Pandemic totemic

 A weekend of real life face to face, real live people. How just wonderful is that, I’m still in a hazy glow of real life wonderfulness. 

These small bags have been a symbol for me of the pandemic. When I went to Japan I bought back some small sewing gifts for two lovely quilts chums. 
That was the end of February 2020, it was very very clear in March that it might be some time before i would be able to hand them over, we agreed that we would wait till we could meet up in real life before I handed them over. I never ever thought in my wildest dreams that it would be be 18 months ……

These wee bags were safely stowed away in my sewing room down the side of my chair, I would look at these and there were points in the last 18 months when i didnt know if i would managed to hand them over.

The bags were filled with sashiko threads and needles from the hidden needle shop in Kyoto.

The colours were chosen with my chums in mind. It was quite an emotional moment to hand them over. The meet up was full of emotional moments, my lovely chum bought these Japanese fabrics on her first outing to a quilt show with me and another chum. I still remember standing at the stall chatting with her while she chose them, what a fabulous finish!

We ate pizza outdoors. We showed we telled and it was utterly utterly fabulous day.

Next up Sunday, another totally totally emotionally wonderful day. wonderful people round on a beautiful day for a BBQ and chat and wine and visits up to the Antonine wall. I still cant believe it is all quite real. 

My favourite people in the world all in real life, there are no words, there really are no words ❤️

June furtle

 Well, there have been slim pickings this month! In my defence i have just undergone double cataract surgery so have been very limited in what I could do.

But first of all, lets wish this little chap!!! yes it is five years since anxious panda came to join our merry little band, awwww anxious panda we luff yoo!

I eased myself back into sewing with this straighforward blossom Jane block a nice summery pattern as well.

I also did this one, relatively straightforward but I got the orientation wrong the first time round and had the oval petals pointing to the corners which I didnt think was a problem but then when I came to stitch on the diamonds they wouldnt fit in so I had to unpick .... hey ho I still like it.

I attended an online class from Kathy Cameron 'the Littlest Thistle' on featherweight machine maintenance. Really good but quite a lot to take in. I still think I have an issue with the tension discs but Katy has been super helpful in helping me sort it out.

ooohhhhh cataract surgery doesnt stop me from buying pretty fabric!!! looooooooook

and that is it!!!! But eyes are a lot better now, just have to get used to reading glasses which is fine and I am not complaining its just an adjustment.

Here is to a lot more sewing in July!!!

Bionic Budsmam 😂😂

 Well well well that’s it done! Over a year late but hey ‘global pandemic’ and all that so cannae complain. Double cataract surgery. I was nervous but I was also acutely aware of how flipping bad my eyes were, so that overcame a lot of the anxiety.It’s amazing how quickly you come out, all over and done with in 2 hours, the actual op only takes 15 mins!

 I was most taken with the tea and biscuits after, no really I needed them!

Nice oaty biscuits, fab. The Scoobs was on driving duty and took me home. You get an shield over your eye to stop you touching it. A chum said I looked as if I had been defibrillated … jeez cheers chum 😂😂😂

Actually I can see where she was coming from 😂. But omg the difference is AMAZING. Can you see? I had to pop out the lense from the left side, didn’t need it any more ! Well it’s the right side as you are looking at it but see? No reflection!

So this week the second one got done, all fine and dandy just need to be careful and not overdo it. I will need reading glasses but can’t get eyes tested for 6 weeks until eyes settle down, that’s fine, they said I could use cheap reading glasses meantime.

But I will have to get used to being without specs! It feels so weird as if I have forgotten something …. But hey I can see clearly now!

May furtle!

 Scanners! I am late again! But only a day this time, hopefully all back on schedule next month! So what happened in May?? Well lots, we bought a book ... and not just any book! Another liberty book by Megumi Sakai - https://www.instagram.com/megsakai214/ on instagram. this is a fantastic book, love it, sooper speedy delivery too! It arrived all the way from Japan in under a week. Oooppppps just realised I put the wrong name in the instagram post .... sorry !

My sooper luffly chum Jo - Quiltydoings gifted me a mini charm pack, well what do you do with that? You whip up a quilt for project Linus!

