Saturday 2 April 2016

Seeds and sewing


Above and below - I took advantage of a half price seed sale in Wilko's this week, and came out with all these.  I should have enough veg for the year now to cover my needs.


I couldn't resist a few flower seeds either.


I am having a slow start to the morning as we have had a very busy week.  We plan to go and look round the Antiques Fair at the Botanic Gardens at some point today.  A proper Busman's Holiday!


Work in progress with the x-stitch although it is having to be dovetailed in with a different sewing job.  Whilst I was searching for some vintage material the other day, I found a 1/4 of a quilt sewn in Laura Ashley and Liberty prints from the 70s.  I thought it made more sense to turn it into a granny's flower garden quilt or throw, as you can't date plain cotton like you can vintage prints.  So I have been unpicking it - no mean task as the original needlewoman used a small needle and TINY stitches.  What did interest me was how good (and soft and thick!) REAL cotton thread was all those years ago.  It was far better than the modern acrylic threads.


So, I have my work cut out . . .



In the same box, I found these blue and white Laura Ashley hexis, which need re-shaping as they were cut out using a wonky template (I dare say I did it by eye rather than my husband's expert and accurate measurements).  Below are a set of pre-cut LA hexis which I shall use up too.


Lastly, I can't put this book down.  Margaret Forster writes (sorry, wrote, as she died recently) so well, and the subject is one who has fascinated me for decades.


Have a good weekend.  

12 comments:

  1. I wish we had a Wilko near us, BB. I'm hoping to get my seeds this week possibly from B and M Bargains.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Your seeds a bargain, your hexagons a delight, you are going to be busy.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great bargain on the seeds, I am resting buying any seeds as I have loads and really want to use them up, your going to be busy with all those hexi's, have a nice busmans day out :-)

    ReplyDelete
  4. The shops are full of seed packets aren't they BB? Ever hopeful I think when i look out of the window!

    ReplyDelete
  5. The busman's day out was GREAT, and my husband bought what he hopes was a bargain. We shall see. I have to wait to sow my seeds until I get my new plastic greenhouse for my birthday (a must since the polytunnel went belly up).

    Now you see (with the hexi project) why I get sidetracked from other projectds I'd started. This is one with £sd attached, so home projects are sidelined (not the x-stitch though).

    ReplyDelete
  6. My Goodness so busy. The seed packets are calling to me but none for me. I had such hopes for my garden last year (all in pots) it started out wonderful but I was so sick all summer that I just let it go. Funny even though all winter we didn't even water anything my tomatoes kept producing, till son just pulled them out .
    So this year just two tomato plants and blooms.

    cheers, parsnip

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We had such a wet summer last year, and I am praying for sunshine this year. I would be happy to grow more stuff in pots as it would save a lot of digging!

      Delete
  7. What a lovely bunch of bargains. What a find all those lovely fabrics and hexies...lots of fun.xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Only trouble is, hand-sewing is very time-consuming and I am having to reform these with paper shapes as I am rehashing the whole quilt bit sewn so far (she had removed and reused her paper formers). However, it will be worth it when it is finally finished.

      Delete
  8. Wonderful bargains and I look forward to seeing what you make out of the beautiful fabrics. The book looks interesting....... :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'll keep you posted with photos of progress. The book is very well written and hard to put down. She hasn't met RB yet, but is about to (100 pages in). . .

      Delete
  9. Margaret Forster was one of my favourite writers & I especially enjoyed her biographies. Her biography of Daphne Du Maurier is also excellent.

    ReplyDelete