Last workshop of the year

Well - so it was the last workshop before our summer break yesterday!  We all had a lovely, productive day with Lynne Johnson - and Sandra was feeling pretty pleased with herself because she has finished her Medallion Quilt!!

She had pieced together some pieces of fabric she had around the house for the backing:

And together with Lynne basted the three layers ready for quilting:

Beautiful!

We have decided that to launch our workshops in September, we will be having a Lynne Johnson Medallion Quilt Exhibition here from 1.00pm to 4.00pm on Wednesday 17th September.  She has made so many beautiful quilts that we are really excited about it.  We also hope that those that have attended her classes and have made quilts will bring them along too - give us all inspiration for lots of winter quilting!!

Meanwhile we are still basking in lovely sunshine here.  Harvest is trundling on, the Rape, Winter Barley and Oats are already in, and now they are gathering in the wheat.  Of course the sunshine has also brought out all the insects and animals we associate with summer - I have even been hearing crickets as I've walked the dog.  I love that.....

                                            ......but I'm less enthusiastic about finding them on my pillow!!

First Quilt

Just had an e mail from Julie who was on our latest Beginner's quilt class.  Making a quilt was on her 'things to do before I'm 50' list.  She had hardly done any sewing, and had to get her sewing machine out of the loft - so this was going to be quite a big deal.  In fact, she described the course as being such a steep learning curve she's developed Vertigo!!

Anyway, attached to her mail was this photo of her quilt - all I could think to say was "WOW":

Life Goes On.....

So, Mr and Mrs Pickersgill have left for their new life together in Jersey:

fortunately Rheuben jumped off at the last minute.

And life goes on as normal.  A very busy Pitch and stitch this week (remember we carry on through August):

with lots of different activities going on.












And meanwhile back on the farm harvest is in full swing.  The combine's going strong with George driving the corn lorries and Jonathan manning the Drier.

Things are a little quieter here at Lorne Hill, all the animals are snoozing in the sunshine:

 

Bees and butterflies are going mad for the globe thistles:

 

 

and the first of my lilies has bloomed:

 

I just sit around watching it all!!

By the way - Richard from down the road found another use for my thistles:

First Prize!

 

 

 

Bath day

Had a really good morning at Pitch and stitch yesterday - lots of really funny stories going round - some courtesy of Dawn French who Jackie had been to see.  I had made a fridge cake which we ate instead of biscuits.  It was very rich and reminded Sandra and I of when I made chocolate mousse from a Nigella recipe for the workshop lunch.  Pauline ate it and as she finished it off said "Ooh, I feel really sick - but in a good way"!

I was very pleased to receive this through the post yesterday morning:

It's so lovely - the embroidery is beautiful.

No workshop today so I had Louise from Dial a Dog Groomer over to see to Bo.  She's so good:



Bath

Pat dry

Blow dry

Trim

Treat for excellent behaviour

All spruced up!




 



Mystery Solved!

After much discussion at Pitch and Stitch this morning of the strange 'grass' growing on our bank, I took on board that most people thought it was a type of Allium.  A quick picture search later I am able to identify it:

Allium vineale 'Hair', is a bizarre and pleasingly unusual type of Allium with a crazy bad-hair-day flowerhead. Flowering from June through to August, the centre is purple and is surrounded by an umbel of elongated and wildly erratic green hair-like tendrils which are in fact new plantlets growing from the flowerhead.

A selected form of Crow Garlic, it is fully hardy and a dramatic addition to any garden, very different from the pompom shape of most Alliums. It is edible and the type species was often used in days gone-by in cooking as a garlic substitute.

 

Perhaps I'll incorporate it into our salads!

 

Anyway - the weekend went really well and so much work was done, with lots of new techniques

mastered

 

 

 

can't wait to see them finished