Saturday catch up

Well the best laid plans of mice and men - I overslept!  Never mind.

I have been to the charity shop and bought another mans shirt to put into my stash for the quilt that I am going to make and which I am currently collating the fabrics for.  This shirt is a pale lilac which will go well with the stripey fabric, purple and pink fabric I already have in my stash in readiness for the quilt.   I am enjoying the process and am itching to get on, but everything will happen  in its time and place.  It will happen when the timing is right  in any event I do not wish to rush the process as this is a learning curve for me. However I understand it is an integral part of patchwork of thinking carefully about the fabrics to be used and also as to the placing of them.  It will be a very simple quilt to start with, will not have cost me as much as buying new fabric and is re-purposing something i.e. the fabric and using it for something useful rather than sad and discarded.  We have to make things work for us.  Unfortunately we seem to have to pay a lot more at our Charity Shops specifically in town for shirts with the Oxfam shop charging £5 upwards and the British Heart Foundation similar prices. I only paid £2.50 for the one I got today which is probably still pricy compared to what a lot of you will pay; but in the greater scheme of things still works out reasonable.  Approximately a metre of fabric recovered from a shirt for £2.50

I am itching to get to play with my crafting and am going to try and plan crafting days into the coming year so that I can with the use of my sewing machine and overlocker create cushion covers, make my quilt, make some bags, make items for Christmas presents.  I have decided I am going to try and make as many of my own presents this year as well as digging deep to finish UFOs.  I am considering, patchwork, beading, cross stitch, needlepoint, felt crafts, knitting and crotchet crafts for this purpose.  I am also going to get my mum to teach me how to cable and to knit some socks.  This is not going to be easy as I am not a natural at knitting.  One of the reasons for this is that I have seen some very nice throws that cost a lot of money to actually buy and I tend to have a couple of pick up put down long term projects on the go at anyone time.  They are mostly in cable patterns and it would be nice to increase my skill base and create something practical but lovely at the same time.  I am keen to be able to make blankets (from crotchet or knitting)  and patchwork throws (when I have mastered the skill) on a yearly basis to keep us warm and to make the house as

Also found  was this sweet little sauce boat and stand (It matches one I already have so this makes a lovely pair for the dining table) in readiness for the formal table for next Christmas.

I have also found this lovely little cut glass jug which will be lovely for serving cream or using as a little flower vase for pretty spring flowers.

I have also found this brass plate/candle holder which has come a little too late for Christmas this year but will be ideal for next year.  A lovely brass advent plate.  I shall squirrel this up with the rest of the decorations.

Talking of Decorations it is Twelth Night tomorrow and tradition dictates that all the Christmas decorations should be down for fear of bad luck.  What few little decorations I did have up are now taken down and re-packed into their packaging.

Two pottery rabbits also caught my eye and came home with me  they are highly decorated but I love them.

Finally I also managed to pick up two brand New Whittard mugs in a lovely midnight glazed blue which I am very chuffed with.  So not a bad haul all for under £10.00.

I have also been to the veg shop and topped up with carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, sweet potatoes, cooking apples and some eating apples and six red grapefruit. The cooking apples are for the cranberry and apple jelly (currently in the jelly bag) an apple pie or Tarte Tatin and some chutney.   I have also got a couple of bags of cheap apples to make some apple pop.  The cauliflower and broccoli are going to be blanched and frozen and popped into the freezer so that we can get veggies quickly during the week.  The grapefruit will go towards grapefruit curd and mixed peel.

The veg shop didn't have Seville Oranges today but think they may have them next week.  So that is the Vin D'orange and marmalade making are on hold for another week or so.  However I do have a bottle of vodka in readiness for this.

They did not have any forced rhubarb either; so will have to keep a look out for this elsewhere.

I intend to make another batch of Minestrone Soup to use up some of the veggies left over from the Christmas period which makes a tasty substantial meal in itself, can be used for pack-ups or used as a started to a main meal.  There is always something very comforting about soup especially on a grey January day.

We have had a lovely tea tonight; home made chips, fried chicken, fried onions, bread and butter and some fried onions all washed down with a bottle of Crabbies.  I do not think I am going to take much rocking tonight.

 The Cranberry and Apple Jelly has been started and will be concluded tomorrow evening.  I stocked up on sugar  today as well as we were getting a little low and bearing in mind the projects to be undertaken.  Hopefully I will be able to get a wriggle on tomorrow being as I overslept today.

Hope you have all had a good day wherever you may have been.

Take care and catch up soon

Pattypan


xx