I've done as much quilting on A Wave of Nostalgia as I can. I have no deep blue thread for the border so it's laid aside until I do. Here's a peek at what I did instead.


Blocks are 12.5cm. For the centres, I used nine labels from a small strip of them I picked up at the quilt expo a few weeks back. I had no idea what to do with them until last night, reading a Sharyn Craig book I have on loan. Can you guess?

One long seam and some half chevrons top and bottom and then I can sew the borders. It's having border top and bottom in the half chevron fabric-- a rich navy. I thought I might have another finished top by now but my seams did not want to match today, however carefully I pinned.

Some of the exhibition quilts may be viewed here: Flickr photoset

Details another day; my head still thinks it's travelling.

I thought this was summer? More summery images of today, maybe with a hint that automne is coming closer, in stealth mode...

I didn't miss them flowering!

My African lily flowers over a newly scrubbed bit of yard.

Warm today. I've been offered a picnic at a hillside garden--sounds like fun!

Saturday: Up with the birds. En route. Late lunch at Kirkharle Courtyard, where Capability Brown was born.
Sunday: Off to Holy Island/Lindisfarne. Very serene. Northumberland is very agrarian; lots of golden crops and sheep. Found inspiration for a quilt.
Monday: Wallington house and garden. Both wonderful. Very floriferous with a constant background hum of bees. Flowering African lilies, to my delight.
Tuesday: Alnwick castle and garden. Prefered Lindisfarne castle. The gardens are different, with many water features. Barter Books, the largest secondhand book store in the country.
Wednesday: Lindisfarne Priory, an exhibition of the Lindisfarne gospels that included two quilts, one replicating a 'carpet page' from the gospel. The castle garden, re-created from the plan laid down by Gertrude Jekyll. Many bees. Howick garden and arboretum, with more flowering African lilies, and the smartest tea room I have seen, Bath Pump room tea room excepted.
Thursday: Cragside. Wonderful house and vast garden. The biggest rockery I have ever seen. Beach barbeque that evening.
Friday: Bamburgh castle. Archaeological dig in the grounds. Many wonderful things here. Not sure whether I like Bamburgh or Lindisfarne castle better.
Saturday: An hour in the quilt shop I found. Many temptations, and I emerged with a few treats. Two lovely local ladies who let me feel what it's like to play on a longarm quilting machine! Tricky, but I think I could grasp it. (Thinks of spending all those Euros and winces) En route. Lunch at Fountains Abbey.
Sunday (Today): Back to the domestic round. Preparing for dinner guests.

My African lilies have thrown up two flowers (see icon) this year, and I shall be away when they open. I miss the flowers every year, somehow. I hope to see some flowering while I'm in Northumberland, where there is the promise of interesting gardens to visit: Alnwick, and Howick.

Sun and no wind.
Another small wallhanging (that I've been promising myself for ages) pieced.

I would add 'not bleeding to death', as I was scared might be the case at 6 this morning, but that's TMI. Some days, I think guys have it easy.

I don't like Kaffe Fassett fabrics. It causes some shock when I utter this 'blasphemy' in a quilt shop but I think they're either/or fabrics. You love them or hate them. It came as a surprise to get the new Quilt mania and like the cover quilt only to discover it's ALL KF fabric. It's the colour shading. There's a shop offering a kit but €120 is too much for me.