Sunday 29 March 2015

PHEW!!

... this last week has just flown away ! Between my parents (avoiding some disasters .. but plunging into others! lol x) and having my grandson stay while his mum was in hospital there has been little or NO sewing done for days on end x... I can feel the withdrawal stress creeping up!

I have managed some knitting in the evenings .. before I slump over!! lol x .. but nothing finished as yet x

Actually ..... I DID manage one project .A friend of mine is a confirmed and contented NONE sewer .. she invites me to tea and requests I bring my sewing kit if anything needs doing xx .. suits me I love having my tea made and she is a good cook xx

SO.... to the amazement of EVERYONE she was given a sewing project for Christmas!!...


you can guess where this is going I'm sure!!

I have been putting off making it ... but then caved in as I thought it would be a QUICK project!!... oh my!

It is DONE...


but never again! There were little to NO instructions .. the ric-rac was supposed to go all round the wings .. but not enough was supplied... lining up the front back and facing was a nightmare ..the sparse instructions said .. do not over fill ..but there was barely enough stuffing to fill the head... I could go on .... BUT... I would rather forget the whole thing!

LOL x at least it is done .. and Sue loves it xx

Maybe THIS week I will manage a LITTLE  bit of happy sewing?

I have also got sooooo far behind with reading blogs I gave up and am starting at the top !

I DID manage to go out on Friday evening to meet up with a group of the girls I used to work with ... this is the pudding I had to eat ..


it was a struggle but I battled to the very end! Shame I could not lick the glass xx...  they were telling me about one of our former colleagues who retired last year and who has been reported as saying .....retirement is boring with long days filled with nothing!! She needs to come and spend some time with me xx

Diane x

Saturday 21 March 2015

THIS LAST WEEK....

.. there has not been a lot of time for sewing .. SO... today I was determined that the morning .. at least was for the sewing room x

I started with the 4 latest blocks in the miniature series...


.. funny it is only a week since I listened to the Quilters Guild member talking about miniatures .. and said "its not for me..." but then these are HUGE compared to the ones she makes xx lol x

THEN I had a play with this little bag ...



this was a make on-the-night at Congleton .. I was not there on the night as it was when my dad was taken poorly .. so they saved me a kit x.. not sure if it is right .. but its my take on it!.. the plastic was (not so much) fun ... but it worked eventually! lol x

Then I thought ... mm I could have a go at something similar .. but NO PLASTIC!!.. so after a bit of a play I have ..




they were fun to make x.... now just to remember how I made them!! lol x

Diane x

Friday 20 March 2015

DO YOU REMEMBER THE....

... chicken we made at Sandbach Quilt Group last time .....


WELL... you know me ! I started thinking about it .. THEN I went and looked at the felt in my stash .....AND NOW... I have....

 
 
 
 

..... hanging in my hall x These cheeky chickens are such FUN xx

Also fun is the post that I have received in the last couple of days x Jo sent me the latest block for our swap...


and Sandra sent my Christmas block for March.....


such fun owls ... they are pinned above my cutting mat x

Diane x

Tuesday 17 March 2015

YOU KNOW WHEN...

.... you get a day that just runs on wheels?..... well YESTERDAY I was running on super oiled wheels xx I had the most WONDERFUL time xx

In the morning I got to talk to my youngest grandson (in Australia) ... they had problems with the internet last week .. so I had had to miss our session .... and that cheeky face xx


THEN ... remember the lap top bag I made for Sally (daughter .. on the opposite side of Australia to James!! lol )... well I remembered how to make it !!... and so NOW ready to go is ...

 
 
 
 


You may just remember the fabric !!! xx lol x TOLD YOU I had a project in mind for it x

THEN ... and this comes close to being the best bit!!.... Adam and Caroline ....(son and his wife )


took me to ... YES we were THAT close to the stage xxx...


 
to see..

 

OH! It was the most wonderful concert x If you get the chance ... GO.. they are so wonderful .. their voices are FABULOUS and their fun loving and funny characters just shine xx 

AND who cared that it was raining stair rods on the way home ... not us !!

I hope you ALL have at least ONE day this week that runs on wheels xx

Diane x

Saturday 14 March 2015

TODAY WAS ....

... the Quilters Guild Regional day....


