Bow Tie Quilt Finished!

This quilt was started last summer as part of a Facebook group to make a summer scrappy bow tie quilt. I did do all the piecing last summer, but it has taken me ages to hand quilt it and finish it. Other projects just kept getting in the way. I'm happy with it, its amazing how sewing on the binding makes all the difference. It's like mowing the lawn, you spend ages on the beds but until the lawn is cut the garden looks a mess.

I've found hand quilting it a real pleasure, the more its handled when being quilted the softer it has become, it really feels like an old friend already even though it has only just been finished. I'm not sure where this will end up, on whose bed, but in the mean time I can hold it and look at it and enjoy it.

It's Been A While

I haven't posted for a while as I have been busy settling my mum into her new home and generally taking care of her. So also not much time for knitting or sewing. Today though I have had time to sort out some of the pictures I took in Santorini. Some of them I have put into my 112 for 2012 Challenge. I'm enjoying this photo treasure hunt, I still have lots to do but here is a taste of what I have so far.

#10 Silvery

#25 Crockery, Pottery or China

#47 Five

#86 Heart

I have been using Picassa to crop and edit photos for the first time and have been having fun. The collection of photos can be found in my 112 for 1012 set in my Flickr pages. There is a group in Flickr for the challenge with lots of other peoples interpretations of the themes as well as a list of the themes. Have a look.

Bloggers’ Quilt Festival :: Spring 2012

My first time entering the Bloggers Quilt Festival and I hope I am worthy. Thank you Amy of  Amy's Creative Side' for organising this online event. The story behind this quilt? well it was the colours really, as soon as I saw the Moda Ruby charm pack and jelly roll, I just had to have them. They had been sitting in my stash for a while whilst I decided what to do with them. They ended up as a Framed Square Cot Quilt. I was able to make a couple of cushions to go with the quilt as I had fabric left over.

The backing was not my initial choice but I could only get enough of this particular one so this is what it had to be, I'm glad as I love it. Through necessity I had to make a scrappy binding and again I'm pleased. Sometimes we end up with something really lovely that we hadn't completely planned. This is what this quilt is to me. It started off as one idea and ended up differently but in a good way.

Knitted Throw Project

This gorgeous yarn is the last five months of The Natural Dye Studio's Great British Wool Club . I've just noticed that I've made a mistake on the square shown, it should be like the orange one in the picture below. Never mind, that's the beauty of handmade. I've started with the dark grey which is 50% merino and 50% Zwartbles, it is a dream to knit with because of the softness of the yarn, not the composition as that is a little splitty. I really don't mind as I'm loving the feel of it through my fingers.

This is the throw I'm making with the yarn, I know that I'm using finer wool than this pattern calls for and finer needles so it will come out a little smaller, I may add a border, I don't know yet. My project notes can be found here. I like the portability of a project like this and it's pick up and put downableness (made up word - sorry) As I've been collecting this wool I've looking for a pattern for it, I was going to make crochet granny squares but I'm glad I found this, I think it will be fab.

Beautiful Santorini

Back from a simply lovely holiday in Santorini in Greece. Early summer I think is the best time for a trip to Greece, there are still lots of wild flowers and the weather is perfect. I took the above picture on a short walk we took from the hotel one morning.

The little town of Oia is famed for it's sunsets. We went one better and took a boat trip out one afternoon to swim in the hot springs, have a late lunch and then come back as the sun set. I don't know what I was expecting when it came to swimming in hot springs but when I got in the water it was really cold, swimming around I swam through bath warm and sea cold water within a few feet. Weird! 

We stayed at the Santorini Princess Hotel in Imerovigli. It was perfect. The location, the accommodation, the staff, the food and most importantly the peace and quiet were exactly what we needed. I cannot rate this hotel highly enough. 

My tan is fading as I sit here typing and I know I'm back to reality but I feel rested and ready to face the next few months as we settle my mother in with us to take care of her full time after the death of my father. A new phase to our lives, bring it on!!!

I'm A Runner Up!!!

I entered my little owl for a bit of fun into this mini challenge. I was a runner up, I'm thrilled, I never win anything, he is a cute owl though.

The May Cross Stitch Along

Really have to have a go at this. I bought this kit a few years ago at Ally Pally Knitting and Stitching Show. It's been in a drawer since then. Now is the time to get on with it. As I am going away in May for a little break it seems the ideal time and it is sooooo cute!!! This is the twitter hashtag for the #MayXStAlong.