Catching up

Catch-up time!  Finally, here's some photos of my makes from this summer's Fat Quarterly Retreat.  I loved it and learnt a lot but I think it is far too late now to say much more - so many others have already done so.
The cushions below are the finished pieces of Precision Piecing from Lynne's great class- I had a treat and bought new fabric for this class, just buying what I really liked without much thought with what I'd do with the end product...........as I finished the precision pieced pieces (I do like writing that!) I realised that whatever I turned them into would never look right with anything in our house, much as I love the fabrics and colours.  I have made them up into 16 inch cushion covers and will load them up onto my folksy shop - it has been closed since Katie was born but I plan to re-open it in the next few weeks, I have quite a bit of stock built up ready to go.  And so many ideas for other things I'd like to make, as and when I find the time!

 I also attended Lu's Improv class - this was a lot of fun, I like working that way and Lu herself is brilliant.  I used my leftover Maze and Vale and other odds and ends from my Free As A Bird Quilt.  Lu hand quilts her improv pieces, but while I'd love to do it, I just know I wouldn't find the time.  So it is quilted with an improv spiral instead - done completely free-hand and more than a little squint!

My mini-quilt is living happily on our dining table with our basket of special shells and other treasures.

 Apart from the above I haven't really managed much this week.  I still have crochet and English Paper Pieceing to finish from FQR -don't hold your breath!  Katie is feeling pretty poorly and really isn't herself.  She fell asleep on Tuseday morning around 7.45 am.  I put her in the playpen each morning while I'm in the shower (she is such a busy fiddly little person that it is the only safe thing to do) - when I came out I realised things were unusually quiet - this is what I saw when I peeped into the sitting room!

Please don't pin this photo

She has wanted a lot of attention and has spent a lot of time sitting like this, cuddling Doddy Pot (Spotty Dog).  Hopefully she'll be back to her cheery self soon.  

Thanks so much for all the lovely comments on the Free As A Bird Quilt - they were lovely to read and very much appreciated. 

Me!

We're loving our summer holiday here in Forest Poppy land - I'm way behind on blogging and there's loads I want to talk about (quilts, clothes sewing and Scottish holidays in the sunshine.....now that does need to be recorded so I won't forget!) - but I am popping by to blether about none of them - instead I'm here to tell you about me.

Super tote - one of my favourite makes

It is less than a week to the Fat Quarterly Retreat  - and I'm excited but just a wee bit nervous too.  There's a lot of people going and only a small handful that I know.  So, this is for any new visitors in advance of the Retreat, except I'm really not sure what to tell you.  Here's some things::

1. I'm 40 - and my ticket to FQR is my birthday present - it is good to be 40!

2. I have four kids  - Finn is 10, Angus is 9, Islay is 6 and Katie is just 22 months.

3. John and I met in Peru and we both love to travel but don't do so much just now (see no. 2 above!)

4. Until having Islay I worked as a forester and loved it - maybe one day I can do it again but it could be tricky as we now live in East Lothian which is very beautiful but rather short of trees.

5. I loved making things when I was little but really found my love for sewing once I stopped working.  I love to quilt and really enjoy making clothes too - I'm still very much learning and teaching myself as I go along.

6. I'm not very keen on having my photo taken (which may be why there's a huge backlog of clothes which I haven't blogged about - photo below shows the usual results) and I'm not too well acquainted with hairdryers and make-up - look for the person with her hair looking hugely bushy or pulled back in a scrappy bundle.

7. I love to be out in the countryside, walking and cycling and don't really like cities but I do love a short to visit London - can't wait in fact.

A typical photo of me....bushy hair and trying to hide - Shearwater Kaftan made by me

Me and the kids last week in the River Lyon - perfect Scottish summer holidaying

My Aeroplane Bag -it holds my machine but not my cutting mat - how to I get the mat to London?

I still have a fair bit of prep and organising to do. Not to mention packing for a camping holiday to France - I am joining John and the children at a friends house in Portsmouth after the FQR and we are heading for Dover on Monday morning.  I'm trying not to think about the likelihood of forgetting something important.

Hope to see you in London and please say hello! 

Fat Quarterly Retreat Name Tag (and finally claiming my blog on bloglovin!)

One of the parts of last year's Fat Quarterly Retreat that looked a lot of fun was the Name Tag swap.  Each person who signs up is assigned a partner to make a name tag for - based on (one hopes) their partner's likes and dislikes.  Being a secret swap, for me at least, makes it extra special - I love and hate secrets in equal measure.

I was quick to sign up for this year's swap (getting to go to FQR is one of the highlights of being 40 this year!) and was pretty excited to receive my message letting me know who my partner is........and then a little nervous coz she is very good at sewing.  I won't say any more or I might let something slip.

As you know I don't normally do small and detailed but there's really not much else a name tag can be.......I have done my best, and think it is her, and hope she enjoys it.  I can't show you the back as that is a bit of a give-away or the middle of the front as that is a bit of a give-away too!

 And finally I need to do a bit of admin and claim my blog on bloglovin.  I am finally used to using bloglovin.....just one of those techie things that feel as if they get in the way.   If you want to follow my blog I now have a wee bloglovin logo thingy on the right-hand side - just click on it and you'll be able to keep track of what I'm up to.  Or you can sign up to get an email whenever there's a new post  - I think my mum just discovered this option!  

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