Mini Runner

Well it certainly been a week, I did the mini runner if you look at earlier post you see that I did the one strip which was done at quilting group but at home I have made this larger & the photo is of it finished.
I have received 2 of the 3 books I ordered plus some more 1930s style fabric also some new applique CD which is for the EQ program I haven't as yet loaded them on.
Reason I haven't loaded them is that I have major problems with computer & a virus so have had to work on it & am still loading programs back on I know that one program won't load but this is not my Quilting program but Office 2000 I have Works but office has word & I need that to be on for a spell checker on Outlook Express strange that both are microsoft yet OE needs word yet it don't come up with it they use works
Well I guess I better get back to loading programs on computer

What a Lovely Package

I was in a table runner swap with one of the groups I am on, well I sent mine off last month & the lady had sent me mine well I am blown away as of course I was expecting a table runner but no I got 2 beautiful ones as you can see plus a beautiful log cabin cushion cover I love log cabin & I got not just the cushion cover in log cabin but a runner as well.
The other runner is beautiful as well & the quilting on all is beautiful puts what I sent to shame .

My Week-End

Had a good week-end, On Saturday was my quilting group & we was to do a mini table runner the block is the basket with a 4 patch block in between the two baskets which I have done as you see by the photo.
It not finished as I would like to do it bigger so I have thought of doing 2 four patch blocks & 1 basket & then put the 4 patch block next to the baskets & the basket next to the 4 patch so hope to do that later today after doing some boring jobs such as housework lol.
I also posted photos of the Sunbonnet Sue that will go with my blocks for the quilt I have only take a photo of 6 as the other 6 are the same so you see the ones I have plus a closer up one, so I have 2 of each colour to go with the blocks in previous post.
Sunday was a beautiful day & DH & me went off to some gardening centres well have to take him out occassionally lol while out we had lunch out had a lovely roast beef dinner I had no potatoes just other vegetables it came also with a apple crumble for pudding & we had a soft cold drink all for a very good price.
Anyway we are limited for space as we don't really have a back garden as such & DH likes to grow his own vegetables & he wanted a trough or a raised bed type thing we saw one that would do but was expensive anyway at this gardening centre they sell fish ect & they had some holding ponds which are like very large sinks or mini baths so I suggested what about them & he looked & we got 2 of them they will be idea as they are fibreglass they won't rot unlike wood plus for the 2 of them they cost less than one of the planters which we saw & much less than the large raised bed & we have more room than if we got either of them, so I do come up with some good ideas for him occassionally lol
He will be attempting to grow Celeriac which we love, DH seems to be at his happiest when he pottering around outside he hates being couped up inside & if he don't go out he can get grumpy lol also as he says he in a lot of pain & if he don't keep moving he will seize up & that he won't be able to do anything so he keeps on plus if your busy you can work through the pain as your mind is on other things.
Today is a nice day weather wise but it will be unsettled with rain during the week here or so they say so will have to see how it goes.
On a previous post someone asked if I had to pay duty on my 1930s fabric well no as while I bought 50 FQs it came in two packages so value was split so it was under what I am allow.
Please do remember if you are on a No Reply or as Annon then I can't e-mail you back with a thank you or further comments I do reply to all postings.

1930s Fabric

Well my FQs arrived they came in two packages 25 in each so a total of 50 FQs these are the ones I bought off ebay below is the photo of them
As you see they are 1930s not sure what it is but I suddenly gone for this style I still love my Thimbleberries & of course have other taste but these are really nice there one or two I am not so keen on but will possible work well with the others now I just have to come up with a good project or two for them lol
I had a rest from knitting last night & no sewing yesterday either it was a rest day for sure in the craft department but well after going shopping I guess that wasn't a bad thing need to recharge my batteries lol

Aran Sweater & More Blocks

I have finished the last of the pattern blocks which now only leaves the 12 Sunbonnet Sue to do have to cut the background fabric for those then put the SS on to them.
The blocks I just done I taken a photo of all of them in one then a closer one of just one of the 5 I have done.
In the other photos you will see the Aran Sweater I been working on i done a full shot & a closer one, am rather pleased with it & it took around 3 weeks to do which again am rather pleased with.

More Blocks

Top of the Morning to You, Happy St Patrick's Day & may the Luck of the Irish be with you.
Well yesterday I had my friend over & we attempted our first go at some Flying Geese & they went quite well am pleased with them we did it the Eleanor Burns way as I have some of her Quilt in a Day Templates for Flying Geese so we did that.
After my friend left I managed to do the 4 blocks I need for my quilt in this pattern & colours just right with today being St Paddy's day lol
These have come out really well & are even bright than the photo shows
I have one more pattern block to do & have to do 5 of those, pieces cut but have to sew the triangles cut & press then start to assemble them once that all done I will cut the background fabric for my Sunbonnet Sues so am hope that I will be able to start on that very shortly, Friday I am not sure what my friend & I will try as we said we want to try new things if we not working on a project, I do also want to see if I can do a block say a star that uses the flying geese method in it just so I can say I done it.
On my Knitting I will have the sleeve finished today & will be able to start to sew it up so that will be finished & ready to post by end of the week.

