tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830600852855361342024-03-14T06:13:16.018+00:00Pings & Needlesthe exquisite pain of nerdy creativityBrighton Breezy Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15811676205434617965noreply@blogger.comBlogger352125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-383060085285536134.post-56506785023373034512021-05-10T18:49:00.005+01:002021-05-10T20:46:29.232+01:00The Quickstep Quilt<p>So, I'm planning my next project already ... in my head and on here; I can't work on more than one english paper piecing project at once or I'd never finish anything.</p><p>Some years ago I made my <a href="http://www.pingsandneedles.com/2012/09/the-foxtrot-quilt.html">Foxtrot Quilt</a> - these are some of the blocks:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZHyXJjv_V5yRNGlD2vbpX7v3xsHRnj6Ieen5C5zYrLTjcZJsvMIaYdPg0ZY-zUAk6kapq9EdBfILqCE3RWcrQy2DoFdHgMxZAjl1xZK_2OSJHA9Ap664QW0g2JW1bLOSKucYx7QcNLQ0/s768/2012-08-31_thumb%255B2%255D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZHyXJjv_V5yRNGlD2vbpX7v3xsHRnj6Ieen5C5zYrLTjcZJsvMIaYdPg0ZY-zUAk6kapq9EdBfILqCE3RWcrQy2DoFdHgMxZAjl1xZK_2OSJHA9Ap664QW0g2JW1bLOSKucYx7QcNLQ0/s320/2012-08-31_thumb%255B2%255D.jpg" /></a></div><p>I loved that each component was stand-alone and then appliqued onto linen, as I really felt that progress moving along, as opposed to the <a href="http://www.pingsandneedles.com/2021/05/tulanova-clashanova-quilt-process-pics.html">TulaNova Clashanova Quilt</a> which seems to build much more slowly, even though it's broken down into mini units.</p><p>I cut all my own templates and stitch basted for the original (never again) so this time I've decided to give Eppiflex templates a go ... It's quite the initial outlay, but as they are made of mylar, you can use a basting glue pen <i>and </i>are re-usable a bazillion times, I think it's a pretty good investment. I bought mine from <a href="https://www.sewhot.co.uk/">Sew Hot Fabrics</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh82V1Ozrfg8HVaii3gHd4eyQPEkxqIWJblErWVVt_n1EM42NIOzxx3MzK3_6-UaWZrJTG_vjlggZ1vmJTmGyW2Uo_p-3GtKe4bcHiFoR2jHxt5UQQtnwvEJa4qhtniQRB99IAD66DT-Fs/s2550/PXL_20210501_152337865%257E3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="2550" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh82V1Ozrfg8HVaii3gHd4eyQPEkxqIWJblErWVVt_n1EM42NIOzxx3MzK3_6-UaWZrJTG_vjlggZ1vmJTmGyW2Uo_p-3GtKe4bcHiFoR2jHxt5UQQtnwvEJa4qhtniQRB99IAD66DT-Fs/w400-h400/PXL_20210501_152337865%257E3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I started with the designer pack which has about 240 templates (it says 200 but there were more).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As you can see they are transparent (really annoying if you drop one) which makes them fantastic for focus cutting. I also bought a 3/8" ruler to add seam allowances (from <a href="https://www.lovelyjubblyfabrics.co.uk/">Lovely Jubbly Fabrics</a>) cos, you know, gadgets.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've since added 1 1/2" squares and crowns to the mix.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is my current moody broody board (it's ever changing)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSlALwa_76Gjw0mig0bPvgfY8cChqeUKWnFXAx4pKetnLUx56cXa7B0np6MGkWdJk8qhSaMwjoW96wp8eCAjcV_pkvVvc_JgDJEPmCNO1EZHSI1WT94nLvjSd-mm1ZfTcjhZ3eMT88bsc/s882/IMG_2912.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="882" data-original-width="594" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSlALwa_76Gjw0mig0bPvgfY8cChqeUKWnFXAx4pKetnLUx56cXa7B0np6MGkWdJk8qhSaMwjoW96wp8eCAjcV_pkvVvc_JgDJEPmCNO1EZHSI1WT94nLvjSd-mm1ZfTcjhZ3eMT88bsc/w270-h400/IMG_2912.PNG" width="270" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I still have a ton of gingham fabric in my stash and I'm enjoying this paper piecing lark, as it is a great wind-down from work, so I want to have another go. <div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">Please welcome to the floor, the Quickstep Quilt</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"> </span><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">slooooooow</span><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">-quick-quick,</span><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"> </span><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">slooooooow</span><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">-quick-quick</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="330" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/98fRQqCvNyA" width="397" youtube-src-id="98fRQqCvNyA"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>Brighton Breezy Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15811676205434617965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-383060085285536134.post-57130898019091575792021-05-09T14:21:00.004+01:002021-05-10T17:51:34.894+01:00TulaNova Clashanova Quilt <p>This year's first slow stitching project, the TulaNova english paper pieced quilt started 21st March 2021. In celebration of my current #pinkhairdontcare mode, she's a bit of an eyeful, so I've renamed her TulanovaClashanova ...</p><p>I'll be adding to this post as I progress and then I'm planning a post on notions and mistakes along the way</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYwzK0gX39AikrOPJ3W_6KV-KQDTL31DRdnv33XToanat-wqGwC1q0VyjjwjSw39lSn-Ayq5nVgim3oYo7C4_HPW_NYSF1xpuOW99Z9_Q9FtxXKO33w3JkDdpI35Z499mjOA3RpHGpr8E/s1440/IMG_20210327_182349_535.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYwzK0gX39AikrOPJ3W_6KV-KQDTL31DRdnv33XToanat-wqGwC1q0VyjjwjSw39lSn-Ayq5nVgim3oYo7C4_HPW_NYSF1xpuOW99Z9_Q9FtxXKO33w3JkDdpI35Z499mjOA3RpHGpr8E/s320/IMG_20210327_182349_535.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qxuPpV6LqTwZ3EVf9sXg90nG31hbl-0XpWlXJqkaz2JPm0s1_SQauGgn2i_LHls4SeKSf0NT3-H4rrvdCbc087b2TgpImUmiIb7-nUhggRIwQ1OuoDeEzNw2yXFa-wujLDkP76auMAQ/s2435/PXL_20210404_103611998%257E2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2370" data-original-width="2435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qxuPpV6LqTwZ3EVf9sXg90nG31hbl-0XpWlXJqkaz2JPm0s1_SQauGgn2i_LHls4SeKSf0NT3-H4rrvdCbc087b2TgpImUmiIb7-nUhggRIwQ1OuoDeEzNw2yXFa-wujLDkP76auMAQ/s320/PXL_20210404_103611998%257E2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl24Xo9nU3yywB5d1VlWgTBskUiXLeHW7MXBnVXZySIyMK0RrL_hmML6EB30V6RtfD8jFd0MvnBf7wcRgvrG2QXftCpF34lZiHkGmXaZpngwRTfxR-FKZ8RLs4p8LS9Pc3eljM7g28628/s2587/9E97191C-AC39-4A78-8806-218E61EE9E36.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2587" data-original-width="2587" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl24Xo9nU3yywB5d1VlWgTBskUiXLeHW7MXBnVXZySIyMK0RrL_hmML6EB30V6RtfD8jFd0MvnBf7wcRgvrG2QXftCpF34lZiHkGmXaZpngwRTfxR-FKZ8RLs4p8LS9Pc3eljM7g28628/s320/9E97191C-AC39-4A78-8806-218E61EE9E36.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Fabric: </span><a class="notranslate" href="https://www.instagram.com/alisonglass/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">@alisonglass</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> Cross stitch in Green and Ruby, <br /></span><a class="notranslate" href="https://www.instagram.com/kokka.fashion_textile/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">@kokka.fashion_textile</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> </span><a class="notranslate" href="https://www.instagram.com/missmelodymiller/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">@missmelodymiller</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> Mustang canvas linen, <br /></span><a class="notranslate" href="https://www.instagram.com/michaelmillerfabrics/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">@michaelmillerfabrics</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> Ta Dot from scrap bin</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXr0mMbMHoV8uXRZISfg2ezs8bBPMc_S3zSNbVqmjMAIycM4x3-84N9bp_jtCpLmHD-8_PH1wVjE22TULeX8GY5nwzSKXr3Bj4NXOmgTG50nrxOGlFU0mbInNzPjFoj_pYehV3xKMuMiw/s2710/63A9A527-18E3-4008-95FF-94D12F3A20B5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2710" data-original-width="2710" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXr0mMbMHoV8uXRZISfg2ezs8bBPMc_S3zSNbVqmjMAIycM4x3-84N9bp_jtCpLmHD-8_PH1wVjE22TULeX8GY5nwzSKXr3Bj4NXOmgTG50nrxOGlFU0mbInNzPjFoj_pYehV3xKMuMiw/s320/63A9A527-18E3-4008-95FF-94D12F3A20B5.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Fabric: Stars: </span><a class="notranslate" href="https://www.instagram.com/tulapink/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">@tulapink</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> limeade & cosmo from </span><a class="notranslate" href="https://www.instagram.com/lovelyjubblyfabrics/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">@lovelyjubblyfabrics</a><br /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Diamonds in </span><a class="notranslate" href="https://www.instagram.com/alisonglass/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">@alisonglass</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> </span><a class="xil3i" href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/sunprint2021fabric/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">#sunprint2021fabric</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> in Cosmo Tuesday & Moss Tuesday from </span><a class="notranslate" href="https://www.instagram.com/thepurplestitches/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">@thepurplestitches</a></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg8D8Ab6ZxzBhqYhtbcAOMyNu5pz3q8RrwRBB9XdMAXsyCKogo-pmjzMGrB_jNUwE_aFyiz5JlDvAsW8ReSWYcYcvgfYegViBWux1PtqNxlK7hSbCl0I6SdWMETw7jfqLfmIipYY3P_ME/s2708/PXL_20210415_122013464%257E2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2708" data-original-width="2708" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg8D8Ab6ZxzBhqYhtbcAOMyNu5pz3q8RrwRBB9XdMAXsyCKogo-pmjzMGrB_jNUwE_aFyiz5JlDvAsW8ReSWYcYcvgfYegViBWux1PtqNxlK7hSbCl0I6SdWMETw7jfqLfmIipYY3P_ME/s320/PXL_20210415_122013464%257E2.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Stars: </span><a class="xil3i" href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/konasolids/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">#konasolids</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> Parrot & Bright Pink from stash</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRFFhZQNLp8r8Y2BRVUUZvZU-K8wItyxWJgvryBpe87jfD-yoOLx42QLct-tWBBcYeS_AaAjW16lf-x26HMnOCr_A9z-qIgcBqUkmgLbS1SKU9o4y20Uxv1Tf0KHsbFH-qhxQYCj4-o0U/s2864/ADE839E3-706F-446C-B1B6-30E7410FE556.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2864" data-original-width="2864" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRFFhZQNLp8r8Y2BRVUUZvZU-K8wItyxWJgvryBpe87jfD-yoOLx42QLct-tWBBcYeS_AaAjW16lf-x26HMnOCr_A9z-qIgcBqUkmgLbS1SKU9o4y20Uxv1Tf0KHsbFH-qhxQYCj4-o0U/s320/ADE839E3-706F-446C-B1B6-30E7410FE556.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Fabric: </span><a class="notranslate" href="https://www.instagram.com/makoweruk/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">@makoweruk</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> </span><a class="xil3i" href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/makowerspoton/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">#makowerspoton</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> yellow on green & purple on pink from </span><a class="notranslate" href="https://www.instagram.com/thepurplestitches/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">@thepurplestitches</a></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4QwKbcNDotDsiUNWVlN8jiuB4CN-wleZ7A2X3UXUPMnILmeD20YLkgK2xPc6VxtPiTqZNMJoKIsxaH05JGX2bBKY3zXownjnDDQQLOkvkcGie55XOWwtllIZM1HZdhxWFZIkYwjd17-4/s2965/49279C95-F0C6-424C-BA77-DD089D99AE80.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2965" data-original-width="2965" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4QwKbcNDotDsiUNWVlN8jiuB4CN-wleZ7A2X3UXUPMnILmeD20YLkgK2xPc6VxtPiTqZNMJoKIsxaH05JGX2bBKY3zXownjnDDQQLOkvkcGie55XOWwtllIZM1HZdhxWFZIkYwjd17-4/s320/49279C95-F0C6-424C-BA77-DD089D99AE80.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Fabric: Denim print - Libs Elliott Phosphor Alien Green & Glow Pink from </span><a class="notranslate" href="https://www.instagram.com/lovelyjubblyfabrics/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">@lovelyjubblyfabrics</a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-kkelFw3EyglAF2hhCIJfRtXWwtH5Dg9bh9Novd-obhoGBj6n5RIzuuyyNhBO4exJvqtT_eM0b039d_MvxM8VJtumQ5ulp9Az4aQjFpS3TWvmTohUD7B05bfqKGuP02XC0qEt7NJMiAA/s2892/PXL_20210418_183425180.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2892" data-original-width="2892" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-kkelFw3EyglAF2hhCIJfRtXWwtH5Dg9bh9Novd-obhoGBj6n5RIzuuyyNhBO4exJvqtT_eM0b039d_MvxM8VJtumQ5ulp9Az4aQjFpS3TWvmTohUD7B05bfqKGuP02XC0qEt7NJMiAA/s320/PXL_20210418_183425180.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Fabric: Pentagons: </span><a class="notranslate" href="https://www.instagram.com/alisonglass/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">@alisonglass</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> cross stitch in Garden & Ruby from </span><a class="notranslate" href="https://www.instagram.com/lovelyjubblyfabrics/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">@lovelyjubblyfabrics</a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdDsjkqPY0W2jp9uHvZgUrYfEgxBo7Uixf3YyrThdi7LRoF2V-96z6YYQOW94NdvYtlY3AK90H25nMq8lzVDCQ67uDCuOyQu5XsRSfRczVBt3aP8Z1ns1jtk1bUBYqiSUduzIeYkvrStc/s2800/28BA90E5-BAA5-419F-B952-53D0746D0069.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="2800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdDsjkqPY0W2jp9uHvZgUrYfEgxBo7Uixf3YyrThdi7LRoF2V-96z6YYQOW94NdvYtlY3AK90H25nMq8lzVDCQ67uDCuOyQu5XsRSfRczVBt3aP8Z1ns1jtk1bUBYqiSUduzIeYkvrStc/s320/28BA90E5-BAA5-419F-B952-53D0746D0069.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Fabric: Inner Pentagons </span><a class="notranslate" href="https://www.instagram.com/robertkaufman/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">@robertkaufman</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> Remix chevron from stash </span><a class="notranslate" href="https://www.instagram.com/alisonglass/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">@alisonglass</a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">She's giving me Nelson Riddle blaring brass arrangements:<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SPu0zkfmglQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="SPu0zkfmglQ"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhowbmaaiq9jt-nzGJfrfXcoSpiHFt0N6xMwQXCUP09RrtDP8V_MYitY0_gszlmOWxTMp3dRJ7to-OxZURnBLFe9nHBaOkrRm8LKLz0Ip3vb6bYi6RCuJShhM_rXMekHBQq6B4vIBI5fMU/s2766/8A422642-ECDB-40DD-A204-769CA3DCF809.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2766" data-original-width="2766" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhowbmaaiq9jt-nzGJfrfXcoSpiHFt0N6xMwQXCUP09RrtDP8V_MYitY0_gszlmOWxTMp3dRJ7to-OxZURnBLFe9nHBaOkrRm8LKLz0Ip3vb6bYi6RCuJShhM_rXMekHBQq6B4vIBI5fMU/s320/8A422642-ECDB-40DD-A204-769CA3DCF809.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Fabric: Pentagons: </span><a class="notranslate" href="https://www.instagram.com/alisonglass/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">@alisonglass</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> cross stitch in Garden & Ruby from </span><a class="notranslate" href="https://www.instagram.com/lovelyjubblyfabrics/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">@lovelyjubblyfabrics</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">10 point Diamonds: </span><a class="notranslate" href="https://www.instagram.com/tulapink/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">@tulapink</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> </span><a class="xil3i" href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/tulapinktruecolors/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">#tulapinktruecolors</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> hexy in Juniper from </span><a class="notranslate" href="https://www.instagram.com/cottonpatchuk/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">@cottonpatchuk</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Stripey Diamonds: from stash</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Stars: </span><a class="xil3i" href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/konasolids/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">#konasolids</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> Parrot & Bright Pink from stash</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_wsHMDRhElsZMNNliHSZRy-OBbTQx8uN5ArCXa6XRod_QZLRlM1OuEs0iHlhDm4Bcn9Q8p3nZtD1jtbjk2cz6csQODEgZW8xh4XvDuoWyLNVH8zs_MzeRbWpCKhyphenhyphenQMBFt6OaqqHaTozI/s2788/PXL_20210508_192824554.