frayed at the edge

Starting at the bottom!

For some time now, I have been working up to trying a pattern for toe-up socks ..... as the name suggests, you start at the toe, the opposite to normal sock knitting.  So this week I got organised and downloaded a pattern from Ravelry.  (I am much too embarrassed to tell you who I am on Ravelry, my page is so pathetic! ...... oh well, if I must - it's Carenza)  The next thing of course was to buy some sock wool, which I did on Monday

 

I haven't used this wool before, so I am looking forward to seeing how it knits up (all I have to do now is remember to print out the pattern!)

 

Oh dear, I've bought another quilting book .... but it was from a charity shop, so really I was doing a good thing and contributing to the charity's funds!

 

 

How could I resist a book with such a vibrant cover! The book is quite a mix .....

 

traditional blocks

 

 

a mix of techniques and fabrics

 

 

different styles of quilting (I love the one on the bottom right!)

 

 

an Amish-style doll, with her own  rail fence quilt

 

 

this is unusual - the background has been quilted before the applique has been tacked in place

 

I thought I should tell you about the Christmas Fair, in case you live close enough to come!  It's in Southdean Village Hall in Chesters, which is near the town of Hawick.  If you look at a road map, you will see the A6088, which goes from just outside Hawick to meet the A68 just before the Carter Bar, passing through Chesters on the way.  So if you live in the Borders or North Northumberland, do think about coming along on Saturday the 27th November from 2 to 4pm.  As well as all my goodies, Malcolm has stools, bird boxes and bird tables, Lorraine has fabulous Christmas cakes, marzipan petit fours, jams and chutneys, Lindsay (aka The Border Tart) will have all her gorgeous goodies, to mention a few..... and of course there will be tea, coffee and home baking.  If you want more detailed directions, leave a comment or email me (if you look at the top of the lefthand sidebar, you will see a link to click on to email me).

 

ps - tomorrow we are going to Edinburgh, as I am going to do something very exciting ...... so make sure you come back tomorrow to read all about it!!

 

A (very) mixed bag!

I was going to call this post 'When will I see you again?' ..... but you might have got upset, thinking I was taking a break- it was because when I went out this morning, it was three degrees, which always starts me singing ......'When will  ....... ok, terrible joke!!  We woke up this morning to the first frost - it was so cold, I took this photo of my car from the bedroom window - I wasn't going outside until I had to!

 

But it wasn't that surprising that it was cold, as it was very clear last night - I did brave the cold then to take this photo of the moon

 

Tonight's heading reflects the fact that I have a collection of photos that haven't made it into other posts, so I thought I would use them tonight before I forget that I have them!  It was my bloggy friend Sarah's birthday yesterday (this is an 'oops' moment - because we went away just after my birthday, I didn't post photos of my lovely bloggy presents .... sorry).  Sarah loves beachcombing and driftwood .... and Malcolm just happpened to have some driftwood in the garage, so he made these two lovely things for her ( I remembered as I wrapped them that I hadn't taken a photo - do you like the animal print tissue paper!)

 

Don't worry - he didn't use my best cutlery ..... we found some in a charity shop to use.  The lettering and decoration on the shopping list is done with a poker pen.

 

When we came back from our holiday, this clump of tiny mushrooms had appeared in the grass at the front of the house

 

 

Recently we were back at the Water Wheel cafe, where the eagle owls are still thriving

 

 

 

Yesterday, when Malcolm was going out, he asked if there was anything I wanted (meaning milk, bread, veggies).  I replied that he could bring me a present (ignoring my Mum's voice in my head saying 'people who ask don't get'!)  Well, I did get ...... he brought me this quilting magazine - complete with cd, which has lots of patterns and templates that can be printed out

 

 

I have finally finished Maia - well, almost ..... I have still to block it

 

 

For some months now, I have had company in the bathroom ........ a very leggy spider.  Usually it is hanging from the ceiling - but of course when I went to take a photo, it was hiding in  a corner!

 

 

As this last photo shows, we may have had frost, but the climbing rose is determined to behave as if it is still summer!

 
 

How much is ......

....... that doggie in the window?

 

Sorry - couldn't resist starting with that one!  This morning we went to Kendal to see the Quaker Tapestry (sorry, no link, as it has been a long day and I forgot!!)  I couldn't take photos in the exhibition, but I bought a book, and have taken a couple of photos to let you see what a wonderful work it is - if you are ever in the Lake District from April to October, make sure you go to see it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The stitching is amazing (click on the photos and they should enlarge).  I just hope I can make a good job of this kit which Malcolm bought for me

 

 

On the way back, we stopped at Townend

 

 

 

 

 

 

This evening, we bought fish and chips, and went down to the lake to eat them ..... and watch the sun go down


 

 

I still have about 200 hundred photos that I have taken over that last four days - I will have to sort them all out over the weekend and share more of our adventures with you next week.  We'll be heading home tomorrow - no doubt with a stop or two on the way!!

 

Safe arrivals!

I was delighted to hear from Leenie and WandaFish that their Giveaway parcels have arrived safely, so now I can reveal all.  After yesterday's problems, I have made mosaics, so that if they vanish, it will be much quicker to do it all again!

