The Quilt that will Never Be....

Everyone who makes quilts knows that some are just never meant to be.

Some of my quilts, some even that I finish, really shouldn't ever have been made, but I usually persevere.

But some quilters really are from another world.  Lynne Johnson, for example, who teaches for us, will think things through very, very carefully before making a quilt, and will make samples, so that when the actual quilt is made, it will be perfection.

Another of those people is Pippa.  Pippa is a legend in her own time in east Garston.  Her son is a pest controller, and regularly gets called out to East Garston to destroy real (and sometimes possibly imagined) pests which have invaded various homes throughout the village.  Whilst getting on with his work, his clients will say something like "I'm sorry you've had to come so far out of your way"  and he will answer something like "Oh, no problem, my Mum comes here quilting with Mrs Rabbitts".  The client will then say something like "Oh, is she local, then?" to which he responds, "No, she lives in Wales".  Then the next time I see the neighbour, they will look at me with renewed interest and say "I hear people come all the way from Wales to your workshop!".

Of course, we get people from all over the country at our workshops, and they stay on our caravan site, but they don't have sons who control pests.

Anyway, I digress.

Pippa has been working on a quilt for a few months now, and because she is a 'statement quilter' who thinks aloud when auditioning fabrics and working out what goes where, I know a lot of thought has gone into it.  Last quilt day she announced that she was starting a new quilt.  When we asked after the other one, she told us it was no good, and she was starting again.

This is the quilt:

 

!

At least she promised not to burn it, which is what can happen to blocks that aren't right.

I forgot to say that I went strawberry and cherry picking last month, at Q Gardens near Didcot.  Ros told me about it and I thought I'd go because she said there were acres of strawberries and lovely cherry trees - there were three-legged ladders dotted about which you could use to reach the best cherries.  She was absolutely right, and I picked lots of delicious fruit, and wasn't that surprised to see Ros there too!

 

 

Lastly, here is a quilt that definitely went right - Toni's lovely Baltimore

 

Toni does the tiniest blanket stitch I've ever seen - and all by hand!

Now I'm off to either sew more of the scalloped edging for my Medallion, or sew some more blocks for my Petra Prins quilt, or I could knit a bit more of my beautiful scarf, or, and I think this is more likely, try and finish the knitted 'Fish Wash Mitt' Sandra gave me.  She saw it in a shop in Cornwall and decided there was only one person she knew that would want to knit a wash mit........



Well - June went quickly and now July's going the same way! - And at the end of my last post I said I'd be posting over the next couple of days: three and a half weeks later and here it is!  I'd like to say it was worth waiting for but it probably won't be that interesting.

The farming year has moved on as ever.  Haymaking flew by back in June

and I spent many evenings trying to get the best Glow worm picture (not very successfully)

and now harvest is underway.   The sunshine was great for haymaking and an early start to harvest, but with no rain the grass started to disappear and the cattle were very restless and had to be moved everyday - we were so relieved when the rain came.

Last weekend I had a brilliant time at the the Hollain Artefois, near Tornai in Belgium, with the Garston Gallopers - I had thought we were going to a place called Artefois - but then realised that was the name of the festival.  In fact, we were lucky to get there at all because as well as not knowing where we were going, when I booked the ferry I had us departing at 10am and arriving in Dunkirk at 2pm on the Saturday, and then returning home at the 3.00pm ferry on the same day - luckily I spotted it and managed to change the date to the Monday.

The town was beautiful with it's ancient Bell Tower and cathedral, and the festival was great fun.

 

 

And even though there were lots of heavy showers,

 

when everyone would run for cover in the marquees, when the sun shone it was wonderful.



 

We were in a lovely hotel, with large rooms and a balcony.  I was so pleased when I arrived and saw the lovely view over the countryside to the town away in the distance,

but then thought I was going mad when I got back in the evening and all the lights made it seem like we were looking straight down on the town:

I realised in the morning that it was because every single road has street lighting.

Anyway, from today I am officially on holiday (yippee) with no more school or workshops for a month (although the Tuesday morning pitch and stitch will still be running) and I intend to fill my days with gardening, sewing, walking the dogs and just doing what I want, when I want!