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2788" data-original-width="2788" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_wsHMDRhElsZMNNliHSZRy-OBbTQx8uN5ArCXa6XRod_QZLRlM1OuEs0iHlhDm4Bcn9Q8p3nZtD1jtbjk2cz6csQODEgZW8xh4XvDuoWyLNVH8zs_MzeRbWpCKhyphenhyphenQMBFt6OaqqHaTozI/s320/PXL_20210508_192824554.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Fabric: Stars : </span><a class="xil3i" href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/makowerfabrics/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">#makowerfabrics</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> spot on - purple on pink and yellow on green</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Diamonds: </span><a class="notranslate" href="https://www.instagram.com/michaelmillerfabrics/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">@michaelmillerfabrics</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> ta dot in Moss, pink dot unknown, all from stash</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Notions: silicone bobbin hugger (great for stopping the unravelling) and generic snips from Amazon; </span><a class="notranslate" href="https://www.instagram.com/sewtites/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">@sewtites</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> magnetic pins from </span><a class="notranslate" href="https://www.instagram.com/lovelyjubblyfabrics/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">@lovelyjubblyfabrics</a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Two more rounds to go ... I may be some time ....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Brighton Breezy Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15811676205434617965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-383060085285536134.post-59096118651685502622020-01-14T19:15:00.001+00:002020-01-14T19:15:47.571+00:00Reunited And It Feels So Good <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at the position of the felt pad in relation to the feed dogs! eek!</td></tr>
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Yesterday I was reunited with my old Brother sewing machine after over three years! I’d lent it to my school’s art department when my sewing mojo departed. As you can see, it was in a filthy dusty filthy rusty filthy state - even the bobbin case was in the wrong position, wedged. #HoHum </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was after 1 hr of cleaning, at this point I had to get the WD40 out!</td></tr>
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It took about three hours to get him back to good order (pretty near total dismantle job). When I finally got to the point where I could thread the needle and do some practice stitching, features I’d forgotten were so useful started to reveal themselves - the working needle threader, the bobbin action, the needle up/down doopher and, most excitingly the ability to go commando and not use the foot pedal, just push a button and vroom vroom. </div>
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I don’t know why I like this feature so much but I do and I am delighted to have it back in my life. </div>
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Considering this is a pretty low-end machine I’m impressed by the welly under the bonnet in comparison to the cheap Aldi machine I inevitably ended up buying to use in the interim! (I only really bought it to embroider rude words on napkins, which was totally worth it, but seriously, sewing over a dark side seam was like attempting the ascent of K2.)</div>
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Brother purrs much more, feels reliable, sews like butter and his stitches are straight! #Woohoo</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption">They’ve never met before </td></tr>
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He’s now all shiny on a shelf waiting for action. Not long baby, not long ... </div>
Brighton Breezy Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15811676205434617965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-383060085285536134.post-86920508330575807582020-01-12T12:47:00.000+00:002020-01-12T13:03:31.748+00:00Hello 2020Well, hello! It’s only been eight years since my last post. I don’t really know what happened to my blogging mojo but I think it just suffered alongside the loss of my entire creative mojo in the last few years. No dramatic reasons, just foggy mental health and work and health, the usual ...<br />
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I haven’t been entirely devoid of creative bursts - I’ve been mini-blogging on Instagram and I’m very happy over there ... But sometimes I want to ramble on a bit more, or explain a process and that’s when the Insta platform feels a little claustrophobic. So, I thought I’d try an experiment and bring PingsAndNeedles out of retirement. I don’t know how often I’ll be using it or who will read it, but that’s not the point. It was really only ever for me to have a space to ramble on and document my creative process, so that’s how I intend to continue. Randomly! I have not spent hours crafting this post because the point is just to begin.<br />
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Let’s start with a little item I painted for a friend this Christmas ... and let me tell you the Origins Story:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9FBcpSXPqvpnGv9vXXQNrRxkHsw8dbaxfJKqkzydTEDipN729xJ0yX-7Mz7xY3vwsqzkYHB3BKnCrrHo2Ipa4xbb2dccX7Tt6o4sBLJd67Ma_g8oRmKHS9KXrcGxNVxhVLK4Do9_cL4-V/s1600/FC4B13FF-A800-4577-A3B4-6EA2FB805E24.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9FBcpSXPqvpnGv9vXXQNrRxkHsw8dbaxfJKqkzydTEDipN729xJ0yX-7Mz7xY3vwsqzkYHB3BKnCrrHo2Ipa4xbb2dccX7Tt6o4sBLJd67Ma_g8oRmKHS9KXrcGxNVxhVLK4Do9_cL4-V/s400/FC4B13FF-A800-4577-A3B4-6EA2FB805E24.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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It all started back here with this Ruby Star Rising and Andover fabrics quilt from 2010!</div>
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A few years later it needed a little bit of tlc where the seams were loosening up (prob wrong original tension, I’ve learned a lot since then!) So, having put it into my WIP pile I ignored it for a couple of years (whoops!) and then finally back in 2018 I decided to recycle and revamp the quilt into something new ... (adding more Melody Miller fabric along with some dots and solids, with a mustard tweed backing)<br />
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But that left this backing fabric unused .... </div>
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So I used some of it to make make up removal pads (for the same friend)</div>
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and then this Christmas at my annual <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thepaintingpotterycafe/" target="_blank">@thepaintingpotterycafe</a> visit I painted this tapas dish which I thought she could put in her bathroom to hold the pads ...</div>
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I like the story so far. </div>
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That’s all for now, thank you for reading.</div>
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Do any of you have the same kind of theme history behind gifting to people? </div>
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Sarah PingsAndNeedleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08736713704807666926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-383060085285536134.post-55052482432966155852012-12-21T10:03:00.000+00:002012-12-21T10:03:03.784+00:00Season’s Greetings<br />
I know it’s been a while since I was here, it’s been a hell of an icky pain and tiredness filled few months, but I didn’t want to let the season go by without wishing you all a very very merry Christmas from me …<br />
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… and him.<br />
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I hope to be back blogging more regularly in the new year. I’m going into hospital on 11th January - my 50th birthday (nice one, NHS, thanks!) - to have adhesion and bowel surgery, so hopefully things will be a little more zingy in the Pings camp after that.<br />
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I <i>have</i> been doing some stitching in my much-reduced up time and I’m looking forward to showing it off in due course, but for now I’d just like to send much love to all my lovely bloggy friends and warm wishes for a wonderful Christmas and New Year.<br />
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xxxSarah PingsAndNeedleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08736713704807666926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-383060085285536134.post-27467980407340567462012-11-02T17:24:00.000+00:002012-11-02T17:24:22.512+00:00Bye Bye Blogtoberfest. Hello Brighton Sewing Giveaway Winner!<br />
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<i>This post is brought to you through the power of </i><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html"><i>Blogtoberfest</i></a><i> 2012</i> </div>
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So, ta ta <a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html" target="_blank">Blogtoberfest</a>. I didn’t fare too badly, considering it was report writing and exam time! … I missed about a week’s worth of posts, all told. I enjoyed <i>trying</i> to find meaty things to write about rather than just coasting it with easy posts, but I did slip in the odd quickie. <br />
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Sorry. Drifted off there. <i><span style="color: #400040;">Quickie</span></i>. ... stirs something in my deep and fogging memory.<br />
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Anyway, ahem. The real fun of <a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html" target="_blank">Blogtoberfest</a> for me is in the discovery of new blogs; new writers, new makers. That temporary flash of discipline that makes us all focus to produce what we can, for each other, for a month. Gotta love that. There’ll be a little roundup of what caught my eye, so stay tuned.<br />
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The other thing I loved was that I started to wang on about <a href="http://draft.blogger.com/www.uksynaesthesia.com" target="_blank">synaesthesia</a>, and I’m looking forward to doing some more posts on it, especially some touchy feely fabricy ones. <br />
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I have to admit there’s been very little sewing going on chez Pings and I’m on day Three of my precious three day half term!<br />
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day one – <strike>lie in</strike>, drink coffee to get me out of the house, run around town to get everything done so can enjoy: <br />
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day two – <strike>lie in, relaaaaax, drink coffee for pleasure, see people, cook, watch a movie</strike>, spend day at hospital <strike><br /></strike><br />
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day three – <strike>get up late</strike>. Listen to rain. Get mojo out of cupboard. Put it back. Go to work (WTF!?) and sort out two term's worth of resources and recycling in peace and quiet and space. <br />
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What drives me crazy is that I’ve been up and attem by 7am all three days ... grr to stupid brain. I'm now utterly wiped out, so hope that I'll be able to just have a nice relaxing weekend before going back on Monday! <br />
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rBTIY40VrwA/UHMk1uoo3oI/AAAAAAAABhc/Heuybui9kFg/s1600-h/P1140487_thumb2_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="P1140487_thumb2_thumb" height="194" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-M3GV7CDzwBI/UHMk51iqERI/AAAAAAAABhk/Sas2S-5x5Rg/P1140487_thumb2_thumb_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="margin: 0px 24px 0px 0px;" title="P1140487_thumb2_thumb" width="154" /></a>This is the bit you came for really, and if you scrolled past all that blathering on, I forgive you. Fabric desire renders us all impatient and greedy! <br />
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Mrs Random Number generator has decreed that the lucky winner of 12 FQs of Basic Grey Blitzen is …..<br />
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<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pceMtJ0fMfI/UJOy1yvUMAI/AAAAAAAABvw/6_gLkdLaWKg/s1600-h/image%25255B5%25255D.png"><img align="left" alt="image" height="166" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-zXEsK-k7-uA/UJOy4Jds8GI/AAAAAAAABv4/nZSIhwFgwGQ/image_thumb%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: left;" title="image" width="145" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-gFi9N12__WU/UJOy5VsswgI/AAAAAAAABv8/yuK5qESod9U/s1600-h/image%25255B15%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" height="108" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Dh4gsmLk284/UJOy6qi-q2I/AAAAAAAABwI/a2KX8B9Yg_o/image_thumb%25255B8%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right;" title="image" width="573" /></a><br />
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Yay! Congratulations <a href="http://draft.blogger.com/www.narcolepticinacupboard.com" target="_blank">Sarah@ NarcolepticInACupboard</a> ! I can honestly say you are going to <i>love</i> this fabric! Pop me an email with your postal details and the lovely ladies at <a href="http://www.brightonsewingcentre.co.uk/">Brighton Sewing Centre</a> will send it on its way… <br />
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<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-z0rT1FQA5yA/UJOy-2lufkI/AAAAAAAABwQ/i4LTwBjCKCk/s1600-h/P114055228.jpg"><img align="left" alt="P1140552" height="400" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-5xPMKE5WZAg/UJOzBy2IwjI/AAAAAAAABwY/qo-DlGpvQfA/P1140552_thumb30.jpg?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 29px 0px 0px;" title="P1140552" width="231" /></a><br />
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I have a serious crush on this print … I even find myself thinking about it during the day. There will deffo be another project. <br />
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I never buy yardage. I tend to buy FQs; that way you get four times as much fabric strokey joy for the same price. But this is something I don’t want to run out of. The harmony of colour and the beautiful surface design just sends me. I think it’s like william morris was around in the 70s.<br />
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<-- I’ve upped the saturation and contrast on this pic to show you what I really dig about these prints – the fine random spatter of dark brown and deep teal flecks.<br />
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Today I bought the green as well, it's lusherama ...<br />
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So, farewell Blogtoberfest … and thank you so much to <a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Kat@ I Saw You Dancing</a> for organising it all so beautifully.<br />
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And thank you to Nicole@ <a href="http://www.brightonsewingcentre.co.uk/" target="_blank">Brighton Sewing Centre</a> for giving me such a lovely incentive to take part.<br />
