It's all done with mirrors

this could be a fleeting visit

I have titled it all done with mirrors when actually it is typed with a magnifier in one hand  and a magnifier in the other.

It's difficult ,

It has been a busy summer , beautiful but busy .

 

My two son's re ,landscaped my back garden for me .. It is now easier for me to manage .

The goldfish have gone to a new home a few doors  away . 12 were re,homed  . My neighbour said only one died. Most likely through stress

 

I'm showing cardigans I have knitted for the little ones in the family .

Two in lemon colour for the twins who were 2 years old recently and a pale pink one for their six year old sister

 

I used a tarn called cup cake .  It is a Peter Pan pattern and yarn . I loved using it

 

I have more knitting on the go for the children. I have been told about knitting for someone who has a stall inside a local hospital . She knits and sells her garments on the stall. the money goes to the childrens ward . It helps buy equipment.

It will be lovely to knit small garments like bootees, matinee coats and hats instead of 3 of every thing .

 

I will try to visit again ., it sure takes longer to put a post together using one finger

 

Bye for now xx

This morning I seem to be wasting precious time fiddling about with Picasa but I wanted to show you what I see each morning when I go to make my tea.

This all is facing my kitchen window . The rose on th right of the picture is calle New Daw. Very pretty and repeat flowering . It cost £1.99, bare root and is growing in a scrap o fsoil between the slabbing and the garage wall as is the rose on the left of the picture, I cannot remember the name of that one. The label will be in the garage . It is also a repeat flowering. They are almost black spot free without spraying

In my back garden I have a climbing rose called Masquerade. I want to replace it this year because it has struggled ,ivy forsythia and wiegelia from next door have chocked the progress .Iwanted

This is a f favourite spot to sit when I am working in the garden and need respite.

There is a border at the right side of the picture that is being revamped . I have started planting this border but have decided I want a white border so many of the recently bought plants will be lifted and placed elsewhere .

My son stayed with me for a few days two weeks ago .  He cut 5 trees out for me . It has made such a difference

This is the border that was cleared for replanting . It is the one that is going to be changed again to a white border . A good selection of plants to start has been purchased .If the weather improves this afternoon I shall make a start  .

Since I'm trying to come to terms with my eye problems I cannot see the laptop screen clearly so when you see bad grammer and mis,spelling please try to ignore it.

This morning I have tried to order knitting yarn from the internet . I went through all the required motions then I must have pressed the wrong key and lost it .  I'm sure bluebell will sort it for me . She is still very busy painting her bungalow ..

Where I live we have had a few wonderful summer days , the evenings have been warm and still.

On Thursday I spent the whole day tidying  the garden where spring flowers had died back

Today I felt I had earned my time to sit back and admire the view

 

I tried posting 6 photo's of the garden but they disappeared into cyber spac . I'll have another try tomorrow .

I'm off for a little more lazing about with my knitting

A long time without blogging .

I find it very difficult to read the keyboard even with a lamp each side of the laptop . Also my fave just inches away .

 

I find it easier to knit and crochet than I do to sew   Woe is me atpresent.

 

I have been trying to finish off these two quilts.

One is now completed , the other one needs the centre 's doing

 

By magnifying the screen I manage to read some blogs but find it very difficult to leave comment if I have to leave verification ..

 

I will try my very best to keep in touch

 

I shall be quite .

happy to do niave quilting using Perle thread if I manage to put a quilt together.

 

Bye for now

Clickety Click

This matinee jacket is for a new kid on the block when it chooses to join us .

A little girl was booked to arrive last Tuesday but at the present time hasn't decided to yet.

again I used King Cole yarn. Melody , a shaded yarn 2,99for a 100 gr ball .

The jacket used about 3/4 of the ball . Excellent value.

I am on the final stretch of finishing 2 bolero's for he 21 month old twins.

Patchwork and quilting on the back burner at present.

After burning my fingers last week they are still tender but a least they did not blister due to the fact I packed ice on the palm of my hand.

Was it a build  op to Friday he 13th//?

 

On Wednesday I went to the garden centre with bluebell . I didn't close the blinds to keep the sun out of the room . While I was out the sun shone on the magnifier and burned through a loose cover and the arm of the chair .

Today I left the handle of the grill pan over a lit gas ring .

The result is badly burned fingers .

I'm earnestly hoping a third mishap does not occur.

SPLASH

I have been asked about the pattern I used for the cardigans I knitted

It s a King Cole pattern no,.3146 . It can b obtained from the internet .

The pattern ranges in size 1 to 6 years .

The yarn is double knitting ,  shade Apricot .

It was a joy to use . Price £3.99 for a 100gr,. ball

each cardigan used les than 2 balls .

King Cole

Last week I said I would show the 3 cardigans I had knitted using King Cole wool .