..here in Cheshire we belong to Region 13 and our central meeting is held in Frodsham. You can look up The Guild ..  the Regions ... and the 2 speakers from today .. on the guild website .. www.quiltersguild.org.uk  ... the journey takes about 45 - 50 mins and takes me through town ,country and  Delamere forest ...( www.forestry.gov.uk/delamere ) on a day like today when it was cloudy and overcast and the trees are bare it always gives me the feeling I am driving through a Tolkien forest!! ... would make wonderful photos .. but I'm NOT stopping lol .. what if an Orc came after me!! He-He x

The speaker for the morning was Judith Dursley... a very funny and entertaining lady who makes miniature quilts x I do not want to make them .. but they were fun to see x

The afternoon speaker was Kathy Unwin ... an interesting speaker who makes big quilts xx Her quilts are mostly landscapes with shadow figures stencilled on ... Loved them .. but don't want to make them either xx lol x 

I waited until dinner time before I went to LOOK at the fabric xx I was stood next to a lady who pulled out some fabric...


mm... I thought quite nice THEN ... she opened it out..


....and I could feel my fingers twitching to grab it out of her hands and.....  RUN ........ lol x She DID put it down .. and as you guessed I picked it up!!....... I DID NOT run .. until AFTER I paid for it!! lol x I have a project in mind .. so watch this space x

Just after that a lovely lady stopped me and said .. "are you Diane who blogs as The Cheshire Quilter?".... found out again! lol x SO... everyone say HELLO to Sue Owens .. who is a member of The Quilters Guild .... and reads this blog xxxx

Josh decorated his cake yesterday..


and I have to tell you .. there is not much left xx

Have a wonderful week

Diane x

Friday 13 March 2015

LAST NIGHT WAS ...

... quilt group in Sandbach .... we had a make ...


...this little lady has a pocket at the front to hold Easter eggs xx .. This is mine...her feet look HUGE!! they are not that big .. honestly lol x...


made of felt so should last a couple of years xxx

ALSO the ladies brought back their efforts from the latest challenge ..






WOW! There were 17 entries x They are really embracing these challenges x I am SO proud of them x

There was a call from a group I belong to, for Ohio star blocks, in batiks, to make a quilt for a lady who's husband died in his sleep .. only in his 50's ... so these are in the post...


AND ... the last 2 of my Brit Bee blocks arrived ..


so happy . I can start to properly plan what I am going to do with the layout now xx

My grandson is 12 today and so the cake ...


.....is made and ready for him to decorate when he gets here later xx 5 different kinds of chocolate decoration .. as requested! Don't know if he will use them all.. but its a chocolate cake with chocolate butter icing!!.. oh my goodness!!! lol x

Have a fun day

Diane x



 

Monday 9 March 2015

I WAS DETERMINED.....

.. that today I would SEW and write a BLOG POST!!... phew! AND... yes I did manage to sew .. and here is the post about it xx... sometimes plans do work out x lol xx

BE WARNED ....... this turned into a BIG blog .. and end of week update xx SO.. go get a cuppa to get you through to the end xx

I made my Brit Bee blocks ...



I have green in my stash .. but not so much .. it seems ...of the grey/green fabric Jo sent me. SO... a bit of a search commenced for fabric to co-ordinate with it .....not too bad an effort I think ... at least they came out the right size xx


Then I made this little beauty....



she is a request.. it is getting harder to part with them I MUST make one for ME!!! ... sometime x

While I was busy this beauty...



popped through the letterbox x.....




there is one more Brit Bee block to come ... if it doesn't arrive soon I will make another block to finish off the collection. As this was the February block the chances of it arriving are getting fewer.

I know what I want to do with the top....





and have begun to match up the blocks x

This last week I made 2 baby quilts ...



with fleece on the back to make them light .. but snuggly ...



Over the last month or so I have been hand quilting my 2013 Stash Bee Blocks ... I asked for a flower on a plain background... it has become a NINETY x NINTY quilt!!.. getting a picture proved a bit "tricky"! I put it on the bed ..



and you can see it .. sort of! Then I tried it on the wall... some climbing and WORDS were involved..



although SOME were not helping at all...


I was getting pictures ... and feeling good about it ...




when THIS...


happened! Sorry Gus .. but it cheered me up no end!!! lol x

PHEW!! That was quite a catch up... I seem to have done far more than I though xx Off for a cuppa xx

Diane x