Infections and coals to Newcastle (quilting and cross stitch)

a hobbyist or crafter can be quite infectious.  I have a friend who started out as a happy recipient of my hobbies.  Cross stitches, embroideries, quilts, salt dough, just about anything I tried.  After a while, possibly in self defence she agreed to give some of them a go herself.

Together we made a logcabin  baby quilt for her son to be,then we moved on to something a little larger.

logcabin variation

This time I was less of a participant and more of a consultant.  Subsequent quilts have had less and less of my input with only the occasional problem solving or "might try" tip required.

For a birthday gift for me, she made, all on her own without my knowledge a lap quilt.  Now some may think that there is no point in giving a quilt to a quilter, that it is like taking coal to Newcastle! (well before they shut down the mines and Newcastle had no coal).

log cabin with multi boarder

Don't you believe it, as a quilter I was more than delighted to be so gifted.  As I excitedly admired the mitred corners she admitted with a grin that was the only way to finish corners I had ever shown her!  We have tried a few different methods since.

the reverse

Subsequently she is making baby quilts for her brothers children and larger quilts for her own home.

Sadly or perhaps joyfully she has also been infected with the cross-stitch strain of crafting.  I am delighted to say that I have also been the recipient of the fruits of that infection also. A dragon, as you can see my friend knows me well (I am less fond of lettering so would never have done this for myself).

Pink Dragon 

Mind I am not the only one to pass on obsessions, she has also been the recipient of the card making bug from her mother-in -law,  of which she has given me a milder case.

She has also a genetic inclination passed on through the female line of her family, knitting! She has done her very best to pass this one on to me, I will come back to that later, actually you will find that later is definitely a good description of my knitting.