TAHDAH!

I’ve been desperate to post this for weeks now. It’s a birthday quilt for the gardener at SC. He’s a hippy with a camper van, so I thought this Happy Campers quilt would do him quite nicely. He’s been requesting a quilt for ever, and he received this yesterday – so I can finally post it.

I like how cheerful this is. I’ve kept a few strips back from this, and I think that I might use them to make a very simple quilt, something cheerful and not-at-all-precious, that can be put in the back of my car, or used in the garden for picnics and sunbathing.

I’m also completely in love with this colour grey. I think this may have to be the basis for another quilt for me and the puppeh.

Coming soon! Photos of me in my first venture into making clothes! But it’s too cold at the moment for me to even consider getting changed!

I don’t think it’s possible for me to have many more ongoing projects without actually having more hours in the day. Between university (don’t even go there) and work (lovin’ it, despite the stress), I have many crafty things a-goin’ on.

My crochet blanket is moving on up. I’ve reached something of an impasse, though. I am majorly undermotivated with it, since it just isn’t moving fast enough for me. I like projects that speed along, so I feel like I’m getting on. Something to do, perhaps, once university is over and I finally stop running.

The orange isn’t actually that bright in real life. The camera lies!

I’ve started a grandmother’s flower garden quilt too. Mum and I emptied the big coffer that stands in our hall, and it was full of soft furnishings. Amongst the piles and piles of floral duvet covers, we found some Diary of an Edwardian Lady curtains that used to hang in my nursery (apparently).

They were a bit worse for wear in places, but I have been salvaging parts to use in the centre of my little paper-pieced flowers. I absolutely adore this material.

This one is growing quite quickly, despite being SHOCK HORROR hand-sewing. I’ve been sewing patches whilst watching TV in the evenings, and it’s a nice project to make me CHILL THE HECK OUT and stop talking about how I have stair-rods to clean.

I have also rediscovered my love of cross-stitch. I have one of these on my bedside table, with a different motto, which is truly epic in its sassiness.

But of course, cross-stitch (like any other craft) can always be improved by random movie quotes. More to follow.

And finally! I put this up on facebook forever ago, but nonetheless: another baby quilt! This is for my cousin who is about to have her second baby (due in March).

This is Sarah’s Sealife baby quilt. So named because there are fish! and shells! and seaweed!

It’s backed with a fleece blanket, and no stuffing. It makes it warm and snuggly, without being massively bulky. It’s also quilted diagonally, for added pretty. I love the rich colours.

And I haven’t even had chance to photograph my first attempt at clothes-making. Oh well! Tomorrow is another day!

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Castle Mort. Preparations are beginning early this year, in anticipation of Mum being too poorly when December does roll around.

We’ve planted lots of bulbs in the garden, ready for spring. In fact we’ve got more bulbs than garden now, since every time Mum leaves the house she returns with another box of bulbs. There is now a bulb ban in force here.

All of the potted plants have been moved into the greenhouse. All of my cuttings are in the cold frame. The tomatoes have yet to be thrown out, and we’re going to make chutney with the ones that haven’t ripened yet. I’m thinking of growing some more potatoes to use at Easter.

This weekend I decided to make the Christmas cake though. Well, two cakes. I always make a second for Grandpa Mort. He never shares.

Every year I think my baking gets better. This year has been the best to date, so by the time I’m 35 I should be able to top Delia.

My favourite bit is after the cakes have cooled. I wrap them up in brown paper and tie them with red wool. I think they look so festive like this, and it’s nice to take to Grandpa’s house in a proper bundle. It makes me feel like Little Red Riding Hood.

Then they get popped in the Christmas biscuit tin, which sits on the kitchen table and cheers me up every time I see it.

This is a tradition I made up myself, really. But it’s one of my favourites.

I’ve made progress on my Holiday Inn quilt too. Ferris gave his approval last week.

And so today I bought the fabric that I needed, and spent a good two hours finishing off the quilt top.

Do you know how difficult it is to take a picture of your entire bed, but without being miles away from it? VERY DIFFICULT.

I’m better at artsy shots anyway.

It’s almost finished. I just need to sort out the backing. I think I’m going to make a couple of pretty little cushions out of the leftover fabric, just to break up that big expanse of green that is covering the pillows. But I definitely like it.

What do you think?