Wednesday 31 October 2012

Winner Winner Turkey Hat Dinner

This post is brought to you through the power of Blogtoberfest 2012

 



Thanksgiving/Christmas Turkey Hat from Fred Flare. via
 

Without further ado … the comment that tickled me the most was ...
 

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So, congratulations, Jane - could you email me your address and I’ll get the FQs off to you forthwith? 









Wednesday 24 October 2012

Turkey Hat – Caption Competition Giveaway

This post is brought to you through the power of Blogtoberfest 2012

The last few days have been (a) icky and (b) busy, so this, from the interwebs, has cheered me muchly … I especially like that peekaboo bit of fringe  …

Thanksgiving/Christmas Turkey Hat from Fred Flare. via

So … I thought … Let’s have an impromptu caption competition! …

honey vine1

I’ll send the lucky winner these 3 FQs of Michael Miller bloom/vine (I don’t know what it’s called and I’m too lazy to walk into the other room and look at the selvage, sorry!)

Mr Random won’t get a look in here – it has to be the one that makes me smirk/snort tea through my nose the most …



Just leave a comment after the beep …  I’ll pick a winner on Monday 29th midnight UK time …

Go On … Make Me Laugh!
International entries welcome …


P1140487_thumb2_thumbAnd as if that wasn’t enough for all you fabric fiends  … you still have until the end of the month to enter the giveaway for 12 FQs of Blitzen from Basic Grey.
This giveaway will run for the duration of Blogtoberfest – that is, until midnight 31st October UK time - I’ll announce the winner as close to November 1st as I can, to give you plenty of time to make a little something for Christmas.

International entries welcome for this one too!


Sunday 21 October 2012

Smitten with Blitzen flimsy finish - Yay!

This post is brought to you through the power of Blogtoberfest 2012

Previously on Pings … Friday night, when last we met,  I was about to forsake the world of tech *gasp* to read my book.  Well, things started well … I indeed forsook the world of tech and started reading my book but then woke up in exactly the same position 6 hours later.

Pages I won’t have to re-read when I next pick up the book = 0.

*le sigh.

In brighter news, today I have been working on a quilt top with the 12 FQs of Blitzen that the lovely Nicole@ The Brighton Sewing Centre gave me … Don't worry, the winner of the giveaway still gets 12 FQs!


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I love my Basic Grey Blitzen Giveaway even more because I get to play too! 





I picked this bundle because of the softness of the colours … the browns are delicious, It’s like a mint choc chip ice cream cone, really …
 




 







I have to say, this is not one of my favourite taste combos, prob due to overdosing on creme de menthe in my teens, but then I see a pic like this  and I think I may have to seriously check out this recipe from SprinkleBakes! ...


 

 Because life dictates that I am such an erratic stitcher, I don’t know when I’ll be sitting down in front of the machine again for any focused length of time, so I always end up trying some really complex piecing I’ve never done before.  

As I was choosing the bundle for us I knew I wanted to do a really simple square patchwork to let the prints speak for themselves. For the giveaway winner I wanted a line that could work on its own, for a quick gifty project.

Lots of the comments on the giveaway post have said you'd like to make a table runner, and really I think this line would work brilliantly for runners, placemats, bed runners, mug rugs, quilts, jim jams ... yeah, I'm smitten with blitzen alright ...






The greeny blue also reminds me of the colour of all our railings in Brighton … so it’s nice that one lucky winner will be getting a little bit of Brighton in more ways than one …

pic via


 First I split the bundle into darks and lights … ish … and first cut into 6.5” strips and then squares – it maximised my fabric use and minimised my fabric waste, and is also the width of my long ruler!

I added in 6 squares each of Elephant Poo brown (not sure that’s the official Kona colour) and what I think is Kona Aloe, it’s paler than Klona Ice Frappe … I’m saving that dark chocolate for the back … (top of next pic)

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Then I used a kind of random Countdown “one from the top, two from the bottom please Bob” method and sewed them into 4 patches …

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I now exclusively use Bottom Line polyester bobbin thread … it is super fine, 60 wt, strong as an ox, and cos it's so fine you get hours of sewing fun on each bobbin  - if you use it as a top thread too it really makes it easy to match points accurately for piecing or foundation paper piecing, because your seam allowances are so much more accurate ...

I know people are a bit meh about polyester threads, but this stuff, in my experience, doesn't hinder the old puckered comfy cosy quilt shrinkage thing at all.  Not one jot.

I used an Aurifil dark grey on the top, but I’m having trust issues with it at the moment. 

The last three spools of 50wt  I’ve bought have sheared off in the machine, crumbled when pressed, or knotted terribly when hand sewing my summer EPP, even after I resorted to beeswax  ... I've never had a problem with the promotional sample packs ... just sayin ... Bad luck I’m sure, but I’d rather keep an eye on it up top from now on, and not trust it in the bobbin.

