FNSI December

 Friday was a busy day so it wasn't until the evening that I was able to sit and sew - and by that time I was too tired to do much! Anyway, I was working on this Wings and Pretty Things block which has progressed well since Friday.

Not much left to do now. These fabrics are not photographing well!

The first block is finished as far as I can go.

That bird looks a bit manic! He will look better when he gets a beak and an embroidered eye. As you can see, as well as the embroidery there are also some twigs missing. We are in the middle of moving house and I managed to pack the little bias pressing gadget which I knew I would need! Also all my embroidery threads have gone too. Well, I shall be able to add those little bits later.

That's it from me for now - many thanks to Wendy for organsising our Friday Night Sew In's all year. Please click on the link to see what everyone was working on.

FNwFs December

 And our last Friday Night With Friends for 2021. Thank you Cheryll for organising our Fridays over the last year. Pop over to Cheryll's blog here to see who else took part and what they were up to.

A busy day here with the market and hairdressers in the morning. Then the afternoon was wet and cold and so I sat by the fire writing Christmas cards. I have made a good inroad into my list but it takes time as many of them need updates on our year. Always lovely to hear from old friends at Christmas though.

 However, I did manage to cut some hexies and start basting them during the evening.

These are for the outer border of Wings and Pretty Things - not that I am anywhere near adding the outer border but I wanted to make sure I had a good selection of fabrics for these before moving on to the applique blocks.

Sunshine and showers here today so after writing a few more cards I think I shall make a start on the first applique block. First though I am off to see what everyone else got up to yesterday evening.

RSC 2021 up to date

 I have now got all the little 2021 Dresdens sewn down onto the RSC Dresden quilt top.

I can now see which colours I will need to concentrate on next year and will have to think about those corners!

Linking up with Angela for ScrapHappy Saturday and thank you very much Angela.

Friday Night with Friends

 And my first for several months. Just made it in time too as we were without internet until mid day on Friday. Thank you Cheryll - pop over to Cheryll's blog here to see what everyone was working on.

I have started adding my mini hexie dresdens to my RSC Dresden quilt, so that is what I was working on yesterday. I have them dancing around the border - here are a few that are in place.

Earlier this week I completed three more Field Journal hexagons.

The hollyhock and pimpernel blocks are my favourites!

Well that's all for now - I shall be catching up whith what everyone was working on later. Meanwhile, the sun is shining so I am going to sit outside and continue sewing dresdens.

Have a good week.

A couple of finishes!

 Yes, I have been beavering away here, clearing up a few ongoing projects. First of all I am proud to show my completed tablecloth!

So pleased with this and apart from the hassle of trying to get those flower baskets square (which they are not!) I loved every stitch of this project.

The flower baskets use scraps from my collection, the applique is all using batiks and I have made a scrappy batik binding.

A couple of shots in the garden (it's the bench that is not level - not my photography)

and finally on the table where it will live.

Now for my second finish I have this scrappy cover for my Kenwood Chef which I started in the summer.

This replaces the old blue and yellow cover that I made many years ago and which has been well used and washed. It is now looking very tired, unlike this picture where it was brand new!

Also to report I have progress on Wings and Pretty Things. Whilst in UK recently I caught up with the fabric I had ordered for the first border so I have been able to add that and the second border of hexies and butterflies.

Now I can make a start on the next applique border of pretty things.

And finally a couple of Field Journal blocks which I finished back in August but had not got around to photographing.

Well that is all for now. I need to get on with some secret stitching this week and I may get out another Field Journal block to work on.

Have a good week.

FNSI and RSC October

 First of all many thanks to  Wendy for organising our Friday evening again - do pop over to Wendy's blog to see who else joined in and what they were working on.

After an excellent Fish and Chip lunch in a local restaurant I sat down to complete my RSC crumb blocks for the month. Actually, I was working on crumbs from September as well as we were away all last month and my orange blocks did not get made. I made the little Dresden flowers earlier in the week. So here we are - Septembers orange Dresdens and crumb blocks.

The colour for October is light and bright greens. Well, I used all my green scraps earlier in the year so instead I pulled out all my black and grey scraps. Here you can see my Dresdens, seven crumb blocks and a few little squares for the Scraptherapy box. I have also cut enough petals for two more Dresdens as looking at my quilt I can see that I will need four altogether.

This year I have been trying to clear out my crumb box - at the beginning of the year I had to put another box on top of it to keep it closed - now it is just half full.

There are still plenty of cream and brown scraps in there which I know I will use next year. Otherwise I am very happy with how this year has gone.

Linking up with Angela at Soscrappy for ScrapHappy Saturday. Thank you Angela.

As requested.....

 ...by a few ladies down under for whom it is elderflower time, here is my recipe for Elderflower Cordial.

25 heads of fresh elderflowers

1 litre of boiled water

2lbs sugar

3 large lemons

 Snip the flowers from the thicker stalks into a large bowl. Add the grated rind from all three lemons. Squeeze the lemons, then roughly chop the shells and add them too plus any collected juice.

Add the sugar to the water and stir until dissolved and then add to the bowl. Give it all a good stir, cover and leave for two days stirring occasionally and enjoying the delicious smell!

 Strain and bottle. Store in the fridge. 

Dilute to taste with still or, my favorite, fizzy water. A splash in fizzy white wine is also delicious.

If you have access to gooseberries then use some of the cordial to sweeten them for a pie or crumble

Enjoy.

This recipe makes quite a lot - the quantity's are easily adjusted if you want to make a smaller amount or don't have the required number of elderflowers.