It is a shaded yarn called Splash .

I really enjoyed using it .

The two cardi's are for 21 month old twins . the one below is for their 6 year old big sister.

I finished knitting them a week ago but could not get around to finishing the ends and sewing on the buttons

I feel I am now on the winning side with the gardening . It is looking good

Well! tomorrow is another day and no doubt the merry go round will start all over again.

I'm so pleased I did the gardening yesterday . Today it was raining when I got up this morning , it is still raining at 7 tonight.

I have spent the day knitting, If I can find the right buttons I will show the 3 cardigans tomorrow.

It will be later in the week I I have to go to town to buy buttons .

It was quite nice to sit knitting .

I also did cooking of food that will do for lunch or dinner . Now stored in the freezer.

If the weather is fine tomorrow I have to spread 3 bags of soil conditioner around my flowers.

 

The quilt I'm showing was made about 15 years ago .

I'm very fond of this quilt , no pattern , just made up as I went along.

I finished this quilt top at the weekend .

Today I have put it together with batting and backing . Perhaps you will be able to see all the safety pins.

Most of the pieces were a layer cake with a kind of Japanese design.  The rest of the fabric I had in my stash ,it blended in very well .

No pattern , I just added strips and cut the layer cake and made blocks to put around the sides .

I have backed it with red so it could possibly be used a Christmas on the reverse side.

I started  hand quilting it.this afternoon . What nicer way to spend a rainy afternoon .I shall be quilting in the ditch on all the seams , nothing else . I felt I had spent a pleasant afternoon hand sewing .

I started this quilt hoping my stash would thin down a little.

I doesn't seem to have made any difference .

I Know, I Know

We haven't had summer yet but it is not too early to be thinking of making fresh stuff for Christmas.

I shall be making a full size bed quilt as usual . If plans are made too late it turns into a chore .

Because of the rain I have been confined to the house instead of being in the garden .

This morning I was reading a back issue of a House Beautiful magazine dated Dec,. 2007.Of course it contained a lot of Christmas stuff . That is what made me think , confined to the house , root around in the fabric .  Plenty of red, peruse the patchwork books for inspiration .

Yesterday I was finishing a top. Today I shall put it together with it's wadding and backing before playing with ideas for the Christmas quilt .

A Freebie

What a wonderful gift last night .! The rain bucketed down . No plants broken, but the ground was thoroughly saturated .  Better than all the tap water .I am so grateful .The borders look really lush today.  Also bowls that I had left hanging around contained about 2" of water so that other plants from the house had a treat too.

 

See the nest below?  I don't know what happened there   A Blackbird sat on the nest for longer than usual / The nest had been built in my bean sticks .

When I realised she had not been back for a few days I took it down .  I don't know if it ever had eggs in there but there were never any young or egg shells on the shed floor . A Magpie had been spending more time than usual in the garden . I have my suspicions .

 

Yesterday I went into town , I had a lovely morning . I had my eyebrows done . Met someone I had not seen for a long time. We had a long gossip . She was on her way to a zumba exercise class .  She begged me to join her but I declined .I don't have enough hours in the day.

I called at a Poundland shop Such a treasure trove . I bought my usual  brand of spray starch there for £1 . I pay a lot more in the supermarket.  I spent £6 in there. I called at M/S . I bought a £10 meal deal in there. A beautiful plump chicken , salad , panna cotta and a bottle of Rose' wine, a bargain .

 

It' raining again now but I don't mind .

 

The only negative happening yesterday was I lost the tv signal. The tv is still off so perhaps I shall have to get someone to look at the aerial .  Means I cannot see Clelsea today..

I will show my temptations from the quilt show at Malvern

I bought bag patterns as usual . Two of them are kits . Expensive but they always contain fabric that suit the pattern so well .

 

I bought just 2 fat quarters of striped fabric and a pack of Donegal Tweed to add to my felt stash .I would have loved to have bought more of the tweed as yardage , but .

I bought this 24" wedge ruler .

Earlier in the year I bought another Material Obsession book .  The patterns are big ., no tiddly small bits so a big ruler is needed .

Today it is raining so it gives me a good excuse to not do my garden although there are still 2 areas that need attention

 

Hey Ho lets sew .

Thankyou

Thank you for the kind comments on my last blog .

Yes I can magnify the writing but I cannot identify the keys on the keyboard .

I am losing central vision due to macular degeneration . I have been told my spectacles cannot  be changed , it would not make any difference .

I use to whizz away on my sewing  machine now I am much more cautious ..My sewing machine is raised higher , .

When I write I cannot see my writing .The good thing is I was told I will not go blind . So I'm grateful .  Everything is just foggy .

More toothpaste goes into the wash basin than goes on to the brush .  Stupid things really.

I have to be told what is on the menu when eating out .

