Beautiful weekend, beautiful week coming up!

What a glorious weather we are having!

Roses and lavenders (not yet fully out) in our front garden are loving it.

I have been working on the "Hygge"  shawl over the weekend and I now I have only the one edge to finish.
I will have to decide on a fabric for the lining soon.

This weekend baking was probably my favourite summer cake,
not ony because it is quick and easy, but it also brings back memories of childhood.

"Bublanina" in Czech, "bubble cake" in rough translation, and traditionally made with cherries.

In fact, it can be made with any summer fruit, providing it is not too wet. I have made it with blueberries before, but I prefer fresh apricots, now in the shops.

A small envelope arrived in the post from  Tambani Embroidery Project , (about which I have written on several occasions before, for instance here ), 

a present to say "thank you" for my support.

Thank you, Ina!

May be it will find its way onto my blue summer "play cloth", 

or I will think of a project on its own for it. 

And now back to the garden, it would be a shame to miss all that sunshine!

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2010-2018

my emails are back!

It seems that Blogger has sorted the "email problem" at last, and I am getting comments notifications by email again, great!

You also might have it sorted by now, but if not, try this - go to your "settings" - "email" - and in the "comment notification email" delete your email address, save, and then re-enter your email address and save again. When I did that, I received an email from Blogger, with an invitation to receive comments notifications and a link to "Subscribe".  And it worked!

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2010-2018

Norwegian break

DH and I took a little holiday, to visit close friends, John and Astrid, who live in Norway, north of Oslo, not far from the lake Randsfjorden. 

John and DH used to live next door to each other when growing up; John later married Astrid, a Norwegian lady, and they settled in Norway.

We just missed their heatwave, and in fact our first day in Norway was wet and very windy, the day we were exploring area near Moss on Oslo Fjord.

Next day the sun came out; we took a ride around the lake Randsfjorden.

Saturday market - this one is a special, once a year market; a big day for the small town;

 

                                               local youth bands competing,

and even a knitting competition in the front of the best knitting shop I have seen.

Annes Garn is a real "sweet shop" for those with knitting needles and crochet hooks. 

I don't think I have ever seen a high street shop with such a variety of yarn.

Just as well we were travelling with cabin luggage only, which put a stop to any temptation!  

 This stall had a wonderful selection of Kantha throws (among other things). 

The friendly stallholder was trying to explain to me what Kantha is and was surprised that I already knew. 

Apparently Kantha quilting or embroidery is little known in Norway.

And some of the lovely buildings in Gran.

I leave you with some of the many little visitors to our friend's garden.

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2010-2018

It must be summer,

because my blue indigo "play cloth" has made it outside again, and this happens only in summer.

Those of you who have followed my blog for some time, might remember this one. 

For my new followers - this is my summer project, which I "play with" only in summer, outside, in our lovely small garden. For the rest of the year it rests in its project box, right at the bottom of the pile.

What is it all about? It is a quilt with a difference. 

The background is made from indigo dyed fabrics, of various sizes, and the idea is to fill each block with something different - be it embroidery, patchwork, applique.....

I have also included embroideries done by women from Tambani Project and Afghanistan Inspiration Project.

I got the inspiration for the quilt after a workshop with Tiggy Rawling some years ago. Most of the background fabrics came from her also.

This is how it looks so far - there are still many empty spaces to fill.

This afternoon I made some circles,

 and another block is finished.

                                         -------------------------------------------------------------

It looks like the Blogger has yet to sort out the problem with emails.

So if you would like to leave a comment on my blog and want to know what my answer is, please tick the box "notify me" before you post your comment, 

because the comment box is the only way I can answer your comments for the time being. 

Thank you.

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2010-2018

just catching up

I am spending very little time indoors, making most of the wonderful weather we have been having (with some rain occasionally, which is welcome by our garden).

Hands are hot, so not much stitching, but I have been getting on with the Hygge shawl, 

and I am nearly there!

Some more pictures from our garden.

Lytes Cary - revisited

Last week was a half term and DD and I took the grandchildren for a picnic and a long walk around the grounds.

Just a few picture to show you how much the garden is changing in just a short time.

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2010-2018