frayed at the edge

A good day for sewing!

I had already decided to stay at home to get on with my sewing today, instead of going with Malcolm for our usual cuppa and scone, so when I got up and saw the wind and rain, I was glad that I wasn't going out.  To start the first quilt, I lined up the two floral fabrics on the board ready to cut. 

 

 

Having trimmed off the selvedges and squared up the top edge, I cut four x four and a half inch strips

 

 

I then lined up the two Fossil Fern fabrics - it was very important to make sure I had these fabrics the right way round.  A fat quarter is approximately 19 inches by 22 inches, and as the strips I was going to cut total 20 inches, I had to check that I had the longer side going across the cutting board.  A quick tip - if you are going to cut a lot of strips the same size, mark the line on your ruler with post-its or masking tape.  It saves a lot of time checking you are cutting the right size every time ..... and stops the dreaded mistake of cutting the strip squint!

 

 

I now had eight x four and a half inch strips, and sixteen x two and a half inch strips. 

 

I stitched a  narrow strip to one side of each of the wider strips, using chain piecing - you can see that I have fed the next pair under the needle without cutting the thred

 

 

I then sewed the remaing narrow strips to the other side of the wider strips, and pressed them

 

 

The new strips now measured eight and a half inches, and from each strip I cut two squares, giving me sixteen squares in total.  I arranged these on the design wall

 

 

The next step was to sew the squares together in pairs.  No matter how experienced a quilter you are, it is all too easy to sew the squares together wrongly!  I always use the same method - I flip the right hand square over the left  one and put a pin in the edge that is to be stitched

 

 

Having stitched all the pairs, I put them back on the design wall to make sure I had them the right way round

 

 

I then sewed the two parts of each strip together, and then sewed the four resulting strips together, completing the quilt top

 

 

I cut the strips for the next quilt, and did the first stage of stitching them together, but I didn't want to do any more, as I will take it with me to patch'n'chat tomorrow, to show some of the others how the quilt is made.  However I did arrange four of the strips on the design wall, so that you can see how it will look

 

 

Recently I have been watching my box set of Shogun, starring Richard Chamberlain, while I'm sewing.  I loved the book, and was unsure about watching the tv progamme when it was first shown, as all too often the actors chosen don't match up to the pictures I have formed in my head of the characters.  But apart from an American playing an Englishman and a Welshman playing a Spaniard (without changing their accents!), the cast were excellent.

 

 

By the time I came back into the house, the rain had gone off, but it was still windy.  The birds had re-appeared, and were pecking at the seed that the wind had blown off the bird table ........

 

 

 

....... except for this little tit, whcih preferred the peanut feeder

 

 

The wind has now dropped to a breeze, and the sun is shining in through the window, right in my eyes!

 

Carried away!

At the weekend, I finished the quilting on the Linus quilt - at the second attempt.  It looked very good .....

 

 

...... but I had to fill in some gaps

 

 

But finally, the gaps were filled in and the quilting was finished.  I then cut strips for the binding, joining them with a diagonal seam

 

 

I cut the excess off

 

 

 

Usually, patchwork seams are pressed to one side, but the seams in the binding are pressed open

 

 

When the binding is folded in half and pressed, you can the why a diagonal seam is used - a straight seam folded in half would give too much bulk

 

 

But I wasn't really paying attention as I joined the lengths together - I got somewhat carried away and made twice as much as I needed (don't worry, I'll use it for another quilt!)

 

 

I sewed the binding on this afternoon, so all that remains now is to stitch it down by hand on the back

 

 

I looked out some fat quarters for two small quilts which are quick to make

 

 

 

Two of the fabrics in the first photo are 'Fossil Ferns', which were designed by Patricia B Campbell.

 

 

 I did a workshop with Pat in 2003, in Houston.  I hadn't seen a photo of her beforehand, so was somewhat taken aback when this Tammy Wynette look-alike came into the room!  She was an excellent, if strict, teacher.  There were two sisters sitting at the front of the class, one of whom kept taking copious notes.  Pat told her quite firmly to stop, as she wasn't paying full attention to what Pat was saying if she was writing things down.  Her sister said that she constantly took notes, whether it was watching tv or listening to the sermon in church - but that she then filed them away and didn't look at them again - strange!!  During the workshop, Pat asked who had travelled furthest to go to the workshop - of course I won, as I was the only one there from outside America.  My prize - a set of Pat's wonderful patterns

 

 

I kept meaning to take a photo of this pot in the garden - finally today I remembered.  I was going to remove the dead plant, but then I thought it added to the picture!

