Angel of September

Today is the first day of September so here is a Angel for you it call Angel of September Wishing you all a Wonderful Month

~Waiting to hear callTo come from the skySeptember's sweet angelIs ready to flyBringing you peace andLove on the wayKissing you softlyAs gently you prayAsking for guidanceWith eyes cast aboveLooking to Jesus To guide all with loveWanting to be thereClose to your sideSeptember's sweet angelYour friend and your guideReach out to touchThe gentlest wingsKnow that you're greetedWith love that will singHigh in the cloudsSo peaceful and fairSeptember's sweet angelA beauty so rareSoar to the heavensWith peace of a doveA most special gift From God in His Love~

Jacob's Ladder

Hurray most of you say it the Week-end, here in the England it a holiday week-end I say England I know it not in Scotland but I think Wales & possible Northern Ireland have it, it called August Bank Holiday this is our last one until Christmas.
A friend Ros she in a Friday Block Party & I have comment on the lovely blocks she does well we were chatting & she sent me the fabric with it marked out to do Jacob's Ladder block this is one I haven't done before she said it good as a scrappy one.
Well the fabric she sent is the bottom block she had marked out the triangles seams on the fabric for me to sew & cut & sent the 4 patch squares so that the result, of course I had another set of triangles over so I cut some more squares for the 4 patch & did the top one using my fabric it is a easy block & very interesting the blocks I have done are 8 inch but I guess like all blocks you can do them what ever size you wish
Thanks Again Ros it nice trying new blocks & if they are ready to do then it even better for the first attempt.
I have no plans for the week-end well it looks like it will be our usual holiday weather not so good well I hope to cut some fabric out for some blocks for the DJ Quilt it not going to be small blocks I am doing them 9 inch finish if you check out my post in March you see some I have already done I do really need to push on with these, now while I don't have any UFOs this is a sort of WIP & UFO as I don't work on it as much as I should so may be I can this week-end, What will you all be doing this week-end & what will you be working do tell, what ever you are doing have a good one.

Bear Paw Bag

Well I been trying out doing a bag, I used the Bear Paw block finish size 20 inches, as you will see by the photos working from the top one which is the rotary cut, next is one of the 2 blocks I did then with the wadding/batting on the back & I had quilted stitch in the ditch, & last the finished results.
Now I will share what I found first to do a smaller block & add borders as I have lost some of the block with assemble, next, I would put fabric on the back of the wadding okay yes you can get away with it but I was using a Polyester one & it gets caught on the feet may be okay with a different wadding but as I was using what I can get locally rather than the good stuff what I would use for quilts I think it needs some fabric on back even if it something I hate as it not seen.
I also know I made some mistakes first the handles put them on wrong I think I should have put them on the block but on the wrong side not the right side just me as I can see the mistakes, the inside fabric is the green which is in the block I not taken a photo of that as while I suppose you can reverse it what would be the point if you done all that work on the block well I will be trying more bags using blocks but will do it like I said smaller block with borders.

Above Rotary Cutting sheet

Below block

Below block once quilted with wadding

Below Finished Bag

Online Retreat

Above Inside Reversable bag
Above Outside of Reversable bag

Above Coasters/Mug Mats

This Week-end is my Online Quilting Group's Online Retreat as we are in all different parts of the world a proper retreat is out of the question so one of my modators came up with a Online Retreat which we do around 3 or 4 times a year.

The photos are of what I have been doing since yesterday there is coasters/mug mats & a reversable bag I learnt this at Jan's Bag Day last week-end & this is the 2nd bag that I did plus of course the embellishment one.
I can't say who these are for as they will be going off to a friend & she may read this so Mum's the word lol
I hope to do some other bits tomorrow for the last day, if you look down at a earlier post you see the Friendship blocks which is for the lottery drawn which is being done tomorrow evening Canadian time

Festival Of Quilts Gala Dinner

Below are the photos what I took at the Hilton in Birmingham, which I went to for the Festival of Quilts Gala Dinner.

It was a great night I really enoyed it, I got to meet Kim & Marc from TBLOVERS2 which was great also Kim's friend from Jersey in the Channel Islands (sorry can't remember her name) Kim is from Jersey & is the list owner of the Group & Marc a member from Luxembourg.