PS

Back in March I mentioned a cat/sheep that had appeared in my house.  Well - everyone denied any knowledge of it so I was really stumped, banished it to my workshop and stopped thinking about it.

Around came the Yoko Saito workshop which we hold once a term, and at the end of the day I think we were all moaning about the heat.  Just as Frankie (very gentle, friendly and quiet lady) was leaving she said, with a bit of a mischievous look in her eye,  "Look, even the sheep looks hot".  It was her!!  I couldn't believe it!  And of everyone I'd interrogated I'd never expected the culprit to be one of the genteel YS ladies!

Cruelty To Plants

First of all - where did June go?  I can't believe it's nearly a month since my last post!  My only excuse is that I've been very, very busy - especially in the garden....and thank Goodness there isn't a Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Plants.  Even if it is inadvertently.

About 8 years ago my cousin Jen, who is a genius at making and growing things, (she has a blog - freshwindsgarden.blogspot.com) came up for a workshop and, of course, brought me a plant.  She told me what it was but I forgot.  I popped it into a fairly small pot and over the years I've watered it but it's never been very spectacular.  Well, when we were in wonderful Wales I admired Liz's lovely garden

and in particular this plant

which, on closer inspection

I realised is exactly the same plant that I have kept trapped in a little pot for years.  I was appalled and the first thing I did when I got home was to plant it out ....

I can only hope that now it has a bit of freedom it will grow as beautiful as Liz's plant.

Anyway, it has been a busy month with lots going on in the workshop:  Lynn, Eileen and Julie finished their Japanese Patch bags,

Lots of quilt tops have been finished including Sue's Di Ford

and Sandra's Antique Wedding Sampler

and Carole's Baltimore (which was quilt as you go so once she's put the binding on that's good to go)

 

and we've managed to layer quite a few quilts ready for quilting, including Jane's beautiful quilt (she'd only made a hexagon quilt before so it's astounding how well she's done) which, like mine, is made out of fabric she already had.

 

 

The sun's out, and the garden is calling so that's all for now - although there are other bits of news I want to report so the next post will probably arrive tomorrow or Tuesday!

The Big Country

We are back from our wonderful week in New Quay, West Wales.  We knew it was going to be good when we drove into the turning for our stable cottage at Crogal and saw this:

and so every morning when we opened the curtains and perhaps sat out on the balcony with a cup of  tea, this was our beautiful view:

 

and in the evening we looked out on the twinkling lights across Cardigan Bay and the Strumble Head lighthouse flashing out its warning.

After a warm welcome from the lovely owner, Liz, we settled into our holiday home.  There were lots of things we wanted to do and see, and the first day we walked along the coastal path to our little private beach:

 

 

Of course we visited the Jen Jones Welsh Quilt Centre and there was Susan, from the Market Square Quilt Group, who moved to Wales a few years ago - she was more surprised than me because I knew she helps Jen Jones!  There was a lovely display of wholecloth quilts which I really enjoyed.

 

But what I was really on a quest for was Welsh blankets - so we visited two woollen mills.  The first was the Welsh Wool Museum and there were plenty of blankets for me to love!

 

and then we could watch the men weaving them



We also visited Rock Mill, which was built by the Great Grandfather of the current owner in 1890, and is the last of the mills powered by a waterwheel.  Sadly his sons don't seem too keen to take over and it looks like it won't be around much longer, but it was a joy to look around.

We walked up the old stone steps

and into the deserted mill where it was as if time had stood still!

The waterwheel was turning

                       and there were half-woven blankets on the old looms:

                                                       and great baskets of coloured bobbins:

All mod coms, really

What a treat!  And then, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw a basket of this in the shop:

Our own Coastal Colours yarn!  I was away when they had a stand here on the farm a couple of years ago so I had to bring one home with me, of course.  And maybe a couple of Welsh blankets.......

We had such a lovely time, and saw so much - we visited Caldey Island

                                                       and beautiful beaches

and pretty churches.....

.......of course, when we went out in the boat at sunset and the dolphins were swimming around us I didn't have my camera with me...

and then on the last evening had an amazing meal at The Blue Bell Bistro in New Quay, and looking across to the cottage where Dylan Thomas lived, we watched the sunset over the bay.

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:

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