Hello.....anyone there?

 My little blog has laid dormant for getting on 7 years!! I recently added to my ‘Books I’ve Read’ page, on here, and noticed on one of the posts that it’s almost the 15th anniversary of getting my Shed (of Raglan Thread Shed); so it seems fitting to add a post. I don’t imagine any of my previous followers are still around but you never know. I’m not even sure that anyone follows blogs these days!

The changes and events that have taken place over that time (in my life and in the world in general) have been unprecedented. In the UK we’ve had Brexit, financial and political turmoil, and numerous, so-called, once-in-a-lifetime weather events. Globally, there have been wars, the pandemic, terrorism, growing intolerance and climate devastation. On a personal level there’ve been marriages, births, deaths and health issues. 

But…….this is a craft blog, so that’s enough seriousness. I just wanted to acknowledge what a long time it’s been, and how much crazy stuff has happened. I’m still crafting, although in a more limited way these days.

Here’s a brief overview of the sorts of things I’ve been making: 

Tea-towel bucket hats proved very popular, especially the Welsh ones (when I could source them).

I love to sew using old linens, and this tablecloth top was a favourite that recently sold from my Etsy shop (I was sorry to have to forego my Folksy shop and defect to Etsy, but Folksy just wasn’t working for me).

My most recent popular product has been personalised newborn cardigans. 

Well, I'll leave it at that for now and see you next time. Maybe in another 7 years, but I hope not. 

Bye for now

Teresa x

Processing!

Hello folks! Hope you had a good Easter. We had a quiet one at home, with a few hot cross buns and a little chocolate consumed. I enjoyed a lovely, impromptu coffee with friends after a simple, meditative Good Friday service, then a rousing Easter Day service.

An airer full of donated fabric drying.

I am very lucky that lots of lovely friends give me yarn and fabric they no longer want. I usually try to wash fabric before storing it in the shed. This is mainly to make sure any shrinkage happens now, and not after it's been made up into something. When I have lots of bitty-bits, I put them in a duvet cover to wash. They still get a bit tangled but it prevents the washing machine getting clogged with frayed threads.

Along with the lovely, pristine, unused balls of yarn I get from people, or from charity shops, I also un-run jumpers etc to use the yarn. This is a deconstructed jumper after being tied into hanks and washed by hand. These are now dry and rolled into balls waiting to be made into something else.

I finished this longer term project the other day. A crocheted hexagon throw that I've been gradually making at my  2 weekly crafting groups. I had a couple of photos showing more of it but they've disappeared from the laptop. They should still be on the iPad, though, so I'll load them onto my Facebook page in a couple of days (I don't know how to get them on this blog from there without a lot of faffing). This throw was sold and paid for before I'd finished making it, by a lady at one of my groups.

 At home, I'm still on bags. I don't know why, but every piece of fabric I pick up in my shed says 'bag' to me. It's about time they started saying something else. This one,covered with applique flowers cut from another fabric, is my usual boxy style. The main fabric is a sort of strong hessian type. It's lined with a flowery fabric and has an inner zipped pocket.

And this one is a completely new design that I made up in an oddment of plain fabric, to try out before making the 'real thing'. The outer zipped  pocket is also a new thing I tried. It's made from 2 tea towels, a pillow case and a belt. 

I'd like to say I'll have something completely different to show next time, but I have a strong suspicion it may be more bags!

Bye for now

Teresa x

Commissions!

 I had requests to make a few things over the holidays.

First, I was asked to make a tea cosy.  Not something I've made before, but the customer gave me an old one as a template for size she wanted. I couldn't work out for a while how the lining was joined all the way around to the outer while obviously being made separately - but I sorted it out eventually.

 The request was for a signature colour of orange, and, as usual, I made 2 to give a choice. She chose the teapot one!

Something else I've not made before is a dog bandana. Daughter requested these for her 2 dogs and, at her suggestion, they are made to be slid over the dog's collar as opposed to tying on.

Last, and something I have made before, was a request for a lavender heart to add to a bag of goodies as a gift.

I treated myself to this book last week after no success in dropping hints before Christmas.

