The Old Quilt

A Question....

Sometimes I would prefer a more fluid dialogue than there is in a blog (yes I know it is called having real friends who you see regularly and live near). I catch myself at times thinking, I must ask my fellow bloggers what they do in this circumstance......

Do you know what I mean?

That isn't the question by the way. I was wondering what way you work it re Christmas gifts, do you craft as many of them as you can? Do you only craft for those who will appreciate it, and how do you even fathom that? Does Santa bring crafted gifts, or would that be too obvious to the kids?

This is how I am doing it this year.

I try to give some handmade things to the kids. Something crafted that will last. Not all the time, but I want them to have something that they take with them when they eventually leave, or come back for when they have kids. In August I found a lovely old cot for Emily's 4th birthday, and made the bedding for it.

I am hoping to make a few presents for Christmas for friends and family. As my sewing experience is limited, I am keeping to hot water bottle covers, draft excluders, and a pin cushion (unless more inspiration or time manifests itself). They will just be a little extra for the lucky few(!) who will get another present too. I will buy, and have bought a few crafty items for a few people, and that will be all they get as they are superb items, beautifully made and cost money.

In addition to the Santa presents, we give the kids something small from us every year, as it doesn't make sense if Santa only brings presents. This year I have decided that it will be all craft related. I'll show them another time, but I am excited to be adding something hand made to Christmas. There will be lots of things that beep and need plugged in, but at least this year I will be giving them something else too.

I feel that giving something hand-made shows that you care for someone, especially when you make it yourself. There is nothing more reflective of the gift of giving than knowing that time, effort and thought went into the present.

I know you will be nodding in agreement, just fancied hearing what you are all doing, and what your theory is behind it.

 

Thrift

Well, the week has flown by and I can hardly believe it is 8 days since I posted. It certainly made me laugh that you found the parsnip so amazing. I have several still in the ground but I need my husband to dig them up as they are impossible to get under. You are going to have to bear with me and the flower photos. I am so happy that my newish camera can take close-ups AND that my little packet of free seeds produced such random beauty.  It was remembrance last week also so no complaining. I am still in denial summer is over and my flowers are not so pretty now!

The other thing I should say is that a few posts ago I showed you the items that Nicola sent me. A few people wrote about how they liked my quilted daisy. Just want to clarify that Nicola was the creator. I am indeed bereft of that talent (for the moment anyway).

I did say i would show you my knitting. This is my third attempt at this shawl. I want it to wrap round me as I sit and watch TV, or as I am knitting something else. Since I was atrocious at knitting as a child. I made the teddy bear that I think all kids were made do in Britain. Mine was hardly a bear at all, and more likely a poor sacrifice to the knitting gods. I knew I was not destined for knitting.

However recently at craft night, my friends have all started knitting or crocheting. Some are old hands, and a good few of us were new to the game. A good friend took me to a wool and sewing shop in Fivemiletown, and I just got a bit excited about some of the pattern books. So I got her to show me how to cast on, and knitted a few Granny squares, and then decided it was time to start a proper pattern. I found this pattern in a great book (which I don't have to hand). It is a tasselled shawl and the beauty about it is that it it knit one purl one basically from start to finish. Every row is finished in 2 knits. Thats it. The needles are huge, the wool is pure, and I love the colour. So I keep going at this until I reach 160cm, and then I will be so happy to have knitted my first proper item. I must admit though I look like I'm playing the bagpipes. A smooth flow I have not found!!!! I probably stick my tongue out too, as I concentrate.

You can see the lovely crocheted blanket. I won this a while back and eventually took photos the other day. Thank-you to Lisa at Periwinkle. I was amazed as I had been looking for crocheted blankets around the charity shops in my town for several weeks. Lisa had found two so she gave one away, how generous is that?

 

I called this post 'thrift' as I received my two books yesterday from Amazon. The first is a book by India Knight called Thrift. It is entertaining and she exhorts the wonders of craft, etsy etc. AND in her favourite blogs she mentioned mollychicken. The other book is 'How to feed your family......' a huge long title that is funny but I cannot remember. India Knight recommended it,and it is indeed very good for cooking on a budget. I can cook well but this book will help me to organise myself better, and to control my budget! It is by Gill Holcombe. The reviews on Amazon are amazing.

