frayed at the edge

Weary legs

When I went out for my walk this morning, my legs just refused to pick up the pace ...... so I ended up strolling along finding interesting things to take photos of .........

 

a fallen conker in the middle of the road

 

 

raindrops on cleavers (goose grass)

 

 

a fly caught in a spider's web in the middle

 

 

a neighbour's chimneys, reflected in a tiny puddle

 

I have been working hard on my Baltimore block, and by yesterday afternoon had most of the leaves stitched

 

 

But before I could place the last four leaves in the centre, I needed to make a ruched flower.  I started by cutting a two inch wide strip, and pressing the two long edges into the centre

 

 

I marked one edge every inch

 

 

Then on the other edge, I started half an inch in from the edge, then marked every inch

 

 

Using a double thread I stitched across the end, then up to the first mark

 

 

At the edge, I took the thread over, bfore stitching to the next mark

 

 

After stitching several zigzags .........

 

 

........ I pulled the gathering thread - it is much easier to do this as you go, rather than waiting until you have done all the stitching

 

 

That was as far as I got yesterday, before I had to stop and make dinner (lamb rogan josh).  So I carried on this afternoon at patch'n'chat.  I finished the stitching and gathering ....

 

 

...... then curled the strip round to make the flower, stitching the loops in place.  I put it on the block and pinned the remaining leaves

 

 

By the end of the afternoon, the block was well on the way to being finished

 

 

Of course Friday afternoon means cake - this week it was one of Annette's delicious chocolate sponges, with lots of fresh cream in the centre

 

 

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, love Anne

Lighting up the sky

When we went through to the kitchen last night, just before we went to bed, we saw this amazing sky

 

The red line could have been made by a spaceship coming in to land ....... but it was probably a contrail!  As I was taking the photo, a dark shape landed on the back of the telegraph pole across the road

 

I didn't manage to get a photo as it flew off, so you will have to take my word that it was an owl!!

 

However, the next photo is quite clear - if tractors can be described as cute, then this one has to be the cutest!

 

 

This one has been at work turning the hay

 

 

While this one was just a little too close for comfort as it passed me!

 

 

Having failed to snap the owl last night, I did manage to capture this goldfinch - but it flew off before i could zoom in (click on it to enlarge)

 

 

I was busy again in the studio today, making another four brooches

 

 

I have also started another little project (I know, I know, I said I wouldn't start anything new until I had finished some more UFOs!).  Remember when we were away at the weekend, we saw a shop with 'patch' in its name that didn't have much patchwork?  Then, when we were in Denbigh we saw this shop .......

 

....... but it turned out to be a children's clothes shop!  Finally, we found a patchwork shop in Llangollen

 

 

I succumbed to a William Morris jelly roll, which opened out to reveal all these lovely fabrics

 

 

Having recently seen several friends working on hexagon quilts, I decided that was what I would use the jelly roll for

 

 

I know you can buy ready cut papers online, but I just draw round a template until I have filled the sheet of paper, then photocopy it - it doesn't take long to cut them out

 

 

The strips are just the right size for the template, and I quickly marked and cut the first strip

 

 

Soon I had half a dozen pieces tacked - just several hundred more to go!

 

 

When I was looking for something to keep this latest project in, I found this box, which I bought very cheaply when Woolworths closed - I think I hadn't used it before because of the rather lurid shade of pink!

 

 

This morning, I was standing at the bedroom window drying my hair when I saw a little sparrow fledgeling land on my car, closely followed by its parent.  Abandoning my hair to finish drying itself, I rushed off to get the camera.  The first shots taken through the window weren't very good, so I ended up standing on the camel stool that sits under the window(very awkward, as I have to stand on the outer wooden edges of the stool and not on the cane centrs), and pointing the camera through the small gap that the window was open (I didn't want to push it open further in case it scared off the birds).  But as you can see, this photo was worth the effort!!

 

Hello deer!

