A Day Out Hand Quilting

Yesterday was the hand quilting day with Barbara Chainey at Cupcake Cottons.  We set off at 07.30 and had a nice drive up. Only a brief delay at Marlborough, which was unusual, and a drive around Burford when we missed the turning on the roundabout and we still arrived at 09.30 on the dot.  John and the dogs went off for a day at Lechlade fisheries and I went up to join in the sewing group.

It’s a lovely light shop with lots of fabrics and quilts to admire and room enough for classes.

Afternoon tea and the beautiful cupcakes arrived (in style if you read over on the Cupcake Cottons blog). 

I had to buy a piece of fabric or two and a lovely little wooden beehive with beeswax for quilting thread.  My effort at quilting in a hoop was passable but then I didn’t learn to drive a car in a couple of hours either.  I will try and finish the sample so I can say I achieved an end result! 

I was a great day for me meeting two bloggers in one. Thank you Barbara for travelling to the shop and to Jackie and Steph for hosting.  John’s fishing was unsuccessful but he did have a couple of chasers apparently.  Jackie and Steph were kind enough to send me home with a secret parcel for him which put a huge smile on his face though.

Elsa and Mike drove down last night too to start their move back to the south coast.  Lots of cleaning and decorating to be done over the next few days before they can move in fully but they are so excited.  And a last picture of the Imperial Fritillaries that we planted three springs ago and had done nothing each year until now.  Patience does pay in the end. 

I hope your weekend is as lovely and sunny as it promising to be down here.

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A Trip Out

As I said in the last post, it was the Chettle House Garden and Craft open weekend. 

Chettle House is about three miles from us and when we went to the show last year we came away with quite a few goodies for the garden and wanting more this year.

I have quite a few hares around the place, 10 I think at the last count, and this is moongazer No 8.  The nesting birds plaque and Green Man were from Hilltop Garden where Paul Harvey of Whitchurch sells and displays some of his stonework. I know he produces quite a few pieces for resale but they are not mass produced on an imported scale and have great unique qualities. I already have one of his horned gargoyles. 

And I finished the Kingfisher.  John would like this one framed rather than just shoved in the folio! 

I am really having trouble keeping my head out of Jan Messant's book.  It really is lovely and a total inspiration.  I am thinking of translating a couple of her ideas into pieces. We live in a very ancient landscape here, we even find oyster shells from the Romans in the garden and we're 20 miles from the sea, and I would like to incorporate this into something.  Thing are stewing with the little fellas in the back of the brain!!

I hope Spring Holiday is good for you where you are.  I keep putting on skirts but I'm usually back in jeans by lunchtime!!  It will be great weather from tomorrow of course.