March Already

It seems like February has flown by, I suppose because it's such a short month. It is also my birthday in February which always used to fall in half term, but mercifully I am now free of those considerations. It's also slightly depressing to now be in the final year of my fifth decade! Cripes! how did that happen. Mr Hare (my toyboy because he is 6 months younger than me) loves to keep reminding me of his relative youth compared to mine. He did take me out for a special birthday dinner.

 

 

Still, I love the fact that the garden is just beginning to stir back to life. I love this particular hellebore

 



and the snowdrops

 

 

The previous owner of the garden planted lots of camelias, obviously not knowing anything about gardening. Our soil has a neutral pH and they really don't like it, plus they are all planted in full sun ( not a problem at present!) so they do suffer from sunburn.  I have to give them lots of ericaeous feed and I severely pruned this one as it looked so sick last year. This is the result- a big improvement.

 

I am now on holiday for the next 3 weeks (yay!) as I have to use up my annual allocation by the end of March. Unfortunately, because of the fire damage we won't be able to go away except for the odd shopping trip to London. I have lots of plans in my head as to what I'm going to do but I'll be lucky if I achieve a quarter of them. First and foremost, I'm determined to do some catching up with friends.

 

 One of the plans is to clear out the greenhouse and start sewing some seeds, but it is still so cold that I'm not sure I'll get any of it done. I usually plant heaps of garlic in September to harvest the following June, but last September the garden was like a bog so I haven't done it. The garlic bulbs are sitting there nagging away at me.I always buy far more seeds than I actually ever plant ( a case of my intentions always being greater than reality).

 

I am also hoping to do a lot of sewing. I have so many WIP's as I am much better at starting projects than finishing them! I think it's a sign of being easily distracted by the latest, more interesting project, rather than sticking to one thing before starting the next.

 

I did manage to do a fair bit of sewing in February ( mainly because it was too cold to do anything else!)

 

 

 

I made these for a new Bee I have joined- Care Circle at do.Good Stitches. I applied ages ago and had forgotten all about it, until I got an email from Rachel and  I'm delighted to be involved.

 

 

 

 

These were blocks for Sue Bone in the Simply Solids Bee (they are bright!)

 

 

 

 

These blocks were for Linda in the Star Block Quilting Bee (lovely Kate Spain fabric)

 

 

 

This Carpenter's star for Teresa in the Honey Bee FQR Kinky Bee ( lovely Art Gallery fabric and a new process for sewing HST's )

 

For my own sewing, I finished all the scrappy trip around the world blocks for Helena's quilt and made a start on the back.

 









 

And I experimented with these blocks for a quilt:

 

 

 

Probably somewhat foolishly, I also started sewing these EPP blocks after seeing ( and totally falling in love with ) this quilt by Rita of Red Pepper quilts MIL  http://www.redpepperquilts.com/search?updated-max=2013-02-17T12:36:00%2B11:00&max-results=8

 

 

Here are the first 3 blocks

 

 

 

The problem is , I know I'm totally insane to start this because they take forever to sew and I need to make at least 250 of them! I know I'll get distracted and they'll end up in a bag somewhere to be discovered at a later date ( this is because I have so many other projects like this haunting me but not haunting me enough to finish them).

 

Maybe I'll make 2013 the year of finishes( I wish!).

 

There seems at last to be some progress on the roof. The insurance company still haven't accepted liability but we are having a meeting next week to go through the tenders for the building work and hopefully appoint someone to get started.It has been a very cathartic experience but one that has focused us on what is important and what is not.





 



Disappearing Nine Patch Block

I have joined a new bee: Simply solids bee and somewhat foolishly (in retrospect because I didn't know we were going to have a fire and end up with no roof!) I volunteered to be Queen Bee for March. I have been agonising over what block to choose and have gone through many different blocks still uncertain what to pick. I really wanted to do the birch trees blocks from Crazy Mom Quilts but as it is a commercial pattern that had to be rejected.

I have finally decided on a very simple block-the disappearing nine patch block. This is as it says on the tin: a nine patch

The nine patches are made of 5 inch squares  and it requires 4 white patches in the order shown, one aqua patch in the middle and 4 coloured patches at the corners.These are sewn together

and then sliced up as follows exactly down the middle in both directions

 

 This produces 4 blocks which measure 7 inches square.

These 7 inch blocks are then trimmed on the white edge to 6 1/2 inches. The white edge should then measure 1 3/4 inches

Once trimmed the blocks are sewn together in the following arrangement to make a 12 1/2 inch block

 

 

 

There are many different ways to arrange this block but this one is known as the i-spy arrangement. I'm going to make the quilt top in a range of blues and greens.

I'll probably make the birch trees blocks as the back to make a double sided quilt for my niece. Although the block is simple  it is therefore essential to get the smaller blocks to line up properly. I find it easier to do this if my seams are ironed open rather than to the side.

 

I'm going skiing tomorrow with my lovely daughter (who was 24!!! onThursday). Mr Hare and I can't go away together because we can't leave the house unattended with a hole in the roof.We are still wrangling with the insurance company but that is another story altogether.

