Q1 2017 Finish Along

I didn't get around to joining in the 2016 Finish Along (FAL), but I thought I would join it alongside the UFO Challenge 2017. I have even found all but one project and taken photos. Those that aren't being worked on at the moment are grouped on a shelf in my cupboard in individual bags waiting for some love.

1. Dear Jane - only needs one border added and then quilted.

2. Garden BOM, The blocks for which are complete and I have to unpick my first unsuccessful attempt at the sashing.

3.  Jan Krentz project - this stalled because I didn't like one of the techniques used.

4. 100 blocks - fabric for the sashing was ordered in the Simply Solids sale recntly, so there's no excuse. I have started sashing the blocks this week and have made good progress.

5.  Thimbleblossoms "colourway" sew along - all of the blocks are cut out ready to piece and I have completed 10 blocks. I may take this with me to a retreat at the end of January.

6. It's a small world 3 out of six panels are complete apart from some appliqué.

7. Green tea and sweet beans just needs some extra borders

8. Summer sampler blocks complete and needs to be sashed and quilted

9. TQS BOM has a drawer to itself and needs a lot of work. If I complete the selected project before the end of the month, I will work on this project. There is a lot of work to be done and not even the first month is complete.

10. Xmas hexagons

11. Makers  tote - pattern purchased and I may make this at retreat in either January or March with the following fabrics

12. One hour basket which I am piecing the outside from scraps so will take longer than an hour.

Sewing machine wall hanging to which I want to add a border didn't make my list of twelve.

MilkyWay quilt along

Kim encouraged the Jersey Modern Quilt Guild to participate in this sewalong, so I was powerless to resist, as always. It's also foundation pieced - perfect and the example uses Blueberry Park by Karen Lewis which I have in stash - score. I asked for some foundation paper for Xmas so I was ready to go. I selected a yard of grey from my stash which I put in a bag along with the printed pattern, set for the off on 1 January. This is a free sewalong, however if you like the bonus star for a different setting, then the pattern is available for purchase from Craftsy.

So here is my block with a slightly paler background than the example but it was in stash. I need to work out how much more I will need to finish the quilt and order it when I see a sale.

And I am piecing the bonus block as I go along as it is a rainbow star incorporating the colours of the other twelve blocks.

Cross stitch progress January 2017 week 1

With the January block complete on my Once Upon a Time sampler, I have also worked the outside border for the July block. I am not very good at counting do have also stitched some of the block to double check my stitch count. 

I am always nervous that the border won't match up when I join the two sides, but I find it boring, so won't be rushing to complete the border yet. It is half complete and the project will now be put away til February when I will finish the February block and the October outside border.

My next project retrieved from storage is the spring sampler by The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery. I have just five blocks to finish. And it will be surprise that I haven't finished the frames for the blocks. Once this sampler is finished, I will need to gave it framed along with the Autumn sampler, merry & bright and the Woodland Sampler.

Quilting progress January 2017 week one

Not a lot of progress is being made this week but I have made a bit of progress on my small world quilt and made one more block for my Colorway quilt.

For the small world quilt, I have made a bit more progress on the third panel of experts. I hope to finish piecing the third panel tomorrow and have the appliqué done on panels 2 and 3 and all three panels sewn together by this time next week. 

I am using my Colorway blocks as leaders and enders so I am making slow progress on this quilt. This is made with a variety of fabric collections by Bonnie & Camille.

Lizzie goes back to Uni on Monday, so I will be able to sew in the mornings again. Lizzie is a typical sleep until noon teenager and your sewing room is next to her bedroom, so I try not to sew when she is sleeping.

My oldest knitting WIP is finished

This was my list of knitting WIPs at the end of November and as well as finishing my Christmas Eve cast on, I have made progress

1. Juniper socks for Knitvent. Complete

2. White stuff scarf. Complete

3. Afterthought heel socks, just need the heels to be knit

4. Gondola shawl - I need to add some beads to a row that I have already knit and then finish the last clue.

5. Inglis Raven Mitts by Ysolda Teague. Both mitts are half complete

6. Cables down the back socks. Ripped back they were going to be too small

7. Mini mania scarf. Two more minis to add - one from my advent calendar and one in grey to match the cast on row.

And of course I'm getting ready to cast something new on. I think this Bertie Botts colourway from London a house Yarn has plenty of interest in the rapidly changing stripes so I plan to cast on some plain socks. I think a shawl may also be cast on but only once another WIP is complete.

Progress on my cross stitch WIPs

I had put away my woodland sampler to focus on finishing the Merry & Bright cross stitch by The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery. I finished the bonus pattern first. I only made one change and that was to change the light blue border to pink. Now I have to decide how to display it.

I also finished the main panel too. I plan to have this professionally framed, perhaps in red?

I have just this week pulled out the Woodland Sampler and finished November. The July block is also half complete. I plan to finish this either today or tomorrow as it's already dated 2016 and I don't plan to restitch the final block.

