A good read!

The opening page of this book is the 07:44 train on the Brighton to London line.

The Brighton to London line. The 07:44 train. Carriages packed with commuters.

A woman applies her make-up. Another occupies her time observing the people around her. A husband and wife share an affectionate gesture. Further along, a woman flicks through a glossy magazine.

Then, abruptly, everything changes: a man has a heart attack, and can't be re...more Carriages packed with commuters. We are given a snap shot of the occupants of one section of the train. A woman applies her make-up. Another occupies her time observing the people around her. A husband and wife share an affectionate gesture. Further along, a woman flicks through a glossy magazine.   
Then, abruptly, everything changes: a man has a heart attack, and can't be resuscitated; the train is stopped, an ambulance called. The passengers leave the train.

For at least three passengers on the 07:44 on that particular morning, life will never be the same again.
Lou witnesses the man's final moments. Anna and Lou share a cab when they realise the train is going nowhere fast. Anna is Karen's best friend.
And Karen? Karen's husband is the man who dies.

Telling the story of the week following that fateful train journey, One Moment, One Morning is a stunning novel about love and loss, about family and – above all – friendship. A stark reminder that, sometimes, one moment is all it takes, it also reminds us that
somehow, and despite everything, life can and does go on.

A super read that held me all the way through, which I read more or less in one sitting.

My first ever bed sized quilt!

My very first quilt. I am delighted with it although it is far from perfect. I love the sherbet colours of the fabric which I bought in Australia the year before last! I am so glad I bought that 1/4" foot for my machine as it is so much easier to get the seams 1/4" accurately. Although it is only squares and rectangles, the corners still had to be matched up!  I can't free arm stitch all over the quilt so it is just stitched along the sashing, that was hard enough.(stitched in the ditch)
I think I will keep to my cross stitching for the next few months as it is easier!
Wonderful weather here. I have been in Essex the last three weeks, the first two for the building of our conservatory and then because DH went to Dubai with work.

We love the conservatory although it hasn't any furniture in it yet, because that is all in Coventry.. in three weeks time it should all be here!
Hope you're all enjoying the warm sunny weather where ever you are.. and are stitching happily.

Hugs

Suffolk Puffs and a day with stitching friends.

I had a really lovely day yesterday as I joined the Canvey Stitching group, part of the Sampler Guild that I joined a coupe of years ago. They do a bring and share lunch, which was delicious. I weakened and had two pieces of this melt in the mouth chocolate cake made by one of the members.
Its only a 20 minute drive for me so I intend to go each week to their regular group and once a month they have a quilting day, which I am looking forward to as well. They aren't just a friendly group but extremely talented and the work on display was amazing, quilting, different designed bags as well as cross stitch. Laura told me how to make Suffolk Puffs (called yoyos in US)
When I got home I  walked Nell and didn't fancy my cross stitch so decided to make some . I made three and was on my forth when I dropped my scissors, I leaned over to pick them up and must have swooshed the finished puffs off my little table on to the floor, because when I sat up they had gone.. I looked all round and couldn't see them..,. then realised Nell was outside and yes she had blinging ate them, well at least chewed them to death!! LOL
She is such a little minx!!

 Mine are small about ¾" across so just bite sized for Nell!! Here's a link to show how they are made.
http://stayabreast.co.uk/pink-pom-pom-project/pppp-knit-patterns/suffolk-puffs-yoyos/

Here are the ones I made. I am going to use them as a border round an embroidered picture on a note book cover.
It was so soothing to sew these last evening I was missing Mike quite a bit. He texted this morning and it is 25°C in Dubai and work is going well. I think Nell is missing him too altho' I have walked her each evening and yesterday I walked her in the morning too before I went out, so she is being exercised.
Lovely sunny day here again, I love it here!

Happy days and and enjoy what ever you're doing.

I've caught the patchwork bug!!

I am amazed that I found these two cushions covers so easy .... but I have found the reason.

Accurate measuring and cutting and using a 1/4 inch machine foot!!

I've used the bright fabric I bought for a throw for the conservatory settee. Not everyone's colour choice but they were meant to be bright for our patio chairs.

The top one is made using squares and rectangles and the other is a log cabin pattern.

I choose these patterns to practice my cutting out and accurate stitching and it has certainly paid off, as I am a lot more confident in matching up corners and seams!

This was all from one session at a quilting and patchwork class, which I thoroughly enjoyed and intend to go to each week once we move here permanently.

It less than a ten minute drive from my home and she sells fabric and wools, a verity Aladins cave!

I think I have caught the patchwork bug and now feel confident enough to attempt a bed size quilt!

Socks and stitching..

These were to be my March socks but ended up as my April 1st socks, just couldn't get them knitted in time. I had a couple of evenings when I did nothing, no knitting or cross stitch! Most unusual for me but I was so tired.

This is two weeks work as no batteries for my camera last week.  I have completed a small motif and the word Tulip and a bigger motif. I am still delighted with this and love the colour combination of each motif.

It is on target to be a years stitch!

And my new start on the French Sampler au Bouquet is coming along nicely.

I am happily in the SAL in the Needlecraft Haven group with this.

However with this sunny weather knitting and stitching has been left to garden!

We are here in Billericay as we are having a conservatory built and it is nearly completed. We should be returning to Coventry next week and we will be packing stuff to move here permanently.

I am so excited!! Like a silly little girl! Every time I drive out somewhere I have to drive back through the little town just to see it all over again!

Thank you for all the lovely comments on my framed design 'His Name' for my church.. I have sent the link to all of you who asked for the web site, some nice things on it and all free.

