'Aster Manor' pillow workshop

There is not much fun to blog about just at the moment. We are into the fifth week off school for my sick daughter. Thanks to my Mum visiting, I did get a day out of the house last week to teach a workshop at Marally Craft. We had a great day stitching up versions of my 'Aster Manor' pillow.

Judy made up an elegant version in French red and taupe using Rouenneries Deux fabrics. Judy did a fabulous job considering her limited experience with a rotary cutter.

As it happened, there were two Jackies in the class. Jackie #1 tested out her brand spanking new Bernina by whipping up her pillow in Aster Manor by 3 Sisters. She found perfectly matching buttons and discovered the magic of the #10 Bernina edgestitch foot!

Jackie #2 chose the always fresh combination of blue and cream for her version. Again, her choice of buttons was lovely!

 

Wendy survived my first workshop and bravely returned for my second :) The fabrics for her pillow were chosen to match her recently upholstered bedhead - a sublime combination of soft blues in Bunny Hill's Oooh La La range.

Deidre planned her pillow specifically as a gift for a friend's golden wedding anniversary. It was a beautifully subtle combination of cream fabrics with gold accents. A very thoughtful gift which I'm sure will be happily received.

Thank you girls for a great day of stitching and chatting. It was a much needed break from the worry of nursing a sick child. If you'd like to make up your own version of this pillow, you can find the free tutorial over at Moda Bakeshop.

Happy Mother's Day

To mothers everywhere, a very happy Mother's Day. Mine was spent employed in the most unlikely of activities ... mothering :) My littlest bloss remains unwell & in need of nursing. And The Boy required some coaxing to get him through a Latin assignment on 'The Journey of Aeneas', due tomorrow. How is your Roman mythology?!

My Sweetness is a firm unbeliever in Mother's Day. Over the years, we I have come to an arrangement - I tend to treat myself! So after a busy day of mothering (and admittedly some Thai takeaway for dinner organised by Sweetness!), I am settling in with my treats:

Something special from T2 ,

and a gorgeous new book by Joanna @ FigTree Quilts. 

Hee hee, happy Mother's Day to me!

Mesenteric adenitis anyone?

My ten-year-old daughter has had constant abdominal pain for the last 7 days. It is not relieved by paracetamol, ibuprofen or naproxen. It is a recurring pain and keeps her away from school.

Yesterday, we were given a diagnosis of mesenteric adenitis which is a inflammation of lymph glands in the abdomen. Evidently, it is common in children. If you have any experience of this condition and advice to offer, please feel free to give it!

For the fabric tragics

The latest & perhaps loveliest marketing ploy to entice us all to buy more fabric ...

... lusciously shot, imaginative and clever films on YouTube ...

... by Art Gallery Fabrics. Tempted? Ooooh, yeah!