I'm trying NOT to get EXCITED!

Many moons ago, way back before Christmas, while DH was bemoaning the state of the workroom I jokingly suggested building a new larger workroom on top of  the garage, I was dumbfounded when he said that was not a bad idea, but wouldn't do anything till after the festivities. I thought that would be the end of the matter, but hey! till about 6 weeks ago when he said we should get an architect to take a look (I wanted to run round the house whooping with joy) but agreed sedately & quietly that was a good idea. The architect said YES it's possible (whoop whoop!!) DH said he would think about it :-) Then joy of joys he (the architect) was invited back to take measurements, and has now gone off to 'do the drawings'. And sooo I wait (patiently of course!!) and we have been slowly preparing - i.e. emptying the garage & garage loft of all DH's 'stuff'. We now need a new shed to keep all the things he is not willing to let go of yet (boys and their toys eh!).
Other things that have happened are the cutting down and digging out 2 huge enormous conifer trees and getting rid of the greenhouse to make room for said shed, here are some pictures to give you an idea.

Previous view - the garden from the house, (conifers are centre right with the greenhouse behind them)

Trees gone!

Greenhouse gone

we are informed the plans will take 3 months and a Local Authority planning application takes 8 weeks and so I wait, and I sew, and I knit and I make copious plans of what will go where. Will keep you posted.

Today I went to a workshop with some of the girls from Severn Valley Quilters, our tutor for the day was Kate Percival who taught us how to make her 'Kimono' Cushion, first seen at Lady Sew and Sew at Henley on Thames, when I visited there with Westbury Park Quilters (see post 15th November 2013) What a fun day it was, she was a kind patient tutor who kept us busy sewing for most of the day, nothing was to much trouble for her and even when I 'threw my teddy out of the pram' because my piece would not go right, she was cool and calm. So this is what I came home with

 

the 'Kimono' - lots of folding and pressing!

the cushion front

I need to add a couple more borders and 2 strip sets to make the 'roof' of the panel then work the quilting  and add a back, before hand sewing the kimono in the centre, (see image 25 in Kate's Gallery on the link above).

On the knitting front I have made one of the Week 2 squares from the Rowan Mystery Knit along (see previous post) this time I'm using a soft grey and bright red yarns (from my stash this time!). The square is called Nordic Star and looks like this.

Also completed is all the red work stitching on the Love Hearts piece (also in previous post) which now looks like this,

I plan to add a narrow border (it's got to finish at A4 size) then decide if it needs any more quilting before binding it and sending it off with the previously made Needle-books.

G'bye for now
Lx