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No chance of finding shadows this week - the weather has been simply dreadful!! So it was into the archives ....... where I found these, taken late one Saturday afternoon in April. There are lots more shadows to see here, where Magical Mystery Teacher, Rose and Gemma host this wonderful meme
I had to turn back early again this morning when I was out for my walk, as the rain got steadily heavier, so the only photo I took was of this forlorn ewe, looking very miserable without her woolly coat!
At patch'n'chat this afternoon, Anne S. had a present for me, that she and her husband Bobbie had found in a charity shop while spending a very wet week in Yorkshire. As soon as they saw this book, they thought of me ....... so now I should be able to identify wildflowers all over the world
it is beautifully illustrated and brim full of information
Don't tell Malcolm, but I bought this super new magazine this afternoon ...... not so much for the bags, as I have one two three books on bags, but I want to make these birds
and I know I have some ultrasuede in my stash, so these flowers are definitely going on the to-do list!
today's cakes were Annette's light-as-air cupcakes - some people (who, me?) might have eaten two!
I have put my lovely crochet butterfly from Ali in the studio. You can't quite see in the photos, but it just landed on a branch above my big felt flower. If you pop over to Ali's blog, you can see the rest of the things that I sent her that I forgot to take photos of!
I can hardly concentrate on typing this, as Andy Murray is playing his semi-final against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga ...... it's on-the-edge-of-the-seat stuff!! We have both finals to look forward to over the weekend, but no doubt I shall be sewing and knitting as well. Love Anne
All winter I put out niger seeds in case any passing goldfinch was hungry ...... so you would think that when a pair appeared in the garden this afternoon, they would have waited until I fetched the camera!!
So instead of wonderful bird photos, I'll start with a knitting update. The good news is that I sailed through the vikkel braid ......
first stage
second stage
ready to start the next section of the pattern
........ but then I ran into a slight problem! The pattern said cast on using the backward loop method - oops, I had no idea what that was. I went on to Ravelry, where I found a reference to a video clip on Youtube. I had a look at the clip, to discover that I did know how to cast on that way - I just didn't know that was what it was called! The extra stitches are for the steeks ...... pay attention, I shall explain this only once! Knitting on the circuar needle means that I am knitting a tube - but obviously for a teapot you need openings for the spout and handle ........ so, you cast on extra stitches where the handle and spout will be, then when you have finished knitting the tea cosy you ....... CUT through the middle of the steek stitches. I have never done it before and I am slightly apprehensive, so I will be studying Kate's tutorial ery carefully before I wield the scissors!
one set of steek stitches
When I was sitting in the summerhouse this afternoon having a cuppa, I had a little play with the camera, as I had put the long lens on in the hope that the finches would return. Its amazing what you can take a photo of without leaving your chair!
raindrops on a hosta
the clematis flower lost its outer petals in the strong winds last week
the ring where Malcolm hangs his hammock
the honeysuckle flowering on the pergola
I did get up to take these photos of the lavender - I couldn't see it from my chair!!
Ali has received her swap parcel, so I can show you what I sent her - actually I can show you half of what I sent her, as I forgot to take a photo of the little bits and bobs from the studio that I added to the parcel. So this is what I got at Woolfest for her ..... lots of little bits of nuno felt, and some beautifully coloured mixed fleece curls
To finish - Malcolm took this photo of me in the town centre this morning (I don't know why I look so anxious!)
The little plaque set into the wall to my left shows the height of the flood waters in July 1846 .......
..... just as well I wasn't standing there then!
....... I think Malcolm should start building an ark! If we get any more rain I shall start collecting animals two by two - except for slugs and wasps!! However it wasn't raining when I went out for my morning walk - although it was very humid. After my nefarious plan to acquire logs from the neighbour's pile, this morning I coud have come home with a wheelbarrow and spade, left out by Farmer Jim
this plant growing in the verge always reminds me of triffids
will it open and lash out at me?
no - it opens into a pink flower, which fades to white
usually there are lots of cranesbill geraniums in the verge, but this year there are very few
there is also very little common (purple) vetch, and virtually no yellow vetch
I had the big lens on the camera this morning, and you can see from these three photos of the Waterloo Monument, what a difference it makes ..... especially as the small lens wouldn't even pick up the tower on the skyline
standard setting
digital zoom on
digital zoom plus fully extended lens
I have decided that this Jacob's ewe now recognises me, and enjoys peeking through the bars of the gate to have her photo taken!
In the field on the other side of the road, although the lambs are getting big, they still like to snugggle in to mum
this ewe looks most unhappy to have been shorn!
