Tuesday, 10 May 2011

One Big Achievement and Many Small Pleasures

I am very slow at making quilts so when one gets finally finished it's time for a heck of a gin and tonic. So excuse any typing errors!
This one has been a year in the making. It's single bed size and is for my parents. They have just celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary. I missed the deadline slightly, but then the Queen sent them a card right on time. To think they have been married 60 years. The quilt took me 1/60th of their married lives to make!!
Here is Isabel, my daughter, checking for stray threads.

Finally though I have made the decision to give up my allotment. This vegetable plot has been an ongoing struggle project for about 5 years. Finally my back has won with it's slippy disc and my knees protest a little too much and I have given in. I have finally lost the plot as it were!
However I cannot contemplate life without home grown veg so I have installed a small bed in the garden and several crops in pots. I am taking the Alys Fowler approach to having an edible garden. Tonight we had some wonderful french radishes sauteed in butter and garlic, with their green tops and courgettes with garlic.
It looks as if there will be a bumper crop of Victoria Plums this year.
A very small achievement for many, but a giant leap for me is that I have learned to do a colonial knot. Much better than a French knot, which I could never do anyway!
... and finally I thought I'd make something weeny. This little pair of fairy slippers was fun to make from a pattern by Annette Emms. They are about three inches long. Hopefully they'll keep a little character warm whilst they keep the slugs off my vegetables at the bottom of the garden at night!!




9 comments:

  1. Hi - I love the colors in your quilt. I have just started a balcony garden, which is all we have, so I will follow your venture with interest. Gilly

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  2. What a lovely quilt for your parents.
    Sorry you had to give up the allotment, but your back will be pleased.

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  3. Your parents will be thrilled to bits to get such a wonderful, handmade gift. Its beautiful and I love the colours.
    Shame about the allotment - I hope your home garden is fruitful for you.
    Great wee slippers!

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  4. Beautiful quilt, well done!!
    If I had a garden, I'd def go the Alys way...but sadly we have a plot, good thing is, husband does the hard work!!
    Slippers, great, I'm off to google the knot...
    Take care

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  5. Stunning quilt, what a lovely gift.

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  6. Hi Clare - I think you have made the most amazing quilt.Lucky Mum and Dad.
    Your little slippers are so pretty, hope you enjoyed making them!Annette x

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  7. I love your quilt- great design and colours and what a lovely present. My mom and dad have just celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary too- they didn't want a quilt- they had a television instead!
    Love the pixie slippers- I'm going to an Annette Emms workshop next week to make an 'embellished angel'- I'm really looking forward to it.

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  8. Oh dear Clare, what a beautiful quilt you made - I love this clear graphic design and the colours, makes me think of a classic Amish quilt!

    The fairy slippers are a piece of art too!

    Yes, even here, it looks as if it's going to be a great plum harvest this year!

    And thank you for your advice on the colonial knot - I didn't even know there was another way to do something like the French one, which has been complicating my embroidery life as well :-) ...!

    Found this YouTube video, which shows it quite efficently:

    http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-975561914517636101#

    I have one of Alys Fowler's books as well and I like her easy approach on growing veggies and gardening a lot - although I love my kitchen garden very much, I don't think it should be a pain but rather a leisure passion to work there - so we have to keep it small, haven't we!

    And your daughter looks very sweet too - I think she might be about the same age as mine! They even look a bit alike!

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  9. What a gorgeous quilt. Really beautiful. Congratulations to your parents.

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