~*~ Pinwheels ~*~

Been really busy the last couple of days but managed to finish off another "dolly" quilt.Am having a real craze on little projects.

Fat Quarters yesterday afternoon as usual.Pauline arrived and then left straight away because she didn't feel well,hope she is not going down with one of the dreadful lurgies that is going around.

Have been planning on moving house since January of this year,have viewed scores of houses but have lost out on the couple that have been suitable. Looked at another this morning that ticked most of the boxes ie location, garden, no of bedrooms, potential sewing room etc,etc.....but the vendor has refused my first and the revised offer and I can't afford any more so am a bit p..... off.

Am going to calm myself down by some gentle hoovering, start piecing a new "Little Quilt", watch Strictly and have some nice goodies to eat.

~*~ And the WINNER is.............................~*~

Verity picked the name out of the hat this morning




Congratulations Sharon !!!
Email me, phone, both are on the Moo card, if you still have it or leave a comment and you bag of goodies will on their way to you.Incidently Sharon, just as well you didn't have a BEE related stamp at Brockbushes, last Sunday, or you would have won one of you own stamps back !!!

Verity and I met Sharon of "Willow Designs" last Sunday at Brockbushes' Christmas Fayre.She designs and sells great stamps and scrapbooking stuff.We got talking (as you do)and it turns out that she is also a keen blogger.We exchanged cards and Sharon was as good as her word and left a comment.



The sets of ribbons are just gorgeous,I settled for the scrummy chocolate and the zingy lime green.
Sharon's blog is www.fairydustbag.blogspot.com

To finish on a very sad note however:

I know you shouldn't have favourites but my favourite cockeral died in his sleep last night.We called him "the big fella" and he had so much personality.He was an old boy and had lived a full and happy life but I will miss him looking for sunflower seeds at the back door.

~*~ It's a Giveaway !!!!!!!! ~*~

To celebrate 4 months of the blog, I have put together a little prezzie.
A scissor keeper/charm made by my own fair hands and some BEE related stuff.
Just leave a comment between now and Wednesday and your name will be put in the hat.

~*~ Strawberry Emery ~*~

Kim, finished at 7.50pm tonight. Not bad eh???

~*~ Kim returns from Houston ~*~

Friday afternoon sewing at the FQ's. Kim returned safely from Quilt Market with bags of samples of patterns, books and kits that she has ordered for the shop.Dawn is very excited because there is a lot of "bunny" inspired projects on their way.

Kim was wearing a purple glittery, feather boa that she got at an Eleanor Burns class but we all put that down to jetlag !!!

Pauline has almost finished her seahorse applique quilt and I finished piecing the pinwheel doll's quilt.

Ann sat all afternoon and drank tea !!!!

~*~ Oh so cute ~*~

Julie had a day-trip to Edinburgh yesterday and sought out this very cute candle at the Emma Bridgewater shop.

Wednesday tends to be a food shopping, ironing, housework, chores, etc, etc.so I'd better get on with it!!!

~*~ Back By Popular Demand ~*~

OK, OK, OK, I give in...........



So who are these babies?????........

~*~ Pinwheels and Teacups ~*~

Had a really great Friday;

Met up with the Friday afternoon FQ's crew for lunch.The idea was to get the chatting out of the way and maybe some constructive sewing would get done.Did it work? No, we just chatted for longer!!!

Started this 40's Pinwheel quilt from the Kathleen Tracy book. This is the 3rd project in a row from this book, a real gem!!

Verity had her Halloween party on Friday night and it was great fun. Verity organised it all herself, planned the food and drink, decorated, carved pumpkins, sent out the invitations,fancy dress costumes, music, transport etc, etc........and tidied up afterwards!!!!!!!

In Nigella's recent cookery book, she served dessert in old-fashioned teacups and saucers and it looked so brilliant. Julie had a night away in the lakes and brought this lovely cup and saucer as a prezzie. I am going to look out for a few more to put puds in.

Visited the FQ's this afternoon, to continue my practice on the Gammill Longarm machine.
Kim popped downstairs to tell me that Lucy Locket was in the shop.So after about 6mths of reading about her and the children,I met them ALL today. A big HI to you all and I hope to meet you again and be able to chat for longer.

I'm back to work this week and the poorly foot is bearing up well, so far.

This is a bit of an edit, Sorry Lucy , I didnt mean to imply you looked like a jack o lantern I always feel the need to put a photo in and as it was nearly Halloween........I was attempting to use the 60's Tv title....sorry!!

~*~ H&V at RE ~*~

If you are a regular visitor to my blog you will have noticed that I love vintage, rustic stuff.
Undaunted by the fact that I get NO comments when I include my latest finds, here they are;

Firstly, a big thank-you to Dawn for my Halloween goody bag.

Verity and I visited RE this morning and picked up these cute printer's blocks. Everything is so beautifully presented and packaged, it is almost a shame to open them.
Isn't the stamp on the bag gorgeous? Simon and Vicky own a greyhound called Trolley !

~*~ 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.