Yesterday I had a lovely afternoon – Elisabeth aka Mrs Shark’s Dinner and I met up in Zürich.

We met under the Niki de Saint Phalle angel in the station – which between you and me would look better if someone went up a ladder with a duster! – and then walked along the Bahnhofstrasse to have tea and raspberry tartlets in Sprungli at Paradeplatz.

The place where ladies take tea.

And natter.

A lot.

It was lovely.

And even better, Elisabeth is moving back to Switzerland next year! She probably won’t come to Zürich, but as the whole country is really teeny and the train service is brilliant, we should have no trouble meeting up.

To drink tea and natter.

Which will be wonderful!

Helen

When I finally, finally get down to starting my Soda Pop quilt, these are the base fabrics I think I’m going to use – a mixture of Sweetwater Reunion and Lucy’s Crab Shack, with the lime greens removed. I had previously thought that I would just use odds and ends out of my stash, but when I started cutting out squares I was just so unenthusiastic about how they looked together, that I threw the towel in and decided to use some of my ‘precious, save it for a rainy day fabric’. I really love Sweetwater…..anything they do really…and I think this will be a lovely quirky, interesting mixture.

I would really like to show you my main fabric – which I’m going to use to make the petals…..but yes, you’ve guessed it….yet again, nothing has arrived in the mail today. (Which also means I can’t do anything on the Zigzag quilt because I’m also waiting for enough Kona snow to finish that off). When it gets here it’s.Twirl Going Places Green Twirly Dots.. and it looks like this…

I really, really hope that it will work with the Sweetwater fabrics because if it doesn’t I’m going to be in deep doggy doodah….and you will hear my screaming all the way over on the Western Seaboards….

It’s all an exercise in patience, it really is….

What do you think? Will the green work or have I made a BIG MISTAKE?

Helen

Over the last few weeks I’ve received two blogging awards:

A Versatile Blogger award from Catherine aka Catterel

and a Sunshine Award from Tanya at Sew a Second Chance

I was very touched to get both, but I know that blogging awards are always a bit contentious and so I’m not going to send them on to anyone else.

What I’d like to do instead is point you in the direction of some blogs that I like and which might be new to you.

Why not stop by Shark’s Dinner  (Elisabeth has a great giveaway at the moment – plus she’s lovely and I’m getting to meet her for tea in Zürich tomorrow!!), Quilting for England and Kettle Boiler. I met all the lovely writers of these blogs at the FQ Retreat recently – I know you’ll like them – I do!

Now I’m off to stalk the postman again…..

Helen

Nothing earth shattering to report here – it’s just too hot. Being a girl from the frozen north (well, OK, Newcastle) I don’t really handle heat very well…so to be honest I feel a bit like the stuffing has been shaken out of me….ontop of which I’m STILL waiting for the postman….ah well, next week, SOMETHING must show up….anything would be better than nothing!

So rather than creative wonders, it’s bits and bobs from me today.

Firstly confession time. The year is half over, so I thought I’s better own up to the level of er stashbusting that I’ve managed in my problem areas (and no, I haven’t lost weight either before you ask!).

Yarn – here I’m actually quite proud of myself – I’m a nice weighty 2,960m minus – that’s almost 3 km of wool! Still a way to go, but I’ve definitely done as well as I’d hoped.

Fabric – I AM ASHAMED – there, I’ve said it. 38.3m more than at the start of the year, but in my defense there are lots of projects in the works that will bring it down. I’m planning to sew my fingers off this summer!!

Books – tadaaa….

This may not look like much, but it’s a SPACE in my bookcase, which you may remember was packed to the gunnels at the start of the year – all the shelves were full and I had books stacked ontop of them. Now I have a few inches of space. Which makes me happy (and feeling virtuous!).

So there you have it – at least two out of three have gone in the right direction!

I don’t think I ever managed to show you a photo of my latest quilt – the New England Beach House. Here it is in situ – and I’m very happy with it. the fabric is Northcote by Cabbages and Roses.

On that happy note I guess I’d better get on….French is calling me (in the form of my 13 year old son, who has a test next week!)….oh joy!

Enjoy your Sunday!

Helen

Zürich. On a summer’s day when it’s way too hot to sew! (And when the postman anyway hasn’t brought all the things I’m waiting for!)

I hope the sun’s shining where you are!

Helen