I've finished ...........

........... the top I was making during the Christmas Quiltalong day last Saturday.
  I used a jelly roll plus some white tone-on-tone fabric that I already had.

Just out of interest, I thought I'd show you just how much I had left from the jelly roll.  Pheww, that was a bit close wasn't it?

I'd like to thank ............

.... Betty from Betty's Love of Quilting, my parents, all my teachers, the school dinner ladies, my first pet and of course my family and the doctor and the .........

What am I on about?  Betty has given me this award because she thinks I'm funny.  (I think she means funny ha-ha, not funny peculiar?)  I've never received any sort of award before, not even the "Best Speller in the Class" when I was 4, even though I was best, but Johnny cheated so he won! 

I feel very flattered to receive this and now I need to nominate someone to receive this from me.  I have been thinking and thinking and it was impossible to nominate any one person, so................ I'm nominating each and every one of you!

Bartering at it's best ..........

........ is how my bloggy friend Paulette describes what we've been up to. She has recently made me the most gorgeous penny rug, and in return I am going to quilt her latest quilt top for her.  So, this morning, there I was, up to my elbows in potato peelings when the doorbell rang, and there was postie, clutching this.

I forgot all about potatoes as I was so excited to open the box, and when I did, just look at what I found inside.

I have always loved Paulette's wool work and am totally in awe of the penny rug she had made for me.  It's even got a sunflower on, which is probably my favourite flower in the world.  On their journey, the chickens had even laid some eggs, well, OK they hadn't, they were cute little egg-shaped pebbles from the beach near her and they brought me some Canadian chocolate and as if that wasn't enough, there was a lovely little scissor fob of turquoise with my initial on, so no-one can pinch my scissors again.

Also in the box was the quilt top I am going to let Bertha play with.  I think it is gorgeous, and just hope we can do it justice.  It looks good on my sofa though, so perhaps I'll keep it and tell her it got lost in the post when I sent it back.  She'll believe that, won't she?

So now you see why the title of this post is "Bartering at it's Best"

Walkies ..............

........... yes, it's time we all went walkies.  My friend Quilthaze, over at Cotton Cocktails has entered a wonderful quilt, which you can see here  in SewCalGal's latest quilt show, Pets on Quilts.  The voting has now opened here for the Viewers choice in all the different categories.  Now, I'm not telling you all to go and vote for Quilthaze's puppies, but I know where I'm off to now.

Oh and I should have asked the winners from the Christmas Quiltalong to email me with their addresses so I can put their little prizes in the post.

and the winners are ................

................. randomly generatedby www.random.org, although I still can't work out how to show the results on here, so please trust me. 

There were 8 entries in the quiz, and the winner was the 3rd entry I received, Joanna of Needle, Thread, Happiness.

The winner of my "door prize" was no 6, Elizabeth fromSand and Sunshine.  This prize was generously donated by Quilters Haven, when I was placing another order and happened to mention the Christmas Quiltalong.  Wasn't that lovely of them?  Do pop over and have a look at their website, they have some great stuff there, and they are sooo quick.  I placed an online order at about 11 am one morning, had an email at 2 pm to say it had been despatched, and received it the next day.

Then, just because it was my party, so I can do these sort of things, I picked another winner too, who was no 14, Midge from Soggibottom.

Later on today I will do another post as I want to tell you about my friend's entry in SewCalGal's Pets on Quilts Show.

I also have to show you a MOST exciting parcel that arrived just now from Canada. 

Christmas Stars .............

........... this is what I was working on yesterday.  The pattern is in Kim's fabulous book, Scrapbasket Surprises where it's called Summer Breeze.  It certainly went together like a breeze.  Although it's scrappy, in that I used a jelly roll, I did have to exercise some control over it, so I kept all my stars the same colour rather than random and in the other blocks I put the 2 light colours next to each other in the middle.  I have still got to add the borders, and, they are pieced and scrappy, so that is going to be a challenge to me to not try and match them up too much.  What was that?  Did I hear someone call me a control freak?  No, I knew I was mistaken.

Here are the links ...........

... to all the people who had signed up with Mr Poorly BossyBoots Linky during yesterday, so that we can all go visit each other some more:
I'm VERY sorry, I got the link wrong for 11. Lynn B in AZ.  It is correct now in the list below.