We had a rash of finishes, this was from a charm pack gifted by the lovely Lou from flip flop fabric shop, she is a star, another for Linus!

This is my *ahem* slightly adapted version of the New England Motel pattern by Brimfield awakening, by adapted I mean i didnt read the instructions correctly and forgot to make half hexies to offset every other row, but I like my version and i am sure they wont mind. This will be for siblings.

And look at the amazing panda backing fabric! An amazing gift for siblings from Sarah Edgar Pretty fabric and trims, came all the way via Trudi Wood who is also a star!

I was rushing to finish off because ....

Cataract surgery! A friend said I looked as if I had been defibrillated .. how very rood (but true 😂) So no sewing for a wee while, June is going to be a sparse furtle!

I gave a talk too! A chum at work organised an event called craftwork 2021, he was raising funds for rainbow railroad a charity which helps LGBTIQ fleeing persecution. I talked about charity quilts and the work of siblings, Linus and Alice Caroline in particular.

Mmmmmm panda chocolate, a lovely chum Sally gave me this! How utterly fab, I kept the wrapper naturally! 

We went on holiday!!!! I have blogged about that, we had a super super time.

Early on in the month I managed some Dear Jane blocks, I do need to get a wiggle on with this but the eyes will dictate when that can happen!

I managed to get to see the blossom once this year which is fine thats better than not at all!

Real life shops!!!! Meeting chums and buying fabric and having car park picnics! Just the best!

and thats it for May, see you next month!!!

Lovely Lou from flip flop fabric shop!

 Lou from the flip flop fabric shop is super lovely, when I ordered fabric from her she sent along a whole heap of pretty fabric to make charity quilts with, I decided that a simple block layout was best to show off this sea themed fabric. It will head off to Linus very soon! Panda backing from Sarah Edgar pretty fabrics, sent via Trudi Wood.

New England Motel

 Panda backing for the win!! So this is the New England Motel quilt, a fab free pattern from Brimfield Awakening. A great scrap buster, my layout is not the same as the original cos I didn’t read the pattern properly 😂😂 thee should be half hexies at the end of every alternate row which offsets the full hexies. I will definitely do this pattern again so will try the original layout. This was finish no 7 on my finish along list q2. Very happy with it. The panda backing came via Trudi Wood, dontated for charity quilts by Sarah Edgar pretty fabrics and trims.

Taynuilt, a full Budsmam reboot 😊

 Sake blogger! Why can’t there be a setting which allows you to order your photos? Sheesh ....😂😂😂😂 

That’s us back now, blimey what a fantastic break, really was. I feel rebooted, factory settings restored. The lookout is a fantastic bolt hole, cute little apartment just right for 2.

When Scoobs came back from climbing his hill we set off to be brave and see if we could find somewhere to eat. Please bear in mind we have not eaten out for almost 14 months .... sounds incredible when I say it out loud. After a few false  starts we found a garden center - Poppies, they had risen to the CV challenge and had loads of lovely outdoor seating well spaced. Perfect for our first ever foray back to the real world.

It’s set in a marina, lovely views and a great breeze, it’s all about the fresh air! I got a bit of teasing on IG “A garden center!!! How old ARE you!” Listen, I’m as old as I feel and if I want to sit in a garden center gonnae no judge 😂😂

Emboldened by this wee took a really BIG step and walked into the center of Taynuilt in the evening and sat outside in the village pub for a meal. Utterly utterly fantastic.

Bonus spring lambs on the way home. Walking around the Lookout where we stayed we saw some fascinating trees and moss. Very different from home.

On our last full day we decided to go back to the pub, why not! Wee have 14 months of not eating out to make up for!!!!

So unbelievably wonderful.

We daundered home stopping in last a graveyard, I do love a graveyard.

In the depths of a long winter lockdown I did wonder if we would ever get out. It was a longer hard winter, a feet this break I feel more hope, more positive. It’s been fab.

Then back to reality with a bump 😂😂😂 lunch at the smiddy in the way home, it was teeming down with rain, got to love Scotland.