Hope you're enjoying this sunny warm weather where ever you are.

 

Framed and dancing all the way!

I have framed this myself and I am very pleased with my efforts. I carefully pinned and stretched the piece of work and measured it in mm.  The frame is dark blue and really suits the stitching. Sorry about the flash on the glass but this was the best photograph  I could do. This is going to be my leaving present for the church I have been attending here in Coventry.

Thank you to Clare who told me about this frame shop in Coventry I think  I will be using it again.

Happy Stitching all

A RAK arrived!

Crystal in Canada was one of my RAK winners and on the 25th February she had Samuel.. I didn't know she was expecting, it was such a surprise as I have only been following her blog for a while. I had this wool and the pattern, which I had bought for a work  in school, whose scan according to them, was a boy. I think they were quite surprised when little Megan popped out! So I knitted a little pink cardi instead!

So when Crystal announced she had Sam I got knitting right away. The needle roll was a quick stitch as I had stitched one in a different colour a couple of years ago. It wasn't what I intended to do origially but I wanted Crystal to have the jumper as soon as possible.

It is not a baby first size as Sam was over 9 pounds born so I do hope it fits.
Love to you Crystal and Sam and all your family, I remember that your daughter is off on a trip, hope she is enjoying herself and you're not missing her too much.

Brought back lovely memories when I was knitting, as all my sons are very grown and tower over me and my DD has her own three children, all growning up very fast. I can't believe my GD will be 17 this summer.
I used to make all my childrens clothes and never stopped sewing and knitting... those were happy days.

Meet Up and a pressie

Today it was the Meet Up in Nuneaton of the Needlecraft Haven-ers.. there were 23 of us all stitching and maybe a small amount of chatting!! LOL

Lots of amazing finished work which was beautiful. Such talent I was in awe of the beautiful stitching.
This is Julie (bagpuss) and Tina and as you see stitching, their needles were smoking!

Clare organised the day and seen here with the blue scarf, Lynsey as well and all stitching!

Its Maggie hiding behind her tapistry

And when I got home after a lovely day, this was waiting for me.

And inside this beautifully stitched little pillow from Sue (As if by Magic)

She had offered a PIF on her blog and I won.

The stitching is exquisit and the colours lovely. I love it Sue, thank you very much.

I love the way she has added beads to the ribbon, very artistic.

Thank you again Sue. I offered a RAK instead of a PIF and I am stitching away.....
After a lovely day I am so tired so having an early night... all that chatting... no stitching has worn me out!
Happy Days everyone
Hugs Chris x

Happy dancing and a tra la la!

I have finished this in record time.. so off this morning to arrange for it to be framed. It is for the church I have been attending these last four years, the best part of Coventry!
I like it in all the different colour blues and His Name is Jesus in the darker colour so it stands out. I am very pleased with myself for getting it stitched in such a short time. ( I started it on 25th February)

And here is Sal Aux Bouquet all kitted up and ready to go. I am using 32C even weave in cream and the recommended DMC threads. I have down loaded the first two parts and will buy number III when it comes out. 

It is a SAL on the French web site hence the name, but I am in a SAL with Needlecraft Haven. It was planned to start on the 15th March, but I wanted to finish one of my WIPs before I started it. I might have a few things on the go but I like to finish one thing before I start another!
That way I don't feel so guilty starting some thing new even though I have others to stitch. Anyway my explanation is with a few things on the go I don't get board because I always have some thing different to stitch!
Tomorrow is  the Meet Up of the Needlecraft Haven-ers in Nuneaton so I am really looking forward to that!
Happy Stitching and aren't the spring flowers beautiful... gives me a boost when ever I see them.

Some pics at last and busy days

I have been having problems down loading photographs, so frustrating.. but today its worked Yipee!!

So here are some progress pics.. my 'His Name' design is coming along nicely and I hope to finish this by next week as I want to take part in the Sampler-au-Bouquet Sal..

I have down loaded the charts and have sufficient Antique White 32C even weave and the threads.. so can't wait to get started.

My Spring Quaker by Rosewood Manor is coming along slowly too.  I intend for this be my long term project so I only do one motif or part of a motif each week. So I finished last weeks big motif and did the small one next to it. I still love it.

I have completed one of my RAK pressies and it is ready to post. I don't usually complete just one when I am doing something like this, but there was a very special reason for doing this which will be revealed when it has arrived with the recipient.
My other stitching has gone into my WIPs bag and will have to stay there until  'His Name' design is finished, as I need to give it to my church before the end of April.. which seems an age away but it will have to be framed first.
We have been very busy in the house too, yesterday I part painted our front wicker fence. I say part as I was hours and it was dusk when I came in with the intention of finishing today, but  the sudden showers stopped me. This was just as well as all the bending over yesterday was not good for my back!! Poor ol' me!
We have a beautiful kitchen free of clutter with shining kitchen cupboard doors with new pine knobs and the new hall stairs and landing carpet looks very good. We have strips of the cut offs to protect where we walk!!
So we will soon be ready to go up for sale; At last!
We are off to my DIL's birthday meal on Friday and I have actually made a hair appointment! All her family will be there and so I don't want to let my son down.

                                We seem to be busy all the time and this afternoon was my Library ReadingGroup, which was very interesting

This was the choice for March and for once we discussed this for the whole hour! Quite unusual as sometimes we go off the book. I loved it and so led the group as some of the others didn't get it finished. 
A good read and worth persevering past the first two chapters as it was a
bit confusing at first!!

Happy Stitching all  

Hugs