                                       1.  QuiltSue,                         2.  Gina,    
                                       3.  Hazel,                              4.  Trudi,  
                                       5.  Shazy,                             6.  Elizabeth,  
                                       7.  Notjustnat,                   8.  Joanna,  
                                       9.  Reenie,                         10.  Mandycharlie,  
                                     11.  Lynn B in AZ,             12.  Tracey,  
                                     13. Ali,                                  14.  Midge,  
                                     15.  Lynn,                             16.  Paulette Doyle

"They" needn't think "they" can beat me!

By the way, you still have a chance to enter the quiz, as I haven't done the draw yet.  I will do the draw tomorrow morning.

Now I'm off to finish what I was sewing yesterday.  Pictures to follow later, along with the names of the prize winners.

Oops ...........

... some of you may notice that Mr Bossy Boots Linky's disappeared overnight. That's cos his site has crashed, and stopped me getting into any of my posts with him on it. I fixed him. I've deleted him. That should teach him a lesson, shouldn't it? I will put all of the links back in shortly, but it's 9 am and I really should go and have a shower first. I'll be back soon, and hopefully will have found a workaround.

Night Night .................

.......... everybody. It's now almost 9.30 in the evening for me and so I'm stopping for tonight. It's amazing how tiring having fun can be! I will be back in the morning and will show you then what I've been working on. I'll also post the winner of the quiz and of two other prizes. I think I've tamed the random number generator thingy now, so I'll be using that, since my other helpers are now on holiday. Kids, eh, they're never around when you need them.. It would be great if you could all post a picture of what you've been working on before you finish for the day, then we can all go round to every one and have a look.

I do hope you've enjoyed yourselves today, and will be back next month.

Recipe Swap ............

............. OK, I'll show you mine, if you'll show me yours.  I thought it would be fun to all post a Christmas recipe, so I'll tell you how to make my gingerbread men/snowmen/blobs.

Gingerbread Men:

Ingredients

350g plain flour

100g butter

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 tsp ground ginger

1 egg

4 tbsps Golden Syrup

175 g light, soft brown sugar

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 C/350 F/Gas Mark 4

Put the flour, butter, bicarb and ginger in a bowl and mix to fine breadcrumbs

Add the egg, syrup and sugar and mix to a firm dough

Chill for 30 mins.  (I meant the dough, not you.)

Dust your surface and rolling pin with flour and roll out to about 5 mm thick

Cut out shapes of men, trees, blobs or whatever you want, and put them on a baking tray, leaving room for them to spread, just as I did as I got older

Cook for 10 - 15 mins

Cool them on a wire rack, and decorate as you wish.

This makes about 15 men.

Mr Bossy Boots Linky is 2 posts back now.

No comment .............

Sorry, I should have said that Mr BossBoots Linky is on the previous post.

Take a break ..............

........... and have a go at this quiz.

and when you've done that, why not go and have a look at what everyone else has been doing.

and definitely go and have a look at what Midge has just posted.

Email the answers to me, and I'll have a draw for a little prize and announce the winner tomorrow.

Christmas Quiltalong Quiz

1. What Christmas Ballet is the most famous of all?
o Rudolph’s Surprise
o The Nutcracker
o Frosty Goes to New York

2. Where was Mommy kissing Santa Claus?
o On the Corner
o Under the Mistletoe
o In a Dark Alley

3. Who wrote the song "Here Comes Santa Claus"?
o Michael Jackson
o Gene Autry
o Percy Douglas

4. What does Alvin want for Christmas?
o An iPod
o A Bottle of Rum
o A Hula Hoop

5. What should little children leave out for Santa on Christmas Eve?
o Milk and a Biscuit
o Chewing Gum
o Cheese

6. What is Frosty the Snowman's nose made of?
o A Carrot
o A Potato
o A Button

7. Who is Ebenezer?
o The Milkman
o The President
o Scrooge

9. Which reindeer's name starts with a "B"?
o Bart
o Burt
o Blitzen

10. Which reindeer does not belong below?
o Dancer
o Roger
o Dasher

Would you like a gingerbread man?

I know, they don't look like gingerbread men at all do they?  That's cos I couldn't find the right cutter, so I used a snowman one instead.  Don't anyone tell me they don't look like snowmen either, I know they don't, but they taste very good.

I was going to give you useful(?) Christmas facts here, but blogger isn't playing very nicely at the moment, so I'll try again in a little while.