The other photo is of Gillian (assistant Editor) & Katy (Web Editor) of the UK Quilting Magazine Popular Patchwork I was on their table as I won the ticket for the gala dinner from the magazine.

Now to the dinner I did try to take a photo of the function room but it came out way too dark, I was on a table that had a 3rd prize winner in one of the catergories I did think her one was better than the runner up she was with her friends & they all came from Devon.

The meal was very nice & I enjoyed it very much but you wouldn't get fat on the portion sizes that for sure but it was right for me especially as we didn't start to eat until 8pm so that was fine now here is what we had

Starter: Warm Goat's Cheese & Sun Blushed Tomato Tart with Saffron Cream Sauce

Main: Pan Fried Cornfed Chicken with Pancetta & Wild Mushrooms in a Red Wine Sauce, Crushed Roasted Potatoes with Herbs Cougette, Brocolli & Babycorn.

Dessert: Mango Bavarois with Meringue Topping ( I am sure it was Cream not meringue as on the menue)

Followed by coffee & Mints

The dessert was really nice that i enjoyed very much but I have always been a sweet person lol the Babycorn were really baby & I don't think I had more than one potatoe if you put it together & not much brocolli but as I said it was enough for me but I am sure if you had not eaten you could be left feeling hungry.

After the meal came the Speeches & Awards, there was one catergory which was for Young Quilter/Young Embrodier first ages was 5-8 yes I was surprised & when I saw their work puts my to shame next was 9-11 then 12-16 looking at all their work I can see that we have some good Quilters & Embrodiers coming up, there was also one for Primary Schools & Secondary Schools

The drive up to the Hotel was not too bad but I did miss the turning as roadworks ect but I just went to next junction & came back on myself coming back was much better as not as much traffic even if it was dark i got home around 11pm as I left before it complete giving out the awards because of the drive home, I can say that I really enjoyed myself & had a great time & like to thank Popular Patchwork for the ticket.

Above from Left Gillian & katy from Popular Patchwork Magazine
Above Kim, Marc & Me (TBLovers2 Group)

Above Kim & her friend from Jersey plus Me

Below is Kim & Me

Below me before heading off to the Hilton Hotel

Going to a Gala Dinner at the Hilton Hotel

You never guess what I have won a ticket to the Festival of Quilts (UK) Gala dinner tomorrow night it being held at the Birmingham Hilton I will be on a table with the web editor & assistant editor of the UK magazine Popular Patchwork I only found out late this afternoon am over the moon with it will be eating posh nosh I guess should have some healthy choices I hope I will be driving there & back tomorrow so no drink for me either.
This is the dinner that the show gives out all the awards to the winners of quilts ect in the different categories I will let you all know more about it on Friday

My 15 Minutes of Fame

On the UK Popular Patchwork Quilting Magazine website there was a piece called Conversation Piece & there had been a questionnaire which i filled in & set to them well I had a e-mail today saying that I am their first one you can see it their website if you click on this link it will take you there.
You will see what I had wrote for my answers & some of my work, so I am famous for all of 15 minutes or as long as I am there lol
The Magazine's website attracts quilters from all over the world so while there you may like to browse their site as well

It a Pot Holder Monday

No I not gone mad or no more mad than I already am lol what I been doing is making a pot holder or as I call them Hot Pads I decided to do one more because I wasn't sure what I wanted to do while doing laundry so it had to be something I could stop & pick up.

I had previously printed out a Shoo Fly block 6.5" unfinished (6" finished) so I thought that be a nice size with a 2" piece of fabric all around (when sewn it 1.5") this is going to someone I am involved in a swap with so I hope they like it

I am rather pleased with the way it turned out, I still a chicken when it comes to quilting but I did do more than just in the ditch I will really have to try to do something more that stitch in the ditch & diagonal, I know that it not just that it what thread colour should I use if i have more than one colour of fabric & how should I do it I guess I have to see what I can do on test pieces as I said I chicken out as I think if i mess it up I could ruin the work I done do any of you have this problem

My Quilting Day

Above the inside of the bag
Above the outside of the bag
& below
Embellishment bag

What a day I had yesterday went off to quilting it was a extra one it was a bag day, well after Jan twisted my arm to go I wondered why I was hurting lol off I went for the day.

