frayed at the edge

More leftovers ........

........ but this time they aren't fabric.  Malcolm had several things left over from his Christmas Fair, so when Stuart and Alison were here, they had first pick and went off home with a driftwood mirror, a cork notice board and a cork clock.  I then acquired a cork clock for the studio

 

a cork notice board, also for the studio

 

my dislike of cats has been well documented here, but although he is a cat, I love the Garfield cartoon strip

 

and lastly I acquired this fabulous driftwood mirror for my bathroom

 

when I was taking the photo of the mirror, I realised that I had forgotten to include this little owl in yesterday's post.  Why is he in the bathroom?  Because he is an emery board!  The delicious, gorgeous, fabulous toiletries in the bowl behind him were in the tin that is now filled with my Mrs Billings stuff

 

when I was looking back through my photos for the clock photos, I found photos of my laundry bag, and realised that I hadn't shared them with you.  The bag turned out to be a bit bigger than I had originally intended ......... I had planned to make a bag which we could pop our laundry into when we were away for a few days, but at 36" long, it is just about big enough to hold laundry from a two week holiday!!

 

I had a very enjoyable afternoon at patch'n'chat, catching up with everyone's news and sewing ......... and then there was the Friday cake.  Today's offering was the delicious Norwegian apple cake ....... and there were also tiny doughnuts!

 

as always I will be in the studio over the weekend (leaving Malcolm to enjoy football on tv, without my complaining that it is boring!).  The forecast is reasonable for Sunday, so hopefully we will get out for a walk ......... and some sconnage!  I hope you have a good weekend, love Anne

Secret sewing

You may recall that I couldn't show you some of my sewing before Christmas, as it was for presents.  The first thing was a badger wallhanging for Stuart, made with a Gail Lawther pattern that I bought when I did the workshops with her during the summer

work in progress

 

the finished wallhanging

 

Alison loves shoes, so I decided to make her some drawstring bags to keep her best ones in.  I found this wonderful fabric here

 

I had an email the other day from Stuart, asking if I could make him a similar drawstring bag to keep his camera in.  Malcolm suggested looking for camera-related fabric, and I found this fabric on the same website as the shoe fabric.  I got enough to make bags for my cameras too!

 

the fabric arrived in the post this morning, as did a book for Malcolm.  Then a delivery man arrived with a big box for me

 

I bought a magazine last week, which had this little catalogue in it (this is the back page)

 

as soon as I saw the little angels, I wanted to make them, so I was delighted to find that not only did the website have the pattern available to download for free, but I could also buy the supplies to make them

wonderful patterned felt

 

cute faces and little wooden decorations

 

I did some more work on the leftovers quilt this afternoon, sewing the centre blocks together

 

then adding a border, which I overcut, so that when I sew the outer blocks together, I can trim the border to fit

 

over the last few weeks, I have been working hard on my hexie wallhanging in the evenings.  I have now stitched almost half of it.  As you can see, I decided to have a change of direction

 

this is a very important post, as it marks my 5th blogiversary!!  It is hard to believe that I have been doing this for five years - and as I said last year, I still haven't run out of things to say!  I really enjoy writing the blog, and sharing my world with you.  My photography has improved a great deal over the five years, and my camera is (almost) always within reach.  For me, the best thing about blogging is all the wonderful friends that I have made, most as online friends, but I have also had the great pleasure of meeting lots of fellow blogggers in the real world.  I must give a special mention to Lee in Sydney and Meredithe in Melbourne, who made us very welcome when we visited in 2012.  In the past to celebrate my blogiversaries I have had giveaways, organised a postcard swap and last year I gave awards for all sorts of categories.  So what to do this year?  Well, I decided that YOU can do something!  Just a little thing ........ having been a Brownie and a Guide, I have always tried to do a good deed every day, so all I'm asking is that you perform a Random Act of Kindness, and if you want, leave a comment or email me and let me know about it.  To make my RAK special, I am going to make a little something (I haven't yet decided on the recipient) using a little bit of this wonderful fabric that Meredithe sent me for Christmas

 

 

 

A day at the beach

Last Thursday, the weather was much better, so we went to Berwick.  We had a potter round the shops, a quick lunch in the nearby garden centre, then we went for a walk on the beach

 

the sea was still running high after the stormy weather

 

I couldn't decide whether to have the lighthouse on the right or the left of the photo!

