So, despite vowing to update my blog at least twice a month, I am aware that it has been almost two months since my last post!
On the sewing front, I have mainly been hemming table-runners for a friend’s wedding. A seemingly simple task became rather complicated when I discovered that my sewing-machine did not like the fabric that the bride had chosen. It was happy with plain cotton but rebelled when I dared to introduce something a bit more ritzy. The thread broke, the needle broke, I couldn’t set the tension and I gave up several times in utter frustration. I tried re-threading the whole machine but to no avail. My usually-compliant sewing-machine just wasn’t having any of it. Eventually, I visited the Sewing Centre in Beeston and a lovely lady (aka Sewing Angel) advised me to try replacing the needle, loosening the tension a bit and to go slow with the sewing. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t entirely convinced but I did as she advised. I re-threaded the entire machine, changed the needle, got out my test fabric, appealed to the sewing fairies, took a deep breath and pressed down the pedal. Success! The material glided through without a problem. I hemmed six runners and two tablecloths. The seams look a little like they were sewn by a drunk person but I don’t think that anyone noticed:
How amazing are the sweet trees? I just didn’t know that you could do that with a foam banana…
As the table-runners have taken up the majority of my spare time, I still haven’t made any progress with the quilting but I’d like to include here a picture of the very, very lovely quilt made by my friend Lynsey for her daughter:
Made with log-cabin patchwork blocks
I need to plan my time a bit better so that I can start working towards my goal to complete at least two quilts this year. Having a full-time job really does make it difficult to work on larger projects! However, I will persevere and am resolved to sign up to a quilting course, which I hope will provide some much-needed inspiration and motivation. I also need to spend a little time perusing the various online patchwork shops so that I can increase my stash of fabric (sshh…don’t tell the husband…).
Although there has been a touch of spring in the air this week, I will admit that I have been feeling somewhat fed up since Christmas. Work is very busy, it is cold and damp and it seems like a long time till the next holiday. However, sewing is a good way to forget all of my worries. Even hemming table-runners has provided a means of relaxation! When I can’t sew, I also like to bake. There is something extremely satisfying about combining butter, flour, eggs and sugar and watching them rise perfectly in the oven! To share my love of baking cake (and, indeed, eating it), I have (along with a friend) recently started our local branch of the Clandestine Cake Club. Basically, you get together at a secret location, you bring along a cake, you eat the cake and you have a bit of a chat. At the end of the gathering, you take home a container full of cake that is then devoured eagerly by your husband. What’s not to like? If you’re interested, you can have a look at our page on the Clandestine Cake Club website. If you need any encouragement, here is a picture of some of the cakes that we sampled at our first gathering:
On that yummy note, I will leave you to your morning/afternoon/evening. Look out for my next post (which will be written in the near future I promise!)
April x