In the morning we did a bag now I always said I am not a bag person in that I am not making them well must say am rather pleased with the way the reverseable bag came out as you can see by my lousy photos lol.

In the afternoon Jan decided that we do a embellished one well that was a game & half first I forgot to take more fabric but Jan graciously gave me some so the other one has that sheer fabric over the outside fabric & it has some beads, feathers & a teddy in I am not sure if I Love it or Hate it but surprisingly DH said oh you can make some of them on a larger scale lol

The reverseable bag I must say I have had lots of thoughts on how to do different ones such as do a blocks instead of using just the size of fabric I think I can see more Christmas presents getting done lol do leave your comments good or bad as I love to read them

Grandmother's Puzzle & Some Socks

I have been working on another block this is for a Thimbleberries online quilting group I joined as I said before Thimbleberries is my favourite anyway I did this block for their August Lottery it is called Grandmother's Puzzle Block & of course I used TB fabric.

I have won off ebay 3 Thimbleberry books they are not the thick hardback but ones that has a few patterns in the 3 are titled" Cosy Quilts II" a collection of flannel quilts, "Farmhouse Flannels" Classic Country & last " North Bay Quilts" Classic Country, now I don't expect that I will use flannel on any but thought I could use the cotton reason i doubt I use flannel it harder to get here & when you do it will be expensive so if I want to do them i think I will use cotton TB fabric, I did get the books at a good price which is why I got them i doubt I would have if they been full price.
I finished a pair of socks these are going in to the Gift Stash which is for Christmas, I hope to start another pair shortly I do find I enjoy knitting them no pattern i just let the yarn do the pattern as you can see how it knitted up the yarn was Twister which I got from Germany.

Early Christmas Tips

I was having a bit of a bad night last night & got up for a bit then I went back to bed & it then I started to think about Christmas I just looked at how many days it is until Christmas so I got to start think & this is what I have come up with.
Now we all say oh is it Christmas already I not ready for it, well we all know it on the 25th December it not like it changes like Easter or anything so I thought of a way of helping with the following tips, Christmas is now in November if we say this then we won't be rushing around at the last minute.
Make a To Do List so you know what to do & tick off when you done it.
Start making gifts now, if you do cloths make some, get some baskets & put say a cloth & back scrubber in there with some bath/shower gel soap ect you can be picking these up at the local pound/dollar store so you don't have to spend a lot or may be you make your own.
If you have large items to do start now so you are not up all night trying to finish them at the last minute.
Make a list of who you send cards to & or gifts & get the cards in now & write a few at a time I know I hate having to do all the lot in one go also start to get in the stamps so you don't have a lot to buy at one time.
If you have someone in a care home or even just don't need anymore gifts as such how about a toiletry basket like I said earlier or a family photo of you & your family in a nice frame so they have a nice reminder of you, if it someone on their own or in need a small hamper you can start to get things in your shopping each week so you won't notice the cost of a extra tin or 2 plus if they have a pet put something in there for them so it will help them as they won't have to buy it themselves or may be get a supermarket saving book & put a stamp or two on each week it will soon mount up as until Christmas there is nearly 19 weeks so that can be a nice amount.
Start to pick up food for yourselves for Christmas all the ones that will keep not only will you not have such a big lay out when it comes to the holidays but it be less to do & will help avoid the big rush as everyone thinks the shops will be shut forever lol
Start your Christmas cake & or Pudding also possible the mincemeat for your sweet pies it will make it easier & can taste better as they had longer to mature, you can also possible a head of making the pies themselves make the pastry & freeze or in November make the pies & cook & then freeze them you won't have to then do them at the last minute plus you only need to take out as many as you need each time so they will be fresh each time.
Make sure you know the last posting date for items that need to go in to the post, if you have large items that need to go overseas by sending early you can use surface mail which is cheaper than going air so again saving money it does take much longer that is why you have to send it so much earlier here in the UK last post for say the USA surface is normally in October
The last tip is not so much for this Christmas but next, once Christmas is over get a tin or a jar & start putting the small loose change in it this will help with the cost, also if you got one supermarket stamp a week you have over 50 that can help pay for the groceries ect & once the sales are on look for the Christmas cards & wrapping they are on sale so you get the bargains again you be ahead of the game for next year.
I hope that these tips will help & if not blame lack of sleep on my part lol

David's Crown

Today as my back is hurting a lot not as much as yesterday but it not allowing me to even think of doing any cutting of fabric.

