We’re having some glorious autumn days. Knowing what’s ahead makes me appreciate the warm sunshine and the crisp clarity of the views even more than usual. For once the late flowering shrubs are really coming into their own and blooming while the sun shines. It’s a race against time to get the garden put to bed before the first snow: bulbs planted, the last vegetables and fruit harvested, bushes and flower beds cut back, the compost heaps full, garden furniture put away for the winter, big pot plants taken away for overwintering. For once I almost feel ontop of the situation and the mildness of the weather makes it all a lot more pleasant than it usually is in October. It’s the first time since about June that the garden has looked more or less tidy.

It’s the second week of the school holidays and I’m hoping to goodness that the teenagers are old enough and sorted enough to know what they need to have done by next week and actually do it. They spend most of their time in their rooms or the two younger ones at least, out with friends, so it’s pretty quiet in the house and my older daughter keeps us well supplied with cakes and biscuits. (Opening a cake shop is her plan B if all else on the career front fails). There’s more than enough to do to keep me busy, with the usual round of washing, ironing, shopping, cleaning. Not exciting but peacefully satisfying most of the time.

I rather like a little quiet domesticity. Next week work and school and turbulence will be back with us, so it’s good to just be quiet for a day or two.

Helen

Last year when I was at the FQR I indulged in a little FQ pack of Backyard Baby….really cute, but not at all what I’d normally buy. It would be great for anyone who needed a baby quilt, but I’m at a stage of life where no-one I know is having babies anymore and we haven’t made it to grandchildren yet.

I’ve been looking with envy at all the lovely totes that everyone is making for the Mouthy Stitches 2 swap (which I didn’t enter)…and finally realized that I could actually make myself a tote….and if it worked out well I could make a whole lot more for Christmas presents.

Backyard Baby was the first fabric that came to mind. So I’ve been having a little play. I wanted something very simple, so the pictures in the fabrics didn’t get lost in the patchwork. So far I’ve come up with this simple little sashed grid.

The photo has come out quite dark – the sashing is actually several shades lighter than this, but overall I quite like it as a starting point. What do you think?

Helen

Today I managed to get October’s project for EEEEP EPP BEE finished. It’s Katy Jones‘ Spring Carnival and it’s for Celine, who blogs at espritpatch.

Celine sent the cream fabric for the triangles and some lovely Liberty scraps – and I had a great time with some of my own Liberty scraps. It’s such a pretty pattern and it really made me think that it would be nice to make it up in Liberty sometime for myself.

It always amazes me just how quickly EPP goes together – you’d think it would take ages and then it really doesn’t!

Helen

Hello! I’m back from here… (the Maldives if you didn’t guess)

and am now looking out of the window at this….

Now that the rain has more or less stopped, I hate to have to tell you that there is even s**w on them there hills….I guess winter isn’t far away. Oh well.

Anyway I’m feeling refreshed and raring to go. (And ready to do all the laundry!)

When last week’s post was delivered this morning I was thrilled to receive these lovely blocks from Annabella for the Sew Euro-bee-an bee. Thanks Annabella!

When I put the blocks that have arrived so far together this is what they look like…

I’m loving it….and stalking the poor postman!

Now time for a little sewing I think…..

Helen

Things have taken a rather surreal turn here…

Yesterday I went snorkelling and encountered two of these…

One 5m and one 4m whale shark, maybe 10 yards away

and today I had a whole school of manta rays swimming around me as I snorkeled.

Thankfully to the best of my knowledge they are vegetarian or at least only fishatarian. I don’t think my life was in danger!

And there has been no knitting. Not one stitch.

Helen

PS The photos are from Wikipedia – even if I had been in possession of a waterproof camera I would certainly not have been in a fit state to take a photo!