Blitzen has a lovely soft handle, but I do recommend starching the life out of it for cutting and piecing, as that lovely soft handle creates eterno-fray.


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I really didn’t want to think about placement too much, so I just looked at direction of print and some attempt at placement of prints in all positions, but to be honest, as I didn't do any of this on paper, I just went with the flow …

I pinned through the seams both sides to try and keep matchy … worked well!

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I trimmed the 4 patches down to 12” squares … so satisfying!

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A bit of a play with the four patch blocks …

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I stitched the blocks into rows 4 x 5 … then laid them out for a final check before sewing the rows together.  

As I laid them out, and in the split second that I turned round to get my camera to capture the moment for blogsterity, my bastard cat who really just bites me and lives most of the time next door with a woman who smells of Players No. 6 and gin, swanned in, sucked the catnip mouse you can see in the top right of pic, and destroyed my layout.

Check out the attitude in this cat’s face (sorry Hadley)

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So, I had to start again …

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Then I had a little peek in greyscale … I wasn’t very happy about the first four L—> R in the third row, but what the heck … let’s be honest - I really wasn’t going to unpick anything at this stage unless there was a disaster …

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Sod’s Law dictates that about 15 mins later I did actually have to unpick a whole row because it was RSU …

*le sigh, deux.

So, here is the main pieced part so far …

It was so wet and windy today it's a miracle I got this shot ... I honestly must have taken 25 pics before the gusts let up enough to capture it in its innate calmness ..

blitzen smitten flimsy

This is eventually destined as a lap quilt for a dear colleague who’s had a bit of a shit year  – without any additional sashing it measures 46” x 57.5” …

I’ve kept some print for the backing and perhaps cornerstone sashing, I’m not sure yet  …

I have half term reports to write, endless work to mark, and more undignified hospital shennanigans tomorrow … so I will return to this at some point before the end of Blogtoberfest!

I can thoroughly recommend this line though, it’s a joy to stitch …
I almost feel festive … just how I like it!



P1140487_thumb2_thumbSo, to be in with a chance to play with this little lot, you still have until the end of the month to enter the giveaway for 12 FQs of Blitzen from Basic Grey.

This giveaway runs for the duration of Blogtoberfest – until midnight 31st October UK time - I’ll announce the winner as close to November 1st as I can, to give you plenty of time to make a little something for Christmas.

International entries welcome!






Friday 19 October 2012

Book Night {19/31}

This post is brought to you through the power of Blogtoberfest 2012


Had a tough week?



directed by Sean Ohlenkamp

Better now?


After an afternoon supervising a tricky GCSE ICT exam, I am now switching off all the technology.

I walk to work, so I don’t have that lovely snatched journey time to dip into a book. And it annoys me. Because I love to read.

I started the first book Ford Maddox Ford’s Parade’s End trilogy yonks ago, when the BBC version first started. I just haven’t had the time/inclination to sit and disappear into it for a while …

So, I am spending the evening with an old friend.
Hello book, it’s been a while!

What are you reading at the moment?





P1140487_thumb2_thumbRemember … you still have until the end of the month to enter the giveaway for 12 FQs of Blitzen from Basic Grey.

This giveaway will run for the duration of Blogtoberfest – that is, until midnight 31st October UK time - I’ll announce the winner as close to November 1st as I can, to give you plenty of time to make a little something for Christmas.

International entries welcome!

Thursday 18 October 2012

creepy {18/31}


This post is brought to you through the power of Blogtoberfest 2012

I was doing a little window shopping  for my non crafty, but equally twisted in their own way, friends when this little beauty caught my eye …


Y1739_CAD_APPROVED.indd


Which led me to dig out a link ...

These children are not laughing, they’re peeing their pants with fear.




I have to be honest here, I’ve never been into dolls.  I had one doll when I was little, but I spent most of the time trying to smash her face (it was a horrid bisquey hard plastic texture).  All the rest of my toys were animals, all of whom had to endure serious schooling and experimental medical procedures.



I know a lot of quilters have a thing about Blythe dolls and where once they used to freak me out to the max, now I find them freakishly compelling … although I could never actually touch one.  (a Blythe doll, not a quilter!)





As for clowns. don’t even start me … seriously … do they not hear all those primary colours screaming like little trapped animals??

Were/are you a doll person?

What about clowns???
Can anyone out there, hand on heart, say they’re not just a little creeped out by em? 

I’d love to hear from you!   



P1140487_thumb2_thumbRemember … you still have until the end of the month to enter the giveaway for 12 FQs of Blitzen from Basic Grey.

This giveaway will run for the duration of Blogtoberfest – that is, until midnight 31st October UK time - I’ll announce the winner as close to November 1st as I can, to give you plenty of time to make a little something for Christmas.

