From one harbour to another...

From picturesque, clean and friendly Roscoff to scruffy and down at heel Ilfracombe! What a contrast.
It is so sad to see what was once a smart and elegant seaside town so run down and unloved.
So why did we go there?
We had heard that Damien Hirst's 'Verity' had recently been errected there, so being in the vicinity we decided to have a look.
Not everyones cup of tea as a piece of art, but evidently drawing plenty of visitors.

At 20m high and placed at the entrance to the harbour, she must be a stunning sight from sea.
Hopefully she will herald a change in fortunes for Ilfracombe.

Lin xx

A stopover in Roscoff

Just for a change, we decided to travel from Roscoff to Plymouth for our trip to UK and spent a night in Roscoff before catching the ferry.
Roscoff is in Finistere, part of Brittany - the top left hand corner of France. Finistere is one of those wonderful, magical sounding names I have heard for years on the BBC's shipping forecast and it was lovely to actually be there.
Roscoff is a very pretty little town on the end of a small peninsular with the ferry port on one side and a fishing harbour on the other.
I was also fascinated by an island called Ile de Batz just off to the left of the peninsular. The Vedette - a regular boat/bus service to the island runs either from the harbour or the end of a long pier depending on the tide!
The small town is very pretty and we enjoyed a morning visiting the harbour, church and small shops.

 The'bus' heading for the pier with the Ile de Batz in the background.

Have a lovely Christmas.

Lin

Odds and Ends

In 1979 I started making my first quilt - Grandmothers Flower Garden - and the following year the top was ready to layer and quilt. Having very little knowledge of patchwork and even less of quilting, from somewhere I found out that I needed to use a hoop when I was quilting. So I ordered one from
 Strawberry Fayre and have been using it ever since. However, last year there was an ominous creak and I noticed a crack on the inner ring so I made an effective repair with brown tape and bias binding.
However last week there was an even more ominous creak and whoops, after 30+ years, my hoop finally gave up!

So I emailed the wonderful Strawberry Fayre and they are sending a new hoop to me in UK where I shall be next week. If you do not know Strawberry Fayre they sell traditional patchwork fabrics, but most useful, is that they have always sent out packs of fabric swatches which means that you can spread them out on the table, play around with them, come back tomorrow and play around with them again and make your selection. Much more relaxed than buying in a shop and more accurate than buying on line. Also the personal service is brilliant. In the 80's when I lived in Italy they were brilliant and the only place I could buy patchwork fabrics and have them sent out to me. They still offer superb service and orders from here in France are turned around in a week.

A couple of years ago Stitch Magazine gave a rough pattern for 'Bushkiri' bags and I made a lot for presents. Sadly the one that I made for my neice who was living in Senegal never arrived and so this summer I made another for her.

These are made from a 6" embroidered squares with the corners turned in, envelope style. I used cotton fabric and threads that I dyed myself using procion dyes. I love chain stitch - it is vey soothing, like hand quilting. I am sending this one to her in UK this time, where she will be spending Christmas.

I spent an afternoon this week clearing leaves in the garden - they were wet and looked so gorgeous!

And finally

This African Marigold does not seem to be affected by the frost!

I made 4 doz mince pies this afternoon for our Carol Service tomorrow in Chancelade Abbey but otherwise have been busy packing, planning and organising for our trip away. My next post will be from the UK!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Lin xx

Geese ready to migrate - north!!

Well, I have finally completed my flying geese quilt and it is all ready to take to the UK with us next week. I do hope that Emily will like it!

The original design is by Sharyn Craig and pictured in The Art of Classic Quiltmaking. I emailed Sharyn this evening with a picture of the quilt and she replied immediately saying how much she liked it and thanking me for contacting her. How special is that!
I was outside this afternoon cleaning the inside of the car ready for our trip when 50 cranes flew over - going south, the right way for migration! What a coincidence.
Am planning a hexagon project for our trip away......

Thank you for coming to take a look.
Until next time
Lin

I've been tagged!

Just clicked on to made by ChrissieD and read all about the 11-11-11-11 game that she has been tagged in whereby she has to answer 11 questions asked by the person who tagged her, tell 11 things about herself and tag 11 people asking them 11 questions. To my surprise, when I got to the bottom I discovered that she had tagged me!

So here are 11 things about me -
I was born in North London, England
I am a Christian
I live in France but have also lived in Rome, Italy, otherwise in UK.
I have always loved sewing
but I trained as a window dresser
most of my working life was spent in retail with some accounts work along the way
I have a niece who lives in Ghana and another in New Zealand
We have a large garden and a small house
I enjoy cooking and entertaining
I love walking
I have been following 'The Archers' for 26 years

Here are the 11 questions that she asked-
1. Are you in a Quiltd Guild and if so tell us about it.
I am a member of the Quilters Guild of the British Isles, I joined in 1979 and am a Founder Member. The quarterly magazine 'The Quilter' is a lifeline to P&Q in the UK and especially was during the 80's when I lived in Rome.
2.What's the longest you have lived somewhere and where was it?
I have been living here in the Dordogne for 17 years
3. What's your favourite item that you have ever made and why?
This has to be the quilt that I made in 1985, a white wholecloth using Sashiko designs. All hand quilted. It is on my bed every night!

4. What books do you have by your bed?
A bible and the book I am reading which at the moment is 'Every Vow You Break' by Julia Crouch.
5. What do your friends and family think about your quilting?
Very appreciative of things that come their way.
6. Where are you spending Christmas Day this year and who with?
I shall be in Taunton with my husbands family, most especially his delightful three year old grand daughter Emily!
7. When did you buy your first sewing machine?
It was a gift from my parents on my 18th birthday.
8. Why did you start blogging?
There was an article this summer in 'The Quilter' by Alison at Little Island Quilting about blogging and I thought it sounded like a good way to meet other quilters and textile artists
9. Who is your favourite actor/actress and what's the best role you have seen them in?
This is a close run thing between Maggie Smith and Katherine Hepburn but 'The African Queen' has to win!
10. How/where do you store your fabric?
With space here at a premium, any cupboard or wardrobe where I can squeeze it in.
11. What's the best hairstyle you have ever had and why?
When I was in my teens I had a Mary Quant - very short at the back and long at the front. I felt very grown up!

Now, the people that I am tagging are as follows - I will not be emailing you as I do not want this to be like a chain letter, and nothing dire will happen if you do not take part!

A Legacy of Stitches
Living the Dream
Hibiscus Stitches
Maisie and the Boys
Teaching Myself Patchwork
Sew Susan
Accroquilt
Batik Quilt
Journey of a Quilter
Art Textile
Gloria's Blog

And my questions for you are -
1. What was your first patchwork project?
2. What is your favourite technique?
3. Why do you live where you live now?
4. What is your favourite passtime after sewing (if there is such a thing)?
5. What is your favourite novel?
6. Who is your favourite artist?
7. If you could have a holiday anywhere in the worldwhere where would you choose to go?
8. Have you learnt something new recently?
9.What do you most enjoy cooking?
10.What was your first job?
11.Who would you most like to invite to supper?

I look forward to reading your answers and hope you will all take part.
Have a great week.

Lin xx