It's that time of year again ......

Suddenly we are at Wimbledon - again:  where did that year go to!  I LOVE Wimbledon fortnight and will spend as much time as possible watching and enjoying the tennis.  When I was at school - we are going back a very long time I might add, 50 years ago!! - we had an amazing Headmistress who insisted that we sat in her study every afternoon and watched the tennis.  Those were the days of Maria Bueno etc. - that love of tennis has stayed with me ever since and I always think of the wonderful "Miss Hancock" when Wimbledon starts.  I am not sure it would be allowed in this day and age!
Anyway a good chance to cross-stitch whilst watching Nadal and Murray:  I am making slow progress on the Prairies Schooler Alphabet, but I am really enjoying it.

It is fun and bright and makes a change from my usual traditional samplers.  A B and C done and nearly finished F, so not too bad.
I went up to Nottingham last week and spent some quality time with my dear old Mum - she is doing well and is looking good:

As I spent the week up with her I had the time and opportunity to go over to Woodhall Spa in Lincolnshire and spend the the afternoon with a dear elderly family friend whom I had not seen for a while.  We had a wonderful afternoon reminiscing and catching up on family news.  She took me to Petwood Hotel for afternoon tea.  This was used back in 1943 by the 617 Dambusters Squadron as their Mess, and the bar is just as it was then, and full of wonderful photographs and memorabilia.

In the small town of Woodhall Spa they have these wonderful memorials too.

It was all very moving but wonderful to see.
After my time with mum I drove down to Cobham, and managed to see Dot:  she is "blooming" and not long now until Little miss will be part of our family:  here she is looking at the quilts I have made for her:

Last night when we chatted Dot told me she had "packed" her bag, so she's ready to go!  I am so excited!
Official due date is 7th August, but we all think she will arrive sooner than that!
I have not started a new patchwork project since coming home, too busy cleaning the house and catching up on washing - and the tennis of course!  We have friends visiting this weekend who are over here from Australia so big effort needed!
Rod has been busy painting windows whilst I was not around - obviously all a bit too much on occasions!:

However my lovely friend Lyn has just finished a quilt, so to end this blog I will show you her admiring her beautiful piece:

Have a great week everyone, and once again thanks for popping into My Quilting Life,

Much sewing, much sun, much fun.....

What a glorious week of warm sunny summer weather - it makes such a difference.  Everyone is smiling.  And so much patchwork done too - I am feeling a great sense of achievement.
I have just collected 3 baby quilts that have been long arm quilted for me by Carole at "Butterfly":
Two of these are for my expected grand-daughter:  The front was made at a weekly Monday class out at Cowslip:

 and the backing has lots of dinasaurs - this is the theme for the nursery!  Such fun - so hopefully the above quilt will be used "double sided"!  The small quilt below is for the crib, pram/buggy/car seat - etc. etc.

And then this quilt is for a baby which is now a week overdue, ready and waiting to go!:

I have machined the bindings on the fronts, and now just have to hand sew around the backs.  As I am off up to Nottingham tomorrow to spend the week with my dear old Mum I have saved this to do whilst sitting with her.  I think she will love seeing what I have made for her great grand-daughter.
I have been busy making more quilts which I took for long arm quilting when I collected these 3:
This one is for a friend who will be 60 later this year:

I love this pattern, it is from Jo Colwill's book.  It comes together so beautifully and looks different with every different choice of fabric colours.  This one has lots of garden animals/creatures on it:  when it comes back quilted I will show you in more detail.

I also had made another three baby quilts (lots of babies due this year!) plus a fun quilt for an 8 year old girl.

I will post them all when they have been quilted.
As well as much patchwork I have being cross-stitching in the evenings:  this is my latest finish:

I LOVE the words (so so true), and have used beautiful variegated threads from Tamar Embroideries.  I am currently still working on Noah's Ark and the Prairie Schooler A-B-C - a very large project.  I will take pictures for my next Blog.

For those of you who have been following our Blue Tits, they have now all fledged.  We were so sad to see them go but happy that all 7 survived.  This is the last photo of them in the nest (with mum on the right feeding them):  they were gone the next morning:

It was quite remarkable watching their progress.  It was 7 weeks from the first twigs and fluff in the nest to when 7 fully fledged blue tits flew away, 3 weeks after hatching.  Their growth progress was so quick - the parents were kept very busy.  I cannot emphasize how much fun it has been watching nature like this.  Our own personal Springwatch!
Last Thursday evening was so sunny and warm, we drove down into Plymouth (something we do not do very often!) and we discovered the Royal William Dockyard.  What an amazing place, right by the sea of course with old Royal Navy buildings and many restaurants etc.  We ate at the River Cottage Canteen - probably the best meal we have ever had!
I wonder if you can read the menu? I hope so!  Click on the photo to enlarge -  Yummy ......

This huge ship - with a helicopter at the back -came into port as we sat there:

It was just a perfect evening - Mount Edgcumbe is the backdrop.  Highly recommended if you are ever in Plymouth.
My little vegetable garden is thriving, I am so thrilled.  Everything is growing so well:  the lettuces are nearly ready to eat, and the celery, sweetcorn, runner beans and red cabbage look bigger very day.  I guess it is perfect growing weather - after much rain warm sunshine.  And the 2 plum trees are laden with fruit - I can see jars of jam and chutney being made before too long - I cannot wait to taste my home grown produce!

Thank you for popping by and viewing my busy fun filled days at Ward Cottage, doing what I love the most - sewing patchwork, making heirlooms for family and special friends that I love, and enjoying our garden and the beautiful surroundings of Devon.