 



 

2013 The Good News and the Bad

Firstly, the good news. I have been caught up in the scrappy trip around the world and here are my first blocks.

I've actually done 26 all together aiming for 42 total. These blocks are so quick and easy and the photos  don't really convey how pretty they are.

I was hoping my first post in 2013 would be about all my New Years resolutions (lose weight, getter more exercise and be kinder to Mr Hare amongst other things) and my crafty projects for the next year. Sadly, this is not to be as Sunday 6th January 2013 ranks up there as one of the worst days in my life. I've had terrible days at work, but that is only to be expected.

For the last few years we have always had a lunch party on the Sunday closest to 12th night. This years was the 6th. We walk up the Sugarloaf in the morning and then have lunch at my house. So, I'd spent all of Saturday cooking for 25 and had got up very early on Sunday to continue with the cooking. At about 09.15 Mr Hare came in to the house from the garden saying 'get some shoes on quick and come outside-the house is on fire!. So I ran outside to see what he was on about and sure enough, one of our chimneys was on fire and huge quantities of smoke were billowing out of the attic. S**t I'd better call 999.
The fire brigade promptly turned up, 3 fire engines no less, the police in large numbers and an ambulance though he wasn't needed.So I stood in the road with my neighbours and watched my house burn. I also had to cancel the lunch so spent the time in the street phoning round to cancel everyone until my battery ran out.I also got very cold as I had no coat or jacket on and I wasn't allowed back in for a while.

I didn't have my camera with me so no pictures of fireman covered in soot. The damage from the fire was bad enough but even worse is the water damage from the hoses. The water is still dripping through, trapped in the ceilings and under the wallpaper. Plus we as yet have no temporary roof because the insurance company have been very slow. So, we have appointed are own loss assessor who has been very good so far.

I've only got a few pictures. My sparkle punch quilt top got caught in the deluge but I've washed it and it seems to be OK.

This is Madlen's bedroom,  newly decorated, new ceiling, new carpet etc etc. It's looking like we will have to put all our belongings in storage as the damage is much more extensive than it appears at first. Still, all the usual cliches come to mind. No-one was hurt, the belongings are only stuff and we could do with a clearout anyway. Plus our friends and neighbours have been great. Our very dear friends Ken and Trisha arrived as the house was burning. They then helped move the furniture etc and
were a fantastic help.
 I gave most of the food away, as I felt quite sick.We will know today how bad things are.

To end on a positive note, this year I want to make a quilt like this

 

 I don't remember where I saw this photo or who made the quilt, but I love it!

November Roundup

These are the things I have made in November, more than I thought in fact.

 

 

I've now sent my sewing machine to be mended and I got out my old one. Tried to make a block with the old one but soon realised that I'd not got a 1/4 inch foot on the old one. Gosh, I hadn't realised how easy it makes life! Any more blocks will have to wait until I get my sewing machine back.

 

 



Another weekend

I actually wrote an entry a week ago, but being an idiot, I deleted it by mistake and I couldn't be bothered to rewrite it. So this is my attempt this week. Last week ( the one that got away!) I wrote about walking up Pen Y Fan which Mr Hare and I try to do as much as possible in order to improve our fitness levels. These are the photos from last weekend.

Mr Hare on Pont Y Dar

 

 

 

 

At the top of Corn Ddu

 

Brecon in the distance

 

Last weekend I also planted my Paperwhite Ziva's. Last year I planted them at the beginning of November, but they flowered well before Christmas, so this year I thought I'd leave it until a bit later.I've never had any success in keeping them for the next year. The two pots are now in the cellar for a few weeks for the roots to develop before I bring them into the house.

 



 

 

Here are last years bulbs looking very spindly.

 

This week it was raining too much to go for a walk, so instead I've been doing some sewing. I made a bag as a Christmas present for Jane. It was a real b****. I made every mistake in the book. Firstly my sewing machine is playing up big time. The tension is all to pot and the needle sort of clicks. So not the best time to make a quilt as you go bag

 

 

 

Then I sewed the top edging on and the inner zip and held the bag up. It was not hanging properly and then I noticed that I had sewn the whole thing on but twisted round by about an inch. So I had to take it all down and start again

 

 

 

 

I used Ayumi's lunchbag tutorial but made it bigger. I also replaced the drawstring top with a zipped closing.

 

 

 

 

 

I also made some Japanese + and x blocks for Sue, as she had made some for me.

 

 

 

I also made some blocks for Jo who is making a quilt for her aunt as her uncle is terminally ill.

 

 

I also sent off my parcel for the scrappy swap but haven't received mine in the post yet. I've really enjoyed doing this one but found it difficult to respond favourably to all the posts on Flickr because some of the items have not been to my taste at all. I've used the strategy of only responding to those I've liked and not saying anything if I don't like them.

