Brrrrrrrrrrrrr!

I almost don't know what to say! It's been so cold (minus 13 degrees centigrade again this morning!)

So I'll just show some photos that I have taken over the last few days to show how frosty and snowy it's been...



This fence was amazingly frosted over:

The poor sheep, although DS2 assures me they are warm with their wooly coats (poor things!):

Our drive:


The novelty of sledging has definitely worn off for DS2!

Doll Voodooo!

I'm going to do a proper post about the snow, the very low temperatures (MINUS 13 degrees C this morning!!) and my very enjoyable screenprinting night-class, but in the meantime...

For your amusement...

My first attempt at a doll... (without a pattern!!!!)

Made while my mother was still staying with us...



I left it on the sofa and my Mother said that DS1 saw it and was most upset that it didn't have a face. So he made it a face out of pins!



Of course I couldn't finish it after that because every time I look at it, I find the memory so sweet :-) Well that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!!!

Website Wednesday...

www.handsewn.co.uk

Wordless Wednesday

Night-class-less Wednesday too!

Autumn Colours

I finally downloaded some of my Autumn photos...




I heard an 'urban legend' the other day, that if there are lots of berries around it will be a cold winter. There are lots of berries around!!!!




This picture was taken shortly before we needed a change of clothes as he got soaked!:


But he had a great time and we all enjoyed the walk from our favourite cafe to the playground where the other photos were taken...

D.I.Y. DH

Für B.K. ...


... da ist immer was zu renovieren!
(Und vielen Dank für den Anruf!)

Before & After: Living Room Chair

Upholstery has always been something I wished I could do. A few years back I enquired at an upholstery shop if I could be apprenticed, but I was firmly talked out of it.

DS1 sits on this chair in the living room which badly needed a facelift!:



The sides unscrewed nicely so I was able to cover all the visible parts of it as well as making new cushion covers in one of my favourite Sanderson prints.



DS1 likes it very much so job done then :-)

Wordless Wednesday

Night Class

I have been taking a night class for the last few weeks in 'Screenprinted Textiles'. When I was at school I did 'Graphics' which included screenprinting on paper and I have dabbled with a few screenprints on fabrics at home thanks to my kind brother who provided me with screens, squeegees, inks and exposures!



In this class we have been experimenting with designs and techniques using several small images.



I have learnt to try and focus. I say try and focus as I am still struggling to focus LOL.



It has been a lot of fun and I have learnt a lot from our very cool teacher. (Mixing paint is not one of them though - I am useless LOL)



Our tutor brings along inspiration:




Just like the schools we are on half term break for a week. I have homework to do for the next time we are back at class: one big design that I need to have focused on :-)
Here is a start I have made:

I do so love red

Photos taken in a nearby town of one of our favourite restaurants...

And a beautiful bath shop...

(The dressing gown is drool-worthy, but too rich for my blood at a mere £65.00)

Wordless Wednesday

First frost and first trip to school on the bus for both boys....

Toothless Tuesday

The day after he turned six, he lost his first tooth.
I was going to keep the tooth, but the tooth fairy (a.k.a. DH)
threw it, umm..., I mean took it away ;-)

Excuses Excuses!

There are many reasons why I am not blogging at the moment, nor reading blogs, nor keeping in touch with dear blog friends....

My apologies!

My excuses:

1) The computer is still dead.


It did look very pretty on it's way out :-)

2) My mother arrived from SA for a 7 week stay.

3) I started a night course in Textile Screenprinting :-))))

4) I am still on one crutch and going for physio and water physio twice a week.

5) Now that I am driving, I am doing ALL the fetching and carrying of kids :-(

6) I have been sewing for the occassional market...



7) I have been cleaning the sewing room and house which are in constant need of attention:


8) I have been neglecting the garden :-(



9) I have been knitting - I know, I should be quilting, but it's easier to knit and watch telly while keeping my Mother company in the evenings...

I am sure I can come up with a few more excuses, but I'll try not to!!

Speechless (er, I mean Wordless) Wednesday

"Don't worry" he said, "I'm just going to drill a hole" he said!

OOPS!

Can you spot the mistake? I got 'sew' excited sewing the berries on...

...I didn't realise I'd sewn them in the wrong place until they were all sewn down!

The original doesn't call for quite so many berries!!

Now I just need to decide whether I am going to take the extra berries off OR whether I am going to increase the number of berries and leaves (and vines) on my border..

Well it will be my quilt after all.
Any thoughts?

Wordless Wednesday

Perhaps a few words...

(Paper-pieced white borders on:)



(Painted for Linus:)



(Why I decided not to walk up the lane to meet the school bus:-D )

Thoughts for Thursday

I am a bad blogger.

I still have no computer of my own after mine decided to die on me and I can't decide between getting my car fixed or a new computer, so at the moment I have done neither!!

I am also a bad quilter (it seems).
This past weekend was the Great North Quilt Show in Harrogate and I normally try to go most years if I can, but this year I just couldn't decide what to do. I was practically crippled by my chaos! My sewing room/space has been such a mess for so long that I decided no new fabric and no more inspiration until it gets sorted. So off to Ikea I went instead. I bought some groovy tressels for my sewing room and DH cut up a door and voila! I have a new smaller table. (We are working on the principle that if you have less horizontal space you have less mess LOL)
It is still in the process of being tidied, but it feels better already (probably just to me and not to anyone else's eye!!)

So in the interests of being a good quilter again, I picked up my Carolina Lily and have decided to crack on with the borders...


The photo below shows that I am indeed English-Paper-Piecing the entire quilt including borders:
Attaching borders has meant that I have had to cellotape large amounts of paper together...


Next I will need to cut the fabric and baste it on the papers. Then stitch the borders to the main body of quilt. Then applque the leaves and vines etc.... I may be a while :-)

The garden continues to feed us despite the most amazingly diverse weather which has included stormy nights and gusty days (where both portable greenhouses were sent flying. My poor cucumber plants needed repotting after their pots got smashed in a gale, but they are still bearing fruit regardless of the elements!)
DH has declared he is bored of the marrows/squashes so forgot to check them for a few days. I was delighted when I went to have a look myself:
A bumper crop of six!


I'm not sure they are the most interesting vegetables to eat, but they are prolific! LOL