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As Laura Robson was playing at Wimbledon I was able to watch the tennis while I sewed the final seams on the bag! Tuesday bag perhaps?!

Kangaroo Bag by Monkey Buttons

Hang out the flags - 100th post coming up!! Except I think it is only the 99th!!

Happy 100th Birthday to us!!

For those of you who have managed to look through the entries, thankyou.  We do seem to have made some wonderful quilts/cakes etc since embarking on this outing.

It all started because, after many years of discussing the fact that we never took photos, Alison arrived in blogland, & here we are!

Tea & cake has always been a big part of the day - always a time for 'Show & Tell' & discussion before getting down to work!
Today was no exception - no fat lemon cake (whisked sponge) with a lemon curd filling.
After Sandown at the weekend we looked at each other's purchases & books/magazines from birthdays & the show - oh no, more ideas!

Chris had already nearly finished a monkey Buttons 'Kangaroo' bag, only purchased on Saturday.  The fabric was from the Monkey Buttons stand too.  We discussed the finishing edges & how to attach the one-piece handle, which makes it very strong.

 Janet Was finishing the binding on a 3 sisters, Moda, quilt - Le Moyne Star from Studio 180 designs.  Quilted by Yvette at Needle & Thread, another sample for the shop!

Archie had a very good use for the quilt - I think he approves!!

Alison was putting the finishing touches to her fourth block, which is actually block nine, of the Barb Adams BOTM quilt.  She is doing the four corners first in case you were wondering!!

Chris has a very large box of 2 1/2" strips so was deciding which to use for a scrappy friendship braid class that Janet is running at Needle & thread on Saturday.  There is certainly plenty to choose from!!!

 The sun came out & so did we, minus Caroline who has had to go to work today.  Hopefully we will be five again soon!
Lasagne & salad followed by fruit crumble was on the menu, along with a few more cups of tea - of course!!

Just to prove I did actually do something - this hand quilting needle case needed finishing.  A project run by Yvette at Heather Quilters in Camberley, I used Belle Fleur fabric & buttons from my stash!  Yes it is not only fabric us quilters have in abundance!!

  

I also managed to almost finish my Beach Hut wall hanging from Julia Gahagan's class at Needle & Thread.
I purchased the hanger from a stand at Sandown - Patchwork Corner.
I have a few more shells to attach but they need larger holes drilled into them as even the smallest needle will not do through!











No Fat Lemon Sponge
For each sponge
3 eggs separated
3oz caster sugar
2oz SR flour
touch of Baking powder
Juice & Rind of one lemon

Whisk egg yolks with sugar & lemon rind.  Add flour & baking powder alternating with juice.
Beat egg whites separately & fold into mixture.  Bake in lined tin for about 25mins on 180 C (if fan oven slightly less)
I made two & sandwiched together with lemon curd

Another busy day - until next time!!!

It's been a long time!

Well it has been a long time since the last Tuesday visit to Hampshire and my turn to write the blog. I had to think about it for a while before jumping in and getting started. Obviously didn't think about it enough though as I forgot the cardinal rule of saving your work as you go and managed to lose the first copy of the entry as I attempted to insert a link! Not a good start!

Unfortunately Caroline could not join us today as she had other obligations, hopefully it won't be long till we can have 5 of us together again.

We started the day with reminding ourselves about 'The etiquette of tea' as featured on a birthday card Amanda had sent me. We all loved the idea of scones, sandwiches and then cake but we in reality we enjoyed banana and chocolate chip cookies with our first cup of tea of the day.

Show and tell was next, Janet had a lovely bowtie quilt that she has made using Belle Fleur by Moda, I think one of the French General collection. She had used a charm pack and a little extra fabric for it. It really was very pretty. It will be a sample for the shop Needle and Thread to show off some of the fabrics.

She also had, yes she has been very busy as usual, a super tumbler quilt

 using Basic Grey PB&J fabric. The tumbler shapes had been cut using the Studio cutter which makes accurate cutting of a lot of shapes quick and easy. it was such a bright and colourful quilt. Another sample for the shop I believe. Yvette, the owner of needle and Thread, had long arm quilted them both. They inspired us to get cracking with some projects. We are fortunate to have the chance to see so many of the new fabrics made up into quilts as they often come to life in a quilt as to on the bolt.

After catching up on all the news and another cup of tea, we got down to some sewing. Amanda was busy putting the finishing touches to a wallhanging that she had been making on a workshop with Julia Gahagan at Needle and Thread. We all aahed and oohed over it and it made us long for some really summer weather and a day at the seaside!

Janet was binding the the bow tie and tumbler quilts and Chris was binding the Black and white quilt  of which I can't believe I didn't take a picture. I will 'borrow' the photo from an earlier blog post.

