Answers and apologies...

I've just been reminded that I never came back with the answers to the Jubilee Quiz (courtesy of son#1) - so sorry - here they are at last:

How many Prime Ministers have served under Queen Elizabeth 2? 12

Which of the queen’s children have taken part in the Olympics? Princess Ann

Name one of the Queen’s Corgi’s? (Any of the options here are correct) Linnet,Monty,Willow & Holly  

What was the average UK house price in 1952? £1,750-£2,25

What year did Queen Elizibeth have her ANNUS HORRIBILUS?    1992

How old was Queen Elizibeth when she was coronated? 26              

How many official residences does the Queen have? 2                   

Who was Dr Who’s companion in the episode set during the Queen’s coronation? Rose 

How many Grand-Children does the Queen have? 8

What sort of ship is RMS Queen Elizibeth? Luxury Ocean  

Liner

When was the Queen born? 1926

What year was Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee? 1897  

Who sung “Diamonds are a girls best friend”?Marilyn Monroe

When was the Queen Elizabeth Bridge completed? 1991

When was the Queens most recent great-grandchild born? 31st March 2012

What famous building is opposite the Queen Elizabeth II conference centre in London? Westminster Abbey

What are the royal guards that wear read coats called? Beefeaters!

How many British monarchs have reached 50 years on the throne? 5

Which naval ship officially started the diamond jubilee celebrations? HMS Diamond

Name one of Neil Diamond’s No1 hits "Cracklin Rosie", "Song Sung Blue", "Desiree", "You Don't Bring Me Flowers", "Love on the Rocks", "America", "Yesterday's Songs", and "Heartlight"

On the day of the street party, we had teams of up to four people, and the winning team (led by a history teacher) scored 13/20.

And a special mention for Lotta, who left so many good answers in the comments section here!

Instant PJs - just add bed-time

For all my talk of slow and mindful stitching, there are time when just want to start a project this evening and finish it yesterday - especially when I'm making a trial-run, more-or-less-a-muslin for a long-planned project. I've been planning to make some nice summery pyjamas for a long time, and had even bought some decadent Liberty silk, but wasn't quite brave enough to cut into it without a bit of experimentation first.

Meanwhile, my pile of Burda-style magazines was becoming a secret source of guilt - I must have collected at least twenty of them without ever using any of the patterns. It was something to do with the tracing, plus adding seam allowances, that meant I fell at the first hurdle every time. So, I took drastic action, and cut out a pattern for a pair of shorts directly from the pattern paper...

Outrageous extravagance, or pragmatic solution? 

(given that I'd probably never have made the other thirty patterns from that issue anyway).

Anyway - they came together in a twinkling. With a double row of waist-band elastic copied from the Colette Madeline bloomers.

Then I added a matching Sorbetto top from last summer...

Instant PJs! All sewn up and ready in time for bed.

Shall I risk cutting into the silk now?

Lego love...

This is what I'll be getting my husband for his birthday.

We celebrated Fathers' Day by going to the Lego shop in Brighton - it's not big, but immediately identifiable by the crowd of pre-teen boys outside pressing their noses against the window and ooh-ing over the star wars mega-ships. Oh - and by the crowd of thirty-something dads clustered around the camper-van.

I must admit, I'm quite taken with it myself.

Apologies to those who come here for respite from all of that. I'll be sewing again soon...

Jubilee Jamboree

It's the Queen's Diamond Jubilee today, and we've been celebrating in very traditional style with a street party, complete with bunting, a bouncy castle, and a sit-down meal at trestle tables set up down the middle of the road. Oh - and a theme - 'Pirates and Princesses".

I did some craft activities with the children: a bit of flag making (and waving)...

... and some swashbuckling pirate crafts.

Look at me channelling Damian Hirst with my diamond encrusted skull&crossbones...

Son#1 wrote the quiz:

How many Prime Ministers have served under Queen Elizabeth 2? 

Which of the queen’s children have taken part in the Olympics? 

Name one of the Queen’s Corgi’s? (Any of the options here are correct) 

What was the average UK house price in 1952?

What year did Queen Elizibeth have her ANNUS HORRIBILUS?  

How old was Queen Elizibeth when she was coronated?  
   
How many official residences does the Queen have?   
            
Who was Dr Who’s companion in the episode set during the Queen’s coronation?

How many Grand-Children does the Queen have? 

What sort of ship is RMS Queen Elizibeth? 

When was the Queen born? 

What year was Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee? 

Who sung “Diamonds are a girl's best friend”?

When was the Queen Elizabeth Bridge completed?

When was the Queens most recent great-grandchild born? 

What famous building is opposite the Queen Elizabeth II conference centre in London?

What are the royal guards that wear read coats called? 

How many British monarchs have reached 50 years on the throne? 

Which naval ship officially started the diamond jubilee celebrations? 

Name one of Neil Diamond’s No1 hits.

Answers to follow!