Trying to Squeeze it all In

Some people I know go for month-long holidays four times a year, and are completely calm about it.

We go on holiday for one week a year and I'm absolutely frantic.  And it's only to Wales so we can drive home and back in a day if we want to!

I don't think it's just me who is at sixes and sevens though; I see this Barn Owl around our garden every morning and evening - maybe it's doing overtime to feed some chicks!

My main problem is the garden....everything is ready to be planted out and I'm trying to get it done before we go away on Saturday - mainly because I know George won't prioritise watering my flowers!

Today, yesterday, and last Sunday I was able to spend a good few hours at it, but otherwise there have been too many distractions.

last Thursday we had a brilliant day at the Malvern Quilt Show.  We saw lots of inspiring quilts, and here are some of my favourites:

 

Hand-pieced by Francis Meredith and Longarm quilted by her too.  A couple of my friends have sent their quilts to her at Fabadashery (www.fabadashery.co.uk) and I really loved the results - very different from the overall swirls that gets very samey.

 

I quite liked this one - Peony Ring (I think) by Sally Bramald

 

The baskets are so clever:

 

 
 

I thought Abigail Rose by Sue Watters was beautiful

 

 

and then this one: Knot Garden by Claire Scott

 

caught my eye - she used Canadian smocking for the knots and what she called a 'crashing' technique for the topiary.  No idea what that means!

Then Saturday we were dancing in the rain in Winchester.  Whilst sheltering under the trees Louise pointed out a Handkerchief tree (also known as a Ghost tree apparently) - it was really beautiful:

covered in all it's hankies

Tuesday morning Pitch and Stitch was busy and we were all very impressed by Lynn's cot quilt:

and floor mat made with Japanese Patches which she learnt with us:

Front and back below

 

Malvern Quilt Exhibition

What a fab time we had at Malvern Quilt Show!  I love going to Malvern - the show is not too big, you can walk right out the door and look at the beautiful hills (unlike the NEC where you walk miles and end up looking at concrete) and I even love the journey up as you go from Berkshire Downland, up through the beautiful little fields and stone houses of the Cotswolds and into Worcestershire! 

The quilts were very inspiring, although as usual I didn't always agree with the judges! - but here are some that caught my eye:

Random Daisies by  Gillian Oakley - it is made from Vintage embroidered table cloths and is an idea I've had for some time, but of course haven't done anything about it.

I liked the one below, No Flowers without Raindrops, by  Angelika Monks and quilted by Lynda Edmunton, mainly because of the retro-looking fabric.

 

Granny Squares by Elizabeth Ingram had lovely soft colours and I thought it was pieced and machine quilted beautifully.

These two Cot quilts surprised me.  The one below, Serandite, by Andrea Stracke, came second

 

and this one, Darian, by Janet Jones, came first

 

I don't think I would necessarily have thought the same, but the hand quilting is beautiful.

I really liked Star in the Cabin by the Parkhouse Patchwork Group and designed by Judy Martin because I've never seen Log Cabins put together like this.

Unseasonal Weather, by Jill Exell, was one of my favourites!  Inspired by "Childhood holidays, when the weather wasn't always summery" she depicted a wet sea front.  My own childhood memories of holidays are always hot because my parents followed the sun, but my children's memories are almost certainly of wet holidays because Jonathan and I have never been very lucky with holiday weather!

 

Another favourite was Jenny Williams' Ty Mam (Mother's House), again, inspired by  childhood memories but this time of the village of Abereiddy where her family came from

 

and this little hanging by Eleanor Wright, called Early Autumn in the Countryside, was really pretty.

 

Another Picture quilt which caught my eye was Almost Home by Senga Bain - very poignant

 

Finally, some of the larger quilts I liked.  Piece of my Heart by Sharon Coates and quilted by Midsomer Quilting - lovely soft greys and the pieced hearts look like they are made out of tissue paper.

Home is Where the Heart is by Joy Savage - little tiny Log Cabins

 

and Starburst by Carole Galbraith and quilted by Emma Galbraith, which was overall Champion.

 

And I have to mention Andrea Stracke, from Germany, again.  Her hand-quilted Citrine was astounding - such tiny, tiny stitches!

So that was the quilt show, and some of my favourite quilts. 

I did do a little shopping, but I was quite restrained,

of course the Donegal Tweed was again irresistible, as was the linen, but otherwise I was quite practical.

And the bobbin pin cushion? - well, anything that makes you laugh has got to be worth buying!