Cosy sewing

I have a new sewing machine.
I used to sew and knit a great deal, as much out of necessity as for the love of it. Small children, a small income and a big mortgage was the driving force! I grew to enjoy creating new things, then a busy work life got in the way and I spent many years studying and trying to cram lots of other stuff into my crowded life that something had to give!
I've spent some years now deciding on what sewing machine to have as my trusty old machine that had been such a good workhorse for me was beginning to show it's age! To be fair, it's over 30 years old and has helped to clothe me and my children as well as curtains and cushion covers and so on.
Well, I took the plunge and bought a really expensive machine, but boy am I enoying it! The instruction book is the size of a telephone directory (and it's all in English not half other languages), so it's taking some finding my way around. I've not ventured into the embroidery as yet - that's next. But I've made a few things and today I had my first quilting experience! A rather simple playmat for a new baby, he's made his appearance in New Zealand and the group of us who are his mother's friends are sending a package out for the new family.

you may not be able to see the detail in this pick, I just put the backing material on and made some straight quilting lines.

If you can't see the detail, it's lots of teddies on magic carpets and broomsticks. Hopefully the little chap will dream of magic places and travel enchanted journeys in his relaxing on this.

It's not perfect by any means, but it's a start and I'm right proud of it!

families

Well for all my vows to keep my blog uptodate, I've failed (again). I do have something interesting (well to me anyway), to write about.

I had a brother, we were close in age so grew up together. He was something of a talented musician and took himself into the Royal Marine Band when he was just 15. He had quite an adventerous time by some peoples standards, including spending time playing for the Royal Family and spending time on the Royal Yacht.

Unfortunately he fell victim to alcoholism, this led to him losing his job, then his family and home and eventually his life. He died aged 46 years of age with little to show for his life. He had his violins in his possession and the last fathers day card from his two children.

A few years ago, my mother died, her one regret was losing touch with those children. Their mother would have nothing to do with us and kept them away. She left them some money in her will as long as we could find them.

Some three years passed when by some fluke another brother came across one of them on facebook!!! Just one look at his photograph one could tell who his father was!

Last weekend both of them came to look at where their dad grew up and to hear stories of his upbringing and childhood.  They had not been allowed to know anything about their father from their mother. I'll say no more about that, both of them do not now have contact with their mother - we didn't go into details why, but I suspect it is not all to do with the fact of them not being allowed to know about their dad.

We had a lovely weekend, showing them where their dad's ashes are and some of the places we went to when we were growing up. They have both done very well for themselves, especially considering the fragmented childhood. She is a science teacher, teaching 11 to 16 year olds and he is reading maths (entering a Masters programme) in Sheffield. They are very very nice people, and although there are some difficult memories for them, they loved their dad and are so happy to have had the chance to get to know something of him.

It's very exciting having a new neice and nephew, and very interesting having them enter the family in their 20s!!!