 

 

 

two of my favourites - weathered wood and rusty bolts

 

trying to be arty with seaweed and rocks!

 

more weathered wood

 

the beach theme has continued in the studio, as I have been working on two quilts for Linus, which I had started some weeks ago when we had a Linus day at Borderland Fabrics.  The two quilts are the same

 

once the tops were made, it was time to layer the quilts, ready for quilting.  I taped the backing fabric to the table

 

then cut the wadding to size

 

the last stage was to add the quilt top, then pin the layers together

 

there are differing opinions as to whether or not cutting certain things blunts scissors.  I think cutting paper definitely blunts scissors, and I also think cutting polyester wadding does too, so I have different scissors for different tasks - from left to right, embroidery, paper, pinking, wadding/general and fabric.  Malcolm knows never to use my scissors without asking - but then I wouldn't use his tools without asking!

 

I also have different pins for layering quilts.  The ones on the left were all that were available when I started quilting more than twenty years ago.  I then moved on the the curved pins, which are easier to use.  The coloured ones on the right are wonderful - they are very thin and very sharp, very easy to use.

 

as always, I cleaned the machine and inserted a new needle, ready to free motion quilt.  I used a big meander in the centre, and a loopy, wandering line round the borders.  You can see the stitching best on the back

 

today, I got organised to trim the quilts, ready to put the binding on.  I have folded the quilt, so that you can see the two boards lined up.  I also used two rulers

 

the two quilts trimmed ready for the binding, which I had made some days ago

 

having stitched on the binding, I folded a bit over and clipped it in place, to let you see what it will look like once I have hand-stitched it on the back

 

 

but, what to do with the leftovers?

 

first, I cut strips of varying widths and layed them out ready to stitch together

 

the strips stitched and the seams pressed

 

the next stage was to get out my revolving mat, small cutter and 6" square ruler

 

the squares are cut on the diagonal - this is the first square

 

I managed to cut eleven squares ......

 

then was able to make the last one from leftovers

 

I put the blocks up on the design wall

 

these are the leftovers from the blocks from the quilts

 

I think with a bit of effort, I can make the borders fit round the centre blocks!

 

to finish ....... little JDthetractor was most annoyed when he saw last night's post, as he said the photo did not do him justice.  So he popped out to the studio this morning to pose for me

 

but he's not just a handsome tractor, he is hardworking as well!!

<

Winding down

I have ticked most things off my Christmas to-do, and this morning saw another one done.  I assembled these .......

 

....... ready to ice the Christmas cake.  I brushed the cake with warmed apricot jam and unrolled the icing

 

I don't like marzipan, but Malcolm does, so we compromise with marzipan fruits, so that Malcolm gets one with each slice of cake.  After years of cutting out fabric leaves for applique, it didn't take long to cut out some in the leftover icing

 

safely stowed away ready for Christmas Day

 

then it was off to patch'n'chat for our party.  We were welcomed with a glass of mulled wine, and the latest Australian magazines , which had just been delivered to the shop

 

Margaret had decorated the tables (that's Katy sitting at the table)

 

and of course there was food - lots of food

 

Cathy's husband Colin played carols for us

 

we had fun pulling our crackers and letting off the party poppers ....... and of course eating far too much

 

Margaret's hat played a tune, and the end danced about!

 

Kay had brought in two quilts that she had longarm quilted.  First was Maureen's lovely applique quilt

 

in contrast, Cath's quilt is a riot of colour

 

I took a set of notecards for everyone

 

and Sheena had chocolate for everyone - as I had eaten so much, I gave mine to Malcolm

 

over the course of the afternoon, everyone who visited the ladies came back through giggling, but wouldn't say why ...... but they all said to take the camera when I went.  Margaret had decorated the toilet seat!  And when you lifted the lid, the bell on Santa's hat jingled!

 

Well, that's it for this year!!  I am taking a break and will be back on Monday 6th of January.  I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and I wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous 2014.

Love Anne xx

 

Yet again, dear readers .......

