I was cake-baking today. I needed to make at least three, so here they are - top two are from the top - Dorset Apple Cake with Ginger (that's crystalized ginger strips). Below it is Mincemeat cake made with the last of last year's home-made Mincemeat, home-made crystalized peel (thanks to Eldest Daugher) and a couple of spoonfuls of stewed apple to give it more moisture. Below is the Lemon Drizzle Cake which is star of the show on Thursday, when we have some friends coming round for coffee and cake. One of the top cakes will be going to my Patchwork class tomorrow, and the other is reserved for the Antiques Fair at the weekend.
A beautiful antique Carmarthenshire quilt, hand made and quilted, and with a plucked sheep's wool lining. When I bought it the wretched thing was FILTHY. I washed it twice by hand, each time gaining a tide-mark. Finally I got around to putting it in the bath again on Saturday and washed and washed and rinsed and rinsed and finally have gotten rid of the tidemark. At about 120 years old, it is NOT something you dare to put in the washing machine. It will be going to a Fair soon.
These little knitted hats took my eye (in last month' Landscape magazine). They are meant to be for Advent but damned if I can be bothered to knit 24 of them, so I will stop around a dozen.
For some reason the pointy hats don't look as they should, so perhaps I need to go and re-read the instructions or modify them . . .
Some little jingle bells to go on the top of most of them.
I hadn't tried the thumb cast-on before but it gives a nice tidy edge. I hope you can see how to do it. If not, shout out and I will photograph just that part of the page. Below: the knitting patterns for the wee hats.
Finally, one of my car boot sale finds on Sunday, for just £1. I don't know how much it cost initially - probably nearer £10 with the Cath Kidston name . . .
Right, I have seen the Doc, used the medication and hopefully have banished the problem . . . We shall see.
I have spent the afternoon listening in (and finally bidding) on an on-line auction and painting a bit more in our bedroom - 3 and 2/3 walls now finished . . . I have had to wait until Keith was over his op as he wasn't meant to be lifting anything heavy for a couple of weeks at least.
Wish I could every bit of all three of them lol
ReplyDeleteYou'll need to move nearer Simon!
DeleteYou are amazing. Baking and making. I have done same in my time but my creativity is limited to sitting and painting. Wonderful..
ReplyDeleteIt's just part of my routines at the moment Jill. I wish I had time to develop my artistic skills (although I am best at just copying from photos etc). I don't have your skills with paints.
DeleteLove your cakes, I do
ReplyDeletewatch the British Baking Show !
Love the darling hats and the pointy ones will look better with a bell and pom pom and tassel.
My cards have been the 12 days of Christmas (I am up to 10 this year) so why not 12 little hats ?
cheers, parsnip and badger
I thought they were something I could do whilst watching tv and they looked a bit of fun.
DeleteAs for the baking, I find it very satisfying.
Your cakes look very inviting. I would love a slice of that lemon cake!!
ReplyDeleteThe little hats are very sweet. I can see using them as decorations on a tree.
God bless.
That's another idea for the wee hats, putting them on the tree.
DeleteThe Lemon Drizzle is a special favourite of our friends and they get to take it home with them.
Is Cath Kidston on the way out I wonder? Someone gave me a bag of hers, but it is too bright for me.
ReplyDeleteLove those little hats, I am now going to a craft morning at the local library, a pleasant time to sit and chat and sew.
I am sure your craft morning is great fun - it's nice to get out and chat. I wouldn't buy Cath Kidston on principle as totally overpriced and I don't buy in to fashion-buying!
DeleteAh, I was given the Cath Kidston preserve kit by a friend. I love it. The hats are SOOO cute!
ReplyDeleteThe Cath Kidston kit is pretty but no way would I pay full whack for it! I am having such fun knitting up those wee hats.
DeleteThe cakes all look delicious. I have mincemeat left from last year and am still trying to make up my mind whether to use it this year or make a new batch. Time to make the Christmas Cake too!
ReplyDeleteThe hats are SO cute. I love that magazine. Realised recently I hadn't bought November's issue so will have to order it online as Decembers is now in the shops. I used to like Landlove too but that seems to have disappeared??
Time to use up your mincemeat then RR! I'll check and see if I put the recipe up in another blog post.
ReplyDeleteThere were 3 of that type of magazine - the Landscape, Landlove and Landlust. I have only seen Landscape recently (but that's just in Tesco - we don't go up the town if we are busy or the weather's inclement.)
Those cakes have driven all else from my mind BB
ReplyDeleteYou inspired me to try the Dorset Apple cake. It’s in the oven right now and I can’t wait to try it! Your hobnob receipe is now a family favorite 😊
ReplyDeleteKJ
Have just been catching up on some of your recent posts BB. Your hills and valleys are looking so beautiful in this early winter time, when most trees are bare but a few splashes of leaf colour are still around.
ReplyDelete