So hopefully I will have two fewer cross stitch projects to list as UFOs on 1 January 2017.

Progress on my knitting WIPs

When sorting out my works in progress basket I came across two cakes of yarn in the frozen colourway  which I had caked up for the little bobbins knits Christmas Eve cost on for 2015. They were never cost on so I decided to add them to my WIPs and I have now done the heel turn on both socks. Like my advent socks I have knit these two at a time.

I have knit on my mini mania sure every day with my advent minis. It is growing slowly.

I have been making progress on my advent socks using the mini skeins from my advent calendar. I am two rows away from the heel turn.

I have not yet added the pom-poms to my white stuff inspired scarf so I have no finished objects this week.

Working on my cross stitch WIPs

I have grossly miscalculated how much I can achieve this month, so I have adjusted my expectations. I have finished October and most of November on my Woodland sampler with just one month to complete - July.

Progress will be slow as I can't get good stitch definition with white and the remainder of November is white and there are white dandelions in the July block.

However I have now put it away until after Xmas and I am working on Merry & Bright, clue 2 of which was released on Monday evening.

 

I will work on this every day after my advent knitting. It should be finished but not framed by Xmas.

Progress on my knitting WIPs

A plan only works if you follow the plan and I am easily distracted. However I have finished my first WIP of my juniper socks.

The wool came in a Tunisian crochet kit from my friend Claire. However I will be trying out Tunisian crochet in 2017.

I took my cables down the back socks to my WI sock knitting group and I made progress, but I soon realised why they were languishing - they were too narrow. They have been ripped back and replaced with my vanilla advent socks.

The toes were knit from the same Opal mini skein and then I am doing different skeins on each foot and aim to add matching heels and cuffs. This is not a knitted bikini, thank you Jo for the feedback! That brings all sorts of horrible pictures to mind.

I also started the Peace cowl by @healthyknitter but I didn't like how it was turning out, do I ripped that out too. I have added six more sets of three rows to my mini mania shawl and it's interesting to compare the two ends as they have some completely different colours in them.

The only other progress to report is that my White Stuff inspired scarf is out of my cupboard and in a bag with the pom poms to work on one evening. The parts are assembled in one place to make it easy to grab the bag and finish the scarf.

A plan for my knitting WIPs

I need a plan for my knitting WIPs as well as my cross stitch WIPs. So in progress I have:

1. Juniper socks for Knitvent. I am on the second sock

2. White stuff scarf, just needs the pom poms to be sewn on

3. Afterthought heel socks, just need the heels to be knit

4. Gondola shawl - I need to add some beads to a row that I have already knit and then finish the last clue.

5. Inglis Raven Mitts by Ysolda Teague. Both mitts are half complete

6. Cables down the back socks. I am doing the heel flap on the first sock

7. Mini mania scarf. I will add one set of three rows from my Opal advent calendar in December.

I would like to get all of my knitting projects finished in 2016, ready for Little Bobbins' Christmas Eve socks cast on. Now back to my Woodland sampler cross stitch.

A plan for my cross stitch WIPs

Having got back from a 16 day holiday in the Mediterranean , I have found it difficult to get back into the swing of things. So I decided it was time to formulate a plan to finish some WIPs in December and 2017. I also added to my cross stitch WIPs by buying two further Christmas patterns. There is no hope for me.

I have 11 WIPs including my hugs tapestry cushion and a floral cushion in tent stitch, which I need to move into the same bag as my other WIPs. So firstly I have:

3. 12 days of Christmas to work on during November and December 2017

4. Xmas on Gingerbread Lane to work on during October 2017 as this one is nearer to completion.

5. Pretty Little London which has twelve ten stitch wide columns so I will do one column per month in 2017 as well as taking it on our cruise in March.

6. Holly Jolly Santa which is the smallest chart and which I am going to work on at my quilting group in December 2016.

7. Christmas Celebration sampler is a new purchase for which I don't gave the threads so this will be hibernating.

8. Merry & Bright is a new pattern which I took on our recent holiday and completed the first clue. The second clue is released in a week's time.

9. Woodland sampler will be completed this year as I have already done the date on the sampler.

10. Spring sampler to be worked on at my quilt group in January and February 2017. It is very nearly complete.

11. Once upon a time which I will sew each month and if I have already completed the relevant month, I will stitch two border squares.

Assembling all my projects in one place has been therapeutic and I have put away the kit I was working on and have moved the Woodland sampler into the lounge yo work on in the evenings and Holly Jolly Santa is now in the car ready to work on this Wednesday.

I have also formulated a plan for other aspects of cross stitching:

1. I am going to unsubscribe from the temptation which is the Frosted Pumpkin on Facebook and Instagram

2. I am going to destash my stock of linen and aida immediately

3. In 2017 I am going to destash all of my threads that are not needed for these projects

4. My one remaining kit which hasn't been started is to be given to a friend on Wednesday.  First I have to find it!

That feels much better. Now I need to do the same for my knitting projects.

