More Fun!

I found this during my wanderings in blogland(!!) and as I've really enjoyed making the mini landscapes, it seems like a good idea to join in and learn something new, so... I'm off to raid the 'scrap bag' and see what is lurking there ! Thank you Cherri !!

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 !!!

The North Wind.....

.......doth blow!! And we shall have snow!

Not a great deal admittedly, more like a sprinkling of icing sugar (!) but what we have had is rain, rain & hail, and then more rain!! Add to this not just the North wind but the East wind too which I swear has been coming straight from the Russians Steppes and it has been a very unpleasant weekend!

The normal trickle of a stream that runs through the villlage is swollen to a raging torrent , any minute now the village will be divided in two, and the low lying fields are under inches of water and no sign of a break in it either!! But -much as the pouring rain is driving me out of my mind, I am grateful that we didn't get snow, as 4 years ago we had a fall of approx 14 inches overnight and it was a nightmare!! This part of the world is certainly not geared up for big snow falls, it was 9 days before we could get out of the village other than in our very ancient Landrover, and , much as we love her - you would not want to travel very far in her - she gives a new meaning to Shake, Rattle & Roll !!

The wind is increasing as I write and we've already had a number of trees blown over and I expect there'll be quite a few more as the forecast for tomorrow is for even stronger winds!! The weather conditions throughout the world all seem to be vying toward the extremes and whilst we are not suffering like Australia and many other countries, you have to wonder where it is going to stop !

It has been several days now since I ventured out, I do not want to give the 'chest' a chance to get any worse - in fact it is a lot better, but I am not taking any chances ! We should have gone to pay for and arrange delivery of the new bed at the end of last week, but that hasn't happened I'm afraid, so we have a lovely newly decorated bedroom but no bed !!

Not a lot of sewing really, I have finished block 2 of Verandah Views

and Once Upon A Time (no gold button yet!)

but otherwise just a couple of fabric baskets to show , one from here

and the other from here


both of them fun to make! Otherwise, I keep plodding on with joining the 2" square together, then together again to make 4 patches, etc, etc............and so it goes on, well, you know the story !!!!

Mixed Bag = Long Post !

The time has come, the walrus said ................but with apologies to Lewis Carroll, it's time to think of fewer things ! I seem to be trying to balance more than usual at the moment so - unfortunately a couple of items have been shelved and 'disappeared' from my side bar!


I am going to stick with 'Once Upon a Time' and 'Verandah Views' BoMs for the moment and keep 'Quilters Blessings' until the end of February, when there is a trip to the UK scheduled - it will be easier to cart about as I am using just the one colour thread ! Rapunzel is finished



though I still haven't finished the January 'Noah's Ark' block ,it is so tiny that I can barely see the markings even with the specs on (!!) in the kind of 'day'light that we're having at the moment so it'll have to wait for a bright sunny day! I need to limit my stitchery so's I can try and teach myself to needle turn applique before I get to the borders on the NYBs - Ahem !! any tips/hints would be very welcome !!!

Sunday was a 'play'day so I went to this link and made two Kidlets!

with William as usual keeping an eye on things !! The green one is slightly smaller than the pattern as I only had a FQ of the novelty fabric and check out my selvedge pocket!! Never let it be said that we are behind the fashion here in France!! This might count as my Gift of the Month for January and go to one of my quilting friends with a couple of fat quarters - what do you think ?

Finally, my first finish for 2009!

An almost photo of my first attempt at a raw edge applique quilt - could also be my last ! Rather rumpled I'm afraid as it had been packed away waiting for a fine day, then the sun came out momentarily a little earlier , so I grabbed it (complete with creases!!)threw it on the (wet) grass, a quick click then just made it back indoors before the next hail shower!!! It had been packed up in this bag

made from a spare block that 'appeared' because the background fabric was too light when compared to the other blocks - so waste not want not, which I guess is everyone's motto in these difficult times! The pattern is a slightly modified Chook Shed pattern from Australian Patchwork & Quilting ( thought I'd better mention the modification, don't want anyone thinking that they've changed to speaking French 'Down Under' :-) )

Catch Up

Back on this post I mentioned how much I'd enjoyed making the little bag from Stitchers Angels and that I was tempted to join in the Noah's Ark BoM - well, I did join in and have managed to catch up !





It is many years since I've done so much hand stitching (!!) and I am VERY rusty , but I've really enjoyed it and I'm waiting patiently for block 10 !




I think I can now put the little 'Noah's Ark' badge on my side bar with a clear concience!!