Mini Mania time

The months seem to fly by and this month is no exception, but I have enjoyed this months challenge.  My flickr friend Dee set the challenge this month,  and I have to say its been a bit easier than last months, but what a lot of choices we had.  I decided to look on line to see some different designs and this is where my dilemma began as I loved so many.   I think this was my favourite, but the challenge was to cut 1" strips and I couldn't make the pattern work unless one strip was 1.25".  Would they have sent the measuring police??  In the end I went for tradition log cabin, but not traditional shading.

Neat little pile

 Now for the design....

I liked them all, but the last one was my final choice. so lets get it together.

All sewn together

Bit of quilting

Tah Dah!

So another challenge bites the dust.....wonder what next month will bring.

I had a few strips left so thought I might have a go at this one, even though its not all 1" strips .... but I like it.

The green block looks a bit wonky....

Think I might be hooked on Log Cabin blocks so watch this space...

Reminiscing

Maybe the last chance to sit in the garden this year...

It was a glorious day on Saturday so I spent some time in the garden.  After I had mowed the lawn I sat lapping up the sun and doing some knitting.  I also wanted to listen to a radio play so set up the ipad and tuned in.  The play was about a radio soap 'The Archers' that is still broadcast today.  It was the 60th anniversary of a particular episode where they killed off one of the heroines 'Grace Archer', I was just a small child, but was allowed to listen to the Archers, then it was off to bed.   I can remember that episode being broadcast, and can even remember sitting with my Mum and we just couldn't believe it......Grace Archer dead.   The outpouring of grief from the  whole country was something that had never been seen before,
 I believe the BBC was swamped with phone calls and flowers. The radio play told the actual story of how the actress (Ysanne Churchman) was told just before she went on air to broadcast the show that she would die  that evening, so poor old Grace was as shocked as we (the audience).  The theory of 'why', were numerous, but two things do stand out.  One was that Ysanne was lobbying for equal pay for actresses and was classed by the 'bosses' as a trouble maker and the other was a ploy to thwart the launch night of ITV.  Things don't change.....but, talk about bringing back memories..... as I remember it Grace was mad keen on horses, her stables caught fire and she was killed trying to rescue her beloved horses, and that's just the way it happened...... fancy remembering that after all these years.  Anyone else out there that's willing to admit to remembering?????

I also had a flash back for cakes that used to be a standard treat.... 'Rock Cakes'.  I used to make them often for my children, but have not made them for years and think the recipe must be one of those that you keep in your brain.  Only thing is my brain has lost it..... but Mr Google came up trumps and the baking began.

Just like I remember

 I had a little time to finish this

I loved working with this yarn

It feels as light as Candy Floss

and I have made a few of these.....

few more Xmas gifts 

Happy memories.
'

Quiet Time

Not a lot seems to be going on in my household, but I don't seem to have any spare time either.  One thing that did take some time was when we went down to London to visit family and it took us 2.5 hours to travel 4 miles because of traffic!  The thing was that we left the shopping mall early to avoid the rush hour traffic, but clean forgot that there were road works about 8 miles away and all the traffic was trying to find alternative routes......Blaaaaa!!!  At one point I got out of the car and bought some fruit from a shop and got back to the car without the car moving.  I never forget how lucky we are to live in a 'fairly' rural area, and count my blessings that we never have to sit in traffic like that.

On Friday we had our crochet group meeting, and one of the ladies has been offered some Carpet Wool......for free!!  Evidently it was headed for the rubbish tip!......do you remember last year when 'L' actually bought some (pictured below).

Got a bit carried away.

This is some of the yarn that we have gained for free'   I have just wound it into smaller balls so a few big balls can go a bit further.

Not sure you can see just how big the balls were 

One of the wooden spools empty, bet there's a few folk that would like those!

The other thing that is growing is the pile of bonding blankets for  Emily's Star

These can be added to the box we are now collecting

I have also decided to try a different recipe for my apple pies.  This morning I peeled and chopped all my remaining apples, part cooked them and then left them in a strainer to remove some of the liquid.  I then blind baked the pastry for the bottom of the pie, popped the cooked apples in and covered them with a lid.  I am hoping this will help prevent a "soggy bottom".......after all who wants that.  Actually I don't care if the bottom is soggy just so long as there's plenty of apple.  I'll try to remember to let you know how they eat.

