Off to Helsinki?

Well, actually, I went to Oadby and Wigston, on the edge of Leicester. First to Oadby with Bob so he could collect the bike which has had its MOT, then on to Wigston to the home of my good friend Lesley from Knitting Group.

Lesley tells me she is having a Finnish Summer. However this is nothing to do with eating salted fish, beetroot salad and rye bread- rather that she is making a determined effort to finish all her craft projects which are sitting around half-done!

The purpose of my trip was to sort out Lesley's Sewing Machine, and then shorten two T-shirts she got in Gap Sale. Like me, she is a very thrifty person! We sat down at the table in her splendid kitchen at 7.10pm and began work. The good news was that Lesley discovered qualities about her machine that she never knew it possessed [twin needle facility etc] The bad news is that, try as we might, we couldn't get the thing to sew regularly without skipping stitches every so often. So we got my machine out - and then that one started skipping stitches too! Eventually, after nearly three hours of much talking and tea drinking, we had the two garments FINNISHED!

Then I had to admire her quilting work. Incredibly impressive stuff, mostly from Kaffe Fassett's book . With a bizarre name like that, you feel he should be Finnish, but he isn't!

I had this book myself once, but in a moment of financial difficulty, managed to sell it for a very good price on Amazon. At the time I felt I would never, ever, get round to making any of the lovely designs in it, so it had to go - even though I loathe getting rid of books! Having seen Lesley's quilts, I wish I hadn't now! Who am I kidding? If I ever do get round to making another quilt, I shall just have to borrow the book instead.

There is something fascinating about kneeling on the carpet, admiring someone's intricate handwork, and hearing the stories behind the pieces of the quilt [that was my first Laura Ashley dress, that was some stuff Mum bought to make a baby dress for my niece...] Quilters sew together memories.

Lesley had also just finished a cute yellow teddy in a lovely jumper made of grey Rowan wool. The red quilt is still in progress. All very beautifully stitched, I wish her success in her determination to Get It All Done! I must dig out the jumper I began knitting for myself in May 2007, which has got sidelined by other projects.

Then we got further distracted in conversation with Ant, her husband, about blogging. He is into PA and stuff at his church, and shares many of Bob's interests. Ended up looking at Bob's blog together, and agreeing that after the holidays, us two crafty women should introduce our sound men to each other.

Got home somewhere around 11.30pm having had a wonderful evening - and really glad I didn't have to get up for school next day! Thanks,Lesley and Ant for a lovely time.