What the ....................

........... "does she think she's making Christmas decorations?" you're all asking.

Nope.  I'm making these.  Aren't they pretty?

Lunch time ...........

......... so I've just been to see what everyone else is working on.  Nosey?  Yep, that's me.  Don't forget to go and visit everyone else.

Ready .............

I'm going to try and Move Mr BossyBoots Linky every time I write a new post today. Keep your fingers crossed that it works OK.

Decision made ......................

All that's left of a jelly roll ....................

All nice and neatly cut and ready to go ...............







I should also add that I have got a few fun (well I think, anyway) things planned for later.  I'm just trying to give those of you who's time is behind British Summer Time a chance to get stuck in first.

It's Christmas .............

 ............... well actually it isn't, but it is Christmas Quiltalong day.

Mr Linky is going to move each time to the latest post - I hope.  If you put your name and blog address in there, then this clever Mr Linky produces a list of the names for us that we can click on to go visit each other.  How clever is that?
By the way, you don't have to leave a comment if you don't want to, even though Mr Bossy Boots Linky tells you too.

Are you ready ...........

.......... for some fun tomorrow?

I have one or two little surprises as we go through the day, which will require some audience participation.  Of course, you don't have to join in the games, but I'll sulk if you don't.  Oh and I'll keep the prizes, so there.

You'll all be pleased to hear that I have decided what I am going to make, and I don't even need to go shopping first.  Of course, the same may not be said for next month!

Now I'm off to make sure my camera batteries are charged up.

I hope you will all post during the day and I will put one of those clever Mr Linky things on here tomorrow, so anyone who's taking part can put their blog address, and then we can all visit each other during the course of the day to see what everyone's been up to.

I've got a problem .........

....... yeah, yeah, quiet at the back there those of you muttering "we KNOW you have".  No, my problem is regarding the Christmas Quiltalong. I can't decide what to make. I've got loads of different ideas in my mind, and they're all jumping up and down shouting "pick me, pick me!" and I can't make up my mind.  Most of them aren't "Christmas" quilts, as such, but whatever I make will be a present for my sister.  Has anyone else got this problem, or are you all so well organised that you know just what you're going to do, and have got all the fabrics sorted out and so on?

It's nearly time ....

...... for the Christmas Quiltalong

Helppppp .........

...... as some of you know, my daughter (aka Mrs Nomad) is in Florida on holiday at the moment.  Now I have somehow conned persuaded her that there is nothing she would like more than to go shopping for me.  Fabric shopping, that is.  The thing is, I'm no good at geography (failed it 3 times at O level at school!) so I know she's in Kissimee, but I don't know what quilt shops there are that are fairly near her.  Is there any one out there who could tell me where to tell her to go?

It's nearly Christmas ...............

...... well OK, it isn't actually, but, I wanted to share this with you in plenty of time.

Last year SewCalGal organised a virtual quilt show, which was great fun, with loads of gorgeous Christmas themed quilts for us to look at, and loads of prizes too for entrants and viewers.  I entered a quilt and in the unlikely event that you've forgotten it, you can see my entry again here. 

Anyway, this isn't about me (for once) and my entry, it's about the fact that SewCalGal never learns, so she is planning another show for this Christmas.  The good news for us is that anyone who takes part in the Christmas Quiltalong will get an additional entry into the prize contests.  So come on everyone, lets all get cracking on our Christmas quilts so we can show them off to the whole bloggy world in a show where our quilts won't be juried or judged, just appreciated by like-minded people, and where we might win great prizes too.

It's nearly time for the festivities to begin.

So I spent some time this afternoon getting ready.
Festive fabrics?  Check.
Festive threads?  Check
Festive music?  Check.
Festive candles?  Check.
Festive food?  Not yet.
Festive pattern for the festive fabrics?  Well, yes and no.  I have designed something, but I'm not sure if I'm going to use it yet.  I may well revert to Plan B instead.

Who else is ready for some festive fun at our Christmas Quiltalong next Saturday? 

The benefit ........

......... of having an uncle who is an ice-cream man!

Little Person and his Mummy and Daddy have been here this week.  We've also had The Professor and Chatterbox here as it is school holidays.

Little Person and family went home this morning, and the Nomads went off to Florida for a 3 week holiday today, so it's going to be a bit quiet here for a while.

I might even go and do some sewing today.

I must also start getting my things ready for the Christmas Quiltalong.

Thank you ..........

..... so much to everyone who triedd to help me find the pattern I was wittering on about.  I have now found it.  Whooppee.  I have a lovely little collection of batiks in bronzey-browny-yellowy colours that I just thought would be ideal for this.

Wanted ............

.... I have been trying to find a copy of Quiltmaker Magazine, Sept/Oct 2002, which has a pattern in it called Turning Leaves, which is a positive/negative type of block. I've seen pictures of the block and of quilts using it on google images, but I can't show you cos of copyright, so I've tried to do a picture to give you the idea.

You have to use a bit of imagination here and imagine the central diamond shape is really a leaf!

I have tried the magazine's site, but they don't have it. I've tried googling, but can't find it there. I've tried Ebay, but can't find it there either. So I wonder if anyone out there in blogland has a copy they would be willing to sell?  Please?  Pretty please?

I've done it! ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

....... I've created a Christmas Quiltalong button. Do you like it?

If you do, you can easily add it to your blog too and help to spread the word. All you have to do is ucopy the code in the box underneath the button, go to your blog design page, choose the "add a gadget" option, then choose "add HTML" and paste the code in and save it. With a bit of luck, you'll then have a nice button on your blog too.

Now, where was I? ..........

.......... oh yes, I remember, I was having a good idea wasn't I?  Would you like to know what it was?  OK, here goes.

From comments made on my giveaway post, it seems that I am NOT the only person in the world who is full of good intentions in January about starting my Christmas projects early this year, and then finding myself in December rushing to finish things.  Soooo............

Why don't we have a Christmas Quiltalong?  

What's a Christmas Quiltalong?  It's where we get out our Christmas projects and all set aside one day each month, (I thought maybe the second Saturday, would be good,) lock the doors, cook the meals in advance, tell everyone that you are not to be disturbed, and take yourself off to your sewing area, take out your Christmas projects and cut, sew, press, sew some more, press, cut .... well you get the idea.  We could then post on our blogs a couple of times in the day to say what we are doing and maybe include photos, and then we could all visit each other to see what's going on.   

I'll even design a little button for everyone to put on their blogs saying we've joined the Christmas Quiltalong.  (Finding out how to do that is what I have spent all morning doing.)

If we started this in August, just think how much we could get done before Christmas.  How about it?  Anyone going to join me? 

I've had an idea ..............

...... when I was on the committee of  Tuesday Quilters, the other committee members all used to groan when I said that.  They just knew that somehow it was going to involve them in some work.

Well, anyway, I have had a really good idea.  Come back tomorrow and I'll share this idea with you.

and the winner is ................

Since I can't get the random number thingy to work properly for me, I used my own versionm which comes in two parts.  Before I could activate it, I gave each entry a number and typed a list of them.  I cut up the numbers, and put them in a basket.

Then I activated the random number generator, part 1:

which drew out the number

then part 2 started working, and referred to the list to see who the winner was.

He also took the close up photos, as my camera couldn't take a clear enough picture.  So there we are, I have a winner.

What's that?  Pardon?  I've forgotten something?  I don't think so.  Oh yes, you want to know who the winner is................

Well, here we are , the winner is .........................

Number 36

Fiesta from Quilting Fiesta.

Mind you, she might not get the book cos I really would love to keep it.  Think she'd notice if I "forgot" to post it to her?

Roll up! Roll up! .....

........... for your last chance to enter the giveaway for this book.

 You have until midnight tonight to enter and I will be drawing the winner tomorrow.

To enter, just leave a comment here for one entry, become a follower for a second, and blog about it for a third chance.  

Simples!

I just thought ............

.......... that since I'm doing a "Christmas in July" giveaway, that a Christmas background was appropriate!

Christmas giveaway .......

........... Christmas?  Well it is July, so I think it's time for a Christmas giveaway and so did those wonderful people at Martingale & Co.

If you’re anything like me, every year, when December rolls round, you promise yourself that next year you will start your Christmas projects early.  Well this year, I can help one of you to do just that.  I have a copy of this super book, called Christmas Quilts from Hopscotch to give away, thanks to the wonderful Martingale.

This was written by a mother and daughter called Heather and Elissa Willms, and it is a really clever book as there are seven country-style projects, then you flip the book over and there are seven bright and contemporary ones.

