I spent a couple of hours at the weekend sitting in a lovely shop in Ipswich, drinking tea and learning the basics of how to sew a patchwork quilt. I'd spotted a poster in the window of Peggy's Place a few weeks earlier and without even stopping and think I wandered in to sign up.

My teacher was Diana, a very lovely and patient lady who, in a matter of only a few hours, cast a spell on me that I don't think is going to wear off any time soon! I'm hooked, utterly, completely and thoroughly hooked. I've been sewing at every available opportunity since and I've started to wonder if she put something into the delicious coffee and walnut cakes she made for us...

Everything we needed was supplied and for the small sum of £18.00 we were taught how to makes these cute little hexagons. The idea was to make them into a pin cushion but I'm going to save mine and make a quilt. Yep, talk about running before you can walk, I've gone straight for a big project!


Diana told me that it took her 5 months of obsessive sewing to make a king size quilt, so far I have 8 hexagons and I dread to think how many I'll need, but I'm not going to plan it I'm just going to keep sewing and watch it grow into a quilt...

I laughed when Diana told me that she watches TV 'through her ears' as she sews but it wasn't long before I knew exactly what she was talking about. I've been watching Dexter on Love Film Instants on my Mac and I've often looked up to see a blank screen with the sound still playing and I hadn't even noticed.


The shop where the lesson was held, Peggy's Place, opened in July 2013 and is filled with handmade items made by local people. The shop is full of lovely things to tempt and delight! Diana has a shelf there and sells some lovely covered lampshades and patchwork items.





I couldn't resist buying a maple wood teething ring (which I'm told has antibacterial properties) for my friend's baby boy. It was the teeny tiny spider material that sealed the deal - so cute!