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<br />Sarah PingsAndNeedleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08736713704807666926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-383060085285536134.post-62606165637720425262012-10-31T16:17:00.000+00:002012-10-31T16:17:30.972+00:00Winner Winner Turkey Hat Dinner<div align="center">
<img height="150" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8302/8011789181_441414aa97.jpg" width="150" /></div>
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<i>This post is brought to you through the power of </i><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html"><i>Blogtoberfest</i></a><i> 2012</i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Thanksgiving/Christmas Turkey Hat from <b><a href="http://www.fredflare.com/Knit-Turkey-Hat/">Fred Flare</a></b>. </span><a href="http://www.inspirefusion.com/knitted-turkey-hat/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">via</span></a></i> </div>
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<i>Without further ado … the comment that tickled me the most was ...</i></div>
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<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-o6erTVAebWA/UJFNn5wbcmI/AAAAAAAABu4/c0jXSXI3OSA/s1600-h/image%25255B5%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="159" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-F-J7fEcqQJQ/UJFNqsd-3nI/AAAAAAAABvA/2iAfKMNTJEc/image_thumb%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="458" /></a><br />
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So, congratulations, Jane - could you email me your address and I’ll get the FQs off to you forthwith? <br />
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Sarah PingsAndNeedleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08736713704807666926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-383060085285536134.post-5876052554221938032012-10-24T19:29:00.000+01:002012-10-24T19:29:33.537+01:00Turkey Hat – Caption Competition Giveaway<div align="center">
<img height="150" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8302/8011789181_441414aa97.jpg" width="150" /></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">This post is brought to you through the power of </span></i><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Blogtoberfest</span></i></a><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> 2012</span></i> </div>
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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 … <br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Thanksgiving/Christmas Turkey Hat from <b><a href="http://www.fredflare.com/Knit-Turkey-Hat/">Fred Flare</a></b>. </span><a href="http://www.inspirefusion.com/knitted-turkey-hat/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">via</span></a></i></div>
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So … I thought … Let’s have an impromptu caption competition! … <br />
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<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-_SVjlTcHbBM/UIgzGvLhWwI/AAAAAAAABuA/rIMIGtIALeg/s1600-h/honey%252520vine1%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="honey vine1" height="480" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-hBQF-xn38kU/UIgzIRVDf1I/AAAAAAAABuI/XPJc60k6TSM/honey%252520vine1_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 27px 0px 0px;" title="honey vine1" width="480" /></a><br />
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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!) <br />
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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 …<br />
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Just leave a comment <strike>after the beep</strike> … I’ll pick a winner on Monday 29th midnight UK time … <br />
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Go On … Make Me Laugh!<br />
International entries welcome … <br />
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<br /><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rBTIY40VrwA/UHMk1uoo3oI/AAAAAAAABhc/Heuybui9kFg/s1600-h/P1140487_thumb2_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="P1140487_thumb2_thumb" height="194" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-M3GV7CDzwBI/UHMk51iqERI/AAAAAAAABhk/Sas2S-5x5Rg/P1140487_thumb2_thumb_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="margin: 0px 24px 0px 0px;" title="P1140487_thumb2_thumb" width="154" /></a>And as if that wasn’t enough for all you fabric fiends … you still have until the end of the month to <a href="http://www.pingsandneedles.com/2012/10/smitten-with-blitzen-brighton-sewing.html">enter the giveaway for 12 FQs of Blitzen from Basic Grey</a>.<br />
<a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html" target="_blank">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.</a> <br />
<br />International entries welcome for this one too! <br />
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Sarah PingsAndNeedleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08736713704807666926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-383060085285536134.post-80136541234620713142012-10-21T21:49:00.001+01:002021-05-10T15:24:32.673+01:00Smitten with Blitzen flimsy finish - Yay!<div align="center">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>This post is brought to you through the power of </i><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html"><i>Blogtoberfest</i></a><i> 2012</i></span> </div>
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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.<br />
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Pages I won’t have to re-read when I next pick up the book = 0.<br />
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*le sigh.<br />
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In brighter news, today I have been working on a quilt top with the 12 FQs of Blitzen that the lovely Nicole@ <a href="http://www.brightonsewingcentre.co.uk/">The Brighton Sewing Centre</a> gave me … Don't worry, the winner of the giveaway still gets 12 FQs!<br />
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-hpRDISqxnig/UIQ951Fa-XI/AAAAAAAABpg/onuw9RyCMoc/s1600-h/SAM_0072%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="SAM_0072" height="480" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-hVFkq_IayA8/UIQ99o4PccI/AAAAAAAABpo/PJYeJFBfT4c/SAM_0072_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="SAM_0072" width="511" /></a><br />
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I love my <a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html">Basic Grey Blitzen Giveaway</a> even more because I get to play too! <br />
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<img align="left" height="400" src="http://canihavefivebucks.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/230411253.jpg" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 25px 0px 0px;" width="328" /><br />
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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 …<br />
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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 <a href="http://www.sprinklebakes.com/2012/04/mint-white-chocolate-mousse-cake-and.html">check out this recipe from SprinkleBakes</a>! ... <br />
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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. <br />
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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.<br />
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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 ... <br />
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<img align="left" height="227" src="http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1241/4609136239_5dcd8dde96.jpg" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 22px 0px 0px;" width="240" /><br />
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The greeny blue also reminds me of the colour of all our railings in Brighton … so it’s nice that <a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html">one lucky winner</a> will be getting a little bit of Brighton in more ways than one …<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/seadipper/">pic via</a> <br />
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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! <br />
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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) <br />
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<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-FYNzCl-Y4UA/UIRGnymPGvI/AAAAAAAABqU/Yim2hMCPSXs/s1600-h/P11405125.jpg"><img alt="P1140512" height="480" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YEVt01MgjNk/UIRGwigtheI/AAAAAAAABqc/uAaDRwyUDuM/P1140512_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="P1140512" width="480" /></a><br />
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Then I used a kind of random <a href="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Arts/Arts_/Pictures/2008/07/28/CarolVorderman460.jpg">Countdown</a> “one from the top, two from the bottom please Bob” method and sewed them into 4 patches … <br />
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<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-nE9JTto-0Qk/UIRN1rrt5iI/AAAAAAAABso/46ezB1MKKFo/s1600-h/P1140530%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="P1140530" height="480" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-024cVupHb0Q/UIRN3ObhKhI/AAAAAAAABss/vJi6Wmxb9F8/P1140530_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="P1140530" width="640" /></a><br />
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 ...<br />
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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. <br />
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I used an <a href="http://draft.blogger.com/aurifil.com">Aurifil</a> dark grey on the top, but I’m having trust issues with it at the moment. <br />
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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.<br />
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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. <br />
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-D-rjJkAnuos/UIRHEKZxh5I/AAAAAAAABqk/N7D4M4LlETc/s1600-h/P11405155.jpg"><img alt="P1140515" height="480" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-eyZPTiOBqmI/UIRHGzD6xmI/AAAAAAAABqs/VTt5JwVSmJU/P1140515_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="P1140515" width="479" /></a><br />
<br />
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 …<br />
<br />
I pinned through the seams both sides to try and keep matchy … worked well!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-k7784PvXPqY/UIRHT3BUUVI/AAAAAAAABq0/yUIsTDH1H5Y/s1600-h/P11405175.jpg"><img alt="P1140517" height="480" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QE36yG0LATg/UIRHWdp30TI/AAAAAAAABq8/GExVcc1oN-Y/P1140517_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="P1140517" width="479" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I trimmed the 4 patches down to 12” squares … so satisfying!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Bog_2W-6Tvs/UIRHb2EB3jI/AAAAAAAABrE/Y3MSk7x_buQ/s1600-h/P11405206.jpg"><img alt="P1140520" height="480" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-dI_H9BmKC0A/UIRHen3YRBI/AAAAAAAABrM/nTA8vTHTFNQ/P1140520_thumb12.jpg?imgmax=800" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="P1140520" width="489" /></a><br />
<br />
A bit of a play with the four patch blocks … <br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-tSdHvHJJYBw/UIRHi15DgrI/AAAAAAAABrU/dnA9q4xFyow/s1600-h/P1140528%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img alt="P1140528" height="443" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ueO8jQqEroE/UIRHovJlEmI/AAAAAAAABrc/mu_WTfW7unk/P1140528_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="P1140528" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
I stitched the blocks into rows 4 x 5 … then laid them out for a final check before sewing the rows together. <br />
<br />
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. <br />
<br />
Check out the attitude in this cat’s face (sorry Hadley) <br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-w-0drqM1lxI/UIRHubYGPXI/AAAAAAAABrk/oKaYMv8yKPY/s1600-h/P1140532%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="P1140532" height="480" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Otw3kAw3cVw/UIRHydiMSxI/AAAAAAAABrs/Wko56dptfOg/P1140532_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="P1140532" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
So, I had to start again … <br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-f5seIeEkUkc/UIRH4TGRvNI/AAAAAAAABr0/HktyyI54XQE/s1600-h/P1140536%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="P1140536" height="480" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Rx4NAh6twr0/UIRH7kKuYLI/AAAAAAAABr8/XtrfI9wnCsk/P1140536_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="P1140536" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
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 … <br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-1WFyWDJ_oaA/UIRN5caU5eI/AAAAAAAABs4/j3U6o62MZZ8/s1600-h/P1140525.jpg"><img alt="P1140525" height="480" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-vQ0DvDz1P1Q/UIRN7W8UjXI/AAAAAAAABtA/wdIuTdAzkPI/P1140525_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="P1140525" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
Sod’s Law dictates that about 15 mins later I did actually have to unpick a whole row because it was RSU …<br />
<br />
*le sigh, deux. <br />
<br />
So, here is the main pieced part so far …<br />
<br />
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 .. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7FQExqBt55s/UIRN_B7q7jI/AAAAAAAABtI/W53DboR3aA8/s1600-h/blitzen%252520smitten%252520flimsy%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img alt="blitzen smitten flimsy" height="768" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-xUyxtgDOF_4/UIROBpjP8cI/AAAAAAAABtQ/7Db8-yZQyCQ/blitzen%252520smitten%252520flimsy_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="blitzen smitten flimsy" width="576" /></a><br />
<br />
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” …<br />
<br />
I’ve kept some print for the backing and perhaps cornerstone sashing, I’m not sure yet …<br />
<br />
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 <a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html">Blogtoberfest</a>!<br />
<br />
I can thoroughly recommend this line though, it’s a joy to stitch … <br />
I almost feel festive … just how I like it!<br />
<br />
<hr />
<br /><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rBTIY40VrwA/UHMk1uoo3oI/AAAAAAAABhc/Heuybui9kFg/s1600-h/P1140487_thumb2_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="P1140487_thumb2_thumb" height="194" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-M3GV7CDzwBI/UHMk51iqERI/AAAAAAAABhk/Sas2S-5x5Rg/P1140487_thumb2_thumb_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="margin: 0px 24px 0px 0px;" title="P1140487_thumb2_thumb" width="154" /></a>So, to be in with a chance to play with this little lot, you still have until the end of the month to <a href="http://www.pingsandneedles.com/2012/10/smitten-with-blitzen-brighton-sewing.html">enter the giveaway for 12 FQs of Blitzen from Basic Grey</a>.<br />
<br /><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html">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.</a> <br />
<br />International entries welcome! <br />
<br />
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<br />
Sarah PingsAndNeedleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08736713704807666926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-383060085285536134.post-15491230121569113932012-10-19T19:53:00.002+01:002012-10-19T19:53:33.635+01:00Book Night {19/31}<div align="center">