One good result over the holidays, though, was the re-siting of my shed at the back of the house. Unfortunately, I haven't been near it (or a sewing machine, knitting needle or book) for well over a week after succumbing to a dose of the flu that has knocked me for six. I think I'm on the home straight with it now, and managed to type some invoices for a client today. Luckily, I've not been needed at work since she moved house, because they still have no internet to receive orders.

Bye for now
Teresa x

Old News!

Hello all!
I hope you had a lovely Christmas and New Year. I didn't intend to be away for so long but...well....you know how it is; things happen; time passes, and all of a sudden it's 2015.

I loaded these photos a couple of weeks before Christmas, and then couldn't seem to find time to add any words.

This is my son's house in what was our garden. Things have progressed since this pic and the house now has a roof and windows, and is partially blocked up on the outside.

The first patchwork cushion I made for myself had come to the end of it's life so I made myself a new one over the holidays. A tried and tested, simple design of squares which I am always drawn to.

It's been a bit more difficult to craft because of all my materials being scattered in and around the house but I had a few requests that I managed to get finished, including this lavender heart.

There's good news on my Shed front, though, because OH has re-erected it and it's almost ready for me to start refilling.

Bye for now
Teresa x

Change is in the Air!

Hello everyone - I've been away from here for much longer than I expected to, but time seems to be speeding by so fast and there's been lots happening.

I don't think I've mentioned yet that I started a little part-time job about 6 weeks ago. Every week-day morning I help a local, partially-disabled, young mother to pack the parcels for her jewellery-making supplies business. It's quite unpredictable because it could take anything from an hour to 3 hours, so I'm never able to plan exactly what I want to do for the rest of the day, but it gets me out and about every day and motivates me.

Me at Laugharne Castle

OH and I had a last-minute mid-week break at Laugharne a few weeks ago (the last resting place of Dylan Thomas). It was a lovely few days of relaxation among a whirlwind of activity, to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary and OH's 60th birthday.

I've held craft stalls at a couple of local events at which I did quite well, and since then I've been asked to run stalls at 4 further events and give a talk at a local group (all before Christmas!). In other crafty news - I entered one of my quilts into the patchwork class at a local show and won first prize.

I also won second prizes for my lemon drizzle cake (above) and boiled fruit cake (below) in the novice classes, for people who hadn't entered cakes before.

I'm struggling to find time to make more things to stock my stalls, and the fact that I've had to empty all my materials out of my shed, ready for it to be moved out for the house-building, is not helping. It's already being dismantled and the garden is almost bare now, after 2 weekends of clearing out by son and friends, including: OH, son-in-law, son's girlfriend, son's girlfriend's father/mother/brother and son's friend. It's looking pretty bare, and it's going to get worse before it gets better.

I made a larger zipped bag for my last stall, which turned out well. It sold quite quickly and I plan to make more soon.

This little purse above was requested by a friend as a present for her niece, so this has also gone to a good home.

The big surprise, and another thing that has taken up quite a bit of time, was when daughter and SIL had the opportunity to move from a town 20 minutes away from us to this little country cottage 5 minutes away. It is on the country estate that my OH works for and needed lots of TLC. It looks very different now; especially inside. They moved in a couple of weeks ago.

Bye for now
Teresa x

New Beginnings!

This photo is taken from near the edge of our garden, which is on the opposite side of the road from our house. That's our house behind the bushes - the cream one with the roof lights. The house is about a foot lower than the road level, down a couple of steps; the garden is long and narrow and is a few feet above road level.

This view is from the top of the veg plot, with a couple of metres more of lawn and trees behind me. We've had a good supply of strawberries, lettuce and rhubarb so far this year and the rest is well on the way. Sadly, it now looks very likely that this is the last year we will be able to 'grow our own' here.

My shed will also have to move elsewhere - probably at the back of the house. However, the reason for all this upheaval (as per my big hints of a few posts ago) is a good one. Our son has, as of yesterday, obtained planning permission to build a house here! In an ideal world we would not have to make use of our garden this way, but with house prices in our area being so high, it is the only way he can afford to have his own place and stay in the village.

