Lots of sewing time.

Friday was a bank holiday to commemorate the 75th anniversary of V.E. Day. We usually have a bank holiday on the first Monday in May but this year it was moved to the Friday. I like Friday Bank holiday as they give you something to look forward to all week and the day after I don't have to go to work. This weekend I've managed to get a four day break by taking my day off for next week on Monday. This has given me lots of time for sewing, crochet, embroidery and also just watching TV and right now that means I still have tomorrow to look forward to.

A while ago I cut out a shirt pattern for me. Along with Millicent the bag lady embroidery it got put into my old sewing chest and due to our redecorating heavy boxes were stacked on top. When I got access again I found Millicent and my shirt pattern and fabric. My first job of the long weekend was to sew up the shirt. It took about 4 hours as I didn't want to rush and risk having to unpick seams. I also found some perfect buttons in my button box. 

The fabric is lightweight and will be perfect for the summer. I also really like shirts without collars so a V neck is perfect.

Over the weekend I've been stitching the hexies together for the bag. This part is now finished and my next job is to 'quilt' the hexies onto the wadding. before adding the band. This evening I will remove the tacking stitches that I put in when forming the hexies. The padded hexie forms stay in with this pattern but normally with English paper piecing the paper would be taken out at this point. I'll then lay the pieces on the wadding, baste and quilt. Here's the instructions.

I've just laid the pattern pieces on the wadding. The tacking stitches still need to be taken out. The band of webbing going between the two pieces forms the base and the sides.

Here what it should look like when complete.

The weather here in London was very hot and sunny on Friday and Saturday so John and I were able to spend quite a bit of time in our garden. This is a small but well used space.  I'm very happy this year that we have two blue iris that have flowered. The iris came from my parents garden sometime before 2006. They have always flowered well until last year when we didn't get a single flower. 

We also have two cotoneaster plants. One against the back wall of the house and the other against the back fence. They are both covered in flowers and are very well visited by bees. This bee has been very busy judging by the pollen on the back legs.

A few years back we used to have a lily of the valley plant that flowered prolifically and had a beautiful scent but unfortunately it died one particularly frosty winter. This year we bought a new plant and it has a sweet scented flower on it. Once it's finished flowering we'll plant it in the garden.

This week I'm going to keep working on the little bag until I've completed it. This should be done by the end of the week but as I have a lot of work commitments it might take a little longer.

I'm linking this post with Kathy from Kathy's Quilts. Kathy always has some fun hand stitching on the go and her link party really helps to make my Sunday enjoyable. Pop over to Kathy's for her Slow Sunday Stitching and see what everyone has been working on this week. 

I hope you are all staying safe and well. Take care, especially if the restrictions where you are will be lifted a little this week to make them less restrictive. Remember your hand hygiene and your safe distancing to try to avoid spreading the virus or getting ill yourself.
Lyndsey