...... and here it is! First chocolate for children ..... I used templates from a magazine to cut out stockings and mittens
which will be filled with chocolate coins
For the grown-ups (well, probably for Mums!) there are candle glasses filled with chocolates, and with a scented candle to put in the glass once the chocolates have been eaten
Next ..... the gingerbread biscuits. Oh dear - I turned my back for two minutes on the first batch ..... and they got just a little bit overcooked! Not quite burned, and just about edible
The second batch turned out better
Two simple ingredients to make some delicious icing ....
...... they may not win any prizes, but they are tasty and were easy to make
I had a bit more success with my latest attempt at free motion quilting. This effort was based on Leah's pattern cracked paisley .... it may not be the right shape, but I am pleased with it (I thought it looked a bit like figs, Malcolm thought it looked like onions!
I finished the Christmas card which I had started at Abbey Quilters on Tuesday night ..... it is folded Somerset patchwork, and was quick and simple to make
I can combine yesterday's day out at the Woolgathering with this week's knitting update! I have started another pair of afterthought heel socks.....
...... although I still have to sew in the ends on the first pair (it's the bit of knitting that I don't like!!)
I was also working on another pair of fingerless mitts in cotton sock yarn, which I finished last night (apart from sewing in the dreaded ends!!) This pair is for a friend who is allergic to wool - and I have given the first pair like this , that I did some weeks ago, to a friend who has painful hands due to arthritis. The warmth from wearing them helps her joints, while leaving her fingers free to do things.
To finish, a photo of some sparrows on the birdbath ...... as you can see, there is a rather large stone in it at the moment. That is because during some recent very windy weather, the top blew off! I think Malcolm is going to get some sort of sealant/adhesive to fix it to the base