<img height="150" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8302/8011789181_441414aa97.jpg" width="150" /></div>
<div align="center">
<i>This post is brought to you through the power of </i><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html"><i>Blogtoberfest</i></a><i> 2012</i> </div>
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<span style="color: #00b0b0; font-size: large;">Had a tough week?</span></h2>
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<br /></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SKVcQnyEIT8?rel=0" width="640"></iframe></div>
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<i><a href="http://www.inspirefusion.com/knitted-turkey-hat/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></a></i></div>
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<i>directed by </i><a href="http://draft.blogger.com/www.ohkamp.com" target="_blank"><i>Sean Ohlenkamp</i></a></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-size: large;">Better now?</span></h2>
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After an afternoon supervising a tricky GCSE ICT exam, I am now switching off all the technology.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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 …<br />
<br />
So, I am spending the evening with an old friend.<br />
Hello book, it’s been a while!<br />
<br />
<i>What are you reading at the moment?</i> <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<hr />
<br /><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rBTIY40VrwA/UHMk1uoo3oI/AAAAAAAABhc/Heuybui9kFg/s1600-h/P1140487_thumb2_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="P1140487_thumb2_thumb" height="194" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-M3GV7CDzwBI/UHMk51iqERI/AAAAAAAABhk/Sas2S-5x5Rg/P1140487_thumb2_thumb_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="margin: 0px 24px 0px 0px;" title="P1140487_thumb2_thumb" width="154" /></a>Remember … you still have until the end of the month to <a href="http://www.pingsandneedles.com/2012/10/smitten-with-blitzen-brighton-sewing.html">enter the giveaway for 12 FQs of Blitzen from Basic Grey</a>.<br />
<br /><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html">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. </a><br />
<br />International entries welcome! <br />
<br />
Sarah PingsAndNeedleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08736713704807666926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-383060085285536134.post-89044382016919462062012-10-18T19:05:00.001+01:002012-10-18T19:05:18.104+01:00creepy {18/31}<img height="150" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8302/8011789181_441414aa97.jpg" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="150" /><br />
<div align="center">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">This post is brought to you through the power of </span></i><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Blogtoberfest</span></i></a><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> 2012</span></i></div>
<br />
I was doing a little window shopping for my non crafty, but equally twisted in their own way, friends when t<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Creepy-Ass-Dolls-Stacey-Brooks/dp/1440215693" target="_blank">his little beauty</a> caught my eye …<br />
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<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3Z2KIoajVIQ/UIBBKf6CULI/AAAAAAAABos/yD-M8gxZ1D0/s1600-h/9781440215698%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Y1739_CAD_APPROVED.indd" height="480" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-k6mM6efx4dw/UIBBNyFXyHI/AAAAAAAABo0/JwBXVREnxvU/9781440215698_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Y1739_CAD_APPROVED.indd" width="476" /></a><br />
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Which led me to dig out a link ...<br />
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These children are not laughing, they’re peeing their pants with fear.<br />
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<object height="360" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/44e-Y08_B-0?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param>
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<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/44e-Y08_B-0?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="360" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
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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.</div>
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<img align="left" height="181" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dAxFQthwTKo/Tu3P5SoCWmI/AAAAAAAABLw/KvP37rc81-0/s1600/blythe+doll_0004.jpg" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 20px 0px 0px;" width="240" /></div>
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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!)</div>
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As for clowns. don’t even start me … seriously … do they not hear all those primary colours screaming like little trapped animals?? </div>
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<a href="http://jeffreyp.hubpages.com/hub/how-to-be-a-clown" target="_blank"><img src="http://s4.hubimg.com/u/422275_f260.jpg" /></a></div>
Were/are you a doll person?<br />
<br />
What about clowns???<br />
Can anyone out there, hand on heart, say they’re not just a little creeped out by em? <br />
<br />
I’d love to hear from you! <br />
<br />
<br />
<hr />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rBTIY40VrwA/UHMk1uoo3oI/AAAAAAAABhc/Heuybui9kFg/s1600-h/P1140487_thumb2_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="P1140487_thumb2_thumb" height="194" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-M3GV7CDzwBI/UHMk51iqERI/AAAAAAAABhk/Sas2S-5x5Rg/P1140487_thumb2_thumb_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="margin: 0px 24px 0px 0px;" title="P1140487_thumb2_thumb" width="154" /></a>Remember … you still have until the end of the month to <a href="http://www.pingsandneedles.com/2012/10/smitten-with-blitzen-brighton-sewing.html">enter the giveaway for 12 FQs of Blitzen from Basic Grey</a>.<br />
<br /><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html">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. </a><br />
<br />International entries welcome! Sarah PingsAndNeedleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08736713704807666926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-383060085285536134.post-26122727199629345492012-10-17T21:06:00.002+01:002012-10-17T21:06:20.701+01:00Best Soda Bread Recipe - Ever {17/31}<br />
<img height="150" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8302/8011789181_441414aa97.jpg" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="150" /><br />
<div align="center">
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">This post is brought to you through the power of </span></em><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html" target="_blank"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Blogtoberfest</span></em></a><em><span style="font-size: x-small;"> 2012</span></em></div>
<div class="wlWriterSmartContent" id="scid:8747F07C-CDE8-481f-B0DF-C6CFD074BF67:049e5f7e-0764-49e4-991d-2d009b2b8616" style="display: inline; float: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-WO490RemiEs/UH8MQ8c5xqI/AAAAAAAABno/z3ecMbukmUQ/IMG_2456-8x6.jpg?imgmax=800" rel="thumbnail" title="... didn't last a day!"><img border="0" height="492" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-w7c-HlAggBs/UH8MsBbsmmI/AAAAAAAABnw/fDXxBpXydJ0/IMG_245613.png?imgmax=800" width="617" /></a></div>
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
<br />
<strong><em>You will need:</em></strong><br />
200g Wholemeal flour (the top picture is this version) <br />
50g Plain white flour<br />
[You could just use 250g plain white flour, if you prefer – see big pic at end]<br />
150g Oats (porridge/rolled etc.)<br />
1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda (flat)<br />
2 tsps Baking Powder (flat)<br />
(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 … <br />
1 tsp salt<br />
2 tsps brown sugar – don’t leave this out! Honey or agave at a pinch … or try treacle!<br />
350 mls buttermilk – or if you can’t get it, in order of preference: plain yoghurt (bio is good) milk or water <br />
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<strong><em>Method</em></strong><br />
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. <br />
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Mix in liquid with a fork, <strong>quickly</strong> and <strong>lightly</strong> till you have a sticky but definitely dough like ball. DO NOT OVERMIX.<br />
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Turn out on to a floured board. Knead very briefly (max 30 secs) and shape into a round flat ball.<br />
Cut a deep cross in the top and sprinkle with flour.<br />
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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.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-vXO0HQXqHnQ/UH8M8PAyjoI/AAAAAAAABn4/2vWv5U0AZcI/s1600-h/SAM_0125%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img alt="SAM_0125" border="0" height="772" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-xhEPprV9kqU/UH8NFh0dQzI/AAAAAAAABoA/CfOr2Jzbrg0/SAM_0125_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="SAM_0125" width="770" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><em>this one was with white flour, seeds and nuts and it was totally scrummalicious</em></span></div>
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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.<br />
<br />
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. <br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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! <br />
<br />
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!<br />
<br />
Nothing tastes better with soup. Or homemade jam.<br />
<br />
(Prob too late to go and make some now, so it bakes while I watch the final of <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01nhccq/The_Great_British_Bake_Off_Series_3_The_Final/">The Great British Bake Off</a> on iPlayer … but tempting, very tempting)<br />
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<hr />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rBTIY40VrwA/UHMk1uoo3oI/AAAAAAAABhc/Heuybui9kFg/s1600-h/P1140487_thumb2_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="P1140487_thumb2_thumb" height="194" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-M3GV7CDzwBI/UHMk51iqERI/AAAAAAAABhk/Sas2S-5x5Rg/P1140487_thumb2_thumb_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="margin: 0px 24px 0px 0px;" title="P1140487_thumb2_thumb" width="154" /></a><br />
<br />
Remember … you still have until the end of the month to <a href="http://www.pingsandneedles.com/2012/10/smitten-with-blitzen-brighton-sewing.html">enter the giveaway for 12 FQs of Blitzen from Basic Grey</a>.<br />
<br /><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html">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. </a><br />
<br />International entries welcome! Sarah PingsAndNeedleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08736713704807666926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-383060085285536134.post-79153999097196097552012-10-17T08:00:00.000+01:002012-10-17T08:00:06.324+01:00let the sunography shine in {17/31}<img height="150" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8302/8011789181_441414aa97.jpg" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="150" /> <br />
<div align="center">
<i>This post is brought to you through the power of </i><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html"><i>Blogtoberfest</i></a><i> 2012</i> </div>
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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 <a href="http://www.howaboutorange.blogspot.co.uk/">Jessica@HowAboutOrange’s</a> about using <a href="http://www.howaboutorange.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/make-your-own-fabric-print-using-sun.html">photosensitive dye</a>.<br />
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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 <a href="http://www.northlaine.co.uk/homepage.html" target="_blank">North Laine</a> (that’s a seriously good link, btw, if you’re planning a shopping day) called <a href="http://www.junkfunk.com/" target="_blank">Junk Funk</a> and something just went *ping* and curiosity got the better of me so, reader, I bought a pack …<br />
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If I showed you the fabric <strike>I’d have to kill you</strike> it would expose it to the light and that would be silly, but the weight and feel is reminiscent of <a href="http://draft.blogger.com/www.oakshottfabrics.co.uk" target="_blank">Oakshott</a>’s non shots, but a little lighter and looser in weave, if you know what I mean …<br />
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<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ppn9rXfY6dA/UH2v1bnKt2I/AAAAAAAABmU/iAIx-nwBLgo/s1600-h/IMG_34105.jpg"><img alt="IMG_3410" border="0" height="427" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-7ZwSDUP9XPo/UH2v5CbezJI/AAAAAAAABmc/LTVeiaCIcbA/IMG_3410_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="IMG_3410" width="640" /></a> </div>
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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 …<br />
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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 …<br />
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Until a couple of weekends ago!<br />
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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.<br />
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-hIXU4vDlce0/UH2v7nOO9pI/AAAAAAAABmk/JaqnO61f2O4/s1600-h/IMG_33536.jpg"><img alt="IMG_3353" border="0" height="427" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-e5Csw380vYo/UH2v-cQc2vI/AAAAAAAABms/epdVqdHuhKo/IMG_3353_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="IMG_3353" width="640" /></a></div>
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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.<br />
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-VwdveeKgBWA/UH2wAuTi6qI/AAAAAAAABm0/-ajj_0v7icE/s1600-h/IMG_34057.jpg"><img alt="IMG_3405" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-P-l6TkOtQtc/UH2wCoazZQI/AAAAAAAABm8/Noeq_Puamdo/IMG_3405_thumb17.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="IMG_3405" width="476" /></a></div>
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I thoroughly recommend … I’d like to do some larger silhouettes (leaves etc.) to get more of a contrast going …<br />
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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.<br />
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Have you ever used photosensitive fabrics or dyes?<br />
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If you could only use one object to represent you, what would it be?<br />
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rBTIY40VrwA/UHMk1uoo3oI/AAAAAAAABhc/Heuybui9kFg/s1600-h/P1140487_thumb2_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="P1140487_thumb2_thumb" height="194" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-M3GV7CDzwBI/UHMk51iqERI/AAAAAAAABhk/Sas2S-5x5Rg/P1140487_thumb2_thumb_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" title="P1140487_thumb2_thumb" width="154" /></a><br />
Remember … you still have until the end of the month to <a href="http://www.pingsandneedles.com/2012/10/smitten-with-blitzen-brighton-sewing.html">enter the Brighton Sewing Centre giveaway for 12 FQs of Blitzen from Basic Grey</a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html">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. </a><br />