In crafty news, I seem to be starting too many longer term projects when I should be making quick, smaller items to build up some stock. Here's my latest bag creation, made from chopped up jeans and furnishing fabric scraps. I've also finished off a project for a friend and made a few more phone covers (photos next time).

I dug out some Christmas fabric to get ahead of myself for future stalls and have started on some lavender bag sets. I can hardly believe it, but I bought a Christmas present the other day (in July!). It's never been heard of before, but I saw the perfect thing and thought I might as well get it.

Bye for now
Teresa x

Sunny Weather!

The longest sunny period for over a year (according to the weather boffins)!  It's very welcome indeed.

The old advertising sign is up on my shed at last, and the flower beds are in bloom.

We are optimistic that this year's garden produce will be better than last year - it couldn't be much worse!

Messing about on the river at Symonds Yat.  That's not us in the canoes - we're waiting for the ferry to come back so we can cross the river.  

Taken from the ferry as it's pulled across the river by the rope.  Thirteen of us have just had a lovely lunch. Half of our group are cycling back to the cars, but we are walking.

Bye for now

Teresa x

P.S. There's still time to enter my book giveaway here.

Making Work for Myself!

 The sun has been putting in some welcome appearances recently.  When it does it's lovely and warm, although the temperature still drops quite significantly as soon as a cloud brings some shade.  I prefer that, though, to the sort of sunshine that leaves you longing for a cloud, for a little cool relief.

I joined my daughter and fiance a week or two ago to walk their dogs on the hill above their town.  We met half way with some of fiance's relatives who then walked back with us.

And last week Mr D and I went to the first of a new regular Farmers' and Vintage Market at a nearby manor house.  We were delighted when we turned the corner of the stable block and almost bumped into an 'ostentation' of peacocks, which is, apparently, what a group of them is called (I just looked it up in case it comes up at our next pub quiz). There were at least a dozen of them!

We came home with some lovely, local, home-made goodies;  welsh cakes, leek and stilton sausages and wild boar and apple pies, laid out on a lovely big piece of fabric I got for £4 from one of the vintage stalls. We'll definitely go back again, when we have time to look around the gardens too.

A few days later, I went with my Ladies' Group on a visit to tour the same manor house, (Llanvihangel Court) followed by a pub meal.  If you're ever in the area (and it happens to be open) the house is well worth a visit.  I can't imagine there being a better example of a house of that age anywhere else.  The Lady of the Manor gave us the tour and pointed out many portraits of her ancestors, including her great-grandmother, who was a lady-in-waiting to Queen Victoria.  Unusually for a 400-year-old house, there wasn't a speck of dust or cobweb anywhere, and every room was stunning yet homely, and although the furnishings were from all over the world and from different periods, nothing looked out of place.

On the crafting front, which has been a bit slow lately, I've added these small felt brooches to my collection. The felt is from an old felted jumper and is quite thick and sturdy, making it strong enough to hold its shape well.  The decoration is all reclaimed bits and pieces, including hanging ribbon, from inside new clothes, to make the bows (you know me - I keep anything that could come in handy).

I've also been recycling the already recycled!  I made a cushion cover a while ago with hexagons on a blue background.  It never looked like the vision I originally had but I was reluctant to waste the work that went into it.  However, when my daughter said she wasn't keen on it either, it was time to take action. I unpicked all the hexagons, stitched them into a block and made them into this zipped bag, with the blue from the cushion as a lining. As usual, I 'winged it' with the design as it's another different construction method. This time the seams are on the outside and are covered with binding.  I also used binding to attach the zip on the outside, which was quite fiddly, but meant there was no need for turning it all inside-out and risking sewing things the wrong way.

This was the cushion 'before'

Helen from The Patient Gardener's Blog asked me a few weeks ago where I got the pattern from for my summer top.  Sorry for the late reply Helen but I had to dig it out of the shed again to remind myself.  It's an old-ish pattern from Simplicity, No K2938, and includes trousers, a dress and a jacket too.  I tried, without luck, to remember where I got it from but am pretty sure I didn't buy it new.