No - I haven't got the spelling wrong ---- this morning I finally saw a deer again, having seen one some weeks ago, when I didn't have the camera with me

 

 

Altgough we are still in July, there was a decided autumnal nip in the air this morning, and some plants have already gone to seed

 

 

 

 

But other plants are still putting out buds and new growth

 

 

 

Next month I have a sales table at the Southdean Show, so I thought it was time to knuckle down and make some things to sell!  I looked out a pile of ready cut circles that I bought some time ago, with the thought that I could make something with them one day!

 

 

I sorted some of them into pairs

 

 

I took the first pair, and ran a gathering stitch round the edge of each circle, and pulled the stitches tight, to make yoyos (Suffolk puffs)

 

 

I stitched the two together and added a brooch pin to the back ......

 

 

......... and added a large button to the front to complete the brooch

 

 

I had an unexpectedly large meal at lunchtime yesterday, so I didn't want any dinner when I got home.  As Malcolm had already cooked it, that meant there were some leftover vegetables to use up when I made dinner tonight.  I also had a bit of stale bread to use up

 

 

I got out my trusty processor (it's about 12 years old!) and made breadcrumbs

 

 

Mashed the veggies

 

 

Mixed the veggies and breadcrumbs together, and added seasoning and a beaten egg

 

 

I divided the mixture into four portions, and formed it into potato and veggie cakes

 

 

I shallow fried them in sunflower oil - the trick is to get the oil quite hot, so that when you put the cakes in the surface cooks quickly and seals, so that they don't get oily

 

 

So what else were we having?  On Wednesday mornings, the fishman comes to the house in his van.  I'm usually in the bath when he arrives, so Malcolm gets to choose what fish we have.  Today he chose breaded haddock, which I cooked on the griddle, with just a spray of one-calorie oil

 

 

To complete the meal, I made a very quick sauce with low fat creme fraiche and blue Shropshire cheese - simply warmed until the cheese melted

 

 

After all that effort, I thought I should get out the fish knives and forks!

 

 

The verdict ....... delicious!

 

 

 

 

 

Catching up!

Now that we are back home and the internet connection isn't disconnecting every couple of minutes, I can show you more of our weekend!  To finish off Friday, here are the little goodies I bought

 

lovely coarse wool to knit a bag, which should felt well

 

 

a kit to knit a very cute sheep teacosy

 

 

oops - another book

 

On Saturday, we headed first to Denbigh, to visit the castle.  We were a bit perplexed when the women who sold us our tickets said that the castle was closing for a year ..... as it was being knocked down and rebuilt.  Howver, she clarified what she meant - it is the visitor centre that is being replaced, not the magnificent ruins!

 

 

 

 

Next we went to Conwy, where there is an even bigger castle.  To reach it, we walked across the suspension bridge

 

 

This was when I had to be very brave, to climb long spiral staircases, and stand on top of very high walls and towers

 

we were standing on top of a matching tower!

 

 

yes, that's Malcolm's hand!

 

 

the enclosed bridge on the right carries the railway

 

 

the people are dwarfed by the walls

 

After leaving the castle, there were more heights to scale, as we went for a walk round the town walls

 

there is only a railing to stop you falling off!

 

 

we were above these wonderful old chimneys

 

 

looking down on the smallest house

 

But then - the reward for surviving all those stairs and heights ....... fish and chips for dinner (and bread and butter)

 

 

However, Saturday's heights were nothing compared to where we went yesterday!  Come back tomorrow to see just how brave I had to be!!

 

The way to a man's heart ......

....... is definitely through his stomach - so why not look after his heart with a delicious, but healthy salad!

 

This was quick and easy to make - lettuce and rocket (from my friend Lizzi's allotment), chives (from the garden), basil (from the pot on the windowsill), a clementine (from the fruit bowl) and strawberries (from the fridge).  I also made a quick dressing with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and chilli flavoured salt.

 

I have been impatiently waiting for the bees' balm to flower in the back garden.  Today I ran out of patience and took these photos - perhaps in a few days it will be fully in flower

 

 

 

We didn't have any birds using the nesting box this year .....

