When I wake up
and I see bright blue sky
it is a happy day

When I wake up
and I see flat grey sky
it is a happy day

'Cos I woke up.......

Sit and Stitch

Every Wednesday a group of ladies of a certain age turn up at Stitchcraft Studios in Grantham and enjoy a day sewing, embroidering, chatting etc, just doing our own thing.  We have lunch in the attached eatery and tea and coffee on tap.  I have made new friends since joining and now I can't imagine not being able to go (well I can, but there would be stroppery).
It costs £5 for the day (drinks free but lunch is extra), no pre-booking needed, just turn up and enjoy.  Everyone is welcome no matter how young you are, we are friendly and we don't bite :) 

The only drawback to the day is the proximity to the shop and the fab stuff inside.  It takes extreme willpower to resist..

sad day

Over 8 years ago my friend Rachel and I opened up a new group on Yahoo. 

ClothPaperStudio came about because there wasn't a group doing what we wanted to do.  We collected over 800 members and for a time were very active with our swaps and challenges and information sharing.

Then life happened.  With the owners, and our amazing moderator Sue unable to devote the time needed to keep the group buzzing, we decided to allow the group to go.
It has been a wonderful few years, I flew to America to meet Rachel and Diane (twice) and they in turn came to England.  We have become best friends and I predict more flying across the Atlantic in our futures. 

Bye bye ClothPaperStudio.  I will miss you

do you ever wish?

I am suffering a crisis of confidence.  I can dye fabric.  I haven't for a few months, but how hard can it be to return to something I have been doing for years.  It seems it can be very hard.
My lovely pale lemon cotton poplin (3.5 metres) is bright yellow.  Sigh. 

I know that if I had wanted bright yellow, most of the dye would have rinsed out and I would have wishy washy.  This blooming fabric will not pale.

I see a large yellow project in my future.

** I now do have a lovely pale (ish) lemon piece of fabric.  My quilt will be backed in exactly the right colour.  However I do have a scrummy bright yellow and orange piece of fabric to play with.

famous friends

My friend Linda becomes more famous every day, here she is explaining one of her great techniques on youtube. 

If you get a chance to take one of Linda's classes, grab it with both hands and feet, you will work hard, have a great time and learn lots.  I did :)

another paper bag mini album

It is amazing what can be made from a couple of sheets of brown paper and a (very expensive) commercial paper stack.  Youngest daughter's wedding album was handed over this weekend and she loves it.  I am a happy mummy

David Drummond sewing machines

I got my combined last/next birthday/christmas present a month ago.  A rather nice new Pfaff Ambition 1.0.  It has all the good stuff from Pfaff + a stop start button which works even when the foot pedal is plugged in.  I love it :)
Sadly it went a bit wrong.  Here comes the good bit - I had the good sense to buy it from David Drummond (Edinburgh, but they courier) and when I told David about my problem he immediately arranged to have a brand new machine sent to me. 
I did suffer one or two withdrawal symptoms for a few days but the shiny new machine arrived today, just in time to play with the shiny new fabric I picked up earlier :)

So three cheers for David Drummond, whose service is always second to none and who I couldn't recommend more. 

More good news, Stitchcraft will have a sale starting next Wednesday (10th April) and I have seen the fabrics that will be on offer.  In fact I may have purchased one or two metres (tutors were allowed to peek) and it is an awesome selection. 

Happy days :)