frayed at the edge

Workshop

What a busy day!  Caroline and Theresa arrived first, and started work as soon as they had made themselves a cuppa

 

Sandra and Sheila arrived a little bit later.  They missed the turning from the main road, and had to turn round and backtrack.  They too made themselves a cuppa (it's strictly self-service in the studio!) and we worked on the first set of blocks.  That's Sandra's hands on the left

 

Sheila chose pretty prints for her hearts

 

Caroline starting to stitch her Celtic knot block

 

Theresa produced this fabulous fabric from her stash

 

This photo is for Meredithe, so that she can admire my manicure!

 

while the others were working on their Celtic knots, I was thinking about creating a pattern with interwoven bias strips

 

we had lunch in the kitchen, where I force-fed gave them a taste of the pear and chocolate jam.  It was declared to be delicious!  Back in the studio, we were working so hard I didn't take any more photos (oh, ok, we were blethering so much I forgot!).  All too soon it was time for them to pack up

 

I have left the tidy-up until tomorrow!

 

the leftover biscuits have gone into Malcolm's biscuit barrel, and the mugs are in the dishwasher

 

Caroline and Theresa gave me this card to say thank you - it is so cute!!

 

if you scroll back to the first photo and look at the book (click on the photo to enlarge it), you will see what tomorrow's post is about!

 

 

Let there be light!

We had just settled down to watch some tv on Friday evening, and I had picked up my knitting, when ...... we had a power cut!  Which meant it was very dark, as we have no street lights here to provide some light through the windows.  Fortunately there was a scented candle burning in the kitchen, so we were able to see to get out more candles

 

and the camping gas lamp ........ not that we go camping, we have had the lamp since we were without electricity for several days following the Great Storm in 1987!

 

we passed the time by listening to some music

 

and enjoying a glass of wine

 

on Saturday I was busy making the samples for tomorrow's workshop, showing the step by step construction of the pieced blocks

 

yesterday we headed off to Selkirk, to see the archimedes screws at Philiphaugh, which provide enough electricity to power 200 homes.  The last time we were there, there were large machines everywhere, but there were only a couple yesterday, including this one (I don't know why Malcolm keeps saying no when I ask him to buy me a machine)

 

these buildings weren't there when we last visited

 

it was hard to see the screw as there is a lot of fencing

 

this is where the water flows in to the screws

 

and this is where it comes out - a passing stranger provides the scale!

 

there is a drain where water pours down - it gave me the shivers looking down into it to take the photo, despite the fact that there was no way I could fall in

 

the water comes out here

 

and flows downstream to here

 

sadly the water wheel doesn't work .......

 

...... but it has given its name to the cafe, where we went for one of our famous two scone lunches

cheese

 

fruit

 

next we headed to The Haining for the craft fair.  It was a little bit disappointing - lots of jewellery, some knitting, jams and chutneys - we didn't buy anything.  However we were quite happy to pay our £1 entrance fee to see inside the house, which at the moment is sadly delapidated

 

and we enjoyed the views from the grounds

 

back home, I went on with the prep for tomorrow's workshop, auditioning fabric for the sashing

 

I had a very special day out today, but you will have to wait until Wednesday to read about it, as of course tomorrow I will be telling you about the workshop ....... but here is a little clue to where I was

 

to finish - Kelly sent me this photo of her new boots. I want a pair!!

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!!

 

 

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

 

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

It seemed like a good idea!

OK, I said I was going to thoroughly tidy, and possibly rearrange, the studio.  This is what it looked like at the start of the afternoon

 

this is what was hidden by the table cloth

 

I gave Malcolm the table to use in the garage (I bought it for £10 in a junk shop) and cleared out the corner .......

 

........ and emptied the top part of this unit, which I bought some years ago from a wool shop which was closing

 

Malcolm helped me lift if down (or should I say that I helped him!) and I then emptied the bottom section, and rearranged the other end of the room

 

now I need to put everything away

 

oh dear - that's not everything, there is all this too!

 

I will finish putting everything away on Saturday ....... and I will have to try hard not to be distracted by finding things that I forgot I had (I hope Malcolm doesn't read that bit!)

Lucie gave me this as a belated birthday present

 

what is it?  It's a thread holder, for embroidery threads - I added a few lengths from my Welcome wallhanging, to let you see how it is used

 

I bought this magazine when we were in Hawick this morning

 

it is very different to other "lifestyle" magazines that I have bought over the years.  I think it is Dutch, and it has a lovely quirky layout, with lots of handwritten bits

 

I also bought this little work basket in a junk vintage shop this morning

 

I wonder what sort of garment you would put boil-proof elastic in?!

 

to finish - the recent rain has meant that the River Teviot is full again ......... and hooray, the heron is back!