frayed at the edge

I think the hexagons .......

....... have been breeding!  There seemed to be a never ending pile to prep - but eventually they were finished.  I wondered just how many there were - a quick calculation gave me the answer of 950 - no wonder it took so long to prep them!  The next stage was to lay them out ...... I could picture the pattern in my head, but I thought I should lay them out to make sure that it would work out ok.  I started by laying out one hexagon of each fabric .....

 

.......then added more rows, each time moving the fabrics one place to the right

 

I wasn't happy with the placement of the very dark red row, so after consulting with Malcolm, I moved it along two places to the right - much better!

 

The next stage was to number one of each of the different  hexagons

 

and pop them into numbered bags, held shut with  tiny pegs

 

All packed up, ready to take on Friday to the first patch'n'chat of the year

 

Thank you for your response to the swap - quite a few of you have signed up already!  Several of you have asked if there is a time limit for sending the postcards, as you are busy with all sorts of things.  I woud suggest that they should be posted by the end of the month, which will give you about three weeks to make then after you receive the details of your swap partner next week.  This afternoon I looked out this curtain sample from my stash, and a packet of Stix2Anything (yes, it does!)

 

I fussy cut a flower from the fabric, stuck it on the postcard and added a bit of ribbon round the edges

 

For the next postcard, I looked out the old road atlas that I had bought last year to make bunting with.  I still had the page with Hawick on it, so it was a simple job to cut it out and stick it on.  I then drew a circle round Hawick

 

I had given the third postcard to Malcolm to draw something on - he produced this, which rather puts my efforts in the shade!!

 

The full details of how to take part are at the end of yesterday's post, so if you missed it just scroll on down.

To finish - the wind may have dropped, but it was a raw, miserable day, so we were glad to have a warming bowl of lentil soup and a delicious piece of cheese bread when we were out

 

ps - do let your friends know about the swap!

 

Refreshed, revived.......

....... and raring to go!!  I amazed myself at managing to go without blogging for so many days - but now I am looking forward to another year of writing drivel entertaining and informative posts!  (perhaps I should make a New Year's resolution to use fewer exclamation marks!!)  As well as not blogging, I have also not done any knitting ...... over the next few days I will have a browse through all the patterns I have on my to-do list, and decide what to do next.  Perhaps it will be something from this wonderful book that Stuart and Alison gave me

 

Both Alison and I fancy these flip-top mitts

 

But sneaking to the front of the queue could be Cobweb, the Dark Fairy .......

 

....... from this wonderful book, which Malcolm gave me

 

While I am making up my mind, I can enjoy a cuppa in my pretty new mug, which was also one of Malcolm's presents

 

While having a break from my normal round of sewing and knitting, I haven't been completely idle!  I finished this cross-stitch set of needlecase, pin cushion and scissor fob, which I think I started this time last year, then lost interest in

 

I found some blocks that I had made quite a long time ago ...... the fabric that I had was enough to make 48 blocks, but I like square quilts (don't know why, I just do) so I put the blocks aside, intending to make an applique block to put in the centre.  However, having found them in the UFO pile, I decided to be sensible and just make them up into a rectangular quilt

 

Oh dear - did you spot the mistake ...... the blocks in the top left corner are wrong - not only are there two similar blocks together, but there are two blocks turned the wrong way.  A quick unpick and restitch, and all was well.  Now I just need to add an outer border and it will be ready to quilt

 

Next Sunday is my third blogging anniversary (and amazingly this is post number 888!!).  Instead of a giveaway, I have decided to organise a swap to celebrate.  I know that at this time of year we are all a bit skint and a bit weary of crafting after the last minute rush to finish Christmas gifts, so it is going to be a very inexpensive and simple swap, so I hope lots of you will sign up for it ..... come back tomorrow to find out more.

 

To finish, I have some bird photos that I took at the garden centre this morning - we had popped in for a cuppa to get warm after a very chilly, but nonetheless enjoyable, walk

 

 

 

 

A bit draughty!

