frayed at the edge

What a bargain!

Malcolm came home the other day with these two little red jugs.  The flowers on the plants had gone over, but he thought I could use the jugs for something.  What did he pay - an amazing 35p each!

 

the first flower on the Christmas cactus has now opened fully - I wonder if I could turn it into an applique flower?

 

there is another addition to the owls living in the yuccas - I wonder if we now have enough for a parliament?

 

several of you have asked about the recipe for the pear and chocolate jam.  It comes from this book .......

 

....... I didn't add the cinnamon (because I forgot) but it tastes fine without it (click on the photo to enlarge it)

 

at patchn'chat I started handquilting my Sheena Norquay sampler - don't worry about the blue markings, they will disappear with a warm iron

 

I outlined the square with pale pink

 

then started quilting the spirals with a lovely deep purple

 

I am looking forward to using these gorgeous threads in the other squares

 

and then there was the Friday cake - we all agreed that this could become our new favourite ....... Norwegian apple cake.  It was very light, and very delicious!

 

there are several Christmas craft fairs on over the weekend, so we will have to decide which one to go to, and of course I will be busy sewing.  I hope you have a good weekend, love Anne

 

 

Pampered!

I spent the afternoon at the hairdresser's, having my blonde colour restored (I know you thought I was a natural blonde!).  I also had my hair cut, so I can see again - my fringe had got so long I was squinting through it, as it absolutely refuses to stay to the side unless set in place with large amounts of mousse, wax and hairspray.  The best bit of the whole process for me is having my hair washed.  I frequently say that should I win squillions on the lottery, I shall employ someone to wash my hair and massage my head every morning (the other thing I would do would be to employ someone to make up my bed with crisp cotton sheets every day). 

Next Tuesday, Sandra H, Sheila and Caroline from Abbey Quilters, and Caroline's friend Theresa, whom I haven't met, are coming to the studio to start work on making workshop bags, so I thought I ought to get a move on and get some samples made!  I showed you the other day the first strip of bias that I made - so here is what it is for.  This is the block on my original bag - as you can see, I did it slightly differently for the two sides of the bag

 

I chose a fossil fern fabric from my stash for the background.  If you click on the link, you will see that fossil fern is designed by Patricia Campbell.  I did a class with her some years ago at the Houston Quilt Show.  She asked who had travelled furthest to take the class with her.  The other ladies were calling out the names of their states ...... but of course I won by many, many miles (there were mutterings about cheating, coming from a foreign country!).  I still have the set of patterns that she gave me as my prize.  I then chose two contrasting fabrics for the bias strips

 

I didn't need to use the lightbox, as the pattern showed clearly through the fabric

 

I marked a dotted line, which is the centre line for placing the bias

 

the next block I prepped was the hearts block.  I traced the hearts on to fusible web, and ironed the web on to the back of the fabrics.  I have plenty of fabric, so I fussy cut the hearts

 

I decided to change the flower block, and got out this book, cut squares from two fabrics, and chose matching threads

 

I also needed two buttons - there may be slightly more than two in my button drawer!

 

the two flowers made

 

and stems and leaves added

 

I cut out the squares for the 9-patch blocks

 

then cut these squares and marked a diagonal line on them ...... but you will have to wait to see what I will do with them

 

 

A trip to the seaside

No, I didn't take a mad turn and go for a very chilly walk on the beach!  Last night at Abbey Quilters we were creating seascapes.  We started with a piece of lightweight Vilene taped over the pattern, which we then traced on to the Vilene

 

it's a slightly complicated process to master - there were a few moans and groans round the room as people tried to get to grips with the method.  It would need a great long explanation, but you are working from the back of the pattern, with the fabric on the front.  I gradually built up my picture

 

the main part done.  Now I need to add an outer border, then quilt and embellish it

 

I was sitting next to Charlie, who brightened up the evening with her floral boots!

 

it's not just the garden plants that are topsy- turvy ...... the sky was pink with the dawn, but this is where we normally see the sunset - it was the dawn colours reflected on the clouds

 

we went out for a very special lunch at Abbotsford House.  I had fish and chips with salad

 

and Malcolm had fish and chips with mushy peas

 

so what made the meal so special?  Well, including our tea and coffee .........

