The first lockdown in England was scary in some ways, and incredible in others, at least for people who had to shield (as I still do, which is why so many books are being published.) The weather was gorgeous, I bought my first little greenhouse, and basically, stepped away from the rest of the world.
My lovely rheumatologist gave me some advice that has kept me going ever since. He said that we all have loads of things that we'll do, someday. If you're a crafty soul like I am, you've probably got so many projects that you want to make but there wasn't really time. That summer, I started making some of my somedays, and here's one I just finished quilting. It's American so some of the flowers of the month don't quite match the UK, but I'm still pleased enough with it to show it off.
The technique I'm using is called redwork, and it's basically backstitch in one colour along lines that you've marked in pencil so it's ridiculously relaxing. (And yes, I know, it's blue. I never was any good with rules! I like to call it creativity if anyone asks.) Amy Hammond uses it a lot in my cosy mystery series, because it is incredibly simple and it looks good.
So, here it is...
And here's a close up of one of the flowers
And now here we are again, and winter is coming in, and for half a million of us in the UK, we are still shielding with no end in sight. So, I'll end this week with a shameless plug for a campaign that's running but has been overshadowed by the current political nonsense. I'm not asking for sympathy. I'm just asking people not to forget that we exist, because, bluntly, it's horrible when someone tells you that it's all over and you're making a fuss, and worse knowing that there is a treatment that could give me something back but I can't have it.
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