frayed at the edge

Starry, starry .......

...... morning!  Now that I am back into my routine, I got up at 6.30 (or as my friend Anne S. calls it, stupid o'clock).  As always, I looked out the window ..... and for the first time for weeks, saw lots of stars in a clear sky.  A very welcome change after all the grey and dreary mornings we have had recently.  I endured the torture of the cross trainer and rowing machine, knowing that I have to work off the extra calories from the chocolates and Christmas cake that we have been tucking into.  The morning stayed bright, so I was able to take a photo of the latest Linus quilt in the garden - as yoou can see, it was the version with the patterned centre which got most votes

 

before Christmas, I said that I couldn't show you my knitting as it was for a present.  I still can't show you, as it isn't finished ...... there is a mistake in the pattern, and I have yet to work out a correct version.  However, I can show you Malcolm's ripple rug ...... although you will probably notice that I have yet to darn in the ends!

 

yesterday I finally made a start to using up my scraps, which I am doing along with Lucie.  I am making the same kind of blocks that I made with my Australian fabric, joining lots of random strips......

 

 ........ then cutting out squares on the diagonal

 

it might look wasteful, but you can join up the leftover bits to cut more squares

 

I am using up lots of bits of batik fabrics, and have a pile of strips sitting beside the sewing machine, so that each time I finish working on something else, I can stitch another batch together.  Here are the first six blocks

 

this morning, we headed over to Jedburgh.  Malcolm remarked that we would come back by the back road, so that I could get some good photos of the scenery with the sun shining.  As we walked to the coffee shop where we were going to have lunch, the sky was bright blue, the sun was shining and the Abbey looked magnificent.  We had an excellent lunch.  Malcolm had carrot and lentil soup

 

and I had coronation chicken sandwiches

 

then we came out, ready to take photos ....... and a whole lot of cloud had appeared, and the sun had vanished.  So I didn't bother to take photos of the Abbey, but I did still take some photos from the car as we drove home

 

this afternoon I was busy embroidering some of the blocks for my latest project for Anne.  I'll show you photos tomorrow.

I can't think of a title .......

...... for today's post!  I was trying to think of something involving pink skies,or scones,or ....... so let's just get on with the photos!  This may look like a sunset, and it is the portion of the sky where we usually see the sunset, but it is the sunrise reflected on the clouds

 

we went to Selkirk yesterday morning, planning to go for a walk on a path we hadn't walked before, but unfortunately after a few hundred yards the hard surface ended and we were faced with a soggy, muddy grass path.  We abandoned the walk, and headed to the Waterwheel Cafe.  The last time we were there, we were disappointed to find that the owls were no longer there, so I asked the lovely lady who served us what had happened to them.  She said that their owner was no longer able to care for them, so they have been given a new home by a man who specialises in looking after owls and birds of prey, so while we will miss seeing them, we are glad that they are ok.  We had a two-scone lunch - I forgot to take a photo before we cut up and buttered the scones - we shared a cheese one and a cherry one - delicious!

 

on Saturday I stitched the binding on the black and white Linus quilt, then made a start to another Linus quilt, which I also worked on yesterday.  I started by cutting 6" squares from a plain fabric and a patterned fabric

 

having drawn a diagonal line on the plain squares, I stitched a plain and a patterned square together, with a line of stitching on either side of the line

 

having cut them apart and pressed them, I then trimmed them to size

 

I arranged the blocks on the design wall .......

 

...... and then rearranged them

 

which version do you prefer - the one with the patterned centre, or the one with the plain centre.  Leave a comment or email me, and I'll make the version which gets the most votes.  I'll be back tomorrow with a bit of fun to celebrate my 4th blogiversary, but to finish, some more braw laddies ..... Stuart and some of his friends at a rather posh do on Hogmanay.  The chaps in the splendid red jackets are in the TA (the Territorial Army) - the one on the right is engaged to Stuart's stepsister Claire

Happy New Year!

It's traditional in Scotland to be first footed by a tall, dark, handsome man ....... so here, a little bit late, is a first foot for you (he's 6-foot, dark, and as his Mum, of course I think he is handsome!!)

 

so what have I been getting up to during my blogging break?  Well, I turned this .......

 

....... into this

 

when I heated the apricot jam to brush the cake with, before applying the icing, I was left with lots of lovely bits of apricots ....... yum, yum

 

on Boxing Day we went to Melrose for a walk

the Abbey

 

the Youth Hostel

 

it's just as well the shop was shut, or I may have bought this tractor!!

