frayed at the edge

A grand day out!

After some debate because of - yes, you've guessed - the weather, my friend Lorraine and I decided to head to Edinburgh today for the Spring Quilt Show.  I would love to show you photos of the stunning quilts, but that's not allowed, so here are some general views of the show

 

yes, men are allowed!

 

 

it's hard work shopping - a rest is sometimes required!

 

I was very good and didn't buy any fabric!  Of course that doesn't mean I didn't buy anything at all ....... I couldn't resist this

 

 

And this is a wonderful book, with so many projects that have promptly gone on the to-do list

 

I think I know what I'll be doing in the studio tomorrow afternoon!

 

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend ....... love, Anne

 

Marooned!

Stuart phoned at eight o'clock this morning, which was unusual, as he should have been at work!  So where was he?  He was stuck in a major traffic jam on the A9 between Stirling and Perth (don't worry, he was 'hands-free') and just called to pass some time - I think he was phoning everyone he knows!  It was bad enough yesterday, when it took him two and three quarter hours to get to work - it usually takes him just under an hour.  Today he didn't even get there - he sent me a text at lunchtime to say that he had just got back home - the road was still closed, with two feet of snow!!

Fortunately, we didn't have anywhere near that much, so we headed out to Selkirk to have lunch, as we didn't go out yesterday.  We had the most wonderful soup ........

 

...... spicy carrot.  It had an underlying creamy flavour, which we thought was perhaps coconut milk - definitely one to try to recreate at home!

Do you remember some time ago I bought the silly cook book with the 'end of the world' recipes?  Well, today, I succumbed to a similar one!

 

 

I just love silly things like this

If you can't read the bit in the bottom left corner, click on the photo to enlarge it - it's quite entertaining!

On the way home I took this photo from the car - it was so grey and miserable, you can't see the hills on the horizon ......

 

Back home, I started work on the other three drawings for my stitcheries ...... they need some more work, especially on the faces.  The tea angel kept looking like a pig instead of an angel - I have almost rubbed the paper into a hole trying to get her face right!

 
  
 

 

Who stole all the colour!!

Yes, we woke up this morning to a world that had turned white overnight!  This was the sight that greeted me when I opened the back door to go out to the studio

 

 

Snow, snow and yet more snow - it's the worst winter for thirty years

 

 

Even this little pot of snowdrops looked miserable

 

 

It was definitely a day for playing in the studio.  I've been thinking about doing a wallhanging with four little stitcheries, so I made a start on the first one.  I drew a rectangle four inches by five inches, then divided it to help with the spacing .........

 

 

......... first for the lettering

 

 

....... and then for the drawing.  Malcolm drew the wings for me, as I just couldn't get them right!

 

 

Once I was happy with the pencil drawing, I traced over it with a black marker, to give me a clear outline when I then traced it onto the fabric (using the improvised lightbox that I made when I did the Valentine's cards).  I then made a start to the stitching, using red embroidery thread

 

 

My Valentine's roses are fading fast, so I took these two photos this afternoon, before they go to the compost bin!!

 

 

 

Fingers crossed the snow has gone when we get up tomorrow!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not just one cake .......

....... but two!  Yes, we had two wonderful cakes this afternoon, although this week Annette didn't bake them, but bought them from a wonderful bakery in Jedburgh.  First we had lemon drizzle cake

 

followed by a wonderful traybake with chocolate on the bottom and coffee icing on the top (this was a 'healthy eating' cake, as the bottom layer was made with porridge oats!!)

 

I was working on the chickens again (yes, that's a very long term project), but I was also giving some advice to the lovely JoJo, who had come for the afternoon with her Aunt Morag.  She is just starting to sew, and it was lovely to see a teenager with enthusiasm for learning a craft!

 

There has been progress this week on reducing clutter.  On Monday I went through all my jumpers and cardigans, and sorted out a large pile (with some belts and a scarf as well) to go to a charity shop

As Malcolm was going into Hawick on Tuesday, he said he would hand the stuff in for me.  When he went into the shop, there didn't seem to be a member of staff about, but a customer came over to say that the lady had just popped out to bring a donation in from someone's car and he was minding the shop, and that on behalf of the staff he would say 'thank you very much'!!

You may remember in an earlier post I said that part of the decluttering plan was to finish things, and that I had looked out two cross stitch kits that I had started many years ago.  Having done some work on the map of Hampshire, I put that aside to do some of the English Garden Sampler.  I have finished the lettering in the centre, which took a long time, as it is worked over a single thread, and each letter has five shades of green!

