Catch up

 
As I have found my blogging feet again, I thought a quick catch up was in order.

Recently I have had help with my baking in the form of my two gorgeous nephews (aged 6 and 7) - we have made the usual child friendly fare - choc chip cookies, mars bar cake etc. We also made some rather delicious honey flapjack which is definitely worth a mention and even attempted  bread rolls last weekend which were a great success.  I have been making fruit crumbles with windfallen apples, lots of gluten free biscuits, scones and banana muffins. Also been cooking up some Winter dishes I've never made before such as home made tomato soup, leek and potato soup and beef and mushroom stroganoff. Yum.. I love Winter comfort food - don't you?

As for knitting - I spent a ridiculously long time making this little chap who was a birthday present for a very good friend.

 It took so long because it was a rather complicated pattern (for me) and needed concentration. I prefer to knit whilst watching period dramas and the poor little bear had to be unravelled more times than I care to remember!!  Still, I loved the result and took a few photos before posting him off to the big smoke for his new life in the city.

As well as knitting teddies I have knitted several scarves, hats, and tea cosies for presents.

Regarding my sewing attempts - I did a term of dressmaking at a local college hoping it would build up my confidence in making my own clothes. Unfortunately the teacher who is very skilled was also a perfectionist and spent the term teaching us everything apart from using a sewing machine! My skirt was hand sewn together and I made the decision that the cost of the course was outweighing the pleasure. I want to learn to sew a few simple skirts and dresses but not to be a couture seamstress!! So I finished off the skirt on my own in the end on the machine.
 I have now joined the seaside stitchers in Blackpool (A branch of the Embroiders Guild) We meet twice a week and have some weekend workshops. I had a first attempt at appliqué/ free machine embroidery under the expert eye of Lilian Taylor who does some lovely work. I loved it but I need soooo much more practice and that is one of my goals for this year. I was pleased to have my little piece in an exhibition in the Victorian Tea Rooms on the Pier during the Summer. Since taking this photograph I have free machined the words time for tea on the right hand side. (Which for a beginner was quite a challenge!)

With this little catch up complete I feel that I can start blogging again for real! It wont be on specific days but it will be much more often so I hope you will stop by again soon!x