WOYWW 264

SUMMER BREEZE MAKES ME FEEL FINE.....

I haven't been in my indoor craft room much this week - it's been too darn hot!  Our large gazebo has shaded the patio nicely and I've been outdoors most of the time :-). We had a surprise visit from Shaz and Doug Silverwolf the morning after they'd been to the Stonehenge Solstice celebrations, so we all had bacon butties out here too!
So, my outdoors desk reveals a cuppa, crochet, basket of yarn and some mags.  The spade shows that I have done some gardening as well, everything's growing so quickly!


The baby blanket is finished - I thought the blue border would be more funky than white...


Happy colours :-)  I really enjoyed doing this project!



My oldest friend Helen (we've been best buds since we were 11!) has been knitting vintage tea cosies like there's no tomorrow and she presented me with this beauty when we last met up in Wales!  You've got way more patience than me, Helen. there was so much carrying over of wool on the reverse side. Shows you've got good tension!


I had some happy mail too - a beautiful card from Twiglet, showcasing her AMAZING freemachining skills. Honestly, it is so clever. I have got to get my act together and learn how to do it!  And the dressmaking book? Well, that may yet be a challenge too far but it was free as part of the Love Sewing Mag subscription I took out...and it may come in handy when I attempt to make myself a tunic! That's the theory anyway, snort!!  The beautiful ATC was sent by Kelly, it's so pretty, I love it. But the thing that made me smile was the amount of stamps on the envelope!!  I'm going to keep that just cos it tickled me :-)


Oh, hang on, I forgot....I DID do some sewing this week!  I made this bag for my elder son's girlfriend about three years ago and the handle had frayed so I replaced it with a sturdier version. But it was too hot in the sewing room, so it was back out into the garden again :-)



This is a bit of a Terry Pratchett in-joke but Ron was so spark out, we had to prod him to check he was ok!

And finally, I was driving over the beautiful Marlborough downs this morning and this vision of loveliness presented itself..........
It was a field of PINK!  I've no idea what the crop was, but the mahoosive field was filled with soft pink flowers. It was so pretty, much nicer than the acres of bright yellow oil seed rape we get now. But does anyone know what it is??  

Have a great fortnight, I won't be around next week.....off to recharge me batteries :-)



WOYWW 263

IT'S UP TO US TO BE THE CHANGE
AND EVEN THOUGH WE ALL CAN STILL DO MORE
THERE'S SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR.

Firstly, a massive apology to the lovely ladies who left comments on my blog last week... for various reasons, I didn't return the honour with most of you. I'm so sorry, there was a lot on my plate and it just didn't happen. I promise I'll do better this week.

Secondly, I'm just so happy that Julia's home :-)

Consequently there's not much to share this week:
I'm deciding which fabric to make a zipped tote out of for a present - for someone who doesn't 'do' pretty, lol!!
I've dragged a few bits out of the box and am staring at them with no clue whatsoever...sigh.  I quite fancy using the stripes, possibly.
What I will tell you about, though, is this wool I found in Hobbycraft when I was looking for a cheapish acrylic yarn with which to finish that rainbow blanket I've been crocheting.  It's Hobbycraft's own brand, with some of the proceeds going to the Women's Institute and it's brilliant!  It's the nicest feeling acrylic I've ever worked with - not only that, but 100 grams cost £2, PLUS Hobbycraft had a 3 for 2 offer, so it worked out incredibly cheap. The range of colours isn't huge so I hope they extend it. That plum colour is delicious - it's going to be a baby jacket :-)

Finally, I've had some more happy mail - ATCs from Darnell and Elizabeth W, both of which are so funky! And a gorgeous buttons and bunting card from Jackie - they're all on my pin board where I can admire them. Thanks, lovely gals :-)

So, short (for me!) and sweet - have a great week!!
xxxx

News about Julia

Just a swift post. Julia texted me this evening. She's had keyhole surgery, so is sore but feeling slightly better. She's really thankful for all your messages, love and hugs. Hopefully she will be able to fly home sometime next week.
Phew....... :-)

Xx

WOYWW 262

COLOURS OF DAY DAWN INTO THE MIND
THE SUN HAS COME UP, THE NIGHT IS BEHIND...