So I been playing what you may ask yourself well it my quilting program, I saw a block that I thought was nice but it not in the EQ6 program so I decided to draw it using the program & now I am sharing it with you I worked on a 12 inch finish block just so I can see what I am doing the size don't come up in the images the block is called David's Crown now this may be known by some of you as something else if so please do let me know

Friendship Star Block

Yesterday (Wednesday) I was busy I cut fabric for a lotto that I am in on my online quilting group It called Quilting4All we have members from around the world, anyway in a couple of weeks time from Friday to Sunday we will be having a Online Retreat.

Bev One of my Moderators came up with the idea saying as we can all go to a retreat the retreat can come to us so we use this time or part of it to try to do some of the things we want to.

Anyway back to the Lotto Bev picks out a block this time it a 9" Friendship Star Block using Medium to Dark Blue with Yellow star for each block you sign up to your name goes in so 1 block 1 entry 2 blocks 2 entries ect I have done 5 so I get 5 entries on the Sunday night Bev's husband will draw out a name & they get all the blocks.

My blocks I used two different blues I did 2 in a Royal & 3 in a Dark blue the photo may look like the blues on the same block is different but they aren't it the lighting the top left & middle ones are the Royal Blue ones.

Not sure what I will be doing next, today is shopping day have to get the groceries so we can eat I guess lol so we will be off to Wellingborough to shop this week, don't know why but the supermarket there is slightly cheaper petrol than the same one at Kettering so we go there when we need to put some in, I will be posting the Shoo Fly block off today so that will take around a week or so to arrive, I hope if i don't do much else I can get some fabric out to at least be ready to cut it ready to sew tomorrow.

Above Tea-Towel & Yarn

Below the Table Topper

Above the bag & FQs

Below all the Goodies laid out

I just had a knock at the door it was the postman who had a package for me which is my Mid Year Swap my online group had done, I had a lovely lady Donna Russell as my partner.

I got spoiled that for sure i got a nice table topper all done in my favourite fabric Thimbleberries, plus some FQs of this wonderful fabric, I also received a bag which has a lovely machine embroidered 3 ladies, also a tea-towel that been handy punch plus yarn & some ring markers & a lovely friendship card Thank you so much for all of this Donna I love it all but especially the Thimbleberries table topper.

Shoo Fly Block (I forever Blowing Bubbles)

This Block is the Shoo Fly Block & is for a lady on one of my online quilting groups it a 9.5" so when in a quilt it will be a 9"

The lady requested Pink & I had these in two FQs the centre square & the half triangles is a sort of mixed coloured squares in shades of pink & the plain Squares & half triangles well that is sort of bubbles, makes you think of the song I be forever blowing Bubbles lol it will be off in the post in the next few days & is going to the USA

My Star Sign & what it says about Me

Have to ask DH about the kissing part lol

Well the conversation part means i am a chatter box so that right lol

I saw on Khris's blog about star signs & what it says about you well here is mine I think it fairly acturate what do you all think

Placemats

I have finished the placemats finally, here one out of the set of 4 that I done

I am rather pleased with them so at least now I can change my placemats that I have on my table & not have to pull out bought ones

I was very wary on how to quilt them in the end I did a stitch in the ditch so nothing fancy the block is 7 inch finished block which as I said before is Aunt Eliza's Star

Shh Don't Tell I got more Fabric

The 40 Novelty FQs

Below is the Thimbleberries fabric

Well it a little like Christmas here when I got back from shopping the mail man had left me two packages of fabric that I got on Sunday, & it arrived today Thursday so very quick from the USA. I got my favourite fabrics Thimbleberries the package was 10 yards of 1 yard cuts this works out including postage under £4 a yard. I also got 40 novelty FQs okay some are not as nice as others but each one is really what someone's taste is so they will get used in projects or if I send out FQs as a swap or something else this is why I also get them again a really good buy as I think they come out at around £0.75p each with postage again. I am also waiting on from the UK the Thimbleberries book by Lynnette Jensen "In Celebration of Quilting" I ordered it from Amazon but on their New & Used section so it works out around £8 cheaper with postage than if I ordered it from Amazon & it is still coming from the UK so looking forward to that arriving Now with the packaging being left for when we got back from shopping, DH did say what the package so I just said FQs so he went off to do what he was doing he not said much yet, have to get it put away before he does lol