 

....... the entire meal cost only £13.50, as we had a voucher from the local newspaper!  The new visitor centre, which includes the restaurant, is a fabulous building

 

as it was cold and windy, with rain threatening, we didn't go fo a walk, although the autumn colours were glorious

 

every time we pass this little building, it has fallen further into ruin

 

back home, I took these ingredients

 

and turned them into pear and chocolate jam ....... I know it sounds strange, but it is delicious!!

 

 

Topsy turvy plants

We may have had some frosty weather, but we still have two clematis flowering in the back garden

 

the hellebore has decided to flower for the third time

 

and then there is this - have aliens invaded the garden?

 

this is just a quick post, as it is Abbey Quilters' monthly meeting this evening.  I have my bag packed ready to go

 

we take our own mugs along to Abbey Quilters' meetings and workshops, and at the weekend Katy had this wonderful mug

 

I may not have a heron in the garden, but I do have lots of little birds visiting the feeders

 

and of course I always have these exotic birds, which never fly away

 

 

Lines

On Friday, Maureen and I headed to Kelso after patch'n'chat, and had a potter round the town centre deciding where to go for dinner.  We chose the Waggon Inn, where neither of us had been before, but it has a very good reputation.  And boy, did it live up to that reputation!  I chose macaroni cheese, which was delicious

 

Maureen had fish and chips, which she enjoyed

 

then I disgraced myself by having a pudding (Maureen was very good and had a cup of tea).  This is a toffee sundae.  Layers of ice cream, whipped cream, toffee sauce, little crunchy bits .........

 

I somehow managed to stay awake during Sheena's talk, which was both informative and entertaining.  But you won't be surprised that Maureen and I only had a cuppa at the end of the evening, and didn't have any of the delicious cakes.  Lunch on Saturday and Sunday was supplied by the Waggon Inn - we had delicious soup and very tasty sandwiches

 

and Maureen and I were able to catch up on the cake-eating, as there were lots left over from Friday night

 

so now that we've seen all the food - on with the sewing!  Sheena asked that I didn't take photos of the stages of what we were doing, as it would show the details of her workshop, but she was happy for me to show you sample piece from the Saturday workshop, and my pattern from Sunday.  On Saturday we did a lot of work learning to draw curves.  In the morning we worked on "s" curves. producing this

 

once we had marked the curves on our fabrics, we then used different stitches to produce different effects

 

this was done with a twin needle

 

one of the many decorative stitches that my machine can do

 

a length of decorative thread held in place with a zigzag stitch

 

in the afternoon we learned how to draw "c" curves, which we then used to draw up a pattern for a wide border.  By the time I had drawn my pattern, I didn't have time to stitch it, but as soon as I get it done I will let you see it

 

on Sunday we were worked very hard producing patterns for a handstitched sampler.  There was a great deal to take in, but by the end of the day I had produced this

 

one of the exercises was to make a pattern with our first name initial.  I decided to add my surname initial as well ........

 

....... before I went over to the dark side of patchwork and quilting, I used to do a lot of counted cross stitch, and in  a corner I would put AD followed by the year - of course as well as my initials, it could be anno domini!

 

as we packed up yesterday afternoon, Maureen pointed out the way the low sun was shining on the tops of the trees in the distance - there was a rush to the window with cameras!

 

to finish ...... some more food!  This afternoon I started with these veggies

 

and finished with a big pot of chilli con carne - there is enough for six meals

 

Sock it to me*

I learned to knit socks when I was at primary school - I was probably about nine.  But I didn't knit any for years, until I knitted some kilt socks for Stuart and Malcolm - although Malcolm doesn't wear this pair with a kilt, he wears them with his work boots

 

then, when we moved here seven years ago, I bought a kit which included this free pattern.  It also had the wool for the pair on the right, and since then I have knitted countless pairs using this pattern, including the pair in the centre for me, and the pair on the left for Malcolm

 

I rapidly discovered that sock knitting is addictive - and so is buying sock knitting books!

 

two-at-a-time socks on the left, and vintage ones on the right

 

I think the first photo I put on the blog was of this pair of socks - and they are still going strong all these years later!

