Happy 5th Anniversary to us!

Wow -it's our 5th anniversary this week - five years of running workshops here at Lorne Hill Farm - we can hardly believe it!  Sandra really couldn't get her head round it - five years of driving out here at least once a week and she's finally managed to get her car into 4th gear!!
As a mini celebration we had chocolate brownies at Pitch and Stitch (thanks aunt Bessie), and looking round it was great to see all the projects underway: Sandra was making felt hairbands, Dawn was working on the tapestry of her daughter's dog (she commissioned the pattern from the kneeler people), Jackie was working on her cat quilt, Jacqui was doing cross-stitch, Bev was working on her quilt, Heather was doing a house block to go in her caravan (she and her lovely family have come all the way from Suffolk to stay on the CL for half term - the children love looking at all the animals), Freya was working on her cushion with Sandra's help, and I was knitting.  All very, very busy - oh, and of course, chat, chat, chatting!

One table - I took an appalling picture of the other table - it looked like a Hallowe'en scene so won't get posted!

All very inspiring.

The children are home for half term this week and it's great to have them around.  George has gone busking with his melodean in Andover - it's his first time so I hope he has fun and it's not too cold.
Victoria and I had a great day yesterday: first we went to Swindon collect my repaired Singer from the two Tom Dillys - father and son - same name, same genius when it comes to sewing machines.  They were happy to put mine right, even the knee control which I thought they may have to change to a foot control.  Tom D the younger said that because it was a Centenary machine they did all they could to save it!  So pleased to have it back in working order - 62 years old and still great.
Then we went to Hobbycraft and bumped into Clare Kingslake - I was so pleased.  We always love having her out here to give classes but she's had a busy year so we haven't seen her for a while.  I was thrilled to hear that her beautiful book, Folk Quilt Applique, has sold more than 10,000 copies but not in the least bit surprised - it's a lovely book to have.  Look at her website www.clarespatterns.co.uk for inspiration.  I was also really happy that she'll be coming to do another class for us in the spring - she's made a beautiful satchel and Victoria said she'd love it so it appeals to young people too.
The we went to Burford and after getting some lovely new fabrics for the workshop at Cupcake cottons we had lunch in the old Bakery shop (chocolate eclairs too!) and then I took Victoria to the needlecraft shop - she thought she'd died and gone to heaven: everything a cross-stitcher could want and more!

November is here and I have decided to make lots of Christmas presents this year.  I was looking at all the lovely panels we have for Advent Calenders - we have a great selection which are included in the workshop price for the Advent Calender day on  24th November

These are so easy to make and can be used year after year - not all of them have pockets which have to be filled, some have numbers which you attach each day in the countdown to Christmas - loads of fun for little ones!