~*~ What Next ?.......~*~

Completed my latest "dolly" quilt last night, hand-quilted it yesterday afternoon and it is slightly lumpy-bumpy and put the binding on in a bit of a rush cos I wanted to watch "Spooks" on TV. Sewing, eating, quaffing red wine and watching tv is great multi-tasking but does not result in perfect binding !!!

What to start or finish now??

Little Halloween scene on my mantlepiece, Verity is planning a party at the end of the month, so we are all getting in the mood.

~*~ Terrific Tuesday ~*~

Had a lovely morning mooching around Hexham with Julie.
Picked up a couple of bits and bobs at the monthly antique and collectors fair and then brunch at the "Chare".The budgies are a cruet set.

This afternoon, my new washing machine was delivered, and while I put it through its paces, I hand-quilted the latest "dolly" quilt, just the binding to apply later while watching "Jamie" and Spooks!!

~*~ On A Roll ~*~

It was great to get back to the FQ's yesterday after missing 2 weeks. Took my latest doll quilt with me :"underground railroad" from Kathleen Tracy's "American Doll Quilts".
I am sooo enjoying doing these little projects and sharpening up my piecing again.
Bought some funky fabric too, I am keen to make some "softies" in some off-beat fabric combos, inspired by mellyandme.
2 little quilts made this week !!!

~*~ Where Do I Put It ? ~*~

Making small objects is very rewarding but what do you do with them when they're finished? Lucy Locket asked me what I was intending to do with my "strippy triangles" doll quilt. Some of my dollies are sitting on it, of course !!!

Last winter, Calum asked me to knit him a pair of fingerless gloves. Fingerless was required so constant fiddling with phones and ipods was not impeded.
I found a Rowan pattern and bought some gorgeous 4ply Scottish Tweed Rowan wool from Liberty's in Regent Street.Calum loved these gloves and Alex got a pair too.
Unfortunately both pairs are now missing and as the weather gets colder Calum's digits are suffering.He has started hinting ( heavily), for a new pair.

Luckily ? I bought a few extra balls of wool, as you do !!!, so I am going to embark on some new gloves. Should I attach a string to go through the arms??

A big THANK-YOU for all the good wishes and kind comments about my poorly foot. It looks like a peeling red onion !
I would not advocate scalding your foot but being housebound for a short time gives you lots of sewing time and also the children love all the cooking and baking that gets done.

~*~ Strippy Triangles ~*~

I have really enjoyed sewing this doll quilt.It was quick to do, and didn't require much fabric but needed exact cutting and stitching.

I have rediscovered this little pincushion which I made a while ago, I love the old rose button and really made the pincushion to show off the button.

The foot is healing well and the RVI have given me permission to get out and about. I have to moisturise it well and get the skin toughened up, so I can put a shoe back on.

~*~ Gourd Gracious Me ~*~

Verity is having a small halloween party in one of our outbuildings and she has started decorating it already.
We visited a local farm shop and Verity picked these three beauties.

Alex, my eldest, went down to the carboot fair this morning and is now sorting through his haul of ancient vinyl.

Verity and I visited a favourite shop of ours, RE, in Corbridge, and I bought a vintage veggie rack.

~*~ Last Roses of Summer ~*~

Verity and I went into Hexham to spend some "girlie" time together, Shopping and sitting chatting and people-watching in one of Hexham's lovely cafes.
Verity met up with a friend for more of the above and I went home, straight into the garden.The weather was glorious: warm and sunny, so I set about tidying up the front garden and pruning the roses.
I picked what was left of the roses, possibly the last this year
I wanted to share the new BOM quilt on www.mellyandme.typepad.com .Rosie has created this fabulous fresh, very girlie quilt which might be my next project.I have asked permission to show the photo.



Tidying up finished, I got my ongoing strippy, cot quilt out and sat sewing in the warm sunshine. Wendy, of course, was in on the action.

~*~ Strippy Triangles ~*~

Thought I'd start something small and portable.
"American Doll Quilts " by Kathleen Tracy, contains lovely small projects.Decided upon "strippy triangles".

I must be getting out of practice, because the squares needed a bit of tweeking to get them to the right size.

Foot is healing well and I hope to be more mobile soon.

