Windows and cake!

I finally finished my Cathedral Window sample this week.  It's only 12" square, but seemed to take quite a long time to construct it.  I guess that the benefit is that once you've stitched it, it's done - no need for backing or wadding as it already has a finished back and sufficient layers to be heavy / warm!

Of course, me being me, I have had to look up different methods.  As much because I want to use this type of effect (well, the effect of a single block, rather than the sixteen in this sample) on bag pockets where I won't want such bulk, as to find a faster method.

I've found two methods that are similar, that leave you with an unbacked / unfinished block - perfect for what I wanted.  I shall spend some of my sewing time this week making these as samples too.  This is one of the methods
 for faux cathedral window blocks using a large square in the middle.  The other method I found in a magazine called 'Bags, Beads and Brooches' by Nina B and uses 4 small squares folded in half diagonally and sewn onto the four background squares to make that 'square within a square' pattern that can then have the bias edges rolled back around a 'window' of focus fabric.   Lots of fun!

The other fun that we've been having this week is to celebrate DD1s birthday.  Can you guess how old she is?  (Can you guess how old I feel?  if you've guessed anything over 88 you are correct.  It turns out that even if you aren't having an actual party, just a few friends around for a birthday tea, it can be quite noisy and tiring as a parent!).

Now I just need to gird my loins (metaphorically.  In reality I need to straighten out my back, hips and right shoulder!) ready for the excitement of Easter and the school holidays!

I did laugh yesterday.  One of my DH's colleagues swears blind that she won't be laying a trail of chocolate eggs on behalf of the Easter Bunny this year, like she has every other year.......her daughter has just turned 20!  Looks like I've got a lot more years of Easter surprises than I'd thought ahead of me!

Hope that your spring isn't too chilly to have fun.  Happy Easter!