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International entries welcome! <br />
<br />
<br />Sarah PingsAndNeedleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08736713704807666926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-383060085285536134.post-68958562879126047962012-10-16T18:39:00.001+01:002012-10-16T18:39:06.282+01:00Ada Lovelace Day - Patron Saint of Lady Nerds! {16/31}<br />
<img height="150" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8302/8011789181_441414aa97.jpg" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="150" /><br />
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">This post is brought to you through the power of </span></em><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html" target="_blank"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Blogtoberfest</span></em></a><em><span style="font-size: x-small;"> 2012</span></em></div>
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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.<br />
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Her story is amazing and inspiring and makes me kind of wish I’d been her. <br />
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If you fancy a totally marvellous rollicking read, then I really recommend <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Bride-Science-Romance-Daughter/dp/0333724364/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_3" target="_blank">The Bride of Science by Benjamin Woolley</a> …<br />
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<img src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/513GBofGIFL._SS500_.jpg" /></div>
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If you’re not that bothered then you can still read a bit from the Guardian, <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/blog/2012/oct/13/tuesday-ada-lovelace-day-inspirational-women?newsfeed=true" target="_blank">here</a>. <br />
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Or you can take part at <a href="http://findingada.com/" target="_blank">FindingAda</a> by nominating a woman in science/mathematics etc. who has inspired you.<br />
<a href="http://lilysquilts.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/quilt-math-1-2-3.html" title="Lily's Quilts Math"><img align="left" alt="Lily's Quilts Math" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiurgJdq0icdCetiEDovcDGDOBuGLQTEI-w93hO1s6hl17MSaSjoF30QEIS1-8cKc8CMQHEQ68jvWtoBXdf5XuTHwB1EguE2n7KI5ED3Ipc11hkaSGKzTFhmsHL3WpYrXkJLiHolg0OgZWc/s170/QMB.png" style="border-style: none; display: inline; float: left;" /></a><br />
I’m seriously thinking about nominating <a href="http://lilysquilts.blogspot.com/">Lynne@ Lily'sQuilts</a> for her fantabulous <a href="http://lilysquilts.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/quilt-math-1-2-3.html" target="_blank">Quilt Math</a> series – <a href="http://www.lilysquilts.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/quilt-math-part-i-calculating-binding.html" target="_blank">binding here</a> and <a href="http://www.lilysquilts.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/quilt-math-2-calculating-sashing.html" target="_blank">sashing here</a> so far …<br />
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If you’re just feeling totally lazy, click pic below to go to the <a href="http://directory.findingada.com/stories/" target="_blank">directory of stories</a> and read what others have written:<br />
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<a href="http://directory.findingada.com/stories/" target="_blank"><img alt="finding ada" height="513" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-DtlU4pBwYxs/UH2ZGAfCXJI/AAAAAAAABlI/H3vqK6b5hDU/finding-ada%25255B4%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="finding ada" width="798" /></a><br />
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There’s a load of things happening to celebrate, <a href="http://findingada.com/events/worldwide-events-2012/" target="_blank">all over the world</a>. There are some great links there …<br />
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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.<br />
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How is your inner nerd? Do you embrace it/her? <br />
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Or do you register absolute zero on the nerd scale?<br />
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(I bet everyone scores <i>something</i>, or you wouldn't be (a) blogging or (b) quilting ... )<br />
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Don’t forget to enter my <a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html" target="_blank">Blogtoberfest</a> giveaway (link below) …<br />
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rBTIY40VrwA/UHMk1uoo3oI/AAAAAAAABhc/Heuybui9kFg/s1600-h/P1140487_thumb2_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="P1140487_thumb2_thumb" height="194" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-M3GV7CDzwBI/UHMk51iqERI/AAAAAAAABhk/Sas2S-5x5Rg/P1140487_thumb2_thumb_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="margin: 0px 24px 0px 0px;" title="P1140487_thumb2_thumb" width="154" /></a>You still have until the end of the month to <a href="http://www.pingsandneedles.com/2012/10/smitten-with-blitzen-brighton-sewing.html">enter the giveaway for 12 FQs of Blitzen from Basic Grey</a>.<br />
<br /><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html">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. </a><br />
<br />International entries welcome! <br />
Sarah PingsAndNeedleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08736713704807666926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-383060085285536134.post-77156771454526067242012-10-15T20:52:00.002+01:002012-10-15T20:52:31.074+01:00Flash! AAAAh aaah {15/31}<img height="150" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8302/8011789181_441414aa97.jpg" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="150" /><br />
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">This post is brought to you through the power of </span></em><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html" target="_blank"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Blogtoberfest</span></em></a><em><span style="font-size: x-small;"> 2012</span></em></div>
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Yes, well … ahem another break in transmission from <a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html" target="_blank">Blogtoberfest</a> … but <em>this</em> 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 … <br />
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Most excellent. Really. <br />
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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 … <br />
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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 …<br />
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<img src="http://images.allmoviephoto.com/1980_Flash_Gordon/1980_flash_gordon_001.jpg" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /><br />
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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 … <br />
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<img src="http://images.allmoviephoto.com/1980_Flash_Gordon/1980_flash_gordon_002.jpg" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /><br />
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Oh, and let’s not forget BRIAN BLESSED in all his shouty glory … with thighs like a Christmas turkey … marvellous …<br />
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<img src="http://images.allmoviephoto.com/1980_Flash_Gordon/1980_flash_gordon_009.jpg" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /><br />
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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 <em>at</em> Brian Blessed … it’s like stereo Brians LOL … <br />
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I love this clip because now it makes me think of <a href="http://draft.blogger.com/www.flyingblindonarocketcycle.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Hadley@FlyingBlindOnARocketCycle</a> every time I see the film … <br />
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Oh and for all us first time hipsters out there, Peter Wyngarde with his gold (natch) head:<br />
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He was a God as Jason King, way back in the 70s …</div>
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<img height="480" src="http://www.movies-4-collectors.com/images/rare%20TV%20series/JASON%20KING.jpg" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="360" /><br />
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So wrong … and yet … <br />
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Finally, let's not forget Timothy Dalton …<br />
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<img src="http://img5.blogs.yahoo.co.jp/ybi/1/aa/10/kikuchiyo_no_heya/folder/698539/img_698539_33907600_3?1329067336" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /><br />
<img align="left" height="240" src="http://literaryhoarders.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/rochester.jpg" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 24px 0px 0px;" width="174" /><br />
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For some, Dalton was the ultimate Mr Rochester in the BBC Jane Eyre… <br />
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<img align="right" height="146" src="http://fif.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/image/mediafile/1297977605-bf3b5e6ff4913682957e968b6451ed52/x400.jpg" style="display: inline; float: right; margin: 0px 23px 0px 0px;" width="240" /><br />
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I’m a Michael Jayston man, meself … it’s an age thing … that voice … <br />
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Anyway, ahem, that’s what I’ve been up to … Not a stitch was sewn, nor a FQ stroked ….<br />
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Did you have a good weekend? <br />
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Who is <em>your</em> Mr Rochester?<br />
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<hr />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rBTIY40VrwA/UHMk1uoo3oI/AAAAAAAABhc/Heuybui9kFg/s1600-h/P1140487_thumb2_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="P1140487_thumb2_thumb" height="194" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-M3GV7CDzwBI/UHMk51iqERI/AAAAAAAABhk/Sas2S-5x5Rg/P1140487_thumb2_thumb_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="margin: 0px 24px 0px 0px;" title="P1140487_thumb2_thumb" width="154" /></a>Remember … you still have until the end of the month to <a href="http://www.pingsandneedles.com/2012/10/smitten-with-blitzen-brighton-sewing.html">enter the Brighton Sewing Centre giveaway for 12 FQs of Blitzen from Basic Grey</a>.<br />
<br /><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html">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. </a><br />
<br />International entries welcome! <br />
Sarah PingsAndNeedleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08736713704807666926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-383060085285536134.post-57939339119981980742012-10-13T23:45:00.000+01:002012-10-13T23:45:47.506+01:0056 Reasons to be Cheerful {13/31}<div align="center">
<img height="150" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8302/8011789181_441414aa97.jpg" width="150" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>This post is brought to you through the power of </i><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html"><i>Blogtoberfest</i></a><i> 2012</i></span> </div>
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My Japanese Import Charm Swap package arrived today! Yay!</div>
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Ar1gbSpwBUc/UHmofcNJ3sI/AAAAAAAABiM/vpRWV4R7LlU/s1600-h/japanese%252520import%252520charm%252520swap%252520oct%25252012%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="japanese import charm swap oct 12" height="768" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-LnLOvW902lQ/UHndsVUfEYI/AAAAAAAABjM/Qb219OV_zUs/japanese-import-charm-swap-oct-12_th.jpg?imgmax=800" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="japanese import charm swap oct 12" width="768" /></a><br />
AND my stamps were all unfranked so I got back all my postage – which almost makes up for being stung for VAT on the import! Winner. Winner. Chicken Dinner.<br />
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There are some terrific fabrics in here … thank you to everyone <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/japanesecharmswap/" target="_blank">in the Flickr group</a>, it’s a great selection and I love every single square!<br />
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You’ll have to forgive the dark photos – Two hailstorms today! … and vay vay dark …<br />
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<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-CuwAs2h3XqQ/UHnd1Oc3baI/AAAAAAAABjU/eAzoDP0N_84/s1600-h/2012-10-13-13.18.429.jpg"><img alt="2012-10-13 13.18.42" height="427" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-hYH-7w0_7_0/UHnd3XdTdAI/AAAAAAAABjc/_LXbYFJ66tU/2012-10-13-13.18.42_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="2012-10-13 13.18.42" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-giOdXHxh0PA/UHnd6M96rTI/AAAAAAAABjk/nYIOLEeygC8/s1600-h/2012-10-13-13.20.496.jpg"><img alt="2012-10-13 13.20.49" height="428" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ZxDxBk3FbIY/UHnd7_75OCI/AAAAAAAABjs/5yvq2tnonEo/2012-10-13-13.20.49_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="2012-10-13 13.20.49" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-0XpTZGqZOMs/UHnd-uiHOiI/AAAAAAAABj0/fr12WvIMou8/s1600-h/2012-10-13-13.23.035.jpg"><img alt="2012-10-13 13.23.03" height="480" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-AouS-2AuEyc/UHneAjiYlpI/AAAAAAAABj8/eYBQ0FjVWwA/2012-10-13-13.23.03_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="2012-10-13 13.23.03" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-skq8NbP1eoM/UHneDri5e2I/AAAAAAAABkE/tXU_Jl0Iz48/s1600-h/2012-10-13-13.24.545.jpg"><img alt="2012-10-13 13.24.54" height="427" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-K98LmDF5HJI/UHneFmvKdBI/AAAAAAAABkM/12uUdO99-aI/2012-10-13-13.24.54_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="2012-10-13 13.24.54" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-IPD8rjbzCGk/UHneHz_e2HI/AAAAAAAABkU/IjZ1ARwsF8g/s1600-h/2012-10-13-13.26.475.jpg"><img alt="2012-10-13 13.26.47" height="428" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-F0_1Irz4Oho/UHneJuR08WI/AAAAAAAABkc/jyxMuUgSc_M/2012-10-13-13.26.47_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="2012-10-13 13.26.47" width="640" /></a></div>
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… and most of all, thank you to <a href="http://draft.blogger.com/www.narcolepticinacupboard.com" target="_blank">Sarah@ NarcolepticInACupboard</a> and <a href="http://archiethewonderdog.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Helen@ ArchieTheWonderDog</a> who organised things so beautifully … <br />
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<br /><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rBTIY40VrwA/UHMk1uoo3oI/AAAAAAAABhc/Heuybui9kFg/s1600-h/P1140487_thumb2_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="P1140487_thumb2_thumb" height="194" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-M3GV7CDzwBI/UHMk51iqERI/AAAAAAAABhk/Sas2S-5x5Rg/P1140487_thumb2_thumb_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="margin: 0px 24px 0px 0px;" title="P1140487_thumb2_thumb" width="154" /></a>Remember … you still have until the end of the month to <a href="http://www.pingsandneedles.com/2012/10/smitten-with-blitzen-brighton-sewing.html">enter the Brighton Sewing Centre giveaway for 12 FQs of Blitzen from Basic Grey</a>.<br />