 

it might look as if the toes don't match on this pair

 

but that's the heel on the one on the left.  It's a pattern called the afterthought heel, and although it is easy to knit, I don't find them a good fit to wear.  The stitches for the heel are knitted with waste yarn, then the heel is knitted after the main part of the sock is worked

 

 

so now to the current pair.  This doesn't look much like a sock!

 

the seam is closed using a crochet hook

 

starting to look like a sock now!

 

I was getting worried as the ball of wool got smaller and smaller that I would run out - but there is a little bit left

 

I am going back to the free pattern for the next pair, as this yarn is so colourful, any pattern would be lost

 

do you think I might have said a naughty word when I dropped this pin box, in which I keep the pins and needles for sewing up my knitting

 

I will be very busy over the weekend at the workshops with Sheena, so I should have lots to share with you on Monday.  I hope you have a good weekend, love Anne

*do you remember this tv programme, where "sock it to me" was a running joke?

Dirty laundry!

First, let's get the food out of the way!  Malcolm's little spinach and mushroom omelette muffins were delicious!  He reheated them in the microwave, and they were soft and fluffy, with lots of flavour from the mushrooms

 

for dinner, we had the Greek lamb stew that I made on Monday.  I served it with couscous and fat free yogurt with mint.  It was really tasty, and I shall certainly make it again

 

in between breakfast and dinner, I made the apple and chilli jelly.  The liquid, which had dripped through the jelly bag overnight, was a lovely colour

 

I took this selection of red and green chillis from a bag in the freezer

 

I blitzed the chillis and stirred them into the jelly.  As the jelly cooled and set in the jars, I had to keep swirling it round to stop all the flecks of chilli settling at the top of the jar

 

then I went out to have a potter in the studio.  I started by taking lots of photos for tomorrow's post - which I will be writing when I finish this one,and scheduling it to appear tomorrow, as I won't be here!  As part of our Sheena Norquay weekend, she is giving a talk, and as it would be a rush to get home from patch'n'chat, have dinner and head off to Kelso, Maureen and I are going out for dinner.  Having sorted out those photos, I then got out these fat quarters which I bought recently at Stitchin' Heaven, and added some calico.  I am going to make a laundry bag (I know you were wondering when I was going to get around to today's subject!)  When we go away for a few days, we always end up with the dirty laundry in a carrier bag, as we don't want to put it in the suitcase with the clean clothes, so I am going to make a laundry bag

 

when Maureen saw the fabrics, she asked me if I would her some the next time I was at Stitchin' Heaven, as she wanted to make a peg bag.  So I promptly stole her idea, bought more fabric, and looked out this pattern

 

which is in this delightful book

 

I said I was going out for dinner with Maureen, but right now I am reconsidering that, as I am seriously peeved with her!!  You know that I love herons ....... well, this afternoon she sent me this photo, of a heron strolling through her garden  NOT FAIR!!!

Before the before!

It occurred to me that you might like to see what the studio was like before it was the studio!  I took these first photos when we viewed the house before buying it, so the junk stuff isn't ours!

the top room was the milking parlour

 

the bottom room was a new room built between the milking parlour and the garage

 

if I had known that I would be writing this blog some years later, I would have taken more photos before the work was started!  Also, I couldn't get in during the early stages, when floors were being dug up and relaid

this is where the stove now sits

 

the velux windows are remote-controlled, as they are so high

 

the original window, looking into the neighbours' back yard

 

the replacement window with patterned glass

 

the original back door

 

working on the door frame

 

the new doors

 

the opening for the front doors

 

the new doors

 

working on the roof

 

the finished front doors

 

the finished back doors

 

I hope you enjoyed that little bit of studio history!  This morning we went to Lauder, to have lunch in The Flat Cat

 

we both chose baguettes.  Malcolm had cheese, with tomato chutney on the side

 

and I had tuna mayo (Malcolm ate the olives, as I don't like them)

 

we had a stroll round the shops, but resisted buying anything

 

the post box is no longer there, just the sign on the wall of the post office

 

back home, Malcolm made these little beauties for tomorrow's breakfast ......

