That is something I haven't been able to do/be for several years now. Keith and caring for him took precedence of course. Like having things to look forward to, being impulsive had been put at the back of the cupboard of life and well and truly covered in dust.
The weather was so nice and warm today - total wall to wall sunshine - that after doing the chores - stripping Danny's bed, washing the bedlinen and hanging it out, sweeping and scrubbing the bathroom floor, tidying etc, a short walk out blackberry picking (another pound in the freezer for winter), I thought it seemed a pity to waste such beautiful weather and I really quite fancied a drive out somewhere - somewhere up towards Shropshire. I pondered the map and then realized it was a Monday, and the auction at Pembridge would be on. That wasn't too far and was a nice drive through beautiful scenery. I checked out what was in the auction and marked a few things off. There are photos on their Facebook page, but you never know quite what to expect until you get there and can look more closely.
I had a good browse and crossed a few things off the list. I would just bid on one lot, a double patchwork quilt. Not too bad a one, but it needed the old-lady-needing-glasses jab-it-quilting ripped out and replacing with my neat stitching. A few lots earlier were two equally old-lady-1960s/70s single hexagon quilts with valences. Not very desirable, but the fabrics were certainly of their time. Idly I watched a few things sold and then the two quilts came up. He tried to get £10 but no bids, tried £5, got a bid, and I thought to myself, oh come on Jen, that's cheap and put my hand up and bought them for £6 the pair!
They will need a good wash anyway, then I'll put them away until the next Fair next year.
Then the other quilt came up and I got it for £15!
See what I mean about the quilting . . . and those were comparatively good bits! I think it must have been a kit at the time, as there is another exactly the same over on Ebay. Again it needs a good wash, but has no stains on it (unlike Ebay quilt) and then I can get busy with my stitch ripper on the dark days of winter.
I even stopped and bothered a church on the way home. This is St Michael's and All Angels at Lyonshall. We viewed an old house near here - it was the one where the elderly lady's grandfather had been the baker, the carpenter and the undertaker! The layout was wrong too though, and she'd sold off all the paddocks around it for building plots, so it was a bit hemmed in too. Plus no central heating and open fires.
The two views at the top of the page were taken from the churchyard.
All in all, a positive day and it was a lovely drive out. Even the awfully feral Herefordshire roads had had a couple of makeovers in the worst places - about blardy time too as they were FULL of potholes. You knew the moment you crossed into Herefordshire as your car damn near disappeared in an 'ole!
This sounds like a really nice day, and a bonus with the sunshine for your drive. You must have the patience of a saint to redo the stitching on those quilts, lovely to give them a new lease of life.
ReplyDeleteAlison in Wales x
It's a nice mindless job which can be done whilst listening to an Audio book or watching tv. A satisfying job. Just one quilt to restitch anyway, although I am tempted to take the valences off the two single quilts and stitch them together into one huge one.
DeleteWhat a fun day! And great you went to the auction and found the quilts. Yes, a good wash! And I did think the ripping out would be a nice winter project. Your quilting is lovely but this is not all that bad, mine looks like that , I think. Better to use it as is til other projects are done.
ReplyDeleteIt's beautiful here but I spent the AM in a windowless infusion clinic. So groggy now, I ll come back and look again at the details and gorgeous countryside.
Sorry you had a horrid morning at the infusion clinic. Rest up and come back refreshed.
DeleteYou have me inspired with your quilts. I bought one last weekend and I swear I nap better under a quilt!
ReplyDeleteKJ
Glad that the quilt is proving of good use already. There is something about snuggling down under one, I have to say.
Delete"We viewed a house near here". This made me smile as it is something my late husband and I would say when driving around the country.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking yesterday, as I looked across the beautiful hills, woods and fields, in the old ays when we were out somewhere together, I would probably have told Keith to drive slowly or pull over so I could take a photo. Or if I was driving, a few descriptive words might come to me and I would ask him to write them down (on the edge of the daily newspaper usually). Such happy times.
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DeleteThe church is so pretty and the views from it lovely. It made me homesick. My father played the organ at our little country church for over 60 yrs and I spent hours playing in the churchyard or poking in the nooks and crannies while he practised. I totally get the longing for things to look forward to and being impetuous. I am waiting for heart surgery, very small, quite routine, but until I get it I am a shadow of my normal self. Thus my activities have to be carefully planned to conserve my energy. So restricting! I'm booked for January. I can honestly say reading of your new freedom, although at a painful cost, fills me with joy for you and helps me wait out the wait. I am following your kind suggestion about sharing quilt pictures with my hospitalised friend and will be reading some of your posts on quilting to her when I visit her next month. They will be an ideal topic for conversation.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry that you can't live your life fully until after the surgery. It is so frustrating not being able to just satisfy a whim, and to have nothing to look forward to is dire (I know only too well). I don't know if I should be sorry I made you homesick, or pleased that it brought memories back, bittersweet though they might be. It was a church I had driven past before but I suddenly thought I would stop and check it out.
DeleteI am pleased that my posts about quilts and my new found freedom make you happy anyway.
I will make sure to take plenty of photos at Malvern Quilt Festival so you can show your friend.
All three quilts are lovely. The quilting isn't very good on the last one, but it is a lovely design. I'm sure you'll get it into shape over the winter.
ReplyDeleteIn some places it looked like she was struggling with the stitching, and they do need replacing. It's not dirty (has been kept for best I think) so I may stitch rip first, then wash, and the old stitch holes should close over properly.
DeleteHow far are we ripping out? Just the quilting or a complete restart? It was a lovely day almost everywhere yesterday, so you did well to get out in it. The sorting of things in the house will still be there when the weather turns, so get out and make the most of it.
ReplyDeleteOh just the poor quilting stitches. Otherwise it's tidily done. I've just been up in my sewing room, doing the ironing to warm up and waiting for the chilly fog to lift (well, low cloud really). The garden needs such a lot doing to it so I'll be out there shortly.
ReplyDeleteGood for you BB. The only silver lining of no longer having to care for a loved one for so long is that you can be impulsive. Recently I had my JR terrier of nearly 17 years put to sleep and although he is very, very much missed (like my husband who also passed away) I am relishing the freedom of not having to find a dog sitter or dog walker. Love the quilts, I have a couple in the attic that I bought from the old market in Cardigan for bargain prices. (Wiltshire)
ReplyDeleteHello again Anon in Wiltshire. Yes, Freedom. I'd quite forgotten that word. I am able to zoom out early to do the grocery shop now, so I have the rest of the day to myself. I can go for a walk, a drive, go out in the evening (have done that twice in the past week). That said, of course I miss Keith so and life isn't the same without him.
DeleteWhat are your Cardigan quilts like? There used to be a speciality of adding a ruffle to the borders - which I found out when I had one and someone coming to my stall shared that snippet with me.
Such beautiful countryside, thank you for sharing it with your readers. Those quilts make me think of the ones my grandmothers had. You got some bargains there.
ReplyDeleteIt is really lovely in the sunshine. I just wish I could have had a video running in the front of the car a I drove home! Bargains - undoubtedly - and nice to honour their maker who is doubtless pushing up daisies now.
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