Busy, Busy, Busy

Sorry I've been so quiet - I've not been busy working away on secret Xmas projects, I'm on a two month work course which is sapping all my spare time.  On a positive note this has coincided with a sudden increase in weekend social engagements.  All in all I've gotten next to no craft work done (not even the shawl that is supposed to be complete by Xmas!).  I have managed to teach my mum to knit with beads and do basic fairisle so my hands have not been completely idle.  I may manage a post at the weekend to detail a recent trip to the big smoke but otherwise don't expect much from here till mid December, when, considering the fabric I've been hoarding and the season, there should be a sudden spate of posts.

Random Fabric Collection

Whilst visiting family and friends in North Wales I took the opportunity to pop into Aberkhan Fabrics - a fabric mill which sell seconds fabrics by the kilo.  This usually works out fairly cheap as long as you don't want a specific fabric and in the sales the reductions can be excellent...but anyway what did I get this time?

The green fabric and button are destined to be parts of Xmas presents for sometime readers of this blog so I can't say more yet (although there is plenty of the green so expect it to make repeated appearances!); the blue is winter themed with snowflakes and stars and should be perfect for the back of a Xmas themed quilt I want to make; the white isn't actually white but this was the best my camera could manage today - its off white and covered in gold glitter (I have a piece of its silver glitter twin) and is also destined for the Xmas quilt; The black and which is for the back of my sister's quilt which is not a surprise but considering the amount of questions I've been asking about designs and fabrics I bet my sister wishes it was!

Unfortunately non of these fabrics are to finish off any of the items on my WIPs list but are destined to add to that list!

Forgotten Finish!

I mentioned making a raggy quilt a while ago and then went to the course to learn how to make it; bound and tumble dried it and then promptly forgot to post it here!  Lucky the weather's getting cooler or it may never have made it to the blog.

I still love this fabric and how the quilt turned out, although I don't think Val and Sue at the quilt shop believe I am going to keep it for myself - but as I said in an earlier post I have had a very long attachment to Padding ton Bear.

And I managed to find some marmalade-esque binding.  This quilt will get plenty of use of the winter when I'm curled up on the sofa knitting.

Great South Run 2011

Sorry for the lack of posts - it will be like this for the next few weeks as I am on an academic course and the workload is high, so blogging and crafting will have to take a back seat for a while.


Luckily I still have fairly free weekends (barring my unusually busy social life!).


Last weekend I took part in the BUPA Great South Run.  I have run it twice before, using the term run fairly loosely.  It is a 10 mile fairly flat course and I enjoy it.  I managed to run almost non stop (excepting for water breaks as I can't run and drink) but unfortunately I finished it in my slowest time yet.  So I am going to apply for next year's and I am determined to get under the 2 hour mark.

A thankfully small shot of me approaching the finish line.


 I have rewarded myself with some new running trainers and am determined to re-loose some weight as I think this affected my time, that and the fact I run slowly!