End of July..

This hosta sneakily came out while we were away, Ready to welcome us home, I suppose, 

 And this bright hemerocallis, a bit rain spattered, but we missed the first bloom. Good strong cheery colour, this one.

Yellow courgettes. These do not waste much energy in sprawling all over before producing those courgettes! Yeas, they are thick in there, and the bees love those bright flowers!

4lb picked from two plants today. Jam anyone? 

 And I made this bag, I had seen some fabric online, in Ikea, which I wanted to use for the bag- but when I got to it, the scale of the print was too big, so I got this instead. These birds feature on Gunilla, and it was so hard to choose which birds to put where on the bag!

The one I had pre chosen, that wouldn't have worked was Evalotta. I loved the colours, but I would not have had a whole bird on it!









A little more on the retreat goodies..

 These from the strip swap...










 goodies from the  goodie bag...

 why do I want the drawing pins?? I am sure it will come to me..

 Purchases from the quilt market- well there was a discount voucher for Oakshott, so how could I not?
And some FQs from Fluffy sheep, and some really cute hedgehogs, given by my dear friend, and equally cute elephants ...

There were a few other bits and bobs, but this is really it..





And I finally managed a couple more triangles for the stash bee. A bit brighter, I think.All packed up and ready for the mail.

 And they have been posted... Phew.

Driving up through Galway and stopping for occasional photo stops. Doesn't this just look like a jigsaw picture?











We got to Roundstone and stopped, Himself had an ice cream. I found a couple of postcards, which I wrote and sent quickly, as they might have come home with me otherwise!













Peering over the edge at the harbour, there was a jellyfish lurking.. I think it may have been a 'compass' jellyfish. Pretty, but I am glad I was not too near!

Can you spot it? Of course!

We parked near a B and B, with a quirky name- Put me in mind of someone...



The next day we went to the Burren.

                                                                                   



And saw Dunguaire Castle, again, it looks chocolate boxy, and pretty little villages. We also went looking for the Burren Smokehouse. We knew where it was, as in, we knew which town. But. Yes, big BUT. when you get to the town they stop signposting for the smoke house?? We drove through the town one way. We turned around and drove through the other way. We turned up a side road. And turned around and decided, whatever the smokehouse has, we aren't going to get there! so let us wend our way on. And there, like the garden in Alice through the looking glass, the smokehouse is right in front of us, because we have stopped looking!

Ok we bought some bits.. food- cheese, smoked salmon, you know, ordinary type stuff... ish..

And back to Galway. For the dancing. Ok you can have enough of Morris dancers. but here are some pictures just in case you like seeing Morris dancers.. Not obliged to look!

                                    one of the musicians

 They get dangerous with those things! Two long sticks each..

And the one legged Morris men at the front there

And the hen parties wanted their photos taken with the side, 

 And if you ever get dragged into a Morris dance - see that lass with the stripey jumper - She has no idea...




that the dance is going to end like

...

THIS!

Quick notes!

 What is the nicest compliment you have received recently?

I can tell you mine!

' You are just as mad in real life as you are on your blog!'


Well, I thought that was perfect!


 Did we have a good time? Yes, we did!
I was escorted by my lad, who came with me, to meet a fellow retreater, with whom I went to lunch!

Sorry about the blurry picture...

She was everything I had hoped, from previous correspondence, and we laughed, and chatted- well, I chatted, she laughed, and we had lunch. She had warned me, she is very quiet... and does not talk... so I was warned! but I think... she is a little more chatty than she may have led me to believe!  But a lovely person, just as mad as I am, in the loveliest way!

And so, we attended the retreat. Table tops, and workshops, and met new folk, and did different things, and just got on with this and that.

and my lad came to fetch me at the end, and we all went for a meal, and he escorted me back to his place for the night, afterward.



And brought me back into London the next day, with sewing machine.... which was immediately pressed into use!

But not by me!

In the afternoon, we made 'Portholes' Not 'gloryholes' , we were told- there seems to be some nuance there that I may be missing...

That evening, there was the sample swap.

My little group was lovely, and I received the wonderful zippy pouch, which has been pressed into immediate service, to take a little hand work on holiday tomorrow..

Porthole, the first

 I also received the gorgeous purse from Nicky, which I had been coveting! and a pretty, oh, so pretty, mug rug, from Gertie Pye! But it is white! how can I plonk a cup of tea on that?

I will have to think that one through!

Porthole, the second

Yes, I used variegated thread on this one. 

Porthole, the third!

 Then, the last day, precision piecing with Lynn!

Well, some of my seams meet where they are meant to,  but I consistently make my blocks 1/8" too big.. A small fault perhaps.. but..

At least I am consistent ( silly grin)

And my lad came to bring my machine back at the end. He is not a bad lad!

And she had the dies for cutting Drunkards path! so I borrowed her Sizzix, and cut my pieces, and then did two versions. One with pins, one without.

