Last week I had the pleasure of being invited to demonstrate, as I worked on my Cathedral Window wallhanging. The three week Exhibition and Show of the Blakeney Guild of Many Crafts has just been running a few days and is doing extremely well. I was up there , in Norfolk, on the Thursday, and there was a steady flow of visitors coming through and sales being made. It was windy with a smattering of showers - Oh, it sounds somewhat like a weather forecast, but we all know how these things can affect such an event. Anyway, this was one I was glad to be a part of. So if you can get along to see it ,it is on for another couple of weeks, displaying work of local craftspeople, with the opportunity to buy something unique.

Currently I'm working on three pieces !

The first , 'Midnight', is very time consuming as its all done by hand. It's another Cathedral Window/Secret Garden wallhanging and is going to be quite special. The colours that compliment the blues, are pinks, mauves, and purples, with a hint of silver shining through the metallic print. However, its still evolving so difficult to describe. I love it though and am putting in the hours to bring it to completion !

To have a little relief from such close work, I have just begun 'My Garden Quilt'. Upon receiving a moneatry gift for my birthday, I bought these wonderful fabrics of floral and leaf designs. A lap quilt is now in the making. Hopefully I will quite quickly see results as I piece it together and quilt it on the machine. Perhaps this one will be for the summer house that I dream of, or rather more likely, bringing the greens of the garden indoors to enjoy all the year round.

Before these two began, and I have made a few smaller projects in between, I have been working on 'Dancing on the Sands'. I'm not sure whether this piece will ever quite come together but we shall see. I have been experimenting with a couple of different techniques and you never really know how they are going to turn out - very creative !!! However, it's nearly there, though rather a lot of hand-sewing still to do, and a few embellishments, shells no less, will be added.

So where does all the time go  - I wonder ?? - Come back and visit to see them in  the Gallery soon.

Finished and complete having mastered all 25 buttonholes on the machine ! - Really pleased with the result and here we have Matthew equally happy with the way it has turned out.

This week I have brought my old sewing machine back into use again on discovering that it works fine ! Why did I think the tension was all wrong?? Perhaps because previously I had been trying to do Freestyle machine quilting with it and something hadn't been quite right. However, far from my usual work I am doing a little tailoring, making a Cotehardie and Braies at my son's request for when he gets into the new season of Medieval Re-enactment shows. I used to enjoy dress-making, so I have enjoyed the change but it has been a challenge and I haven't started on the buttonholes yet !

At the weekend I visited 'WE MAKE LONDON', a Christmas Arts & Craft Show in Chelsea Town Hall. Very impressed by the variety of work on display. There are a lot of talented people out there. There were 81 stallholders and the standard was high. I was particularly drawn to the ceramics and glassware. Perhaps because it is so different from anything I have ever attempted to do. Pieces of unique jewelry caught my eye, and unusual felted scarves that would draw attention to anyone who wore them. It made for a great day out.

I wonder which wallhanging or quilt might be your favourite ? Apparently, the feedback to date is such , that 'As the Mountains...' inspires people the most. Do let us know what you think. I like 'Bluetit', though 'Summer Garden' is still possibly my favourite. :-)

Well, as requested here are some pictures of my sewing room. It is compact but it is lovely to have my own space where I can make a mess and leave it behind me at the end of the day. I get so much more done that way than when I used to have to clear away the dining room table for evening meals. Then, at the end of each project I enjoy a good tidy-up and sort out before starting the next.

These last few weeks have been taken up with moving house, unpacking and decorating, but now we are settled I have once again been busy at the sewing machine ! My new sewing room is a joy to work in and already the fabrics have come out and inspired me to make a cot quilt for a baby girl. Congratulations to Mum and Grandmum :-) We have discovered a patchwork and quilting shop not too far away. A local P&Q group looks to be most welcoming having visited their exhibition on August Bank Holiday and met some of the people and seen their work. I'm hoping to get along there soon. Last weekend we found our way to a Craft Fair at Rockingham.It made for a lovely family day out. Then of course we visited Norfolk in September and I shared my work with the 'Ladies Together ' group in Woodton who received me well and encouraged me with their enthusiam and interest - a big thankyou to all. So. its been a busy time and I'm looking forward to the weeks to come.

Over recent months I've been involved in a Round Robin challenge with the Mallerstang Quilters. Having begun by making an initial block, each round has been subsequently added by a different member of the group. Likewise I have been contributing to the quilt tops of the other participants.Mallerstang Quilters then held an exhibition. These are some of the other Round Robins displayed to which I contributed to.  

It's been exciting this week to be hearing the responses from those eager to buy the September issue of 'Sew' magazine which is now on the shelves in Smiths etc. Flick through the pages and you will find me featured there with three pictures of my work. Jess from Lancaster writes on Busymitts, " Saw you in Sew magazine this month, and thought "Hey! I recognize this" Absolutely inspirational, love your work :) " She was commenting on 'Summer Garden'. Thanks Jess. I've been commissioned to make a wallhanging and a cot quilt, so I'm looking forward to getting my sewing machine out. I'm sure Jess' sentiment of  'too many ideas, not enough time will be one I shall echo, but can't wait to get started !

Thanks to everyone who has left comments on 'Guest Book'. It's always lovely to receive feedback.

 This month we are in the throws of moving house, yet what could be a stressful time is proving to be more relaxing than I thought it would be. I've actually enjoyed sorting through and packing up my sewing room, and now as we wait, I've been indulging in all those favourite pastimes I don't always have time for. Reading is a great stress reliever, so a little escapism into the world of Daphne du Maurier has caught my interest with 'The Parasites'. My knitting projects keep me busy, and walks and coffee shops are always an enticement even when it's raining!

However, it's exciting to look forward to my new workspace for getting creative, making gifts and wallhangings to sell in the Autumn. In the meantime, ideas are flowing which is always a good sign.