So having finished the lettering, last night I sorted out the threads I need for the next section - there were only a few to choose from .......

and just a little bit of chart to follow ........

The little bit in the centre is the part I am now working on (the black strips that you can see are magnets, which hold the pattern on a metal board)  As you can see from the diagram on the left, as well as cross stitch, there is also drawn thread work.  The list on the right shows the threads that have to be 'blended' ...... where instead of the usual two strands of thread, you have to use one strand of each of two threads.  When I was sorting out the threads last night, there was one symbol that I just couldn't find - I went over and over the list (there was much muttering of rude words!!) .... then I found another section that listed the symbols for 'beads' .... yes, once I have worked all the cross stitch, then I have to sew on beads as well (I'm starting to remember why this kit was consigned to the cupboard all those years ago!!!!)

Finally, thanks to Sal for telling me that the little yellow flowers in yesterday's post are winter aconites.  If you love fabrics, and especially vintage fabrics, then do visit Sal's blog.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, love, Anne 
 
 
 
  
 
 

It's Friday again!

First of all, apologies .... Typepad is annoying me again, as I can't change the font (so that will be another 'support ticket'  being submitted!!)

So, to continue - I don't know where this week has gone - it only seems five minutes since Monday morning!  I have to start today with some photos that should have been included in earlier posts!  You may have noticed in some of my posts I now have 'action shots' where you can see both my hands.  How do you do that, I hear you cry .... does poor Malcolm have to hang about waiting to take photos of you?  Well, no ..... I use the timer on the little camera and my superdooper tripod that Stuart gave me for Christmas ....

It's a very versatile little tripod - the legs bend in every direction, so you can take photos at all sorts of angles.  And how did you take that photo, you also cry .... why, I used the tripod that Malcolm gave me for Christmas, to use with the big camera

 

As well as taking those photos, I also found time to finish the quilt for Project Linus

don't worry, it wasn't as close to the stove as it seems in the photo!

 

this is the back of the quilt, lovely cuddly fleece!

 

This afternoon, of course, was patch'n'chat.  I took along the chickens, which I now keep in a basket .... I was toying with a title of 'chicken in a basket' for today's title ..... you can tell it's Friday, it's all even sillier than usual!!!

 

And of course, we also have to have a photo of the cake (I wouldn't want to disappoint Annette's cake fans!!)

it was the delicious apple cake again today - I have to admit I had two slices!!

 

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and are thoroughly spoiled on Sunday by your loved one!!

Love, Anne
 
 
 
 
 

 

A tale of two birds

I started the day's photos with this little finch in the front garden

 

yes - we've had more snow!

 

Later in the morning, we headed to Jedburgh for some shopping and a spot of lunch (soup for Malcolm, a sandwich for me).  Although it was very cold and there was even more snow there, that didn't stop me from taking photos ....

 

part of Jedburgh Abbey

 

 

another view of the Abbey

 

 

another pillar box for my collection - this one is Victorian

 

 

a view of the Eildons on the way home

 

 

I took this one from the car!

 

When we got home, I headed out for a walk, and for a change I turned down the hill, instead of my usual walk up past the church

 

this horse was tucking into its hay .....

 

 

......while this one looked as if he was going to play with the garden toys!

 

Before I show you the last photo, I have some news for you.  My friend Ali has opened a shop on Folksy - you can see it here.  She has only just started putting her stock into the shop, so do visit her again over the coming weeks, as she adds more.  I already have a chef's mat and a towel loop - the quality is excellent and they look great in my kitchen!

And now for the last photo - which of course is of the other bird in today's title ...... this little robin was sitting on the fence when I came back from my walk

 

 

 

More chat than patch!

As usual, I went to Borderland Fabrics this afternoon for patch'n'chat, but there was decidedly more of the latter!  I was working on the last stage of the Linus quilt - handstitching the binding on the back of the quilt

 

 

I quilted it with sunflowers - which you can see more clearly on the back of the quilt

 

 

Of course, Fridays at patch'n'chat means cake - this week it was one of Annette's wonderful sponges - they are so light they almost float off the plate!!

 

 

I thought I would give you an update on my efforts to ....

 

I keep my shoes on a shelf in the bottom of the wardrobe, but for some reason several pairs were still in their boxes, which obviously took up a lot of space, so ......

The shoes are now on the shelf, with space left over and the boxes and paper have gone in the recycle.

