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Showing posts with label Somerset. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Somerset. Show all posts

Monday, 15 November 2021

back in my sewing room!

At last I have reclaimed my space, which was a store room for a while;
 inevitably when we do any DIY in the house, it takes longer then planned 
(as does anything else these days - we are not young any more.......) 
The main object was to sort out our bedroom, which has not been touched since our last move, when we moved with furniture larger than this house could take.
Now, freshly repainted, including old dark wood chest of draws, it looks larger and bright. 
I could also move some of my quilts in at last.


My sewing room needed a good tidy up and in the process one always finds some forgotten projects in the corner.
This is  "Quilter's Patch" quilt, or was supposed to be. 
There was a point when I got fed up with it.
The instructions in the pattern are for piecing, where every block is made up of loads of small pieces, and that is where the problem was. 
As you know, I am an applique girl, but at the time I thought that I should get familiar with another method; and I got on with it - in fact there are 12 blocks here, all done.


So, what to do with it? It would make nice cushions, but who wants so many small cushions?
These blocks on their own would make a small quilt, but I think every time I would look at it, I would remember the defeat! 
The other possibility is to carry on and make the rest of the blocks in needleturn applique; I don't think mixing methods would be too bad, it would make the quilt more interesting - and it would give me something else to play with - yes, this idea is now developing in my head.



The reason I need something else to play with? I finished "Surrounded by Flowers" quilt!
I finished the binding last night, I chose a green fabric with small ladybirds, which is probably quite fitting.

I had to try to do a photoshoot outside today, because the light inside is really bad now, the artificial light just doesn't show off the right colours. 
Although it is quite warm and dry outside, it is very cloudy; 
we had some great sunny days last week, but not today....









So - this is my version of "Surrounded by Flowers". 
I say my version, because I changed the final border, 
so this is different from Janine Alers's original pattern.


I hand quilted it very simply with a large stitch in pearl cotton no16.


I leave you few pictures from our walk in Wells last week; again not very bright, not good for taking pictures, but dry day.

This is mainly area around the Cathedral  and the Bishop's Palace.


































Our garden is looking rather sad now,


but still great colours outside my kitchen window!



Sunday, 17 March 2019

my "Lost in Time" - the second part of my update


This beautiful design comes from Johanna Lindahl (Mijo Crochet).
I found it very addictive, I just could not put it down.

Actually, I finished the shawl before Christmas, but only now I got around to blocking it out (the boring bit), and adding tassels.
I used 2 different colour variations of "Zauberball" 4 Ply from Schoppel Wolle, which is a mixture of wool (75%) and nylon, and is lovely to work with.
I would like to make another one in light summer colours.









Recently we drove down to Somerset Levels to re-visit Willows and Wetland Centre .


If you are as mad about baskets as I am, beware, you just can't walk out without a basket, be it just a little one! 
I borrowed this picture from the inside of the shop from their website.

Product Image

All the willow is grown here on the Levels and worked by local crafts people.



There have been few changes here since our last visit; an addition of a couple of small shops, the inside of the tea room has doubled in size, and I liked this pretty new flower shop.



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

Weekend baking - 




The recipe this time comes from this little book of Croatian cooking.



The method of making this cake is new to me - you bake only a half of the cake mixture for about 20 minutes, then add apples and top with remaining mixture and finish baking.
When it's finished, while the cake is still hot, you spread a mixture of grated raw apple mixed with cinnamon and sugar on the top of the cake.

 

I like this combination of cooked and fresh apples.



©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2010-2019

Friday, 27 January 2017

in Wells





































My most favourite place in Wells?
It has to be this, of course :

fabric and haberdashery shop, tucked away in a side street, just around the corner from the bus station. Fabulous fabrics, buttons, ribbons, threads..........

The Shop:

The picture is little out of date; the shop moved since to smaller premises next door, but is just as packed with goodies.


©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2017



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