MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE AND A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR.
Have a wonderful time and see you in the New Year!

Day Out in Devon

Today Linda and I drove down to Devon to Tavistock. Neither of us had ever been there before and we were interested to go to see the layout of the Pannier Market. The journey took us about 2 hours and was well worth the time spent as when we arrived in the Town Centre we were both entranced. What a beautiful place it is. Very ancient and with gorgeous architecture all around and the wonderful ruins of the Abbey. The Market is very impressive as well. We were going to see if it would be possible to have a pitch there with our French Textiles. We were delighted to see several fellow dealers that we have known for a long time working there. They thought we were a long way from home but not so. We are so used to getting in our cars and driving for miles to go to work that it is no hardship at all - especially when we are going West. Unfortunately the Market is full at the moment but we have put ourselves on the waiting list. It may seem a long way to go from where we are in Dorset but since we have been going to Cowslip Workshops at Launceston, Cornwall, we have made many contacts in Cornwall who are always asking us when we will be going there again so it seemed the right thing to do. We will be keeping our fingers crossed very firmly.
We are due to go to Cowslip Workshops again in May 2010. This seems such a long time away but once Christmas is over the months will fly by especially when we start going to France again shopping!!

Bridport Christmas Craft Market

We had a lovely day at Bridport Christmas Craft Market on Saturday and in spite of the foul weather we had plenty of enthusiastic customers. The Hall looked lovely with plenty of festive goods on sale.

Time Wasters

I am always bemoaning the fact that I seem to run out of time. The jobs stack up, the dealines get closer and closer and I seem to run around in ever increasing circles. I have a load of sewing to do before Linda and I take off for Cowslip Workshops next week-end. It is the annual Christmas Craft Fair and I like to take some things that I have made using vintage textiles as well as bits and pieces of the raw materials. Every time I think 'Oh I need to get in that cupboard' or 'I will use the embellisher to do that job' I am cut short in my tracks as I can't bear to disturb my sleeping felines. They always manage to perch themselves just where I want to be. Sometimes I do have to be a bit hard hearted but most times things are put off for another time, but with three of them around the house it gets hard to find somewhere to work. Never mind I wouldn't be without them. Oops I have to go I am being prodded in the back by Archie who wants to get on my lap!!!!!!!!!!!

Ilminster Textile Fair

Today I was at Ilminster for the Talent for Textiles Fair. As usual it was a lovely day with visits from many familiar faces. Ilminister is always a very social occasion where we mix business with pleasure.
We will be returning to Ilminster on March 24th 2010 meanwhile in the not too distant future, Friday in fact, Linda and I travel to Bisley, nr. Stroud for the Rag Market which is run to raise funds for the Stroudwater Textile Trust This is another interesting quality Rag Market and this time we will be joined by John Gillow, of 'World Textiles' fame.

Favourite Things

These are my favourite things at the moment. Most of the garden has been decimated by the latest rain and wind but these miniature cyclamen soldier bravely on in their Turquoise pot on the pond wall. I see them every time I stand at my sink and they make my day!

The Hardy Quilters

The Hardy Quilters is my local Patchwork and Quilting Group. We meet on the third Monday of each month, except summer holidays. We are anxious to recruit new members as we are a comparatively small group. We meet at Osmington Village Hall which is a lovely large, light room, with all essential facilities i.e. toilets and kitchen for making a cup of tea!! We hold various workshops throughout the year and have visiting Speakers. Some of these Speakers are nationally known and travel quite a distance to talk to us. With spiralling costs it is essential that we recruit more members to enable the Group to keep going and still enjoy the benefit of visiting Teachers and Speakers. Anyone wishing to join the Group will be welcomed with open arms regardless of skill. There is great opportunity for Beginners to learn the Basics and then go on to form their own style of working. Many members have been with the Group since its birth and are traditional patchwork and quilters but there are also members who approach things in a different way and use innovative techniques.

If you would like to join our Group please contact me. Have a look at the Blog I have just created - or our email address is thehardyquilters@googlemail.com. There is a link in the sidebar to the Hardy Quilters Blog.

The photograph shows the Group quilt made for the Quilters Guild Challenge - Button Up Quilt - in 2008. This one together will all the other submissions were buttoned up and displayed all around the walls of an area at the Festival of Quilts.