Last weekend I was busy

Who is driving that loco, hiding behind all that steam?

Who is that hiding behind that drivers hat and underneath all those layers?

Honestly it is me, although my own father only recognised me by my boots! I did my driver training at Rainsbrook Valley Railway last weekend. Thank you Ed. It was a really cold day. I am glad I did it but will have to wait for next year now for the next part as sections of the track are due to be replaced soon.

Next weekend will be fun too! Till then Liz X

What a difference a needle makes

At the weekend I went to a quilt show and met the lovely ladies from Asding. We had a chat (as you do) and I was saying how I was enjoying a little quilting project and about how fab their quilting gloves are but I was having some bearding problems.

You need a topstitch needle she said. She was right. Will my photos do justice to the problem?

Here is an autumnal coloured quilt with quilted leavesHere is the center of the quilt back with significant bearding.Here is a photo of the back of the border, look no bearding.

Thankyou ladies from Asding for excellent advice and Topstitch needles.

I hope to have this quilt quilted in time for our quilt show in a couple of weeks time. It is a belated gift for my son's birthday. I am not going to admit how belated, but in a way I am glad because I know I have made a better job of it now than I would have done then. Thats my excuse and I will be sticking to it.

Quilt blog inspiration

Thanks to a tip from someone on BQL I have been inspired to quilt by Leah Day. She has a blog and a challenge to create a new free motion quilt design every day for a year. Not only that but she shows a short film of herself doing it.
I have a quilt that has been thrown over my wall for ages, I could not decide exactly how to quilt it. I had an idea based on the fabric colours of autumn leaves but I could not quite get it together and make a start. This lady gave me the kick I needed and the results I am quite pleased with. I hope to show you soon but in the mean time please look at
freemotionquilting.blogspot.com

fabric flowers

I was asked at the weekend if I had given up blogging and it looked like it, but my mother told me if you have nothing good to say then say nothing. As I have not been very productive and have nothing I am pleased with to show, then I have nothing to blog about.

Saturday was spent at Rocheberrie Quilters and as usual there was plenty of inspiration. I took these flowers to make into broches and several people said they liked them so I thought I would try to photograph (with a new to me camera) and post about them. I made some a while ago and had to make a couple more to remind myself how they were done.

I bought a bag of buttons on Saturday and used some of them for flower centers. My sister says I have a bit of a button fettish which I deny but find it difficult to pass a bag without having a good look. Buying or even better being given old buttons makes me happy. I am smiling just thinking about them. Is there a club for people like me? My name is Liz I am a button addict.

Till next time, be patient Liz

Two things I am pleased with!

I am perhaps sad but I had to photograph this because I wasn't sure I believed it. Here is the proof that I have indeed now lost exactly two stones in weight. I have waited a long time to see 11 something. Only half a stone to go and I will nolonger be `overweight`.

Now quilty things. I made this bag because my husband is a koi keeper and we were going to the koi show in Newark. I found this fabric ages ago and finally found a use for it. The pattern is from a magazine the latest one with loads of bag patterns but I have lent it to a friend so can't tell you whch one. It is shown in neutral checks, but I altered it anyway by making the opening wider. I really like it and although it is not pieced it has got lots of free motion quilting round the fish and following the water pattern. It made a great swimming kit bag yesterday.

Pesky zips just for Sarah

I recently did a demo at a quilt group and have been contacted for help so I hope that as a picture is worth a thousand words these four pictures....
well lets see....


If you were not there then I should explain that at Dunelm Mill fabric shop they sell zip by the meter and separate zips but they can be difficult to put together unless you know one very simple trick.


I have used black teeth strip and cream zip just for contrast.



Cut away the teeth for a short distance. That is it that is the trick.

Thread teeth into zip on one side.

Just tuck the teeth of the otherside into the zip.

On a surface hold down both the fabric tabs and use your other hand to pull the zip. Ta Da

Hopefully you are now smiling at how simple that is.

Best wishes Liz X

June challenge

June's challenge for BQL was super quick and easy, I chose batiqe fabric which I love but my camera always make look paler than reality. I quite like the idea of making cushions for my sofa now but using silks in shades of cream and brown. Mmmm shopping today I think. Bigger seam allowance I think might be advisable. I am thinking/typing outloud.

It has been a busy month with a couple of birthdays (that I can't show you because I didn't have time to take photos) and a fab trip to a great private railway near Tamworth this was a particularly interesting little engine.

And how about this for a great maintanance vehicle. Yes they really have put bogies on a Landy. And here is the team that made it all happen. Thank you all, we had a great day.

I don't normally post about other aspects of my life but now you know because of my family I am also into trains and Land Rovers.

Till next time

Liz