Last Sunday we had an outing to the Festival of Quilts and yes I should have blogged about it earlier but everyday I managed to leave the camera and card reader at home!
Well today Angela text me to remind me but whoopy I had actually remembered it already.

It was a great day out seven of us and we had a good laugh - met lots of other people at the show so a good day was had all round. Roll on next year








I haven't put many pictures up - and in truth I had thought I uploaded more photos - but I obviously didnot press the right buttons!!!

I just loved these pegs - you really felt you could go and take one off the pile!!

Rob and I had a lovely day out yesterday at Blickling Hall in Norfolk - we had not been before and as it is National Trust thought we would have a day together. I do love using our National Trust membership you feel you are getting value for your money!!!
The journey over was nice and we had coffee and home made scones when we arrived then spent a leisurely day looking around the house and grounds. Rob got into trouble as he asked what the significance of 'The Cow' was as they had them at the entrance way on ceilings and a lovely school marm type lady loudly told him that their were NO COWS at Blickling that the Coat of Arms heralded a BULL. He was heard to be muttering I just met one!!!!











The interior of the house was fantastic and the ceilings were majestic and I adored this one they let you take photos without a flash and this was done on the phone so perhaps not as clear as if I had used the better camera






























I loved the celtic knot type panel.

The gardens and grounds were beautiful and I just loved all the trees - I took lots of pictures of the trees.

This is the front entrance - puts my front path to shame!!!

We had lunch in the restaurant which was delicious and we both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. It is nice to have days to do something different together

Well what a lovely way to spend a Sunday - Barbara and Angela gave up their time to come and help me which was so kind of them - this is the biggest quilt I have ever put together. Now it has to be quilted - help!!!




























































Angela and Barbara are pleased that they have laid on the quilt before my Rob!!! We had to move all the workshop around and put tables together it was a mammoth task.

Monday, Hilary and I had a lovely day out and went to a super garden centre at Polebrook nr Oundle which specialises in Mediterrean plants and it was really worth visiting. it has only been open eleven weeks.
We then carried on into the village and had a lovely pub lunch and then a walk around the village. It was a super day and we both enjoyed ourselves.



















Saturday we had a course at Art & Stitch for Crazy Cushions and we had a lovely group of ladies who made some super cushion tops - they all enjoyed themselves






My Thomas the Tank engine ready for a christmas present.














Vicki is getting ready for Christmas.















Mags liked her butterflies














Trish had never done any quilting/sewing before
so was well pleased.

Off to Debden House on Monday morning - Mummy can I come to please!!!!

I put the pile of fabrics on my last blog and this is how it is coming along - please ignore the yellow stickers!

Because I decided once it was going together I wanted a King Size quilt in Raising the Barn style log cabin - I had to stop at this point and come back to the shop to buy some more material so once it is finished I shall post again with the completed top - it is going to look magnificant even if I say so myself!!!

A couple of pictures of some of the other folks work - there are loads more everyone had a fabulous four days it was great fun - Anne Stacey as always made it such a good summer school.

This is Debden House set in Epping Forest it is a fabulous old property - once a working farm owned by a gentleman farmer - who had other interests in the area and the workroom where we were sewing was originally the Coachhouses. We were shown a book from 1997 giving the history and it was fascinating - then Mavis Mary & I went for a walk into the forest - totally and utterly inadequate footwear for all of us - and came back past some other period properties which were also mentioned in the history book - One called the Mount was were race horses were raised in many many years past and boy is it fabulous and the stabl block has all been beautifully converted as well.

The walk in the forest (although I hasten to add only a shortish walk) was lovely, it was so green and fresh as it was just after the most fabulous thunder storm.

We managed to get back to the workroom before the heavens opened!!

So roll on December when we go back for the Christmas weekend!!!!