Let them eat cake

Today I had my baking hat on . I had 10 eggs that only had 2 days left on their best before so I decided to put them to good use . A dozen tarts ( the pastry is truly melt in the mouth ) . A coffee walnut cake , a lemon drizzle cake , a plate of rock buns and a creme caramel, I shall be taking most to the sewing circle .

This last 2 days my fish have been on the move , I have counted 7 maybe 8 . I had 10 originally , it,s difficult to count because they keep going back where they have been sheltering over the winter . If I still have 10 I shall be very pleased . I,m not sure when to start giving them feed , I,ll have to do a bit of research .

I,ve had a nosey round my garden . I have a few snowdrops , a few bulbs just about coming through and a few fat buds here and there . I,m surprised anything survived the winter . A few winter pansies seem to be showing the odd flower here and there. I,m really looking forward to the gardening programmes starting on the T,V

Pink quilt

The red Christmas quilt aroused interest so I have put another verion of the pattern here .
This is 2 strips joined , these strips were 2", 2 joined together ,resulting in a 3 1/2 inch strip . then a 3 1/2 inch sq,.laid on ( in a contrast) and machined across as a half sq,. triangle
I do like this pattern , I just cut the strips and pick them up at random , It is quick,easy and effective. This quilt is hand quilted .

I,ve had a busy weekend. I always think on Saturday mornings, nothing planned , I,ll sit in my conservatory , reading ,sewing, drinking tea or coffee and just mooching about . It never works out . Mine is an open house for friends to come and go at will . Bluebell came Saturday, she bought me perfume for my birthday, we could not loosen the tops (there were 3 bottles in a set) she took them back to the shop, she said they bought several sets out and could loosen none , but success in the end . I shall now smell delectable . Bluebell is the most generous person going , she gave me lots of pressies .

Then my neighbour called so more gossiping .

I thought Sunday, ah ! a day of rest , but a friend called bringing batting and backing for a quilt she needed machine quilting. I use a domestic not a long arm . and another friend called on a mission . I had given her some blocks ages and ages ago but she needed some more of the cream fabric in them to do the size quilt she had in mind . Off we went to look see . I even amazed myself by putting my hand on the required cream fabric in less than 2 minutes.

Cristmas quilt

I started this quilt the week before christmas , (1) to use up red in my stash (2) the pattern is quick and easy .It is any length strip , and width to suit yourself , if your strip is 3" wide just add a 3" sq,.on the end and machine across to turn it into a half sq,.triangle and press back , join in rows,add borders batting and backing , machine or hand quilt .
I machine quilted mine with hearts . perhaps you will be able to see if you click on the picture to enlarge

This is the corner turned back to show the backing, it could be used either side
This quilt was started about the same time.

It was done in the English method over papers, it is pretty but it did make my fingers sore.

As far as quilts go perhaps this is next christmas taken care of

Tea Cosy

I was blog browsing on Saturday evening and came across this delightful tea cosy . It was on the header of a blog called spiced apple, you will find her on my side bar.

I left a message on suzie,s comment column, would she mind if I copied it, (plagarism at work)

Suzie said I could go ahead.

On Sunday morning bluebell was going to the fabric guild , I ask her to get the wool for me . I couldn,t wait to start crocheting my cosy . I finished it last night . I,m absolutely thrilled with it . I think I possibly got carried away with the size of the rose but then you cannot have too much of a good thing. Isn,t it just sooper dooper .

Happy Birthday

As I,ve got older my birthdays have got better and better . I, have had a lovely day
I awoke to the sight of a clear garden and the snow gone
Then the opening of the cards and presents, I hope I don,t sound mercenary but it was exciting
I had perfume , fabric in a very pretty basket , a very nice shopping bag, buttons , lace and a antique button .A Kaffe Fassett V& A patchwork book that is a absolute dream ( it isn,t on the picture , I had been reading it and it was elsewhere . ) a cookery book and silicone baking cases, hand cream , 2 bunches of tulips and a mixed bouquet of flowers from bluebells husband my neighbour treated me to my newspaper and then silver sewer came to visit and presented me with a lovely piece of red glass .

With friends like this I have a lot to live up to . A truly delightful day

Nearly there

Tomorrow will be my birthday , I have long past had my quota of birthdays but I still face each day with a song in my heart and a skiffle around to the music on the radio , and when get a chance , a stupid fit of the giggles with bluebell

It has been a lovely day so far ,I had good news from my son , a trip to our fabric guild AND I went for a birthday lunch , compliments of bluebell .

I have pressies and cards to open in the morning

I have been reading in the British patchwork & quilting magazine Jan,. issue an article called African threads .

It tells how grandmothers are being left to care for their grandchildren orphaned by HIV/AIDS epidemic . These grannies are doing embroidery and applique and other crafts to help support these poor children, the wall hangings are beautiful . The article is detailed and too long for me to type but please look at

www.africanthreads.ca

Grandmothers-to-Grandmothers http://www.stephenlewisfoundation.org/

A lady calledValerie Header wrote the article

Valeries blog www.threadlink.typepad.com/africanthreads

also www.africanthreads.etsy.com

You can also send val an email val@valerieheader.com

Valerie Header is a textile artist and author who was born in South Africa and lives in Nova Scotia Canada .

Valerie was awarded the Dorothy McMurdie Award by the Canadian quilters Ass,.for her contribution to quilting in Canada

Valerie would welcome links to her websites to help promote the work of South African textile artists

I do not know Valerie but was so moved by the article I wanted to share it .

Mooching

I,m getting bored now being confined with the snow but bluebell and I went out mooching around yesterday . We did a bit of undercover spying on a wall hanging we saw before christmas. Very ornate , extensively beaded and beribboned, crazy patchwork . £195 . It was worth it if you have that much money to part with , If I had made it I would want that much money BUT it is ethnic so how much did the maker get for making it .

Bluebell guided me to the rail where the pink T, shirts were , I had been saying all morning I,m not spending , but I was weak , pink has that effect on me .

While I have been confined to the house I,ve been eating such a lot of fattening food and sweet drinks and my , it shows , I have a tyre around my middle that would do for a spare on a tractor . I cannot remedy this while it is still cold but I will certainly have to work on it when the weather improves .