Branching Out!

It's is ages since I blogged (!) and it certainly hasn't been a case of 'doesn't time fly when you're having fun' as the days seem to have been filled with constant telephone calls, form filling, insurance assessment on the damage to our car....and so it goes on!! Today hopefully has seen the end to it now that we have sorted our final replacement document - driving licences!!! As I said previously, most officials have been very helpful, but I have to mention the Gendarme dealing with our case, who has been an absolute gem in helping us get all the necessary reports etc dealt with, and it just goes to proove that you mustn't believe everything the neighbours tell you about 'Les Flics'!!


The only place there has been a little sanity is in my sewing room, but even there I've not been able to settle and have been switching from one thing to another and achieving nothing, then I remembered a couple of weeks ago I thought I'd try something a little different and enrolled on a course with Quilt University .


Having no ambition to do any quilting, I thought it might be useful to print out the lessons instead of sitting around feeling sorry for myself ,and at least have a look at what I'd let myself in for, as I'd choosen ' Miniature Landscapes' with Sue Brittingham and anything further from my comfort zone is hard to imagine ! After getting over the initial feeling of 'what have I done this time???' there was nothing to loose by having a go, so here's my first attempt at a mountain scene.

At this stage is was only fused ready to start quilting- and that's where it all went
wrong and ended up in the bin, which was a shame really as it did look quite good !! Not to worry, I had also started a beach scene - and this one made it to the finishing line !!!



Not the best pic in the world, but it does look quite good in real life! No where near perfect, even I can see the mistakes (!) but overall I'm very pleased with it and am determined to redo the mountains and get that finished too - who knows I might even be tempted to try some 'original' scenes !! I've had so much fun making these little quilts, I found the lessons from Susan very clear and well laid out and all her comments constructive and helpful - certainly money well spent!



Something else I've always wanted to try and have been playing with







Haven't been able to find a Dresden Plate ruler locally, but what I did find was Eleanor Burn's pattern from her book 'Egg Money Quilts' in the form of a (free) PDF complete with templates!
Another fun project which is now a cushion cover ready and waiting for my new sewing room to be finished , but who knows when that will be as it is well on the back burner at present - shame !!!