frayed at the edge

Curtains!

When we were visiting Stuart, we had a visit to Remnant Kings, to get some fabric for me to make new curtains for his lounge.  Malcolm was surprised that Stuart was quite at home in the shop .... until Stuart pointed out that he was often there with me when he was little - and the shop has hardly changed!  He chose this fabric - it is a lovely medium weight silky one

 

 

I have used this book for many, many years for curtain making - but I didn't need it this time, as they are just plain curtains - no swags and tails!

 

 

However, I did need to get out the sewing machine manual, as I can never remember how to do a blind hem!

 

 

I did the hems on Saturday and the side seams and tape yesterday and finished them off today - I hung this one on a quilt pole to let you see how they turned out

 

 

I have also been getting on with Maia ....

 

 

Malcolm has finished painting the inside of the summerhouse (he will be painting the outside the same colour as the doors)

 

 

He has found some of the bits'n'bobs we had in the summerhouse in the last garden, including this fun sign which a friend gave us

 

 

 

 

Well, that didn't last long!

After I got dressed this morning, I went back into the bedroom to say to Malcolm that was me off for my walk, and that I was taking the camera as there was a lovely sky and I hope to get some good photos of the hills.

I went out the front door and took this photo of swallows sitting on the phone wire (that had me singing Leonard Cohen!)

 

 

then as I went through the gate, I heard a noise as if something was hitting my car ..... that was soon explained when a large raindrop landed on my head!  So about three minutes after saying there was a lovely sky, it had been obscured by rainclouds.  This photo makes it look much more dramatic than it really was, as the camera has focused on the lighter sky

 

 

I would love to have a wildlife expert go for a walk with me .... they could tell me what dug this burrow (I wonder if Robert Downey Jnr or Johnny Depp know anything about nature - I wouldn't mind one of them .... or even better both of them ..... going on a walk with me) 

 

I had to get off the road rather quickly when this lorry passed me - I'm just glad I wasn't on one of the stretches of road where there is only a narrow verge (the lorry has a trailer on it - the man is standing in the middle!)

 

 

The rosehips are starting to ripen ......

 

 

..... and the apples are getting bigger - I'm saving up jars for some autumn jam and jelly making (and I might even try making rosehip syrup)

 

 

So did I get a good photo of the hills ...... well, I like this one

 

 

It's Friday again, and I'm relaxing with a glass of wine while I type this!  I hope you all have a good weekend - no doubt I'll be out in the studio sewing! 

Love Anne

 

Highs and lows

It was a day of contrasts, with a decided low of not one, but TWO appointments at the hospital this morning, followed by a lovely high of an afternoon of pampering at the hairdressers.  Even the trip to the hospital involved highs and lows ..... let me explain.

After the diagnosis of a perforated eardrum, I eventually was sent two appointments at ENT ....... the first to have my hearing tested.  This involved listening to various sounds being played ever more quietly and pressing a button each time I heard them.  The sounds were both high and low pitched, to test the full range of hearing.    Next I had to see the consultant ........ oh, what can I say, he is gorgeous and I immediately fell in love with him (at least he was only going to be looking in my ears and not at any embarrassing bits!!)  So, the best bit of news is that I don't have a perforated eardrum at all, and my hearing is very good (except for the highest pitched sounds - but that is something which happens to everyone as they get older).  Of course, that still leaves me without a diagnosis for the ongoing pain in my ear/face.  This is when I fell even more in love with Mr Moralee, as he is sending me for an MRI scan, as he feels that more could have been done to find the cause of the pain (I've been passed from doctor to dentist to hospital and back again for five years now, and we won't dwell on the acupuncture needles in the face!!) - I know it's not severe pain, but it can be very wearing, especially when it stops me sleeping.

So with all that going on, I haven't taken a single photo today, but fortunately I still have these ones left over from last week!

 

I was delighted when this gorgeous foal popped his head over the gate to say hello .... and even more delighted when another one ambled over to join it

 

 

Further down the road, the Jacob's sheep were quite happy to pose .... usually they run away!

 

There were also some small creatures out and about - that's my little fingernail in the photo 

 

We've had plenty of garden flowers, so I thought I would end with a wild flower ..... and what could be better than a thistle!!

 
 
 
 

Vandals!

When I said yesterday that I was going to show you photos of the old sinks, I didn't think I would start with this photo, which I took today, showing a vandalised sink ...... but the culprit wasn't a badly behaved persom, but a four-footed one (we could tell by the sheep poo on the drive!)

 

 

Fortunately it wasn't serious damage!  Here are the sinks looking good .....

 

 

 

 

While I was at the front of the house taking photos of the sinks, I also took this one of our neighbour's mock orange - I just wish you could smell it too - it has a lovely scent

 

 

In the back garden, this fuchsia has flowered in one of our hanging baskets

 

 

This petunia is a lovely colour

 

 

Do you remember the plant that we think is a wisteria?  Moving it and pruning it back hard seems to have done the trick - it has grown a lot and is starting to twine round the wrought iron

 

 

The Bees' Balm is beautiful - although it isn't as tall as last year - I don't know if that's because of the severe winter, or the relatively dry summer!

