Newer Post Older Post

Introducing Alfie (the not so wonder dog)...

I thought I should introduce you to Alfie...he's my mam and dad's dog but he often spends the day (or night) here with me and Archie.  Unlike Archie, who carefully avoids any fabric on the floor and will tiptoe round a quilt being tacked or blocked, Alfie believes fabric on the ground is like a stage and he feels obliged to tap dance on it.  I recently needed to block a quilt on the front room carpet while Alfie was staying for an extended holiday and I had to put boxes and jars all the way round the edge to stop him dancing on it - thankfully I didn't have any friends dropping in for a cup of tea!  So, without further ado, here's Alfie (who's strong on instinct but was behind the door when brains were being given out) and one of his beloved tennis balls...


Despite his grizzled appearance he's two years younger than Archie (who's 11) and he loves nothing more than a good 'rough and tumble' play with Archie, who can think of nothing worse so this


is a common sight in my house - Alfie has given up mouthing Archie's ear in the hope of getting him to play and has settled for monitoring him for any sign of movement and Archie is stubbornly ignoring him!

That's enough of dogs, onto the stitching!  I'm afraid there isn't a great deal - it's been a busy few days - but I have managed another three hexagons.  

I'm not planning to stitch them together (that's probably a good thing, looking at the next photo!) until I start joining all the blocks as it's going to be easier to keep flat as three separate blocks.  My next hexagons are going to be a variation of the same block but make a pieced star when they're combined.  In the interests of honesty (and so that Susan doesn't feel alone!) this is the first photo I took...

I realised it was wrong as I lifted the camera but decided to take a photo anyway as it amused me - I'd concentrated on getting the points lined up in the middle but failed to notice the obvious error!

Time for me to go - I'm going out in 35 minutes and (disgracefully) am still in my dressing gown - writing this post has taken far longer than I expected!

Comments

  1. I love Alfie - bless him! Archie has to have someone looking up to him! Cute blocks - looking forward to the pinwheel one!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love Archie and Alfie, and all dogs, for that matter! Nice diamonds (?), too!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love your blog about Archie the wonderdog and your wonky cute blocks

    ReplyDelete
  4. Congrats on starting a blog, have signed up as a follower now love your hexagons.

    ReplyDelete
  5. fun hexies. welcome to the blogosphere!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love a blog with a doggie on it! My rottie is my assistant in sewing (and all other matter of my life actually) so I can appreciate a good dog helper. I hope that Archie is healing nicely, what a horrible experience! Good luck with your sewing and writing and I look forward to your adventures.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Looking forward to another great blog. Thanks for sharing your journey with us.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Lovely blog. Great paper pieced diamonds, the colors are my favorite ones.
    Don't miss my 1st blogiversary giveaway.

    ReplyDelete
  9. have fun with your blog...I only started in Nov/10; and having a blast....I going to follow you now...would you like to return the favour; maybe???

    ReplyDelete
  10. Well, Lynne twisted my arm yet again. :) And there I am up above her at Follower #11.

    Looks like this might be a fun place. Glad I came over. Hello from Chicago.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi Helen! Just popped in from Lilysquilts and had to say hello as I am a brand new blogger too! Love tumbling blocks although it is definitely a miss the forest for the trees type of piecing as you learned firsthand! I have to finish a tumbling blocks top for a quilt I started ages ago....hmmm...maybe you will motivate me. Welcome to blogging!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi Helen, came over from Lilysquilts to say hello and I am now your newest follower. I have only been blogging myself for a year and thought I was going to have to bribe friends and family to follow me LOL. I live in France but I am originally from the UK, where in the UK are you?. Sam and Lady say hi to Alfie and Archie. Linda xx

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi Helen! I just read about your new blog on Lily's Quilts and thought I'd say hello. I'm a new blogger and new to the UK, too. Your hexie blocks are great! I especially like the one with the pinwheels twirling inside the hexagon. I'll look forward to reading your blog. :)

    Nola from surelystitching.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  14. I don't seem to be able to follow you for some reason (it's not showing). Is the problem my end or your end? Jxo

    ReplyDelete
  15. What a lovely blog! I love sewing combined with doggie-ness. Both Archie and Alfie look gorgeous. If Alfie was behind the door when brains were being given out, my cocker spaniel Ava was wandering aimlessly (but happily) somewhere behind him!
    Your hexies are pretty too :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. I saw your link from Lily's Quilts and adore your pups and sewing projects. Looking forward to seeing more! I also have a quilting/puppy blog where I ramble... would be have to have you visit!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Lovable dogs and hexies = lovely blog! I have two dogs that help me sew, knit, cook ..... I grew up in the uk but live in Norway. Have fun with your blog!