 As Amanda and I both have birthdays in June we were celebrating birthdays this week. We were both extremely lucky with delightful and thoughtful presents from our friends. Lots to look at it and admire and a bit of reading matter to inspire us too! Thank you from both of us.

 The celebrating didn't stop at presents.....Janet had made us a chocolate birthday cake which we adorned with candles and the obligatory singing and blowing out of candles followed. It was a delicious cake!!! thank you Janet.

 In between making cups of tea and unwrapping birthday gifts I was busy appliquing a double wedding ring quilt onto plain white borders. as soon as that is done I can layer it and get quilting. I am on a deadline with this so watch this space!

It was lovely to see everybody, Caroline, you were missed and hope it is not too long before everyone gets back together again.

Wishing you all some warm weather or at least some sunshine!

It's been quite a satisfying half-term - time to sew!

Missed the company today but look forward to seeing the others again soon

Cutting and sewing ...

Four Tuesday girls today - all cutting and sewing. The fifth had obligations elsewhere. She was missed.

Show and tell to start the day:

The black and white with red quilt is the latest to be pieced from Kim Brackett's book "Scrap Basket Sensations". Pieced by Chris and quilted by Yvette at Needle and Thread and awaiting binding.

The tumbler quilt is a gift for Chris's niece. Quilting is a work in progress but needs to be completed before July! The tumblers were originally a kit purchased at Farnham Maltings - a few years ago now. The fabric is Odyssey from MoMo for Moda.

It was a day of hand sewing for most which is thirsty work but we were trying to stay away from the calorific cakes and had Weight watchers bake well slices

Janet was making great progress with her calendar blocks from Nancy Halvorsen and has the Summer months almost completed - just the details to add.

Caroline was handstitching her Four Seasons. I'm always in awe of her beautiful stitchery

Amanda got her next block basted - very delicate work

Chris was cutting for a new project. These are going to be big blocks so I'm only making four rather than the nine in the pattern layout.

Another Tuesday gone. Half-term next week so we may all be away! Enjoy the Bank Holiday and fingers crossed the sun will shine

Is It Really May?

Is it really May its more like March here today, cold, wet and windy.

Chris was the first to arrive followed by Amanda, Caroline would be with us at lunchtime as she was teaching this morning. Alison was visiting her Mother in Scotland, trying out Sheltered Accommodation again!

Our cake today was from the Mary Berry's Ultimate Cake Book, a All-in-one Victoria Sandwich Cake, with strawberry jam.

Chris was planing a Log Cabin Star Quilt using a Charm Pack, a Mini Charm pack and some yardage of  Noteworthy by Sweetwater from Moda fabrics.

Chris also brought with one of the baby socks she had been knitting - so tiny!

Amanda was tying the ends of the Thomas the Tank Engine Quilt for her cousin's baby.

Chris left before lunch to take the Tuesday puppy Berry to agility.

Caroline arrive in time for lunch, which was salmon and salad, with meringue creme fraiche and fruit for dessert.

I was putting the borders on a pineapple quilt, this is a sample for Needle and Thread. The fabrics are Avalon by Fig Tree from Moda fabrics.The blocks are foundation pieced

A close up of the centre.

This is the scraps from the pineapple blocks.

Until next time

What do I call today?

A wonderful sunny day started off with some show & tell.
This Amish quilt I made at a class with Sue in Canterbury on an Amish Day.  We had whoopee pies & other Amish food, to go with the sewing, along with a bit of history.
I have cut the borders so hope to have a completed top to show you all soon!

 Always a favourite with children, I am making this for my cousin's baby, Thomas Edward Bertie for his christening.
The baby quilt never quite got finished so I am determined to do this one properly!!
I thought it appropriate to choose Thomas, but he is being known as Bertie so will have to add some Bertie the Bus fabric!!

 Caroline is using her not so new machine to practice "stippling" before attacking her quilt from the previous few weeks!
Getting used to a different machine, the stitching is getting smaller!

Janet is sewing these Christmas pictures, a strip by Moda, from Needle & thread in Horsell, to make up into Christmas bunting.  they will be displayed in the shop later in the year.  This is what I call being very organised!






 Alison is proudly showing off some of her finished Block of the Month blocks from Country Inn by Barb Adams & Alma Allen of Blackbird Designs.

The two blocks on the left are my BOTM blocks from the same book, using fabric from Patchwork Cabin in Bookham.  Alison is using her own fabric selection.

This is a comparison of the two identical blocks in the different colour combinations.








Another successful day of eating, drinking & quilting - it should be "Tea & Cake on Tuesdays!!"