Anything Wills & Kate Can Do ...

This week has been incredibly productive and exciting on the quilting front but I can't share any of it with you right now.  I can tell you that I've been testing a quilt pattern and I finished the final binding late into Thursday night/Friday morning.  I've taken lots of photos along the way, even of a section of the quilt that once sashed, quilted and bound revealed an offensive symbol that took me 8 hours yesterday to undo and remake.  It's true to say that I've learnt a lot in making this quilt and as soon as I'm allowed to tell you all about it you can be sure that I will!

 On Thursday I took time off from 'the test quilt' to pop along to an English Paper Pieced Hexagons class with Judy Doenias at my LQS in Manhattan.  I learnt this form of paper piecing at school in England when I was around 8 years old but haven't used it since and, as everyone's going Hexie crazy I thought I'd do a refresher session.  

2" Coffin design by Judy Doenias

 I haven't taken a class with Judy before and she was a great tutor, explaining everything very clearly and thoroughly, with lots of opportunity to ask questions and individual help for those needing that bit extra. 

Here's my efforts - not much to show so far I'm afraid
2" Coffin design using Denyse Schmidt Free Spirit Chicoppe prints (freebie from Quilters Take Manhattan)

I'm not sure if this is something I'll be doing lots of - I can see that it's a great travel project still I like my crochet for that.  I can appreciate the workmanship involved but it's a lot of effort for not much output.  I'll finish what I've started but there's other techniques that grab my interest more - who knows though and I never say never.

In other news my daughter Flicky has put in a request for a Chef's Hat and Apron to give as a gift to a friend - can't give more details as it's going to be a surprise (has anyone else noticed the theme of 'secrecy' running through most of this post and wondered yet, as I am, if there's any point in me blogging anything this week and even less point in you reading it if I do!!!).  This time I can treat you to a peep at the fabrics she's chosen.

Who wouldn't love those ostriches?!
Olive the Ostrich by Laurie Wisbrun for Robert Kaufman/Green with white spots - dear STELLA
/CHILDREN at play by sarahjane for michael miller fabric

and while she was wandering around our LQS Flicky spotted these two organic fabrics on the 'Sale' shelf and promptly nabbed them.  She's requested some pillowcases to take off to university with her - she's already mentally decorating her room there.

I'm actually using other fabrics from this range for the Something NEW Sampler
Avalon JAY-CYN designs for birch fabrics

Flicky's been offered an unconditional place to study for an MA (Hons) in Modern History at The University of St Andrews, Scotland and if it's good enough for Wills and Kate then it might just pass muster with our Flicky too.  She hasn't been to Scotland before so just to be certain the two of us are flying over during Spring Break to check it out.

So the plan is: two nights in St Andrews where we'll be lucky if there's anything to see other than people carrying bags of metal sticks, wearing Rupert Bear trousers and pastel coloured, diamond patterned jumpers; then 2 nights in Glasgow where we're going to see the English comedian Jimmy Carr; and finally 2 nights in Edinburgh where we're going to see the Russian State Ballet performing Swan Lake - well we have an extremely diverse cultural appreciation if nothing else!

University of St Andrews, Scotland

Anyone paying full attention will have noticed that I'm now running one week behind on The Something New Sampler and also the Skill Builder BOM.  I'm hoping to get myself up-to-date over the next couple of days and I'll be posting my progress - let's hope Flicky doesn't find me any more projects in the meantime :)