Double Trouble

 

I finished quilting the dyed fabrics quilt with some big wonky swirls that I really didn't like at first. I had decided that it had to be utility sized quilting to make it look like an everyday sort of quilt showcasing the dye colours. As usual, once the binding was on, it looked fine. I also completed and bound the Yurt panel that Yvette pieced for me – at last! I have four left to quilt, bind or embellish. I heard from Becky Kemery who has the Yurtlady Facebook page. I have some very nice comments via her website so that is encouraging. She has appealed to American yurt makers that I am still looking for a USA frame sponsor.

After worrying that the Lenni machine for Festival of Quilts would not arrive on time, I managed to get it through Customs on Wednesday after paying a ransom of over £1500. They tried to get me to become A VAT registered business despite me trying to explain that my turnover is too small. Apparently there may be a tiny business tax loophole but it can take weeks to process and I did not have that length of time. A most disgruntled delivery man phoned on Thursday morning several hours before I expected him to arrive, complaining that my postcode must be wrong because his brand new £500 TomTom sat-nav system had taken him on the wrong road. I told him that my postcode covers a wide rural area and he should have checked on a real map. He then moaned about the 6 boxes that I had to help him carry so I don't think I will be using "Freight 2 the Point" if I need a courier. I unpacked it and set it all up with Freya's help and was impressed at how easily we managed it. We put Tracy's ex Lenni on the frame too and both of them stitched and ran beautifully. I packed up all of the gear that I think I will need at FOQ and hope I have remembered everything. There seems to be a lot of stuff to fit within a 2m x 4m show booth... I hope I sell all of my fabric and postcards at the show because after paying all that money to Customs I may have to sleep in the van and eat pot noodles all week.

I went to look for fruit at the bottom of the garden to make some jam but discovered that the orchard area is completely overgrown by enormous weeds. The only answer is probably to get some more pigs. I ended up making a few pots of last year's plum and bramble jam from the freezer but the blackberries need to be picked out as they have gone hard. We seem to have missed our chance for wild cherry picking this summer - the birds got them all while it was damp and grey for so long. I even bought a bag of burning peat when it rained non-stop one day as it felt chilly. The weather is bound to improve just as the children return to school next week.

I received an interesting phone call from a PR company that wanted to know if I might be interested in making a quilted tea-cosy for a pink Smart car. At first I thought it was a hoax but when I checked and found that it was a genuine request I was quite excited at the prospect of a funky challenge. If they go ahead with the project the deadline is tight but where would the fun be if there was plenty of time?