International entries welcome!

Wednesday 17 October 2012

Best Soda Bread Recipe - Ever {17/31}



This post is brought to you through the power of Blogtoberfest 2012

Seriously - I make a fair bit of soda bread and I've finally mastered the balance between moisture and crumb.  The secret's in the oats - they soak up any excess moisture so you don't have to overbake.

This works for me in an oven which pretty much only has three settings: meringue - stew - scorch.  For what it's worth, I preset the oven to 180 … And bake for about 35-40 minutes. The cooling part is really important … it's how the crumb takes shape.

You will need:
200g      Wholemeal flour   (the top picture is this version)
50g         Plain white flour
[You could just use 250g plain white flour, if you prefer – see big pic at end]
150g        Oats (porridge/rolled etc.)
1 tsp        Bicarbonate of Soda (flat)
2 tsps       Baking Powder (flat)
(optional)  handful mixed seeds (hemp, sunflower, sesame, poppy, whatever you like) or nuts – walnuts are great in this, make the pieces small and nibbed, not almighty clunkers …
1 tsp         salt
2 tsps        brown sugar – don’t leave this out!  Honey or agave at a pinch … or try treacle!
350 mls buttermilk – or if you can’t get it, in order of preference: plain yoghurt (bio is good) milk or water

Method
Sieve all dry ingredients - Do not overdo it with the baking powder/bicarb - too much and your bread won't rise and will just taste strongly of bicarb. 

Mix in liquid with a fork, quickly and lightly till you have a sticky but definitely dough like ball.  DO NOT OVERMIX.

Turn out on to a floured board.  Knead very briefly (max 30 secs) and shape into a round flat ball.
Cut a deep cross in the top and sprinkle with flour.

Turn onto a floured baking tray and bake for 40ish mins.  It should be a good nutty brown on top and sound hollow when you tap the bottom.

SAM_0125
this one was with white flour, seeds and nuts and it was totally scrummalicious

Leave to cool on wire rack for at least 30 mins before attempting to cut.  It allows the oats to swell up and take on any of the excess moisture.

Soda bread really does only take 5 mins to prepare.  (and about as long to wolf down!)  If you've run out of bread it's so simple to just get in there and make some. 

Are you a good baker? I can be, but I’m not consistent -  I tend to be too imprecise about the chemistry of it all.

That’s why I like soda bread! It’s a pretty forgiving recipe, you can chuck in nuts and seeds, or play around with the flours – I’ve substituted 50g of the wholemeal with buckwheat flour and that works well. You can even add fruit and cinnamon – you’ll have to tweak the flour down – but once you’ve got your basic soda bread right, you can experiment all you like and this recipe gives you somewhere to start from! 

Even if it comes out like a brick (which it can do if you overwork it or don’t use enough bicarb/baking powder) it will still be delicious!

Nothing tastes better with soup.  Or homemade jam.

(Prob too late to go and make some now, so it bakes while I watch the final of The Great British Bake Off on iPlayer … but tempting, very tempting)



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Remember … you still have until the end of the month to enter the giveaway for 12 FQs of Blitzen from Basic Grey.

This giveaway will run for the duration of Blogtoberfest – that is, until midnight 31st October UK time - I’ll announce the winner as close to November 1st as I can, to give you plenty of time to make a little something for Christmas.

International entries welcome!

let the sunography shine in {17/31}


This post is brought to you through the power of Blogtoberfest 2012

Way back in the days when I seemed to manage catching up on blogs as well as blogging MUCH more frequently and fluidly than I do now, I bookmarked a post of Jessica@HowAboutOrange’s about using photosensitive dye.

Ripple dissolve a gazillion years later to a couple of months ago when I came across some photo sensitive fabric squares in a fab shop in the North Laine (that’s a seriously good link, btw, if you’re planning a shopping day) called Junk Funk and something just went *ping* and curiosity got the better of me so, reader,  I bought a pack …

If I showed you the fabric I’d have to kill you it would expose it to the light and that would be silly, but the weight and feel is reminiscent of Oakshott’s non shots, but a little lighter and looser in weave, if you know what I mean …

IMG_3410 

I got a fab neon perspex silhouette of Brighton Pavilion for Crimbo last year and have been dying to find a use for it other than purely decorative …

Needless to say, it has been raining pretty much ever since I bought the fabric, so experimentation was postponed due to lack of bloomin sunshine …

Until a couple of weekends ago!

I didn’t stick to the recommended exposure time at all, on account of it being bloomin winter and the sun being so much weaker, so I pretty much let it sit out in the sun patch on my front steps for a few hours and then rinsed as per instructions.


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I love it. I see a patchwork using a combo of sashiko squares and this photo sensitive fabric. The background colour always turns this denimy blue, but there’s a good selection of different coloured fabrics which provide the ‘ink’ colour.