......... I braved the cold to take photos of the moon.  This was at 8am, so it was quite a bit lighter.  You can see Hawick in the distance

 

so what did I come home with yesterday?  The first thing was this delightful candle, which was a present from Carolyn, who made it

 

this miniature box of chocolates was from Lucie

 

I couldn't resist these new designs from Rosalie Quinlan

 

each contains the design printed on fabric, ready to stitch

 

I hummed and hawed abut buying this set of patterns as it was quite expensive.  I picked it up and put it down, and picked it up and put it down ........ but in the end it came home with me. (that's my pocket money spent for the next year!!)

 

I also brought another amazing pattern home - but it is my Christmas present from Malcolm, so you will have to wait to see it!

Party #1*

Just a quick post, as it has been a long day!  We left at 9am, and didn't get back until after 5pm.  So where were we?  You have probably guessed that we were in Northumberland!  Malcolm spent the day in Alnwick, while I was having fun at the Stitchin' Heaven Christmas Party!!  You know by now that whenever quilters get together for a party, food is involved

 

but I wouldn't want you to think that all we did was sit about drinking cuppas, eating and blethering (although we did do rather a lot of that!).  Annie had this box of tiny scraps .........

 

........ which she had turned into "fabric".  She had intended to make a bag, and had made a big piece of fabric and two smaller pieces for pockets.  But when she went to assemble it, she couldn't find the pockets.  So yesterday she decided to enalrge the bigger piece to make a table runner, got out the box of scraps ....... and there were the pockets!

 

Ros had just started an applique block

 

Sue was rushing to finish the binding on this quilt, which is a present for her son's girlfriend

 

Carolyn was busy stitching a sample of one of the range of stitcheries she has been designing - hopefully by the time I see her again the patterns will be available to buy and I will be able to give you the details

 

Lucy was finishing the binding on a quilt which she had longarm quilted - the quilt is a sampler which was made at a beginners' class in the shop

 

Frances too was starting an applique block

 

I may have come home with one or two little purchases - I'll show you tomorrow .........

* Party #2 is on Friday at Borderland Fabrics

 

Only for you, dear readers ........

........ would I go out into the garden at 7.15 on a rathjer chilly morning!  I was hoping to capture the full moon, but between camera shake from the long exposure time, and shiver shake because it was so cold, the photos are a bit blurry!

 

I do like getting post, so I was delighted witth today's delivery! 

 

the red envelope contained a Christmas card, the Australian one was a present from Meredithe, which is now under the tree ........ and the pink one was another kit from the wonderful Kate.  The handsome dog is Bruce

 

out in the studio, I was listening to some seasonal music

 

I was given these lovely poppy fabrics by Margaret, as a thank you for lending her some patterns and some books.  I will probably make a runner for the kitchen table with them

 

while Malcolm was out, I wrapped his presents and put them under the tree.  I had a litle bit of present sewing to finish, then I was able to make a start on the laundry bag, using these fun fabrics that I bought at Stitchin' Heaven

 

after cutting the fabrics to size, I stitched the peg fabric to the top of both sides

 

then stitched the iron fabric to the bottom

 

next, I needed some laundry!  I drew some shapes, and looked out some odds and ends of fusible web

 

as I have just put a new cover on the ironing board, I used a piece of baking parchment to protect it while I ironed the fusible web on to the wrong side of the fabrics

 

it's amazing what you can find in your stash ...... pretty coloured strings to use as the washing lines

 

I've been making more fudge!  However this isn't for us (well, we might just have to eat a square or two for quality control), it's for presents

plump, slightly sour, cherries

 

seasonal cranberries

 

I have a special day out tomorrow - do come back to find out all about it!

In search of a title

Some days, I struggle to think of a title for my post - and this is one of those days.  So lets just dive straight in to the photos.  This morning the garden was full of birds - which promptly flew off as soon as I switched the camera on.  Eventually they returned

    

 

there is also a new bird in the house.  Maureen gave me this very cute owl as a thank you for giving her a lift to Abbey Quilters' meetings

 

and Maureen also provided me with another photo this afternoon, when she brought her finished Christmas wallhanging for us to see at patch'n'chat

 

Cathy has just finished this stocking for her newest granddaughter (there is a clue in the stocking to Cathy's nationality!)