 

 

These are Wanda's gifts - a notebook and tissue holder, a gift bag and lavender bag, a kit to make an angel, a Thistle Stitchery (designed by me!) ..... and as Wanda mentioned that she has a little girl, a Winnie the Pooh blanket for her teddy.

 

For Leenie, a tissue holder, a cross stitch embroidery, a knitted wash cloth, a knitted brooch and a Thistle Stitchery

 

Now for a photo you should have seen yesterday - I have finished the flower row for my quilt

Then last night, Malcolm drew my owl for me

 

I've still had problems composing this post - everytime I try to centre the last photo, it's the first block of text the centres - and when I try to align it left it takes the mosaic with it ..... so I'm not going to fiddle anymore (and I am also going to save this before I publish it, in case it vanishes like yesterday!!)

Over for another year!

I'm sitting with my poor aching feet up on my footstool, after a wonderful day at the last quilt show of the season (which is probably just as well, as the piggy bank is decidedly empty)  But first, of course, I have to tell you about last night's dinner with the birthday boy.  We were talking so much, I forgot to take a photo of the starters - tempura veggies for me and salt and pepper chicken wings for Stuart.  Then we shared a platter of sushi ..... we couldn't quite manage to eat it all, so the leftovers went home with us in a doggy bag and Stuart took them to work today for his lunch.

 

 

As you know by now, I can't post detailed photos of quilts, but I did take some general views - some photos may make it look as if the show was quiet .... but I took them when a lot of people were at lunch!

 

 

 

 

 

However, I will show you this one, the winning miniature quilt, as it was stitched by my friend Mhairi and I'm sure she won't mind!

 

 

And to show you just how small it is, I put my (small) hand next to it (don't worry, I'm not actually touching it!!)

 

 

As always I met up with lots of friends and chatted to lots of other ladies - we quilters really are a friendly bunch.  At lunch I shared a table with some delightful ladies who were showing off their purchases - beautiful fabrics and all sorts of patterns and projects.  So did I buy anything - well maybe just one or two little things

lovely ric rac

 

a top up for my batik collection

 

a tiny beach hut to add to my seaside themed bathroom!

 

But please don't think that Malcolm has been left out of my shopping - when I was in Falkirk yesterday I bought him two books

a charity shop bargain!

 

this should keep him busy for a while!

 

Don't panic, I haven't forgotten about showing you what I was doing on Wednesday!  I was at Borderland Fabrics to do a workshop on Invisible Machine Applique with Dawn Cameron-Dick.  We learned various techniques and made four samples

a section of dresden plate

 

a corner of drunkard's path

 

a neatly stitched heart

 

a very cute bunny

 

To achieve the invisible stitching, we used ........ invisible thread!  In the past I've struggled to use nylon thread - it tends to have a mind of its own, but with Dawn's expert tuition, I had no problems at all.  I love hand applique, but I will certainly use this method again.  Some of us stayed on for the evening talk, so we had fish suppers for dinner - naughty but nice!  If I tell you that Dawn's talk was on needles and thread ...... yes I can see you yawning all ready!  But the talk was very interesting, and will be a big help in future when it comes to choosing the right  machine needle and the correct weight of thread for a project.  (we learned why thread is described by weight - but I'll tell you that another time).

 

I'm hoping to get a lot of sewing done this weekend - the chickens have been sadly neglected!!  I hope you all have a good weekend, love Anne

 

  
 

 

A bonus day out!

On the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month, I go to knit'n'natter ........ but this month there is an extra Wednesday, so today we decided to have a fun day out!  We headed over the border to the town of Wooler - Malcolm had been there recently and had come back with tales of lovely shops and good food ...... and today we had the bonus of good weather!!

This shop looked so pretty, I immediately had to stop and take a photo ......

 

 

....... when we crossed the road and went in to the shop, the interior more than matched the exterior, with all sorts of goodies.  We bought each other a present

 

I think you know us well enough to suppose that the chicken was for Malcolm and the notebook for me ........ wrong!!  Malcolm bought the chicken to add to my collection of quirky plates and I bought the notebook for him to write down and draw plans for future projects.

The next shop to catch my eye was this one

We managed to resist going in - or I might have bought lots and lots of chocolate (I just keep saying 'a moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips'!!) ........ but what I wanted most was this

 

Next was the antique shop - where not just the stock, but the dust covering a lot of it was extremely old!  Never mind, we had a good rake .......

 

......... and as always I ended up at the bookshelves

 

I've been neglecting my collection of pillar boxes recently, so I was pleased to see this lovely old one

 

By now it was lunchtime, and Malcolm recommended this place, as he had enjoyed an excellent scone and coffee on his previous visit

The food was wonderful!!  I had a coronation chicken baguette, which was beautifully presented with salad, coleslaw and root vegetable crisps

 

Malcolm had a ham and mustard baguette, similarly presented ....... the mustard was in a little dish, so he could decide how much he wanted to have.

After lunch, I noticed this shop - do you think the signwriter needs his eyes tested?