 IMG_3405


I thoroughly recommend … I’d like to do some larger silhouettes (leaves etc.) to get more of a contrast going …

On a bit of a tangent … here’s Let the Sun Shine In from Hair – as poignant now as it was back in the day.
 


Have you ever used photosensitive fabrics or dyes?

If you could only use one object to represent you, what would it be?




P1140487_thumb2_thumb
Remember … you still have until the end of the month to enter the Brighton Sewing Centre giveaway for 12 FQs of Blitzen from Basic Grey.

This giveaway will run for the duration of Blogtoberfest – that is, until midnight 31st October UK time - I’ll announce the winner as close to November 1st as I can, to give you plenty of time to make a little something for Christmas.

International entries welcome!


Tuesday 16 October 2012

Ada Lovelace Day - Patron Saint of Lady Nerds! {16/31}



This post is brought to you through the power of Blogtoberfest 2012


Today is Ada Lovelace Day – a pretty amazing woman – she was Byron’s daughter and worked very closely, totally ahead of her time, with Charles Babbage, the grand-daddy of computing.  She was an amazing mathematician with great vision and a fabulous wildness about her.

Her story is amazing and inspiring and makes me kind of wish I’d been her. 

If you fancy a totally marvellous rollicking read, then I really recommend The Bride of Science by Benjamin Woolley


If you’re not that bothered then you can still read a bit from the Guardian, here.

Or you can take part at FindingAda by nominating a woman in science/mathematics etc. who has inspired you.
Lily's Quilts Math
 I’m seriously thinking about nominating Lynne@ Lily'sQuilts for her fantabulous Quilt Math series – binding here and sashing here so far …



If you’re just feeling totally lazy, click pic below to go to the directory of stories and read what others have written:


finding ada


There’s a load of things happening to celebrate, all over the world.  There are some great links there …

In other news, it’s Tuesday and that means a pile of marking heavier than my weekly shop.  I know this because I foolishly juggled both on the way home.

How is your inner nerd?  Do you embrace it/her?

Or do you register absolute zero on the nerd scale?

(I bet everyone scores something, or you wouldn't be (a) blogging or (b) quilting ... )




Don’t forget to enter my Blogtoberfest giveaway (link below) …






P1140487_thumb2_thumbYou still have until the end of the month to enter the giveaway for 12 FQs of Blitzen from Basic Grey.

This giveaway will run for the duration of Blogtoberfest – that is, until midnight 31st October UK time - I’ll announce the winner as close to November 1st as I can, to give you plenty of time to make a little something for Christmas.

International entries welcome!

Monday 15 October 2012

Flash! AAAAh aaah {15/31}


This post is brought to you through the power of Blogtoberfest 2012

Yes, well … ahem another break in transmission from Blogtoberfest  … but this time because yesterday was FlashGordonFest.  A group of us seem to have got into the rhythm of meeting up every year or so for lunch and then a cosy down with Flash Gordon for the afternoon …

Most excellent.  Really. 

You should give it a try if you’re in any way in need of … well, I don’t know quite what actually, but whatever it is that you might be in need of, this movie is bound to have it at some point in the proceedings …

Aside from the obvious boon of a bit of Queen, for a start it has Max von Sydow for chrissakes, camping it up with a lot of serious beading goin on …



Not to mention Topol! And a whole heap of red and gold … I think they blew all the budget on the costumes and then scribbled the script on a cocktail napkin … never mind, it only enhances it really …



Oh, and let’s not forget BRIAN BLESSED in all his shouty glory … with thighs like a Christmas turkey … marvellous …
 


One of our FlashFest (catchy, huh?) gang is also called Brian and he also has a deep sonic booming voice and laugh … The joy of FlashFest is listening to him laugh at Brian Blessed … it’s like stereo Brians LOL …

I love this clip because now it makes me think of Hadley@FlyingBlindOnARocketCycle  every time I see the film …




Oh and for all us first time hipsters out there, Peter Wyngarde with his gold (natch) head:




He was a God as Jason King, way back in the 70s …



So wrong … and yet …

Finally, let's not forget Timothy Dalton …





For some, Dalton was the ultimate Mr Rochester in the BBC Jane Eyre…




I’m a Michael Jayston man, meself … it’s an age thing … that voice …




Anyway, ahem, that’s what I’ve been up to … Not a stitch was sewn, nor a FQ stroked ….

Did you have a good weekend? 

Who is your Mr Rochester?




P1140487_thumb2_thumbRemember … you still have until the end of the month to enter the Brighton Sewing Centre giveaway for 12 FQs of Blitzen from Basic Grey.

This giveaway will run for the duration of Blogtoberfest – that is, until midnight 31st October UK time - I’ll announce the winner as close to November 1st as I can, to give you plenty of time to make a little something for Christmas.

International entries welcome!

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