More quilts

 But first a MOAN.  Blardy house insurance!  Up for renewal (Christmas Eve it's due) and of course it's gone up a big chunk again - I do NOT like having to pay for other people's claims or the fact that builders now charge more and builders merchants have put their prices up which is how these companies justify their excesses.  Tam and Rosie are arriving later and so she will help me - thank de Lord.  Oh dear, 150 m from a watercourse?  That will bump the price up - BUT that watercourse is at the bottom of a deep gully - a canyon almost - and no way could it ever rise up sufficiently to flood us as we are probably 60+ feet above it and it is still 150m away.  Yeesh - how I miss Keith, who always dealt logically and sensibly with all the paperwork.  He came to me in a dream last night - just a "walk on" part - where he was being - hah, logical and sensible about something, bless him!  Anyway, it has occurred to me that rather than filling in an all or nothing statement about having window locks (two downstairs (old) windows don't, it's better just to get locks for them and then that is covered.  They could also do with a draught excluding tape too because they are early Victorian and worn and draughty. Is the rebuild value REALLY £1,399,000???  I don't think so! 

Well, suitably cheered up by the Quilt Exhibition and seeing old friends on Sunday, I finally got around to the border on Gabby's quilt yesterday and that is half done now - another 3 strips. I think I will enquire if Alex (our teacher at the patchwork group) can put it through her long-arm quilter for me.  Worth paying for that as it's a double so a lot of work doing it by hand.

I would have gotten onto it earlier but I had to strip and remake my bed - finally putting the electric blanket on the right way up!  Dozo . . .  I put the linen bedding on it and slept well last night - it settles around the body better than my high-count cotton Strawberry Thief duvet cover.

Not my colourway, but cleverly done.

These Bargello quilts are amazing.

Above, my favourite quilt on show.  The photo doesn't do justice to the colours.  This is ART.

Traditional Log Cabin, but beautifully designed and worked and the Flying Geese strips break it up.

Another of Pat's - this time Cats.  LOVE IT!  I should do one here shouldn't I? Love the expressions on the cats' faces :)

The cat that got the cream :)

Right, off to take the rubbish out, buy my twice weekly paper and get locks for the two Victorian kitchen windows.

My tribe

 This lovely quilt was made by Alex, who is the teacher at my old quilting group.

I had been told that the old quilting group I used to belong to were having a Quilting Exhibition - I thought it was next Sunday, which was the day after my Antiques Fair and also clashed with a Christmas Open Day at Llwyn Celyn.   Anyway, this morning it showed up on my Facebook feed as Today!  Well, breakfast was thrown down throat, glad rags thrown on and I was off!  I have had the most LOVELY morning seeing my old friends, catching up on news, going round and taking photos of the beautiful quilts which were on display.  My camera has not done them justice as the colours are not true in places, but it was good to see so much inspiration and the ladies have surpassed themselves.  I will share the photos over a couple of posts as I took lots and lots.

Some Christmassy hangings/throw.

I am still trying to get my head around each individual block . . . it's cleverly done.

I know the starring colours for this were Bright Pink and Bright Lime Green and I instantly thought of Kate at the Last Homely House and her Kitchen!

This lovely Dresden Plate quilt was made by my friend Pat - I love the stash-busting prints.  She will have been glad I was not on the table next to her when she was concentrating on this - we used to talk so much that half the time we would spend the next session busy with our stitch-rippers!!!

Another Dresden Plate design.

Oooh, I bet this flannel fabrics quilt is warm to snuggle under.

Another one of Pat's - she's been busy!

As you can see, lots of talented ladies and lots of different blocks and inspiration everywhere.

I have decided despite the distance (50 miles each way!) I am going to join them again.  I will try and go every couple of weeks, but even once a month would cheer me up no end and I would be back with my friend group again.  I would also be able to pop up and see my dear friend Pam who lives just up the road.

I did that today too - I hadn't given her any warning, and in fact she and Dunc were down at a car boot sale, but packing up to come home.  We had a lovely chat and put the world to rights and I hope she and Dunc will be able to pop across to the Antiques Fair next weekend.

Now I am back home, feeling SO much more positive and cheerful and am going to spend tomorrow quilting.  Today it's a hot cuppa and some more work on my embroidered tote bag.