Lovely Linaloo, lovely Lesley and Lucky Locket

As you have all been saying I am a very lucky Locket!

On Saturday, just as Fred was opening his presents, the Postie appeared with a parcel for ME from Lesley full of the most fantastic goodies!

She sent me a share of some gorgeous fabric that she had recently bought


and when I saw the bird one I was sooooooooooooooooo excited because I have been coveting this in various Etsy shops for ages - and amazingly (considering I speak to the poor girl so often) Lesley didn't even know I wanted it! I have plans to make it into a new messenger style bag with denim and pockets and things so I can use it and see it every day.

and then there were these gorgeous buttons


so pretty!

and then - if you can find it amongst my seriously mahoosive bunch of keys - there was this lovely key ring (which matches the pretty purse Lesley sent me a while ago that I use to carry my sewing around)


and finally, possibly even more excitingly, look at all these keyring blanks ready for me to customise to my heart's content!

Lesley also included a card thanking me for arranging the mini-quilt swap and for being her "very lovely and very silly friend" - thank you so much Lesley - the feeling is entirely reciprocated!

On Monday another exciting parcel arrived, this time all the way from Linaloo in Canada.

When I first mentioned doing a mini-quilt swap Lina said she would probably not be able to play but would be interested in doing a mini-mini-quilt swap directly with me. So in effect Lina is probably responsible for the whole extended Lucy Locket mini-Mini Quilt Swap - thanks Lina, it was a fantastic idea!!!

So I was obviously very excited to see what she had made - and it is gorgeous!

I just love those birds and the tree and the circles and how the birds ARE circles (with a little bit added) - it's just so deceptively simple and so very clever. And the colours are so happy and spring like - it's perfect!

Lina also included this wonderful embroidered fabric and a really pretty bookmark.


I immediately started planning a mini quilt in my mind using one of the embroidered flowers in the middle and then building it up log-cabin style with different cream and white fabrics with pearl buttons and cream embroidery etc - so if any of my swapees fancy a quilt like that then just let me know!!!

Thank you so much for my wonderful parcel Lina, and once again, thank you for sparking the initial idea of my mini-Mini-Quilt swap!

On Sunday I was idly wandering around Lesley's etsy shop and I wondered why on earth no one had bought her beautiful pink and grey felt purse. Then I looked at it more closely and saw the gorgeous lining fabric and was even more confused.

Finally it dawned on me - the reason no one had bought it yet was because they were kindly leaving it in the shop for ME to buy - obvious when you think about it!!!!

So I did.

(image borrowed from Lesley because my photo was rubbish!)

But, instead of fitting neatly through my letter box, the parcel from Lesley was sent back to the depot.

Why was that? It was only a little purse - my letter box isn't that small.

So I duly trotted off to the sorting office yesterday once I had regained the car from Mr Locket (fancy needing it for work!)

And look what was (very unsuccesfully) hiding behind the purse in my parcel


all of these gorgeous balls of crochet yarn! Lesley knows that even though I am only a newbie-crochet-er, I have discovered that I only really like crocheting toys in smooth or mercerised yarn rather than fluffy wool.

I think it is a control-freak thing - I like the knotty shapes that crochet makes (and no, that doesn't mean I've done it all wrong!) and mercerised cottons and smooth yarns show that off whereas soft and potentially fluff-able wool ends up getting, well, fluffy so you can't see the "pattern".

Anyway, I digress. Lesley found the yarn at a very good bargain price and knew how much I would like it so snapped it up! What a fabulous friend she is!

And finally, because I do listen to you all, I will leave you with some photos of the Should-Be-Famous-Lucy-Locket-Quilt-Wall


the only problem is that the display is getting so big it's really hard to photograph as it is in the hall and I can't get far enough away to fit all the quilts in - so I will leave you with a few photos and will go and have a re-think about where I am going to display these wonderful creations!


I hope you all have a lovely weekend!

Lucy x