Small change of scenery........

At last we had a nice day; I have been waiting to book a visit to one National Trust properties, and we got this day just right - blue sky with white puffy clouds - perfect - it's time to pack a picnic.

All closed down during the lockdown, of course, they have been slowly reopening.

Lytes Cary Manor ( a medieval manor house dating back to 13th century, with Arts and Crafts gardens) is the nearest to us, some 40 minutes drive, but these days it can't be a spontaneous visit. The numbers of visitors are strictly controlled - we had to book our slot in advance and were given a half hour in which to arrive (although we could stay as long as we wanted). The house itself is still closed (as is the restaurant), but we know it well, so that did not matter.

The main thing is that the toilets are open - at our age absolutely essential...

So we just strolled through the gardens; the late summer borders are very full, to the point that they look somewhat neglected. Considering that there was only one gardener working here during the lockdown, they look great. 

 

Finally - a view (of the locked house) from our picnic bench.

Perfect day...... It felt "nearly normal"..........

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2010-2020

...................and it is September........

and summer is over, however strange it was. We had some very warm days in early August, but the last weekend was the coldest August Bank Holiday weekend on record. The night temperatures would not surprise in the winter. Our winter quilt is back on the bed. It feels very autumn like outside, and yes, it is raining today......

I even started to hand quilt Manor House quilt last night, it was actually very nice to have it on my lap to keep me warm!

I have gone back to my 10in lockdown blocks, there is 5 of them - but what to do with them?

I have decide to make another 4 blocks ( all 4 the same design), then with some sashing and a border

this could make a nice lap quilt.

First 2 are done.

After the greyness of Manor House it is nice to play with some brighter fabrics again.

I hope you are having better weather in your part of the world,

keep safe and have fun!

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2010-2020

Manor House has a border and it is ready to quilt

We have been having lots of rain recently, so more time spent indoors. I found some dark grey fabric in my stash, enough for all the flying geese which form the inner border of the quilt.

For the corner squares of the main border I am using bird motifs from 

one of the fabrics used in the quilt.

With so much rain everything is looking lush, and when the sun comes out (which is not very often now), the garden is buzzing with bees.

 

So, one last press,

and it is ready to be put together

to be quilted.

I was unsure which colour to use for the quilting; grey would had been the obvious choice,

 but in the end I decided on light gold, which I think will work quite well here. 

  

This is little too early, I know, but I have also decide on the fabric for the binding; 

this deep wine matches one of the colours used in the applique.

All ready to quilt, but as I am going to do it by hand, now is not the time, 

it is too warm to have a quilt on my lap. 

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2010-2020

........................more of Manor House

I have now joined all 4 sections - rather long for my washing line.

I ordered more of the background fabric for the borders, it arrived Monday, but they sent a wrong one.

Fortunately it was resolved the same day, and today the correct one arrived in the post, hurrah!

I also found reduced fabric online for the backing; should had been light grey. What arrived is not something I would call light grey, more like light khaki, but it is for the back of a wallhanging (not often seen), so I shall go with it - it was cheap; so there is a lesson 😏

Actually, since I wrote this, I contacted the supplier about the colour not being what I expected, 

they called back within a couple of hours, agreeing with me re rather bad colour description and informed that they are sending out another 3 m in better grey; despite the fact I offered to return the original I was told to keep it for another project! Nice people.....😊

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2010-2020

FNwF and another month

This year is moving along in an alarming rate; one day we might think of this year as a lost one - or possibly not, depending on how many quilts, socks, jumpers or other projects we have made during this time.

Friday night was that time again - to virtually meet up with others at Cheryll's, who very kindly lends us her blog for monthly "hang outs".

What was I doing? After a rather wet mid week, the sun came out and it got very hot again. The result was that Friday evening turned out to be very pleasantly warm and so we stayed outside longer than normally and while the light permitted, I worked on the last applique part of the Manor House quilt, nearly finishing it, I just stitched the last leaf on yesterday morning.

The next step will be two borders, but those will have to be done inside, as the sewing machine will be engaged - not my favourite pass time at this time of year, I prefer to be outside.

With some rain and sun, our little garden it looking rather lush; this has been our oasis since spring.

Last weekend our family got together in our daughter's garden, to celebrate all those birthdays missed during the lock down - 4 of them, including mine. We all chipped in with food; I made a summer cake, which I first made last summer; made with almonds and honey instead of sugar. I have come to a conclusive that apricots work much nicer here than nectarines.  

Once cut, it went rather quickly, before I had time to take a picture of a slice.

I am off outside again, to make few more 2 in hexies!

I hope this post will come out OK, I am trying to get in to grips with the Blogger version 😕

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2010-2020