 

 

I hope to get at least one of the little quilts done in time for tomorrow's post! 

Yellow is the colour ........

....... that is appearing in the hedgerow.  When I went for my walk yesterday, I spotted the first dandelion of the year.  While dandelions look lovely in the verge, they are a pest in the garden.  Malcolm has to wage war on them every summer to remove them from the lawns.

 

 

A little further on, in a shady damp area under the hedge, I found some clumps of marsh marigolds.  These are very pretty little flowers - I had some in our last garden, in a shady bed with other damp-loving plants

 

 

Then, one of my favourites - a little primrose, just starting to flower

 

 

But it wasn't all yellow ..... there were also lots of tiny violets 

 

 

If you are fed up with photos of lambs, look away now!  But who could resist this little one watching me as I took its photo!

 

 

There was also a ewe keeping an eye on me - she is a Herdwick.  I shall be keeping an eye out for the Herdy lambs arriving - we are now in the main lambing season

 

 

Back home there were more yellow flowers - but there are only two left on this orchid, which started to flower just before Christmas

 

 

However, this slightly paler one has just started to flower - and it has lots of buds on it

 

 

I have almost finished the belt (it is all knitted in garter stitch, so not exactly taxing!).  I'll knit the last few rows tonight, then I'll get on with the Linus blanket.  It is so good to be able to photos outside in the sunshine - I took this one this afternoon

 

 

To finish, a bit of fun!  When I spotted this chocolate owl while I was doing the food shopping yesterday, I just had to buy it for Malcolm (he did let me have a little taste - but not of the white chocolate, which I really don't like!!)

 

Interruptions!

I was busy writing Friday's post, when I had to temporarily abandon it, to rush out into the front garden to take photos of the stunning sunset (a welcome interruption!)

 

 

 

On Saturday morning, we stayed longer in Hawick than usual, so that we could see the parade which is part of the Reivers Festival.  While we were waiting, I snapped these fine fellows

 

 

 

Then the parade came into view and I took the next photo.  But then there was an unwelcome interruption, as I must have accidently pressed the wrong button on the camera, and it refused to take any more!

 

 

I'll come back to the Festival later, but now for the third and last interruption.  I was walking down the hall on the way to the kitchen yesterday morning, to make breakfast, when I glanced through the door of the lounge - and there on the peanut feeder was a woodpecker.  I ran to the kitchen to get the camera, then took the first photo through the door and the window.  I then slowly opened the door and crept into the room, but the woodpecker must have seen the movement and flew off to the other feeder.  I managed to take one more photo before it flew away

 

 

 

So, to get back to the Festival - on Sunday morning we went for a walk in the park, ending up at the next event ....... an encampment and re-enactment.  We were a litle bit disappointed, as the last time we went it was a much bigger affair, with lots of horses, but we still enjoyed what was there

 

 

 

 

 

 

When we saw lots of people tucking into stovies, we decided we would have some too!

 

 

When I told you about our walk up to the Waterloo Monument last week, I said it is on the highest point for miles around.  If you look at the horizon in the centre of the photo, you can see the tower (if you click on the photo, it should enlarge)

 

 

It's Monday, so that means the knitting update.  Last week's project was very simple - I know the book has to cater for all levels of ability, but these bookmarks could have been knitted by a 5-year old!  The other colours are simply woven in using a darning needle, and the ends tied together

 

 

This week's project is very simple too (there are some more interesting ones coming in the next few weeks!).  A simple knitted belt with ribbon stitched round it, and a contrasting bow.  As it won't take long to do, it will mean more time to get on with the blanket for Linus

 

 

ps - several of you wondered why I hadn't just picked the lamb up to put it back in the field.  I couldn't catch it!  Every time I got close, it ran off again, and each time it was getting further and further away from its field!!

 

Shadow Shot Sunday

We have lots of sun this week, and I've been out and about (if you scroll on down to Thursday and Friday's poat you can see what I've been doing) ....... but today's shadows come from our back garden!

