frayed at the edge

Sheepies

There has been a distinct lack of sheepies here recently, so I was delighted when I looked out the window this morning and saw that we had ewes in the field across the road

 

and not only were there sheep in that field, there were also some in the next field ...... and in the field in the distance (there isn't really a wire in the field with the sheep, it crosses the road quite a distance away!)

 

normally the sparrows fly away when I go out into the garden, but they are so anxious to eat at this time of year, that they just sat in the hawthorn tree until I had finished taking photos

 

I finished the oven gloves this afternoon

 

I wouldn't normally hang oven gloves from a knob on the cooker, it was just to let you see that I put a hanging loop on them

 

as usual I have used doors to display my  collection of Christmas wallhangings

 

there may have been no patch'n'chat, but I wasn't deprived of cake ........ Malcolm had bought a most delicious salted caramel sponge for our afternoon cuppa

 

well, dear readers, this is my last post of the year!!  I am taking a short break and will be back on Monday 5th January for another year of nonsensical ramblings educated discourse on a myriad of subjects.  I have still to decide on my resolution for 2015 ....... do you have any suggestions for me (there might even be a prize for the best one!!)  Thank you very much for reading the blog and leaving your lovely comments - I appreciate them so much.  So all that remains is to wish you lots of love and

Merry Christmas

and

Happy New Year

A somewhat bigger bird!

After yesterday's tiny wren in the back garden, this morning brought a VERY large pigeon in the front garden

 

I thought that I ought to get the Christmas cake iced, so I assembled everything I needed - or I thought I had, because I forgot the pastry brush .........

 

........ for brushing the warmed jam over the the cake

 

I used to make my own icing, but I have to admit to being lazy these days and using icing that is not just ready made, but ready rolled!  I have mentioned before that I don't like marzipan, so I put marzipan fruits on the cake for Malcolm

 

this afternoon I finished handstitching the binding to the back of the baby quilt - all it needs now is a label

 

yesterday afternoon after working on the baby quilt, I made some progress with the oven gloves.  I cut the inner and outer fabrics and the heat reflective wadding to size

 

did you notice the spotty fabric on the end of the penguin fabric?  I didn't have quite enough of the penguin fabric, so I added in a bit of spotty fabric, left over from the baby quilt.  It won't show on he finished oven gloves.  I marked the first of the quilting lines

 

and soon had the quilting done - there is something quite soothing about quilting lots of straight lines

 

next I quilted the two smaller pieces which will form the pockets at either end

 

I have still to round the ends, then stitch on the binding, which I have made.  Hopefully I will get the oven gloves finished in time for Stuart and Alison visiting at the weekend ..... and they will be told that they had better not burn holes in these ones!!

 

I'll be back tomorrow with a review of an excellent (and fun) knitting book.

 

 

Little Jenny Wren

No, that's not the name of the baby for whom I am making the quilt, but rather the name of this tiny bird I saw in the garden this morning.  I rarely see wrens in the garden, and when I do, they are so quick I have never managed to take a photo.  It was just by chance that I was on my out out to the studio with the camera in my hand, so was able to capture the tiny bird

 

the quilt is for Hanna, the second daughter of Stuart's friend (and colleague) Emma.  This is Stuart holding her when she was just a few days old

you can see Hanna's big sister, Mia, here ....... and more photos of Stuart!  You can also see the quilt and shawl that I made for Mia.  Emma had requested bright pinks and purples for Hanna

 

I used the tried and tested "six fat quarter" pattern, and it didn't take long to make the blocks

 

once it was all stitched together .......

 

...... I decided that it just needed a little extra something, and added some flowers

 

I layered up the quilt, then stitched the flowers in place with a combination of raw edge applique and quilting

 

having stitched all the flowers, I then quilted the rest of the quilt with my favourite four-petalled flower-meander - it shows up best on the back of the quilt

 

this morning I trimmed the quilt, folding it to check that it was "square" (except it's rectangular!)

 

I had four fabrics left, from which to cut the binding.  When I cut the triangles off, I added them to the leftovers from teh flying geese blocks for the Aunts' Quilt, so I will be able to make more flowers

 

I have stitched the binding to the front of the quilt, and hope to handstitch it to the back this evening, which will just leave the label to make.  I worked out how much binding I would need using this fun pad.  As soon as I saw it in a shop in Morningtom, Australia, I bought it for Malcolm, thinking that the different elements would suit things he might want to note ...... but I pinched some for myself!