~*~ Slaley Charity Auction ~*~

Slaley is a little village 5 miles outside Hexham. Every 2 years a charity auction is held in the village hall. This is an event not to be missed and I was determined to go, despite the poorly foot.

Viewing on Friday evening revealed the treasures. There are always a few vintage kitchen or garden pieces that appeal.
An added bonus, that makes it a real day out, is that refreshments are provided by Slaley WI and boy, can those women bake !!!


Word has spread about the potential bargains to be had and the hall was packed on Saturday afternoon. Bidding was fast and furious and I, surprisingly, held myself in check when some things started to go for silly money.

I bought: a large T&G Green mixing bowl, glazed inside in cream with a green stripe.

2 canary show cages ??

A Eltex galvanised poultry feeder and finally,

a vintage step-ladder type thingy which I can hang quilts over.

I missed out on some glorious , embriodered, lace edged pillowcases and some great garden tools, but never mind.

Despite being driven about and sitting with my foot up, my poorly foot was like a pudding last night, so a quiet day beckons tomorrow so I dont get too told off at the hospital on Tuesday.

~*~ Knitting, Hopping, Reading and MOOing ~*~

I am finding it very difficult to find a sewing project to settle down to. I will probably be off work for a couple of weeks with this foot and see it is a good opportunity to embark on a major quilt, however what to do?

I cannot sit and do nothing, I must have something in my hands to work on. I have a little first size cardi in wool/silk to finish.
As well as making quilts for new babies, I also make up little suitcases.
These contain; a handknit in luxury yarn and matching booties
a book, normally an Ahlberg
a couple of hand embroidered vests/bodysuits
a wooden rattle or such like and something gorgeous for the new mum.
I always have a couple of these cases at the ready and I have had a run on little girls lately, hence the lovely soft pink.



I have finished Blackberry Wine by Joanne Harris and enjoyed it very much. Alex, my eldest son, has picked me up another of hers 5 Quarters of the Orange, at our local Oxfam bookshop for £2. However I have already started the new Fannie Flagg book, Can't wait to get to Heaven.

My Moo cards arrived on Friday, within a week of ordering. On the whole I am pleased with them, some of the images are a bit dark though.

~*~ Blackberry Wine ~*~

Got a bit of a telling off by a physiotherapist at the RVI yesterday. I shouldn't have been walking on my foot. I am therefore trying to make an effort with elbow crutches.

As usual I have no big sewing project to pick up but I think I will try out all the methods of applique instead of using Bondaweb and buttonhole stitch.

I am also reading "Blackberry Wine" by Joanne Harris which I am really enjoying.
Thanks for all the good wishes etc. by email, phone etc.
I had not intended this blog to be a record of all my ailments, sorry to bore you all.

Incidently, I have tweeked the blog a bit.With the help of Verity, my 14yr old daughter, I added a map, fickr and ordered some Moo cards.

Photo is a sunset in Pelion, Greece where I visit in June.

~*~ Ouch !!!! ~*~

Sunday morning found Julie and I sitting in a very dismal waiting room on the Plastics/Trauma clinic at the RVI in Newcastle.
The foot had behaved itself very well at Julie's dinner party the night before and, to be honest, I thought it would be ok when the dressing came off. How wrong can you be ! My left foot and toes are covered in horrible, fluid-filled blisters.
These blisters were cut off !! and the foot redressed with a flamazine/silver gauze combo.I have to go back again on Tuesday morning,apparently you have to keep a close eye on burns in case grafts are needed.EH !!!!

You will be relieved there are no pictures.....should I take the camera tomorrow ?

Incidently, Hi Pauline and Carol from F Clinic! ....

I have spent an hour or so today in Blogland and I want to tweek mine a bit but first I want Verity to help me get some Moo Cards.

~*~ Chickens and Roses ~*~

Margaret, one of the FQ sewing group, had another trial with her incubator. I took 6 eggs to class but we found that one was cracked. 5 were put in the incubator and Margaret made up the numbers with some free-range eggs she bought from the butchers!!

Would you believe it the "butchers" eggs hatched!!! and here they are- Verity and I are having to hand rear them cos my hens won't have anything to do with them but Margaret has done a brilliant job over the last 2 weeks and both are strong and healthy.

The children are looking after me and I am sitting with my leg elevated. I have managed to finish the "Tilda" rose. I had a first attempt with felt but the result I got was not soft and fluid enough, I am quite pleased with my 20's fabric version and Caroline,I pinched your idea of using pinking shears for the leaves.

