I had a bit of a wasted journey to Carmarthen yesterday, as I wanted to close my account with Nationwide and can only do that by going in person to their office. I found out it is shut on a Wednesday . . . So I will have to combine it with another journey south-westwards. I allowed myself the luxury of going into Waterstones bookshop, but just had a quick look round the history/archaeology section and didn't indulge myself. Then I popped a Welcome to your New Home card through Danny's front door (he was at work) and went to friend Pam's for lunch and a natter.
You can see what I was up to at my Patchwork class. I am afraid I was cursing the lady who made this quilt as she used the TINIEST machine stitch to stich-in-the-ditch quilt it and it will take many hours of unpicking with my stitch-ripper to take this off. Never mind, it was good to see my friends again and was able to sit with Pat, and talk about her horses and patchwork.
I am just about comfortable enough to get back to my x-stitch Puffin, so here he is.
I DID actually take this the right way up, then the camera/computer put it sideways and even after I had righted it, put it back sideways. I give up.
Not much happening here today, but I shall go up and work on the bathroom curtains after I have had my walk. Just simple 3" squares in blue and a pale cream print. Should make up quickly.
Yesterday's The Rest is History podcast was a bit mind-blowing - a very clever Englishwoman who managed to go up through the ranks and finally became a female Pope, but who wasn't discovered to be female until she began giving birth as she was mounting her horse to take part in a religious parade (rather bad timing there!!) Pope Joan she was (though Pope John as her male name). She had one of two fates according to legend, the worst being tied by her ankles to a horse's tail and dragged through the streets being stoned to death. Or else she went into a nunnery and her son became a Pope in due course. Probably a mythical allegory, but you never know . . . It made for good listening anyway.
Looking forward to seeing the curtains. I do wish I could see with confidence.
ReplyDeleteThe puffin is coming on nicely.
Alison in Devon x
I am about to go up and cut/sew a bit more. My back and shoulder are feeling easier today. I dare say not having to water round Ed's polytunnel has helped! I am enjoying the puffin. All white or black for the rest of it now. Apart from its tootsies.
ReplyDeleteOh gosh, poor Pope Joan, what a dreadful story!!
ReplyDeleteYou've reminded me I need to close my Nationwide account down too. I only updated our address on it just before we left Wales, and then they had to add over six years of interest to the little book, now it's over six years later and I haven't updated it at all.
Yes, it made very interesting listening. Especially how they checked Popes in future to make sure they were male!!
DeleteI am going to go into Nationwide and complain as it's impossible to get into my account on line to do anything.
Again, my utmost respect and awe for those who sew! :) Mind, I have enjoyed cross-stitch in the past...and some free-form embroidery. So maybe it's just precision I struggle with :). I'm looking forward to listening to that episode of TRIH, sounds like a good one! ~melanie
ReplyDeleteWith patchwork, precision counts. So does concentration! That episode of TRIH was something else!!
DeleteI've only attempted machine quilting on small pieces. I've found that even a longer stitch setting produces tiny stitches on the layers. Never have been very happy with my results. Sometimes its possible to pick every 3rd stitch or so and then ease the layers apart. Trying to fix someone else's botched work is a pain--I had to do that quite a few times when working at the quilt shop.
ReplyDeleteAh, that may explain it. A real PITA trying to unpick it though. What fun! Waiting patiently for my yellow fabrics to try and match in with the yellows on this. They should arrive tomorrow.
ReplyDeletePopes are supposed to be celibate does not sound like pope Joan was
ReplyDeleteYou're not kidding! Apparently there is a sort of double throne now, each with large holes in the bottom, so that they can check for . . . !authenticity!!
ReplyDeleteThis post appeared today in real time, hooray!
ReplyDeletePoor P Joan. Well,, *someone* knew she wasn't a man, her baby daddy. The inspection throne is so humiliating, I d rather pass on popedom than submit.
That picking out is a challenge,ugh. But I knew it had to be done. Your alternative is to remove the whole center and make a new one to insert.
I sat down last night with the quilt, a stitch ripper and my magnifying craft lamp and watched 3 episodes of a new drama and got it done. The magnifyer made all the difference.
DeleteI am guessing blokes aren't too bothered at another bloke "checking their tackle", especially if it means they get to be Pope.
Hope you manage all those little stitches. Your Puffin is so cute.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Yup, cracked it. Onwards and upwards with that now.
Delete