 

to finish, some rather different photos.  I used to take art in the meme Shadow Shot Sunday (yes, it involved posting photos of shadows on Sundays!).  Although I no longer take part, I still notice shadow shots, such as this one of my Indonesian puppet in the studio this morning

 

then, when I was sitting at the sewing machine this afternoon, I saw these two little angels watching me from outside the back door of the studio

 

fortunately I realised that I hadn't died and gone to that great big Sewing Heaven in the sky, but that it was a strange double reflection of my "Naughty Angel" wallhanging, which the sun was shining on!!

 

My second Auntlet's report

I can't believe that it is a month since I posted my first Auntlet's report!  But before I tell you all abut the progress (or perhaps lack of it!) on my Aunts' Quilt, I'll tell you about the weekend.  As planned, I put up the tree on Saturday afternoon

 

as always the Gnome brothers and the Gnome sisters squabbled over which cushions and which stocking they had on their chairs!

 

the dining table doesn't take long to do - the table runner is already on the table - it just needs to be turned over to show the Christmas side!

 

I always have fun doing the dining room window decorations

 

just part of our owl collection, overseeing some of the decorations in the kitchen

 

don't worry about the knitted garland hanging down over the front of the fire - it's an electric fire, so there are no naked flames!

 

we don't usually give each other cheesy romantic cards ........ but we have this year!

 

 

yesterday, we went to Pirn House for breakfast.  We hadn't been there for some time, so were surprised to find that the whole layout had been changed, with a smart new coffee shop

 

we both had the French toast, with bacon and maple syrup ....... delicious!!

 

and now for the Auntlet's report.  I had a lot of catching up to do, having made a late start because of being on holiday.  I made a start to prepping the first applique block

 

then I turned my attention to the pieced blocks.  I chose my fabrics .......

 

and decided to cut all the blocks in one go

 

so, by now I should have done  four pieced blocks and two applique blocks .......

block 1

 

block 2

 

block 3

 

and half an appiqlue block!

 

so I still have a bit of catching up to do - but I love how it looks so far!

 

I'll be back tomorrow with the baby quilt!

All by myself .......

.......at patch'n'chat!!  Apart, of course from Annette, owner of Borderland Fabrics, and baker of delicious cakes (more of that later).  However, Margaret called in briefly, as I had one of Malcolm's driftwood trees for her, and there were customers to chat to. But before that, I had a very enjoyable cuppa mid-morning, made with these ingredients

 

the chocolate spoon melted into the hot chocolate, making it even thicker and more delicious ....... and Malcolm wasn't neglected, with coffee in his heart-shaped mug which I gave him some years ago

 

I had two accidental purchases this afternoon - it's strange how these things leapt into my hand as I walked past!  First, a handy containers for bobbins and machine needles

 

and then, who could resist these ribbons

 

I took the photos when I got home, using the little table next to my chair.  I had to move my coaster out of the way (there may have been a Friday night glass of wine on it!)

 

so, back to Annette's delicious baking.  As there were just the two of us, we didn't have cake, but Annette's wonderful shortbread, which is deliciously buttery and melts in the mouth.  I have to admit to eating two pieces!!

 

I will put up our Christmas tree tomorrow and decorate the house, a task I thoroughly enjoy.  I also have some sewing to do, including quilting a baby quilt for Stuart's friend Emma, who gave birth to her second daughter just before we went on holiday.  Here is a sneaky peek at the fabrics

 

the weather continues to be horrid, so it will be a weekend of lighting the wood-burning stoves (we have one in the house as well as the one in my studio) and keeping cosy.  Whether you are freezing in the northern hemisphere, of enjoying summer in the southern one, I hope you have a wonderful weekend ........ and perhaps like me you will be singing "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas"!! Love, Anne

 

Bits and bobs

No theme today (ok, sometimes often there is no real theme!), just a rather random collection of photos.