 

There is no football today, but Malcolm is rapidly developing a blister, as (typical man in charge of the remote) he has to keep changing channels between tennis (Andy Murray is playing) and cricket (England v Australia in the 4th ODI)!!
  

 

 
 
 
 
 

 

Backsliding!

I have been trying really hard to keep to my New Year's resolution to buy fewer books and magazines .... and adding to my stash.  But at the weekend - oh dear!  It started on Saturday, when I saw the first issue of a new sewing magazine, complete with a kit to make a spotty bag and a catalogue full of all sorts of crafty things

 

 

Then on Sunday, when we went to The Main Street Trading Company in St Boswells for a cuppa, of course I had to have a browse round the books.  Oh dear, oh dear ...... not one, but two books came home with me

 

 

If all that wasn't bad enough, on Sunday evening when I was reading my favourite blogs, I saw that Helen had details of a wonderful shawl kit .... yes dear readers, I ordered one as fast as my fingers could type my order!

 

 

I think that's my pocket money spent for the next several months!  At the weekend, I was carrying all the bits and pieces for the hexagon pincushions back and forward to the studio - when I dropped bits yet again, I thought it might make sense to use one of my (many) bags, so I used this one

 

 

The fabrics in the centre panel are from South Africa, as you can see from this stamp on the wrong side of the fabric

 

 

I still have these lovely pieces in my stash

 

 

On my way home this afternoon, I had to make another of those emergency stops, when I spotted these tiny calves

 

 

And to end, a bit of fun ....... on late Sunday afternoon, I was relaxing in my jammies, slathered with a 'fruit smoothie' face pack, when Malcolm crept into the room with the camera ........

 

 

You can stop laughing now!!!

 

These are a few of my favourite things!

I've been tagged by Shannon of Free Spirit Knits to tell you ten simple things that make me happy .........

1. Of course I have to start with Malcolm and Stuart .... my family always comes first.  This is us on our wedding day in 1986.

 

2. My home .... I get to see this every morning when I open the curtains!

3. Books - I love to read and need to have a book within easy reach at all times!

4. Orchids - I have a collection on the kitchen windowsill - this one has just started flowering

5.  Friends - this are a wonderful group of friends I had in Indonesia .... as you can see, I had been teaching them patchwork!  I have to admit that's me with the grey hair - now, thanks to my marvellous hairdresser, I am a stunning blond .....

6. My studio - I took this photo yesterday ........ it was snowing and miserable out, but I was happy working on my latest projects

7. Travel - I enjoy holidays so much it's hard to pick a photo ...... this is Pollensa in Majorca

8. Food - I am definitely a 'live to eat' person, and while looking for a holiday photo, I also found a wonderful food picture, also taken in Pollensa

9. Of course any list of things that make me happy has to include wine ... I don't have any great knowledge about it, so if all else fails, I pick a bottle with an interesting label!

10. To end, the most simple pleasure known to woman ..... chocolate!!

 

Now I'm supposed to tag ten wonderful women .... but I find it so hard to choose (I can't help it, I'm a Libran!) ....... so, what I've decided is ........ if I regularly comment on your blog, and you would like to tell us of your ten things, then consider yourself tagged!!
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
  

A grand day out!

After some debate because of - yes, you've guessed - the weather, my friend Lorraine and I decided to head to Edinburgh today for the Spring Quilt Show.  I would love to show you photos of the stunning quilts, but that's not allowed, so here are some general views of the show

 

yes, men are allowed!

 

 

it's hard work shopping - a rest is sometimes required!

 

I was very good and didn't buy any fabric!  Of course that doesn't mean I didn't buy anything at all ....... I couldn't resist this

 

 

And this is a wonderful book, with so many projects that have promptly gone on the to-do list

 

I think I know what I'll be doing in the studio tomorrow afternoon!

 

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend ....... love, Anne

 

A good read

When we were in Falkirk last week, I had two places I wanted to go to ....... The Wishing Well Newsagents, who have a superb collection of magazines, and Waterstone's bookshop, because you know that I love books.  So .... did I buy anything - of course I did!!

 

I haven't seen this American knitting magazine before.  There are lots of super patterns, and I particularly liked these stockings - but I don't think I will be knitting any in time for this Christmas!!

 

I like cloth.paper.scissors magazines, and I really, really like their Studios special issues.  It's fascinating to see other peoples' studios ..... and to show Malcolm that there are people who have bigger stashes than me!!

 

I liked the little sign about chocolate in the next photograph - I think I may have to do an embroidered picture with the saying for my friend Lorraine - she would rather have a box of chocolates than sausage, bacon and egg for breakfast (and I do mean a box!!)

 

Then it was on to Waterstone's, where I was spoiled for choice ...... there were just so many wonderful books!!  When it got to the point of Malcolm threatening to drag me from the shop, I choose this gorgeous book.  I just want to make everything in it!!

 

 

How could you resist these fabulous little creatures

 

 

I think these little birdhouses are just so cute - they are definitely going to the top of the post-Christmas to-do list!!

 

But I would need to make a much bigger birdhouse for the pigeon who visited the garden this morning, pecking at the food which the small birds had scattered from the bird table