 

 

But some new tenants have moved in ..... wasps!  Well, at least it means they have stopped trying to invade the summerhouse!

 

 

Although the nesting box wasn't used, we have lots of little sparrow nests under the eaves at the front of the house - here are some of this year's crop

 

 

When I went into Hawick this morning, I took the camera and big lens, hoping to find the heron on the river.  I looked round all the places we usually see him but he was nowhere to be seen

 

 

The only bird I saw on the water was this seagull

 

 

In the studio this afternoon, I lightly pressed the Linus blanket.  I made the pattern up as I went along - 20 rows of garter stitch, then every row for the first half was k50, p40, k10.  Then for the second half, k10, p40, k50, then finishing with 10 rows garter stitch.

 

 

I also prepped the second piece of the wreath.  It didn't take so long to do this one ...... and amazingly it just about matches the first one!

 

Pampering!

All this walking may be good for my health, but it is hard on my poor feet!  However, Malcolm arrived home with this for me today, so my poor little tootsies can have some love and care lavished on them!

 

 

This morning was a bit chilly, and there were little ribbons of mist lingering in the valley

 

 

But there was no mist about when I found my favourite Jacob's sheep were finally in the field next to the road

 

 

 

 

This morning I had the small lens on the camera - so you will have to take my word for it that this is a hare in the middle of the road, not a rabbit!  (much longer ears!)

 

 

There is the promise of more free food in the hedgerow, with the rosehips just starting to ripen

 

 

It was hard not to eat them all myself, but I took the latest crop of raspberries home to share with Malcolm

 

 

I've been busy working on my Baltimore block.  I've stitched all the stems .....

 

 

........ and some of the leaves

 

 

To finish, a flower photo - my wild flower book tells me that this is hedge bindweed - but I much prefer the name that I know it as ...... morning glory!

 

A cool green walk

Yesterday morning, we parked at the Leaderfoot Viaduct, to go for a walk.  After a brief pause to take a quick photo of the magnificent structure.....

 

 

........ we set off along a path we haven't walked before.  There had been some serious tree felling

 

 

Malcolm lingered, admiring the wood!

 

 

Once we had passed the wood, we found ourselves in a heavily wooded, shaded, damp world, with running water on both sides.  There were ferns everywhere .......

 

 

..... some of which were putting out new shoots

 

 

 

There were also fungi growing on a fallen tree

 

 

 

 

I have been busy sewing over the weekend.  I quilted the third chicken wallhanging and added the binding.  Now I just have to sew in all the ends, sew on beads for eyes, and stitch down the binding by hand on the back

 

 

I also did some more prep for the Baltimore quilt, working on a very tricky shape

 

 

I had to cut very carefully round the twirly bit at the bottom, as there is very little fabric between the curves

 

 

It took quite a while to turn in the seam allowances round the curves, so I only got one done.  It's just laid on the background fabric, to see how it looks

 

 

Although I have temporarily halted the knitting project, I do have some knitting to show you - the progress on the baby shawl

 

 

A detail of the pattern

 

 

To finish, a photo of a wild flower I took this morning on my walk.  My wild flower book says it is a field scabious - which is a rather horrid sounding name for such a pretty flower!!

 

Will you please keep still!

For the past few mornings, I have been trying to take a photo of a tree sparrow, which shouts at me as I go past its territory across the road from the church.  Most of the photos have turned out like this .......

 

 

....... because it just won't keep still, but finally, this morning, I managed to take two passable shots

 

 

 

The thistles are now flowering in the verge, with two distinct varieties.  This one has a small flower

 

 

while this is the one which is more familiar

 

 

I took several random photos of flowers this morning, with a vague idea of using the colours in a quilt

 

 

 

 

 

I could also include this beautiful raspberry colour (yes, I ate it!!)