And there was not a pick between them. So, I shall continue to sew these with no pins, and cross my fingers and hope they work!Two of these illustrated are non pinned, and one pinned!

Guess the odd one out!  No prizes, because I do not know myself.

Now, I am off, and may be back in a weeks time- perhaps.. And I may tell you more- but then, you may be bored by all of it by then, so what I have omitted, may stay that way!

Triple Zippy - 7 out of 10

 Ok, I joined in, because, I had seen these out there, and wanted to have a go. They look really neat, and fun, if a bit fiddly.

There is a fabulous tutorial out there, It is just certain persons, who shall be nameless, do not always quite follow the instructions properly...
I shall look the other way while you tut...

Ok, so the putting together is not the problem.
But, well, there are these zipper end tabs. And if you are not mega accurate, you might... lose them in the sewing?? Perhaps... even though you measured, and measured again, several times, instead of eyeballing it, as per normal!

And that is when there are end tabs at one end, but not at the other...

Anyway, this is so totally not what my partner wants, that it doesn't matter, because I can keep this one and use it,  then the faults are not faults, they are foibles, and go find the type of fabric she does want, and make it better!

While following most of the distractions provided, I realised, one place can be simplified. That is, when we are nearly finished, and have the lining looking at us, and are instructed, to pull it aside, and sew the side seams. We do not need to pull it aside. We can take the main lining right off, so the two bits hold hands round the zip, and sew those main body side seams with no distractions. And one of the lining seams. Then, fold the lining back onto the pouch, turn it all right sides out, and just sew the last seam as per instructions!

Clear as mud? Yes, I thought so... I shall try to get photos when I do my 'for real' pouch!

I also think this pouch is a wee bit wee? so, I think I may just enlarge it a tad, for making the 'real' one! I can get my rotary cutter in, just! and do the zip up.. just. So an inch larger all round wouldn't hurt, would it?

Very green, or perhaps not..

Purple and lime green, that is what my Secret tote partner wanted- sorry, Caroline, I cannot send you this, but it made me think of you! you will have to ignore the slug evidence- I suppose they have to live too.. 

 This little lady is Teasing Georgia, She graces my back garden



while.....














Graham Thomas sells himself in the front!














Philadelphus Belle Etoile smells gorgeous.

And the smallest yellow courgettes in the world are just about big enough to eat now!

 and the first cucumber flowers are out!


and I have eaten my first home grown tomatoes!















A hanging basket tomato!












 Just to complete the picture, a new tree has appeared! This is Tanya's Hipbee request.

It is quite difficult to photograph this one, as it is so pale. I hope Tanya will like it.

And this is what I have managed for the Stash bee. A bit uninspired, but the request was, get all the ugly fabrics out and make these triangles. So, ugly I have very little of, but these feel, well, a bit ... dull?  I think I shall have to make some brighter ones to go with them!







Now, if you have made it all the way down here, here is a thought,


May, that fabraholic lady, runs a little Flickr club. She calls it Lazy Bums. Well, I would never come up with a name like that, would I?
So, the object of this club is, to take ten UFOs, and put them up on a list to be tackled. There are various ways we are going to be challenged to deal with these awkward clients. Perhaps one month we shall all try to complete UFO number 4, or, another month she will ask us to wipe out the oldest UFO on the list. One way or another, we are to be encouraged to attack these stored in boxes UFOs, and get them finished!

To find out more look at her post here, she explains so much better than I can!

So, why not join in? Just pop in to the Flickr group and ask if she will let you in. After all, if she let me in, I am sure she will be glad to welcome you!

Sugar Plum Fairy

 I have been working on this cutie. She should be on stage in about a week!

 This delicate coloured rose is one of those nameless ones you are given for an occasion. Looks like porcelain to me, but she is real- even to the greenfly she supports..

 Lily Marlene pretends she is not a rose at all..

 And, in a few short weeks we go from this...

to this!

Fabric, to skirt ON, 2 hours!

I needed to make a skirt. Specifically, a circular skirt.
Now, I have made many circular skirts in my time, but I do not think I made one for me before.
So, I double checked all my calculations, and ran them past my OH, and he agreed, before I went for it!
I have had the fabric sitting waiting, for a couple of weeks. I got it at Abakhan, so it was not very expensive. However, when I got it, I knew I was planning to make a circular skirt, but I hadn't worked out just what quantity I would need. So I made a mad guess, and went for it.
If I had done the working out, I would have got about another 6", so, my skirt is slightly shorter than it would normally have been..

Oh, did you want to see my new skirt? on?

Oh, alright then, here goes

 Blame my OH for these two... I am just showing off a bit!

And he chopped off my hand!

Anyone going to the retreat, who wants to have a go, can just let me know!

It is surprisingly easy and quick, and very satisfying.

And this super card arrived this week, too! Thank you Caroline, That is such a pretty card! I guess you quite liked your tote, then!