I had my hair cut this afternoon, so it is feeling a little bit draughty - even if I did only have about half an inch cut off!  I have had a somewhat lazy day - my usual Wednesday morning soak in the bath with a mug of hot chocolate and my book, then lunch at the garden centre before the hairdressers (macaroni cheese, one of my favourite lunches when I am out)

 

The temperature has gone up quite a bit today, so I am sure these little points of daffodils in the front garden will be much happier, after the recent freezing temperatures

 

When I was in the kitchen last night, Malcolm shouted to me to come through to the hall with the camera.  Why?  Because there was a very, very big spider sitting there looking menacing (I took the photo with flash, so the colours are washed out - the carpet is actually green)

 

I have been a bit disorganised with the blog this week ....... I still have photos from the weekend to show you!  I have started another piece on the embellisher - this time just doing a random, abstract sort of design, using up the bits left from the landscape

 

Like the landscape, it makes quite a difference to put it in a mount

 

I usually watch tv in the studio, but for a change at the weekend I listened to some music

 

 

This is the fabric I bought last Thursday when Lorraine and I went to Anne's new shop - it shows how much I like it that I bought it despite there being cats on two of the pieces!

 

Anne popped my purchases into this super carrier bag .....

 

...... the Christmas tree is made with cute snowman fabric

 

Over the last few weeks, because of all the fmq that has been going on, I have neglected my Baltimore blocks, so on Sunday I made a start on the prep for the next block

 

Well, I think that's me all caught up on things!

Scarlet ribbon

I was looking for a piece of red ribbon this afternoon, and found myself singing this song .....

Scarlet Ribbons

I peeked in to say good-night
And there I heard my child in prayer
"And for me, some scarlet ribbons
Scarlet ribbons for my hair"

All our town was closed and shuttered
All the streets were dark and bare
In our town, no scarlet ribbons
Scarlet ribbons for her hair

Through the night my heart was aching
Just before the dawn was breaking
In our town, no scarlet ribbons
Scarlet ribbons for her hair

I peeked in and on her bed
In gay profusion lying there
Lovely ribbons, scarlet ribbons
Scarlet ribbons for her hair

If I live to be a hundred
I will never know from where
Came those lovely scarlet ribbons
Scarlet ribbons for her hair

 

But I wasn't looking for ribbon for my hair, but for my Christmas wreath.  I finished the quilting  and added the binding (which I have still to stitch down on the back) ......

 

...... although there are one or two bits to fill in

 

As I couldn't find any red ribbon, I used a bit of gold, just to give you an idea of what it will look like when I add a big red bow

 

Before all the sewing, we went out for lunch to the Woodside garden centre.  They had some Christmas themed sandwiches ...... I had 'Mistletoe', which contained grated cheese, beetroot and ginger chutney and salad leaves

 

while Malcolm had 'Rudolph' - turkey, cranberry and rocket.  The sandwiches were delicious, and the coleslaw was excellent (and as always Malcolm ate my tomato)

 

I have been playing with my embellisher ......

 

Does it look better when I put a frame over it?

 

And here it is with a bit more work done on it - the next stage will be to do some machine embroidery, adding trees and other details to the landscape

 

When I was coming in from the studio, I noticed this little rose - I don't know why I didn't spot it when I was taking photos of the garden on Sunday.  It was several feet above me, and I couldn't quite get it in focus - the camera preferred to focus  on the ivy behind the rose

 

It was awkward taking a photo of today's wallhanging, as it is a narrow part of the hall, so I had to take it from a funny angle!

 

Lorraine and I have a special day out tomorrow (weather permitting!) ...... two of our most favourite things (shopping and food) will be involved, and we will also be visiting a friend we haven't seen for some time.  Come back tomorrow to read all about it!

All the fun of the fair!

On Saturday morning, Malcolm headed off into Hawick as usual and I packed all my goodies in the car and headed down the road the Southdean Village Hall.  There was a moment or two of panic when I saw the size of my table - how would I ever fit everything on it!  I wasn't the only one with that concern, but the idea of the organisers was to have lots of small tables to provide a wide variety, rather than just a few large tables.  Eventually most things were squeezed on

 

with the bargain basket on a chair in front of the table

 

Then I realised that the bunches of dried lavender were still in a poly bag - oops ...... so that meant another photo!