 

 

 



 

 

 









 

 

 

 



 



Hope , Holidays and Hemingway

A month since my last post. Doesn't time fly!. I'm a lot happier this month for a number of reasons. Firstly, my clever brother managed to find some wonderful sheltered accomodation in Lincoln for my mother.I drove her over to get her settled in and I wanted to see for myself what it was like. As expected she was anxious and apprehensive but she wanted to be back in Lincoln so she got her wish.
The very good news is that she has settled in well, has lots of company and we don't have to worry about her welfare as she is well looked after. All food is provided and there are only 12 residents in total, so it's not too large and the staff are very caring. Great result for everyone!
Secondly, we had a brief holiday in Florida.

This is the sunset in Key West, which is a magical sight, if not the most magical place. It is a very strange mixture of glorious wildlife and landscape, wonderful food , lovely buildings including the hotel we stayed in (which was listed as a historic inn but was in fact younger than our house at home)..

and tacky tourist shops. Duval Street , the main thoroughfare in Key West, is the longest, tackiest street full of tee shirt shops, cigar shops and bars.Although, you have to admire a place that has a shop selling only pirate costumes all year round.

We took our daughter with us as she needed a break andto celebrate the fact that she has been offered a proper job as a journalist with Pulse magazine. Both she and Mr Hare love the heat ( I'm not  good in heat and tend to wilt like a delicate flower!)

 

 

 

Mr Hare's other obsession (apart from heat) is sailing, so we saw a lot of sailing boats. We even had to take a diversion to Fort Lauderdale to look at some catamarans. Fortunately. there was a very nice quilting shop nearby for me to visit! I asked one of the ladies in the shop why they needed quilts in Florida and she said that they all have their air- conditioning so high that the quilts are used! She did also say that they are put on beds/walls as decoration. 

 

Which brings me to Hemingway. Quite by chance, Mr Hare and I have visited the 3 places that Ernest Hemingway had permanent homes-Cuba, Key West and Sun Valley, Idaho ( in fact he lived in Ketchum which is the town next to the Sun Valley skiing resort.)

We did not visit his house in Key West which is now a museum but did walk past and visit 2 of the bars that claim to be where he drank. After we got back , I looked him up on Wikepedia and he was a notorious drunk but also interestingly ( and unknown to me ) suffered from haemochromatosis  which along with the alcohol led to his unstable state of mind and subsequent suicide, just like his father.

It is many years since I read any of his work but I am planning to revisit his novels because he was a very great writer if not the nicest of human beings.

 

I have had a reasonable month  sewing as well. I have signed up to the Scrappy Swap which I'm really looking forward to. Still waiting to see who my partner is.I also had to make a mosaic for this which was a great learning experience for me, but I managed it!

 

I have completed the October blocks for the Star Block Bee (Amy's month)

 

 

Amy is also the Queen Bee for October in the FQR Kinky Bee and she chose wonky log cabins which I love to do.

 

 

I also managed to piece together my Sparkle Punch top which has been hanging around since February.

 

 

 

I also have made several Japanese + and x blocks which I'm going to make into a quilt for Lois. She has asked for a quilt for her 60th birthday which gives me a little time!. She didn't give me much to go on, just that she liked red and grey. So I have chosen Oakshott reds from my colourbox mixed with some of the Ruby reds for the front. I have added in some other brights and greys and aqua. I will use a darker grey on the back, but haven't decided on that yet.

 

 

I have also had my new Handiquilter Avante installed. Oh boy, such a daunting responsibility. I'm going to have a very steep learning curve on this one. The possibilities are endless. So exciting, but also so scary.

 

Anyway, overall, a more positive month.



Count your blessings or the whingeing post

Two weeks ago today I had a phone call from my brother that I had been expecting but had hoped would not come for a while. My mother has been living with my brother and his wife, at their invitation, for the last 14 months because she was unable to cope living alone and was having panic attacks. Even without the vascular dementia she is hard to cope with, but the memory loss has made it all far worse. My sister-in -law (who quite honestly deserves a sainthood) had finally snapped and says she can no longer have her in her house. So my mother was shipped off to me.She is the most annoying person ever. It is like dealing with a stroppy 3 year old and she says the most hurtful things then denies it all because she can't remember. Sometimes I'm not sure if all of it is her memory loss or just her personality which is entirely self centred. She is also one of those people who I think of as a happiness drain, so after a short while in her company you want to slit your own throat and hers. Then I feel guilty for feeling that way, because she is my mother after all.  I also feel bad, because entirely selfishly I can't bear the thought of looking after her for the next 10 years when I was looking forward to retirement and having some me time. My children are still not entirely independent either.



Over the bank holiday weekend we took my mother and mother-in -law for a short trip to Mumbles which was not a great success but I found this Burleigh vase in a charity shop. So every cloud does come with a silver lining.
I drove her to my sister's yesterday and we will take 2 week stints until we sort out a solution.

That's the whingeing bit out of the way.

I haven't made that much in the last 2 weeks but before my mother arrived I managed to finish this animal quilt top for a colleagues baby daughter

 

 

And this is the back

 



Now I have to quilt and bind it. I also have made one more star block.

 

 

This is a modified Nevada star. I missed out the bits in the 4 corners which make an additional pattern if you make repeated blocks.

 

I haven't blogged about the Festival of Quilts itself because the moment has gone but this quilt made me cry

 

 

 

And I realise I have to count my blessings.