Oh, and I mustn't forget............My new job is a part-time receptionist at a hair salon - at the salon I go to, actually!  I was sitting there, having my hair done a couple of months ago, chatting away to the stylist/owner (as you do) when she asked about my work.  When I told her I was redundant and looking for part-time work, she offered me the job. I've already done some 'shadowing' of the current receptionist and one morning on my own, and I start officially next week!  It will suit me quite well at the moment to work 3/4 days a week, leaving time for proof reading, crafting and helping son and daughter with their accounts.

Progress since last time:

Turned cushion into zipped bag
Added more patchwork diamonds to Country Living inspired quilt
Started cathedral window patchwork cushion
Felt brooches

Bye for now
Teresa x

The Best-Laid Plans............!!

 

 You know how it is with blogging; if normal routine is disrupted, the first thing to suffer is the blog.  And normal routine has certainly been disrupted here lately.  But before all that:

We went to the local annual raft race a couple of weeks ago.  This is OH and friends' Olympic Games themed raft with the 'torch' on the front.  DD and I went to a wedding fayre after they'd set off and hoped to be back to see them finish but, the river was higher than usual after the recent heavy rain and they finished in almost half  their previous time, so we missed it.

 The following weekend was the last of the local agricultural shows.  Our way around the show was blocked for a few minutes to let the winning animals into the ring for their parade.  It was a lovely day where once again we bumped into many friends, spoiled only slightly by a strange sore area below my right knee.

A rose in the garden during one of the many sunny spells we've had since September started (typical!)

 My leg soreness turned out to be a bacterial infection which (according to the out-of-hours emergency GP) needed antibiotics, but the pharmacist gave me half the correct dose tablets and I was taking them for nearly 2 days before I saw my own GP.

(An old metal sign and glass bottles OH found in an old building on the estate where he works  - I've suggested the sign would look good on the side of my shed)

 To cut a long story short, I am now on 2 different lots of antibiotics and having my leg dressed every day.  I was off sick for the whole of my last week at work leading up to my redundancy and missed a last night out with the 'girls' at work!  It was strange not being able to say goodbye to everyone properly but there are a few I will stay in touch with and a couple I will meet occasionally. I also missed choir practice and a music group rehearsal.

 While I was supposed to be resting with my leg up it was difficult to resist the urge to sew when sitting feet from it, which was irritating because I felt fine in myself. Unable to do much, I managed about half an hour a day and eventually got my Bee quilt blocks sashed.  I want to make it bigger than this so will need to think about what to do with it next.

In case you're worried about me being so near to my sewing machine for days on end without being able to do much - fear not - because it gave me the opportunity to get on with hand-sewing the hexagons that, luckily, I prepared recently.

So, what happens now?  I'm a 'lady of leisure' until I decide what to do next.  My leg is healing, so I should be back to normal soon.  This means there SHOULD be more stitching to show around here soon.

Oh...... and I'm looking forward to watching The Pillars of the Earth re-run on TV starting in about 20 minutes.  This time (Leslie) I won't miss the last episode!!!!

Bye for now
Teresa x

I wasn't looking forward to this month's quilting club meeting last Saturday.  Two members were giving demonstrations but I often find the projects are not to my taste and prefer to get on with my own work. It was possible to do our own work but I had nothing suitable prepared and doing preparation at the meeting would have been too distracting for others.

I scrabbled around in my shed for something (anything) to do.  I ended up grabbing my crochet hooks and a ball of yarn.  However, as it turned out I was quite impressed with the demonstration project (above).  It's a method called twist and turn. I didn't think much of it at first from the designs in the book we were shown but I absolutely love the version that our member is making.  The colours are right up my street and the chicken centres are so cute. I made a mental note to have a go at this sometime.

As I watched, I began crocheting, trying out another idea I had mentally filed away.  I managed to finish most of the main part of this purse during the day.  I completed it later by adding ribbon, buttons, zip and lining.  I sewed the whole thing by hand and am pleased with how it turned out and how quickly it came together. All the supplies are repurposed. The ribbon is from the lengths you get inside new clothes to help hang them up! I knew they'd come in useful one day.

