Lovely day

Yesterday I had a lovely day out. Can you guess what I was doing? Yes, I was sewing! A lovely Linus lady called Linda had organised a Linus sewing day, and Paula and I set off into the wilds of North Leicestershire to get to Hickling for 10 o'clock. Merrily chatting as we bowled along the A46 Paula said, 'Do you think we've come too far?' I replied foolishly, 'Oh, no. I think this part of the route is familiar.' As you can guess, we had gone 10 miles too far along the road, so had to turn back and retrace our route. Poor Linda was just beginning to get concerned, but she made us feel better by explaining that the sign for the A606 was obscured by the roadworks - even telling us that she herself had missed it the other day (although I think she was just being kind!).

Linda has a lovely workroom (a converted barn) where she holds classes. It was big and airy and had lots of natural light. Here you can see Linda (yes, there were three Lindas there!), Pat, Linda and Pauline busy beavering away. Pauline is holding up some bright blocks she is joining together. these will certainly cheer up someone's day! Linda (with her back to the camera) was squaring up rail fence blocks which had been made by other people (an unenviable task) and then joining them together. Pat (behind Linda) was making mile a minute blocks.

She was keeping mainly to blues and making blocks which finished at 10" so they will knit up fast. The randomness of these blocks reminds me of Gees Bend quilts - lots of life and movement in them.Linda (who is just peeping over her sewing machine) was finishing and sashing the blue Lemoyne Stars you can see on her design wall. These had been made in a class she taught recently.

Paula had taken a fancy to some donated blocks which had been made all in the same cream and red fabrics. Apparently the maker was 'fed up with them'. It's no wonder, as there were 112 of them! I would have given up long before I hadmade that number! Paula arranged them in a clever pinwheel design, and reckons there will be enough blocks for three Linus quilts! I was making the windmill blocks which you can now see on the design wall. They will be a fun addition to a child's bedroom.

I had taken some orphans and fabric strips with me, and we had a good rootle through it all. We made up some kits and Linda kept six tops which she is going to make up on her Gammil. What a lovely lady! It was a super day, with new friends (not to mention the biscuits and sweets) and a run out in the country, apart from all the sewing we did. Many thanks to Linda and everyone, and let's hope we can do it again soon.