Watermelon, perhaps...

There seems to be a theme to the quilts I make, or maybe an association to another love of mine - food. Jasmine's quilt is the Batternberg quilt and while I was making this one for my next-in-the-quilt-line-niece, Tia, the word that kept springing to mind was watermelon.

With the endless squares of pink and green, it's easy to see why!

This quilt measures 64" x 80", an easy measurement to work with in my mind; this time with 4" squares and 2" x 2" 4-patches. 800 squares in all - phew!

I started off with a fat-quarter collection from the fabulous Cia's Palette of Joel Dewberry's Aviary collection in, wait for it, pink and green and then added some other fabrics that I picked up along the way. I've got the hang of ordering from the States now with the customs allowance and so bought some Erin McMorris Wildwood from Purl too.

For the binding, I used a Heather Bailey bright pink print that I spotted on a whim in John Lewis after having already bought something else in Liberty! I always love the way that the binding brings the whole quilt together, frames it.

For the backing I used Amy Butler's Dandelion Field which reminds me of vintage sheeting. I'm sure I had something really similar when I was young on my bed. I hand-quilted around each 8" section of the quilt front which leaves a lovely regular pattern on the back.

So it is neatly folded, awaiting wrapping, alongside Jasmine's one.

Yesterday, the sun didn't really help me out in the photograph department and the wind kept lifting the quilt off the deck, so this is the best I could get of the whole thing in all it's pink and green glory:

Looking a bit darker than it really is, but never mind...

Being (a) patient...

Thank you for your get well comments. My surgery went well and I came home on Saturday as planned. All my worries about having a general anaesthetic were unfounded and my care was amazing. Other than a bit of a stiff neck due to the swelling and some initial pain on swallowing, I'm feeling fine but tired.

I managed to cast on another pair of socks from my (fancy, electric) hospital bed much to the interest of virtually everybody who came into my room! Much more interesting than the surgical stockings I had to wear the whole time!

Back at home I can while away this week doing what I like doing best - hand-quilting. I prepared a quilt before I went in. It is the last one for my nieces' Christmas gifts. I am waiting for the low November sun to move round a bit so I can photograph Tia's one out on the deck. I finished it last week. I gave a sneaky peek in this post and hopefully, I'll be able to show you in all it's pink and green glory tomorrow.

So, I'm waiting patiently to be back up to speed with things. And behind the wheel of my car - I don't like being stuck indoors very much. I look out of my conservatory door and tell myself that there is no point sweeping up leaves when there is still this tree-full to come down yet!

I'm so glad I made my scarf - I'll be needing it! Look away now if you're squeamish!

Actually, not One Skein...

I felt the need to crochet or knit something for myself, just a quick project because I was desperate to use this yarn. I bought it in John Lewis Oxford Street a couple of weeks ago.




I had a browse through Ravelry and hit on a pattern that by luck I happened to have and in one of my favourite books. The great thing about Ravelry is that you can find patterns made up in different yarns to that stated in the pattern with amazing results. The scarf in the book was (to me) totally uninspiring and more of a short cravat-type affair. I needed a longer, softer scarf so I used 2 balls instead of 1.




The thing I love about crochet is that with just a few basic stitches used in different combinations you come up with such wonderful patterns. Added together with the most gorgeous multi-coloured yarn and what's not to love?





This scarf hardly took any time to make and was perfect for biding a couple of dark evenings away with a big hook in hand.





It looks so lovely on my weathered garden furniture don't you think?




And goes perfectly with a dress I bought on aforementioned shopping trip!

Scarves are going to be accessory of the season for me as I am going into hospital on Friday (the 13th...I know...don't even go there...) to have a hemi-thyroidectomy which will leave a scar on my neck which I will be doing my best to conceal until it becomes less noticeable. Hopefully, I will be able to come home on Saturday with half a thyroid gland that I am hoping will be able to manage my thyroid hormone production without the need to take a replacement.

It will be my first time in hospital as a patient (other than having the boys) and I am a tad nervous about the anaesthetic as I've never had a general either. For the best part of this year I have been up and down to an endocrinologist about a cyst that has grown in my throat. I had it biopsied (it was benign) and aspirated twice but it is persistently reforming so surgery is my last resort.

Luckily, there is a coffee shop round the corner that I can send my visitors out for a gingerbread latte while I'm lording it up in bed... I am dying for a cup of coffee as I'm off it this week while I'm taking some arnica to help with bruising. I didn't ever consider myself hooked on caffeine but it may be true. Roll on Saturday!

Out to lunch...

I'm off out for lunch to my parents.

They are in the process of moving house so the stress level is tangible.

Hopefully apple and blackberry pie will comfort everyone.

Personally, I cant' wait for a rock bun for tea.

Although I know that my sister prefers banana loaf.

I've had a busy morning! There is also a bag of parsnips and sweet potatoes from my box to roast...

Out with the old...

It felt almost criminal to pull up my pink geraniums while they still had a few flowers brightening up my deck, but I had bulbs to plant as a priority this year having not got round to it last autumn and regretting it this spring.

As you can see the geraniums I kept inside are still flowering - who knows, maybe I can keep them going until next year.

There is still an abundance of dahlias at my local nursery for the picking and these ones looked like they were enjoying this November morning sun.

It's all looking pink in my conservatory with these lilies too...

Unintentionally, I have managed to keep the colour scheme consistent for the coming spring!

I planted 2 varieties of tulips in the planters to string out the flowering period a bit and made a hasty exit from the garden centre when I was only charged £8 for £24-worth of bulbs!

Once they were in, I put some festive looking (sorry!) white pansies and red cyclamen on top for a bit of instant colour.

I love the variegated leaves of cyclamen. These pink ones are for one more tub just outside my back door and that's my lot now til next year. Well, apart from a bit of general tidying up...

I'm glad...

...that in spite of the rain and greyness that is today...

...and that I am administering medicines every couple of hours or so...

...AND that I have run out of stuffing for my crochet project...

...that I have a little bowl of necessities...

...for doing some relaxing hand-quilting...

...did I mention that I love it?

Time travel...

It feels like I have travelled through time because the last week has disappeared as though in the blink of an eye. As though with a click of my fingers, half term vanished. It has left me with a poorly boy in bed coughing for England. Possibly some nasty bug or more likely from too many late nights from the sleepover marathon that took place over the holiday. Last Sunday, it was my turn for 6 boys (don't ask...) to 'sleep' in the living room - PS3, popcorn and nachos to hand. I decided to camp in the spare room as my bedroom is above the living room - a very wise move!

Of course, the plus side (if you can call it that) is that No2 was dispatched off to various other houses for most of the remaining nights only to come home last night looking slightly worse for wear.

It meant that I had time to carry on with my creative pursuits. A trip to Dorking to buy batting and thread with my friend and her mum included a delicious lunch and cake and coffee.




Another trip into town to buy ribbon for the finishing touch to my mystery gift.

Yes - a pink bunny it is! The soya beans weigh it down so nicely. I put some in the bottom of the body and in the feet

I used scraps from Jasmine's quilt to jazz it up a bit on the ears, feet and hands. While I was making this toy I really wasn't sure I was going to like it as I have become so used to crocheting amigurumi style and this seemed old-fashioned, but now it's finished I do rather like it and so feel happy to give it as a gift.