All done!

225 six inch finished flower basket blocks all made by hand since Easter 2006 - the last stitch was taken a couple of nights ago on this block, a cause for much rejoicing.

 Two boxes full of flowery goodness, half with a white background and half with floral backgrounds.

Now to join them, also by hand.  The original plan was to make the top before layering and quilting it but on further cogitation I decided it would be too much of a behemoth to wrestle through the machine, so the blocks will be joined into nine-patches and quilted-as-one-goes by machine before being joined.  It will finish at 15 blocks across by 15 down, 90in square......a very large quilt.

There is just about every colour you can imagine in this quilt because I want it to look like a flowery carpet.  Even pink.  I'm not much of a pink girl so working with it was difficult, but some pink flowers can be pretty.

Last night the knitting needles were picked up again, the cardy which was recently nearly finished has been unravelled and a new jumper (or sweater, for some of you) was started a few weeks ago instead.  The cardy was a very odd fit - perhaps I'm just an odd shape - so I gave up on it.  I know when I'm beaten.  The yarn is a lovely dark teal with pale flecks and when it's finally finished will, hopefully, be gorgeous.

It's been a textile week, last Friday a local gallery held a couple of braided rag workshops with a visiting tutor and I was one of many women attending.  It was fun and very interesting......and a great use for some  of my "whatever possessed me when I bought this" fabrics.  Our Friday group enjoyed it so much that we decided to meet monthly to work on our rugs and to encourage each other.  Do I need something else to do with my time?  No, I don't.  Did I enjoy it?  Yes, I did - so that is justification to finish one rug, at least.

The shoulder is still unhappy following its almost-tumble in the garden recently so an appointment has been made with Anna The Nice Young Physiotherapist who oversaw its rehabilitation following its operation late last year.  While it's not agonisingly excruciatingly painful it is uncomfortable, so perhaps it's time to seek attention.

We have had rain!  According to the local paper, over the past few days we have had the best rain in several months.  It's not enough to break the drought, but enough to give hope to farmers and gardeners.  The hill behind us which was dry and brown has over the past few days become very green; new shoots are even starting to appear on our Ceratostigma, a sign that winter is on the way out.

Ceratostigma doesn't appear in the language of flowers in my 1885 etiquette book, so I can't tell you if its blue flowers in a posy mean the holder is in a blue mood.

"What should we think of one who had invented flowers, supposing that, before him, flowers were unknown?  Would he not be regarded as the opener-up of a paradise of new delight?  Should we not hail the inventor as a genius, as a god?  And yet those lovely offsprings of the earth have been speaking to man from the first dawn of his existence until now, telling him of the goodness and wisdom of the Creative Power, which bid the earth bring forth, not only that which was useful as food, but also flowers, the bright consummate flowers, to clothe it in beauty and joy!"

Flowers are flowers, yes?  Even when referred to in such flowery language.  Did you know that a sprig of the Bladder-nut tree included in a posy meant 'frivolous amusement'?

Enjoy your days!