frayed at the edge

Bits and pieces!

I was so excited when I opened the post this morning - my lovely friend Sarah had sent me a belated birthday present - just look at what she sent 

 

a wonderful set of stamps - with pictures of post boxes!!  And .... the folder has lots of interesting photos and info

thank you Sarah - it is a super present!!

 

I was in a charity shop in Jedburgh this morning, when I saw this little cross-stitch kit - priced at only £2.50 - needless to say I had to buy it!

 

This afternoon, I met my friend Lorraine to go to knit'n'natter.  I hadn't seen her for ages, as she went on holiday just when we came back!  We had rather a lot of news to catch up on - including hearing about what she got for her birthday last month - a new sewing machine!  However I did manage to do some knitting in between chatting, drinking tea (and eating a toasted teacake!).  Malcolm recently bought me this tea cosy book (sorry about the marks on it - I accidently splashed it with wax when I was blowing out a candle)

I foolishly said to Malcolm that I would knit him whichever cosy he wanted - and some of them are very elaborate!  But being a man of tast and refinement, he picked a very simple one.  It should actually be knitted in a paler blue, but this denim blue aran wool was left over from a jumper I knitted for him last year

not bad for an afternoon's knitting (and I've started the other side!)

 

If you've ever bought a book from Amazon, then you'll know that you get e-mails for ever more suggesting other books you might like to buy.  Usually I delete them before I'm tempted - but last week I got an e-mail saying that people who had previously bought a book by Jan Brocket might also like to buy Cath Kidston's new book.  I made the mistake of looking at the new book .... yes, I bought it!

As well as all sorts of lovely projects, there is also a kit to make the bag on the cover - I think that might go to quite near the top of the to-do list!
 
 
 
 
 
  

Stitching sunflowers

Do you remember some weeks ago I made a quilt top with some of the left over fabric from Oliver's quilt?  Well, this afternoon I decided to quilt it!  First I had to decide how to quilt it, and as the bright colours made me think of summer, I decided to use a sunflower.  This meant I had to make templates - first a circle for the centre on the flower, then another with the petals added.  I used card from a cereal packet (we quilters were recycling/upcycling cereal packets long before it became fashionable!)

I then marked sunflowers randomly on the quilt top, including some half-flowers on the edges and in the corners, using a chalk pencil

Next I layered the top with some lovely fleece that I bought yesterday at Borderland Fabrics - I would call the colour buttermilk

I stitched round the flowers using a lovely variegated yellow thread - this photo shows the stitching on the fleece

 

But I wasn't just stitching flowers this afternoon, I was also taking photos of them!  I picked these three flowers from a late flowering fuschia, then had fun arranging them, first on their own

and then with this tiny fan, which was given to me by a lovely Japanese lady whom I taught how to quilt when I was living in Indonesia!

And lastly, for all the fans of Annette's cakes, of course I have a photo of yesterday's wonder - one of her light as air sponges, with jam and cream ... yum, yum!!

 
 
 
 
 

The tea table is set ......

..... and the stove is lit - so it must be time for the first meeting of Kist for the autumn/winter session!  (for new readers, Kist is my house group - it stands for k1 stitch two, and is also a Scottish word for a chest, particularly a hope chest)

 

of course I didn't bake the goodies - maybe one day .......

 

 

lots of magazines, books and patterns to look at!
 

 

We were a small group today, as Lizzi and Lorraine are both on holiday (although more members are going to join us soon!), so it was just Alison, Tricia and me.  We had a great day, knitting, sewing, blethering, drinking tea, eating cake .....  Alison was working on a wonderful piece of embroidery - she had first drawn and painted the picture on paper, using special paints and crayons.  She then put the paper on to the fabric and ironed it, transferring the picture.  The colours are wonderful ....

 

 

Tricia did a bit of quilting on a bag she is in the middle of making, and she also did a bit of knitting, but the star of the day was her beautiful quilted and embroidered cushion ......

 

The stitching is lovely, and the colour of the embroidery is echoed in the edging.  And ..... the back is so lovely, it is really a reversible cushion ..... 

 

 

So what was I doing?  Well ...... yes, it was those chickens!  I cut and stitched the rest of the strips I need for the sashing, then I embroidered the legs and beak on this little chook ...

 

 

 
 
 
 
 

Autumn colours

Yesterday was a lovely day, so we decided to go for a walk in the park.  Of course the new camera had to go too, so that I could continue to explore the wide variety of settings (although sometimes I have to fall back on the 'intelligent auto'!!).  We sat outside the little tearoom for a cuppa (the tearoom closes for the winter next weekend!) and I was able to take this photo

 

These tress are just starting to change colour, but when we walked further through the park, we saw these lovely trees ........

 

...... with a beautiful mix of autumn colours.

