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Denim, a hen and lots of tulips

 

One more thing finally crossed off my 'still need to finish' list.  Yesterday I added the rest of the red ties to this lap sized quilt, and embroidered 'Val made this' on the reverse.  It's probably going to end up as a present for someone as I don't need yet more quilts strewn across my bed or sofa.  I did like working with the upcycled denim, and especially how you get a variation in shades of blue, often depending on how many times the original garment had been laundered.  Here's a glimpse of the backing fabric, with my purple clogs getting in the picture.  
I also plumped for a hen as the next bird I'd make from the Corinne Lapierre book, having dithered over what to choose.  I realised I'd got just enough of the fudge coloured felt to make the hen's body.  So I spent yesterday evening dutifully following the instructions.  Step 1 completed, step 2, step 3.  It was only when I reached step 9 that I realised my mistake.  
Step 9's where you sew the back of the body to the front and ... oh!  I made two front pieces, didn't I?  Sweary words were muttered.  Never mind, I'll simply have to make two birds instead of one.  Luckily I had only-just-enough felt to cut out one back piece, and this morning I finished assembling my first hen.  
The image in the book has a pair of wire legs covered in florist tape (which I don't have) but I might skip that and attach a ribbon hanging loop instead.  
As today's Thursday I'm off to slimming club this afternoon, which is a shame in a way as it's a really nice spring day.  Bright and breezy, so I ought to be schlepping down to the allotment to work on that.  Weirdly, for someone who usually has a conservatory overflowing with seed trays and spindly seedlings by the end of March, I'm not in the gardening mood yet.  Too many wet and cold days so far this year, but Easter is going to mark the start of the gardening year for me.  
My back garden's resplendent with tulips and daffodils, as well as plenty of hyacinths.  The small flower beds are stuffed with 'em.  
I've even got cowslips growing in the front garden, from a Sarah Raven wild flower seed mix I threw down a few years ago.  Love seeing those.  

Well, what else can I tell you?  Not much really.  I've signed up for another free stitching workshop at Leeds art gallery, I think that's next week.  I noticed a lino printing workshop they were running had been cancelled, and I wonder if that was because of the cost.  It'd jumped from a fiver for a previous workshop to fifteen pounds.  There's only so much money going spare in peoples pockets right now, and a craft class is more of an extra treat than a sheer necessity.  Especially if you have to factor in the cost of a bus journey or car parking on the day.  
Okay, I'll stop my blathering and leave you with a final image of the felt embroidered hen, lurking on the mantelpiece among the clutter.  Bye!

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