When I was growing up, it wasn't just Christmas to look forward at this time of year.

There is a tradition in many parts of Europe to celebrate  Saint Nicholas Day 

on the 5th & 6th of December.

 

Saint Nicholas is Mikuláš  in Czech.

Who is Mikuláš?

Mikuláš is Czech for St. Nicholas, and Old St. Nick’s day is celebrated on December 5 every year, though the festivities are held on the eve of St. Nicholas Day.

On that night, Mikuláš, represented as a bearded bishop, visits the children of the Czech Republic with two friends in tow, an angel and a devil. Mikuláš is visually the closest thing the Czechs have to Santa Claus, because baby Jesus (Ježíšek) is the one who delivers gifts to homes on Christmas Eve. But weeks before, Mikuláš comes around to judge children for how they behaved each year.

The three characters: Mikuláš, the angel, and the devil traditionally visit the homes of families. If the children are good, the angel gives them sweets or candy. But if they’re bad, the devil threatens to put them in their sack and take them to hell. In order to escape this cruel fate, the kids have to recite a poem or sing a song. Instead of candy, these bad kids get coal or potatoes.

You might be wondering, who are these people going from house to house? Well, in a lot of small towns where families know each other, three or four people volunteer and the parents give them lists of which kids are good and which are bad.

The friendly visitors are repaid with either food or booze. So Mikuláš, the angel, and devil can be quite sloshed by the time they get to the last house. Some families arrange this visit with strangers for a fee. It’s like visiting Santa Claus at the mall except Santa Claus comes to you. Also Santa Claus is terrifying.

In big cities like Prague, parents bring their kids out to the Christmas markets just after sundown, around 5 to 8 pm on December 5, where they can meet Mikuláš.

And some people dress up just to hang out at the Christmas markets. You’ll know they’re coming when you hear chains dragging along the floor and children start crying.

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I still remember how scary it was when this lot turned up at our door; of course I didn't know then that they were friends of my parents!

You can read more  here .

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2010-2022

and so into December

A quick catch up from me. 

Having unusually mild November, the weather coming now from the east is more of a shock,

some frosty mornings arrived this week and outside is looking rather sad.

Blackbirds cleared most of crab apples from the tree now and there isn't much else happening there. 

Indoors our Christmas cactus is rather confused, 

but the colour is welcome.

The small log cabin production line has slowed down (see my previous post). 

My work room with the sewing machine is in coldest part of the house and so I prefer to stay in a relative warmth on the living room, where I can 

quilt and hide under Blooming Springtime quilt.

After finishing the Sunshine and Showers blanket I missed having a crochet hook in my hand,

so I searched for another crochet project.

I came across Crojo Retro by Sue Maton from The Mercerie , so another production line started, 

this time with lots of flowers. Quick and easy to do.

This is a good project for using up some of my left over wool. 

I have ordered some additional Drops wool

 for the leaves and the rest of the blanket, but what with postal strikes, it is taking ages to get to me.

I am just keeping my fingers crossed that Christmas presents ordered online will get here in time.

I hope all is well where you are,

I wish you a good week!

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2010-2022

FNwF and the rest

My Friday ended up a busy day; it also became a baking Friday morning in the end. 

Chocolate and almond cake, from Hairy Bikers' Baking book, one of our favourite cakes.

Also a loaf of bread, which I made in Remoska.

"In what?" I hear you ask.

Our Czech friends will know exactly what I am talking about. 

For the rest - Remoska is a "mini oven", a Czech invention, which has been around for more than 70 years.

It is very simple and clever, just one "on and off" button,

it is the lid which does the cooking and is self regulating.

Later that day I made macaroni cheese in it; 

it also makes a very good risotto. 

I could had made the cake in it earlier, but this recipe makes a rather large cake, my Remoska is the smaller size, but I do make other cakes in it as well.

Good on energy. 

What else can you ask?

My Friday afternoon was spent in my sewing room. Recently I resurrected Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt. 

The next stage is a border around the centre part, made of 3,5 inch log cabin blocks, 

I need 52 of them, so lots to do.

But I did join others in "Friday Night with Friends" in the end!

I have been playing with some applique blocks and in the evening I finished the top block.

I have no idea where this is going, but it is just fun for now.....

Big Thank You to Cheryll for getting us together again!

Also some last colour in the garden.

I hope you all have a wonderful week crafting!

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2010-2022

October in and out

 "Sunshine and Showers" blanket - finished!

It is always good to have another warm blanket at this time of year.

I loved making it; 

now I have to find something else to crochet! 😧

Lots of progress in Blooming Springtime - the borders done;

one last press, 

and I am ready to hand quilt!

It is a good time of year to have a quilt on my lap.

I am also pleased with the backing fabric, it picks out lots of shades from the top.

Autumn arrived in the garden.

We like to think of ourselves as experienced gardeners, but this year's summer was a challenge.

Our "English Cottage" style garden wasn't standing up to the hot summer very well. 

We have 4 water butts to store water, but there wasn't any rain to fill them up.

So, some changes are in progress; we are experimenting with "Mediterranean" style planting.

We have started with the smallest flower bed; mixed in lots of grit for better drainage and planted out with plants which don't need too much water, putting our small olive tree in the middle (but still keeping it in a large pot). 

We covered the surface with gravel to keep moisture in.

It all looks very small at the moment, but hopefully will bush out next year.

 The English winter will be a test in itself, and of course there is a possibility that next summer will not be hot, but wet English one 😉 

I plan to create a new herb area in the spring, using the same method.

I like having a new interest in the garden.

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2010-2022

and it is September...

..........where has the summer gone? August seemed to have flown by; and last it felt like normal summer month, with just one very brief hot spell in the middle, nothing as bad as July.

I am asking myself - what have I done this summer? Precious little - is the answer. This wasn't the summer of  usual "stitching in the garden" weather, mostly too warm to handle any work.

Ours was a summer of reading - many, many books passed through our house, while trying to find the coolest spot in the house. Some books bought, borrowed or simply from our bookshelves re-read.

Too may to list, but some to be definitively recommended. 

We are having some rain at last, although not nearly enough, 

but enough for the garden recover just a little.

   

The other morning it looked like someone covered the garden in a pearly veil.

Since the weather cooled down, I managed to finish all four parts of 

the Sunshine and Showers blanket, which are now waiting to be joined together.

In one way I am sorry this has come to the end, 

because I have really enjoyed the challenge of various stitches.

Also, a big progress on the Blooming Springtime quilt - 

last night I finished the main part, with all those small applique blocks. 

I am very pleased about that, it was starting to haunt me.

 Now for the border, which will also be time consuming - 58 of these to applique.

You know the feeling when you get to this point - I am starting to see the end of this quilt!

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2010-2022