Productive days

We were both looking forward to a quiet week at home following the Queens Birthday holiday on Monday so I decided to make the most of this time and continue being productive. Progress is being made on another stitchery quilt that will be an alternative to one of the Beatrix Potter book quilts.....

 Today I also finished something that has been on my "to do" list for a few weeks. Generous Tim from Curzon Fabrics sent me some panels a while ago thinking that perhaps young Beau might like them. So today I set to it and made them into four individual quilts! They have minimal quilting, with machine stitched bindings and a bonus of using up some of my stash for the backings. They are a new collection from Northcott Fabrics and become interconnecting play-mats with an airport, shipping port, train station and anything else that can be found in towns. So clever how the train tracks and roads can connect in different layouts.......

 There is even a "Northcott" Quilt Shop.......

And by the end of the day I even had Larry helping to pin the bindings......

I usually hand stitch the final binding but with over 14 metres to stitch I decided to machine it to the front. I have had no luck using a straight stitch as I find the quilt edges tend to wave. So I phoned my good friend Faye for some binding advice and she informed me that Lessa our quilting 'queen' uses a serpentine stitch on the machine. I found stitch No 4 on my Bernina and adjusted the width to 3.0 and the length to 1.5 and I am so thrilled with the result..........

 The binding sits so flat and looks just as good on the back as well..............

 So thankyou Faye and Lessa..........I will definitely do this again when making quilts for the little ones. You can see more of the panels at this link: Connector Playmats, so ask your quilt shop to get them in if they appeal. I delivered them tonight and Beau was thrilled. I only managed to get two blurry images on my phone after he unwrapped the first of four packages..............

Yesterday I received an even bigger gift of fabric and once again from the generous Mr Tim at Curzons.  These fabrics are from 'Gray Sky Studio'  created by Jason Yenter of In the Beginning Fabrics. Inspiration has come from both William and May Morris to accompany a new version of my latest sampler quilt which Jason has rearranged........

I am also thrilled that Jason is releasing some of my Morris patterns to the US market so if you are in the US check your local quilt store...........

 So to my large fabric gift - first the larger prints..........

Beautiful border prints...........

 And I have all sorts of ideas buzzing around my head using this print.....stay tuned as I think a giveaway cushion pattern will be coming soon..........

 I love these tiny prints too........

 On closer inspection they remind me of William Morris carpets............

 More of those lovely Morris flowers..........

 and Strawberry Thief tonals.........

 and some lovely tone on tone prints which close-up are actually little birds..........

So how lucky am I? More busy times ahead creating some new quilts I think! Thankyou so much Tim for your kindness and unending generosity to me. So beside all these gifts we did have another celebration in the house......Larry celebrated a birthday and just as he wanted. First up we headed to Hahndorf where Larry yearned his favourite lunch. Some sights as we wandered the street before heading for lunch........

And in just 11 weeks we will be celebrating all things Beatrix Potter in another Ambleside!........

 But the sad face says it all.......his favourite cafe was closed - no explanation as they are generally open 7 days a week.........

 So we continued to wander and then ended up right across the road and we were not disappointed.........

 For Larry a genuine german sausage and for me a black bean and quinoa burger which was sensational.........

 But neither of us could eat it all so half came home for the next day...........

 The birthday concluded with all the family sharing dinner at Larry's local football club restaurant.......a fabulous day for a fabulous man x