Flaming June?

Have been enjoying 4 days off.  There was a sunny start with a chance for a woodland walk (love the foxgloves at the moment).

... and as the wood opens out into a tarn, another opportunity for a swimming lesson for Rosie, and yes she can swim .... even if it was straight to the shore.

The jubillee celebrations weren't the most successful.  The weather here wasn't good and although we went to a tea-time picnic we couldn't actually find it!!  Possibly too cold!  So we ended up with an indoor picnic.  Rosie thought this would be a good idea as she wasn't allowed to the other picnics.  It's sucIh a shame for those who spend ages in preparation, but I'm sure there were many happy moments despite the rain.

I had finished my picnic quilt just in time.  I did a very simple in the ditch quilting as I just wasn't confident that I could get diagonal lines accurate enough.

I love the jolly fabrics and the moda selections go together so well.  If you remember this was the strawberry fields collection but I am now in love with papilon because it has all the duck-egg blues I have been looking for (more about this later).  I've been ordering these from ebay and have found there are some really good on-line shops there.

Finished the corkscrew scarf which is a nice easy, enjoyable knit in a couple of days (not keen on the aging neck in this photo though!).

It's not really big enough to be a scarf but I think it does add a nice decorative touch.  I might knit another a bit shorter and wider.

I started a new summer jumper - a pattern from a Japanese designer in The Knitter using Fiberspates Scrumptious 4 ply - but after about 5 hours I have to admit defeat.  It include a stitch I've never used called three loop stitch (couldn't even find an internet tutorial) and I just couldn't get it right - and it didn't look good.  I'm quite stubborn about giving up on things but I really wasn't enjoying it and so I'm going to try and find a different pattern for the wool.  I've moved on already though to a Kim Hargreaves pattern for Rowan called Ryder.  When I started it was a bit complicated and I thought Oh no, not again ...but when I stopped panicking it was fairly straightforward and I'm enjoying it at the moment.  Enough to provide a bit of a challenge but not too complicated ...

This is half of the peplum at the back.  The wool is lovely to knit with (Rowan wool cotton DK).

I've been enjoying reading lots of blogs where the crafter has been making blocks from the Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt and wondered whether it was something I might enjoy.

 

The blocks look so different with the different choices of fabric.  I don't actually like the dark colour scheme in the book, too heavy, but I've seen some lovely ones on the web.  When I made my first quilt I had thought quilting probably wasn't for me as it is too precise and I'm just not careful enough.  So don't ask me why I thought I would try making some proper blocks!  Anyway I bought the book, picked my first block and using some of my new Moda Papilon material here is my first go.

I really enjoyed making it and I'm happy with the result.  I think I managed the piecing quite well.  So there will be more to come.  I particularly picked the first block to reflect some news .... Gemma and Dan got engaged on Tuesday.  I am delighted, although it is a bit scarey too - it feels as if I'm losing a bit more of Dan.  I'm sure those of you with older sons and daughters will know what I mean.  Anyway the block is called Mother's Dream and reflects all my good wishes for Dan and his future happiness!

I'll finish with a bit of scarlet loveliness from the garden