Back once more!!!

As most of you will realize I have been absent for a while, but during that time I have not been idling, though sometimes I think there must be a leak of time in my life as I suddenly find its Friday (again!) and once more I have not managed to get here to talk to all you lovely people. Let me give you a quick round up of events (hopefully without boring you!!)

Well there's the usual round of taking care of my dear Mum whom I can't believe will reach the grand age of 90 in September. Then there's the dashing off to DD's to help with her Slimming World groups/dog sit and babysitting weekends etc. I have been doing some knitting, currently with 3 projects on the needles, one that just needs the neckline done but I think there is something wrong with the pattern and I simply cannot fathom it out unless I'm missing something. (Quite possible I accept) as after 4 attempts its still not right. I am working on an Intarsia project for Little H Yes! Yes! I hear you reminding me that I swore I would never do another one after Maisie Mouse, but she loves this pattern and Grandma is a sucker for those big brown eyes and sweet smile!!!!! and this one promises to be a lot easier (who am I kidding here!) and a new technique of a baby sweater which is worked from the neck down and will have no seams - interesting eh!

During April we had some lovely weather, so I took a view from the Sewing room window, its quite a different view of the garden,  now looking out onto the patio and into the Apple tree (lots of birds to distract me)

While enjoying the sunshine I made these little bookmarks. 

At the end of April it was my birthday, I received lots of pretty cards and some lovely gifts. I bought some raffle tickets from the Wool Stop during Yarn Shop day and my birthday week ended with the news that I had won a wonderful hamper full of  knitting goodness.

The May meeting of Clock Towers Quilters brought forth some show and tell, Julie had made a pretty bag,

Heather and Sheila had both made baby quilts 

Mollie, Carol and Pat had completed their Disappearing 4 patch quilt tops, and in the background you can see Carys 'beavering' away.

THEN don't ask me how but I sprained my ankle, simply by standing up to walk across the room! In this picture taken later in the day you can just see the bruise on the right hand side of my foot, which had gone a very funny shape.Within a few more days it was very 'pretty' in shades of blue and black. Boy did it hurt AND it was my 'machine driving' foot AND only a couple of weeks before Malvern.

As I was being told to rest it the only thing I could do was resort to hand sewing, so out came the embroidery box, then in a period of utter boredom I joined Pinterest, OMG its so good!!!! and I have to say quite good for losing a couple of hours, one project caught my attention, on a page labelled 'A Million Little Stitches' I saw an idea for embroidered books, so while sitting down I managed to cut out some Calico 'pages' and tacked around the edges of each page leaving a 'design area' of 6"x 4",

I intend to fill each page with a different embroidery stitch and I have started with Chain Stitch in as many variations as I can think of, I plan to work on it in quiet moments between big projects, and will try to show you each page as I complete it. Luckily my ankle was much better by the time Malvern was due to open so I decided to give it a go, I took a few pictures to show you, though I'm sure many of you were there. I'm afraid I did not get any names for these and I must apologize for being unable to give due credit to the makers.
The following was best in show, and was stunning both in the technique,  the execution of the piecing and the wonderful colours.

This one was very interesting, lots of hand embroidery and colour wash style techniques.

and I loved this one which had also won several rosettes, it was beautifully embellished with numerous sequins and beads.

Well I think that is enough of me for one day so I will sign off with a promise to come back tomorrow and bring you up to date with the goings on in my neck of the woods.
TTFN

Lx