Another birthday, a visit and a royal wedding....

Well, I have been very neglectful of my blog for a few weeks....but lots to tell.  My  quilting has kept me soooo busy up to Easter with lots of last minute 'please do this quickly for me' quilts...

M's quilt turned out really well and she was very pleased.  Photo is not brilliant, but there was a lot of cross hatching involved in this one! Mr RC had a few days off work to celebrate my birthday and Easter so quilting was put aside for a couple of weeks and we had a splendid time with my Mum and Dad roaming the Wiltshire countryside on a visit to Stourhead, enjoying a lovely cream tea and the Spring sunshine...

Even Raffi had to keep in the shade, it was very hot....

The rest of the holiday has been hard work, as a fence had to be erected in our back garden....nearly finished that job now.
But today, we watched the Royal wedding on the television...Wow, what a dress and a lovely ceremony..I spent most of the time in tears, it was so beautiful, but it doesn't take me long to get soppy!  Wonderful...the bunting looked good too

We enjoyed a bottle of champagne and a good walk to finish off a memorable day...
Next week, it is back to work as lots of quilts have arrived in the last week and I must keep the wolf from the door, so to speak!!
Until next time....xx

A visit and a couple of birthdays.....

Mr Zach is now two years old!!!  Enjoy woolly boy!!! And there is a birthday coming up for Mr RC shortly, so lots of reasons for celebrating in the Running Chicken household. 
This week has been particularly busy, getting ready for a visit to Pilgrim Quilters in Banstead, Surrey.  I had been 'booked' to give a talk on longarm quilting and anything connected with my business...so the last few days I have been cutting and stacking fat quarters, half metres and scraps of fabrics to take with me

It takes a long time to cut everything and fold it neatly....but it all looked lovely and colourful and I wanted to buy some!!!!
The journey was interesting...not one to travel far, the evening we do need to go somewhere saw the M4 being closed and of course the resulting gridlock in every direction....however, with Mr RC at the wheel, we managed to do a tour of back roads to safely bring us out our destination.   A visit to my Mum and Dad's house first.....a very welcome cup of tea (or two) and some gorgeous poppy seed bread meant we were set up for the evening talk!  Then onwards to Banstead.  We arrived at the hall and carried in the fabrics, quilts and various paraphernalia associated with longarming. 
And what a lovely welcome....lots of members and a thriving group.  Feeling very nervous, as this was my very first  talk to such a big group, I launched into my talk....I was very lucky to have one of my customers quilts to show (thanks M for allowing this) and some of my own creations. 

After the talk, everyone mingled and chatted and fabric was stroked and chosen!!  Thanks everyone for making me feel so welcome....I really enjoyed my visit.
The way home beckoned and we arrived at about 11.30 to be greeted by two very excited woolly monsters who jumped and growled with delight....another lovely welcome!!!!
We all slept very well last night......

A new week...

Just come home from a mornings teaching....sun is shining, and spring flowers are beginning to bloom

The daffs are tiny and so pretty!  I really love this time of the year especially as the evenings are beginning to draw out.
I have been very busy with quilting lately, sending a couple of quilts off this week and loading three more!  The Statler certainly helps with the edge to edge work, although the custom work is still very time consuming, but wonderful!  I took time out to finish one of my own projects this last week.....very bright Lecien fabrics, and very jolly

The lemoyne star block is lovely but my favourite is always the bear paw...just love it!!  Just have to find the time to quilt my own quilts now!  One day........!!!

Where do the days go....?

It has been mighty busy in the Running Chicken household lately!  Just when I thought I had got on top of the backlog of quilts coming in, I have had lots of enquiries and quilts arriving by post and with their owners!!  It certainly keeps me out of mischief, and I am soooo lucky to be able to do this job.  H is coming today to pick up her absolutely beautiful appliqued and pieced quilt...

It has taken forever to quilt, but it is gorgeous and a real pleasure to do!  Hope you like it H!!
I have allowed myself a little time to sew too..only making small, quick projects, but they are fun and they don't end up in the pile of UFOs normally found in my studio.

I made these two projects from the Moda bakeshop site...but changed the heart block to a tiny size, using lovely old feedsack fabrics in my collection.  I think it turned out okay.  The penny pockets above are supposed to be filled with valentines gifts, but I intend to keep my reading glasses in them as I am always forgetting where they are!

Having sent off the mug rugs to Australia, I have not yet heard from the recipient...but, I had a lovely surprise parcel arrive for me from Portugal..two mug rugs made from Ana Maria from Lisbon.  Her blog is anamar.patch.blogspot.com.  Thanks once again from me!!
And finally, it is good to know someone loves me...

Until next time.....xxx

Mug rug piccies....

Here are the mug rugs recently sent to the other side of the world. 

They are quite bright and cheerful, but a bit of fun!!  Horrid weather here today...grey and rainy and everytime the dogs go outside, they come in with very very muddy feet which they happily transfer to my kitchen floor (which is cream!!)  Driving me mad.....

Mug rugs sent

Just a quick post today. My mug rugs have been sent to a recipient in Australia..piccies to follow! I wonder who is making them for me?

Obsessive, compulsive quilter....!!!!

My goodness, it has been busy in the Running Chicken house lately!  In an effort to learn really quickly all there is to know about my new Statler Stitcher on Gerty Gammill, I have been burning the midnight oil.  Lots of quilts later, I am beginning to get there!!  And combining both computerised work and freehand work is magical!!  However, just when I think I have mastered one thing, there is always another challenge...I am not hugely technically minded and you might sympathise when I explain that the three people in my life are very good with computers and so I have lived with ...."oh Mum/Karen, its like this..." and with the twiddle of a few buttons, my problems are solved....I have not found the need to worry about my inadequacies in this department!!!  NO MORE ......quilting beckons and if using a computer is a thing I have to do, I will learn to do it!!!! And secretly I am sort of enjoying it, despite lots of tantrums and name calling (only to the computer, you understand) 

Here are some of the latest pieces of work

Janice's beautiful baby quilt...lots of freehand work combined with blocks on the computer.

Gill's lovely red and white huge quilt!

Close up of some freehand/computer work

I have also had a little time to do some designing and my bright chicken quilt is still progressing, all be it very slowly

I am having such fun with this one....












I have also been organising some very lovely Lecien fabrics to sell on my website

Meanwhile, I am sitting here with all these ideas in my head and still lots of do...but feeling very horrid with an awful cold.  Snivelling and sniffing is not very attractive!!!!  The woolly monsters and I are waiting for Mr RC to come home right now....until next time...