 

shadows in the summer house

 

 

the obelisk has a grape vine growing on it

 

 

wrought iron and wood fence

 

 

the glazing bars in the door cast stripes on the curtain

 

Usually Malcolm acts as my 'spotter' for shadow shots, but when he spotted this one yesterday evening, I was busy, so he fetched the camera and captured it himself - a very impressive debut!

 

 

To see more shadows, pop over to Hey Harriet, where Tracy has valiantly got out of her sick bed, to enable us to enjoy our shadow fun!

A damsel in distress

On my way to patch'n'chat at lunchtime, I had to stop the car, when this tiny lamb walked into the middle of the road (this photo was taken from the car)

 

 

She came running up to the car, so I got out to try to get her to go back into the field

 

 

She was calling for her mum, and I could hear the ewe in the field, calling back to her.

 

 

When I couldn't get her back in the field, I got in the car and drove away slowly, only to find her trotting down the road behind me!  So I went to the nearest farmhouse - the farmer who came to the door said he would go and rescue her

 

 

So, after all the cute lamb photos, back to the planned post.  When we had our cuppa out in the garden yesterday afternoon, I was, unusually, drinking rooibos tea.  Why?  Well, it started with this book, which I bought recently, and started reading yesterday morning

 

 

The main character, Mma Ramotswe (a lady of traditional build) is very fond of redbush (rooibos) tea.  I don't normally drink it, but I have two types in the tea and coffee supplies that I keep for the friends who come to my housegroup

 

 

The book is set in Botswana. so it seemed appropriate to make the tea in my 'zebra' teaset

 

 

A delicious refreshing cuppa, which I enjoyed sitting in the sun

 

 

The garden is waking up from the long hard winter

 

ornamental quince

 

aqualegia

 

astilbe

 

hosta

 

It's Friday, so of course that means cake!  Today's delight was the delicious apple and sultana one that we all are very partial to

 

 

I didn't mean to tease you yesterday by showing you the box and not telling you what was in it!  It was a case of wine!  I hope you all have a good weekend, love Anne

Basking in the sunshine

When we came back from our usual Thursday morning visit to Hawick, there was a large box on the front doorstep - either the delivery driver didn't read the instruction on the label, or chose to ignore it!

 

 

It was such a beautiful day, I had an early lunch and headed out for a walk.  I wasn't the only one enjoying the sun ...... these ewes and lambs were making the most of the warmth

 

 

Further down the hill, there were some new lambs, having fun playing round the bottom of a tree

 

 

Their mum was keeping an eye on me .........

 

 

......... even when the lambs ran back to her

 

 

After a few days of milder weather, plants are shooting up - whether it's a weed .......

 

 

....... or a much prettier daffodil

 

 

However, not everything I saw on my walk was welcome - fortunately I saw this truck coming, and stood well out of the way!

 

 

I didn't mind this tanker passing me at the bottom of our road - but as you can see, there isn't much room to pass if you are in a car

 

 

Fortunately this fine fellow had safely crossed the road before the tanker appeared

 

 

This may look as if the truck and tractor are about to crash ...... but the truck had already stopped at the end of the road, as the tractor went past

 

 

In the garden, Malcolm was busy cleaning the cobbled area under the pergola (sporting his new boiler suit!)

 

 

I took advatge of the sunshine to take photos of my new knitting  (the bookmarks are done!).  This is a baby blanket for Project Linus

 

 

I am using two balls of 4 ply, as I didn't have any double knitting.  The pattern is a simple basket weave, with a garter stitch border

 

 

The sun has just set, with a pink glow lingering on the horizon.  Unfortunately, the forecast isn't quite so good for tomorrow, and it is to get colder at the weekend ....... ah well, at least we were able to sit out in the garden for our afternoon cuppa!

I'm still smiling!

So why am I smiling - because I've got my lovely new teeth!  I had a rather long visit to the dentist yesterday afternoon, during which he did the final fitting for my new partial dentures.  He thinks that the support that they will give to my own teeth, and the help they will give to aligning my bite properly, will finally sort out my 'face-ache'.  So here I am this morning, smiling!

