Short Shop Hop

We managed to have a couple of lovely days away this week and travelled down in to the Borders to have a well earned break.  Travelling down through Peebles and stopping for some overdue retail therapy (shoes and trousers for hubby) I spotted this handsome beast.  Not exactly patchwork but very striking and he made me smile!

Oh Deer!

I had a quick look in Thistle Quilting but this shop seems to be moving on from just fabrics and has taken in some wools and other crafty items, this is a very small shop and in my opinion has not quite got the balance right.  We had a lovely picnic lunch at our favourite spot up on the hill overlooking the Manor Valley a lovely peaceful start to our mini holiday.

Onwards, travelling through the border towns our next stop was Jedburgh and a visit to Borderlands,  a well stocked fabric shop and workshop with friendly ladies eager to help.  The fabrics here are more traditional with not so many modern colours or patterns.  I did make a purchase here, a couple of metres just to get me going, I didn't want to spend too much as the main shopping spree was going to be Stichin Heaven in Longframlington (more about that in the next post).  I bought a piece of Makower British Cars fabric though and a couple of blenders - I will be making a few older boys quilts for charity this summer so I thought this might appeal.  These Racing Minis should go down well I hope.  

A short stop at Harestanes craft centre was next on the list of stops - unfortunately the leather workers handbag shop was closed for the day but we enjoyed a look around the Gallery where all sorts of wooden items were on display from stunningly beautiful dining tables to small pentagonal and hexagonal boxes very appropriate for a quilter, all made by very talented craftsmen and women.  No purchases here other than the obligatory icecream, the sun was shining it was very hot and all was well in our little world.

We arrived at our hotel just in time for afternoon tea - not the traditional one though, we didn't want to spoil our dinner!  A pot of coffee and handmade biscuits sitting in the gardens in the sun, was all good for half an hour until the rain came on.  An excellent meal finished off a very pleasant day.

Hopefully you will have noticed I have updated my Gallery page this week.  I hadn't realised how many quilts I had made since the beginning of the year.  I am particularly pleased with the Anniversary Bunting Quilt.  I must admit I was a little unsure of this one when I was asked to do something with the wedding bunting, but I hope you will agree it turned out just fine - and a bonus, A & J are really pleased with the result. Whew! It is never easy making things as a commission, fortunately I was given a blank canvas to do as I wanted.  I hope this will be a well used quilt which will be a happy reminder of a memorable day.

The Anniversary Bunting Quilt

The ladies of our Group have been challenged with technology this week, thank you K for setting it all up.  We now have a Closed Group on Facebook where we can......ask each other questions in between meetings, share our quilty thoughts, show off our projects in progress, make everyone jealous when we go off on holiday, let everyone see our new additions to our stash ......and so the list goes on.  I think most of us who can have now joined, although not many have commented or posted yet and there are a few who are still lurking in the background waiting to see how it all works.  Come on ladies lets embrace technology and give it a go!  Looking forward to seeing you all there.

 

I hope everyone reading this has a very good week doing something you enjoy whether you are at home or on holiday, I hope you manage a little quilting, knitting or stitchery.