Saturday 29 March 2014

A Jaunt, an Anniversary and a Quilt

Well, we took our germy selves off to the east coast last week for a few days with the flimsy excuse that it was our wedding anniversary and we thought some sea air would help chase the grotty cold and cough germs away.  You know what thought did?  It thought wrong but at least we did have a lovely week and the weather was kind to us.  

We stayed at a little place called Kessingland in Suffolk in a compact and bijou bungalow on a small private site.  The owner lived just around the corner and let us in and made us feel so at home from the get-go.  The bungalow was metres away from a footpath to the beach and the everchanging skies were beautiful.

DH took a photo of our anniversary cards - 8 years wed and never a cross word!  Well, hardly ever ;-)

There was lots of inspiration in the patterns in the dunes and the edge of the sea.





We didn't go very far as energy was decidedly lacking but we did take the bus to Lowestoft (why drive if you don't have to?).  Here again there was plenty of inspiration in the sand and groynes.




On our last day and our wedding anniversary day we took another bus into Southwold.  The bus driver spotted hubby's camera and told us to go to the harbour instead of the pier end of town as he thought we would get better photo opportunites.  He wasn't wrong, although we had to play dodge the very heavy showers and had to shelter in the pub, twice!  It's a hard life!


I hadn't exected to see this style of shed here.  You get similar black boarded buildings in Hasting but they are twice the height to dry the fishing nets.



This little shed on its raised up blocks really appealed to me and made me think of  Scandinavia.  The little windows are draped in nets.


I'm sure I can use this text somewhere.

Since we've been back we've both got worse with our coughs and 2 trips have been made to the doctor's, returning with antibiotics of the strongest order.  I think today, finally, I can sense a bit of a turnaround and I can actually speak without collapsing into coughing.  DH is still making a fair amount of cough-y noise but he is improving.  We have to be better for tomorrow as it's Mothering Sunday and we want to fetch Mum from her care home.

I havn't been completely idle this week while I've been stuck at home.  I've been working on the back for the Take 20 quilt top that I have been making with mum's pinnies etc.  I decided to carry on using the vintage fabric for the back so that the quilt will effectively be reversible.  So, I have made 30 blocks, some of which have had to be pieced as I didn't have big enough pieces of fabric left.


Above are 2 squares 15" x 20" which the whole back will be made up of.  I am pondering whether to cut the blocks through and rejoin them combining different colourways to break the big chunks of colour up, but that may be a step too far.  The beautiful hand dye is by Maggi Birchenough.


This is the pile of blocks waiting to be ironed and then designed into a quilt back.  I think I may have to use a room at Stitchcraft Studio to sort out the arrangement as our bed isn't big enough and I don't have any floor space that size either.  I can hire a room there for just £5 for 3 hours so well worth it.  Once I have everything ready I am going to get Trudi Wood to do the quilting as it is way too big for me to cope with.  The quilting will break up the solid blocks of colour so maybe I won't fiddle about with it.

I think my fat quarter drawer is a bit revealing:

Liking blues?  Moi?  I think I need to have a dyeing session and get some reds, oranges and yellows in there!  Obviously this is not the only fabric I have, larger pieces are stored elsewhere.

As I said earlier, it's Mothering Sunday here in the UK tomorrow so if you are lucky enough to be spending time with your mum have a lovely day.  If you cannot be with your mum I hope you can enjoy happy memories of good times past. 

15 comments:

ju-north said...

Nice to hear you are on the mend! Let nothing stand in the way of quilting! Lovely fabrics

Wendy said...

You definitely need some yellow;). Hope you are well enough to come and play on Wednesday, we have been naughty whilst your back was turned .......

Sandra Wyman said...

I can see lots of promising quilts - both being made and unmade as yet - here!

Unknown said...

Glad to see your muse is still with you. I think using the vintage fabrics a good idea, waste not want not as my Mum would say. Hope you soon feel up to scratch and dh is also not keeping you awake coughing. There seems to be a lot of this chesty stuff around at the moment. Great set of fabrics there girl, go sew them.

Heather said...

Glad to hear you are both on the mend at last. I love all those sea-sidey textures and scenes. Your quilt is going to be very special - such a good idea to use your Mum's pinnies. Have a lovely day with her today.

Maggi said...

I'm glad to hear that you both appear to have turned a corner. Great too that you you didn't let irt stop you celebrating your anniversary with some amazing photo opportunities.

The quilt looks as though it is progressing well (thought I recognised one of the squares!) and I don't blame you for having it quilted.

JP said...

So glad you had a good time. Like you I have another germ and it dotes take its toll. Hope you have ago optima today. Take care both of you. Remember next time you come to the NW you must come and see us

Linda B. said...

Fabulous photos - hope you soon feel well enough again to use them!

Living to work - working to live said...

Fabulous pics do sand and sea! You have been in the wars. I'm feeling a bit sorry for myself with a sore throat, and that only comes and goes. But the season is turning and hopefully so will your health! Xx

Anonymous said...

Hope you are both feeling better, nasty colds about these iffy days. Lovely place you stayed, how cute. Fabulous textures Julie, lots of inspiration there for all of us. Loved that post top with it's splits. xox

Su said...

Glad to hear you're feeling a little better and that you enjoyed your visit to my lovely home county. I love Southwold :-)

Linda Vincent said...

Glad to hear you're both starting to feel better....shame you weren't healthier for your anniversary celebration, but you certainly made the most of it. I've been wanting to go to Southwold for ages. Lovely photos Julie; as always. XX

sharon young said...

I love Southwold, but have never seen these gorgeous huts, time for another visit I think.
Lovely quilt fabrics :-)
Hope you both feel much better soon.

Peneller said...

Lovely photos Julie. Hope you get well soon. xxx

pam said...

Glad you are on the mend. sounds like you had a great time away. Look forward to seeing these brightly colored fabrics.