Happy Hallowe'en

I was just looking at my lovely orange pumpkins I've grown..........

                                                         ...........when something rang a bell - a little hunt through an old diary and I realised Sandra and I have been running the workshops for exactly seven years.  Our first workshop ever was a hallowe'en hanging!  I remember I had flu and Victoria helped me put all the furniture into the workshop.  I think the only people who attended were Victoria and Jonathan's cousin - and she wasn't very pleased because she came down with the flu the following week.  I wonder if Sandra or I will suffer from the seven year itch!

Anyway, seven years on and the workshops are still going strong.  We had Alan Hulford here on Saturday doing the willow weaving workshop - it went very well and everyone was happy with their hearts, stars, wreaths, garden obelisks and even dragonflies!

Sunday Rheuben and I went for a lovely walk in the sunshine.

Coming down the track I thought East Garston looked  so pretty with all the Autumn colours

and Rhueben enjoyed chatting to our geese and cattle

He was less pleased however when we got home and found out what top dog Bo does when he finds himself home alone:

Who's been sleeping in my bed?!

Rainbows and knitting

We had a brilliant workshop yesterday which has left me all fired up - Sandra taught us the basics of Modular (or Domino) knitting.

 I love knitting but am rather laborious about it: I have to concentrate all the time.  I envy people who can chat, watch TV or even knit with their eyes shut - I can't open my mouth or look up as I carefully execute each stitch - sometimes I have to remind myself to breathe!  But once I get into the zone I could easily knit all day.  When I went to the Shropshire flower show I bought a beautiful blanket which I wrapped up in while we watched the firework display.

The seeds were sewn - I am determined to knit a blanket - and I'm going to knit it the modular way.  It will be in stripes of all the colours of Autumn and I plan on it being single bed size.  I have a way to go.....

                                                                            ........I'll get there though!

Taking the picture above I thought I should take a picture of a quilt I bought off Vera

She made it out of feed sacks.  In the 20s and 30s in America Seed and feed producers realised how popular quilting was and decided that if they used patterned fabrics for the bags they would sell more.  You can still find old feed sacks for sale which is what Vera did and I love this little quilt.  Sadly all our feed comes in plastic and paper sacks, otherwise.........
Ros also joined us in the morning to baste her beautiful Kaffe Fasett quilt

What a riot of colour!

Earlier in the week I received an email from Julie, who was on our last Beginner's quilt.  She said:

Hi Ladies,

I finished it!!! You wouldn't believe how thrilled I am to have made it to the end. It doesn't bear too close a scrutiny but "it is my first quilt" and I'm rather proud! Thank you both so much for all your help and encouragement; I have loved every bit of it - alright, maybe the hand quilting went on a bit, but apart from that!

 

And here are her pictures:

Binding all finished
 

Before I go and get on with my knitting, this is what I saw out of the window on Tuesday

It was actually a double rainbow but by the time I got my camera it was fading.  It was still beautiful though and I looked to see where the end was



Perhaps instead of knitting I should go down to the barn and start digging!

Ally Pally

What a busy time we've had!

Sandra, Jacqui, Laurien and I - and later Barbara too, went to the Knitting and Stitching Show at the Alexander Palace yesterday.  I've never been before and loved it and was very cross that I left my camera at home.  When we got there (courtesy of a coach laid on by Miss Lemon's wool shop in Pewsey) I was amazed at the beautiful view across London.  Then we went in and it was such a beautiful building - all arches and glass.  Then we went shopping!!  First some fat quarters from Puddleduck quilts,

then some bits and bobs from the Bead Spider and then I moved on to the knitting.  The first stand that grabbed my attention was Hobbywool - a Latvian shop which sold patterns for beautiful socks and mittens.  The socks were out of my league but I bought the mitten kit - just £10 for this beautifully presented kit:

The more observant among you will notice the chewed looking edge to the pattern - that's courtesy of Rheuben; I left it on the kitchen table whilst I was writing the above.  He's really in the dog house now.

Then I went to Toft and saw a beautiful jumper I'd love to knit.  How much is the pattern I asked?  £5 seemed reasonable - and the wool?  £99 and I'd get the pattern for free.  After picking myself off the floor I opted for just the pattern (Sandra assured me the jumper would be amazing with such beautiful wool but I reminded her of my knitting skills) and then scooted over to Black Sheep Wools and bought 12 balls - 50% alpacha and 50% wool - down from £75 to £35:  way to go!!

I think some other things crept into my bag too but this is all I'm admitting to!

Meanwhile, we've been busy in the workshop - a great Yoko Saito Town Quilt Day

and Sheila brought her lovely Wedding Ring Quilt to show us

A great Medallion day with some new faces

Hmmm - okay some not so new

and Alice showed us a beautiful quilt she's been making on the side(!)

and I have FINALLY finished my hexagon garden hanging.......

                                                             ........and even started quilting it!!!