Friday 30 May 2014

Broken arm works a charm ...

Corny headline, I know! But very apt in the circumstances. I have a finish! Yay! Well - a finished top - you know it counts all the same. This was my low-volume charm square quilt without a border, which was coming up a bit small:

 
And here it is today - finished with a 5" border - it was a bit blowy in the garden - I got there eventually:
 


 
I think it will be a while before I can baste and quilt it - although the arm is getting stronger, I still only have about 40% range of movement in the shoulder and it hurts when I overdo things. Knowing me, as you do, that's quite a lot!
 

And how was our holiday in France? Amazing. Poignant. Breath-taking. Very moving. We packed a lot into our 5 days in the Somme region. It was lovely to get the chance to holiday with our friends and their wonderful girls. We visited lots of World  War 1 sights and also had some fun playing cards and bingo back at the Gites each night. Here are just a few photos:
 



 
And on Monday, we drove to Ypres in Belgium to hear the Last Post - played every night at 8pm at the Menin Gate - The memorial bears the names of 54,389 officers and men from United Kingdom and Commonwealth Forces (except New Zealand and Newfoundland) who fell in the Ypres Salient before 16th August 1917 and who have no known grave:
 

 


If you ever get the chance to visit these countries ... do it. You won't be disappointed. But you will be sad. I'm thankful to be home and grateful for the world I get to live in because of their sacrifices. 
 
Linking up with Lorna, Amanda Jean and Sarah :)
  
 
Sew Fresh Quilts

11 comments:

  1. Congratulations on your garden delight! Looks lovely hanging in the breeze, Jennifer! Yes, do take it easy. Your quilt can wait for quilting. Thanks so much for sharing your trip with us. And I agree.... We certainly do have a lot to be thankful for!

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  2. it looks wonderful, I love the colors and the border really frames it nicely

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  3. Love the quilt. I see a butterfly when I see the whole quilt.

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  4. I saw the butterfly, too, and wondered if you intended that. The border really does make it pop!

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  5. Did the trip inspire the quilt ? I see echoes of the white gravestones set against the green grass. Or a Tudor knot garden. What a clever way to use a 9 patch block!

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  6. Gorgeous quilt top!!! Can't believe you did all of that with a broken arm!! Looks like you had a fabulous holiday. Never been to Europe, but it's on my "bucket list."

    ~ Jess ~
    Everything Is Coming Up Rosie

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  7. It's a beautiful quilt top, and it co-ordinates so well with the garden!! Don't overdo it !! We want you in full working order for our meet-up !!

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  8. Your quilt top looks beautiful in your green garden. Glad to hear you had such an enjoyable trip with your friends and that you are back home safe.

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  9. I'm sorry to hear about your arm! Nasty. Lovely quilt

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  10. That is a lovely quilt top and you should wait a bit to baste and quilt. I finished one today and it had been awhile since I had wrangled a quilt in the free motion ring. I used muscles that had been resting for awhile. Ouch. Just make sure you don't hurt yourself. Take it slow.
    Beautiful pictures of your trip. Sounds like fun. I've just finished the book "Monument Men" about WW2 and have been reflecting on all the sacrifice of our military. We have a lot to be thankful for.

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  11. Yeah finish is right! Your quilt looks great and what a beautiful garden you have. It would be very sobering to visit a memorial sight for the ones that were fallen in WW 1.

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I love reading all your comments, I know it takes time to write them but they make me smile so thank you for dropping by :)