FNSI March

 And my main aim was to get my selvedge tote bag finished - my Chookshed Challenge from February. And I did! I got the sewing machine out for a couple of hours in the afternoon and then spent the evening hand sewing down the bindings. Tah Dah

It's 24" x 18 with a 5" gusset so nice and roomy. The aim is to use it for transporting quilts when I go to my patchwork group but I am sure it will find plenty of other uses.

I saved a couple of nice selvedges for the handles.

Good to have another challenge finished and out of the way.

I have been working on my Stitch Journal again this week.

Doesn't look like much progress but there are three days additions in the last section. That picture is looking a bit bleached - sorry.

We had a couple of days away at the beginning of the week and met up with friends at Stourhead on Monday, a halfway meeting point as they live on the outskirts of London. It was a cold day! Very chilly wind but we braved the gardens. Our men have hip and knee problems so we made use of the National Trust guide and his buggy for a trip around the lake. He was very knowledgeable and agreeable to stopping when I wanted to take a photograph too. 

The garden was originally designed by the owner Henry Hoare in the mid 18th century with various buildings - temple, grotto, cottage etc - set around the lake, some of which still exist. At the moment there are masses of daffodils flowering everywhere.

This is a scale copy of The Pantheon in Rome

and this is a cottage which was evidently lived in even though it seemed just to consist of one room.

The building you can see below is a grotto which we sadly didn't get to visit.

By the time we had finished our ride we were more than ready to head back to the cafe for some warming hot chocolate!

Fortunately Tuesday was a lovely sunny day and we headed to Lullington for our friend to search the graveyard for ancestors - no luck sadly. But the church was well worth a visit with it's Norman arches

and beautiful font.

Already more photographs than I had anticipated but must just show you the last place we visited - Heavens Gate with it's fabulous view of Longleat House.

Thank you for sticking with me this far - normal service will be resumed next week! Have a great week.

Chookshed Challenge #10

 This is not a finish but, I am much further forward than I expected to be! All quilted now and ready to have straps added and binding across the top sections before closing up the sides.

I have a lovely wide Laura Ashley selvedge from the lining fabric which I am going to incorporate into the straps and more of the script fabric I have used for the gusset. I also have scraps of leftover binding which I can use along the top but will need to cut something wider for the sides to contain the bulk.

Happy to set this aside now for a little while and looking forward to getting started on next months challenge.