Stitch Tease Scrappy Clammies

A few weeks ago, we were sleeping practically fully clothed under a duvet and a thick blanket and then a week ago, it warmed up...and now it`s hot and already feeling a little uncomfortable to sew.  I`m hoping the temperatures will drop a little as I still have a lot to do before I finally down tools for the summer months.

I have finished my Stitch Tease blocks.  There are eight amazing women in this bee. The theme for my quilt is scrappy curves. I have asked for blocks measuring 25" and so I made 2 so that there will be 9 in total.

I had a bit of a wobble a couple of weeks ago when my creative mojo took an unscheduled holiday. I thought of other things I could have as a theme but I kept coming back to curves.  So yesterday, I tried again with Jenny`s ruler and made this block.  It measures 25". Despite its crack courtesy of the postal system, the ruler was wonderful and super easy to use.

Then I returned to the clam shells and used the template for the Lemons & Limes block in the Modern Blocks book.  There wasn`t much wiggle room when it came to squaring up and I can`t say I loved making this block as it was quite consuming but I love the result.  

Scrappy Clamshell block

Each bee member has purchased 1 yard of fabric, a piece of which will be used in each quilt so that all the quilts are linked.  I chose English Plantain from Across the Pond by Cloud 9 and used it in both blocks.

English Plantain by Cloud 9

Love it or hate it, these blocks feel very me.  Now they are off on a magic carpet (far more reliable than the world`s postal service I find) to the lovely Katy in Glasgow who hot from her Curves class with Rachel is sure to come up trumps. She`s also an amazing paper piecer!

Fragile - Handle With Care

No - not me!  Thank you to everyone for wishing me a hasty recombobulation.  I am feeling much combobulated thank you very much....even though my mum left this morning.  It`s always so lovely having her here - and not only for her washing up skills!  She is great company and a wonderful granny to Zaki.  We shall see her in a couple of months when we are over for you know what, and who knows - perhaps before.

Kasbah du Toubkal, Imlil

We spent my mum`s last day in the Atlas mountains around Asni and Imlil - about an hour and a half`s drive from Marrakech.  I was behind the wheel which was slightly nerve-wracking as I really only drive in town but we were counted out and counted in again.

We started off at the Kasbah du Toubkal in Imlil, which requires a very steep 10 minute climb to reach. The photo was taken as we were leaving, not as we arrived with red cheeks!

Some people were tired by the climb and a bit grumpy to have their photo taken yet again!

...but was soon back to his usual cheery self - revived by an orange juice!

There was still quite a lot of snow on the mountains...

After climbing back down the steep hill and eating a very yummy tagine at a basic but clean cafe, we drove a short distance back toward Marrakech and stopped for a drink at Kasbah Tamadot bought by Sir Richard Branson in 1998 and now owned by the Virgin group.

It really is a gorgeous spot and perfect for a cool drink in a shady spot.

A Fez Bonita

With prices for a double starting at just over 400 euros per night, we drank up, had a quick nosey round and headed home.

Rose petal strewn pools

I Spy with My Little Eye

The library

So after a lovely day and my mum leaving, I was in need of a pickmeup.  We hadn`t been back from the airport long when I heard the doorbell go. I knew it must be the mailman. With bee blocks winging their way, my For the Love of Solids swap package and curved ruler also due, I was excited.

It was my curved ruler from Jenny at Sew Kind of Wonderful! I love her curved labels.

It arrived beautifully packaged and with a huge `FRAGILE` sticker stuck across the front.  Except this wasn`t enough as some clumsy wotzit in the world`s postal system had obviously dropped it and broken it!

See that crack?  It`s right at the end of the groove for cutting! I have used it and it is so well designed that I can still cut with it.  However, the wonderful Jenny emailed me straight back and said she was sending me another as she was all about customer service.  I didn`t expect that at all and just love it.  So thank you Jenny and I`m sure it will arrive in one piece this time! I`ve got a feeling it`s going to arrive with more than one sticker this time!

For those of you who were so kind about my labels, they are from labelname.co.uk - easy to order, quick and very reasonable.  Win, win....win!