Please note the following pictures are copyright and you must have Martingale's permission to use them.

Like applique?  How about this wallhanging then?

Like working with wool?  How about this?

Want to make a Christmas stocking or two?  Here they are.

Fancy snuggling up under a cosy quilt on a cold Christmas evening?  Here is the perfect quilt for you.

or maybe you prefer this one

Really, there are projects in this book to suit everybody, whether you are an applique fan, a paper piecing novice or just love traditional piecing as you can see.  The instructions are all beautifully clear, and I particularly loved the "Hopscotch Hints" which appear here and there which are little boxes with helpful tips, such as how to apply your binding to a curved edge.

Sadly, I have to give this book away, I can't keep it for myself, so, if you want to win it here's what to do.  You get one entry just by leaving a comment on this post.  If you become a follower, or already are one, you have another entry,  and if you post on your blog about this giveaway you can have a third entry as long as you tell me that you are claiming a second and/or third entry.  

Here's the small print:  please, if you are entering, make sure you leave an email address so I can contact you if you win.  I can not accept anonymous entries and this giveaway is open to everyone, wherever in the universe they live.

This giveaway will be open until Wednesday (28 July) evening, and I will draw a winner and post the name on Thursday  morning.  Since I did not get on with the random generator thingy, I will probably get Mr Fixit to pick a name out of the hat.

The Grand Days Out ....

myspace layouts

............are over.  They've all gone home. I'm sad.  I'm also very hoarse with a sore throat.  I think we may have talked too much cos we've all got the same problem.

One came from the Midlands, one from the Lakes, one from the east coast and me.  We all met at RHS Harlow Carr on Monday, and, despite not having all been together for several years, the talking started immediately.  It didn't stop for the next 48 hours, apart from when we were asleep.  

We had not made any plans, other than when and where we were meeting.  First things first, we decided to have lunch.  The menu was so wonderful none of us could decide what we wanted, so we probably horrified all the "ladies who lunch" who were enjoying a nice quiet and refined meal by ordering 4 different meals and sharing them!  There is no picture of the food - we were too busy eating it, but I can say there were no leftovers!  Then we went for a walk around the fabulous gardens.  Sadly Mrs Flummery from VegHeaven could only be with us for the one day, so we returned to the carpark, where we had the only bit of "quilty" talk or time in the day.

In the evening, Mr Fixit and Sewali's OH joined Bilbo, Sewali and I and we went out for dinner in a nearby restaurant.  Again, there are no photos, but we enjoyed our meals and there wasn't much left on our plates.

The next day was spent here, and we talked a lot, and had a demonstration from Bilbo about designing a quilting pattern.

We had a ploughmans lunch which was lovely and simple after all the rich food we had eaten.  Then everyone went home.  So now we will have to start planning our next gathering.

Only one more sleep .............

......... till three good friends and I meet up for a couple of days of fun, food and talk. We live in various parts of the country, so meeting like this doesn't happen often, which is why I'm looking forward to it so much.

I got this cartoon from here.

I thought you might like to see .......

This slideshow design created with Smilebox

The story of a quilt .......

........... This is the story about Sew-Easy Railfences, which is the quilt which I have been showing as my current favourite.

One day when I was working at the shop, Mrs PennyPot and I were talking about a workshop I wanted to do which would allow a beginner to make a quilt top in a day.  I wanted to do something a little more unusual than a 9-patch or railfence quilt which are what immediately came to mind.  We thought that using one fabric from a new range, which I loved as a feature fabric in large squares, would help to achieve the make-it-in-a-day aim that I had.  Anyway, I went home and we both had a think. Have you ever tried to collaborate with someone by email about a design?  It's not easy.  Mrs PP would suggest something to me, I would draw it up in QuiltPro and email it to her with my adaptations where appropriate.  She then emailed back suggestions, and so we went on.  Yes, I know it would have been easier to do it when we were together, but there you are.  This is the resulting design, which I thought was a good easy one, although it looks complicated.  It doesn't even have setting triangles to worry about.  It was certainly a popular one, and we ran the workshop several times, and also sold the pattern or a kit for it.  One person loved it so much she made about 4, in various sizes after her first one.  I still love this pattern, and one day, I might even get round to making one for myself!

I forgot to tell you .........