I think I'll have to do a post on my Christmas projects. I am hoping to make some very simple things for the children this year, and this week I hope to get started. Have a lovely week everyone.

How did the garden grow?

You may remember way back when I started the blog in January, I showed you the barren snow-covered raised beds we made. I planted vegetables in the spring and was pleased to see things coming up. I am actually surprised at how it all went. I didn't trust myself that I would stick at it. But I did, and I think having a close friend who was doing the same thing helped too. We shared out seed and were able to show each other when we visited, how it was all going.

In some shape or form we tried, lettuces, rocket, brocolli, potatoes, turnips, carrots, parsnips, leeks, pea, french beans, and onions. It was all an experiment to see what worked, and I have a better idea what I would like to do again. I think I am definitely a spring and summer grower. It really is harder to tempt me out the doors when it gets colder. Anyway, that is the best time to knit and sew! By the fire.

I am just so glad we gave it a go, and would urge anyone who is thinking about it, to have a try. I was so proud of my sunday dinners when I was able to say, everything was grown in the garden, except that chicken. I am not going to keep chickens! And the fact that is was all organic and we kept most of the slugs at bay, was fantastic. my only real downfall was the brocolli. I couldn't bear to kill the baby caterpillars, and loved the butterflies so much, that it was all completely decimated. I mean just little sticks tufting up out of the bed. So I'll be more brutal next year.

Of course with all that variety growing I had only a small amount of everything. So next year I will probably grow half the varieties but more of the few I pick. The carrots, brocolli, onions, lettuce, peas and rocket were my favourites.

Let's just say I have had my fill of parsnips.

Playlist!

My blog is now alive (or slowly dying if you hate the music) with some of my favourite tunes. Only 6 at the moment, I need to think. Which Coldplay will I put on it? Tricky.

I am a great fan of 'The Divine Comedy'. Neil Hannon is a native of 'Norn Iron' and I think he is hilarious. So for anyone who haven't heard of them, give them a try. He actually composed the 'Father Ted' theme tune, which deserves some award for services to mankind don't you think? The Don Williams choice may lead you to believe that I am indeed 87, but we love it as the words are so simple but true. It was to be the first song at our wedding, as we felt it symbolized our situation. We are from different traditions in 'Norn Iron' which could have been difficult but has actually been perfectly fine. Back to the wedding....on the day I said to the band, 'did you practice the song?'. Of course they had forgotten. So we had another Don Williams, 'You're my best friend'. The bands suggestion! Millions of people have had that song as their first, especially people years older than us, so I was a bit disappointed.

I'd like to thank Natasha at Pondering Ponteuf for her help in getting playlist sorted (it's actually easy), and inspiring me with her cool tunes. | go to her blog just to do the housework, with the speakers turned up. I should say that what she writes is good too, with divine pictures. I actually want one of her children as he is such a cool looking wee scrap. I fear she may not part with him though which is impossibly selfish. If you have a cute child you should let other people have them for a wee while.

Last night I had my own playlist going as I cooked peppered steaks, potato wedges, salad, and my signature red wine thyme peppered sauce. T'was good. However 6 songs is a bit brief.

Another thank-you goes to Nicola from Nicolas Daisies. I won some stuff on her blog eons ago, and never put the photos on to thank her, even though I did take pictures at the time. I have felt bad about this, so much so, I haven't commented on her blog since as I felt I needed to do the thank-you first. This is a strange sort of a thing that reminds me of how we put off going to see someone, as we haven't got their baby present or birthday present sorted, and then it just means you don't have contact with them. Really stupid.  Anyway, Nicola sent me some lovely squares for patchwork, and a daisy patchwork she had made herself. I love them and appreciate her effort. Sorry for not doing this sooner Nicola!

I will leave you with this thought. Things you never thought you would be saying. Two of mine are in the bath next door, happily playing, and I can hear them slurping up bath water, and spitting it out.

" Stop slurping bath water; your bums are in that!"