Big Strand and a big sky - the week of the Harvest Moon.

I’m Back! I was never very far away, just awfully busy. Last week we travelled to Dublin to attend a very lovely wedding, this week we took a spin to Galway to visit a friend who was in hospital there for an operation (all well thank goodness). So today I get a chance to sit down, catch up, and send you a quick update on all our doings and goings-on.


These boots are made for walking.

Today started as the perfect October day. Mild, no rain or wind (yet!) and I took to my heels as I have been doing almost daily since I bought the new walking shoes I showed you a few weeks ago, when I made myself a promise. The promise/challenge is to walk off as many pounds as I can realistically manage in the next few months. I feel that if I tell you all about it, then I am kind of obliged to follow through. So no gym, no fancy regimens or silly milkshakes. Just me, the back roads and the music in my head to keep me company. I will keep you informed as to how I am getting on from time to time, but please tell me if I am being a bore.

After all my travels of recent times I am really looking forward to a couple of quiet weeks either at the sewing machine or by the fire, stitching either way. I have so many projects on my mind and on paper and on the cutting board, I just don’t know where to begin or end. Much of my time at the moment is of course taken up in happy preparation for our Christmas Special Sew North on November 4th & 5th, which I am looking forward to immensely. I would usually object on principle to any early mentions of the big December 25th event, but we quilters and crafters deserve a dispensation, as we have to MAKE the things we plan, not just click’n’deliver! At our November weekend there are lots of seasonal projects, and a few very practical ones too. Moreover these weekends are increasingly about fun and friendship and that is why we love them.



 

The other event that is giving me loads of moments of very happy anticipation is the prospect of Quilt Camp 2018. Having something so positive to look forward to and work towards will certainly shorten my winter, and the response has been great. The good news is that we have enough of us booked to ensure that we will have the entire campsite to ourselves, so we can chill out, relax, and sew all day in our jammies if that is what we wish to do! If you haven’t already booked we still have some availability, but get your name on a place soon if you don’t want to miss out.

Lucky for some?

As I was away last week, we had to postpone our usual “First Friday” gathering until this week - the dreaded Friday 13th!!!   I do hope none of you are superstitious? I must look up some of the very many folk tales around sewing to keep us entertained this Friday, never mind Halloween just around the corner. In any case I will be here, no black cat or broomstick, to welcome my Friday gang this week.


Walking home...the view along the Swilly to Dunree and Fanad from "The Lookout" in Fahan.

Will I be in Dublin for the RDS Show?

So many of you asking, and I was doing my best to persuade myself to take a stand, but good sense in the shape of my caring daughter prevailed, so the answer is in two parts:
 

1.   The Fennel Shed will NOT have a stand at the Knit & Stitch Show in the RDS in November

BUT

2. Gaye will be attending as a visitor - most likely on the Sunday. So if anyone wants me to bring anything, or meet up to work anything out or arrange teaching or other stuff in general, send me an email and we can make a date to meet.

Not much more to add for now. I just wanted to call in, say hello, and in particular remind those who haven’t done so to get booking those Sew North workshops of choice while there is still room, and we don’t want anyone to miss the Snowy Mountain Bus.

Met this guy out walking today... that's how quiet my backroad walks are.