We had lots of fun and laughter at last night's Abbey Quilters' Christmas party.  We played our two silly games.  A very brief description of the games:- the first one - everyone has a wrapped fat quarter.  We sit in a circle and Sandra, the Chairman, reads out a story featuring Mr & Mrs Wright.  Every time she says (W)right, we pass thhe parcel to the right, and every time she says left (yes, you've guessed!) we pass the parcel to the left.  At the end of the story, you open your parcel to see the fat quarter, hoping it will be something you like!  The second game - everyone has a raffle ticket, the holder of the first ticket drawn takes a wrapped fat quarter from the bag and unwraps it.  The next person either takes another parcel from the bag, or if they prefer the already opened  one, they "steal" it, in which case that person has to take another one from the bag, and so it goes on (I hope you followed that)  It soon devolves into chaos, as there are always several fat quarters that everyone covets, so there is a lot of stealing!  Mine was the first ticket drawn, so of course I picked the parcel wrapped in owl paper!  Unfortunately that revealed a rather boring brown fabric, which no-one wanted to stteal,robbing me of the chance of acquiring either of two sheepie fabrics!  The other fat quarter is from the Mr & Mrs Wright game

 

but for me, the best part of the night was when Anne S gave me a present .......she saw these and promptly thought of me!  They will be a very special addition to the real hot chocolate that I have on Friday mornings when we have a cupppa in the middle of doing the housework (thank you Anne for such a super present!!)

 

I love to have fresh flowers in the house, which I put in this crystal vase, which I have had for forty years.  When Stuart was a tot it sat on the floor in a corner with big paper flowers in it (well, it was fashionable then!) and amazingly survived!  The lilies are really fragrant - every time I walk past I pause to enjoy the scent

we are in Berwick tonight.  On the way we called in at the Garden Centre for lunch (delicious carrot and sweet chilli soup, I must have a go at recreating it  at home).  We were delighted to find that the donkeys were still there

 

at the Christmas Fair on Friday, I sold two of my six shell pictures, so this afternoon Malcolm put the remaining four on the wall in his shower room  (he uses the en suite shower room, I use the bathroom).  If you click on the photo to enlarge it, you will see reflected in the mirror a bit of me on the left hand side, and the bedroom window with the view out on to the dock

 

when we arrived at the flat, I looked out the window ....... and there was a swan heading out of the dock.  I don't have the big lens with me, so you can only just see it to the  left of the boat

 

I took this photo in the early afternoonn, but it already looks as if it is getting dark!

 

to finish ...... we first saw this Christmas tree in Marks and Spencer in Singapore, but of course we didn't buy it as it was much dearer than it wold be at home - and we didn't have room in the suitcases for it!  When we got home and saw how much it cost we still didn't buy it - but then Malcolm noticed an advert in his newspaper this morning - hooray it had been reduced to half price (£5), so we called in at M&S to buy one

 

but it isn't just a tin tree ...... it revolves while playing a tune ....... and has two packets of tree shaped shortbread biscuits in it!!

 

Not the best start to the day!

I had an appointment with my dentist (he of the Scrabble name etc) at 8.45.  Bad enough to have to have such an early appointment, but even worse if you are having a tooth taken out!!  Obviously there was no pain, but I could feel him wiggling the tooth from side to side to loosen it, then I could hear the crunch (inside my head) as it came out!  However I was pleased to have it removed, as it was so badly broken that it was all sharp edges - the temporary repair had lasted about two days, then even more had broken off.  The worst thing now is that I have to rinse my mouth out with warm salt water (yeuch!)

So, back to Saturday, and more preparations for the craft fair.  Malcolm has now made 18 driftwood trees

 

I have made up little bags of shells, sea glass and pebbles, which can be scattered round the bottom of the trees to create a beach scene, after they have been used as Christmas trees

 

I've looked out some things which didn't sell at previous fairs - hopefully they will sell this time ...... photos, cards, and fabric covered notebooks

 

but these are my favourites, which I managed to do without sticking my fingers together with superglue!  I had bought the tiny frames recently, and when we were in Berwick last week, we popped into the picture framer's to get some little bits of mounting board.  The shells and bits of shells are from our beachcombing - I just thought they looked really interesting (and if they don't sell, I know exactly where I am going to hang them in the flat!)