 

oooh - I'm tempted by this fun book!

 

on New Year's Day we went to Jedburgh for a walk.  It's not unusual to see a heron on the river .....

 

...... but it is unusual to see one so high above the water!

 

the rivers have been very full, as we have had so much rain, so we weren't surprised to see this flood gate was shut

 

a large bit of a tree was wedged under the bridge

 

we have had lots of birds in the garden

 

we also had a walk past the donkey sanctuary (I think that was on Sunday!)

 

I'll be back tomorrow with a sewing update, including plans to join in with Lucie's using up scraps challenge, and a to-do list like Meredithe.  To finish, some photos taken in the garden this morning

a tiny rose

 

winter jasmine

 

daffodils

Two parties in one day!

It was our Christmas lunch at Borderland Fabrics yesterday.  We all took food to share - I managed to take a photo before it was all scoffed!

 

we had crackers to pull ...... and of course there were groans as the awful jokes were read out

 

Margaret T had made beautiful table decorations with holly and candles

 

Anne S had baked a non-traditional Christmas cake using a family recipe and Cathy had made a white chocolate cheesecake ...... you can just see a slice of it in the background.  The cake was much lighter than the traditional heavy fruit Christmas cake, so I had room for a slice after all the savoury delights - but I didn't have the cheesecake as I really don't like white chocolate!

 

I took this photo of Katy showing off the quilt she has made for her gorgeous grandson Aaron's Christmas  ...... it was only when I looked at the photo on the laptop that I realised that she was still wearing her silly hat (if you can't see what it is ..... well, it's a turkey!)

 

Maureen had finished stitching her Christmas wallhanging, but doesn't think she'll manage to quilt it before Tuesday (slightly confusing view, as Cathy pinned it to another quilt to show it off)

 

all too soon it was time to head home, but I had only been in the house about ten minutes when Stuart and Alison arrived for an early Christmas celebration (they are spending Christmas day with Alison's family).  I had laid the table in the morning ........

 

....... then we were so busy having dinner, opening presents and having fun that I didn't take any more photos!!

 

So that's it for this year - all that remains is to thank you for visiting and commenting, and to wish you

a very happy Christmas

and

a wonderful New Year

Getting it right!

Last night we watched a Christmas cookery programme with the amazing Mary Berry and the luscious Paul Hollywood (although I would prefer him without the beard!).  The best bit was when Mary said that you should bake your Christmas cake three weeks before Christmas ....... and that's exactly when I did mine.  After all the "what, you haven't baked your cake yet" remarks, it was good to know that I had got it right!

On our way out for a spot of lunch, we stopped in Jedburgh to buy the newspapers.  I forgot to tell you that Malcolm had sold one of his driftwood trees to the owner of a small art/craft gallery in Jedburgh.  She wanted the tree to display jewellery in the shop window, so we had a little peak to see if it was there - Malcolm was delighted to see that it was.  Not the best of photos, as it was hard to get an angle that didn't have reflections

 

we then headed to Woodside Garden Centre, where I had a delicious bowl of celeriac and pear soup .....

 

........ and Malcolm had parsnip and ginger - equally delicious!

 

I was intriqued by this compost ....... but not enough to put my hand in an open bag and feel it

 

we were rather taken with this planter ........

 

....... even more so when we then saw this one planted up, but at £125, it would be a major investment for the garden (although it does come with a ten-year guarantee)

 

and now for the sewing update.  The Needle Nookie is finished (except for a little button on the back)  The strips aren't squinty, it's just the angle of the photo!

 

I got buttons for the clamshell sewing keep.  They are bigger than those on the pattern, but I just liked them so much I had to have them

 

the pattern says to stitch two felt hearts on the inside of the flap, but I am reluctant to do that, as the stitching would spoil the appearance of the quilting on the right side.  I could perhaps just anchor them at the top and bottom - I shall have to discuss it with Anne.  I did notice that the one shown on the pattern doesn't have hearts on it!

 

what is it about robins that makes them so appealing?

 

I think this sparrow is practising to become a model - just look at the way he is looking over his shoulder!

 

whereas this blue tit is obviously channeling Greta Garbo "I just want to be left alone"

I like this shed!!

No, not a garden shed, but a rather nice bottle of wine!!