 

 

I have been getting on with Maia - I have now worked two repeats of the main pattern, and I love the delicate shading in the yarn

 

 

Kylie has posted photos of her parcel - do pop over and visit her lovely blog to see her cushions and the other little things that I sent her.

 
 

 

Safe arrival!

I was delighted to receive an e-mail from Kylie to say that her parcel had arrived, so now I can show you the little extras that I used to finish the cushions

 

I stitched the labels on the sewing machine

 

 

I couldn't resist this spotty purple ribbon for the fastenings!

I also sent her the Japanese folded patchwork box that I made for a Tuesday Tutorial, and a brooch that was made from purple i-cord with a purple pansy button in the centre (you may have realised that purple is Kylie's favourite colour!)  And I also popped a little scarf in for her gorgeous little boy ( not that he will really need it in Queensland!)  Yes, I forgot to take a photo of the extras before I posted the parcel!

 

Now to catch up on the rest of the news.  On Friday, after Stuart went off with his friends, we went into Falkirk for some shopping.  At the top of my list was a pair of trainers, and Stuart had recommended a sports shop to go to.  I had my gait carefully studied to see if I under or over pronate (I'm an overpronator) and was fitted with a suitable pair - although as you can see I didn't take a photo until we were back home

 

 

I also bought some new undies in Marks and Spencers - but I'm not showing them to you!!We stopped off at Ikea on the way home on Saturday (yes, we had meatballs for lunch!) .... we bought a rug and a table for the summerhouse (but I'll wait until the painting is all finished before I show you those).  Then as we continued home, when we saw signs for the village of Roslin, Malcolm suggested a detour, so that we could take photos of Rosslyn Chapel ..... those of you who have read the Da Vinci Code will know the significance of the Chapel (I have to admit that I gave up reading it - I found it to be extremely boring ...... and I fell asleep when we watched the film on tv!!)

There was just a slight problem - there are major renovation works in progress and the Chapel is covered in scaffolding ....

 

 

 

I think it will be some time before I can show you more ..... we were going to have a look round the grounds and inside the chapel - but when we found out how much it cost, we decided we didn't want to see it that much!! (and you can't take photos inside the chapel)  We came home via Peebles, which meant I could take photos of some different hills to share with you

 

After the recent rainy spell, the countryside is green and lush

 

The Bees' Balm is now in full flower, so yesterday I thought I would take a photo of a bee on it - despite lots of attempts to to capture one of the several little buzzers on the flowers, this was the best I could do!!

 

There has been so much to tell you recently, that I still have some lovely photos of garden flowers (and the old sinks) that I took last week ..... so unless something else crops up to bump them down the order, I'll post them tomorrow!!
 

 
 
 
 
 

  

A day of rest!

No slaving away today on DIY projects!!  Stuart went off this morning with his friends the (in)famous Yates brothers to a rock concert, and we have been indulging in a spot of shopping.  This is just a quick post, as we will be heading out soon to visit one of Malcolm's former colleagues for dinner .... I have to put on makeup (I don't wear it very often!) and change into my gladrags!

Last Saturday I bought this wonderful book in a charity shop for the absolute bargain price of £3.50 .......

 

 

There are just so many fabulous projects ..... some for me

 

 

some for Malcolm

 

 

and some for both of us

 

 

I hope you all have an enjoyable weekend ...... we will be heading home tomorrow, with a little side trip to Ikea on the way.  Could it be the famous Swedish meatballs for lunch?

Love, Anne

 

Many hands make.......

....... light work.   I don't know if six hands count as many, but we did get a lot done today!  No photo of what I was doing - washing down the walls with sugar soap, ready for wallpapering.  But Malcolm's work is definitely worth a photo ...... the cupboard in the bedroom has a sloping floor, as it is over the stairs, so he boxed in the slope to give a large shelf over it, then added a second shelf.  Once the cupboard is painted, it will give a lot of storage space

 

 

Stuart, meanwhile, was out in the garden stripping the paint off the cupboard door ........

 

 

....... he managed to get most of it off with his hot air gun, but will have to resort to a chemical stripper to get it completely clean

 

 

Malcolm also drew up his plan for the deck, which will go in this corner of the back garden

 

 

But I wouldn't want you think it was all work and no play ....... we did take some time off to go to the garden centre for a bowl of soup for lunch - and we were rewarded with seeing this peacock in the car park.  His tail is a bit threadbare, but he still looks splendid!

 

 

When Stuart joined us in Majorca, we took him to a wonderful antique shop that we had found.  He immediately bought this old coffee pot, which provided an excellent cuppa for him and Malcolm this afternoon (of course I had tea!)

 

 

By the time we had finished, nobody was in the mood to cook ....... so it was a quick phone call to order takeaway pizza ...... we are now sitting here too full to move, enjoying a glass of wine!

 

ps - did you spot my reflection in one of the photos?

 

 

 

Construction and destruction

First, I will reveal all about my new project, then I will explain today's title!  Those who guessed it was a swift/woolwinder were correct ...... and well done to Jill, who also guessed that the project is my Maia kit, which I bought from my lovely friend Helen (I've just brought up her blog to put in the link .... and there is one of her friends modelling her Maia!!).  Yesterday evening, I used my woolwinder for the first time - it may be a basic one, but it does the job ....... it only cost me £5 from a car boot sale, and a fancy one that we saw at Woolfest was £75!!!