A New Give-Away

There is a fantistic Give-away at Simple This That and The Other I love the Table Top & Runner you can see in the photo This is not my work but what is on the ladies blog I am sitting here drooling over it lol

There are such wonderful blogs around & the work that the people produce it so nice, I know you are not suppose to be envious of people but I am well not quite envious but in awe that there are so many talented ladies & men out there & hope that I will get somewhere half as close with my work.

Just to show what I am saying I was working on the placemats & as you may know I am still very much a novice well I thought I should shorten the stitch size for my quilting which is stitch in the ditch well I did one & was on the 2nd it was a bit hard going compared to how it normally does so thought it may be the bobbin or the thread, well the needle broke & so turned the machine off changed it turn the machine back on & started to sew I then after a little bit realised I hadn't changed the stitch size down as it went to it set on but it was going so much easier so I learnt that I didn't need to go down in stitch size & finished the 2nd one & the following 2 nearly as quick as it took to do the one & half of the first two now I know I am a bit thick & boy did it show feel like a kid who needs to go back & learn lol

Friendship Awards

I was so pleased & surprised I was awarded this Friendship Award by Micki who I have got to know & now we are also Diet Friends, so now I will be passing on awards not all the winners have blogs.

The idea for this Micki got from GoldenAngelsworks you can read about it at the site if you click on the name also if you want to know more about the people I have given awards to,

Thanks again Micki for giving me my Award & letting me know & give out awards to people I feel that has help & or changed my life in some way

My first one must got to Lynnette who I got to know after buying some squares from her off ebay she has since got a online fabric shop, if it wasn't for her encouragement I may never got in to quilting you have a lot to answer for lol

Next will be Jan as she invited me to her quilting group & I now go there & am learning more & hope to continue, also for all the work she does for the soldier's quilts.

Then there is Ros i am getting to know here as the days & weeks are passing.

Khris is next it was a swap on her blog that got Jan & me to meet as we don't live too far from each other

Now the next person is Barbara she is the listmom on a dishcloth group I belong to & have done for many years since December 2000 she has been a good friend.

The last person but not least is someone I consider a sort of cousin, & that is Lesley, my Nan's sister married one of her ancestors so we sort of cousins by marriage, we have got to know each other since finding the link between the families & I am so happy about that

So Proud

I am so proud of my husband Greg he has made this greenhouse from stratch, we had ordered one but when it arrived there was parts missing 2 weeks on still no parts so we told them they can have it back.

He was a welder & said I can make one at least the wind won't blow it down lol so he ordered the metal & welded up each section of the frame then bolted it together he said just in case he has to dismantle it lol

Then we ordered some twin poly sheets these are what is used for conservatories but not as thick it only 6mm but being twin it will be hotter than just single glass or perpexs

It has taken him a while to do it & he been in a lot of pain while doing it but I am so proud of him as I think it looks great, the photos are one is a close up of it & the other is from our front gate down the side of the bungalow you can see our entrance on the side & the wall with a road on the other side we don't really have a back garden so this was the best place to put it as it gets a lot of sun it approx 7ft by 4ft this is another reason he built it because most greenhouses are 6 by 6 min one may be 6 by 4 but then it goes up by 2 at a time.

VQM Fabric I Got & A Question for You All

I have received in the mail this morning some fabric that I purchased from Ebay it is 12 half yard cuts (24 fat quarters) Virginia Quilt Museum Reproduction prints from Quilting Treasures as you can see from the photo very nice fabric & I got it as a nice bargain.

Do any of you who buy FQs find that you get stuck as to what to use them for, when I first started to buy fabric I did get a lot of FQs thinking that I would have a good & varied range of fabrics but of course I found that while I did have that I didn't have enough of the same ones to do large projects.

So what do you all do with your FQs use them in just very small projects or one off blocks or just a couple of blocks, may be if they are in the same range just different colours you use them by doing different coloured blocks to go in to a quilt or a larger project I would be very interested in hearing your views on how you use your FQs & even your stash plus how you decide on a project.

