Monday, 28 August 2017

Boxed in this Bank Holiday

After a busy couple of weeks I came home from work on Saturday afternoon with the prospect of a quiet couple of days stitching. Oh joy. I had so much planned and whilst I never get as much done as I want, I'm happy I've got the balance of time right this weekend. I've read, washed clothes, cleaned the kitchen etc, had a couple of hours on the Affinity Designer Programme, learning how to make gradient colours, stitched, watched the Belgian F1 and slept!

I made a big tray of millionaire's shortbread, some for the ladies at the class, some for work, some for Will to take down to Lancashire and a couple for the cook!
The Victoria Plum harvest is in full swing too. I'm going to make some crumble (mmmm) but at the moment we are enjoying the fresh sweet fruits.
Over the past couple of weekends I've been busy with the Quilt-as-you-go blocks



but this weekend has been a one for boxes.  Based on a design I made a while ago (not mine - I think Eleanor Burns) I modified the pattern to update for the materials.
A simple Flying Goose with a little bit of stitchery,
A more elaborate stitchery

and a little box without a lid.  A four inch cube this time rather than a six inch cube.  These are for a class at High Street Quilting on 2nd December.
So just a little bit of ironing ready for the week ahead, (the last quiet week on the roads before the schools go back) and I'll sit back and watch some telly tonight - a murder mystery on BBC at 9pm.  I watched the first episode last night and am looking forward to the next. I feel refreshed and ready for the week ahead.  Oh and looking forward to the Great British Bake Off on Tuesday.  I'm going to record it because I hate adverts with a passion and I'll be able to fast forward. I do this all the time with things on commercial TV.  Until next time -  bisous from the sunny, windy,  North of England.

Monday, 14 August 2017

Just a quick one

I seem to have been running around like a headless chicken making things but have nothing really to show. Another block for the Quilt-as-you-go. I'm two blocks behind on the ladies at the class, I've done the patterns but not the block!
I think this block would make a lovely all-over design but you'd need a coloured chart to work from. This is next week's design. I just realised I can screenshot directly from my Affinity Designer programme. Well I never!
Loving the rainbow effect - yes I know there are eight shades in the block....
Hilary was asking about a workshop for a Christmas Box - this is an old one I dug out and will update   the fabrics.  The box is a 6" cube and I'm going to make a 4" cube with some stitchery on the front face too.  I did the little designs this morning and will prepare the materials this afternoon and evening. I've got so many things spinning round in my head but my hands just won't keep up with them.

I re-made the Ferro Rocher cake as cupcakes this week but they didn't translate so well, a bit dry.  I'm not sure whether I cooked them too long or the size just didn't work. The looked pretty although you will have to take my word for that - I forget to take a picture again!

So this is my short post this week.  It seems only five minutes since I drove home from work and I am just about to go and prepare some things for lunch tomorrow. A little smoked mackerel and beetroot salad with horseradish dressing. Yum, but I'll have to get some chewing gum to freshen the breath.  I don't want to breath that on the clients!