Artist of the week on Bags to brag about

A few weeks ago I joined a Yahoo group called"Bragstobragabout", all about bags of course. And this week they have chosen me as their artist, with a photo on the front page of my little japanese bags.

I feel very honored by the attention.

But of course it's a case of if you blink you will miss it.

So here is the photo they used.

Shopping in Bovey Tracey, Devon

During Easter week-end we went away to a cottage in Devon and had a very nice 4 days, although the weather wasn't perfect, far from it.

We went to Bovey Tracey, as I remembered a patchwork shop there (I have a selective memory as DH could tell you). It is called "Serendipity", and is very well furnished and welcoming.

As you can see I bought a few fat quarters, how to resist,

And then some bits of wool from "Blankits", and a bigger piece of fabric, there are so many things I can do with this... They also do some small kits for a wool heart, or bird, etc...

And some fat quarters of flannel,

And also a yoyo maker in the shape of a flower. It is amazing how small they turn up, compared to the original size of the fabric.

A few doors away is a wool shop "Spin a Yarn", with so many things again. I bought more sock knitting wool, to start a new pair as soon as I have finished the second sock of my current project.

The owner is a very nice lady, happy to help and to accomodate customers who need a bit of reflexion in front of her enormous choice.

And then a minute away on the other side of the road, along the river, is the craft centre, where artists can display and sell their products, be it jewellery, painting, sculpture, glass making, wood carving, ...and fabric crafts. Very inspirational.

So if you go down to South Devon, have a look at the town of Bovey Tracey.

And if you have the children with you, or not, you can visit the House of Marbles, with its amazing Marble runs.

Children and adults are fascinated.

Crochet baby shoes

Sorry I haven't posted for a week, I have been busy but nothing finished.

My log cabin is in the quilting stage, and I am just bracing myself for some free machine quilting.

I knit in the evenings, and at the swimming pool waiting for DD4, I'm on the second sock. The first one is a bit see threw near the heel, I will have to go back to it.

And I also quickly made some baby shoes in crochet, they will be given soon to a friend who had a little boy. He is already a month old so I need to hurry.

The pattern comes from the book "First Crochet" by Lesley Stanfield, and the explanations are very good. I am not a specialist in crochet, at all.

My last word is that finally today the sun is back, after the storm we had last week. One of our fences was damaged by the wind, and DH has just repaired it, so now the rabbit is free again in the garden. He is hopping between the daffodils, and basking in the sunshine. Lovely.

Red tipee

While I was waiting for the end of the poll, I have been busy on a new block for my Atelier Rouge wallhanging. I kept with the theme of the houses from around the world, and designed a tipee, aided by my daughters ideas.

I used the technique of reverse paper applique to get the point of the tent perfect.

I embroidered the sticks at the top and the bits of wood holding the bottom.

Then I started adding some of the sashing around my blocks, to have a better idea of the finished effect, and to calculate the size of the missing ones. It is so easy to get confused with seam allowances.

I feel closer to the end of the project.

I started the next block, but it is not finished and might have to wait.

It was stopped by my log cabin needing some work done before wednesday. I have pieced the blocks together, and am thinking about the fabric for a border.

End of the vote

I had great fun following the vote for my log cabin quilt.

The result is your preference for the design "Barn raising", as on the photo.

There was a point a intense competition with "Furrows", very nerve racking, and I want to thank all who voted on my blog, that was 40 people.

Nobody liked "triangles", and "strikes of lightning" only got 2 votes. After that came "windmill" with 5 votes, it does look a bit messy. In third position was "Light and shadow", which was one of my favourites, before I tried all the combinations with my blocks on the floor.

I'd better start working now I suppose, I've got to put all these blocks together.

Keep voting, and February bag

I am watching the results of the vote, and you seem to want either barn raising or the furrows to win. There are still 3 days left to express you preference, so keep voting.

Meanwhile I can show you my February bag in the BQL (British Quilters List) Challenge. The design was made by Kandy Newton, and cannot be copied, but it might inspire you to try something similar.

We were supposed to do the stems in bobbin embroidery, you put your thicker thread in the bobbin and sew from the back of the fabric, but I couldn't change the tension on my highly sophisticated, electronic machine : there is no screw on my bobbin holder.

So I kind of pleated my thread around my line of sewing.

The leaves are appliqued and 3D, with wadding inside.

I have added 2 pockets inside, for mobile and keys.

And there are 4 feet at the bottom to protect the fabric.

Daughter number 2 wanted the bag for herself, but I'm keeping it, she can only borrow it sometimes.

So keep voting for my log cabin quilt, I wonder which one I will end up sewing...