Journey project.

Well, I was going to download snaps from my holidays and IF they were any good, basically in focus (or not) put a few on my blog. But I am unable to locate the cable that connects the camera to the laptop :-(
I know where it is, it's not a forgetful moment... it's in the attic. We tidied our little spare room out, making it very presentable as a room rather than a big cupboard with a window and curtains you can't reach to open or close - just to clarify - they were open, it wasn't a "How clean is your house?" room.
Anyway, the tallboy chest of drawers that houses cables is up in the attic and the wanted computer connection is in it. And the attic ladders are still living in the shed... which means step ladders to get into the attic, with a slight jump up into said attic, which is do-able. It's the slight jump back onto the step ladder that I struggle with.
So instead I will drop in a few pics of my - drum-roll - croched blanket that has kept me occupied on our last few holidays.

It began HERE when we drove to the Loire, and having done it a few times I had thought "why sit here doing nothing". So the journey began. Crochet always seemed an unreachable thing for me, couldn't hold my hands, fingers quite right but thanks to YouTube I got it. So every time I have gone away, so has the bag of crochet. The cotton came from a kindly customer in the old shop. It was one of the kindly... "my mother-in-law died and I was clearing out her knitting bag or sewing basket" and we would get bin bags handed in. We weren't a charity shop, we sold new things. What people thought we would do with sewing baskets that had been well used I don't know, but anyway, that particular day a few boxes of older Coats mercerised cotton came in and I pulled out a ball in a quiet moment. 

 100 squares later...

So now, I will have to find something else to keep me quiet on journeys. This blanket has been to France several times, Bath, Italy, North East of Scotland, Yorkshire... now it's going to live in the house. 

Been away on hols and ...

...will sit down and chat but in the mean time...

...Monet's garden in Giverny nr Paris, Derek Jarman's Dungeness garden and a little cropping from my own little veggie patch.

Talk about wind down...

Well just like a light switch puts the light on, it can switch off. I think that's what's happened here. Is this a psychological thing I'm wondering? It's been so busy the past few weeks and gradually things have been stopping for summer. Afterschool clubs, classes, kids music blah blah... the girls finished up last week, as did I, and I feel like I sat down with a cuppa and haven't got up.
not strictly true, we got a new ironing board - which sounds unexciting but OMG it's ama-Z-ing as teenage childers would say. It's a beast of a baby and very flat - don't laugh - it's really wide and flat. So for a first our ironing basket is empty :-D
No2 D got a job, she started delivering papers last week and so far is enjoying it. (A week in)
I am making myself a bag, and have decided to, influenced by my many japanese books, embelish the front pocket a bit...

I have been crocheting dishclothes too, hark at me the domestic goddess :-D I'm also working on a wedding cake this week and next, and today LOVELY flowers arrived for me as a pre-thank you... no pressure then.

My gardens not bad either, although I need to get that wall painted...

Busy old time...

Even though I finished my evening classes I have felt busier than ever. School shows, sports days, trips... are filling the time and I am thankful that I have had the time to focus on them. Maybe I am due a break, like the uncoiling spring about to go - I am ready for the holidays. I still must make a list as I have some very important things ahead before we go on holiday (YEAH!) a wedding cake most importantly. That's to be done this week, as much as can be as two of the layers are to be made last minute.

I treated myself to new shoes - 25% off them so I was VERY pleased.

We had a fantastic time last weekend in Edinburgh. A friend from Art School was married in the most beautiful Castle. So we had plenty Ceilidh dancing and champagne...

This weekend we have been bust busy busy. We had my nieces staying and we decided that fish'n'chips by the sea were in order, so we did our little trip down to Troon. It's about 20 mins from our house to the west coast town of Troon which is a lovely little jaunt. We do it very regularly with the dog, and she enjoys a right good run along the beach.

Well... we did comment on the whiff in the air when we arrived, but we continued with our walk. 

Just as this pic was taken the smell became overpowering and I started walking towards my husband and the dog. I was wading through seaweed - I THOUGHT, and then realised it wasn't just seaweed. It was sewage... Well, it was like a scene from Jaws, with shouting "GET OUT OF THE WATER!!" followed by "GET OFF OF THE BEACH!!" Youngest daughter screaming "IT'S IN MY SHOES!!"