 

at the end of the afternoon, I had a little play.  When I made the pieced blocks for the Aunts' quilt, I had lots of lefteover bits from making the Flying Geese ....... yes, Meredithe, I know you are jumping up and down shouting that I should have used your no-waste method, but I knew what I would use the leftovers for

 

it's quick and easy to poke the bits of fabric into the polystyrene ball .......

 

........ to make a flower

 

on Saturday, when I was heading back into the house from the studio, I paused to take photos of the sunset.  I have a setting on my camera for sunsets, which captures the wonderful colour in the sky

 

then I noticed the moon peeping out through the pink clouds.  However, the sunset setting wouldn't pick up the moon, and the setting that would focus on the moon lost the pinks from the sky!

 

Curtains!

When we went to Ikea to buy the bed for the guest bedroom in the flat, we also bought curtains for the lounge.  Because we needed to buy three pairs, we bought their plain cotton twill ones, which are very reasonably priced.   But there is one drawback - they only come in one length, which is extra, extra long!  So when we came over to the flat this morning, I brought the sewing machine with me

 

I always have to consult my instruction manual, to remind me how to do blind hemming

 

there was a lot of crawling about on the floor, measuring and cutting off the excess fabric, ready for the new hems

 

the first pair done

 

then the second pair

 

the third pair are split, with one on each of the side windows.  As you can see, by the time I finished it was dark!

 

I have a nice pile of leftover pieces, which will be used for cushion making

 

it has been a horrible wet day here, with the lighthouse barely visible through the gloom

 

no seal, no swans, just one soggy seagull, looking miserable on an old, sagging roof

 

so to finish, lets have some colour!  Here are just a few of the beautiful orchids in the Botanic Gardens in Singapore

 

and a colourful little lizard

 

 

 

Frustration and desperation!

I have been working on the next border for Mrs Billings, piecing the strips on the machine as I really don't like hand piecing!

 

but I just couldn't get the corners to fit.  I found the diagrams on the pattern sheet confusing, and no matter how may times I unpicked and restitched , I just couldn't get it to go together

 

so I did what any sensible person would do ...... I gave up and cut strips of a patterned fabric to the correct size

  

then added the next border

 

I then skipped ahead and cut the background squares for border 9

 

I have still been stitching away on the pyramids for the outer border, and have done just over half of them (I need 100!).  But I have run out of hexagons, so I am going to applique the hexagon flowers for border 9 on to their background squares, so that I can retrieve the hexagons from them to reuse

 

I realised this morning that I haven't shown you the knitting that I did on holiday.  It has still to be blocked, but it looks rather fetching wrapped round my mannequin.  The yarn is a beautiful mix of alpaca and silk - I think it will be very cosy

 

I haven't done any knitting in the evenings for quite some time, so I have decided to divide my evening up and spend some time sewing, then some time knitting.  I know I should finish the UFOs in my knitting basket, but I thought I would ease myself back into the routine with something simple, so chose one of the scarf patterns I bought at Bendigo Mill, and dug out a nice blue yarn from my stash

 

I have started feeding the birds again, which of course also means that I am taking photos of them again

 

the weather has been somewhat dreich, and the sheep in the field across the road didn't look very happy this morning

 

to finish .......I may have mentioned once or twice before that I don't like cats ........ but even I couldn't resist taking a photo of these two!!

 

Sewing ....... little and large

When I went on the retreat with Meredithe, Helen and Karen, and then Maree who joined us midway through the week, there was lots and lots of sewing activity.  Helen spent some time arranging and rearranging her star blocks on the design wall

 

Maree was working on her Message in a Bottle

 

Karen did some work on these blocks and their diamond border

 

then made this baby quilt top

 

Meredithe made a great pile  of colourful blocks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

which grew so much .........

 

........ that they had to be laid out on the floor!

 

and my contribution to the design wall?

 

obviously all that sewing has to be fueled by delicious and nutritious meals - which one would you rather have?

 

of course I have been working on the stitcheries since I've been home.  The third one is almost finished

 

and I have started on the fourth one

 

do you remember before we went on holiday (yes, I know that's a long time ago!) I took the set of three stitcheries to have them framed.  We picked the picture up today, and it is now hanging above the bed

 

I had also finally remembered to get the little boxing hares print framed

 

back tomorrow with Malcolm's holiday photos - prepare to oooh and aaaah!!