 

 

Malcolm took the photo of me when we were out for a (long) walk this morning.  We parked the car at the Woodside Garden Centre, then set off along a path, which led us to another, steep path.  We toiled on and on up the slope (my poor legs were complaining!), then at last our destination came into view

 

 

What, you don't think that looks as if it was worth a long slog - perhaps you'll change your mind when you see the whole thing (with Malcolm, as always, providing the scale!)

 

 

This is the Waterloo Monument, on Penhiel Heugh.  The tower is 150 feet tall, and this sign over the door tells you some more about it

 

 

This is the highest point for miles around, and the views are spectacular

 

the Eildons

 

 

Ruberslaw

 

 

looking down to the River Teviot

 

Although we hadn't carried a stone up the hill with us, Malcolm used one that was lying around to add to the small cairn

 

 

On the way back down, Malcolm spotted this - it is a viewing point, but we don't know what for

 

By the time we got back to the garden centre, it was lunchtime.  A big bowl of soup was just the thing to have after our two hour walk - I chose the celeriac and pear

 

 

Back home, I headed out to the studio, to have a quick session working on the tractor quilt.  I decided to do the border with a leaf pattern.  This is the front .........

 

 

....... and this is the back

 

 

I finished one side, and hope to do some more work on it tomorrow.  This evening, I will be sitting with my poor weary legs up on my footstool, sipping on a glass of white wine (the bottle is in the fridge chilling) and doing, as always, some knitting!

 

 

With apologies to Miss Florence!

Oh dear - Flossie was most upset to find that Tosca and Lottie were featured in yesterday's post, but there wasn't a photo of her, the most beautiful dog in Newcastle (if not the whole world!).  So to put matters right, here she is, looking gorgeous

 

 

So , to return to the story, while Rachel and I indulged in a spot of kntting and crochet (and a lot of blethering), Malcolm had patched in the floor and put the carpet back down

 

 

We might have had a wonderful lunch, but when Rachel gave me a quick lesson in how to produce the most delicious cheese scones .........

 

 

......... Malcolm managed to eat two of them, hot from the oven!  It was a lovely sunny late afternoon, as we set off back home ........ but as soon as I got the camera out, a big black cloud blotted out the sun.  Then, every time I went to take a photo, there would be a bump or a dip in the road - I took a lot of photos of the sky and the dashboard!  But finally I managed to capture this shot - you can see how much greener the landscape is looking, as the weather finally warms up

 

 

Of course the other thing that was left out yesterday was the knitting update.  I finished the knitted beads - there are wooden beads inside the knitted covers, which makes the necklace a bit heavy - the beads swing forward and hit things!  So I don't think I'll wear it - but it looks good decorating the mannequin

 

 

This week's project is another simple one - bookmarks

 

 

I bought this book last week in a charity shop

 

 

The book was published in 1974, and the illustrations are a wonderful reminder of the styles from that decade

 

 

The look on this little boy's face shows quite clearly how he feels at being made to wear such an awful outfit

 

 

I'm smiling while I am typing this ......... why?  I'll tell you tomorrow!

No progress on the dishwasher .....

This morning we set of south to Newcastle, to visit Rachel.  Malcolm was going to have another go at fixing her dishwasher, but first he sorted out a dip in the floorboards on the landing, which was spoiling the lie of the new carpet.  Lottie made sure that the work went well

 

 

This is Malcolm puzzling over what had been used to cover the raggedy floorboards - he eventually decided it was a bit of mounting board (the sort you use for framing pictures)

 

 

Tosca took over as gaffer, making sure Malcolm was making a proper job of things

 

 

Then everything stopped for lunch - first delicious pea, cougette and mint soup (sorry, had almost finished when I remembered to take the photo)

 

With the soup, we had excellent homemade bread - if you pop over to Rachel's blog and scroll back through several posts you can read about the bread

 
 
 

Then we had open sandwiches and salad

 

 

While Malcolm went back to his floor levelling, Rachel and I did some knitting and crochet

 

 

Meanwhile, Malcolm had finished his levelling .......

 

 

Oh dear, there is something seriously wrong with things tonight - it is taking two or three attempts to put in each photo, and it is taking forever ........ so I think I will save the rest of the story for tomorrow, along with the weekly update on the knitting project.