<br /><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html">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. </a><br />
<br />International entries welcome! <br />
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Sarah PingsAndNeedleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08736713704807666926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-383060085285536134.post-45562372641285743342012-10-12T06:30:00.000+01:002012-10-12T06:30:00.113+01:00Fandom Friday {12/31}<br />
<img height="150" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8302/8011789181_441414aa97.jpg" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="150" /><br />
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">This post is brought to you through the power of </span></em><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html" target="_blank"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Blogtoberfest</span></em></a><em><span style="font-size: x-small;"> 2012</span></em></div>
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I have long been a fan of <a href="http://aquamoonartquilts.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Kathy York</a> and her Art Quilts. She is immensely talented and I urge you to go and see her quilts in all their glory <a href="http://aquamoonartquilts.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">here</a> …They sing to me .I love <a href="http://aquamoonartquilts.blogspot.co.uk/2010/10/quiltartquilt-i-am-thrilled-to-announce.html" target="_blank">this quilt, from 2009</a>, because it is exactly what speech sounds like to me.<br />
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<a href="http://aquamoonartquilts.blogspot.co.uk/2010/10/quiltartquilt-i-am-thrilled-to-announce.html" target="_blank"><img align="left" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF_dYWaJJAuD_oe5lCZ94-JXiFQxPtc4KNmWvpDglClyNIQ2hmFQIgRorGE3i_xhqvfma5qR8-NwcADZSAhcCbmD7CoRbsLP_yVZPsGkqt8QjjksTzJ2ZjCKSyVsA8qY4P4l38H6u8mMg/s1600/WBuildingUP-full+copy.jpg" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px;" width="368" /></a><br />
My <a href="http://draft.blogger.com/www.uksynaesthesia.com" target="_blank">synaesthesia</a> has given me a really good ‘ear’ for the rhythm and ‘song’ of English, which is great for teaching international students.<br />
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If someone’s pron is off, it simply isn’t the right colour for me, which makes it easy to spot and quick to correct. It makes it a joy to teach. <br />
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You can see more about Kathy’s amazing process in <a href="http://aquamoonartquilts.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/urban-tree-83_18.html" target="_blank">this post here for her urban tree quilt</a>. The colour and detail in each block is just amazing. <br />
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<img align="left" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS-LRVHdCyiuuoSEtJvRl6afCorm3ZnSu1w0AjDn3hWo080EQNWnQ_uJ83C4dvzns7ZjFzdWHVvZS-mDU4nTNIzUyUdTGtBA_d43Ej2djXauk6JEmnj1Y0-phBvBQ4JWyqLtj13wNG0KM/s200/York_LittleFish_3DJ.jpg" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 27px 0px 0px;" width="210" /><br />
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I first crushed on <a href="http://aquamoonartquilts.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Kathy York</a> over her 3D Art Quilts – especially this <a href="http://aquamoonartquilts.blogspot.co.uk/2009/05/little-fish-in-big-city-60-x-60-this-is.html" target="_blank">Little Fish In A Big City</a> masterpiece. <br />
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<a href="http://aquamoonartquilts.blogspot.co.uk/2009/05/little-fish-in-big-city-60-x-60-this-is.html" target="_blank"><img align="right" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEianOqV4IBYm6WhXbQ72GLYcTqEgC7mMbw2oUUbHQNEWYdWscZdXQvvtV3vutPNfvzynyb00H6B0-elm1WIVtyn-15THafmC8v-EAsqk9E_as2tYpxYpApebjAIFv0GNKmAbXONtJCEg68/s400/downtown.jpg" style="display: inline; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px;" /></a><br />
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I have always wanted to interview her about her process.<br />
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Do you have any <a href="http://aquamoonartquilts.blogspot.com/search/label/Art%20Quilt%3A%203D" target="_blank">creative crushes</a>?<br />
…do share … <br />
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and happy Friday to you!<br />
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rBTIY40VrwA/UHMk1uoo3oI/AAAAAAAABhc/Heuybui9kFg/s1600-h/P1140487_thumb2_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="P1140487_thumb2_thumb" height="194" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-M3GV7CDzwBI/UHMk51iqERI/AAAAAAAABhk/Sas2S-5x5Rg/P1140487_thumb2_thumb_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="margin: 0px 24px 0px 0px;" title="P1140487_thumb2_thumb" width="154" /></a>Remember … you still have until the end of the month to <a href="http://www.pingsandneedles.com/2012/10/smitten-with-blitzen-brighton-sewing.html">enter the giveaway for 12 FQs of Blitzen from Basic Grey</a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html">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. </a><br />
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International entries welcome! <br />
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<br />Sarah PingsAndNeedleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08736713704807666926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-383060085285536134.post-45055753229591287592012-10-11T21:29:00.001+01:002012-10-11T21:30:04.787+01:00Chopin Yellow {11/31}<img height="150" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8302/8011789181_441414aa97.jpg" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="150" /><br />
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">This post is brought to you through the power of </span></em><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html" target="_blank"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Blogtoberfest</span></em></a><em><span style="font-size: x-small;"> 2012</span></em></div>
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Already missed one <a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html" target="_blank">Blogtoberfest</a> post, but in my defence I was so utterly wiped out when I got home from work last night that I’d turned the light out by 7.30pm and slept right through until 6am, so you were better off without me … </div>
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In the comments <a href="http://www.pingsandneedles.com/2012/10/the-otter-is-deal-breaker-931.html" target="_blank">on my last post</a> Catherine@ <a href="http://www.knottedcotton.com/" target="_blank">KnottedCotton</a> said: </div>
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<em><span style="color: #57ae00;">Wouldn't you just die without Mahler?;-) I'm slightly envious of the way you experience music, but wondered if particular sounds or notes ever affect you in the same way as primary blue? Thanks for the Kathleen Ferrier - I feel the same way about Kiri te Kanawa singing R Strauss, but yes, without the otter.</span></em></div>
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Yes! It’s a Chopin Nocturne that I used to have to (try to) play for piano lessons. I never got even 1/4 the way into this piece because all those tinkly bits just screamed sharp yellow at me.</div>
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I call this colour Chopin Yellow in my head.<br />
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When I had took part in some <a href="http://draft.blogger.com/www.uksynaesthesia.com" target="_blank">synaesthesia</a> research a few years ago, they bloomin played Chopin into my lugholes while I was trapped in an MRI machine to see which colour parts of my brain lit up. Sadists. <br />
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I had to listen to this all the way through just to check that it still had the effect. It was like fingernails down a blackboard in its yellow pointiness ... It's not that I don't appreciate the Chopin. I do. I just can't listen to it. <br />
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I think this is a bit like my reaction to cute - I actually quite like Chopin Yellow as a colour, especially when it’s mixed with with white and grey, but unfortunately I always hear the bloody Chopin … and those tinkly bits really make the inside of my elbows itch … so I don’t mind looking at it, but I’m never going to touch any great amounts of it!<br />
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Are there any colours that produce pitch for you? Or that just make your teeth itch?<br />
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rBTIY40VrwA/UHMk1uoo3oI/AAAAAAAABhc/Heuybui9kFg/s1600-h/P1140487_thumb2_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="P1140487_thumb2_thumb" height="194" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-M3GV7CDzwBI/UHMk51iqERI/AAAAAAAABhk/Sas2S-5x5Rg/P1140487_thumb2_thumb_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="margin: 0px 24px 0px 0px;" title="P1140487_thumb2_thumb" width="154" /></a>Remember … you still have until the end of the month to <a href="http://www.pingsandneedles.com/2012/10/smitten-with-blitzen-brighton-sewing.html">enter the giveaway for 12 FQs of Blitzen from Basic Grey</a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html">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. </a><br />
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International entries welcome! Sarah PingsAndNeedleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08736713704807666926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-383060085285536134.post-65821671556668963012012-10-09T20:39:00.000+01:002012-10-09T20:41:49.581+01:00The otter is a deal breaker {9/31}<br />
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<a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html" target="_blank"><img height="150" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8302/8011789181_441414aa97.jpg" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="150" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>This post is brought to you through the power of </i></span><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Blogtoberfest</i></span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i> 2012</i></span></div>
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Continuing our ride on the music and <a href="http://draft.blogger.com/www.uksynaesthesia.com" target="_blank">synaesthesia</a> Fun Bus, I thought I’d look at some more singing. This time classical, a raw 1950s recording, and a soloist. Where the choral voice has to blend, a soloist must reveal their voice, utterly. They must bare the soul. Nothing can match <a href="http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCMQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FKathleen_Ferrier&ei=Vld0UJnwE-va0QXq_oHADA&usg=AFQjCNGsioFltPlYg2lGqVRsUEUd7bqGHQ" target="_blank">Kathleen Ferrier</a> for me. She touches something very deep about being alive.<br />
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<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/somerset/content/images/2009/02/17/otter8_470x350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img align="left" border="0" height="148" src="http://www.bbc.co.uk/somerset/content/images/2009/02/17/otter8_470x350.jpg" style="display: inline; margin-top: 0px;" width="200" /></a></div>
<img align="left" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqbrsb82wXPtaDWUMN5QtILMAjHvx4J1oK01cWFYg_QepLRA0bpLU0nj-uOHcTIE6-32oqoOSjD9qxoug7VyUBHSKy-O9oDKKV4hroCb_GYeiWqbaufFWQ2UYlzTMF2RIJuYZaubMvu35b/s200/tunnock_teacake.jpg" style="display: inline; float: left;" width="147" /><br />
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Her beautiful contralto voice is roundedly chocolatey, like a perfect tunnocks teacake …</div>
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... and smooth and swift and sleek like an otter. </div>
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At first listen/sight, Mahler's song, “Ich bin der Welt abbanden” (I am Lost to the World) is quite sombre and mournful, which people misinterpret as being about death or depression.<br />
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It’s soooo not; it’s about being lost to the world because of the intense other worldliness, almost selfishness, of being truly in your creative space. Mahler used a poem written by Friedrich Rückert. It’s a “this is is what it’s like to be in the zone” song. And that makes me love it even more. <br />
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I’ve included the <a href="http://www.recmusic.org/lieder/get_text.html?TextId=14001" target="_blank">words</a> at the end of this post in both German and English because the first time I heard this song, in my teens, was the first time I really heard beauty in the sounds of the German language. I’m a Brit, born in the early 60s – when people were barely 20 years out of the war – our psyche is full of stereotype cliche about the ugliness and brashness of the sound of German. I’m sure it’s a leftover wartime thing.<br />
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<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/110991181/nutmeg-falling-leaves-autumn-by-sei?ga_search_query=nutmeg%2Bleaves" target="_blank"><img align="right" height="173" src="http://img0.etsystatic.com/000/0/5211620/il_570xN.144194208.jpg" style="display: inline; float: right; margin: 0px 20px 0px 29px;" width="173" /></a><br />
If you really listen to German it has the most wonderful sonorant depth to it. <br />
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There are such beautiful autumnal reds greens and browns for me. <br />
This nutmeg leaves fabric by Robert Kaufman pretty much sums up the sounds for me. <br />
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A comment from <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/infrantasi"><i>infrantasi</i></a> on the youtube page for this track said <b><i>“This song fits her soul like wings on a swan”</i></b>.<br />
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I couldn’t agree more, or have put it better. Even if classical music isn’t your thing, I really urge you just to give her voice a listen. This song is about bliss.<br />
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<i><span style="color: purple;"><i><span style="color: purple;"> If you wanted to simulate my synaesthesia. </span></i>you could always listen while eating a teacake, stroking an otter and sewing a quilt from kaufman fabric,.</span></i><br />
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Wouldn’t it be hilarious if someone actually did that? I’m guessing the otter is a deal breaker. Shame.<br />
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<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="8" style="width: 691px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="340">Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen,<br />
Mit der ich sonst viele Zeit verdorben,<br />
Sie hat so lange nichts von mir vernommen,<br />
Sie mag wohl glauben, ich sei gestorben!<br />
Es ist mir auch gar nichts daran gelegen,<br />
Ob sie mich für gestorben hält,<br />
Ich kann auch gar nichts sagen dagegen,<br />
Denn wirklich bin ich gestorben der Welt.<br />
Ich bin gestorben dem Weltgetümmel,<br />
Und ruh' in einem stillen Gebiet!<br />
Ich leb' allein in meinem Himmel,<br />
In meinem Lieben, in meinem Lied!</td> <td valign="top" width="325">I am lost to the world<br />
with which I used to waste so much time,<br />
It has heard nothing from me for so long<br />
that it may very well believe that I am dead!<br />
It is of no consequence to me<br />
Whether it thinks me dead;<br />
