European Bag Club, Will she sink? presents, lavender hedge.
Sorry Ulla and Simone, I am a day late blogging the bag we all made as we went out yesterday. I love this bag! It holds everything and is comfy to use. I planned to make it with navy dots too but didn’t have a suitable navy and tan check for the inside.
As you see I went for a calico with red dot.
With a complementary red check lining.
And a red dot base.
It’s a great design. My only quibbble is that the handles feel less substantial than the bag. I wonder if it might not be improved with a bit of batting in? What do you think? Ah Ulla you thought so too and used tubing! Brilliant!
This is the first bag us European Bag Club ladies have made together. It comes from The Bag Making Bible book by Lisa Lam. It not only has patterns for bags but lessons on techniques for bags so you have more confidence in designing your own. Have a look at Simone‘s in green and Ulla‘s in cafe au laits.
So which bag next ladies?
Now let me catch you up with last week.
The bluebells are about 2 weeks early. It has officially been the hottest April since records began over 100 years ago.
So as we had the new canoe to test for cracks before painting and further sanding, and a couple of test pilots who can swim well (crash test dummies! -LOL)
we headed for the canal.
Things seemed to go well. No leaks in the new boat- (the one behind in the pic).
But there be dragons!
Lilac out in April!
Yellow Allyssum and red Tulips.
The children had trouble with the new oar. It was adjusted for a left hander, so they took turns.
Us parents walked along the tow path with the hounds.
Oil seed rape in a nearby field.
But look Downholland Hall is for sale! There are 2 places near here a Down Holland and an Up Holland near Skelmersdale. Down Holland was once owned by the De Holland family until 1534, so I think it got it’s name from them.
It is a house I have often admired from the canal. Do you want a peek inside?
The buildings to the right of the picture are now a different property called Downholland Farm. The acreage of surrounding land belongs to it now. Once though it was all part of the same place. There is a short history here.
We stopped at the Scarisbrick Arms 1899 (pic in link) I didn’t take a photo as the garden and pub were crowded with people. It’s on Black-a-moor Lane. There is another pub along the canal called the Saracen’s Head. I wonder how these places got such exotic names?
Precious enjoyed her day out.
Bungle kept looking to see where Daddy had gone when he was buying juice.
On the way back the oar we got with the new boat snapped and the paddle part sank to the bottom. Son in the new boat now looked, but no joy. In the end he had to have a tow.
Which didn’t always go so well. 🙂
Oil seed rape in a Van Gogh yellow.
Halsall Church.
Spring cherry blossom.
And bare lanes are now leafy archways.
How’s this for an immaculate bit of ploughing? The ridge and furrows are so deep ready for potatoes.
Licorice galore chocolate inside real eggs scissor sharpeners and a real pair of gorgeous Moomin scissors came from Ulla this week! Thank you so much!
My birthday present from Lynn arrived. A whole bag of Spring in beautiful colours. The red and yellow tulip mat is perfect! An Easter bag with dot trim, a gorgeous prairie point embroidered tea towel, fabric squares and a lavender Easter bunny. Thank you so much Lynn.
Simone sent me the kit for these gorgeous Easter hen and egg hangers. Thank you Simone they look like fun.
And these birthday things came from Deb. Sue Spargo pattern book and felt, a skirt pattern, a dog in aid of the blind. I call her Blossom as it is that time of year. Notecards, Screaming Turtle coffee (yum!) chocs, a beautiful tape measure, stuff to help yarn through fabric (will experiment) and the most sweetest purse with a Lynette Anderson designed stitchery on. Thank you Deb, it is all so lovely.
This is one of the tasks I was hoping not to have to do. The old lavender hedge had to go. See the weeds growing where it once was? In there I found 2 roses just about hanging on to life. I think they are 2 of the ones I brought with me which originally came from Oxford. If they are then I am very happy as they are Victorian or older varieties. When we moved into this house this was the only place to temporarily put them for the Winter while we sorted the rest of the garden.
The old hedge uprooted.
The new hedge in place planted by son. It will be a few years before it looks like a proper hedge again.
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