Catching up and a finish...albeit a small one!

Yes, you read that right!  A finish!  (Other than several thread catchers and a few pin cushions I think this is the only thing I've finished this year!)  Last year I made my mam three little trees to go on her dining table and we decided they would look better if they were on a plainer runner than what she was using.  So, in typical style, I planned the runner and collected the fabrics and then...did nothing.  For eleven and a half months.  I finally pulled my finger out, though, and started (and finished) it this week.  It's very simple because it's there to show off the trees not shout for attention.  It looks nice with or without trees and I think is subtle enough to be used throughout the year but glittery enough for Christmas.

Simple strips (2" finished) of a variety of cream and gold fabrics.

I made it in a 'flip and stitch' style and then added extra quilting lines in a metallic gold thread.

Sorry about the photo, it was one of those dull days where you need the light on just to find your nose...

The fabric second from the left in the above photo is cream with gold glitter...it looks fabulous in person, if I do say so myself!

A slightly better photo of the gold quilting stitches.

One of the fabrics I used was a shot fabric - the warp is metallic gold and the weft is bronze (or it could be the other way round!).  It's got a nylon content of 20% but is a quilting weight (and good quality) fabric and adds a bit of sparkle to the runner.  Not that you'd know by these photos!


All these fabrics are the scraps remaining after I made Mam's red, gold and cream quilt, I bought the binding and backing fabric in a sale last January and the wadding was left after trimming a quilt so I think the whole thing cost about £5 - bargain!

I haven't really done much as I've been poorly for a couple of weeks (I had, or was developing, a quinsy - very painful!) but in the last few days I've felt much better.  Still shattered but at least I can swallow.  And eat!


I've done some baking

Italian banana bread and butterscotch cookies

The cookies were delicious!  I got the recipe from Kerry after I saw a photo on Twitter - I think she got it from here.  I made a double batch and used dark brown soft sugar (I didn't have any light brown) and I'll definitely be making them again!  Rice Krispies aren't something I usually have in my cupboards so I bought a couple of the small single serving boxes (the ones that always remind me of a B&B!) - I'll keep an eye out for them being on offer in the supermarket as they worked perfectly.

The banana bread is a Nigella recipe cut out of a magazine and looks lovely.  Unfortunately, it smells like the back of a chip shop (oily!) and has virtually no taste.  Lovely texture though and it lasts for days.  Even when you keep the lid off in an attempt to get it to harden in order to put it out for the birds!  Not one I shall be making again, I'll stick to my usual recipe from now on!


I've also managed to put up and decorate the tree (Wednesday) and this afternoon I finished wrapping presents...phew!

You can't see it but behind the blind is a garland of Susan's snowflakes

And it's that time of year again.  Christmas bath time.  Last year I bathed his Lordship outside (with buckets of warm water) but I couldn't bear to do that again so, for the first time ever (at least in the eleven years he's lived with me), Archie went to the dog parlour!  I thought he'd be a nightmare for them (he's petrified of water.  And hair dryers.) but he was a model client - I know because they took video footage and photos so they could show me!  He also went in the 'drying cupboard' and slept for twenty minutes and then stood on the table while they brushed him and trimmed his nails.  And my, does he look handsome and smell wonderful!  And his head is so soft!  Want to see?

I feel pretty!  Oh, so pretty!  I feel pretty and witty and bright!  And I pity, any dog who isn't me tonight.

He's been a little more fussy than usual and wants lots of attention (who wouldn't, when you look and smell that good?) and when I was finishing the binding on the table runner he wanted to be in the room with me rather than doing his usual trick of coming to say hello and then disappearing off to bed.  (I think it's because I left him.  He was as frantic at being left with the dog groomer as he was when I left him with the vet and I think it reminds him of being left at the rescue centre by his previous owner...)

Please will you bring my bed in here?  I want to be with you...

That's better!  I love you.  Have you got any biscuits up there?

And a few moments later...

Ahhhh...

Yes, there really is a dog under there - look!

Yes, I'm here.  Yes, I smell divine.  Now, please, put my lid back on and let me sleep...

And finally, because I really, really need to say a bloggy thank you for all the lovely post I've received in the last few weeks (there are more but they're under my tree, waiting for Christmas!)

I have wonderful friends...

From left to right, top to bottom:

* A gorgeous mini quilt/mug rug from Sheila - made with scraps of Velocity.  Have you seen her magnificent strippy quilt?

* I spent the voucher I won in the draw which formed part of the 'Pets on Quilts' contest in August.  I got half yard cuts of a variety of Kona solids (for my Summersville quilt...more on that another time), a fat quarter of Kona something (slate?), a fat quarter of a green RJR solid (to compare to Kona - it feels lovely but I haven't used it yet) and (yet another) little ruler.  I love these rulers, they're so handy - I think this may be number four!  All from The Quilted Kitty - thank you!!

* A wonderful (and surprise) friendship mini from the Bee a Brit Stingy bees.  Read more about it on Sheila's blog - here.

*A  yard of Winterkist gnomas (I was lucky enough to win a giveaway!) and some (scrumptious) chocolate truffles from Nic.

* Part of a custom charm pack from Nicky.  She makes these up for me every now and again - isn't she a treasure?

* The rest of the charm pack!

* Some pretty hexagons and lace weight yarn from Leanne who decided the fabric wasn't really her and kindly sent it to me.  I love it!  I've already started to piece a cushion from the hexies and the yarn is so, so soft - I can't stop cuddling it!

* A copy of '20 craft makes', which is being sold in aid of The Stroke Association and features Karen@Blueberry Park - she also sent me a pouch, made using her project in the book and it's the perfect size for my crochet hooks!

* Another custom charm pack from Nicky - she wanted to see which fabrics I liked best so I arranged them in order of preference.  The bottom row are my favourites, with the far left fabric being my top choice and working down from there.  Or rather, working along and up from there!


Thank you, all of you - I really appreciate your kindness, even if it does take me weeks to blog about it!

I'm hoping determined to finish my Stained QAL quilt before the end of the year (the sharp-eyed among you will have spotted it in some of the photos of Archie in my sewing room - it's the only quilt I've made that I've been able to roll like a carpet!!  Hope it relaxes a little while it's in the washer...) so I may be back with a grand 'ta-da'.  Or I may leave it until the first Fresh Sewing Day of 2013!  It's not going to be before Christmas though, so 'Happy Christmas' and I'll see you on the other side - I hope you all have a marvellous time and that Father Christmas has put you on the 'good' list...


P.S.  Remember the dog that initiated the attack on Archie (one dog started the attack and then the other joined in)?  Well, she's been put down after she attacked their new puppy.  And then went for her owner when she intervened...it's sad that it came to that but she couldn't have been rehomed...

P.P.S.  That seems like a sad note to end on so here's a(nother) cute photo of Archie, taken when I was attempting to pin two rows of QAYG blocks together.  To be fair to him I was in 'play position'* so I suppose it's understandable!
* On all fours, a#se in the air!

Forget pinning...I need a fuss!