.....I was one of the lucky winners in Amy's online Quilt Festival.  I won a fabulous jelly roll and some co-ordinating fabrics from Burgundy Buttons! Woohoo.  Thank you Amy, and thank you Leah.

I have spent today thinking about what to make with it. I have also spent a little(?) time on Burgundy Buttons' site, and I reccommend that you all do the same.  There are some fantastic fabrics at fantastic prices, and Leah is lovely to deal with.

To all my blogging friends in America

Happy Independance Day.

4th Of July Animations

Psstt ...........

......... Wanna see some pictures?  I'm still enjoying the tennis, so I thought I'd tell you about a quilt slide show I've found.  Apparently McCalls Quilting is having a competition, and we can all see the quilts that have been entered, (and vote for their favourite) here.  There are 148 entries, so I had a lovely cup of coffee before the tennis started and thoroughly enjoyed the show.

Something for everyone ..........

I've interrupted my tennis viewing to just give you a couple of links.

For anyone who is a non-quilter, but thinking about starting, Quilting Tidbits is a wonderful online resource.  It is also great for people interested in quilt history, so go on over and have a browse around. Oh, and if you go here, you may see a quilt design you recognise.  (Hint, the name just might contain the words "leaves", "and "cabins).

On the other hand, if you are an experienced quilter, this video might give you a laugh.  The song is by Cathy Miller and is on youtube, here.

Right, I'm back to the tennis now, see you all later.

Excuse me ............

.......... if I am a bit quiet for the next couple of weeks.  It's Wimbledon fortnight.

and the winner is............

Number 6, Dave, who would wear a red, white and blue hat!

Please contact me so I can tell you what to do next.

I used the random generator thingy, but I cant get it to appear in the right place on this post to prove it. Other people manage, so it's obviously something I'm doing wrong!

Thanks to everyone who entered. I just wish I could have given everyone a prize. I do think if we went to Ascot next year in our hats we'd make a real sight for sore eyes.

Who wants to come to the races?

I've had quite a few emails asking about Ascot and what it's like etc so I thought I'd take you there today. First, the background: traditionally it is one of THE events of the Season, and fits in between the annual exhibition at the Royal Academy of Art and Henley Regatta. Entry to the Royal Enclosure is by special invitation only, but after you have been invited on 4 (or 5) consecutive years, you are able to go in your own right, which is how come I am able to go.

So, to the day itself.  It is some years since I last went, so I am doing this from a hazy sort of memory (well we all know how forgetful I can be don't we?).

Are you ready?  Quick, the chauffeur's here.  I do have a tip for you here. Don't bother to put that big hat on until you arrive - it's a flipping nuisance in the car, (and, of course, it might obscure the public's view of one.)  There is a lot of traffic, so we'll be in the car in traffic jams a bit, so let's hope the chauffeaur remembered to restock the bar. Ahh, we're here....  quick, put your hat on, check we've all got our gloves (ladies and gentlemen) as we won't be allowed in without them.  Out of the car and in through a special gate.  (Yes, you may wave to the onlookers if you wish.)

Right, we're in.  The first thing is to check where our "box" is as that's where we'll have lunch. (It's also the only place where one may be seen without one's hat.)  OK, next is to go for a walk (ie a fashion parade).  See and be seen, that's the main thing.  This is where you realise that those stillettos were not such a good idea after all.  It's difficult to look elegant when you heels keep sinking into the grass!  Oh yes, and hats with very big brims are not too clever either, specially if it's windy, and hats with veils have a problem too - how does one eat elegantly in one? Have a good promenade around, and then we'll go and place our bets for the first race.  It's good to do this early, as we'll probably still be eating our 5-course lunch when it starts.  Placing a bet is easy.  There are special little windows within the Enclosure where we go, and there is no queuing necessary - well, one can't have the Queen having to queue up to place her bet can we?  Now we'll go and have our lunch, which will include strawberries and champagne of course.  Some people take picnics, but I prefer this way.  OK, finished lunch?  Let's go watch a race then shall we? Shall we stay in our box?  Good idea if the weather's nasty, or shall we go out into the stands. Being in the stands is more exciting, and I learnt a lot of interesting language from those who lost their bets. Woohoo, you've had a win too?  Let's go and collect our winnings from the same little windows, and place a bet on another race.  All this activity has made me thirsty, is it time for afternoon tea yet?  Go and have a drink and then do a bit more mingling, repeat until all the races are over.  The last race has been run, so now it's time to go and find your chauffeur.  Shall we stop for dinner on our way home? Yes?  OK, I recommend The Compleat Angler which has lovely surroundings and wonderful food.  Now we're home again, and I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted, so I shall just choose my outfit for tomorrow and then go to bed.