Black butter bundt #bundtbakers

The theme of this month's recipe challenge is apples. I have to admit I don't like cooked apples nor do I like apple juice from a carton. however I have found out over the last year that I love fresh apple juice as it tastes like apples and isn't processed. Whilst away at the Festival of Quilts last week, we were discussing comedians who have appeared in Jersey and Stephen K Amos came to mind along with the jar of black butter that he was given and an idea formed.

Black butter is  locally produced mostly by the National Trust once a year but also by La Mare Vineyards. Read more about it here. we have had two 220g jars in the cupboard for some time that came in hampers as gifts. So a black butter bundt it would be.

I paired the black butter with apple and cinnamon yogurt as both flavours are in the black butter and decided on the Nordicware heritage tin.

So here's the recipe which worked beautifully at the first attempt. The icing, wasn't such a success so I will let you use your favourite icing recipe.

Ingredients:

225g margarine

200g black butter

250g homemade vanilla sugar

3 large eggs

350g self raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

250g yogurt

The addition of the baking powder to the self raising flour means that you can do an all in one method (thank you Delia). Pour into a greased pan and cook for 75 minutes at 160 degrees C

I decorated the bundt with a lemon, cinnamon icing and air dried apple slices. The kitchen smelt like Christmas had come with the lovely spices. It didn't taste overly appley and there is not much left.

If you liked the sound of my bundt, follow these links for more apple bundts:

• Apple & Nuts Bundt Cake with Salted Caramel Sauce by kidsandchic
• Apple & Peanut Butter Bundt Cake by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Apple Almond Coffee Cake with Honey Glaze by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Apple and Toasted Pecan Bundt Cake with Rum Syrup by Patty's Cake
• Apple Blossom Bundt by Living the Gourmet
• Apple Crumble Bundt by Jane's Adventure in Dinner
• Apple French Cruller Bundt Cake by All That's Left Are The Crumbs
• Apple Sharlotka Bundt Cake by Spiceroots
• Apple Streusel Bundt Cake by The Freshman Cook
• Apple-Cream Cheese Bundt Cake by The Queen of Scones
• Candy Apple by I Sugar Coat It!
• Chocolate Chip Apple Cake by Making Miracles
• Cinnamon Apple Streusel Cake by Tea and Scones
• Cinnamon Pecan Applesauce Bundt Cake by Magnolia Days
• Clotted Cream & Apple Spice Bundt by Baking in Pyjamas
• Double Caramel Apple Bundt by The Crumby Cupcake
• Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy Apple Bundt by Food Lust People Love
• Jewish Apple Cake by I love Bundt Cakes
• Jewish Praline Pecan Apple Cake by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Lighter Jewish Apple Cake by Cookaholic Wife

#BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on the BundtBakers home page.

July 2016 in socks

I have been hit by the sock making bug and so has my credit card. So many photos of so much lovely yarn on Instagram tempts me every day. However this coming month I am going to give myself a weekly budget (with some birthday money added on) to try and get my stash under control.

Kate Selene is a case in point, even on holiday, she tempted me with her wares and unfortunately Juicy Oasis had good Wi-Fi and thankfully good air conditioning. These are the popular pattern - Hermione's everyday socks in grey pop fizzle.

And these are made from two knit rows on circulars and one row of K1 P1. The yarn is by Biscotte yarns and was some that I won in an online draw. Unfortunately I don't know the name of the colourway as its not on the ball band. Biscotte do fantastic self striping yarns.

And yesterday I cast on this wool for some socks for Imogen of Fig Tree Yarns to take to Yarndale to show off the Holiday Yarns in Norah's Peacock's Big Brother. I am embracing the grellow.

I plan to knit these whilst travelling to and from London on Tuesday. I have an interview near Parsons Green and plan to do some yarn shop visiting using my travel card to its fullest as the interview is at 2.30 pm for an hour. I am on the red eye and will then knit in Gatwick airport until the cheap train fares kick in at 9.30 am.

My secret garden BOM month 7

I am up to date on this block of the month (BOM) for all of a week as the ninth block will be released next week. I am now having to substitute fabrics for my original picks as a 16" block requires more than just leftovers. I am pleased with how it's coming together.

I love the eclectic background for this block which I am guessing came from an I want her stash bundle from Westwood Acres.

This block was a bonus block in that it is a ten month sew along with twelve blocks to see. It is a variation on a block from a previous month.

And all my blocks so far. Now to catch up with the Summer Sampler.

Summer Sampler 2016

Well my procrastination about joining this summer sew along cost me money as I missed the deadline for the introductory price. Never mind, I'm only three weeks behind. On Tuesday I decided to take the plunge and the first two blocks were soon made.

I have decided to pair Bonnie & Camille ranges with Karen Lewis screen printed fabrics on a Kona steel background.

I think I will do a substitute block for week three's sno cone block as it doesn't speak to me. I will do the block along with block 4 next week.