 

My friend Lorraine had the table next to me  - and she sensibly had brought an extra little table to add to the front to give her more display space for her wonderful, cakes, jam, chutneys, liqueuers ...

 

..... and her fabulous marzipan fruits

 

So how did it go?  Quite well ...... of course I would have liked to have sold more, but I did sell a reasonable amount (and then spent a large part of what I had made buying something for Malcolm's Christmas!)  There is still rather a lot in the bargain basket, but the rest of the stuff is now packed into one box (except for the painted pine cones - I only sold one packet of them!)

 

And I may just have bought something for myself ....... well, could you have resisted this!  It's only about two inches tall - I think I will put it in a little box frame

 

Yesterday we went to Melrose, as we had a voucher for free entry to Melrose Abbey.  You can read about the Abbey here and here.  Although there was a chilly wind, the sun was shining and the sky was a brilliant blue.  Most of the photos will be appearing in future Shadow Shot Sundays, but here is a little taste

 

 

Back home, by the time I had tidied away the leftovers from the fair, I just had time to do a little bit of sewing.  You might have noticed that I didn't do my Farmer's Wife blocks last week, so I thought I had better get one done!

 

Then a quick fmq ....... a little bit of background filler

 

...... and back to basics with a little bit of stippling - I love this variegated thread

 

Now to the knitting update.  I have finished one sock .....

 

..... but haven't done the heel on the other one, as I knitted (yet) another pair of Cranford mitts.  I finished them on Friday morning, just in time to take them to patch'n'chat to give to my friend Jane - sorry, i forgot to take a photo!  I have also finally made a start to the Glimpse scarf.  Although it looks complicated, it is fairly simple to knit.  The blue edge at the top is the provisional cast-on.  This will be the centre of the scarf.  After knitting the first half, I'll pick up the stitches from the cast-on edge and knit the second half

 

To finish, two photos which I took on the way home yesterday.  The first one isn't too clear, as I was pointing the camera towards the sun .......

 

....... but in this second one you can see that it is a shepherdess, complete with crook and two sheepdogs!

 

A sweet smelling gift

I made two more things for my sales table yesterday.  First, I made six bags using two remnants of beautiful Liberty fabrics

the rectangles measure 10" x 5"

 

stitch together and press the seam open

 

stitch, matching the centre seam, and press the seam open

 

Oops, I forgot to take a photo of the next stage ..... decide which is the lining fabric, and tuck the outer fabric inside and stitch across the bottom, then turn the bag right side out.  I decided to fill the bags with a mixture of lavender (from the garden) and rose petals (bought)

 

I cut pieces of cotton wadding to wrap round the filling - it gives a nicer appearance to the finished bags

 

All that was left to do was tie the tops with ribbons

 

I also made simple organza bags, folding a rectangle in half and sewing the side seams.  I popped some sets of bangles into them and tied them with gold cord

 

I spent quite a lot of time today putting tags on everything

 

Then I 'made' one last thing ....... I sprayed three lots of pine cones, with gold, silver and 'snow'

 

Once the paint was dry, I put them in bags and added labels.  Looking at all the stuff on the table, I think there is more than will fit on the small table I will have on Saturday!

 

Did you notice my mug ...... it says forget love, I'd rather fall in chocolate!!

I have so much to tell you ......

....... that I don't know where to start!  So I guess it makes sense just to work through the weekend in chronological order.

On Saturday, Malcolm discovered that he had been given a 'foreign' coin, although at first glance it looks like one of ours - if you read the wording round the edge of the right-hand coin, you will see it is from New Zealand ........ perhaps we could go there on holiday to spend it!

 

 

Having finally received my slider, I lost no time in fitting it to my sewing machine.  It really does make a difference - the quilt sandwich moves much more easily under the needle

 

I also unearthed a different embroidery hoop to use.  As the hoop is used upside down, the screw for tightening the outer ring was on the bottom under the quilt sandwich, and would occasionally catch on the edge of the extension table.  Although the slider now covers the edge, I thought using this smooth plastic hoop would help too.

 

When browsing through the fmq patterns, this one caught my eye - mussels - which I thought went well with my sea anenome

 

I looked out the things I had made for previous fairs, and marked them down to half price - well, we all like a bargain, and I really don't want to have to bring it all home again!

