Thursday, 30 November 2023

November furtle

Well November was a very mixed month! but in a nice way, lets start with a finish! I blogged more about this here this is a lovely pattern by Ankas Treasures all done in Liberty quilting cotton, destined for Alice Caroline SOS quilt project
Sewing with chums! is there a nicer way to sew? I dont think so 😊, I used to work with Tricia and we bonded throughout the pandemic, a bonkers time but I got a good friendship out of it so not all bad 😊 I am working on my latest floral big cat, which wont be done in time for this furtle but fingers crossed ready for December

this picture is just too good not to share again! I sent off a block to Chris English for his bearpaw quilt, he asked us to use recycled fabric if we could, Scoobs wanted me to use the shirt he had on in this picture so I obliged 😂
Here is the block
I was mostly working on the sashiko stars for this month, but managed to squeeze in another bit of quilt wrangling with this one, its huge!!! Its the sunny patches one from Coriander quilts, Im hoping to get it done before we have visitors at the weekend cos we will need the sewing room space. But oh my it is huge!

Thats it for November! linking up as ever to Archie the wonderdog furtle!


Monday, 27 November 2023

Sashiko stars

Ta dah!!! OK this numpty got her dates mixed up and thought she had a whole extra week to make this .... Anyhoo I was determined to get this done for the Alice Caroline SOS I have been giving to it for years now and didnt want to miss one.

so I got a wiggle on and got the whole blessed thing quilted, bound and washed in a day 😳 Not saying I could do that again but boy it was intense!!!!
The backing was pieced, all done in liberty quilting cotton
I loved making the pattern I chose, Sashiko stars by Ankas Treasures, such a great pattern




When making it I went through quite a few layouts, I didnt have enough of any one fabric for the star bits so I chose two pink colours one darker and one lighter.

I made 2 blocks in each main block colour, wasnt sure how to lay them out, but ended up with this layout

This was how much of the star patterns I had left!!!! I was a bit stressed I was going to have to do some improv but it all worked out.

this was such a good pattern to make, really easy to chain piece, so well written
Getting my organisation groove on!



I always do some test blocks! these turned out perfectly

Great pattern despite the slightly frantic end! will definately make again.

Monday, 13 November 2023

London last day - Fortnums November 2023

Last day of this view ❤️ but I'll be back I know I will be back 😊
One last visit to my now favourite cafe 😊 avocado on toast with smoked salmon and flat white 😊

Then a nice wee jaunt to Fortnums,  I only had time to visit one shop so chose this one, I know liberty well Fortnums not so much, so lets see what it has to offer!
The window displays were incredible!












Inside was as beautiful 



I treated myself to some tea and cake 😊





Then.pootle around the Christmas things until it was time to leave. My heart is full now, London you have been fantastic and I love you as much as ever ❤️ I'll be back 


Saturday, 11 November 2023

London Day 3! - Kew and Mat Collishaw November 2023

So! Its sunday and it is beautiful!!!! What a glorious day to pootle off to Kew 💗I stgopped off at the Brompton food market for a lovely brekkie then enjoyed the train journey to Kew

How how glorious, I went on the little train which goes round, really worth it, showed me what I wanted to go back too, which was basically everything! this will mostly be photographs of the beautiful scenery but there was an exhibition which I went into just to see which was mesmerising, more later!





Ive seen these iconic buildings so often, how wonderful to see in real life 😊










I had seen on the Kew Instagram feed that there was an exibition called Petrichor by Mat Collishaw in one of their buildings, it said it was Digital Art which I must say I didnt think was my thing, but oh my this exhibition changed my mind! 
Absolutely mind blowing, below is Albion

How wonderful and poignant is this? Amazing
This next piece was amazing!!! Loved the caption



I did manage to capture some video of this, it doesnt really fully capture the magnificence of the piece but it show a little, but please beware it does have flashing lights
















































Kew was magnificent, everything I thought it would be and so much more!
To top it all when I got back to the hotel and mentioned about the exhibition in my stories I got such a nice message from the artist! turns out he is a lovely man as well 😊