You know how we all say “where has a year gone?” well it is a year since we started saving in our Piggy Banks for Quilting Challenge run by Val at Val’s Quilting Studio and today is the day we open them and see how we have done.  Now some are just saving their small change, which our family do in an old sweet jar, for a family outing so I had to save money separately for this and I just put in the odd £1 coin every week and if I had five of them I saved those too.  So I opened my Piggy Bank today.

It is actually a piggy bank as well which belonged to my Grandmother who used to save 20 pence pieces in it.  Mr Piggy has done well.

As you can see I have counted it out (I changed the coins into notes as it was getting too full with the coins) and it makes £150 which at today’s rate is $198.50.  I am really pleased with the amount and I intend to get some material from the Quilt Shop with it.  Eldest and Girlfriend have been together for seven years this year and I think will eventually get married so I have decided to spend this money on the material for their wedding quilt!  I have a very good friend who has said she will quilt it for me so almost all the ducks are in a row!!!!  I will show you the material when I have bought it.  It will be a double or king size quilt, not too sure yet.

Talking about our notes they have been changing them over the last year from paper to this plastic type of note which is supposed to last longer.  In the picture the £20 are still paper but the £10 and £5 are the new plastic and they feel dreadful.  They also don’t sit very well in your wallets/purses and they do fold over but then don’t straighten out again.  They are also smaller than the old notes.  They always used to say if the currency gets smaller it is being de-valued, I don’t know how true this is but they are definitely smaller.

If Val decides to carry on with the challenge for another year then I am in as I think it has been a great way to save some money for those all important trips to the Quilt Shop!!!!

Every time I pick my camera up to take a picture Treacle appears and stands there waiting for her picture to be taken!!!  I think she now thinks that this is what she has to do every day as I have taken so many pictures of her for the blog!!!!!  She is a silly goose at times but I don’t mind.  So here is today’s picture!!!  I think you can tell how sunny it is again today with the sun behind her. Today the top temperature is 80°F and the weekend is the same. 

I hope whatever you are up to you have a wonderful weekend.  I am going to be in my sewing room quilting. 

Hugs, Susie xx

There is a story about this quilt which I have named “My Summer Quilt”.  It started off as two Moda Charm packs as I needed something bright on my table for my stall which I had a couple of year’s ago at the Carnival. 

So when it was on the stall it was not quilted or finished and I was just going to add a border and leave it at that but DH said I should add some more squares to it and make it into a full size quilt.

Here it is.  I love the colours and normally I wouldn’t go for colours like this but I think it looks great for summer.  Here it is on our bench.

Here is the back which is done in pale and a bit darker pink. 

As the weather is wonderful again I was able to take the pictures outside for a change rather than indoors.

This is the quilt I am going to use with Treacle on it for the “Pets On Quilts” Show in August, but am not taking the picture until after she has been to her spa on Thursday.  At the moment as she is spending all day and all evening outside, her coat looks very untidy with bits of leaves and grass in it!!!!  I keep getting them out of her coat but by the time she comes in again she looks as bad!!!!  Roll on Thursday and she will be cool and de-fluffed!!!

I hope you are having a Thrilling Tuesday.

Hugs, Susie xx