Saturday, April 28, 2018

A real page turner

During the week I started a book that I borrowed from the local library and find that it is hard to put  down. 


Here is the review that I found on "google".

This mesmerizing debut is part love story, part mystery, telling the captivating story of two lovers torn apart by tragedy and the secrets they kept of one devastating night.

I'm the most authentic version of myself when I'm around Jack. We've known each other since we were kids, and our relationship was always one of mudpies and mocking. Then everything changed. Beautiful Kate, my best friend, disappeared on a moonlit beach after Jack dumped her for me. Jack was a suspect and, sure of his innocence, I lied to protect him. I know Jack didn't kill her. Our betrayal did. 13 years later, I am 30, childless, and single, attempting to renovate my life rescuing a rundown worker's cottage. All is as it should be in my safe little world--until Jack buys the vacant lot behind my house, and the feelings that we buried all those years ago--the guilt, the love, and the pain--resurface. We can't keep running away from the past--and to move forward we have to know what really happened to Kate.


If a book does not "grab" me from the first few pages then I do not waste time trying to wrestle with it as there are far too many good books to be read with not enough time.   This book certainly does not fall into that category.

I did find time to lift my head from the book during the week and went to  see "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society".    When I heard the name of the movie I was intrigued and suggested to my friends that we should go see it.    They all loved it just as much as I did - one of them had read the book and felt that the movie was close to the book.   That does not happen often.    

If you like a movie with no violence, no foul language, lovely scenery and a love triangle then this is the movie for you.   I also enjoyed seeing the lovely clothes from that era as well as the hearing swing music that was being played in the night club scenes.   It was also interesting to see just how many British actors were in it that I knew from other shows.    Do not ask me to name them but I can tell what part they played in which show!

Now that autumn like weather has finally arrived I tried to spend 2 hours each day during the week on quilting the mystery quilt and pleased to say that I finished it today.   Now all that remains to be done is to trim up, put on the binding then it can be called it a finish.  


   
I cross hatched  across each block and then stitched in the ditch around the "star" with channel stitching in the white sashings.    While searching around in my stash I found what I hope will be the perfect binding fabric and will fit in with the theme of black and white that I chose as my consistent colours in each block.

Linking with Friday Finished or Not and Oh Scrap.

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all



Tuesday, April 24, 2018

The challenge has been issued

Each member of my quilting group has been given these two pieces of fabric with the instruction of make anything that you like using both fabrics. 


As you can see neither piece is what you call large so obviously other fabrics can be added into the mix.    This challenge is to be completed for our Christmas in July meeting so there is some time to put on my thinking cap.   

All ideas gratefully received so please feel free to suggest away.

Back soon and in the meantime


Happy sewing all

Friday, April 20, 2018

Straight down the middle...

Time to put  those dancing shoes back on and learn the next step in the square dance mystery quilt-a-long that I am taking part in.  This time  the call is "straight down the middle" which was a very quick process.   I now have a pile of 9 patch blocks as well as two piles of rectangles - one with white on one side and dark on the other and the second pile has a dark and medium fabric sewn together.


I have had a play with what blocks there are so far and at this stage I am unable to see any design emerge.    The next clue is given tomorrow so hopefully the mystery will be one step closer to a solution. 

Off with the dancing shoes and onto sandwiching and pinning the mystery quilt that I have been working on over the last few weeks.


Now that the intense heat of summer has abated I can start to think quilting again.   As you can see the quilt is  "under the needle" and I even took the time to pre-wind several bobbins ready to drop in when needed.  

My OMG for April was to catch up on the new dance step and sandwich and pin the quilt - both were achieved I am happy to say.    

Thanks to Wendy for hosting another fun FNSI.

Linking with Friday Finished or Not.

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

Friday, April 13, 2018

A pink week

Not much has been happening this week in the sewing room but I did manage to make another A6 journal cover


As well as finish off the pink pinny for Miss M


So that is all that I have achieved.....what about you?

Linking with Finished or not Friday

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Happy sewing all

Friday, April 6, 2018

FNwF

A few weeks ago I was the lucky to receive a covered A6  notebook  and pen from a friend which just slips beautifully into my handbag and saves me from rummaging around looking for a piece of paper to jot something down.   Often  in the past I have resorted to using old shopping dockets or even paper serviettes as writing paper but no more.

I thought that the notebook was pretty as well as practical and asked my friend if I could use her idea and she kindly sent me the dimensions.      Perfect timing to use up those yellow scraps and make them into something useful.       The first one took me sometime to draft up and work out how to put it together.   Here is my proto type


Once I worked out how to put it together I went on to make another two in no time at all.

Here is the outside of all three together


And the inside


I was not sure about yellow and red together - not a choice that I would have made  - until I noticed this hibiscus on my way  to the clothesline.


You cannot argue with Mother Nature so I was very happy to mix my yellow and red fabrics and love the result.   Now  all that remains is for me to purchase the A6 notebooks and pens and they can be added to my "giftie" box.

Thanks Cheryll for hosting another fun night.

Linking with   Oh ScrapSo Scrappy, Finished on Friday or Not. 

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all




Wednesday, April 4, 2018

Yellow....

Is the colour chosen for this month's rainbow challenge.   Into the scrap bin cupboard and all that I could pull out is here


Hmmmm now to make something small and useful from this limited yellow selection.   After sorting through my scraps I spotted a piece of  hot pink jumbo cord fabric that was begging to be cut into a pinafore for Miss M. 


Pinafores are a great item of clothing  as you can pop a short sleeved t-shirt or long sleeve t-shirt underneath them, a cardigan over the top and leggings underneath for those cooler days.   

What cooler days I hear you ask!!!!!   We are now into the second month of autumn and hubs and I are still going for our morning swim.   Each day we think how many more days can we squeeze out of this swimming season.     For the past couple of weeks we have been confronted by a "wall of seaweed" which has been washed in with all the very high tides lately and has gathered at the end of the beach.


As you can see it has washed up over the path and is right throughout the beach.   Unfortunately it has attracted thousands of flies and developed a  horrible smell as it dries out.     Hopefully it will wash back out to sea soon.

Back soon and in the meantime


Happy sewing all

Sunday, April 1, 2018

Happy Easter

Wishing you all a happy and safe Easter


Hubs and I are having Easter lunch with my parents, Miss M and her parents.   Enjoy whatever you do.

I am heading off to the kitchen to start making some salads and other bits and pieces for lunch.

Back soon and in the meantime


Happy sewing all