 

....... using this recipe

 

while I started the first stage in making more jelly, using a big bag of crab apples which Maureen had given me.  I cut up half of them and put them in a large saucepan with a lemon and three plums which were languishing in the fruit bowl.  I added a litre of water and brought it up to a simmer

 

the liquid is now dripping through the jelly bag.  The plums have given it a lovely red colour.  I'm plannning to add chillies tomorrow to make a savoury jelly, which I think will be good with pork and ham.

and to finish - as we came home through Galashiels, we had to pull in to the side of the road and breathe in, as this extra wide load squeezed past

You have seen the before ........

....... now here is the after!  I took photos from the four corners of the room (there was nearly an oops - I realised that there was something on the design wall that can't be seen until after Christmas)

 

when I said I was reorganising and tidyiing the studio, I should have said I was doing the top room, as other than a quick tidy and hoover, I haven't done anything in the bottom room

 

this is my favourite corner of the bottom room.  I painted and stencilled the cupboard (a junk shop find) way back in the 90s.  I embroidered the initials for my Mum (Rosemary) and Malcolm's Mum (Doreen) ...... I must have stitched them about twenty years ago, as my Mum died eighteen years ago.  If you click on the photo to enlarge it, you will see that the top photo is of my (paternal) grandparents in their shop - the photo was taken some time before the Second World War.

 

I have a very busy few days coming up.  On Saturday and Sunday I am going to workshops with Sheena Norquay.  This pile is for Saturday ......

 

and this one is for Sunday

 

it is also Abbey Quilters' monthly meeting next Tuesday, and this is my pile for then

 

I have some friends coming to the studio the week after next to start making workshops bags, so I thought I had better make a start to preparing my samples.  I got out my cute little tripod, which Stuart gave me some years ago ......

 

..... so that I could take "action" shots.  I used to take a lot when I did my Tuesday Tutorials, which you can find if you click on the link in the categories list on the sidebar

 

so what was I doing in the action shots?  I was making bias - but you will have to wait to see what I will do with it!

 

it's Bonfire Night, and while we don't have a bonfire in the garden (we would probably end up burning the house down!), I did have a cosy fire in the studio.  These are the embers at the end of the afternoon

 

Malcolm had some fun with sparklers after dinner

 

to finish - I have had some extra exercise over the last few days, trotting up and down the three steps between the two levels in the studio.  It might not seem like much, but as we don't have stairs in the house, my poor little legs are complaining this evening!

Sunshine after the rain

On Saturday it rained and rained ....... and then it rained some more!  However, when we got up yesterday, the sky was blue and the sun was shining, so we headed off to Melrose for a walk.  The beautiful blue sky provided a wonderful backdrop for all sorts of things .....

 

this boat was motionless at its mooring

 

but just a matter of yards away, the river was roaring over large boulders

 

this is a very handsome church

 

tractors!

 

I was looking forward to taking photos of the Abbey ....... but what was this?

 

oh dear - it is covered in scaffolding

 

these wonderful carvings are on a bank

 

of course we went for a cuppa - but we didn't have a scone!  Instead we shared a raspberry and vanilla muffin - delicious!!

 

Monday is my "domestic" day.  I make a start to the laundry, then head out for the weekly food shopping.  Then I quite often  cook for the freezer.  Today's cooking was for "Fast" days.  First was butternut squash and sweet potato soup

 

it has curry powder in it, and is very tasty

 

 

next was Greek lamb stew - this is the lamb browning

 

this photo doesn't do it justice - it tasted so good that I could have quite happily tucked into it in the middle of the afternoon, when it came out the oven

 

after our complete failure to find any sloes, I bought some on ebay (is there anything you can't buy on ebay?!)  I put them into two jars, with sugar and gin.  I will shake them every day for a couple of weeks, until the sugar is all dissolved, then shake them occasionally after that.  Although it will be drinkable by Christmas, it will be even better if we leave it for a good few months

 

the last job of the afternoon was the one that I detest - the ironing!  This is just some of it - by the time I took the photo Malcolm had put his clothes away (it's bad enough doing his ironing, so I refuse to put it away!)

 

I'll be back tomorrow with an update on the studio reorganisation ....... this is the "worse before it gets better" stage