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Showing posts from May, 2012

Jane Austins House.

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While I am here in Winchester I really wanted to visit Jane Austins House. It is in Chawton, Hampshire not too far for a morning out. I spent a pleasant half hour driving on quiet roads and beautiful countryside to get there and Oh,what a treat!! First a walk around the garden, we are having beautiful sunny weather with temperatures around 23C so I sat awhile as Jane would have done and admired the flowers. I found this lovely lady all colour co ordinated with the border as she picked out the weeds. She told me that all the plants are left to self seed to give this joyous array. I was intriged by the Dye Plant Garden and the fact that they Jane and her sister dyed there linens to give them a longer life. What a pretty house it is.... This is the kitchen, it smelled of Lavender and Herbs... I made a lavender bag and wrote with a quill... Here is the table where Jane did her writing using the light from the window.. also in the parlour is a dining table wi

Quilts and bears.

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I've been busy with the blocks for my '9 of Hearts quilt'and have decided to use the quilt as you go method. I'm working in rows of three blocks and will join them all together to complete the quilt. I often use this way of quilting as it makes each piece so easy to handle and I can vary the backing fabric. Here is my appliqued heart. I used a printed nine patch for the background. I really enjoyed needleturning this, something I haven't done for a while. As I quilt I'm going to add more embellishements, no ideas yet, it will just 'evolve'. I love this wonderful red against the brown linen look fabric. you can just see a peek of the backing, it a plaid homespun. I hope to get lots of work done on this over the next two weeks. I'm off to Winchester to run my friends Bed and Breakfast while she has a holiday. I hope to show you lots of this beautiful city while I'm there. Lets not forget the bears!!                     Th

9 Of Hearts.

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At last I'm able to post again. I've changed my internet provider and hit a few problems. it's all sorted now so I'm back. I've made several versions of my '9 of Hearts' Quilt, each one different. Some have been sold so I only have two left in my collection. This little one was made around 2003 and still is one of my favourites. Each heart has been cut differently and needleturned before using embroidery stitches to embellish. This one is larger and hangs in my bedroom. Each heart is embroidered and a little quote has been sewn around each one. I had enough scraps of fabric to make this sort of 'crazy' heart which is in a frame, simple piecing and  lots of stitching . I've decided to revisit '9 of Hearts' using this beautiful French General fabric by Moda. It's been sitting patiently waiting to be sewn and now I have the inspiration. Keep watching my progress. xox Angela.