heritage hexagons

A couple of weeks ago I was foraging around in my usual habitat, i.e. a charity shop, when I struck gold in the form of an old quilt top. I thought this only happened to other people, like the fervent wish that I had when I was young for a pet monkey to follow me home..



it was hanging sadly amongst the polyester sheets and nasty bedspreads so I rescued it. It wasn't until I got it home that I started to think it must be quite old, and on Sunday I had the chance to show it to a knowledgeable friend, the very one who started me on this quilting lark in the first place. 

She was very excited- she thinks it might be old indeed and I have sent some pictures to an even more knowledgeable friend who is on the Quilter's Guild committee.

Its pretty big, about 8 feet by 6 feet, and ALL made by hand. I haven't got room to open it out completely, (it's folded in quarters in the picture above) and there are lots of tiny pieces of paper caught under the seams which I am trying not to lose. Maybe they might help to date it?

I can't wait to hear what the expert thinks of it. I wonder who made it and how it ended up in a charity shop? 





All those hours of stitching (as I know from my own hexagon obsession!) and it wasn't valued when perhaps the maker died. Maybe I should put my unfinished hexie effort in my will now, just in case!

I'll be sure to share anything I find out!

local arts and crafts

It looks like its going to be a lovely sunny day tomorrow for the open day at Rother College in Midhurst.

I will be taking some of my teacup pincushions along for the Handy and Divine craft stall.

hellebores and pantouffles

What a beautiful weekend! Sun! Flowers! Cats sunning themselves in the greenhouse!

Luckily, deer don't seem to like eating hellebores:

I hope they take themselves off before its time to plant out the runner beans, though.

Its harder to concentrate on sewing when its so beautiful, so I don't mind that the weather has reverted to not-so-nice today. I have been making a bag that's meant to fold up and lurk in your handbag for impromptu shopping needs.


I challenged myself to make it from a fat quarter of fabric, plus a remnant of contrasting fabric for the bottom and the inside of the straps.

I wonder if I'll need to add instructions if I sell these? Or will people understand that's what the button is for?

Now back in front of the wood burner. In honour of the change in the weather I have downgraded from my enormous sheepskin slippers to an exciting new pair of Turkish (Moroccan?) pantouffles, although still with Big Socks, its not that Spring-like yet!

sunshine and teacups

At last this evening the sun actually shone into the kitchen window!

It seems that life has been spent under a grey saucepan lid since last spring, so let's hope for a lovely spring and summer this year. Mr P has scrubbed the greenhouse inside and out so the sweet pea seeds I've had since the autumn might soon get sown. It will seem strange to be able to go into the garden in the evenings, and not to light the wood burner every morning. 

The only problem is that two deer have taken up almost permanent residence in the garden in the last couple of weeks and they are eating everything tender and green, most disastrously all my tulips! Apparently lion poo is the best deterrent, but we'll have to be satisfied with cat poo. Maybe we could train the cats to chase deer too?

I am making some more pincushions because the Handy and Divine group of makers will have a stall at the community day at Rother College in Midhurst on Saturday 27th April (10am - 2pm).

http://handyanddivine.co.uk/wordpress/

http://www.mrc-academy.org/upload/files/whmrc_march_2013_copy1.pdf

I'm rather fond of the one with the lustrous camel!

like mother like daughter

Hooray at last I've finished the stripy waistcoat...

... and this is all that's left!

I'm quite pleased with the result, although I seem to have done a lot of faffing around to achieve it.

The front facings made from the sleeves worked well as they gave the front a bit more substance, and I used the fabric binding to finish the edges. I bound the armholes with strips in the same way, and I folded the collar in half and slip stitched it down on the inside.

Unfortunately when Mr P took these photographs an old woman who looks uncannily like my Mum was revealed... so here is a picture of my best side!

... and so to the Lovely Cup of Tea...

slapdashery and swearing

When I was young my Mum made clothes for all the family, and taught me and my sister to sew. 

The lessons included the obligatory 'Search for the Scissors' ('Who had them last?'), the 'Swearing at the Cat for Sitting on the Pattern', and of course the 'Ritual Cursing of the Sewing Machine in many Languages'...

.. but she could make a whole dress out of a small remnant of fabric, and no doubt a silk purse out of a sows ear given half the chance.

I have inherited her lack of patience and her general slapdashery along with her huge collection of sewing patterns...

And there has been much ancestral cursing and wielding of the seam ripper over my stripy waistcoat.

At first I tried a simple fabric binding on the front edges but then they hung limply and tried to curl up on themselves, so off that came, and I have made facings using one of the sleeves which are fortuitously just the right length.

I think I'll finish the edge of the facing with the fabric binding, as suggested by Marigold (thank you!)

Now I am having fun with the armhole binding, accompanied by wailing and gnashing of teeth... I think its time for a Nice Cup of Tea! Hopefully by the weekend I will be able to show the finished article..

Aah if only I was half as elegant...