Autumn Fruits

 I love this time of year especially for the natural treasures to be found in the woods and gardens, orchards and hedgerows round about...........there are berry stems in the shops too and the snowberries in the jug above were a gift from my daughter......... i've so enjoyed taking pictures of them, they look so pretty with their pale pink blush....

 ..............a fabric apple in a pretty pink and white bowl in the september sunshine..........

 ............i made a couple of apples using the pretty red and white little sweetheart fabric from andover fabrics.........the green leaves were scraps from my stash..........

 .............and for the first time after a lifetime of baking apple crumble every autumn i tried making apple crisp....it was delicious :)..........there is a recipe here and i am sure my lovely readers across the pond will have their own favourite recipe :)

 ...........it differs from our usual apple crumble by having oats, nutmeg and cinnamon among the ingredients and a bit more butter...

 ............always on the hunt for interesting autumn specimens of the berry and mushroom kind......

 ..........these berries and rosehips were all from our garden and i made the cute little mushroom from a sweet pattern by vechernie posidelki here...........

 ..........i finished the new mushroom pillow and added some surface stitchery this time and some tiny buttons to the original applique and patchwork design...you can find the pattern for this in my book modern vintage gifts..............

 .............more berry inspiration....drawing them onto cream fabric ready for some embroidery....

 ...............last week we had a huge storm here and the gales blew so many leaves and fruits off the trees......below is a picture of the path to my favourite cottage round here (would love to live in it one day) showing all the windfall apples and pears the next day.........

 .............our own garden was covered in leaves and bits of twig and bark from the trees......but the flowerbed near the house was unaffected and my little hollyhocks are flowering!.......i got the seeds for these dwarf hollyhocks last christmas and grew them in the greenhouse....so happy that they are healthy plants and growing well now.....

 ............another autumn gift below.....this is one of our garden side doors...the one we don't use much...and it is adorned with nature's leaf garlands this week.........so pretty and colourful.....

.............thank you for visiting me here dear readers and sharing these little moments of mine........it is lovely to hear from you and so kind of you to take the time to leave me a comment, but also just lovely to know that you are reading along too..............wishing you happy autumn days...or spring ones if you are on the other side of the world (i do enjoy getting a spring flower fix by visiting my lovely blog friends on the other side of the world!).............back soon xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Flowery Four Patch Quilts

 Today i am showing you some pictures of the two flowery four patch quilts i was working on last year using many of my favourite floral fabric scraps (lots of pam kitty morning and lecien pretties in there)...........

 ............i began making a straight four patch quilt and then decided to make a floating four patch one as well so i was working on two co ordinating quilts at the same time......

 ............here they are together............

 ............i love the four patch block....such a timeless traditional one but it can look so different according to the fabrics, colours and arrangements.........i want to make a red and white one next for a christmas feel....

 ............below is the floating four patch on my sewing room wall..........

 .............and a close up....the gorgeous swirly quilting was done by talented longarm quilter debbie holland...........

 .............. i backed both quilts with polka dots on white..........and both had different stripy binding....

 ................a few crumpled quilty close ups....you know how much i love those....

 ..............they are very light and summery designs ...........ready to be put away in the quilt cupboard now for a little while.....

 .............meanwhile it's never too soon to get crafting for christmas and here is a cross stitch and patchwork festive cushion which is my project in the new issue of crafts beautiful here......

 ............there is also a little christmas houses cross stitch ornament to make too............

............thank you for visiting me here this week dear readers, it's so lovely to see you and to read your kind comments......i hope you are having a happy cheerful september and enjoying sunny crafty days......back soon xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

September Times

 September days are special for me.....they always seems like the start of new and positive things and exciting possibilities.........september makes me feel nostalgic for schooldays and my first days at college..........

 ...........and my first baby was born in september ......quite a while ago now ;)......

 ...........i love these cosy days when we do lots of gardening and then come in for a cup of tea....and make some soup and a plum or apple crumble in the aga.....

 ........this is the little mushroom pillow i've been making this week....it is from the pattern in my book *modern vintage gifts*...........

 ..........this one is having lots of quilting and some extra embroidery too.........

..........sorting out some plates....sorting out some other kitchen bits and pieces....

 ..........lots of apples from friends and family......we don't grow many but i usually have enough for plenty of crumbles.....

 ..............some days have been cool and grey but some have that spectacular september sunshine and blue sky highlighting the berries on the rowan tree............

 .........i've started collecting my two older grandchildren from school again some days each week....it's so nice to have this time with them, to walk home together and hear about their day and all their news......

 ..............the pretty roses below were a gift from a lovely friend and the other flowers came from the garden......

 ..........here are some pictures of my version of the carousel quilt a pattern by sandra boyle for everyday quilts..........i really wanted to make a quilt with circles and i love this one....more about this coming soon......

 ............back to my kitchen now.....time to make some dinner ......

...........thank you for visiting me here dear readers and for your kind comments......i hope you are having a very happy sunny cosy september with lots of joys of the season and plenty of crafty inspiration too...............back soon xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Happy Little Things

 Hello again lovely readers............here we are at the beginning of september already...not sure how that could happen so fast....lots of happy little things are being made here and i am so enjoying these crafty times.....

 .............first this little flower applique pincushion, made in a boxy shape and decorated with a liberty fabric covered button and a little stitchery..........

 .............next is another little fish for my shoal..........

 ............lots of people asked if there is a pattern for the little fish...there will be one soon...

 ............and here is one of my new favourites....a pentagon ball on a nautical theme....love these fabrics and adding little surface stitches to create extra interest and texture..........

 .........in the evenings i am happily hand quilting my heartstrings quilt.........

 ...........it's a nice one to hand quilt as the squares are fairly small and easy to work....

 ..............below is a little peek at a woodland creature...the little pastel deer is part of a set which is my project in this month's crafts beautiful magazine here...........you can make a deer, a mushroom, a tree, an owl, and a bunny to hang on the christmas tree or to add to gift bags......i'll show more pictures of them soon........

 ............plums from my friend for a delicious crumble...........

 ..............can't believe it's that time of year again already.....

 ..............and below are some beautiful flowers that my younger daughter and her family brought me

 .............my small grandson rhys chose them and when i thanked him especially for choosing such lovely ones he said 'i like all the colours'......me too!!................here they are in the studio with a flowery quilt and a string of flowery birds...........

.............thank you so much for visiting me here dear readers and for the kind comments you take the time to leave..........wishing you all a very happy september with cheerful autumn days and plenty of crafty inspirations............back soon xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx