Summer days

Hi again,

Summer has taken a long time to get here this year. Supposedly it has been one of the coldest springs for many years in the UK. But today it feels like it truly arrived. It's been warm and quite lovely. Just the sort of day that makes you think of summer treats...

One of my favourite things is having a high tea. We do our own version, smoked salmon and cucumber sandwiches, pâté on water wafers, scones, strawberries and clotted cream, thin slices of cake and any other dainty cakes that come to mind. All served with a pot of tea - Quite delicious!!!


I wish the photos were better... They don't do it justice- but I got enough complaints making everyone wait while I took two quick photos so I didn't dare go get a better camera.


The perfect end to a lovely day in the garden.

Until next time
Gillian

I love owls

Hi again,

I thought I would show my gorgeous owls that I popped into my new craft bag yesterday. I made them a few months ago but they are so sweet I want to share them with you.

Here are Hottie and Hoots.




They are from a Whimsicals booklet called Buttons and Blooms. I used some Japanese linen fat quarter fabrics I bought early last year to make them. The texture of the linen makes them look so much more interesting than patchwork fabric alone would do.

The booklet also has a pretty bag I want to make soon...




... How lucky I bought the picture panel at the same time I bought the booklet... oh, and a meter each of some small print green fabric and a pale green fabric with owls, birds and branches. I am sure I can find some other matching fabric in my stash to be able to start the bag as soon as I want.

Until next time
Gillian

Craft bag

Hi again,

I've been away from blogland for a while, busy with real life making things.

The Great British Sewing Bee has been inspirational, taking me back to my sewing machine. I've started with sewing dolls clothes and now I'm moving on to bags and clothes.

Today I completed my Butterick b 5741 multi pocket craft bag.


It's a good size, 31 cm wide, 31 cm high and 23 cm deep.


There are four small pockets, 16 cm wide by 19 cm tall...perfect for a pattern envelope and multiple bits and pieces.


There a two side pockets big enough for a booklet or magazine at 23 cm by 24 cm.


It also can hold an A4 file and a large Plastic tub easily with lots of room to spare. I am so happy with that.

It took longer to make than I expected, mainly because the handles were awkward; thick seams and heavyweight fabric do not go well with curved facing and topstitching. My inexperience means I got impatient and just got on with it instead of pausing and thinking of a better way- I was desperate to finish today.

So on reflection, the good bits- great size and pockets too. A bag that will be useful.

The bad bits- the awkward handle, maybe I'll square off the top and make a strappy handle next time.

What did I change- I didn't use interfacing, I felt the canvas I used was thick enough. It would have been really hard to sew if it was thicker still. I also only had one metre of fabric, instead of the 1.4 m needed per the pattern so had to raid my scraps for facing and lining material.

What will I change next time- maybe change the handles, or maybe not as they do look good. I also think I might use a plain fabric with some bias binding to edge the top and pockets.

The biggest surprise- I didn't like the fabric at first, I originally bought it to make a present for someone with different taste to me. Maybe it's because it just reminds me of British summer flowers, but I just love it now.

Until next time
Gillian

100 Granny squares blanket

Hi again,

On Sunday night I finished joining my 10 square by 10 square bright granny square blanket.








I love it already. 100 beautiful, bright and cheerful little squares... Omg that's 100 times 2 ends to sew in... 200 ends... Arrrhhh!!!!!!

Until next time
Gillian

Cold, cold, cold Eden

Hi again,

During half term, on Thursday we went to the Eden Project. They do a scheme whereby local people can get annual or two year passes at a discounted rate if they buy during a particular month, so each winter we make a visit to take advantage of the offer. To be fair we wouldn't be able to afford to go each year otherwise... don't get me wrong- it's brilliant, but we would spend our money on new places to visit rather than go to the same place all the time if we had to pay full price. As it is we will now be able to go anytime we like in the next two years for no additional cost... perfect for a place to walk all through the changing seasons.




The sun makes it look a lot warmer than it was...








We happily went into the biomes to warm up!




In the Mediterranean biome a splash of brightness caught my eye... Beautiful spring daffodils...




I also found this lovely flower- I think it might be an orchid but I'm not sure.




Once again we are so grateful we live so near the Eden project.

Until next time
Gillian

Cold, cold, cold Stonehenge

Hi again,
On the way back from Surrey, a week last Wednesday, we went to Stonehenge on our way back to Cornwall. As National Trust members we get free admission, so we decided on a visit. As soon as we got out of the car we felt the bitter cold wind, the sort that seeps through even the tiniest gaps in your clothes to chill you to the bone. We quickly decided it would be a quick visit!!! In fact most people were doing a fast walk around, we think the wind chill was taking the temperature well below zero and as Stonehenge is very exposed there was no way to shelter from it.




We even look cold in the photos...








I think we got to the point where we just kind of huddled together to conserve some body heat!!!




What a spectacular place... Even if it took a couple of hours to warm up after our visit.




Until next time
Gillian

Dad's Dollshouse

Hi again,

My dad was a builder and carpenter all his working life and, though he is now retired, he still likes to make things. He has made three dollshouses from scratch to a standard that would pass a building inspectors scrutiny. Each is handcrafted from larger planks of wood to his own design. He estimates that each took ten working days to build. The houses are basically a timber frame which will be the base from which the house will rise. The roof and upper floor will lift off separately to allow access to the ground floor.












At the moment I don't have room to build one, but one is carefully wrapped up with my name firmly on it! It will be my ultimate project for some point in the future, building a house from the walls up. A true one of a kind project! I am so excited that I already have started planning the rooms... in the meantime I will hone my building skills practicing on smaller projects.

Until next time
Gillian