This is the bed in our guest bedroom.  The log cabin quilt is one of the first quilts I made, and the pink and grey one you can just see at the bottom of the photo is one I made for my Mum many years ago.  Do you like my Winnie the Pooh?  It is actually a hot water bottle - Malcolm gave him to me for Christmas years ago!  He is sitting on a quillow that I made for Malcom's Mum - also many years ago - if you look closely you can see it is made with the same fabrics as my Mum's!!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!  Love, Anne

 

  

A busy day!

Friday morning is always busy, as I rush about getting the housework done, before I head off to Borderland Fabrics for a busy afternoon sewing (and chatting and drinking tea and eating cake .... more about the cake later).   However, I did find the time to take photos of this lovely primula, which is flowering on a windowsill

 

the flowers are a beautiful colour

 

 

the delicate markings on the petals are lovely

 

In contrast, my yucca is getting bigger and bigger!  It sits there, ready to stab anyone foolish enough to get too close .....

 

 

This afternoon I was doing a bit more work on the quilt I started last year, which I am going to give to Project Linus.  I forgot to take a photo (sorry!), so here is one I took earlier!

 

 

Fortunately I didn't forget to take photos of the cake - we had a choice of two today

 

a border tart - very sweet, but delicious

 

 

a lovely, rich, moist fruit cake

 

Oh dear .... I succumbed and had a piece of each!!  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, love, Anne

 

Tuesday Tutorial 2

 

Tidy Bag

This week, I am going to show you how to make a little bag which hangs from a ceramic coaster on your table or desk, to collect bits of wool, thread etc  ... this is what will you will need

 a small coaster (or tile) - it needs to be heavy to support the weight of the bag, a piece of felt (I used a leftover piece of woolen fabric which I had felted in the washing machine), fabric for the outer bag, lining fabric (I used a sample of roller blind fabric, you could use shower curtain fabric) velcro spots and tape.

First, cut  a square from the felt that is just a little bit smaller than your coaster, then to make the bag, I used the same method that I used to make the little gift bags.

Cut a rectangle from your outer fabric and your lining fabric - they should measure approx two and a half times the size of your coaster, by about one and a half times.

Sew the two rectangles together on a long side, using a quarter inch seam, and press the seam open.

Fold in half, and pop a pin in to keep the seam in line, then stitch

press the seam open

Fold the bag so that the lining is on the outside, making sure that the seams are lined up, and the outer bag is lying flat inside the lining, and sew across the bottom

 

 

 

Refold the bottom of the bag, as shown in the photo, making sure the seam is centred

 

 

 

Position the ruler to where it measures and inch and a half, and mark a line.  Do the same for the other side, then sew across the points

 

 

 

Trim the points off, leaving a quarter inch seam

 

 

 

Turn the bag right side out - the bottom should look like this

 

 

 

Next, you need two six inch lengths of tape.  Turn over a small hem and press, then turn it over again and press again.  do the same at the other end, but turn the hem to the other side.  Repeat with your other piece of tape, then sew across the hems.

 

 

 

Stitch two velcro loop spots onto the felt and two hook ones onto one end of each piece of tape

 

 

 

Sew the other spots to the other end of the tapes and the inside of the bag

 

 

 

Last, glue the felt to the bottom of the coaster

 

 

 

The finished tidy bag on the table.  If you only want to use the coaster, simply take the bag off .....

 

 

 

.... and if you want to take your bag to a workshop, simply tuck the coaster and tapes into the bag!
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 

A good read

When we were in Falkirk last week, I had two places I wanted to go to ....... The Wishing Well Newsagents, who have a superb collection of magazines, and Waterstone's bookshop, because you know that I love books.  So .... did I buy anything - of course I did!!

 

I haven't seen this American knitting magazine before.  There are lots of super patterns, and I particularly liked these stockings - but I don't think I will be knitting any in time for this Christmas!!

 

I like cloth.paper.scissors magazines, and I really, really like their Studios special issues.  It's fascinating to see other peoples' studios ..... and to show Malcolm that there are people who have bigger stashes than me!!

 

I liked the little sign about chocolate in the next photograph - I think I may have to do an embroidered picture with the saying for my friend Lorraine - she would rather have a box of chocolates than sausage, bacon and egg for breakfast (and I do mean a box!!)

 

Then it was on to Waterstone's, where I was spoiled for choice ...... there were just so many wonderful books!!  When it got to the point of Malcolm threatening to drag me from the shop, I choose this gorgeous book.  I just want to make everything in it!!

 

 

How could you resist these fabulous little creatures

 

 

I think these little birdhouses are just so cute - they are definitely going to the top of the post-Christmas to-do list!!

 

But I would need to make a much bigger birdhouse for the pigeon who visited the garden this morning, pecking at the food which the small birds had scattered from the bird table