sewing is dangerous

I thought I would make something I had wanted to make for a long time: a Union Jack block.

UPDATE: here I have to excuse myslef to the British readers, Anonymous nicely pointed out to me that I was flying my Union Jack upside down, which is apparently a sign of distress and a no-go. After some googleing and some thinking I came to the conclusion I had sewn my block together wrongly, so I can't fly it the right way. I hope you will all manage to forgive that mistake....

 As I learned to plan ahead I decided to put the potatoes on for tomorrow's potatoe salad - well that was the beginning of the end, measuring, cutting and some sewing later there was a terrible smell - I don't think I ever got from the machine to the stove that quick before. Well now the pot is soaking in smelly oven-cleaner and my kitchen stinks.

Leo

PS: here are the linky parties I try to join

8 little castles

I finished my 9 little castles yesterday, so I'm getting 8 of them ready to go get swapped in the UK.

That's mine missing - but its already in its box waiting with the backing for the rest of the blocks ... and hopefully not turning into an ufo.

Leo

Foto Finish - red

I saw that Barbara from Cat Patches is having a red themed picture link up and I remembered that beautiful little bench I came by walking through Reading (UK) last autumn. It's on the "Oscar Wild Memorial Walk" that runs between the prison walls and a nice little river.

Leo

swap sent

I managed to squeeze my note pad cover for the Lets eXchange swap in a A4 envelope. And because I either haven't gotten to the box with the sello tape or I don't have any sello tape anymore I had to "gift wrap" it with some isolation tape. (Or whatever you call the tape you use on cables). Yet another green thing. Since the 17th I seem to stuble endlessly over green things I never really knew about.

I promise I will put some pictures up of the "end product" but I didn't want to spoil the surprise so guessing a week should be enough to let the postal service do its magic.

No sewing today ... I doubt there will ever be any sewing on Tuesdays I probably should declare them non-sewign days.

Leo

Journey

... between London and Brussels, and during lunch break there I worked on theborder ...

... and between Brussels and Cologne I started pulling the paper shapes ...

... and between Cologne and Mannheim I undid the rest ...

(and took a picture this morning on the cleaned floor

Can you find mistakes? I can!

That's how I managed to survive my 11 hours, to be exact 11 hours and 1 minute train journey from London to home without going insane. I couldn't do anything between Mannheim and Stuttgart because I couldn't get any space for my luggage, so I got into trouble for storing it and myslef "in the way".

Leo

 linking up with 

Good bye UK! Home I'm coming!

c wikipedia                                                                                                        c wikipedia

 My teeny tiny little home town - the reason why I think London is too big.

aerial view

Should I call myself lucky that I missed the cold days this year - the river is freezes only 

every 5 or so years.

 frozen river - c Knowledgeispower

Leo

My Place & Yours : Outside

For more info go there

the park

5 movies + many episodes

that's how long it took me to finish off with the white hexagons. Now I have to figure out what to do -  another round of white ... or start with some other maching colour ... 

Norwich Library Quilts

I wanted to share some beautiful quilts I cam across visiting the Public Library in Norwich.

(it was haning from the right side - blogger keeps turning the picture 90°)

 a close up of one of the individually quilted blocks, the green parts are quilted in a oak-leave garland
 

 I would have liked to get the whole quilt on the picture, but there were some bookshelves that prevented me from standing far away enough.

some quilting detail which I'm sure some are interested in

please hold the line ---- tüdelüdelüüüüü

Thanks to the strike by the Belgian railway workers my trains home were cancelled. There is no Eurostar entereing Belgium and there are no trains leaving Belgium towards Germany.

So the first idea was to call the Eurostar and ask if I could take another train. Answer: you bought your ticket in Germany - call them.

So I called Germany, to ask them about changeing the ticket. Answer: you have a problem with trains in Belgium, please call them.

Well as I want to be home for Christmas I called Belgium. Answer: We are not responsible, you have to call Eurostar.

So no luck there, and I was back on the phone with Eurostar. Answer: There are still trains via France. But we can't sell you tickets beyond Paris. So you better call France or Germany to get another ticket.

Imagine my joy being on the phone with Germany again. Answer: You can buy a new ticket, but there will be no refunding.

That is no option wiht a new ticket costing a bit less than my monthly allowance.

Finally a last desperate attempt - a journey to St Pancras International to the ticket office - and suddenly everything became fine.

A little later than planned - but I should manage to be home for Christmas.