 

The collection of new stuff is growing

 

Yesterday morning, we went to a craft and design fair in Kelso.  There were lots and lots of wonderful stalls, but as it was a much more formal sort of event than next week's fair, I didn't like to take photos.  However, when I was talking to one of the stallholders whom I know, she mentioned that she had forgotten to bring her camera to take photos of her stall.  I offered to take photos for her, and she was happy for me to share one with you (you can see more of Linda's work here)

 

We had a pleasant walk along the river - but the rest of the photos have been filed for a future Shadow Shot Sunday!

 

Back home, I stitched some more mussels, and tried a little filling of pebbles

 

Looking round the studio, I thought that perhaps it was time for a tidy-up!

 

I was threading string through holes with a large needle when this happened - oops!

 

After the delay in receiving the slider, I was pleased today when this parcel arrived within the one hour time-slot given on the delivery firm's tracking page

 

a little clue to the contents .......

 

...... no, not jam jars, but super bottles to put the sloe gin in (but I will be buying jars and labels and more bottles - there are all sorts of goodies on the website!)

 

The knitting update ...... another pair of Cranford mitts -I only started these on Friday night, and finished the second one at 10pm last night!  This pair is for my friend Cath

 

another pair of afterthought heel socks ...... just the heels to do.  You can see where I have picked up the stitches on one side, and started picking them up on the other

 

To finish, another silly photo!  Malcolm spotted this yesterday ....... but was the car really on top of the fishermen's hut?!

 

I promised you chocolate ......

...... 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

It takes more than a sharp frost ......

..... to kill off the beautiful climbing rose, which grows round the lounge window.  There are still buds, which are dark pink on the outside

 

getting paler as they start to open

 

and paler still

 

until, by the time they are fully open, they have turned completely white

 

The ornamental quince has flowered again (it quite often has a second flush of flowers at this time of year)

 

But this is the right time of year for the winter jasmine to be flowering!

 

When I was doing my weekly grocery shopping on Monday, I saw this book was half price, so of course it had to come home with me ........

 

For those of you not acquainted with Kirstie, it's rather hard to describe her ....... but you can find out more here and here.  There are all sorts of lovely things in the book - I just opened it at random to take this photo.  If you look closely at the cup with the teabag (click on the photo to enlarge it), you will see that they have been needlefelted!

 

When we were in the supermarket this morning, I bought some ready made gingerbread pastry(!) - I'll tell you more tomorrow!

Brrrrrr ......

The weather turned very cold over the weekend - we had to scrape the car before we went out yesterday, and I had to resort to de-icer this morning!  But the cold weather didn't stop us enjoying the weekend.  On Saturday, we went over to Coldstream, as Woolfish were holding one of their Woolfestivals.  I managed to resist all the lovely yarns for sale, but I did buy another set of tiny sock needles ....

 

....... and these gorgeous tiny buttons from Lindsay

 

Back home, I made a start on my stock for my sales table.  Although I said I was going to do a lot of sewing, I started by making cards ...... rather a lot of cards, so it took me all afternoon to do them!   There are ten different photos of orchids and half the cards are white, and half cream, with matching envelopes.

 

Yesterday morning we went for a walk, heading up the hill behond the big park in Hawick.  We hadn't walked there before, and had a good time being nosy, looking at sone lovely big houses

 

Home again, it was back into the studio.  I still have some of the shopping list pads, so I stitched fabric sleeves to cover the backing boards, ready to stick the pads on

 

Then I covered two notebooks with some beautiful fabric from my stash

 

 

I have been doing a bit of free motion quilting each day - here are Saturday, Sunday, and today's efforts ...... unfortunately I don't see much improvement!

 

Now for the knitting update ....... the 'afterthought heel' sock, ready to do the heel.  You can see the bit of waste wool where the stitches get picked up for the heel

 

This is the first lot of stitches picked up

 

You then turn the sock round and pick up the stitches on the other side .... I found that awkward, so I decided to remove the waste wool as I went, which made it much easier

 

This is the heel ready to knit on the left, and finished on the right.  It is knitted the same way as the toe, and looks a bit strange ........

 

........ but I think once the socks are blocked they will be fine