Tweedledone

Now back to the serious subject of sewing.

But first, in answer to your questions regarding the fate of the potato, my husband used it for his signature dish, baked potatoes.
He showed it no mercy.
One became two.
He separated the conjoined tubers and stuck them in the oven.
We ate them trying to avoid noticing the tell -tale scar of their former romantic state.

I have at last had enough time to devise a new Harris Tweed clutch/handbag.

Larger than the purses from a previous post.

A large roomy pocket that folds over at the top.

It has a velcro fastener, and of course velvet applique and a bit of hand stitch.

I've lined it with some vintage 'Next' curtain fabric, from the early eighties, thick and soft, and there's a small mirror pocket inside.

I will be selling these for £30ish.

Please tell me what you think.

I have to make four things a day for the next two weeks.

I have high hopes of the next Craft market.

Welcome back

In a blatent attempt to make my blog a bit less boring I thought I would celebrate the return of the mis shapen veg.

This huge heart shaped MP is brought to you courtesy of hard work by MEPs to allow such wonderful aberrations back into the shops.


The young woman on the checkout and I had a bit of a heart v bottom debate, and we decided to go for the more romantic option.
I know I'm 'off topic' here and I'm sure this will have me drummed out of the various 'Craft/sewing/creative' blog lists I've attached myself to, but it had be done.

We ate it.

Brrr!

Last week I was working on these brooches (when I wasn't having problems!)
This picture is for Sally.
Its lime green with a pale orange background.
The knitting needles have nothing to do with anything they were just out on the table.

Then today was gorgeous. We don't often get really cold sunny days and they are so picturesque I just had to get out for a walk.

The day reminded me of 'The Eve of St Agnes' by Keats. Another snippet from my remembered store:

'St. Agnes' Eve--Ah, bitter chill it was!

The owl, for all his feathers, was a-cold;

The hare limp'd trembling through the frozen grass,

And silent was the flock in woolly fold: '

The focus in this next picture is all wrong but it gives the right impression.
There are more pictures of today's walk on Flickr. The link is below the pic.

Brrr!, originally uploaded by dogdaisy92.

Last week I sent a parcel to a lady in Hawaii.
We joked about the differences in our climates at the moment and I was a weeny bit envious of the blue sky and sunshine they were having.
But on a day like today I wouldn't swap.
A wonderful beautiful cold English Winters day.

IMPORTANT PLEASE READ THIS.

I have just opened a Google Alert e -mail and its infected my laptop with a virus.

It said 'The lovely jackie cardy has tagged me' in the bit where a snippet of the message shows. So being a vain and nosey person I opened it and now I have wild windows popping up all over and threats of dangerous viruses.
Then it gives you a solution which is also a virus.

Is it see saw down?
Not too bad. My son will fix it for me tonight.
Meanwhile I can use the desk top.

Just thought you may like to know and avoid the same thing hapening to you. There was something about folars coffee on it. (I deliberately spelt that wrong just in case. It had a g after the l and was 'ers' at the end. )
Thank you for your lovely commenst by the way. I'm feeling up beat again today.
well, you've got to.

Blog as therapy

We talk about emotional roller coasters..what about see saws?
I said last saturday's craft fair couldn't be as bad as the one the week before.
It was.(See Saw down)
The Knitting and Stitching show on Sunday was a terrific high.(See saw up)

I enjoyed the Graduate showcase but it never fails to amaze me when people feel the need to speak their minds.
There was a lovely young Textile Artist in the 'Graduate Showcase' with her work.
A much older woman who felt her opinion had to be aired went up to her and said she thought her work was awful and she didn't like it, it was grotesque.
I felt so hurt for the girl. Her work was competent skillful and very unusual.

I added my bit to the Julia Caprara tribute.
(Awful pics on this entire post. Sorry)



It had hand stitching on it.
Don't faint.

Then Monday was a busy day.
I attended a steering committee meeting as patient rep for a local service.
I felt stupid.
I couldn't speak 'adminese'(See Saw down)
I went to see my Mum.(See saw up)
Tuesday was a day of anxiety and actual panic about a number of issues..some 'credit crunch' related, and some family related.(See saw down)
But in the evening a friend phoned me and said she'd been to an Art Gallery in Mid Wales and the owner had seen my brooches and wants to sell some.(See saw up)
Wednesday was a positive day and I was upbeat in the morning. Got on with some brooches.


(This post was going to be all about how I do lots of samples and discover some happy accidents of colour combinations.)


Poor pics.
Working on many brooches.(See saw up.)
Phone call at lunchtime.
Older son in severe difficulty. (See saw fluctuating violently, flying around in circles)
I sorted it out as far as I could...very anxious time.
(See-saw broken and lying upside down on floor.)
Reasonably good outcome. (See-Saw repositioned and ready for action again.)
Glass of wine. Food .
Blog.
Should I publish this?
Go on then.



PS Attention Jill you left a question on my last post and I don't know how to get in touch with you. E mail me if you like.

Results.

This is such a responsibility.

I didn't sleep last night. (Partly because I'd got to the gory bit in 'The Kite Runner')

I had 103 comments about wrists..well, 102 really..one was from my son calling himself 'James' and he has never expressed an interest in owning a cuff or a brooch so I didn't put him in.

I wrote them all on paper.

I cut them up

but Oh No! My patent draw holder was too small.

So I put them in my salad spinner

but it has no hole in the bottom so I just had to put my hand in and pull one out.

There were witnesses..this one can't see but she listened very carefully and made sure of fair play

and it was seconded .

Here is the winner:

CONGRATULATIONS SESGA.

You can choose a cuff or a brooch in any colour you like made especially to fit.

And now I won't sleep because of the 101 people who left me their wrist size and lovely comments and didn't win.

All I can do is thank you very much indeed and try my very best to analyse the results.

I'm doing a craft fair tomorrow at Lostock Hall High School Near Preston.

Its usually good fun with craft taster sessions and traditional music.

I'll be doing two feltmaking classes.

I don't expect many sales, but its bound to be better than the one I did last week.

It couldn't be worse.

On Sunday I am going to The Knitting and Stitching show in Harrogate.

See you there?

Heavenly Harris Tweed

Here's a 'sneeky peek' (a term well loved by many of you I've noticed!) of what I am doing with the fabulous fabric from the far North (bit of alliteration for you there).



OH Oh Oh I love it!
I love working with it.


I love looking at it and deciding which bit of velvet I'm going to put on it


which snippet of silk



and which little beads.
ONE DAY LEFT to the big draw.
I have almost 100 comments..only 8 to go.
A clear result is emerging.

(And Willow is on the magic drops so no more wet beds. Yippee!)