Edited 12.42 GMT.  There will not be a WOYWW link today, I've just heard from Julia, she has been taken ill whilst on holiday and is in hospital. Not life threatening but she is not well. PLEASE do not email her, if you want to send a message, then do it through me. She won't be home until next week, so I don't know if there's going to be a WOYWW next week either.  Sorry, I don't have any more info at the moment but will let you know with updates as soon as I get them. Jan xx

Cor, those lyrics take me back...when I was a Teaching Assistant at our local primary, I used to play piano for the hymn practise/choir club etc and that was a favourite of the kids!  Isn't it funny how the brain reaches back and plucks out a random memory?!
It was inspired by all today's pics:
The current yarn basket......

which is turning into this!  *Happy dance*

A metre each of two new fabrics - you know, for 'research' purposes.... ;-)

A tuk-tuk taxi that was in Tesco's car park in Hungerford, of all places!!!  I like the airhorns on top....I want a ride in this!!

But the main focus of today is to share an amazing fabric shop in London. I'd gone up to meet a great friend of mine who now lives in Auckland, NZ but is back visiting her family. She'd heard about Shaukat fabrics on the Old Brompton Road so we walked across London, catching up and generally talking non stop. But this shut me up!








The shots are a little blurry cos they were taken on my phone but you get the idea......






two floors of fabric......









Rolls of fine cottons, silks and lawns.....





Kate, browsing the bewildering selection (this was about 1/20 of the shop!)
My purchase....I almost couldn't choose because there was too much choice!  It's the finest printed cotton from which...and brace yourselves....I may attempt to make a tunic top for the summer.
If you want to have a nose yourselves, it's www.shaukat.co.uk

This is a scheduled post as I'm in Wales seeing to my Dad (and also meeting up with WOYWWers Lynda B and Ali H for a drink!)  so please forgive me if I'm late with visiting you.

xxxxx


WOYWW 261


Thank you for the days 

Those endless days, those sacred days you gave me 
I'm thinking of the days 
I won't forget a single day believe me.
(the late, great Kirsty McColl)

Wow, what a week that was....so many beautiful ATCs received, the Crop stuff to derig and pack away....it was like being slightly hungover or the feeling you get when your exams are over. What to do next.....
I had a massive attack of PINK, that's what!
I'm setting out patchwork squares (all from scrappy stash) to make a bed runner for the granddaughter of a friend...no fancy quilting pattern...keep it simple to show off the pretty fabrics.
After pondering The Border, I just decided to use ordinary white bias binding...simple but frames the colours prettily (I'm sure prettily is spelled correctly but it looks wrong!! One of those words that you never know when to stop...prettittililily or bananananananana.... ;-)
I flipped over the top to show the soft fleece that was used for the backing, so wadding wasn't necessary.  Isn't it funny how some projects are a complete*&%$£ to put together and others just work - this was one of the latter!
A project from two weeks ago that I just haven't had time to share ....more PINK  *grin*
Bunting - it's gotta be done!!
Some more amazing ATCs arrived!  Happy dance...
Top L-R Annie (Wipso), Caro, Kim Young, Jo (Twiglet)
Bottom L-R Sylvia (Little Treasures), Lisa (Craft Garden) and Nan G
Thank you so much Ladies, they are all gorgeous, I love them!



Two pics to finish with....I've been so lucky to receive ATCs, messages and cards from all over the world. Thank you, I'm sending some love right back atcha :-)
And a rather blurry iPhone shot of Ron, my cat, peering through the umbrella hole in the patio table. Taken at arm's length by Mr LLJ,  shooting blindly...and I love it!  Curiosity and the cat indeed....

Thanks for listening to my witterings...have a great week!!

WOYWW 769

 WE'LL MEET AGAIN.... I'm going to take a break from blogging for a while - please don't worry, all is ok! - think I just need a...