Starting My Quilt

I have finally started the blocks for my quilt I will be doing 3 different blocks plus Sunbonnet Sue on a WoW background.
This is a photo of the first set of blocks, the other 2 blocks will be bright as well & the SS is done in 1930s fabric, I can't take credit for doing them as I bought them ready done just have to press them on to fabric & join the pieces that will be the last part as I want to make sure all the blocks come out the correct size before I start cutting the backing fabric.
I am using bright light colours for the quilt I will be using 3 different colours of the same range for the borders, & the blocks most are in the same range but different colours only had to add in another range for 2 of them but again where possible same range you see as I progress further.
As I mention about the Eleanor Burns books well I did order some books I ordered Egg Money Quilts, Orions Star & Sunbonnet Sue book well I may as well learn how to do it myself lol they should be here between next week & just after Easter.
I have finished the 1st sleeve on the Aran sweater & working on the 2nd I have already done the neckband so once sleeve is done just have to then sewn them in & sew up.

Dear Jane Blocks & Other Bits & Pieces

I Haven't posted since the beginning of the month, so here what I have been up to & what been going on with me.

Been down with a cold which DH kindly gave to me is so kind lol I am just finally getting over that, I want to start a quilt for myself but would not allow myself to start it until I finished the DJ blocks well that what my friend & I call it as while we doing them the size is not a Dear Jane size we went for blocks of 9.5" for the finish of 9 inch we started this well at least 12-18 months ago & what we have done is each picked 18 blocks we do 2 of each block I keep one set & she will have the other set & she will do the same her blocks are the more harder ones (well I wasn't stupid lol) I had already sent her 4 so now have to send her the remaining 14 the photos are of my set.

You see some are 3 colours these are the colours we will be doing the quilt in it P&B Textiles their Moroccan spice range, my friend was really kind & gave me 6 yards of each of the 3 colours for my birthday a couple of years ago.

I have also been knitting I am working on a Aran Sweater for the above friend for her birthday want to finish it by end of the month so I can send it along with the blocks her birthday not until May but I like to get it sent early so it be there in time.

I had a eye appointment at the hospital in January as I am under them for my eyes anyway the field test that they do I was told that it wasn't very good & they see me in 3 months, got a appointment in April then had a letter saying it cancelled until June so phoned got it changed back to a day in April only for this one to be cancelled so I e-mail them complaining so on Tuesday got a call giving me a date in April, then yesterday got a early call saying that there been a cancellation & I could go in yesterday afternoon which I did, the results is that it about the same so have to go back in 4 months which is July which is only a month later than some of the appointments they were giving me for this one so it be interesting to see how that works out.

While I am on health & the NHS here in the UK I have a lump on my leg well to cut a long story short had X-Rays which is not showing anything so the specialist has asked for a CT Scan so have to wait for that they say 4-8 weeks but that one I am not too worried about I will get on to the hospital next week if I haven't heard just to check that they received the request.

Back to Quilting the quilt I will be doing is my design in that I have worked it out on EQ6 I have some Sunbonnet Sue which I bought so will put them on WoW background fabric & do it every other one then I have 3 different blocks & will put one of those every other one if it comes out like the image on the quilting program should look okay I am using very light bright fabrics.

I have been watching Eleanor Burns Quilt in a Day Series on the Rural Channel which we get here she now on Egg Money Quilts & I really do like what I have seen so far I hope to get the book well because of this series I had been looking at some 1930s fabric & I have manage to get 50 FQs for a very good price with shipping so they are on their way I am hoping to have them next week.

I have also ordered some fabric which was in a sale over here in the UK I ordered it as I also got £5 off if i spent over £10 so well what is a gal suppose to do when offers like that come along so am waiting on that it being very slow in coming if it hasn't arrived by today will let them know so they can resend it or chase it up what ever.

DH has been busy he has got a orange & a lemon tree he nursing them like a baby with bringing them in to the house late afternoon & the rest of the time in his greenhouse this is the one he built so it has the double polycarbonate sheeting rather than glass or a single glazed panel, he now putting bubble wrap inside so it will be warm enough for the trees to stay there all the time as he wants to get them in to the larger pots he has & once he has repotted them no way can we bring them inside apart from anything else will be too heavy anyway he keep them in the greenhouse until the warmer weather when they can be outside for the summer.

My DBIL had asked me to order some sock yarn which he paid for & I will be knitting him 4 pairs of socks with it so have knitting lined up for a while told him I can't start before I finish the Aran sweater but will start once finished.

That about it with all my news weather here in my part of the UK is been dry but cold & the wind makes it even colder it below what is the normal temperatures for the time of year, I wonder if anyone remembers March 1972 towards the end of that month we had summer like weather I remember going off to work in just a dress it was up in the 70s now we lucky if half of that, this certainly been a bad winter for a long time I don't mind getting harsh cold winters if we got hot dry summers so lets hope so  

Angel Of March

Here is your Angel for March, they say in like a lion out like lamb well we will have to wait to see which way March will go but I trust that it will be a good month for you & that we will start to see signs of spring & all that can bring.
So may the Angel of March be with you throughout the month & watch over you

Angel Of March

~In testament to richness

With elegance sublime

This angel of the month of March

Her heart be so inclined

To share her wealth with those of you

Who need a special hand

She casts her coins upon the land

This gift will always land

Within your heart you capture gold

The kind you always seek

These are the coins she spreads about

To make you rich with peace

To find a coin that falls from sky

To see it glisten bright

Just pick it up to make you rich

All bounty in your sight

For gold it cannot measure

All the beauty that she gives

It is her special way to say

In wealth you always live

Treasure things that fall from sky

Riches never part

The beauty of the gold she sends

Will gather in your heart.~