Thoughts from abroad

Here I am back in the “Old Country”…

After an overnight flight we landed at Heathrow on Thursday and made our way to my dad’s home just outside Ipswich in a rented Fiesta. Steve stayed awake around the M25 but we did need a nap before Bridget’s inaugural fashion show for her new business venture suitably named Dream On.

Here’s Bridget with the wall hanging I had in my suitcase, before the sold out event started…

Bridget says she “loves it” and assures me she would tell me if she merely “liked it”… sounds like a good way to choose your ice cream size?

Friday morning we drove up to Tom and Ali’s at the eastern end of the M62. I did some of the driving. Steve describes driving here as being akin to riding a bicycle but I’m not sure if I was ever too good on 2 wheels. However I managed the roundabouts and the gearstick on the left hand side without a major incident and there was a lovely welcome awaiting us.

These hats came out of my suitcase for my nieces, Jenni and Sarah, who were polite enough to model them for a photo shoot. I had used a Sirdar pattern and Fiesta yarn purchased in Albuquerque on our 2009 road trip.

Before we left the next morning I took the opportunity to renew the acquaintance of some small quilts I made over ten years ago…

Here’s one that was living on the upstairs landing. I think I’d taken a machine applique class. It was obviously in my brown and teal phase…

This one might have been my interpretation of a watercolor technique? There are some hand quilted feathers in the borders.

I’m not sure about the third one. I think I bought a collection of cow fabric from Wal-mart. It’s not helped by the light shining in the window but it’s nice to know I’ve learnt a bit about fabric placement and design since then!

Then it was on to Chris and Tina’s in Wooten Wowen, Warwickshire. After lunch we went for a walk to see the local Saxon church…

but it was the notice board that attracted my attention…

What a shame we will miss it!! Does Peedy Parrot eat the losers? We shall never know.

Steve’s Nan was a lovely lady who was very creative. We have some embroideries at our house but Chris and Tina have a chair that she made a needlepoint seat for..

and a close up of her wonderful precise work.

I was out of hats by the time we got to Rebekah but I had some nice yarn in my luggage and managed to have a scarf made before she left for school on Monday morning…

She wears it well!

Always an adventure… tomorrow a Taste of Dream On, Thursday Oxford, Friday London…