The highlight of our day today was the visit from youngest son. Unexpected (until yesterday) and a delight. It was so lovely to see him in person at long last. Hard not to hug, but so much better than only seeing each other on a screen
It was also great to have an update in person on how granddaughter is doing – the little things that get overlooked in weekly phone chats. Particularly intriguing and puzzling for example that she had recently explained to her parents that her eyebrows are there to stop her eyes from falling out of her face.
The visit did mean I needed to substantially speed up my birthday present production, ready for him to take it home with him. Birthday not till next week, but I’ve had mixed results with sending things in the post recently. Everything has arrived – eventually, but sometimes a long time after posting.
Not being able to go out shopping, and already having a wealth of things at home to draw on, we decided we would give her one of the books we’ve enjoyed reading together with her here (A Squash and a Squeeze), and I would make her a bed covering using a quilt top I bought some while ago in a local charity shop.
Granddaughter’s favourite colour is purple, which is what made me think about using the quilt top. It is made using the traditional English piecing method, in this case hexagons stitched onto paper and then hand-sewn together. By chance it is exactly the same method I used in the 1970s when I did a very similar quilt top using hexagons of almost the same size – the work I foolishly gave to a charity shop a couple of decades ago in a fit of clearing out. I wanted to honour the huge amount of work put in by the person who made this
The fabrics I used were all from the local Laura Ashley shop, and the project was inspired by a school visit to the American Museum (on the outskirts of Bath). I don’t know what the fabrics in this quilt top are.
I didn’t like the sheet fabric that had been used as the backing, nor the white lace edging. I deconstructed it, and cut it in half to reduce it from double bed size to single bed size. I used half to make the new bed quilt, and saved the other half to do one for her bed here (when things have finally changed enough for her to come and stay with us).
I backed it with two layers of a brushed cotton sheet that by chance had worn through in parts. 
After sewing it all together, I sewed several (almost) parallel lines top to bottom, to hold the layers all in place. Then I made a very small version, for her doll and cuddly toys. 
As my first ever finished quilt project, I am very pleased with it. I hope she will enjoy using it.
It seems that, in lockdown, my sewing machine and I have become best buddies.
I hope you’re well, and finding something to cheer you today. Tomorrow I’m hoping for some rain, and for time to spend on the allotment. See you then xx
the magic jug 