Churndashalong update

 Here we are, nearly at the end of another month, so it's time for a Churn Dash SAL update. And I am pleased to say that the top of my little mini quilt is complete.

I have appliqued some little rosebuds along the top border and am very pleased with how they are looking. I hadn't tried these before but they are very simple and very effective - the tricky bit was pressing the vine and leaves without squashing the buds!

Septembers task will be to get this quilted and to press on with my other churn dash project, the small tablecloth.

Thanks Chooky for organising the stitchalong, just the motivation I needed.

FNSI - late on parade!

 Ooops, should have posted about FNSI yesterday but somehow ran out of time!

Many thanks to Wendy for organizing our evening and you can pop over to Wendy's blog here to see who else took part.

I had the afternoon to myself so decided to crack on with my Churndashalong wall hanging. I added the borders (by hand, couldn't be bothered to get the machine out) and then the row of hexies which I put together the other evening.

Very happy with how this is looking. I am imagining some applique along the top border. Looking forward to working on that next week.

After supper I cracked on with this sock and managed to finish the heel turn and gusset which need a bit of concentration. A bit of straight, mindless TV knitting to do now until I reach the toe.

This Zandra Rhodes design West Yorkshire Spinners yarn is lovely to knit with although I would have preferred less even stripes of colour.

Well that was my Friday - I think I have caught up with most peoples blogs but will just go and see now who I have missed!

Have a great week.

RSC 22 August update

 And it is a ta-dah! moment as I have now completed all the dancing mini Dresdens/Hexadens around the border of my flimsy.

The final two Dresdens were added this week - the two brown ones up from bottom right.

Now for the next four months of the year I shall be working on some 5" rainbow Dresdens to go in each corner - one for each month which is very convenient and also means I shall have a completed flimsy by the end of the year ready to start again next year! Yes, I have plans.......

Anyway, papers and template on order from Sew & Quilt so I shall be all ready to start on September 1st.

I am linking up with Angela  for Scrap Happy Saturday

Have a great weekend

Friday Night with Friends - August!

 That first Friday of the month has arrived very quickly again. Lovely to be sewing with friends and thank you Cheryll for getting us together. You can see what everyone was up to here 

First up I finished these two little Churn Dash blocks.

Then I thought I would crack on and add them to the first two and you can just see the result here - unpressed and in use as a table for basting my RSC Dresdens.

This months RSC colour is orange but I don't need orange, I need brown, hence little brown petals being basted. A good afternoon and evening's work I felt.

Today we have been to the Taunton Flower Show and spent a few enjoyable hours wandering round the many stalls and tents. Lots of beautiful flowers and veg in the competition marquee and a small craft section. I am not going to bombard you with pictures as I only took 2, but I thought this needle book was gorgeous!

The embroidery on it was stunning. Unfortunately I didn't get a close up.

These two stumpwork items also caught my eye - lots of lovely work had gone into these.

Right, I am off to cook some dinner and then I shall be cracking on with those Dresdens. Have a good week.

A Quilty Day Out

 Having recently joined a local quilt group - Apple County Quilters, we are in Somerset, famous for it's cider - I was quick to sign up for a day trip to Cowslip Workshops. Cowslip is an hour and a half down the road from Taunton, through Devon and into Cornwall. The 16 seater mini coach was very comfortable and the time passed quickly with lots of chatter, as you would expect!

The main reason for visiting Cowslip was for a quilt exhibition by Flowerpatch Quilters so on arrival that was my first port of call.

Cowslip Workshops is based on a farm and the exhibition was held in a large barn. This was a very 

welcoming sight as we entered the barn.

There was lots of beautiful work on display - here are a few of my favourites.

This quilt was a lovely blue which sadly has not come out in the photograph. But it was, I think, my favourite.

I loved these apples - they appeared to be padded and the quilting around the border is the names of different apple varieties.

A few general views - the flower displays were gorgeous and a brilliant addition to the exhibition.

My next visit was to the embroidery exhibition.

A welcoming room full of gorgeous treasures - goldwork, whitework, embellished felting, crewelwork, patchwork etc etc.

Also on site was a cafe serving delicious lunches, cakes - of course - cream teas and more. An extremely well stocked patchwork shop stacked floor to ceiling with fabrics and masses of books and patterns. An overflow shop with pottery, sale fabric and Christmas fabrics plus a lovely lady making memory bangles. Lots to see and beautiful planting outside all the buildings. Oh yes, and round the corner a vintage/reclamation shop full of lovely things.

And yes, I did shop! Some needles, those non slip things to put on the back of quilting rulers and having been pointed in the direction of a large collection of script fabric, a nice piece to add to my diminishing collection.

A jolly nice day out!