Dordogne Quilter

Fabric Shopping

2009-07-13T08:46:00.003+02:00

It's vide grenier season again and I've been shopping.

This lot cost the princely sum of 5€. The dark blue plaid at the back is mostly scraps, but there is a good lot of them.

The two "wodges" at the front are roughly about 2 metres each and each cost the same in Euro.

Lovely bargains are washed, waiting to be ironed and then stored for winter projects.
(note to self to buy new plastic tub today for the growing plaid collection.)

Looking Forward

2009-07-09T10:50:00.001+02:00

I've got to start saving the centimes and looking at ferry crossings.

Why?

A trip to back to the UK is on the cards for March 2010.

Why?

Look here!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-07-08T07:56:00.002+02:00

Wordless Wednesday II

2009-07-01T09:45:00.004+02:00

Making Do

2009-06-29T12:10:00.002+02:00

I'm always on the look out for new ways of marking fabric.

I've tried the "that last bit of the soap" route which was fine until I started using the tail end of some Wright's Coal Tar soap and the smell was overpowering. (I love the soap, but the smell was just a little bit too much.)

I've tried tailor's chalk - nope - marked the fabric and it doesn't wash off very well.

I bought a chalk marker from the LQS which I love using, especially for Baptist Fans.

Then Tonya and Bonnie talked about the Hera marker and I thought I'd give it a go. Doesn't mark the fabric. It just leaves an indent.

As you know, The Young One is going back to the UK on Saturday for 2 weeks so I've been doing a search for shops in Canterbury which would sell this little tool.

I then had a brain wave!

The Young One used to have Play-Doh when she was little. Each pack contained a cutting tool which is basically the same design.

It works!

Can you see the diagonal line in the blue square?

That's saved some pennies!

Time seems to be slipping through my fingers

2009-06-27T01:22:00.003+02:00

How are things with you?

Not a lot going on here - just taking it easy and brewing up for the Grand Vacances.

Busy looking after the pool, mowing the lawn, watching Wimbledon, watering and weeding the tiny potager and generally just tootling along in what is turning out to be a very hot summer.

The Young One had her last full day of school yesterday, today has been spent mucking about (she came home with her back covered in green felt-tip). She's going back for more on Monday, has a day off on Tuesday and on Wednesday most of the two 4° classes are joining forces for a massive sleep-over at a local salle de fête (village hall).

Saturday week (4th July!!!!) she is off to the UK for 2 weeks and after that we are busy busy busy for at least a month.

Will pop in when I can, but there is not a lot of quilting going on at the moment. IT'S TOO HOT!

I'll be back as soon as I can.

Have a good summer.

Clare xxx

Wordy Wednesday

2009-06-24T09:21:00.005+02:00

Found in paving stones in a street in Périgueux - please don't ask me to translate!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-06-17T12:13:00.001+02:00

Quilts 4 Leukaemia - An Idea

2009-06-14T13:26:00.004+02:00

We are approaching Quilt #20 and in order to celebrate this momentus occasion, I'm asking for your help.

This is the quilt.

The blocks have been made by Karol Ann, Anne and Linda.

The border fabric was supplied by Tonya.

I thought I had found a recipient in France, but the mother hasn't replied to numerous emails so .................

What I want you to do is to find me a person to send it to.

It must be a little girl - I can't somehow see this as a boy's quilt - and I would prefer the recipient to be in Europe. A lot of the quilts have been going to the USA and beyond so I think it's Europe's turn.

You don't necessarily have to know the recipient. You can do a Google search, surf blogland, look on Facebook or anywhere. You might have read an article in your local newspaper, or even seen or heard something on the local news.

You must then contact the recipient's parents to seek their consent (I always do this anyway), mentioning why you are contacting them and the Quilts 4 Leukaemia blog so they can see what we do.

Then send me an email, or leave a comment here, with a link to the child's blog/web site.

The person whose request is successful will receive their own Q4L mini quilt as a thank you.

(Quilt #19 is being finished which is why this one is 20)

Wordless Wednesday - Yum!

2009-06-10T10:03:00.001+02:00

Joyeux Anniversaire Fanny

2009-06-09T10:41:00.002+02:00

Fanny is part of The Young One's gang.

She's 3 months younger than The Young One, but a head taller and is a Bob Marley fan.

She lives with her Mum and Step-Father in the most gorgeous, falling down, chateau I've ever seen. The garden is just out of this world.

Her mother is in Quebec at the moment so she's feeling a bit sorry for herself.

So what does a Mum do for her daughter's best friend?

(I've been told that I've got the colours in the wrong order and I did mean to make the Y red, but I like it all the same.)

Back in Quilting Mode

2009-06-08T09:36:00.005+02:00

It's been raining here in Dordognefordshire. Raining quite hard.

So what is a girl to do when she can't get outside to hoe the veg patch and
talk to the tomato plants.

Sew of course!

Been chain piecing Seminole blocks like mad.

The top row isn't finished yet. I put them there for effect!