I cannot deny it,<br />
for I really am dead to the world.<br />
I am dead to the world's tumult,<br />
And I rest in a quiet realm!<br />
I live alone in my heaven,<br />
In my love and in my song!</td></tr>
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rBTIY40VrwA/UHMk1uoo3oI/AAAAAAAABhc/Heuybui9kFg/s1600-h/P1140487_thumb2_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="P1140487_thumb2_thumb" height="194" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-M3GV7CDzwBI/UHMk51iqERI/AAAAAAAABhk/Sas2S-5x5Rg/P1140487_thumb2_thumb_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 19px 0px 0px;" title="P1140487_thumb2_thumb" width="154" /></a>Remember … you still have until the end of the month to <a href="http://www.pingsandneedles.com/2012/10/smitten-with-blitzen-brighton-sewing.html" target="_blank">enter the giveaway for 12 FQs of Blitzen from Basic Grey</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html" target="_blank">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. </a><br />
<br />
International entries welcome!Sarah PingsAndNeedleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08736713704807666926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-383060085285536134.post-44518561560600732282012-10-08T21:47:00.004+01:002012-10-08T21:47:43.394+01:00It’s all about the rhythm {8/31}<a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html" target="_blank"><img height="150" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8302/8011789181_441414aa97.jpg" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="150" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>This post is brought to you through the power of </i></span><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Blogtoberfest</i></span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> 2012</i></span></div>
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Just a super quickie today – this amuses me greatly …<br />
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<a href="http://9gag.com/gag/5541890" target="_blank"><img alt="nanananananana" height="480" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-J7qyVeguB1M/UHMjp_AuH7I/AAAAAAAABhU/vmNIUTxl0nQ/nanananananana%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="nanananananana" width="395" /></a><br />
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I had planned to wax lyrical about the lovely fabric in my giveaway today, but I have a pile of marking as tall as a horse, so that will have to wait until tomorrow … <br />
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Happy Monday peeps!<br />
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rBTIY40VrwA/UHMk1uoo3oI/AAAAAAAABhc/Heuybui9kFg/s1600-h/P1140487_thumb2_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="P1140487_thumb2_thumb" height="194" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-M3GV7CDzwBI/UHMk51iqERI/AAAAAAAABhk/Sas2S-5x5Rg/P1140487_thumb2_thumb_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 19px 0px 0px;" title="P1140487_thumb2_thumb" width="154" /></a>Remember … you still have until the end of the month to <a href="http://www.pingsandneedles.com/2012/10/smitten-with-blitzen-brighton-sewing.html" target="_blank">enter the giveaway for 12 FQs of Blitzen from Basic Grey</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html" target="_blank">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. </a><br />
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International entries welcome!<br />
<b><i><span style="color: #00b0b0;"></span></i></b>Sarah PingsAndNeedleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08736713704807666926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-383060085285536134.post-25346597052427702522012-10-07T23:28:00.000+01:002012-11-02T16:44:46.446+00:00Smitten with Blitzen – Brighton Sewing Centre Giveaway {7/31}<img height="150" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8302/8011789181_441414aa97.jpg" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="150" /><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">This post is brought to you through the power of </span></i><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Blogtoberfest</span></i></a><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> 2012</span></i></div>
<a href="http://www.quilterinthegap.com/2012/10/pings-hst-genius/" target="_blank"><img align="left" alt="stitch line" height="77" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-OFbGaFbi19M/UHHrDiV7YBI/AAAAAAAABfY/EeMxmI9KvzY/stitch-line3.jpg?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 21px 0px 0px;" title="stitch line" width="59" /></a><br />
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If you’ve popped over from my <a href="http://www.quilterinthegap.com/2012/10/pings-hst-genius/" target="_blank">guest post today</a> over at <a href="http://quilterinthegap.com/">Rhonda's</a>, then Hi! If you're here because you're Blogtoberfesting, then Yay! Welcome one and all … <br />
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To brighten our Sunday evening a little and add a little soft strokey salve to the week ahead, here we go with my <a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html" target="_blank">Blogtoberfest</a> giveaway … I missed my 2 year Blogiversary on 24th August and I’m sad about that. I knew I was a <a href="http://www.knottedcotton.com/2012/09/slow-bloggers-linky-party.html" target="_blank">slow blogger</a>, but I hadn’t realised I’d almost drawn to a halt!<br />
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My Lovely Local Quilt Store, <a href="http://www.brightonsewingcentre.co.uk/">The Brighton Sewing Centre</a>, is very generously donating 12 scrumptialicious FQs to help me celebrate the 3Bs ... Blogiversary Blogtoberfest and BloodyC*******s. <br />
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That’s <i>three whole metres</i> of wonderful super chic Crimbo fabric, chaps! <br />
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<img src="http://www.brightonsewingcentre.co.uk/user/main-img-our-shop1.jpg" /><br />
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The <a href="http://www.brightonsewingcentre.co.uk/" target="_blank">Brighton Sewing Centre</a> in North Road, is the first stop on my favourite leisurely North Laine wandery routine which I savour on non rainy Saturday mornings. <br />
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<a href="http://sphotos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/p206x206/248106_197413300384305_1601743883_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="76" src="http://sphotos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/p206x206/248106_197413300384305_1601743883_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Next stop is the farmers market for great fruit and veg, meat, fish and the<a href="http://www.facebook.com/PicnicCorner"> world's best scotch eggs</a> - seriously mahusive and delicious.<br />
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I bought a bumper box of green tomatoes to make chutney last weekend, which ironically were completely red by the time I got round to it this weekend ... So I made a yummy passata to bottle instead. Tick!<br />
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The final leg of my wander is bit of a snoop round the bric-a-crap street market in Upper Gardner Street, in the hope that Linen Man is there with some delights ...If it's a rainy morning, but not too miserable then I'll just cut out the street market and go have a browse round the indoor flea market in the same street.<br />
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Anyway, back to the <a href="http://www.brightonsewingcentre.co.uk/">BSC</a> ... The lovely <strike>enablers </strike>owners Nicole and Melinda (and in fact all the lovely ladies who work there) offer a knowledgeable, friendly service. They are always helpful, genuinely interested in their customers and embrace modern quilting with a traditional twist. There are always sewn samples of blocks or fabrics to stroke and aah at. They run <a href="http://www.brightonsewingcentre.co.uk/brighton-sewing-classes.html" target="_blank">classes</a> and sell some fantastic machines too ...<br />
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The bricks and mortar shop has been around in Brighton, in one form or another, for over 25 years. It’s not just a quilting store (the clue’s in the name) so all forms of stitchiness (including embroidery & knitting) are catered for in its tiny tardis layout!<br />
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In fact, I bought my secondhand <a href="http://www.pingsandneedles.com/2011/06/modern-sewing.html">Mrs Singer</a> there nearly twenty years ago, as well as my <a href="http://www.pingsandneedles.com/2011/06/modern-sewing.html">first ever brand new machine</a> last year. They do servicing, replace pedals, all that kind of useful stuff.<br />
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For emergency presents (or a really great way to budget your own stashing!) they also do <a href="http://www.brightonsewingcentre.co.uk/gift-vouchers.html">gift vouchers</a>!</div>
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Their growing <a href="http://www.brightonsewingcentre.co.uk/" target="_blank">online shop</a> has a new layout which is easy to navigate, with fast service and good pricing. Please pop round and have a look … you can leave reviews, which I think is really handy.<br />
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<a href="http://www.brightonsewingcentre.co.uk/" target="_blank"><img alt="brighton sewing centre banner" height="157" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-lgcglZTKsTQ/UHHrFw4yW8I/AAAAAAAABfg/HM07yQGDfJM/brighton-sewing-centre-banner6.png?imgmax=800" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="brighton sewing centre banner" width="640" /></a><br />
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<strike>So, if you’d like to win this lovely 12 FQ Bundle of <a href="http://www.brightonsewingcentre.co.uk/christmas-fabrics-material.html" target="_blank">Blitzen by Basic Grey for Moda</a> ...</strike> <br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED! Thanks to all who entered ... </b></span><br />
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<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-KnmVIEt4r5Y/UHHrIBdnqjI/AAAAAAAABfo/JeojDp0FvzU/s1600-h/P1140487_thumb22.jpg"><img alt="P1140487_thumb2" border="0" height="768" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9BWqeov4Pt0/UHHrKnXvePI/AAAAAAAABfw/Vdo75Wd0Tqk/P1140487_thumb2_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1140487_thumb2" width="614" /></a><br />
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<i><b><span style="color: purple;">... You have 4 chances: </span></b></i><br />
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<strike><i><b><span style="color: purple;">COMMENTS ON THIS POST ONLY TO ENTER PLEASE!</span></b></i></strike><br />
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<strike><b><span style="color: purple;">1.</span></b> <b><i><span style="color: purple;">Tell me who you’d make a gift for with this lovely Bundle of Blitzen, and what you’d make.</span> <span style="color: #57ae00;">Please feel free to link to a block or tutorial if you want to help me out with some gift ideas – I mean it – I need all the help I can get!</span></i></b><b> </b></strike></blockquote>
<strike><b>3 more chances if you do any of these neighbourly social media things and then tell me about it in a comment: </b></strike><br />
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<strike><b><span style="color: purple;"><i>2.</i></span> <span style="color: purple;"><i>Follow (or be a follower of) their </i></span></b><a href="http://www.brightsew.typepad.com/"><i><b>blog</b></i>. </a></strike></blockquote>
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<strike><span style="color: purple;"><i><b>3. Like their </b></i></span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/BrightonSewingCentre"><i><b>Facebook</b></i></a><span style="color: purple;"><i><b> page</b></i></span></strike></blockquote>
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<strike><span style="color: purple;"><i><b>4. Follow me here at Pings (or be a follower)</b></i></span></strike></blockquote>
<strike><b><i><span style="color: #00b0b0;"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7em_ibQQhw4/UHHrNa8spVI/AAAAAAAABf4/OggVwXkI1JI/s1600-h/SAM_00724.jpg"><img align="left" alt="SAM_0072" height="226" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-knjoGDcXJug/UHHrPUdMhpI/AAAAAAAABgA/HrIy9IUy5_o/SAM_0072_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 19px 0px 0px;" title="SAM_0072" width="240" /></a></span></i></b></strike><br />
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<strike><b><i><span style="color: #00b0b0;">This giveaway will run for the duration of <a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html" target="_blank">Blogtoberfest</a></span></i><i><span style="color: #00b0b0;"> – that is,<span style="color: purple;"> </span><u><span style="color: purple;">until midnight 31st October UK time</span> </u>- 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. </span></i></b></strike><br />
<strike><b><i><span style="color: #57ae00;"><br /></span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #57ae00;">International entries welcome!</span></i></b></strike>
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<strike><b><i><span style="color: #57ae00;"><br /></span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #57ae00;">Good Luck!</span></i></b></strike><br />
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<b><i><span style="color: #57ae00;"><span style="color: red;"><b>GIVEAWAY <span style="color: #57ae00;">OVER</span>! Thanks to all who entered ... </b></span></span></i></b><strike><b><i><span style="color: #57ae00;"> </span></i></b></strike>
Sarah PingsAndNeedleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08736713704807666926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-383060085285536134.post-63626329075208054682012-10-07T07:00:00.000+01:002012-10-07T07:00:05.518+01:00squeeeee! – I’m over at Rhonda’s!<br />
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<a href="http://www.quilterinthegap.com/2012/10/pings-hst-genius/" target="_blank"><img align="left" alt="stitch line[6]" border="0" height="174" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-exLDACCMZcM/UHA6NXLIMfI/AAAAAAAABew/cmIaZnE0Ixk/stitch-line63.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 17px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="stitch line[6]" width="114" /></a>I’m so excited to be <a href="http://www.quilterinthegap.com/2012/10/pings-hst-genius/" target="_blank">guest posting today</a> over at <a href="http://quilterinthegap.com/">Rhonda</a> <a href="http://draft.blogger.com/www.quilterinthegap.com" target="_blank">Quilter In The Gap</a>, as part of the <a href="http://draft.blogger.com/www.quilterinthegap.com/" target="_blank">Finish-Along</a>, with a <a href="http://www.quilterinthegap.com/2012/10/pings-hst-genius/" target="_blank">potentially genius HST trick tute.</a><br />
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If I sound dubious about the merits of my own tutorial, it’s because I really am! I can’t quite believe that there isn’t some dreadful maths mistake in the whole concept … but I can’t for the life of me see it, and it works brilliantly for me. <br />
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… Please come and <a href="http://www.quilterinthegap.com/2012/10/pings-hst-genius/" target="_blank">let me know what you think over at Rhonda’s</a> ….Sarah PingsAndNeedleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08736713704807666926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-383060085285536134.post-37769544433648064762012-10-06T11:35:00.000+01:002012-10-06T11:35:58.474+01:00Sweet Harmony<img height="150" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8302/8011789181_441414aa97.jpg" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="150" /><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">This post is brought to you through the power of </span></i><a href="http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Blogtoberfest</span></i></a><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> 2012</span></i></div>