~*~ Oops I did it again~*~

Friday night found me in the casualty department again. This time with a badly scalded left foot after the kettle, full of boiling water, tipped off the aga.It was completely my own fault, I was making a Tilda rose and had fabric in my right hand and can't have put the kettle squarely down on the trivet.

Calum was marvellous and took control and my leg was immmediately put under the cold shower.
The duty GP advised me to go to casualty and I arrived with my foot in a bucket of cold water.
Back home all bandaged, numerous packets of painkillers and feeling really foolish.
Tomorrow I have to go to the trauma unit in the RVI in Newcastle to have the heavily blistered foot redressed and assessed.

~*~ Kim's New Toy ~*~

Kim and Emma at The Fat Quarters have invested in a monstrous Gammill Longarm quilting machine and are revving up to start quilting customers quilts.

Kim has all the obligatory accessories- a wrist pincushion and a dinky apron which unfortunately she is not wearing in the photo. ( Darren give it back!)

It is a serious piece of kit and purrs along beautifully, stitching a multitude of patterns.

~*~ For My Next Trick ~*~

Don't ask me how I did it? but on Wednesday morning I slammed my left hand in the car door. Much hopping on the spot and cursing under the breath followed.For the rest of Wednesday I watched my thumb turn every colour of the rainbow, swell up and throb continuously.


Friday morning found me in A&E having my thumb "trephined", this involved a hot wire!!, X-rayed, dressed, and a course of antibiotics. My liver seems to have survived the paracetamol onslaught and my left hand is in use again.

You will be delighted to know that I didnt take any photos of the grizzly incident but I LOVE Playmobil.

~*~ Auction at the Mart ~*~

This morning dawned gloriously sunny and warm, just the weather for standing out in a field bidding for old farm machinery.

I find that quilting lends itself to other hobbies. When you have made your quilt, it needs to be displayed, I love rustic, country, & prim "stuff", so I search around for furniture, baskets, trugs, spongeware, kitchenalia and such like to help "set the scene".
My house probably looks like the set of "Steptoe & Son".

My must have at the auction was this Porters Barrow, I actually went for show-jumps for Verity but they were far, far too expensive. Billy, my farmer friend , who cut the hay has given her some and delivered them this afternoon.

Kim,the chick hatched by Margaret, is now a gangly teenager.

~*~ Quilt Show in Harrowgate ~*~

Had a jaunt down to Harrogate yesterday to the Northern Quilt Championships. The standard of work seemed high but not many were to my taste.
The Coneflower quilt was the overall winner.

The retail side of the show was very disappointing.Stalls containing "reduced to clear" fabric and cheap tat.There didn't seem to be anything new at all.People seemed to be buying it though.
Years ago I used to travel down from Berwick upon Tweed and come home with carrier bags full of fabric bundles, patterns, books, and bits and bobs, mostly bought from the wonderful "Piecemakers" of Epsom.These essential supplies would last me most of the winter months until I restocked in the spring. Luckily my local quiltshop "Fat Quarters" is up to date and has a great selection of fabric.

I left this time, after 2 hours, with 2 books and certainly did not get my money's worth,the entrance fee was a hefty £8. I will not be going back.

The weather was glorious so I went into Harrogate and had a browse around the shops, hit "Betty's" for tea and then set off home.

~*~ Back to School ~*~

Verity and Calum went back to school today, years 10 and 12 respectively.

I have just booked tickets for the musical "Mary Poppins" in London's West End.Has anyone seen it?

"Tilda" horse has turned out ok, I have made 4 or 5 small things lately and I now feel ready to start a more major project. I am having a jaunt out to Harrogate on Friday to the "Great Northern Quilt Show".I used to go faithfully every year but was disappointed the last time so stopped going.I don't need fabric,but am on the lookout for a couple of books.

Amanda (anonymous), thanks for all the comments, mum Margaret gave me your email address but I have misplaced the piece of paper. I have emailed Margaret again and will be in touch soon. Incidently we are expecting more hatchings this weekend!!

~*~ Blog Awards ~*~

Thank- you, I am delighted to accept these "blog" awards.I started on my birthday, 2 months ago and really enjoy sharing my hectic but fun day to day life with fellow "bloggers".