___________________________________________________________

Look at this Mock Orange. It's gone mad and the scent is wonderful.

I love the way it's managed to get itself in amongst the cherries

and the way this arches because of the weight of the blossom. Reminds me a bridal bouquet.

Oooops - fiddling about with a new widget and managed to do something to the comments. I think it's back to normal now, but someone left a comment and I don't know who it is as it showed up as me!

Not Quite Wordless Wednesday

2009-06-03T08:21:00.002+02:00

Why on earth am I thinking fire wood when outside it's in the top 20's?

jmb mommy, aka Jessica, is celebrating her third birthday. She's having a lovely party. Why don't you click here and say hi, but be warned. The cake has already been eaten!

30 FQ's Give-Away

2009-06-02T11:46:00.002+02:00

Yup - 30!

Hop over to The Fabric Shopper - click here.

Juggling,

2009-06-01T08:08:00.007+02:00

or procrastinating, or multi-tasking, got the fidgets or just plain old can't make my mind up!

(I don't think the photos are clickable. I've embeded them from older posts.)

This has come to the the top of the pile telling me it needs to be up on it's proposed hanging place pretty damn soon. (I have told it it's got to wait a bit longer as I'm still not completely happy with it.)

Then this decided it needed my attention. When Lazy Gal Tonya starts quilting the Halloween Noises quilt, I want to quilt this at the same time so it needs a black border on it. I also need to start thinking of designs. The Young One suggested lots and lots of spider webs all connected. Hmmmmm!

This came down off the wall yesterday and is being tied. I've found a little girl in France to be its owner. I've been searching and searching in Blogland and finally found someone this weekend.

I wonder if this is the oldest WIP in quilting history? Two years on and it's still not finished. The other day it appeared on the back of the sofa, seeking attention too.

To round off this post.

My lovely Texan friend, Brown Dirt Belinda, and I have occasional phone chats, usually lasting for about 2 hours. Last time we spoke she asked what I was looking at while I was on the phone.
This is what I can see out of the window by the phone.

The hay was cut at 8.00 am yesterday morning. At 7.00 am this morning the farmer was back to turn it. That means that either later on today, or tomorrow, it will be baled. Unfortunately someone will be missing from the yearly photo shoot of the hay bales.

I had a quiet weep yesterday evening. I still miss her - terribly. This was her favourite time of year.

Right - I'm outta here.

PS - I'm in the process of decorating (again) so please bear with me. Then I promise I'll stop fiddling.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-05-27T11:14:00.001+02:00

It's that time of year again

2009-05-23T16:09:00.003+02:00

so I may be a bit quiet.

Thanks for all your great comments on the previous posts. Sorry I haven't replied to each and every one like I usually do, but time is of the essence at the moment.

A plus.

Clare x

Wordless Wednesday - c'est la saison

2009-05-20T07:58:00.001+02:00

Screeeech-y II

2009-05-19T16:17:00.002+02:00

Any better?

Inspiration?

2009-05-17T13:44:00.001+02:00

I don't know why, but this just grabbed me.

Screeech - ing

2009-05-17T00:25:00.003+02:00

Not happy with the H. Not toothy enough. I lost the points in the seams.
Might unpick that letter and do it again.

Strip is 30" long and 8" wide.

We had a houseful of teenagers last night. Now The Young One has gone to a friend's house for the night and I feel as if I haven' t seen her for weeks. What with college, her social life and us acting as a taxi service most weekends, we are lucky if we have 5 minutes of her company and I miss her.

I was sent to boarding school at her age and was terribly homesick. I wonder if my Mum missed me as much as I miss T.Y.O?

On that note, I'm off to bed.

Night Night.

A Finish!

2009-05-15T17:50:00.002+02:00

In haste as a houseful of teenagers, but, at long last, Liquorice Lane is on the wall!

Wordless Wednesday - Guess?

2009-05-13T08:58:00.001+02:00

Light Bulb Moment

2009-05-10T09:23:00.001+02:00

Can you spot what's wrong with this? I can.

Light bulb moment at 4.00 a.m. Put this lot in the Parts Department and start again, only this time using the correct technique.

More later.

I know it's Mother's Day tomorrow, but .......

2009-05-09T16:04:00.010+02:00

I certainly didn't expect this lot to be left outside the front door this morning.

I knew I'd won a surprise giveaway on Belinda's blog about a month ago, but I didn't expect to receive such a big envelope packed to bursting.

What's inside here I wonder?

Oh gosh - just what I wanted! I'm running out of white. Oh cool!

Ohhhhh - more goodies

More squeaks of joy

and even more jumping up and down.
Lovely Belinda has put in a little something for The Young One.

OMG - more reels of thread at the bottom!

Lots and lots of lovely things

Belinda. You are really so kind. I'm over awed by your generosity. Thank you so very very much.

The Young One says thank you for the peppermints all the way from Brown Dirt country and, no, I can't have the tin when she's finished them!

I'm pondering upon an idea to Pay It Forward. Will blog about it soon.