The old yew tree in the churchyard

On Sunday after Church, OH and I headed off to Cardiff Bay with 4 other couples for a 40th birthday meal. The cupcakes and sparkling wine we had when we got there were a lovely touch organised by the birthday girl's OH. The plan had been to have them on the mini-bus but we ended up on 2 buses (men on one, women on the other) but that's another story.  After a wander and a drink in a bar we headed for an Italian restaurant where we had a lovely meal.  I'm afraid I didn't enjoy the rest of the outing.  Behaviour began to deteriorate (partly due to drink) and incidents occurred (not all due to drink surprisingly), and when we came back to our village hotel (on one mini-bus due to the fact that one couple had already left and made their own way home - separately!!) OH and I went home as soon as was polite.

Monday afternoon, I was off to another church service.  This time to sing in the choir for a Mother's Union Deanery Service.  They said there'd be tea after and I was ready for a cuppa.  I didn't realise they meant full afternoon tea with sandwiches, cakes and scones!!   I didn't bother with dinner when I got home!

Progress since last time:

• Crocheted purse - which I may enter in the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway if I get my act together.  They're doing it a different way since I last entered and I'm not sure how it works.
• QAYG quilt block - one more quilted (2 or 3 left out of 25ish but I've run out of wadding).
• Mousey cat toys - 2 cut out
• Bag for friend - cut out.

Bye for now
Teresa x

Before and After!

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I've joined a musical theatre group so I thought you might be interested in a little update. Despite a few doubts, I've continued to go to rehearsals for Me and My Girl.  I'm not quite sure who I'm supposed to be in it (I don't have a speaking part) but think I'm probably a servant.  Not having seen the show, and rehearsing songs without knowing the story or how the songs fit into it makes things a bit confusing.  I'm sure things will become clearer as we progress.  I've made a few friends now, which was difficult at first when all we did was sit and sing then go home.  We were informed at the last rehearsal on Wednesday that it is 10 weeks until the first performance!! Gulp!!  I'm not sure how many times we're doing it or exactly where, but I will keep going and put my confidence in the experience and knowledge of the longer term members to pull it all together. 

I had a lovely day off work on Monday!  I booked it off recently after remembering that I had a day left to take before 1st February.  The plan was to sew all day, seeing as it was a day I wouldn't normally have been at home.  

before

Unfortunately, there was a large pile of ironing calling me from the basket in the bathroom.  My sister, (who normally does my ironing these days) had just gone on holiday for 2 weeks so it was not a good idea to ignore the pile and keep adding to it for the next fortnight!  And besides, I know me, and I wouldn't have been able to settle down to sewing knowing that it was there lurking and taunting me. 

after

So - it took me all morning (it doesn't look that much does it?) but it was done.  I felt a great sense of satisfaction when it was finished, particularly as it was the first time the ironing basket had been completely empty for quite a few years (yes that's right - years)!!  Then, it was onto the fun stuff!!

before

I'd been over to my shed in the garden on the weekend and, with a few projects in mind, pulled out some supplies. Some of it is pictured above.  I wanted to make a couple more zipped pouches trying a different method for putting in the zips.  This time I covered the end of the zips before making up the pouches.  The result was neat-ish but still a bit bulky.  For good measure, I also ran up a mini pin-cushion with the same fabrics.

after

Last but not least was this little pouch with an appliqued key.  This one I made for a friend in work who was celebrating her birthday.  She'd mentioned a few weeks ago how she always had to go hunting in the bottom of her bag for various keys and that she should get a purse to put them all in, so when I heard that it was her birthday, I had no trouble coming up with something to give her.  She was delighted with it and filled it up with her keys straight away. 

Later on my friend asked me if I'd sewn the key on, thinking it was a bought pouch.  When I told her I'd made the whole thing she was very impressed and said I should make and sell more things like this.  Another friend, who was present, said to me knowingly "See!!" because that was something she has said to be many times before.  If I'm lacking in anything to motivate me to sell what I make, it's certainly not friendly praise and encouragement.

Now, with the danger of repeating myself like I did last week, here's my progress:

Zipped pouches - 2 complete
Pin cushion - 1 complete.

Knitted cowl - roughly 20 rows completed (not convinced the stitch pattern is working yet)

I also have some fabric standing by to make a couple of tote bags so let's wait and see what comes of that!!

Bye for now
Teresa x