 

the weather was better yesterday morning, so we were able to go for a walk.  We decided to go to Selkirk and try out a path which we hadn't walked along before.  I immediately started taking some of my favourite arty photos of seed heads

 

the low winter sun through the trees made it look a bit spooky

 

the ground was littered with pine cones

 

you know I have a strange liking for rusty, higgledy piggledy things

 

we don't need this sign to know that walking is good for us!

 

there were wonderful views across the river

 

there are some wonderful old mill buildings - this one still has a large water tank on the roof .....

 

........ which was made here in Hawick

 

as always, all that walking meant that we needed some sustenance, so we decided to go to the Waterwheel Cafe

 

where we had a delicious two course scone lunch ...... cheese for the main course

 

and fruit for dessert

 

but when we came out after lunch and went to see the owls ........ shock, horror, they were no longer there!  We will have to find out next time we are there what has happened to them.  On the way home, the clouds started to gather

 

back home, I added lights and some fancy ribbon to my driftwood tree - I love it!

 

I have lots of bird photos to show you tomorrow, but to finish today, another of my strange fancies ........ electrical gubbins!!

Backlog!

It has beeen such a busy week that I have several photos that haven't yet made it into the blog, so I shall share with you now.  But first (fingers crossed!) the troublesome photo from yesterday ....... and I remembered another little snippet about the wallhanging.  I had asked the members to bring their wallhangings in and I would award a prize to the best one.  One of the members, who was by far the most experienced quilter in the group, informed me that she had changed my pattern, to make it better.  She was most miffed that she didn't win ...... but she didn't make the wallhanging as set out in the pattern, so as far as I was concerned that disqualified her (never mind her tactless remark that her version was better!)

 

earlier in the week, I looked out the kitchen window and saw that there were lots of sheep in the field across the road.  Several of them were lying round a feeder, which looked as if it had a bale of haylage in it.  I fetched the camera, went to take a photo ....... and discovered that two horses were spoiling the shot!

 

however I was able to take a photo of the sheep the following day .......

 

........ as well as photos of the frosty, foggy scenery

 

this horse is a toughie - all the others have blankets on

 

and of course this sheep has a warm woolly coat!

 

I was delighted recently to read on Kate's blog that she has published a book of Shetland knitting patterns.  For those of you who don't know of Kate, a brief history ....... Kate was a highly successful academic when she was struck down in her mid 30s by a devastating stroke.  She has battled through the aftermath of the stroke to regain her health, but sadly had to give up her beloved academic career.  However, she is also an incredibly talented knitwear designer (she also designed the fabulous teacosies that I knitted recently), and is now forging a successful second career. 

 

even if you don't knit, you could buy the book just to drink in Kate's photos of the stunning scenery ....... and you will definitely love the chapter about puffins!

 

when I bought the first issue of Homemaker magazine, I loved it so much I promtly took out a subscription, and was delighted when issue two arrived earlier in the week

 

there are lots of yummy things

 

a free gift .....

 

...... with patterns, recipes, and delicious papers

 

it's Friday, so of course that means cake.  Today we had Annette's wonderful fruit cake

 

and to finish .....I saw this robin this morning and rushed to get the camera ....... amazingly, he was still there when I ran back to the window to snap him!

 

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend - it looks as if we will be having a soggy one!!  Love, Anne

Defeated by the weather!

Oh dear, yesterday's weather was rather bad ...... freezing cold first thing, then snow, then freezing again!  Only the lovely Katy and her friend Ailsa were brave enough to venture out during the day, to come and do some shopping....

 

 and have mulled wine (sorry forgot to take a photo of that) and delicious nibbles for lunch

 

at least the evening visitors didn't have far to come ....... all the way from next door!  Jackie (owner of the gorgeous shoe shop in Hawick) and her Mum joined me in sipping yet more mulled wine, then Malcolm and Jackie's husband David joined us for a glass of white wine and nibbles (I don't think I'll get on the scales for a few days!!)  Both Jackie and her Mum bought one of Malcolm's driftwood trees - he had made another four, and I had promptly spirited one away, to make sure that I got one!!  There was a great deal of debate about which one Jackie's Mum would have ....... she told Jackie in no uncertain terms that she was having first pick, then Jackie could choose between the remaining two!!

 

this year I remembered to take photos of the Christmas wallhangings in the studio, before I blu-tacked them to the hall doors ...... it was difficult last year to take decent photos of them once they were on the doors!