When I think about Ascot, I remember the excitement, the crowds rushing to be in the right place to see the Queen when she walks around, the noise, the quails eggs, the wind one year, the rain another, and the great feeling of winning when a horse I picked totally at random, wins the race (and that did seem to happen a lot to me).  Oh and by the way, cameras were not allowed, so no photos!

I hope you enjoyed a quick trip to Ascot with me. Now you know a bit more about it, don't forget there's still time to enter my giveaway.

Oops ......

... it has dawned on me that I was not very clear in my last post.  The $40 voucher is for anything from the CSN website, not just for the bathroom sink.   They do some great kitchen gadgets and accessories, and I am also eyeing up a great slow cooker (and yes, I know the one I have is fine, but this one looks great and it's DIGITAL!)  So really you could get anything from a wooden spoon up to furnishing your whole house from them.

What's this? Royal Ascot and a Giveaway.

I have had several questions about my last post, so I thought I'd tell you a little more about a "Typical Day at the Races", but first, I have a giveaway for you because .... well, just because really.  It's not my birthday, or my Bloggiversary, it's not to celebrate getting eleventyseven followers, it's just because.

There are some really nice people at a shop group called CSN Stores, based in the UK and the USA, who have given me the chance to give one of you a $40 gift certificate.  How cool is that?  These really nice people sell everything from a bathroom sink to a swing and from a bath to a barbecue.  I have been thinking of revamping our en-suite (sshh, Mr Fixit doesn't know yet) so I was having a browse round, like you do and I found they have some of the coolest bathroom sinks I've ever seen.

 They even had a red glass one which  would be a real economy actually, cos it would match my bath towels! Just head on over to CSN's website to see the variety of things they have, but don't buy the red sink in case they sell out before I get there!

So I had better stop waffling, and tell you how you could win this $40 certificate. You can have up to 3 chances:

1. Leave me a comment, telling me what colour outfit you would wear to Royal Ascot to meet the Queen.
2. Become a follower of my blog and then leave me another comment to say you have.
3. Post about this giveaway on your blog then leave me a comment to say you've done that.

Don't take too long to decide about your outfit though, and leave your comments by midnight on Saturday 19  June, and I will announce the winner on Sunday.

Now I think I've talked enough for this post, so I'll come back later and tell you about a day at the races.

Tomorrow ...........

............. is the start of Royal Ascot, and I am lucky enough to have the right to not just attend, but to be in the Royal Enclosure.  For those of you who don't know about Ascot, it is considered to be one of the highlights of the "Season" and anyone who is anyone attends.  If you are in the Royal Enclosure there is a strict dress code, although it has relaxed somewhat over recent years.

Ladies were not allowed to have bare arms, or to wear trousers and a hat and gloves were compulsory - well, you couldn't be seen in the company of Her Majesty the Queen without your hat and gloves, could you.  Gentlemen had to wear Morning Suits with a hat, and gloves also.  Just to give you a laugh, here are a couple of photos from those days.

I used to love going, the atmosphere, the champagne, the hats and fashions, oh yes, and the occasional horse race, all made for wonderful days.  I don't go any more, but I did love it while I was going - and not just cos it was a few days off work.

Aahhh, Those Were the Days, as they say.

I don't do circles .............

................. well, not if I can possibly help it.  But this is the quilt that Mr and Mrs Teacher wanted when they werre expecting Little Person, so, how could I not do circles for them?

The pattern was in a magazine (I think it was Fons and Porter?), and I really loved it too, so I was really happy when they chose it.  This was just before I was going to the Amish country on a quilt tour, so I bought loads of FQ's of 1930's style fabrics while I was there, and this is the result.  They are not the colours or the type of fabrics I would normally choose, but I was really happy with the way it turned out so I thought I ought to share it with you.  I hope you like it too.

Does any one else do this? ...............

