Summer's end approaches.

This evening we had to put the lights on at 8.30pm and it felt early. When the days lengthen it seems to take forever for the minutes to be added on, yet the end of summer races by.

I am just not ready this year. I am still waiting for summer to begin.
I am waiting for sunshine.
I am waiting for the laughter I expected when all my family was around me - all two of them plus one hubby.
Nothing was as expected, and yet everything was as expected - or feared.

Never mind. Just carry on.

Quilt Show in Birmingham

 On Saturday I went to Birmingham with my friend Hilary Nagashi, and we had a wonderful day looking at all sorts of quilts, traditional, modern, made by children, groups, and so on. I was attracted to a lot of the more modern quilts with their lovely distressed looks although I do wonder whether they will a) survive well and or b) be just trendy and therefore date very rapidly.

 Be those considerations as they may, I am blogging just a few images of parts of the quilts as I don't really know whether I am going to break any of the copyright rules.

 I loved the pieces hanging off the bottom of this particular quilt.

 And the way it was made of so many strips and with words scattered around.

 

 

 This quilt was stitched as well which added texture and interest. I love stitching so this was a particular favourite.

 I like these art quilts but I don't know where the distinction lies between quilt and embroidery and even just artwork.

 This is a particular question when it comes to paper quilts although this particular artist was absolutely wonderful. I loved her work but it isn;t quilting to me, it is art on paper constructed as a quilt.

 I bought these particular lovelies for my friend Hilary to say thanks for driving.

 We drove home under a wonderful sky which turned to fire as we approached home via the M53,

 

 The sky was just amazing!

 And so ended a lovely day. What a treat!!

dyeing days are here again!

 These beautiful peach colours were dyed using just crimson and yellow. The colours varied because of the different weights of skein that went into the dyebath. Loved these.

 

 These turquoise yellow and green/greeny blue balls of wool were dyed also using just two colours - yellow and blue. One of the balls came out almost neon yellow - an absolutely stunning colour, although I preferred the other more subtle balls of wool. My DD insisted on a very yellow dye forgetting that the colours strengthen as they dry. She had a good laugh when she saw it and I am sure she will find somewhere to use it.

 

 All the colours here came from the same mix of colours which I had prepared in advance. I wanted them to match some silk flowers that I have and the colours came out beautifully. I did the skeins in two lots using the same dyes and each ball is different and has really interesting and beautiful passages in it. I loved all of them and was really sad to see them go. I hope Abs has fun knitting them up and I'm looking forward to seeing what she produces!\