We did laugh, after we had washed our wellies down and bagged up smelly shoes for the bin. 

Tonight I have just come home from a lovely evening at the Art School, celebrating past students returning for the last time to buildings that are being knocked down. They are rebuilding with something someone/group feels more appropriate for Glasgow School of Art, to sit opposite the famous MacIntosh building. Personally I think the 60s concrete is what it is and it should be loved for that reason, instead of torn down to be replaced by a glass monstrocity...

My old desk...

memories... :-)

I had my last class.

last week was my last glass class - unless I re-enrol in the new term (sept) which I am considerng. It is a bit of a commitment because not only is it pretty pricey, it is a commitment of time. Time taken from sewing days to design/plan/make glass... so thnking about it.

I have started cutting up another one

I don't think I'm an addictive personality , I just was determined to make as much as I could in my 6 wks, and this - hopefully - is for a friend who gave me piles of lovely things to get me started, far too much truthfully.

This time last week I made a quilt practically in a day which was lovely lovely lovely, so today I wondered what I could sew. Not a quilt, not today, so after a bit of this...

I made myself this for holidays...

..the skirt. I traced the shape of a favourite summer skirt and made a pattern. It must be age - because I overlocked seams, finished edges... the old, young me - if you like - would have mish-mashed what from the outside looked great but wouldn't last.

Anyway, pleased as punch :-)

Sewing this week because...

...I left my glass box at art school :-(
I could have cut up and played with glass but since I left my stuff to save carrying home I couldn't.

I planned to sew but my children took over and I left them to it. It was quite a pleasure to sit with my new magazine, which is lovely.

I got a lovely surprise in the post last week, I took part in Quilted Basket Swap. My bag went to Canada and I received this lovely bag from Belgium, so lovely!! Thank you Monica X
My mother was away on a quilting weekend at the lovely Fat Quarter shop run by Kim. And I got this

gorgeousness.. For obvious reasons the Layer cake is very appropriate and was bursting to be chopped.

It obliged beautifully and chop, sew, chop, sew - talk about happy patcher. I spent yesterday from midday sewing away. There was an Agatha Christie fest on the telly so I ploughed along whilst I absorbed Poirot (twice), Miss Marple and another mystery... 

and today I finished off the binding and put on a hanging sleeve. So it is now beautifully positioned on the wall in my old sewing room that was finally cleared up on saturday. It had become a dumping ground and anything needing sorting was thrown in, but it is actually a pleasant little room. Now as you come up the stair this lovely quilt smiles at you. WHich is good because it takes your eye from the grubby ancient carpet. 

Glass/Patchwork/Patchwork/Glass

I am finding myself drawn to stained glass... I am finding myself feeling a new thing taking over the house... I am finding myself joining a support group...
...My name is Polly and I am addicted to crafts!!
Oh dear.. it's only been a few weeks but I am stressing about splitting my time between the garden, which even though the weather hasn't been great I love to potter - the patchwork which I find a half an hour for then sneak another and before long it's midnight and plans that were thought have been shelved - and now glass work. Stained glass can be done at home, once you have cutters and a board, off you go.
Then last friday I went to the glass shop... which is like a fabric shop for patchers!! It is lovely neat wooden shelving with coloured glasses, some deliciously handmade (V expensive) all lined up waiting to be wrapped.
That's what they do, wrap everything up in brown paper packages, not quite tied up with string but you still end up skipping out of the shop singing with happiness!!

So, keeping it simple, I have only two weeks left, I am making a small square birdy branch panel.

It's amazing the similarities with patchwork, thinking about colour etc - and the frustration that unlike my fabric stash which is bulging, my glass stash is limited. This I am accepting and I am not a fool, I am aware of the slippery slope with stash-ing so I will keep a tight lid on the glass box!!

I did manage to attach the flying geese border to this courthouse step quilt. I have used 2 layer cakes to make this, building up the border with whatever was left. There is to be another cream border then - I think - a wider navy one, Minnick and Simpson. Bit of a blurry snap but it gives the idea.

Another work in progress is my crotcheting which started here on a journey. I have now just about completed my 4 quarters and will sew them together. It is VERY exciting as 2008 summer driving to the Loire was when I began, and this summer we are going back and ONLY 3 years later have I managed to get it together :-)

Think I will do a few turns around the whole thing using the colours, plenty there to use.