 

It expands to fit the hank of wool, then it turns as you wind the ball.  By the time I had wound the entire hank (1200 metres!!) I didn't have much time to knit, but I did manage a few rows - I always write down my rows as I do them - so of course I have a knitted cover for my knitting notebook!

 

I am sitting in Stuart's lounge writing this .... we came up to Falkirk this morning to spend a few days with him ..... he is off work on his 'summer' holidays - but the weather isn't co-operating!!  The plan was for Malcolm to design and possibly start making a timber deck in the back garden - but the rain has meant that project has been postponed.  So instead, Malcolm has been boxing in pipes

 

a successful construction

 

I was doing some prep work in the guest bedroom before I paint and paper it ....... but there has been a problem in this corner in the past, with water ingress from a leaking gutter, so I ended up with a spot of destruction, cutting back to sound plaster ..... I will now have to come back to do the plastering - it's quite a few years since I last did any plastering (in the 90s we had a Victorian house which we restored!) .... perhaps it's just as well this is only a small area!

 

It's worse than that - I hadn't quite finished my destruction when I took the photo!  Alison had just arrived and Malcolm is cooking rack of lamb for us, so I had better end now!!
 
 
 
 
 

Definitely daft!

Another early morning walk and another soaking!!  But, try as I might, I just can't burn off enough calories when I'm sewing (and I love my food too much!!), so I have to get out there and walk my three miles.  Today is St Swithin's Day and folklore says that if it rains today, it will rain for the next forty days ........ and yes, it has rained here today!  So this morning, I bought a lightweight, waterproof, breathable jacket to wear on my walks

 

 

When I was walking this morning, I saw lots of snails.  At first glance, they all look the same, but on closer inspection, you can see that the patterns on their shells are all different.  Thinking about the snails, reminded me of something in my pile of UFOs.  Some years ago, I went to a workshop to make the 'snail trail' block. 

 

 

Although the block isn't too complicated, it does require very precise piecing

 

 

While looking for that piece, I also found these projects waiting patiently in the queue to be finished

 

This was made at a workshop exploring the possibilities from using dark and light fabrics in half-square triangles.  It was good fun to try out all the different patterns that can be achived, before settling on this final version, which shows several different combinations

 

This is the background for a piece that got abandoned (I can't remember why) - it is made up of 144 three inch squares of fabric .... all different!  Eventually it will have large flowers appliqued on to it.

 

This lovely Hawaiian block was done as a challenge.  It is needle-turn applique, which was my challenge to myself, as it is my least favourite method of applique!  It will probably end up as an ABC (Another Bl**dy Cushion!!!)

 

These two blocks were never intended to be finished - they are samples from a class I used to teach on applique.  They show how different the same blocks can look with different fabrics - in this case showing the four seasons.  I later developed this into this wallhanging ...

 

Bonnie Baskets

 

I like to add quirky little details to my work, as you can see here

 

I also included a spider's web on this wallhanging

Autumn

 

as you can see in this detail

 

And to end, something completely different!!  When we got home yesterday, these three little balls of fluff were sitting on the gutter above the front door.  Malcolm stood very still, while I quietly got the camera out - I took this photo, then took a step forward to take another one .... but that was a step too far and off they flew

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Dedicated or daft?

When I woke up this morning, I could hear it was raining.  I was very tempted to turn over and snuggle into Malcolm and forgo my walk ....... but the trouble with quilting and knitting is that they are not exactly calorie burning pursuits, so I dragged myself out of bed and off I set in the rain.  Just as I got to the turning point, the rain went off and the wind dropped, so I was pleased at the prospect a better second half ....... silly me, I had only gone a few hundred yards when the heavens opened again!!  I was soaked by the time I got home, so it was straight through the kitchen into the utility room to take off my wet things.  Malcolm was somewhat surprised when I appeared in my underwear (on my way to put my dressing gown on, so I could have my breakfast!)

So it was just as well as I had already taken the photos for today's post when the sun was shining yesterday morning .......

 

This is bees' balm - it isn't quite in full flower, but it is just so pretty, and already attracting lots of bees.

 

I don't know what this is called, but the colour is stunning

 

This is a miniature rose that I have had for years - the flower is about the size of a cherry

 

This is one of several geraniums that we have in pots

 

Not the prettiest of rosebuds .......

 

....... looking a bit better

 

........ beatiful markings on the fully-opened rose

 

When we were at the garden centre on Sunday buying the slate chips for the new path, I spotted this trailing fuschia - it is so pretty, of course it had to come home with me!  Malcolm has put it in a pot, but it needs to be hung up or put somewhere higher to show off the marvellous flowers - I think they look like little ballerinas!

 

It's raining again this evening - perhaps tomorrow I might give in to temptation (or laziness?) and stay in bed if it is raining.  It's going to be a horrible day anyway, as I have an appointment at the dentist's in the afternoon, when she will be torturing me with all sorts of nasty implements!