Way, way back in the dim and distant past, well January actually, I ordered 5 patio clematis plants to put in pots in our new garden. 
All well and good, but January was a long time ago.  In other words, yes, I forgot I had ordered them.
Imagine my surprise then when the post office van pulled up on our drive this morning before 8.30 and in his hand he had a box. 
I wasn't expecting anything, so that was exciting. 
You've all guessed what was in that box haven't you? 
Yes, 5 baby clematis (clematii?). 
Oh heck, what was I planning to do with those? 
Oh yes, put them in pots. 
Which pots?
Aah yes, those pots - the ones I planted summer flowering plants in over the weekend. 
Oops. 
Guess where I went this morning then?  Off to the garden centre, to buy some more pots.
Does anyone else do things like this?
Last Thursday was my sister's birthday, and Friday was Mr QuiltFan's (aka my father's) birthday.  Happy birthday to both of you. 

Since I can't show you .......

........ what I am working on at the moment, I thought I'd show you a couple of small quilts I made in 2006 or thereabouts.

Tulips from Harrogate.
This was adapted from a pattern in a Fons and Porter magazine.  I foundation pieced it, and it was made as a shop sample to show a small project that could be made from a few charm squares.  It would make a lovely table runner, but I don't use it as one in case I spill something on it and spoil it!

Sunset over Yorkshire.
I was given the pattern for this by Mrs PennyPot.  It is by Jenny Rayment- she of the fabric twiddling fame.  Mrs PP went on a course being run by her, and brought this back for me.  I love it, but so did my father, so guess where it lives now?  I think I'm going to have to start calling him Mr QuiltFan.

I'll be back soon, with some more quilts and other ramblings - well, you know me, I can't keep quiet for too long.  Oh yes, and keep checking up on me, soon I'll be able to show you what I've been up to.

Excuses, excuses ...........

Dear Blogland Police

Please excuse QuiltSue for her absence from blogland recently.

This has been due to a combination of unavoidable domestic events.  Firstly, Mr Fixit has been in hospital for his gallbladder op, and secondly her laptop died, totally at the same time.

Mr Fixit is now home, minus his gallbladder, and really, you would not know he has ever had an operation and she has bought a new laptop, so hopefully life can now return to what passes for normal around her.

Thank you from

QuiltSue's Conscience

Bloggers' Quilt Festival

Amy's at it again - she's found a way for me to not do the housework today!  She's now hosting her third Bloggers' Quilt Festival.  To take part, you have to show one of your quilts and then share it's story, then post a link here.  That's also the link to go to to see over 420 (so far) quilts.

So, without further ado, here's my entry for this year.  I started this quilt a few years ago as a mystery quilt.  When I had finished the top, I decided I hated it, so it went in a cupboard and was ignored for some years.  When I got my long-arm machine
(aka Big Bertha), I needed "stuff" to practice on.   That's when this top saw the light of day again.  I spread it out on a bed to work out how I was going to quilt it, and guess what?  I loved it!  It's only trouble was that it wasn't big enough for a bed quilt.  Luckily, I managed to find some marble fabrics that were an almost exact match and I still had some of the original fabrics too, so 3 borders later, I had a quilt top that fitted our queen size bed, and I am really happy with it. The only thing is, it's just dawned on me that this is one of the few quilts I've made that doesn't have a name.  Any suggestions anyone?
Now I am off to look at some more quilts - perhaps I'll meet some of you there?

Wishing and hoping and hoping and praying ............

...... remember that song?  Yes, I know I'm showing my age here but hey you've only got to look at my photo to see I'm not 21 anymore.


What am I wishing for?  Well I probably shouldn't tell you this, but there are a few people who are giving me (yes, OK, and you) the chance to win a copy of EQ7.  How wonderful would that be? So I've entered the draws on these blogs: Quilt Whangarei, Mequilter, Highway Cottage  Cherry House Quilts,and Handcrafting with Love. (There were other blogs too, but they have finished their competitions.)

Just remember though, you musn't enter these giveaways as that will reduce my chances of winning!

It's coming ...............

.......... "What is", you're all wondering.

Electric Quilt 7

that's what.   Now I currently use another software package for wasting time designing quilts, but I've just been looking at the website and reading about EQ7, and I have to say

I want this programme.

The list of features it contains is just completely amazing, and would keep me playing on the computer even more than I do at the moment.  Apparently it's due out in mid-June, but my birthday isn't till January.  Hmm I'm going to have to think about this one.............................