Bright Colours for Dark Days

Someone reminded me today that I haven't updated this blog recently, so I have put aside a few minutes to do just that.  The main reason I'm reluctant to start is technical - for some reason I'm having trouble uploading the photos on Picasa, so it takes ages to add pictures, but here goes anyway.....

The workshops have been going really well, and it's lovely to see all the different things people are making at the Tuesday morning sessions.  Next Wednesday is the Crochet workshop with Helen, - there are still a couple of places if anyone is interested!

Last year I made my friends little lavender bags out of linen, with crocheted linen granny squares on top and I was very pleased with them

but, as you can see, they were a bit 'made up' - so it will be good to find out how they should have been done!

Meanwhile, I have finished my crocheted blanket, and was thrilled with it, but you know how it is......the very next day Ros decided to bring to the workshop the blanket she has just finished knitting.....

Words failed us....

it was so absolutely stunning

we all wanted it

I'd like to make one, (that's a bit of an inside joke, my will is always greater than my skill) but, first I must get on and finish the scarf I started in Ros's workshop - it's coming along but I'm struggling to knit the 'grown up' way so it's not very relaxing

Got to be done by Christmas though!!

What else has been happening? - Mr Rabbitts is recovering well, but I'm finding it hard to understand why he has to have 2 cups of tea in bed in the morning (he said his consultant said so) and yet was able to (accidentally) jump off a four foot wall this afternoon.

Today I went to two quilting talks at my local quilt group.  The first was by Pamela Smith and the theme was "Russia: patchwork and quilting, ancient & modern".  It was so interesting - lots of facts and history, most interesting of which was that whilst we associate the red in Russia with Communism; in fact the words for 'red' and beautiful are interchangeable - so Red Square is actually Beautiful Square - and the Russians love bright, beautiful red textiles.

She had lots of examples of pre- 1990's Russian printed fabric

and a beautiful old quilt

 

and other memorabilia

Sadly for her she sat next to me at lunch and I asked so many questions! - I could have listened to her all day but she went home.

Then in the afternoon Margaret Johnson entertained us with her quilts from around the world - lots of funny stories and so many lovely quilts but my favourites were the 1930's American one

and this old Welsh woollen one:

 

which prompted the question, "Had I finished my Donegal Tweed quilt?", to which Sandra replied "No - it's hanging, unfinished,  over the sofa where I put it to solve the décor problem".

Well, unfinished or not, with the log fire in front and a tweed quilt behind, it's exceedingly hygge.