My New Best Friends!

I have used this lot more over the past couple of days than I have all year!

 The layout of this Mini is pinned up in front of my machine. I followed it religiously. And yet I still had to use Miss Snippy - several times - because I had managed to get one of the little HST's the wrong way round! How did that happen?

I pinned each seam (its a good job I have many pins) when sewing the rows together as there is no room to 'ease' things in. Each square  measure 1/2" .

BUT ---

Its coming on nicely.

 Am off to sew the centre row blocks now.  Wish me luck.

Slow Progress

But progress has been made.

They mini is not made from straightforward blocks, they are sort of interlinked, so lots of strips made to be joined together over the next couple of days.

I just hope that they are in the right order !

Beelzebub!!!!!!!!

Thunder and Lightning! We all experienced the storms at some point last night. I sat indoors watching for a while, then ventured outside to try to get some fresh air.

Now some of you may know that I received a very nice new camera for my birthday, and I am really pleased, if somewhat baffled by what the little gadget will do.

Anyway, the camera was in the kitchen, but I did have a shiny new phone in my hand, so I snapped these pics with that.

Just caught that one

getting better

MUCH better!

At this point, I admit that I got just a bit scared! So stepped back into the conservatory JUST as the heavens opened.

You may notice some lines on the photos - that was because the phone was so new that I hadn't even taken the cover off the camera lens! Duh!!!



My kids would be so proud......

It has begun

 You may recall that my good friend "J"and I had completed a miniature quilt with the
Sew Mama Sew Mini Medallion Quilt Along 

This is mine

It was fun to do. Just as time consuming a a larger quilt. And it has caused a fever. This one finished about 24" square., and we thought it would be "fun" to make a smaller mini.

I had got this pattern

The quilt measures 68" x 72" and the mini (one block ) 25".  Now "J"  being ......"J", decided that it would be "fun" if we reduced the size of the big quilt  and make that as a miniature.

"J" has risen to many a challenge from me over the past couple of years so how could I refuse!

She worked out the measurements and came with the sizes that we need to make. The finished quilt will be (hopefully) 13" x 15" - Yes REALLY!!  13" x 15 " . That means each friendship star block will measure ONE AND A HALF INCHES!!!

Love her!!

 Now you know when you have a gadget that you haven't used, yet. Well we had this item which allows you to print a paper foundation to as small as 3/8th in finished. MAD! But we printed out the sheets, and sewed the lines

 and then just cut along the marked lines.

You end up with 96 teeny tiny squares ready to make up into blocks.

You can see the light was fading - and so was I.


So I got up with the birds and nibbed all the corners

 and counted out half for "J" and half for me. "J" was doing the same so we had a good mix of colours

And as the birds had kept me company I stopped and had a cup of tea with them

It's not a race, but I have begun. I will show you the progress later.

Lots to Tell!!

 But absolutely No sewing been done this past three weeks!
We have had a lot of family things going on beginning with a bit of baby sitting for
Miss O.
We were in charge Saturday and Sunday whilst Mummy & Daddy attended a wedding.
I used the occasion to bring the Chariot out of storage. 29 years old (the chariot, not the baby !)

Unfortunately, little miss had contracted a virus (before we took over).  A quick visit to the doctor to confirm nothing serious and we packed a tearful Mummy and Daddy off.

Popped baby into the carriage and walked the mile and a half to the sea front.

lots of pretty dresses, but sported a vest all day trying to keep cool

 It was a lovely walk - even though the sea was no where to be seen!
Miss O was fine whilst we were walking, but very restless when we stopped, so we kept walking.

 Mr T pushed (leaned - a lot) and was promised a steak dinner at a favourite pub on the front.

 It was PACKED!! 

 So we continued walking. 

The trouble is going back to the house is all UP hill! 

And no steak or beer. Not what we had planned. 

After a very long night Miss O seemed to have picked up and things got back to normal, 

and I went to bed VERY early.

 The following weekend saw a "Hen" and Chick gathering in York.

First Class travel

With Brunch at Kennedy's

 A fair amount of shopping for some and the afternoon in a cocktail bar for others, meeting up for afternoon tea at Bettys

two of my lovely sisters

 Then there was THE wedding

 A great big Thank You to my dear friend Ena and her crew of flower arrangers at St Mary's Church  for the beautiful floral arrangements.

  We woke to rain. A lot of rain. But there was nothing we could do about that  so hair was curled, make up applied and our best dress put on.

The weather was kind to us, the rain stopped about an hour before the service, and it remained a bit cloudy and breezy till later on in the afternoon when the sun came out in earnest  

 And here the Happy Couple

Mr & Mrs W

 Uni friends came - these girls are FAB, they make my girlie so happy. They came from far and wide to help celebrate. And Celebrate they did!!!

 Kelmarsh Hall is a beautiful venue

 
 with beautiful gardens

 to just stroll around

 or sit and enjoy the sunshine

there were seats!!

 it was a lovely relaxed day

 with LOTS of dancing - can't recommend Matt Stratford Duo  highly enough. They sang their socks off all night.

 Sunday saw a quiet gathering of guests before they all departed for far points of the country

hangover hill

With just a few of these consumed

 A great (if unproductive) three weeks don't you think

 Meanwhile in the garden the Hollyhocks have come into flower in a big way

And I am now off to sort out some of the beautiful roses - Memory Lane and Avalanche - that were retrieved from an arrangement.

such a pretty colour

I am now up to date - I think - with all events, so some sewing is on the books.

 I joined in a Sew A Long earlier in the year as did a friend. Now she has worked out a pattern for another mini where the blocks are one and a half inch finished!

You heard it here

I. think. I. Am. Ready!