I’ve started to think of this as my big blog and instagram as my little blog. It’s really quick and ‘come as you are’ over there. I like to be more considered here. Which explains why I’m there far more than I’m here.

Anyway, I’m here now.

This will be a large wall hanging similar to my ‘beauties’ piece and all the templates etc will be in my next book ‘A Field Guide’ (out at the Festival of Quilts).

Nowhere near done yet, but it’s beginning to look like my imagining.

We walked four miles along the river yesterday. A bit of sunshine makes the world of difference.

So, despite my best efforts I’m a day behind on my quilt. And I’ve still got the binding to slip-stitch in place. Never mind, the deadline was self-imposed anyway.

I thought I’d show you the sleepie clips I use to hold the binding in place before I sew it. They’re simple to use, they stay in place and best of all, they don’t stab you in the leg like pins do. Marvelous!

So, this is my job for today: design the quilting pattern, layer up and then start hand quilting my new Spring flowers quilt.

The only cloud in the sky is that the whole quilt has to be finished for Thursday morning.

Good bye, bed.

hand quilting

teaching at The Quilt Room

and Didlr-ing.

I have not been doing any housework. None.

So now you know what I will be doing…

I sorted the wardrobes out over the holidays- even mine. I’m aiming for my Pinterest wardrobe, but it turns out that my real wardrobe is closer to it than I thought. This has come as a surprise.

It’s easy to forget how many nice clothes you have when you spend every day pulling on the same jeans and cardigans without any thought whatsoever. Effort is required, not more clothes (please don’t tell Tony I said that!)

The 6.30 alarm was a bit of a shock this morning, a rude awakening.

Every holiday I think about all the work I could and should be doing and how nice it will be to get back to it, and then I spend the first day of term drifting round the house feeling lost.

So, I’m going to bake fairy cakes for the boys and push reality away for another hour. And then, I’ll answer my emails. I promise.

I’m just back from a lovely (and snowy) weekend teaching at Hope and Elvis. Louise has a wonderful collection of vintage fabric which she generously lets everyone use. I spend quite a bit of my time there rummaging through her scrap baskets, pulling out my favourites and making little piles of textile treasures.

Anyway, some treasures came back to the hotel with me and I started creating this little tulip piece. I finished it last night watching ‘Hope Springs‘ which I rather enjoyed. You can trust Meryl Streep.

I’m repeating myself here, but do so knowing it will make quite a few people happy! So, here you are: a little PDF for you, just in time for Easter.

Pattern – Rabbit Softie.

I’ve started collecting the sky. From my doorstep, in my slippers.

The sky is astonishingly different every day. It’s a shame I’ve only just noticed.

On a completely different note:

:: I’ve decided that the end of Google reader is in fact a wonderful opportunity for a fresh start. So, I’m not saving and transferring my blog list. I’m simply going to join a new reader (haven’t decided which one yet) and start from scratch. I figure I’ll remember my favourite blogs easily and those I don’t (whisper this a bit guiltily) maybe don’t need remembering?

And I’ll have more time to collect the sky.