 

Back home, I went out to the studio to do some sewing. Although it was a bright sunny day, it was a bit chilly, so I lit the woodburning stove for the first time this autumn/winter

 

 

Now that the chicken blocks are well on the way to being finished, I decided to make a start to the sashing strips - there is quite a lot of work to be done on them!  Of course I first cleaned the sewing machine and put in a new needle.  Then I assembled some of the fabrics needed for the sashing

 

I chose the four fabrics on the right, from which I cut lots of strips

 

I sewed the strips together in pairs, then sewed the pairs together

 

It was good to be sitting at the sewing machine after such a long break - even if it was just basic sewing!!

 

Some of you may have noticed that my comments on your blogs show me with a different ID ..... blogger/blogspot keeps telling me there is an error in my ID when I use 'frayedattheedge' .......
hopefully it will sort itself out soon! 
 
 
 

 
 

A nice bit of fruit cake!

It has been a busy day!  Of course, being Friday, it started with the housework, so the house is clean and tidy for the weekend.  Then it was off to the dentist .... I was having impressions taken - something I really don't like!  After that it was a quick trip to the post office, to post off the prizes for the giveaway.  A stop at the baguette shop for lunch, then it was on to Jedburgh for patch'n'chat at Borderland fabrics.  I was working on those chickens again - marking the beaks and feet, ready to embroider them.  Fortunately, Seonaid had some wonderful quilting with her, so I have interesting photos for you (there are only so many times I can show you those chickens!!)

The first photo shows Seonaid's practice pieces ...

 

and this photo shows a detail of her quilt

 

Having marked in the central line of the vine, Seonaid is quilting the leaves without any marking, which takes a lot of skill - it looks fabulous, and I hope I get the chance to show you photos once the quilt is finished.

 

Of course, we can't have a report of patch'n'chat without a mention of cake ..... today there was a choice of fruit cake or shortbread - we all had a slice of cake, but managed to resist the shortbread!!

One of the other Annes was missing today - she is at home recuperating after surgery on her knee.  We all wish her a speedy recovery.

Hope you have a good weekend, love, Anne
 
 

Gremlins!

Well, those pesky little gremlins have been rounded up and removed!!  So after a slight delay, here it is, my 200th post (I just hope you think it was worth waiting for!!!)  I have been so busy since we got back, that I haven't yet taken photos of the things included in the giveaway, but there are things from Australia and Singapore ... and maybe even something from the studio.  All you have to do is leave a comment (or e-mail me) ........ I'll make the draw on Wednesday evening, so be sure to visit on Thursday to see if you are a winner.  I really enjoy writing my blog - I had withdrawal symptoms on holiday!!  But of course there would be no point in writing it, if I didn't have all you lovely people out there reading it - so .... thank you!!

Yesterday, it was off down the road to Chesters, for another of Lindsay's Woolgathering.  There was a good turn out, and as it was a slightly chilly (but sunny) day, we had a log fire to keep us cozy while we worked.  As always, there was a great variety of work - my favourite was Janet's beautiful embroidered cushion

Her stitching is exquisite, as you can see in this detail

 

Alison is just starting a new venture, making wonderful kitchen accessories

I immediately bought a chef's pad, and I may have to buy a matching towel - they are designed to fit over the handle of your oven - a great thing if you have husbands/children who take the kitchen towel to dry their hands and don't put it back!!  There are also aprons and oven gloves available.  If you are interested in buying any of these lovely things for your kitchen, let my know and I will pass your enquiry on to Alison.

 

Fiona received lots of compliments on this wonderful fabric picture - I'm sorry the photo doesn't do it justice - it was hard to take a photo without getting reflections on the glass.

 

I was working on my chickens - I think I will have to make an early New Year's Resolution - get those chickens finished!!

 

 

Of course, no Woolgathering would be complete without one of Lindsay's wonderful cakes ......

 

 

 

Back to reality!

After all the wonderful weather we had on holiday, we awoke this morning to grey skies and drizzle!!  Never mind, the damp weather couldn't spoil my birthday!  Malcolm brought me a cup of tea in bed (and presents!)  - and I had cards from friends, including a very special one sent from Australia by my very special blogging friend Lee.  Thank you, too, to all the people who left comments with birthday wishes!!  We went to a local garden centre for brunch (more sausage, bacon and egg!)  Then it was home to continue with the unpacking.  Among the goodies from Australia are these three magazines ...

This is the first issue of this magazine.  There are some interesting articles and some good projects.

This is the second issue of this knitting magazine - it was the only Australian knitting magazine that I found - although there were several British and American magazines available.

Just one of the quilting/sewing/craft magazines that I bought - some of them were in 'bundles', where they give you two out-of-date magazines free with a new magazine - brilliant idea!!

 

I was relieved to find that this little gift tag had survived the journey home - it is ceramic, and although it was in bubble wrap and cushioned by clothes, I was worried that it would snap.  I think I will frame it to hang in the studio - the quote just appeals so much to me .....

