Saturday 26 July 2014

A New Project and A Question

It's hard to believe that we have been home a couple of weeks. We had the most amazing time. 
Life is returning to normal, back at work and into the regular routine of life. 

I did get to the Darling Harbour Quilt show but I didn't take many photos and have been a bit slack posting, so you can see our adventures if you pop over to Fairy Floss, Country Wishes, Chookyblue or Thimblestitch.

I am getting into some sewing now and I am REALLY keen to actually finish something....problem is, the projects on the go at the moment are a bit big. So, I've started something new!
 
This project is great for using up scraps!

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Wrap it around some clothesline rope and you can turn it into this...
Handles are on order. Should arrive this week and then I will have a new handbag!
Pop over to Country Wishes to see more photos on our progress and the fun night we had with our new personal tutor Fairy Floss.
If the postman is speedy, I might just have an OPAM finish this month. Wont Peg and be surprised!!
 
Now for my question...
I usually post on my computer, but want to do it on my iPad. I downloaded Blogger onto it and have posted from there a few times. However, it's not as flexible as Blogger on the computer. For example, I can't change the size and position of photos, I can't work out how to add links, can't change the font....to name a few. Thimblestitch uses a different program that can't be downloaded anymore.
 
Does anyone else use their iPad to post?
What program do you use?
Are you happy with it?
 
Looking forward to your responses.

Saturday 5 July 2014

Greetings from Singapore

Our adventure continues but coming close to the end. Thought  I'd share just a couple of events with you.

First of all, we stumbled across a patchwork shop on a late night walk in a beautiful town called Bruges in Belgium. You will never guess whose BOM was advertised on the front door of the shop!


Looks like Anne Downs has a following in Belgium. Went back over the next two days ( Sunday and Monday) to take a look inside only to find out that if I could read this note in Flemish....
I would have known that they are closed Sundays and Mondays. Too bad we were leaving Monday afternoon and could not return. Oh well...

I did find a few shops that had cross stitch, tapestry and lace making supplies. I bought this kit which should keep me busy for a while. It is a sampler from 1790, completed by a girl of thirteen years and will be 94cm x 61cm when complete.

Bruges has a lace making school and museum and the streets are filled with shops were you can buy loads of beautifully hand crafted lace tablecloths, table runners, handkerchiefs etc.

There have been train strikes in both France and Belgium over the last few weeks. They finally effected us last Monday when our trains from Bruges to Brussles and Brussles  to Paris were cancelled. I won't bore you with the details of the inconvenience it caused, however, we chose to look at it as a bonus night in Brussles rather than missing out on a night in Paris. Even though the we decided to splurge on a motel for the last two nights with a view of the Eiffel Tower. What else can you do but go with it? So bonus night in Brussles....it was beautiful too.

We both had window seats. Mr stitch played cards on my iPad while I did get a little stitching done on the train as the scenery flashed by at about 300km/h. It's very cool how quickly you can travel on these comfortable and VERY quiet trains.

I made time to appliqué glue my flowers onto the final border of my Violet Quilt before leaving home and have been stitching them down on the plane and train rides. Can you see the little dental floss container Fairy Floss Stitches gave me to cut my threads so I didn't need to take scissors onto the plane?

We were so pleased to make it back to Paris for a final night. Here is the view from the balcony of our motel...
And by night...
Now that I've shown you the nice view, I will show you the REALLY flash, big balcony we had to sit on to watch the sunset....you will be amazed at the size of it. (Have you sensed the sarcasm yet?) 
Here is Mr Stitch setting up with the drinks and nibbles...
Yes that is a pillow he is sitting on to make the concrete a little more comfortable. He was able to make use of the guttering in lieu of a table to place his beer and chips on...
And now a another attempt at mastering the selfie...
Ooops...not that one...
Now that's very cosy. It was JUST long enough for us to stretch our legs out. 

Mental note to self....when I ask the travel agent for a room with a view, I should clarify and say with a balcony big enough to at least sit side by side, maybe even big enough for a chair would be nice. Now that would be REALLY lashing out. It was a fun night watching the sunset over Paris one last time.

So we are now semi-adjusting our body clocks in Singapore for a few days. Only three hours difference to home.

Bye for now.