 

then of course there was the Friday cake.  This week it was the delicious apple and sultana cake.  Although we flirted recently with the Norwegian apple cake,  we have reverted to our original opinion that this is our favourite cake

 

we are just about organised for tomorrow's Christmas Fair, fingers crossed that lots of Malcolm's creations sells!  I hope you have a good weekend, love Anne

 

ps - I was a bit scared when I saw this root creeping round the label on one of my orchids - maybe I have watched too many horror films!

Party time!

Before we  get the party started, a little foodie treat.  Remember when I made the Christmas pudding vodka, I had all that boozy fruit left over?  Well, Malcolm turned it into a sort of strudel, using filo pastry - delicious!

 

so, fortified with a large helping of strudel (and cream!) I picked up Maureen and we headed over to Kelso for an evening filled with oooohs and aaahs - and lots of laughter!  We played two silly games, during which the fat quarters we had taken were passed round, swapped, and fought over.  Our sides were sore with laughter by the time the second game finished ........ anyone peeking in the window would have wondered what illegal substances these mostly middle-aged ladies had been imbibing, to cause such hilarity!  No photos were taken of that part of the evening, to protect reputations, but there are lots of photos of the show and tell, so let's get started.  First, Ivy, who does a lot with folded Japanese patchwork and hexagons

 

Kathleen had several quilts

 

next was Caroline

 

Mary's child's quilt

 

Maureen had Santas

 

then it was me!  Anne S. took some photos for (of) me

 

Katy's Santa was too small to be seen from across the room, so here he is sitting on my knee

 

Chris, who lives just down the road from me, was next with a super child's quilt

 

Doreen had a table runner and a quilt

 

Ann had two quilts

 

Sheila and her Santa

 

this is Sandra, hidden behind her quilts (and oh dear, I managed to cut the top of her head off!)

 

Moira and her fun child's quilt

 

Sheena with her little elephant

 

and last, Lesley with her cushion

 

there were lots more that I didn't manage to get photos of - lots and lots of super work!  The evening ended with a lovely supper laid on by the committee, but I was too busy blethering (and eating) to take a photo!

However, I do have some food to show you - our lunch today.  Malcolm had a cheese and pickle toastie

 

and I had a coronation chicken wrap - delicious!

Show and tell

It's Abbey Quilters' Christmas party this evening, and of course there will be a show and tell.  This is what I am taking

cream flowers

 

New Zealand vineyard

 

the little landscape I started at last month's meeting

 

the Top Secret project - I'll show you more photos tomorrow

 

two fat quarters for the silly games we play

 

I was so busy sewing this afternoon I forgot to take photos of the other Gail Lawther piece that I completed - the Japanese shrine - and the handstitching that I have done on my Sheena Norquay sampler piece.  I also have two things that I can't show you yet, as they are Christmas presents.

Yesterday I got two nice things in the post - my Landscape magazine (I took out a subscription last year, so it escaped this year's embargo) and something very special in a snazzy pink envelope

 

last week I saw this on Kate's blog, and immediately wanted one ........ but the first lot had already sold out!  So I had to contain my impatience until Kate re-stocked the shop ...... but it was worth the wait (ok, it was only a few days!)

 

so, if you haven't yet clicked on the link ...... look what I got, my very own toatie hottie (translation - small hot water bottle!)

 

when I went over to Kate's blog to get the link, I saw that she has published another wonderful pattern - I think I will have to go back for a look when I finish this!  Buying this kit has reminded me that I haven't told you what my aim is for next year.  This year, of course, has been the year of using it up.  I have just asked Malcolm how he thinks I have done in my quest to use up my stash, and he says that I have done quite well (that's high praise!).  So next year is going to be ....... (fanfare, drumroll)

the year of the kit

I have so many kits of all kinds, patchwork, embroidery, knitting, felting, toys, dolls ........ the list is rather long!  Many of them were bought on holidays, so are reminders of happy times.  So my challenge to myself is to make as many of these kits as I can in the coming year - and of course now that I have told you, I will have to do it!