I am finally starting on some placemats that I have been wanting to do for myself, it has taken I don't know how long to come up with a block that will be nice in them I had looked at some ready done patterns but nothing jumped out at me so in the end I have picked out a block Aunt Eliza's Star to go in to my placemats & I have designed it on the EQ6 you will be seeing the results when they are finished as I am now off to start cutting all the pieces for these & no I can't use FQs as I need a little over a quarter of a yard of the smallest amount seeing I am doing 4 placemats I had hoped I could use some of those FQs lol

Blocks I did at my Quilting Group

Today was my Quilting Group day I had the templates for cutting the fabric to take with me so off I went this morning to the group.

The first one I had to do after getting the assemble instructions was to sew it the block was Martha Washington Star this one is the two fabric block (Orange & Brown) I didn't mind doing this okay practice makes perfect well that never going to happen no matter how long I practice lol

This afternoon's one well that is the 4 fabric one (2 Greens & 2 Pinks) & is called Stars over Tennessee Well I do like the block very much as long as I don't have to do it if I had been at home I would have thrown it in to the bin lol

When I came home & showed DH & said about it he said well you have to practice it more lol

The day was very enjoyable as usual & I am learning a lot so I don't mind if I am doing blocks or something else it all helps me learn how to do what I don't know & believe me I know very little lol

If you go to Jans Musings from around Sunday onwards you may get to see some of the blocks that some of the other members did

Received Lovely Surprises

Well today is my birthday & I received in the mail this beautiful postcard from my friend Janet of Jans Musing Thank you so much Jan, it fact it has drawn a lot of attention so my postman said he had said that everyone in the sorting office was commenting on it & how nice it was & how they not seen one like this before so you were talked about at the post office lol

My DH Greg came in with a cup of tea this morning I was still in bed then when I was up he had said that he had done me a fresh fruit salad with yoghurt, I don't eat much breakfast so he did this & it was lovely.

While writing this the parcelman just pulled up & I had a package & inside I had this lovely Teddy from well I always say a sort of cousin as one of her ancestors married one of mine so my friend/cousin Lesley has sent me this teddy so I am doing well for my birthday Greg had given me money which I put to getting my Brother Sewing Machine the other month so I can take it to my quilting group each month & I will be going tomorrow so will be able to thank Jan in person as well

I am waiting on my eldest son Karl to come with my youngest Grandson Benjamin also my other son Stuart may be coming so will get to see some of the children my other child is my daughter Donna wouldn't be that surprised if she makes it as well

Scarves & St Swithin's Day

Well I haven't posted much as had my DBIL here last week this is the one who had been in hospital & came out the week before.

I have been knitting a couple of scarves which will be for Christmas Gifts well do need to make a early start in fact if you look back on my earlier in the year posts you see that I started a gift stash I am doing little gifts that for the most part will be for Christmas but if I need a gift during the year I don't have to rush to get something done so that my tip do gifts in what ever crafts you do or a mix of them & then you are not stress over last minute gifts also you can build a stash for Christmas as we all do it we say Oh it soon be Christmas it come upon us so quickly as if they changed it we all know it on 25th December yet we all get caught out every year lol

Today is St Swithin's Day where it is said that if it rains today (15th) it will rain for 40 days & nights here is what I found on this old wives tale (Folklore)

St. Swithin's Day is 15 July, a day on which people watch the weather for tradition says that whatever the weather is like on St. Swithin's Day, it will continue so for the next forty days.
There is a weather-rhyme is well known throughout the British Isles since Elizabethan times. copied from projectbritain.com
'St. Swithin's day if thou dost rain For forty days it will remain St. Swithin's day if thou be fair For forty days 'twill rain nae mair.'
dost = doesthou = itnae mair = no more.
Who was St. Swithin?
St. Swithin (or more properly, Swithun) was a Saxon Bishop of Winchester. He was born in the kingdom of Wessex and educated in its capital, Winchester. He was famous for charitable gifts and building churches.
Why do people watch the weather on St. Swithin's day?
A legend says that as the Bishop lay on his deathbed, he asked to be buried out of doors, where he would be trodden on and rained on. For nine years, his wishes were followed, but then, the monks of Winchester attempted to remove his remains to a splendid shrine inside the cathedral on 15 July 971. According to legend there was a heavy rain storm either during the ceremony or on its anniversary.
This led to the old wives' tale (folklore) that if it rains on St Swithin's Day (July 15th), it will rain for the next 40 days in succession, and a fine 15th July will be followed by 40 days of fine weather. copied from projectbritain.com
However, according to the Met Office, this old wives' tale is nothing other than a myth. It has been put to the test on 55 occasions*, when it has been wet on St Swithin's Day and 40 days of rain did not follow