    ReplyDelete
  18. great work on the hexies! came by way of Lynne's blog to say hi!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Welcome to Blogworld! I have a pretty new one too, so I know how it feels. Love your dog!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Yayyy, welcome to Blogland Helen :) Now I always wondered about Archie, and now I know :) Hope he's healing well. Love the pic of Alfie and Archie, they are so funny :)

    ReplyDelete
  21. Welcome Helen! Hope you have loads of fun with your blog. I love the doggy stories - and of course the quilty bits to - your hexagons look great!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Welcome to Blogland! Love the pups!!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hello welcome to blogworld, just popped by to say Hello and thank you for the lovely comment about my bag on Flickr :) I am now a follower so I shall await Archie's adventures and more hexies with interest :)

    ReplyDelete
  24. Love your dogs, sounds like fun in your house. Congratulations in starting a new blog, you will find it will take over your life. I speak from experience. Lol

    ReplyDelete
  25. Hello from Canada Helen!
    Welcome to blogland. I am new to this game as well and thanks to Lynne who had a new bloggers meet a month or so ago, I now have a few more followers. Well, I actually had zero followers until then! good for you for doing hexagons-definitely not my thing yet. Love your dog and "guest" dog! I have 2 cats who rule my world and test out all quilts.
    Anyway, nice to meet you and I'll happily become a follower.
    Patti

    ReplyDelete
  26. Hello from Australia! Welcome to blogland.

    One piece of advice re: blogging. Set a timer and get off the computer when it rings. Visiting all the lovely ladies and their blogs will sneak time away and you'll miss out on sewing... oops! There goes my timer!

    Relax and have fun!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Hi. Glad to meet you. I look forward to reading your blog.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Welcome to the blogging world. I hope you take the time to stop by my blog. I am normally very active in Lynne's Flickr group but I have avoided the Hexi's like the plague!!!! I am your newest follower. I am looking forward to getting to know you better!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Welcome to blogland! It's always nice to read about pets, and your Archie and Alfie sound like quite a pair. I love the pic of Alfie waiting patiently for Archie to wake up! I'm a new follower too, over here to visit from Lynne's blog! Hello from Nashville, TN!!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Welcome to the blogosphere! Visiting from Lynne's link to you, but I have noticed your icon in the comments sections of some of the blogs I follow. Looks like you're getting a good number of followers already! I'll be the next one and looking forward to reading more from you! (I think you signed up for the Goodies Swap at Fluffy Sheep-- I'm in that, too!)

    ReplyDelete
  31. hmmm, I don't think I would let Alfie in the house after what you just told us about his disregard for fabric! I have a similar, wool related problem with Simon the cat (who lives with me).

    ReplyDelete
  32. Love the mental image of Alfie tap dancing on a quilt. Thanks for making me laugh.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Ha ha I had to stare at the picture for awhile to see what was wrong!! Lol don't mind me...

    ReplyDelete
  34. Found you through Lily's Quilts, sometimes I miss not having dogs anymore except for when I'm laying out blocks or sandwiching a quilt :) looking forward to hearing more from you :)

    ReplyDelete
  35. Hello! Popped round from Lily's Quilts... all the very best with your blogging. Alfie sound quite a character!

    ReplyDelete
  36. 2nd comment of the day: Do you remember that [American] song [from the early 70s-- I may be dating myself here: "What's it all about, Alfie?"] My parents had a dog named Alfie (before I was born) that was sadly hit by a car. But then they got Guy-- also a standard black poodle-- that I grew up with (he lived til 16) That's great that Archie and Alfie get along so well together. I've posted about our newly adopted dog, Buddy, in the last few weeks. Dogs really are man's best friend (which is why we named him "Buddy"-- he's so loyal and loving and cuddly).

    ReplyDelete
  37. Lily sent me, too. Congratulations on taking the step and starting the blog!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Hi
    Welcome to blogging world. I too kept dodging the blogging world. I started to blog in May. I'm liking it very much. I almost go into withdrawal if I dont get my daily fix!
    Cheers
    Linda
    Taupo New Zealand

    ReplyDelete
  39. geez girl, look at you go, you've got a whole heap of followers and comments already ! way to go .. am looking forward to hearing more, kind regards, J

    ReplyDelete
  40. Saw you through LIly. I should take the plunge and start too. Good luck.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Hi, welcome to to Blogging! Fantastic Hexies, I agree with you - I find hand sewing very therapeutic! ALfie is very handsome, my 6 year old daughter would sell me for a dog!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

I love comments, thank you for yours!!

P.S. I've had to activate comment moderation for older posts so if your comment doesn't appear, it's probably in my inbox awaiting my attention!
P.P.S. If you have a 'no reply' account (no blogger id/a wordpress blog/you aren't sure), please feel free to leave me a separate comment with just your email address in it (myemailaddress(at)wherever.co.uk to save any bots grabbing it), I shall add that to my address book so I can reply via email and then delete that comment. No worries if not, I shall reply within the comments!