 

there is a little story attached to this last little wallhanging ....... I designed it many years ago, when I was Chairman of Stirling Castle Quilters.  It was a "mystery" wallhanging, the members being given the instructions over several meetings.  There was an amusing moment, when one of the members asked to see my completed one, so she knew what it looked like ....... no, the whole point of a mystery quilt is that you don't know what the finished one looks like.  Another of the members was a prison officer at Scotland's only female prison.  She taught the inmates to sew (they made bedding for the prison) and decided that the mystery wallhhanging would be a good teaching aid.  One of the inmates disagreed with this, but by the time I deleted all the expletives from her objection, what was left of the sentence isn't worth sharing!!  Then some years ago a friend borrowed the little wallhanging to put it in an exhibition.  It came back minus the beads and reindeer bells which hung from the prairie points at the bottom, and I have never got round to replacing them

 

oh bother ....... after several attempts, I still can't get the photo to upload, so I'll try again tomorrow!!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

I love Christmas!  True, I don't like seeing the shops full of Christmas stuff from September ....... but once we get into December, then I am a happy Christmas girl.  One of the best bits is putting up the tree and decorations, so on Saturday Malcolm was sent into the freezing cold loft (good, all the extra insulation we added last winter is doing its job) to find the Christmas boxes

 

I started in the dining room.  The first job didn't take long, turning the table from everyday mode .......

 

....... to Christmas mode

 

I love this display on the windowsill, but Malcolm gets annoyed when bits of the confetti end up on the floor!

 

remember my tiny bottles .... I saw this idea for putting honesty in them in a magazine, so promptly snipped some bits of honesty from a display in a large vase in the dining room

 

in the front lounge, the ivy is still trying to swallow up the candlestick behind it

 

I added the sparkly little tree that I had bought for my Dad when he no longer wanted to have a proper Christmas tree

 

I love my garland of tiny mittens which I knitted last year (don't worry, it's not a real fire!)

 

these candles are only about an inch high.  We got them free many, many years ago, with Baby Bel cheese!

 

these rather stern looking figures were bought in Indonesia

 

then it was through to thhe back lounge for the serious stuff.  As usual, the gnome brothers and sisters squabbled over which cushions and stocking they would have on the chairs.  I had to remind them that Santa only brings presents to good little gnomes!

 

checking that the lights are working

 

putting the lights in place ......

 

...... then adding rather a lot of baubles.  Never mind less is more - for me, the more the better!

 

I have still to bring in the little patchwork hangings from the studio, to decorate the hall - I hope to get that done tomorrow.  In between all the decorating, I found time to nip through to the back bedroom to take more photos of my wonderful quilt (when I was talking to Stuart on the phone this evening, I said it had been quilted by "Kay, the longarm quilter"  he started laughing, saying that made her sound like a mutant!!)

 

the quilting is all fmq - Kay is just so talented!  And the quilt looks just as good on the back

 

We went for a walk yesterday morning.  I'll save the scenic photos for tomorrow, but I'll share the scones we had for lunch with you.  As always we had half each, of the bacon and brie (main course) and fruit (dessert) ....... don't worry, I didn't put jam on the savoury one!!

 

and to finish ...... this young man was just ahead of me leaving Sainsbury's this morning.  I just had time to get the camera out and snap him before he got in his car.  I know it was slightly warmer today (5 degrees C), but not really warm enough for shorts and t-shirt!!

A new apprentice

I had to take on a new photography apprentice, Katy, this afternoon, to take a photo of Kay handing over my quilt to me ........ the quilt top was given to me by the lovely Helen, when I met her in Melbourne

 

the quilting is fabulous ..... but you will have to wait until Monday to see it in detail, when I get the chance to take photos in good light.  Of course I knew it would be fabulous, as Kay is this year's Scottish Champion

 

there was great excitement this morning when a nuthatch appeared on the bird table.  I got somewhat exasperated as it kept flying off before I could get it in focus, but eventually I managed to get a couple of photos

 

a flash of red in the hawthorn tree caught my eye - the robin's breast is much brighter at this time of year

 

when I was in the hall cupboard yesterday, I noticed a box tucked away under the bottom shelf.  I discovered that it contained a whole lot of glasses with the remains of scented candles.  I cleaned them out and popped them in the dishwasher (along with the day's dishes, not just on their own) ....... so now I have fifteen sparkly clean glasses - I just have to decide what to do with them!

 

oh yum, yum, yum ...... our favourite apple and sultana cake

 

I shall be doing something very special tomorrow afternoon ...... but you will have to wait until Monday to find out what!  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, love Anne