Just before Woolfest, Tracey organised a swap, inviting both those who were going to Woolfest, and those who weren't, to sign up. She then paired an attendee with a non-attendee, so that those who went could buy a little something to give those who didn't, who would send a little something in return (phew, that was a tricky sentence!). My swap partner is Ali, and I was delighted to receive her parcel this morning
I opened the fabric on the left to discover this fabulous felt cupcake picture
then the other fabric unwrapped to reveal a colourful crochet flower and amazing crochet butterfly, which has a needlefelted body
the butterfly is doublesided, so can stand up, although Ali suggested that I might like to use up some of my much-loathed invisible thread to have it "flying" in the studio
as soon as I know that Ali has received her parcel from me, I will show you what I sent her.
As I look out of the window as I type this ....... yes, it is raining again, and the weather forecaster on tv is painting a picture of rain, rain and just for a change, some more rain! Andy Murray is playing at Wimbledon ..... I shall be exhausted by the time the match finishes - whether he wins or loses I think I shall have to lie down in a darkened room with a cool cloth on my forehead to recover!!
To finish - a cute bunny photo - taken at full zoom, so slightly fuzzy!
When we were on holiday, Stuart and Alison mentioned that they would like purple oven gloves and a pot holder for their new kitchen (to go with the purple kettle and toaster!). So finally today I went out to the studio to make them
I chose a piece of purple furnishing fabric with zebras on it, and for the lining a piece with penguins, as Alison loves penguins (she loves pandas too!) I also unearthed some heatproof wadding .... I'll tell you about the plate later! I was so busy getting started, that I forgot to take photos of the first stages. This shot shows the layers of the two fabrics and the wadding. There is a double layer of wadding at the ends
next I marked a line on one of the diagonals
and then on the other
then pinned the layers together, ready to quilt
As I was setting the machine up with the walking foot and quilting guide, I was thinking about the first oven gloves I made. It was when I was in second year at Airdire Academy. We had to take in a piece of old curtain and a piece of old blanket. When we were ready to do the quilting, we marked and stitched the first line. Then, we had to measure an inch and a quarter from that line, marking it with pins. We then tacked on the line of pins, then machine stitched on the line of tacking - it took ages to unpick all the tacking! The sewing teacher was a little old lady, who was known as Wee Granny Taylor, and I can still here her voice saying "an inch and a quarter girls, an inch and a quarter".
Having stitched on the pencil line, it is quick and easy to stitch the remaining lines, as you simply run the guide along the previous line of stitching
the quilting done in one direction
and then in the other
I then folded over two strips of the penguin fabric, put wadding in and quilted them, to make the pockets
Remember the plate? I used it to shape the ends
the pockets were staystitched in place .......
a hanging loop pinned in place
and the binding stitched on
all that is left is to handstitch the binding
I didn't take photos along the way as I made the pot holder, as I used this wonderful tutorial on Anne's blog. Her tutorial is detailed and easy to follow, and in no time at all I had made this stylish potholder (except for handstitching the binding)
but this is a potholder with a difference ...... it has a pocket on the back
I think I shall have to make one for us!!
....... the Stars and Stripes flying in our neck of the woods
but on Saturday it was flying at our neighbours' house, as they were hosting a western themed barn dance. Fancy dress was optional, but we made an effort with somewhat limited resources to look at least a little bit western, wearing denim shirts and stars and stripes bandanas
the highlight of the night was the bull riding. Several young boys had a go
then this woman came forward, and said that as she was from Texas, she would show them how it was done ...... oh dear, pride literally went before a fall, as having been helped on
she promptly fell off the other side!
undaunted, she got back on - and fell straight back off ...... she gave up then!
It was a very enjoyable evening, which raised hundreds of pounds for Guide Dogs for the Blind. (Did we have a go on the bull - of course not!!)
I thought it was time I tidied the studio, as there were piles on the chairs, on the floor, on the tables
so both yesterday afternoon and this afternoon, I put things away, vacuumed the carpet and cleaned both machines
whie I was busy in the studio, Malcolm was playing with his stash in the garage
producing an Adirondack chair, which has still to be sanded and painted
Malcolm joined me on my morning walk and it was his sharp eyes that spotted these ears sticking up in the grass. Judging by the size, we think it was a fawn, waiting for its mum to return
One of the neighbours had this pile of logs delivered last week. When he had a pile delivered last year, they lay there for quite a while, causing me to hatch a nefarious plan to pick up a log each time I walked past,to take home for our log pile ....... of course I didn't do it, but perhaps he should remove the temptation!
As we trundled back home this morning, we saw this ewe and lamb. The ewe went on munching on the verge, but the lamb came towards us, looking as if it was spoiling for a fight!!