With their uncooked lids they are ready for the freezer

Bumper crop.

I have just finished yet another scarf.  The yarn used for the last few scarves is 90% kid mohair/10% wool, and I have to say they feel really nice but have been a touch slippy to work with.

Pretty in Pink

The pattern that started the whole scarf 'thing', is a pattern that my daughter bought at last years Yarndale festival.  It has now been passed to me as Mrs S feels she will never get time to make it.  This yarn is 'Temple Juniper' by Yarn Garden,  again its a kid mohair, but this mix is 70% mohair/28% nylon and I have to say it is really beautiful.  It feels like I am knitting with the silk from cobwebs......not that I have used cobwebs but just think it would feel like this, its so light and wonderful to use.  I am also amazed at how differently the yarns have knitted up.  The Mohair/wool, definitely needed blocking to get the correct shape, but the Mohair and Nylon mix is staying to shape.  Amazing how just a little different mix can alter the way the yarn works.

The colour is 'Silver Falls'... note how well the wool is wound..good friends

I think I might be in my pale blue/grey period.....as the cushion that I have made for Higham Piecemakers  cushion raffle has ended up looking blue/grey.

Beady Lizzy is looking on.

Mr D and I went for a bike ride last Friday and guess what?  We saw quite a few folk collecting Elderberries and Sloes for wine making and Sloe Gin, so I kept my eyes peeled to see if there was anything I could use.  Low and behold we came across a tree laden with apples.....I would like to say we picked up the windfalls, but that wouldn't be quite true, we took from the tree (not sure whether that's allowed) and now I have a date to make more pies...Yummy!

Might be enough for a couple of pies

YEAH! My friend, that has a friend with fruit trees has given me some extras that she couldn't use......just how lucky am I????  So the bowl of 'scrumped' apples turned into this....

More Pie making....

I have spent most of the weekend working on my (next months) challenge.. go on have a look you might even want to join....no fees involved ) and the quilt is for you to keep. I can't show you any decent photos as yet because the big reveal is on the last day of the month, but we are giving sneak peeks.  I thought this block would be a couple of hours 'jobby', but not so.  Two days down and I haven't yet finished the 16 blocks.  I do think I am making it hard for myself, but its using up a few more scraps and that's a good thing.

Not the true colours....just to keep them guessing.

Last but not least, I am trying to get this finished before Friday (our crochet group meeting).  'L' sent me this link so after going to Ikea I thought it might be good to make one.  I am altering it slightly as I didn't have the correct yarn, but it seems to be working.

Got to get the sides done now.

The weather is certainly not for sitting in the garden, so hope you enjoy your inside activities....

Bit of a mixture...

I had a day with my friends last week.  We all had a Tilda doll (or the like) for Christmas and thought it would be good to get together to make them.  Well, days turn in to weeks, weeks into months and I was beginning to think it would be Christmas again before we got to sew them, BUT, I was wrong.  We all took our machines along with our dolly kits and believe it or not we all got on and sewed.  We had a good laugh, the host excelled with lunch, and plenty of cake (just to keep us going). I then finished my lady at home, and am thrilled with her.

I've been busy knitting.......yet another scarf finished, and a few more bonding squares for Emily's Star, then someone at the crochet group wanted patterns for Angels. I had a look on the internet  and came up with this little one from crochetmillan.... had to make a test one didn't I?

 Mr. D had a golf date today, so we were up a bit earlier than normal and as a friend had given me some windfall apples I thought I would make a couple of pies.  The apples, although small, were perfect and I only found one with 'creepy crawlies' inside. 

Bit of prep work

Pastry made and pie filled to the brim

Nice big A so I know this pie goes with custard

and by 9.30 a.m. I had a nice little collection

Ready for the freezer

  I used the pastry from this  recipe and therefore had an egg white left so decided to make some meringue's.
Needed to phone a friend on how to store them........ didn't think I could manage to eat them all in one day.....but I could try.

They were yummy

 My afternoon was spent drawing  up a design for a sewing machine that could be applique'd onto a cushion.  I  need to make the cushion for Higham Piecemakers bi-annual Exhibition of quilts etc. as there is always a cushion raffle and each member of the group donates towards it.

.

Looks as bit like my machine

Now to get to sewing it

 I'll hopefully have it finished by the next blog......keep you posted.