 

It wouldn't be a birthday without cake ..... this is just a tiny little cake (it's on a teaplate) but it is lovely and chocolatey, with Smarties on the top - yum, yum!

  Malcolm is busy cooking dinner ..... salmon, new potatoes, broccoli and hollandaise sauce, and we are having a nice glass of fizz, as we have an extra reason to celebrate - the sale of Malcolm's Dad's house was finally completed today, after some hitches along the way.

I'm hoping to do some sewing tomorrow, but if not, I will defintely do some on Sunday, as Lindsay has orgaised another Woolgathering - it will be good to catch up on everyone's news and see what they are working on.

 

The cutting room floor

Since I started my blog, I have taken hundreds of photos, and of course I have used quite a lot of them.  But there are some photos which are still languishing unseen in my folders ... perhaps they are a bit blurred, or the moment for that story passed, or something better cropped up later in the day to change the plans for that day's post .... and there are also all the photos from before blogging! However,  unlike bit-part actors, whose moment of glory ended up on the cutting room floor, some of these photos are finally getting their moment in the spotlight!

We'll start with cute animals .....

 

 

 

 

 

 

then a bit of falling down fence

 

 

my latest pillar box

 

 

a bit of sewing

 

 

a bit of knitting

 

 

there has to be Scotland's (other) national drink

 

 

a little bit of (a previous) garden

 

 

a (holiday) sunset

 

 

swallows getting ready to fly off to sunnier climes

 

I hope you have enjoyed my trawl through the archives ... and now I have a present for you ..... a little bouquet of flowers and grasses which I picked from the hedgerow this morning, when I went out for my last three mile walk - I certainly have got my legs fit for the holidays!!

 

No doubt while we're away we will have the occasional glass of wine .... and as always I'll raise my glass and think of family and friends and say

 

cheers!!

A perfect scone

As ever, yesterday morning saw me leaping out of bed at 6.30 to head out for my walk.  I've shown you lots of photos of the Eildon and Minto hills, but not Ruberslaw, the hill behind us, as the sun is usually behind it.  Finally yesterday morning I was able to take a photo

 

When I got to the bottom of the hill, where I turn to head back home, a car drew up and and elderly man got out.  He expressed surprise that I was out and about so early.  I explained that I went for a walk every weekday morning, to keep fit.  He then said that when he retired he started keeping black sheep, to give himself a reason to get out of bed in the morning.  He then heaved a bag of feed out of the boot of his car (a very cool and trendy black Mercedes!) and we went over to the gate to look at the sheep.  He called to them to come over to the gate, then got them to stand and pose for a photo

 

The ewe at the back was supreme champion at the Royal Highland Show at Ingliston, one of the other ewes is her daughter and another is her granddaughter!  The one on the right is the tup (ram) - the elderly gent couldn't quite find the right expression to tell me why the tup was there ... eventually he hit on the word 'mate'!!  He then headed into the field to feed them and I headed home for breakfast.

 

In the afternoon, as always it was off to Jedburgh for patch'nchat at Borderland Fabrics.  I took along the strips I had left from the 'jelly roll' that I bought for Oliver's quilt.

 

I had decided to use them to make a quilt for 'Project Linus', which gives quilts to sick children (named after Linus in the Peanuts cartoons, who is always seen clutching his blanket).

 

I started by selecting six strips and stitching them into two lots of three, which I then crosscut into squares.  I realised I needed more squares and did the same again (sorry, forgot to take a photo of the second lot!)

 

All the squares cut and laid out ready to sew together .... but then there was a slight pause, when we had to go and eat Norrie's wonderful scones ( I had butter and strawberry jam on mine)

 

We were also offered a slice of Annette's light-as-air sponge, but we were strong and went back to our sewing!

 

By the end of the afternoon, I had the squares sewn into strips.

 

On the way out to the studio this afternoon, I was sidetracked by this lovely butterfly, which sat and posed on the buddleia!

 

A quick bit of sewing, and the strips were joined together

 

The last stage was to add borders, then I went out into the garden to take an arty shot of the quilt top draped over a steamer chair - but as fast as I focused the camera, the breeze sprung up and moved the quilt!  Eventually I managed to take my photo ....

 

Don't forget to come back tomorrow for Shadow Shot Sunday - especially if you like cute little dogs .....

aDORAble

It didn't take too long today to think of a name for my woodland fairy - an adorable little Dora!  I worked hard yesterday at the Woolgathering to get her finished - today I just had to add her floral crown and her flowers - as she is a Scottish woodland fairy, she has a little bouquet of thistles!

 

sitting in her woodland glade

 

lovely golden curls

 

ready to fly away .....

 

...... but only as far as a cosy perch on the shelf - it has been a bit too wet and windy for her to be out in the woods today!