Before another month disappears...

I will try a quick post.
First of all, many thanks for all the lovely comments I had about the Princess and the Pea quilts - the gift was well received by an over excited three year old and had stiff competition from a b i k e!! However, she was tickled pink by the hidden pea and two weeks later has bonded nicely with the little Princess. Job done.

March has gone by in a blur - my classes all coming to an end for the current session, enduring a seemingly never ending virus and having a couple of indulgent days out.
The first was a trip to the SECC in Glasgow for the Quilt & Stitching Show - although we enjoyed our day well enough I did feel the quilt part was over hyped in advance and with the demise last year of the Loch Lomond Quilt Show, some of us felt the gap was to be filled in a bigger way. The quilts on show were indeed worth the trip and those traders who were there deserved every sale they got. Much of our griping really had to do with the organisation - usually this show takes place in 2 large halls with most of the papercrafts in one - this year everything was in one hall and it all felt terribly cramped.
Hopefully organisers will pay heed to the multitude of complaints that I believe they received.

Last Saturday was a much more enjoyable experience as friend Janet and I motored through to Edinburgh for a Screen Printing class with the lovely Karen from Karen Lewis Textiles. The class was held in Jo's shop, MyBearpaw and we had such a super day. I have wanted to try screen printing for so long, not sure why I haven't really - Karen was a brilliant and encouraging teacher and we both came away determined to do more..........

As I mentioned already, classes are coming to a close this week and on Sunday my annual Open Day will take place - if any of you local peeps are at a loose end, do come along, we will be in Alloway Village Hall, from 11 - 3 and as well as a Craft Stall, we have a Bring & Buy stall with sewing related items, and teas/coffees with home baking. All proceeds from the teas & B&B will be going this year to Ayrshire Carers.

My ladies have all been working so hard to finish up this year's project, a QAYG Modern Sampler - I have been busy photographing quilts but will keep you in suspense just a wee bit longer.
Meanwhile I can show you mine - as well as making a single sized sample in advance of the course, I decided to make another along with the classes, this time a double. Mixing things up a bit, I used a b&w spotty background fabric to show off my bright selection of prints, many are Kate Spain designs and the quilt will be destined for an 18th birthday, next January. For once, I am well ahead of the game.

Quilting on those spots with black thread was not the easiest thing I have ever done.

Looking forward to April................................