As the summer draws to a close..........

..........and the Autumn term began this morning, I'm looking back at the products of my summer break from work  -  I've had a horrid bout of shingles on believe it or not my right foot and having that diagnosed explains why I've felt so very ropy over the summer, the post-herpetic nerve pain in that foot is still giving me some trouble - however I have managed a bit of stitching over the holidays.

Louise's friend Lucy had a birthday and so for her present we did a transformation job on one of those canvas bags they give away at trade fairs.  Lucy loves red,white and blue so a quick trawl through my stash came up with lots of plaids to contrast with a length of pretty cotton lace. 

They say fair exchange is no robbery - I stitched and Louise made me lunch - poached eggs on toast - I've never been able to cook up a decent poached egg -  but obviously she has developed the knack.

 We appear to have a bit of a bulge in the birth rate in the staff at school at present.  I always love the excuse to make a baby quilt and all our 'school offspring' receive one.  The wife of our Year 5 teacher is expecting around Christmas time - at the break for the summer holidays we were unsure what flavour it will be.  So I though I'd make two, one bluish and another pinkish - after all it's never a bad idea to have a spare one in stock.

 I pinched this idea from Kate - it still needs borders admittedly - amazing how nice a simple design can look  - however I have discovered today that the little one will be a girl so this top is destined for the 'waiting for a recipient' pile

 The Year 1 teacher is going on maternity leave in three weeks time - she is definitely having a girl - so this friendship star top is ready for sandwiching with a lovely soft piece of flannelette backing - better get a move on - time and tide (and maternity leave) wait for no-one

And finally this morning, on our return to school, I found out the the Year 1's maternity cover teacher has found out she is also expecting at the beginning of February - must be something in the water - so maybe the blue and beige top will come in handy after all - she hasn't found out the flavour of hers yet

But onto other projects too - Sarah's friend will be 21 at Christmas so I dragged out a Bonnie pattern part finished top I made ages ago in plaids and neutrals - a quick scrappy neutral 5" border and we're good to go with some applique to finish the job

But given the fact that the first teacher goes on maternity leave very soon I guess I'd better work out some priorities for which to do first..............

Being super cheeky!

So this is Lou, hehe, Anne's youngest daughter,

Just thought i'd post the fact that I now also have a blog, I've barely put anything in it, and to be honest it's just full of general bits and all the cool stuff that happens! Check it out if you want :*

beinginspirational.blogspot.co.uk

xo

A little break away...................

.......................  was just what the whole family needed

Nick's condition is stabilising nicely with the support of the local medical team and some carefully prescribed medication

Sarah is back home from uni for the summer which is always a lovely interlude

Dad's condition is getting more challenging but we're coping

So the five of us, plus my mum and dad, and my grown up nephew Tim have had a week away in curlew country

Steph recommended lots to do and as always insider information is invaluable

The five of us climbed up onto The Roaches







Along with my nephew Tim

I took mum and dad to Biddulph Grange Gardens while the others went off canoeing













We were so lucky with the weather and a wonderful time was had by all

A few weeks previously Nick was well enough to cope with attending his school prom

He scrubs up nicely when he needs to


















Here he is with his two best friends, twins Zach and Ell who have been an amazing support throughout all of this - incredibly mature for sixteen year olds - he is so fortunate to have such wonderful friends










And by way of a little thank you - a present for their new baby niece Olive

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Touching base.............

............ with everyone after a long absence

Things have been manic around here - plenty of hand stitching of Liberty hexagons going on but far more time taken up with family things

My lovely dad was diagnosed with Vascular Dementia in the spring so he and mum have needed much more support than before - his condition hasn't deteriorated too badly so far but there are marked changes and he will only go in one direction.  I'm just so glad that we moved them to be near to us - we can support them on a daily practical basis

Then just as we were getting used to all that our beautiful son was diagnosed with Bi-Polar Disorder about six weeks ago right in the middle of his GCSE exams

As you can imagine life has been pretty tricky, it has hit us like an express train and lots of the things we like to do have gone by the wayside, precious little time for quilting, but we're keeping our heads above water and hanging on in there together drawing strength from each other

Speaking of keeping heads above water one thing I have managed to keep doing during all this is a sponsored swim that I'd started before the diagnosis - swimming the equivalent of the English Channel in 13 weeks, I'm 161 lengths of the total 1073 away from the French coast now - the escape time at the pool has given me the luxury of being able to just veg out as I trawl up and down the lengths.  Nigel has done his chilling on a cycle along the canal towpath near our house - time out together has been pretty rare but we're coping

If anyone would like to sponsor me for my 22 mile swim which I need to complete by 22nd July  - it's in aid of Diabetes UK as Nick also has Type 1 Diabetes - please go to http://www.justgiving.com/Anne-Bebbington and add your contribution -thank you in anticipation if you do

So I'll leave you with a picture of my three great gorgeous kids taken last weekend at my niece's wedding in the soggy and stormy Lake District - after all, along with my parents, they're pretty much what life's all about at the moment and I wouldn't have it any other way.  However it may be a while before proper quilting content is resumed

There's been a little bit of stitching going on.....

........ both hand and machine

Plus some knitting ......

The youngest was very partial to her friend's snood/continuous scarf loop thingie the other day

So a large ball of aran yarn, some large needles, a long car journey, 35 stitches and about 220 rows of K1,P1 rib

Et voila!!!

Meanwhile back at the coalface the machine has been busy stitching leaders and enders, joining 2" squares to make four-patches in alternative scraps and neutrals

The design I've dreamed up needs 216 - I think I'm up to 170 now

As for hand stitching - we have a family wedding in June which deserves a quilt

The batik jewel-box I've blogged about before will fit the bill nicely so is now being appliqued along the border to within an inch of its life. In hindsight I wish I'd used a darker green for the stems and leaves but I didn't have enough dark fabric so this is how it's staying - the green isn't quite as washed out as this in proper light thank goodness

Only three quarters of the 80+ butterflies to go for a finish!