So if this is true I guess we will be in for some bad weather, listening to our forecast we will be having showers some very heavy & winds for the next week or so not looking good for the children start of their Summer School Break as most places the children break up on Friday lets hope that we will have a nice summer rather than some we have had in the past which has been wet & colder than the expected weather for summer.

Irish Muses Blog Give-Away

Micki of Irish Muses Is having a Great Give-away to celebrate her 1st Anniversary of Blogging, the give away is on a Irish Theme so do go over & have a look & of course enter.
Micki is an American who now lives with her wonderful husband Joe who is Irish in Ireland she is a lovely lady & i am sure you will find that also so do go over to see her blog once visited you will keep going back also enter her Give-away

More GIve-Aways Site

Hi All, Here is More site that you can pop over to for a give-away & even follow I do find that once I visit these Blogs I tend to then follow them as they are great & this one is by a Man that is something you don't see very often so do go & look at his blog it is I'm Just A Guy Who Quilts & I hope he don't mind me saying not a bad looking guy (hope DH don't read this lol)

This is another Give-Away so do pop over to this one Sew Fun Quilts You can see it another great site

Quilts Finished

I have managed to finish the 2 quilts I had been working on the tops were done but now all finished ready to be given to my 2 Great Nieces I wanted to wait to I finished both as they are sisters didn't want one waiting you know what kids are like lol

The top Quilt I call Stepping out it has Victorian Shoes/boots & scent bottles & bags with a 4 patch also the other one is a Thimbleberries fabric quilt I used for the blocks FQs but for the 2nd colour, borders & sashing I used yardage that I have.

We have had some very hot weather in the last few days today it been raining so it is cooler outside but still hot inside & having to get the ironing board out to do some pressing on the last quilt didn't help, well not unless I have sweated some pounds off then I would really be happy lol
I am hoping to start on some small project items rather than larger ones such as quilts, do any of you find that you may need something but you are the last on the list, I could do with doing some placemats & have needed them for a while I do have bought glass ones but want some quilted one yet I still haven't got around to doing them so may be I will now lol
Well for all those who are celebrating Independence Day Happy 4th July I still think us Brits should get it as a holiday as well I mean you did get Independence's from us lol if your not celebrating it hope everyone still has a good week-end

New Month

Well it the 1st of July today less than half way to Christmas, most of us don't start thinking of Christmas until at least the summer is over & some until the shops start to plug it or if your really bad not until it upon us lol

Well I have started a scarf it nothing fancy I am letting the yarn do it for me it a soft yarn called Cuddles I have two different colours so will be doing 2 scarves one in each colour one is a Dusty Rose & the one I have started is a sort of Purple these are for presents, I have done 2 other scarves if you look way back in my earlier post in January I did one in a different yarn yes I had started to think about Christmas way back then lol

I had a bit of a problem with my eye the other day I think I had scratched it when either it was itchy or something went in it & I had started to rub it for the rest of that day & evening it played up it seems okay now but I hadn't done any sewing as I found the computer looking at it makes it water so sewing seeing the needle going up & down don't help so left sewing alone.

Our TV went wrong the other day, we had the quote & it being done & will be back this evening after 6 but since that has gone wrong we had to fetch the little TV in from the bedroom well we have saterlite which we have in our sitting room but also the signal goes to the bedroom well that for some reason has started to act up also the signal via the aerial not sure what happening we given up trying to sort it out this morning will try later may have to wait to the TV is back so we can have that up & running first.

As i said it is the 1st of July I thought I would share a Angel of the month with you so the picture is of the July Guardian Angel may you take her with you as you go on your way so have a great month everyone