I get confused by colour , pink and yellow look the same also blue and green . I'm not complaining just explaining.

 

Bye for now I'm going blog browsing .

Let Me Explain

I have not been writing my blog lately . Reason being I cannot see to write properly .

Last week I had my laptop cleaned ,at the same time I bought a cable enabling me to plug the laptop into the tv. It enlarges the picture but I still cannot read the writing .

Enough said there

My eye sight has worsened rapidly of late .

Perhaps you recall me writing my neighbour gave me a large ball of yarn , this is the waistcoat I knitted using the yarn I am so pleased I bought a ball of yarn in a different shade to knit a longer waistcoat .

I have been emptying the containers of winter pansies , I could not bear to throw these in the bin so I will enjoy them a little longer

I read blogs with the aid of a hand held magnifier . I shall leave comments here and there and a blog when I am able .

Today Bluebell and myself went to the quilt show at Malvern . The weather was sunny and lovely . We had a great time as usual .Sadly we both forgot to take our camera .

I bought a large floor standing lamp that has a light and a strong magnifying lens . I have yet to assemble it . Hopefully it will be a big help .

I also bought lovely woollen scotch tweed fabric and of course bag patterns also a long wedge ruler

 

I'm off now for a welcome coffee and a sit down to browse my purchases .

Just another day

I'm gradually getting done all that needs.

Dead daffodils removed to make way for summer planting. I shall wait a few days to let the earth settle again .

A good bucket full of weeds pulled out too . I finished making my new quilt bag. Quite pleased to see another project finished . I also knitted a sleeve for the cardigan . I shall be doing 3 cardigans in the same yarn for sisters. I have made 2 backs, 4 fronts,and 2 sleeves up to now. these will be for the twins , then a larger one for big sister.

So , another satisfying day.

Briony of http;//craftycatscorner.com has shown a super wall hanging made from her odds and ends of wool . Take a peek/

A Good Day

Yesterday was a very good day. I finished this knee blanket for a birthday gift .I made it for an elderly gentleman who has spent 6 months in hospital . That is a big slice out of life .

He sent it back home because he has had several of his possessions stolen while in hospital. His shaver , his Roberts radio and his fan . He will use it when he eventually gets home.

 

Tis is his blanket parcelled and tied with crochet flowers ,

 

I also finished a bag I was making for bluebell .She bought the pattern a long time ago but could not quite get the instructions.

It has 4 similar sides with the handles tied at the top . The handles are pinned on , they need attaching with buttons .

 

I am making a colourful large bag for myself . I'd like to get that finished today .

 

I recently discovered King Cole knitting wool.

I am knitting cardies for the little ones . It is beautiful yarn and such a pleasure to use .

I'll show that later in the week.

 

In the garden daffodils to be lifted and snapdragons put in .

 

I'm off for a late coffee, a piece of seeded bread toast too.mmm

Time to Spare

This time of the year I have very little time to spare . So much to keep up with in the garden . I'm giving serious thought to having a little help . The thought then crosses my mind that it will not be my own garden any more   .I am making two quilts from the book Adding layers but finding it difficult paying enough time to my patchwork at present ,

Also knitting going on . A neighbour gave me a large 400 gr ball of wool she had left over from her own knitting .There is enough to make myself a waistcoat for using when gardening .

The Tulips in the garden are really giving a good show so the hard work last Autumn planting them was worthwhile.They are very early flowering , May is usually the time for Tulips.

My little corner for respite.

My lunch , and very welcome too .

It is grilled Aubergine with Halloumi cheese, a few green olives and a grilled banana . Yes the banana is an unusual combo but if I eat it last it will count as my sweet course .When you dine alone anything goes .Last week I had my son staying with me for four days . Things were done in the correct order then .

More Tulips ,I love them.

Inside home at the end of the day and an Easter bouquet from the shop as a present to myself . If all goes well I might get a little sewing time , but, it is a neighbours birthday tomorrow he has been in hospital for six months and is still there . I must finish the crochet knee blanket I am making for him .

Wood Spurge

Briony is right , the plant in my garden that I could not identify is indeed wood spurge . Thank you clever lady .

I shall have to continue to pull it out . Apparantly it spreads by rizomes .and will take over . It looks pretty but no thank you.I bought this desk last weekend so I could sit in the conservatory and machine , It's very stable , no shaking on the machine . It is made of oak .It has a little brass label on one of the drawers that reads Ministry of Defence .

I also bought a new garden seat . The old one was very dodgy , I was concerned someone would end up sitting on the floor. 

I intend to spend a lot of time this year sitting in the garden days when it is sunny.

This is a close up of the plant I am trying to identify.

The flower sits above a rosette of leaves

My tea tonight , Spinach with black eye beans , olive oil and lemon.