thursday 6 March 2014

I AM..

... looking forwards to putting these lovely blocks into my wall hanging...


...they came yesterday and were made by a Stash Bee member and her young daughter xx LOVE them x I just have 2 more to arrive then I can start to work out how I want to lay them out ... that will mean ....PLAYING with all the lovely blocks I have received xx OH ......THE PRESSURE x He-He xx

I also had some extra bits to play with in my parcel...


Lovely .. I'm a lucky quilter x

Keep smiling

Diane x

Wednesday 5 March 2014

I THINK ...

...... that Erin over at www.sewathomemummy.com is trying to tourture us!!! This months block is .... DRUNKARDS PATH!!!! Good grief!

I have done my best ... I made my other monthly blocks , I did a bit of baking , I went to town, I walked the dogs, I EVEN did some housework ... YES I used the dirty word!! BUT I had to give in ....


now I have 3 blocks done I am wondering ... WHAT  the heck she will come up with next month!! Any one who wants to join in ...... CAN x


This did remind me that in about 1998-99 I made a top with the drunkards path block .. I have a vague memory of it being in a carrier bag ... somewhere... I just might go and see if I can find it!!

Have fun to-day x

Diane x

Tuesday 4 March 2014

YESTERDAY...

... while I was taking the postcard I made for my swap partner to the Postbox the Postman was busy delivering mine..


isn't it lovely and so different done in the stitchery rather than with the bias x I love it x

Can you believe I joined another swap!!... I know I said I wasn't going to ...BUT... they asked me ... and it sounds fun... and ... OH! You know me! lol

Well, the theme for March is SPACE x This lovely fabric arrived for me to play with..


We were given free range with size and design .. as long as it relates to SPACE. Folks have been posting about rocket ships and planets and aliens x You know me! I .... "boldly went where none have gone before !!!" .... couldn't resist that one!! He-He x

With the first fabric (eighths by the way) I managed to create 8 stars....


then with the second I thought I would introduce a bit of colour and got 4 stars..


I thought 12 stars from 2 small pieces of fabric was pretty good x This is all I had left..


Have a fun day and keep smiling

Diane x

Monday 3 March 2014

THE WORD FOR ...

........this week in .. Alsha's Space: 52 Weeks Word Photo Challenge was FAST.... mm again LOTS of ideas .. BUT .. how do you interpret them in a picture?

My solution for this week is ..


this is to represent just how FAST time passes x I have been retired for THREE months .. my oldest grandson is ELEVEN in 2 weeks ... my parents are both in their EIGHTIES .. both my children are in their THIRTIES !! I just turned my back and it happened xx

So that's my answer to this weeks challenge x Why don't you pop over and see the other entries ... and maybe have a go for next time xx

Diane x

Sunday 2 March 2014

I HAVE...

... made the next block for the Block-Of-The-Month... now we have a tree....


I spent MORE time moving around the blocks for the tree than sewing it to-gether! I still look at it and think... mmm should have put that ..there xx

It is also time to make the postcard for the Congleton Quilt Group swap .. the theme this month is CELTIC ... So I used gold/yellow for St David and his daffodils and green for St Patrick and his shamrocks .....


it will go in the post tomorrow.

Have fun with what is left of the weekend x

Diane x