Foxies

Hoorah! I've finished my fox. I tried Nimoe's pattern again and it worked out well. What I've realised is you need to really pack the stuffing into the completed parts (head, body etc) to sort of mold them into the shapes you want.

I've been a bit fox obsessed ever since my UK trip. The friends we stayed with in London have foxes living on the rail embankment behind their house; foxes that sometimes even come into their garden - and bring their cute wee cubs with them. I saw a couple of foxes running along the rail tracks but, of course, on the day I stood out with my camera in that fine English drizzle, no foxes showed themselves. Even though National Geographic estimated that in 2006 there were “upward of 10,000 foxes” living in London! Where are they when you want one?

Apparently you don't even need to have a garden in London to see one. Just traveling by Tube could be enough - as this fox riding an escalator in the London Underground proves.

Sadly, no foxes in New Zealand – except amigurumi ones. I’ll think I’ll take mine to work. She can sit on my desk to remind me of my London friends and holiday.

And here’s a bit more awesome foxy stuff – cushion from Donna Wilson.

I'm back

Had a fabulous trip. This is my favourite photo - a highland terrier - taken in Edinburgh. You can see other photos here, if you want.

Didn’t make it to either of the London craft fairs. When you live in a city with a rubbish public transport system, you assume that every other city is efficient – that you can get on the tube and zap across London in next to no time. I’d forgotten that, in fact, it can takes ages. We landed at Heathrow and the day was all but over by the time we got to our friends in Wimbledon.

Since I’ve been back I’ve turned into a domestic goddess - of sorts. I even cleaned the fridge! Now I’m about to begin making my very first quilt - for a friend’s first grandchild due in November. It’s a simple beginners quilt taken from 'Quilts, baby!' And here are my fabrics – all washed and ready to cut. Wooo.