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I don’t have a TV. When I moved into this flat 5 years ago, it didn’t have a TV aerial socket, and I’ve never bothered to have one installed. I like that I can’t just stream hours of rubbish into my house. I have to choose what I want to watch and set aside time to catch up with BBCiPlayer or by watching online. I have acquired an equally bad habit though – the <i>entire season watchathon,</i> but more of that another day …<br />
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I love Gareth Malone’s <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01n7qqv/The_Choir_Sing_While_You_Work_Manchester_Airport/" target="_blank">new Choir series on the Beeb, Sing While You Work</a> … This time he’s creating choirs in the (frequently anonymous) workplaces of Britain that will compete head to head at the end. It’s my Friday iPlayer treat … Every week I convince myself that I’m not going to get remotely emotionally involved, and every week I end up blubbing like a girl. Oh, I am a girl. That's okay then.<br />
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I can’t resist choral music. I sang in choirs at school for concerts and shows. I had fantastically creative teachers at school. I’ve sung at the Royal Albert Hall and the Royal Festival Hall and on stage with Deep Purple (!) I love a good harmony – straight or crushed. Can’t get enough of them. They are the best things to sing and to be surrounded by when singing. Especially unaccompanied.<br />
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<a href="http://www.c-thru-music.com/" target="_blank">C-Thru Music</a> have these amazing graphic representations of harmony – quilty inspiration methinks!<br />
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<a href="http://www.c-thru-music.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.c-thru-music.com/images/chord_shapes.gif" /></a><br />
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One day, when I have the time to map them I will use this pattern below with the colours I experience for notes and create a wonderful quilt! It could be fantastic representation of how I see music.<br />
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<a href="http://www.c-thru-music.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.c-thru-music.com/images/harmonic_table.gif" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a><br />
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Singing is right up there in the list of most intimate acts because we have to reveal our true selves – our voices; we have to breathe properly; we have to emote truthfully, and in a choir we have to lose our egos. You don't have to be a good singer to sing. You just have to sing. If you want to be a more tuneful singer just listen harder to find the patterns.<br />
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That true blend of voices in a good choir is one beautiful floating bubble of colour for me. I know I don’t sing enough anymore. When I’m stressed out it’s usually compounded by me having not listened to enough music as the stress built up. I rarely remember that little gem until it’s too late!<br />
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A very long time ago, before there were such things as t’internet, I stumbled across the end of a choir competition on TV and heard the most amazing version of an extraordinarily complex harmonic song. I was utterly stopped in my tracks. It was the perfect example of that perfect blend of sound that comes from a choir who have managed to strip away their personas and just sing as one voice. <br />
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Every so often I give Google another whirl to find a good version and yesterday I scored this. It seemed only right to share it with you, for I think it is a beautiful thing.<br />
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This performance by <a href="http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=7&cad=rja&ved=0CE4QtwIwBg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DGmVbdiSG_BM&ei=gv5vUJnvLeWw0AWu0YAo&usg=AFQjCNFgL_mer9Z-clQlVw_3kwmZfAY5zQ" target="_blank">North Allegheny High School Honors Chamber Choir</a> is smooth and rounded in the mouth, like a scoop of Italian ice-cream or a spoonful of perfect cheese souffle. In a piece like this, voices that don’t blend are going to be like shards of glass. It is incredibly difficult to pull off. The original version I crave had more of a gospel vibe, but this hits the spot just fine.<br />
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Turn off the world for three minutes and listen. I promise you’ll be breathing a little deeper and slower by the end of it … The conductor’s final pause to allow the sound to melt away to silence is fantastic.<br />
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<i>There is a quiet place<br />Far from the rapid pace<br />where God can soothe my troubled mind.<br />Sheltered by tree and flower<br />There in my quiet hour with him<br />My cares are left behind.<br />Whether a garden small,<br />Or on a mountain tall<br />New strength and courage there I find,<br />And then from that quiet place<br />I go prepared to face a new day<br />With love for all mankind</i> </div>
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How does singing make you feel? Do you wish you sang more often? Sarah PingsAndNeedleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08736713704807666926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-383060085285536134.post-73578255949003291972012-10-05T19:38:00.000+01:002012-10-05T19:38:54.435+01:00The Friday F*** Up<br />
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<img height="153" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8302/8011789181_441414aa97.jpg" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="153" /><br />
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take one … </blockquote>
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17:00 – arrive home from work smug and happy that back so early … you can see where this is going, eh?</blockquote>
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17:10 – walk back to work to pick up wallet + memory stick with all next week’s lesson planning that I had left in my rush to get home. </blockquote>
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... spend most of walk trying to erect umbrella which has rusted. I never use it, I think umbrellas are evil, and also pretty ineffective in breezy gusty seaside winds, but it’s quite still out there, apart from really icky spitty rain </blockquote>
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... give up attempt when comedy football fan sheltering from rain contributes "Good brolly you got there, love!" </blockquote>
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18:10 – arrive home from work … take two … </blockquote>
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*le sigh<br />
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However, all is not gloomy ... <br />
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If I hadn't had to go out again, I wouldn't have stopped at the nice French lady's cheese stall at the station to buy the world's <b>most </b>smelly and <b>most </b>divine cheese - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maroilles_%28cheese%29">Maroille</a>. It absolutely defines cheese for me on all sensory levels.<br />
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The trick is to eat it without allowing it to make contact with your skin - this is obviously impossible, so your fingers smell seriously putrid, but I tell you, it's worthwhile putting up with the smell ...<br />
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The taste is far less overpowering than the aroma ... You can practically taste the grass the cows grazed on ... it's only produced for a few weeks a year, when the cows are taken to the very top fields, where the grass is sweetest. <br />
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I love that ... <br />
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I hardly ever sin with cheese these days, so this was my treat for having to walk up the steepest hill, in the rain, twice.<br />
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Happy Friday, chaps ... stay tuned for soopah doopah giveaway starting this weekend ... <br />
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Sarah PingsAndNeedleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08736713704807666926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-383060085285536134.post-36470724589924719542012-10-04T18:00:00.000+01:002012-10-04T18:00:03.050+01:00winter woolies {Blogtoberfest 4/31}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have been obsessing about making a felted woven wool quilt for what seems like an age, way before I started sewing or blogging in the last few years … It's part and parcel of my <a href="http://www.uksynaesthesia.com/">synaesthesia </a>really ...<br />
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The texture just sends me ... the colours have to be fuzzy colours, of course, but most colours can have a fuzzy feeling to them if they're the right tone.<br />
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Recently, when I saw this fab felted jumper quilt from <a href="http://draft.blogger.com/www.recovergirl.wordpress.com" target="_blank">@ RecoverGirl</a> on <a href="http://pinterest.com/pingsandneedles/" target="_blank">Pinterest,</a> my interest was piqued again:<br />
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<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-x07sWx6ZW_8/UFZJ2uHj0_I/AAAAAAAABXs/QLGeKsl0QU4/s1600-h/recovergirl%252520quilt%25255B6%25255D.png"><img alt="recovergirl quilt" border="0" height="445" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-fkVUTBzFx0U/UFZJ8gWGrhI/AAAAAAAABX0/Qi0hgO6d8zw/recovergirl%252520quilt_thumb%25255B4%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="recovergirl quilt" width="660" /></a><br />
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I have to say that I find the primary blue-ish squares on this quilt just too jagged for the soft fuzziness. I'm not too keen on the red either, but it doesn't mean to say this isn't a lovely quilt!<br />
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<a href="http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn19/tedology/Miscellaneous/Color_Swatch_Primary_Blue.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn19/tedology/Miscellaneous/Color_Swatch_Primary_Blue.png" /></a></div>
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I just can't stand primary blue. I bang on about it incessantly, but it really is one of the few negative aspects of my synaesthesia. This colour repulses me. physically. It makes my elbows scream ... it makes me teeth itch ... I won't go on ... It pains me to even include a square of it here. Ironically, my (inherited) sofa at home is pretty much exactly this
colour, but I've learned to block the nausea. I never sit on it though!<br />
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I dislike all primaries when grouped together. It's not a tonal group I go for at all - I think it's why I have such a problem with most Christmas fabrics too ... <br />
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In search of the perfect cosychickfuzzyfelt I’ve stalked Etsy, visited <a href="http://www.weeksdyeworks.com/" target="_blank">Weeks Dye Works</a>, wiped the drool off my spacebar, and moved on. Fact is, if you want to buy bundles of loveliness like this ready felted, it seems you have to go Stateside - I can’t even find wool jumpers in charity shops anymore! … But those shipping/possible customs costs eat into your fabric budget, which if you’re anything like me and on a pretty horrid fabric diet, is a crucial deal breaker.<br />
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<i><span style="color: purple;">I've been clobbered twice in a row! The Japanese Charm Swap - 1 metre of swap + 2 metres of Washi from </span></i><a href="http://draft.blogger.com/www.superbuzzy.com" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: purple;"><b>superbuzzy</b></span></i></a><i><span style="color: purple;"> came in at £1.09 over the £30 max and Kapow! I was hit with a £12 customs charge – well actually, it was £4 of VAT and a whacking £8 to the Royal Mail for handling (really? – I mean, surely that’s their job??)</span></i><br />
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<img align="left" height="175" src="http://www.fabricsandpapers.com/up/products/1577736139_l.jpg" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 16px 0px 0px;" width="120" /><br />
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Anyway, I digress.<br />
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I’ve even stalked plain dyed herringbone like this lambswool with an idea to felt and dye my own (until I saw it was £58 per m! - there’s seriously good {window}shopping to be had at <a href="http://draft.blogger.com/www.fabricsandpapers.com" target="_blank">fabrics and papers</a> though!) <br />
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But after <a href="http://veryberryhandmade.co.uk/" target="_blank">Ali@ VeryBerryHandmade</a> and I had a little exchange about our obsession, I thought I’d just bite the bullet and order a little bundle, just to see if it’s really all I’ve fantasised that it is!<br />
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Run your virtual fingers over this little lot:<br />
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<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-huGGh1UQYAs/UFZJ9-pyPBI/AAAAAAAABX8/0-73QLhzTjM/s1600-h/il_570xN.3453512384.jpg"><img alt="il_570xN.345351238" border="0" height="332" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Tmz3Stq5rmQ/UFZJ_M6QTPI/AAAAAAAABYE/BA1-HAXECkg/il_570xN.345351238_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="il_570xN.345351238" width="640" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-onBSsRKX76E/UFZKBl06qyI/AAAAAAAABYM/dTfaiaaczy0/s1600-h/il_fullxfull.362161614_ilvr4.jpg"><img alt="il_fullxfull.362161614_ilvr" border="0" height="451" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-WuWOzLW7uu8/UFZKC6TqQkI/AAAAAAAABYU/h8s3ldCNx1s/il_fullxfull.362161614_ilvr_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="il_fullxfull.362161614_ilvr" width="640" /></a><br />
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It’s from a fab little Etsy store called <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/quiltingacres" target="_blank">Quilting Acres</a> based in Portland … These 8” squares are super soft and super cosy and this could be my new addiction!<br />
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I think the colours of this bundle work really well because they are heathery and my syn likes the fuzziness combo. If anything I was slightly disappointed that they're not as soft and fluffy to the touch as they are to my <i>mind </i>... but to be honest, they are ridiculously soft. <br />
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Has anyone out there made a whole quilt with felted woven wool? I know people use it for applique, but judging by its invisibility in the UK, I’m guessing the answer is likely to be “no”!<br />
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But, if you do know anywhere in the UK I can get this … lemme know … I’m building my <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/registry/wishlist/H3X9KHL6ZTEY" target="_blank">C*******s Wishlist</a> … Sarah PingsAndNeedleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08736713704807666926noreply@blogger.com