 

 

Just after taking the photo of the raspberry, I had to stand on the verge, out of the way of our neighbour Billy the Farmer, as he came down the hill in his horse transporter (he was very considerate, and is marginally over to the wrong side of the road to pass me!)

 

 

As always for a Friday afternoon, I was at patch'n'chat.  I pinned out the pieces for the next block, and made a start to stitching it (the stray leaf at the bottom is just pinned there out of the way while I stitch the stem on the left)

 

 

And of course (I'm sure that's bad grammar!) we had cake!  Annette is so good to us - we had her wonderful strawberry and fresh cream cupcakes again -delicious!

 

 

 A little silly something to end with ...... I think it's lucky if a black cat crosses your path (but if it's unlucky, then of course I'm not superstitious!!)

 

 

I hope you have a super weekend - no doubt there will be sewing and knitting on the agenda here!!

Love, Anne

Puzzled!

I was a little bit puzzled when the post arrived this morning, and I saw this on the back of an envelope from The Red Cross

 

 

I couldn't see what The Red Cross had to do with the Changi Quilt, which was made by women detained in Changi Prison during the Second World War, but on reading the enclosed leaflet, it all became clear (click on the photo to enlarge it)

 

 

The leaflet opened out to show the quilt in full

 

 

Two of the blocks caught my eye

 

 

 

The Red Cross are using images taken from the quilt as part of this month's fundraising ........ also in the envelope was a set of stationery - and of course a form and envelope for me to send a donation

 

 

Before I went for my walk this morning, I took these photos of the ongoing work ......

 

the treatment unit concreted into the big hole

 

 

the trench for the pipework from the house to the treatment unit

 

 

bits of pipework

 

 

I can't park in my usual place because of the work

 

......... but when I came home from knit'n'natter - a complete transformation!

 

the ground restored round the treatment unit

 

 

the garden cleared and the hedge replanted

 

 

the trench from Malcolm's shower room to the unit, backfilled and ready for new tarmac

 

But the best thing ......... I can use my bathroom again!!

 

 

 

 

Raspberry delight!

Here it is, the first foraged raspberry of the summer!!

 

 

That one was eaten as soon as the photo was taken, but I did pick some more to take home to share with Malcolm

 

 

The hedgerow apples are coming along nicely.  They are about the size of golfballs, and won't get much bigger, but will make good jelly in the autumn

 

 

 

The flies were bad again this morning, so I thought I might invest in a fly coat and hood, to match these horses ....... although I would have to have my ears relocated to the top of my head!!

 

 

I wasn't able to take any photos of the big hole today, as there was too much going on ........ but we're not the only ones digging holes - from the size of this one in the verge, I think it has probably been dug by a badger

 

 

Back home, when the post arrived, I was delighted to see an envelope with this stamp on it ......

 

 

...... as it meant the prize I won in Meredithe's recent giveaway had arrived.  I opened the envelope to find a prettily wrapped parcel

 

 

Inside ...... a set of Meredithe's templates.  I haven't done any hand piecing for a while, so I am looking forward to making this project!

 

 

As promised, an update on the Baltimore blocks.  I added the three buds

 

 

 

 

Next, I worked on the centres of the four main flowers.  I used a reel of thread as a template to draw a circle on card and on four fabrics.  I cut the card circle out on the line, but added seam allowance to the fabrics

 

 

I ran a tacking thread round the edge of one of the circles, put the card on top, then pulled the thread tight.  Then I pressed the fabric, to give a crisp edge for sewing

 

 

Once the card cooled, I removed it and used it to prepare the other three circles.  I then marked circles on a scrap of wadding

 

 

I padded each circle of fabric with wadding, then stitched them in the centre of the flowers

 

 

That only leaves the eight-petal flower on the left, but I think I will fill the centre with French knots, so I won't do them unitl I have washed the block to remove the fabric glue.  The next block has a lot of leaves.  I had already prepped some of them, and did the rest this afternoon

 

 

Rain is forecast, but hopefully it won't be too heavy in the morning when I go out for my walk, and I will be able to take photos of the ongoing work!