This should have been titled "shattered". A busy day here today. I spent the morning baking (I have had an order for vegan cakes and this clashes with the Fair so I am trying to get them all done/in the freezer before the start of the Fair. I am not happy with vegan recipes - trying new-to-me recipes is not good - one today turned out not much more than an inch thick, yet I used a smaller baking tin than suggested. Not wanting to waste good ingredients (and of course it's totally edible, just not very filling as I am catering for 16 each time), I made some Sugar Biscuits to back it up. They should have had an egg in, so I substituted flax/water mix. They baked up a bit cakey . . . I can see I will have to keep experimenting until things turn out to my satisfaction. At least the Chocolate Apple Cake (a well used recipe, which requires no eggs) was deep and as it should be. There was a mountain of washing up with this too, plus two oily trays from yesterday's roast.
I went and watered in the greenhouse as it got to 16+ degrees C today. I sowed Cucumbers yesterday, and put my Monarda seedlings into pots. Also sowed Borage. My Farmer Gracey order arrived today, so those will go to soak for 3 - 6 hrs in the morning.
This afternoon I pushed myself and wallpapered the window wall, and little slips behind the radiators. Totally Joe Bodgit as I wasn't in the mood and the bits behind the radiator are hardly seen and I used leftover cuts which look fine. I am now round the corner on the far end. I took down the falling-to-bits curtain rail and have put the lovely William Morris Golden Lily curtains which I will wash and pass on as I have no use for them here as they don't fit any other windows. Next I have to work out how to put up the new curtain rail. I even set to and washed the windows inside whilst I was at it because they were grubby. I will have to get the outside windows cleaned by my window cleaner next door neighbour.
Right, Wonderwool:
This was a patchwork stand with lots of hexi project kits. I loved this kit but stayed my hand, thinking I could probably do the bird myself and can certainly make hexi's and embroider beads on. There were some kits with choirboys on - their heads were made of half a dozen teensy hexi's the size of your thumbnail - not for me!
Of course, I got my Luna Lapin book out the moment I got back. NOW I have a reason to make her, and bought the felt for her several years back when I got the book. The kits for her friends and her clothing weren't cheap though.
One of the stunning patchwork pictures by textile artist Josie Russell, who I follow in Facebook. She has them made into prints, cards, cushions, Jigsaws, place mats, coasters etc too. She's very talented. I bought Jon one of her printed cushions of Aberystwyth for Christmas one year.
There were umpteen stands with deliciously coloured wools to tempt us. Tam bought two lovely yarns to knit for Rosie with.
Tam loved this waistcoat.
Kantha stitched jackets and throws. Tam bought a bum bag here.
This was a felt shoe stand (you bought the "ingredients" to make your own, and these felt bits were to decorate with.
Some people had dressed up specially - love the knitted "horns" on the hat of the lady on the left.
This suggests that the Fair was a great success - these are bags stuffed full of purchases, being kept in the Creche whilst their owners bought MORE!
So, if you ever get tempted to come to Wonderwool, you can see there is plenty to keep you amused and to part you with your hard-earned cash!!
have you tried aquafaba? it's basically chickpea soaking water used in vegan cooking and baking instead of egg. it makes eggcellent meringues. you can buy it or simply drain a can of chickpeas.
ReplyDeleteWith biscuits, the chickpea water would be too thin - as I found today using the Flaxseed and water. Stewed apple is best I think. Or squashed banana.
ReplyDeleteWow, lots of interesting items to see at Wonderwool!!. I need to ask what a bum bag is?
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
It is basically a zip purse on a belt. I have one for Fairs but tend to use it instead of a handbag now. Tam got one in a soft brown with a pretty tiny floral print on it, and of course, lots of tiny Kantha stitching. Unlike this example, the stitching went across the width of the fabric from side to side. https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1628554093/kantha-hip-bag-fanny-pack-recycled-sari?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_uk_en_gb_-bags_and_purses-non_domestic_high&utm_custom1=_k_4d26ba15e361191df328d205a779d535_k_&utm_content=bing_408847088_1302921584719607_81432664933222_pla-4585032214132136:pla-4585032214132136_c__1628554093engb&utm_custom2=408847088&msclkid=4d26ba15e361191df328d205a779d535
DeleteBaking to an unfamiliar protocol can be so difficult, with iffy results. My daughter went thru a gluten free stage [convinced it equated w carb free, tho she didn't eat any anyway]---so for a bake sale I had to make gluten free moon pies [maybe oatmeal cookies w marshmallow filling, drizzle choc on top?]----gross; and cut out sugar stars that spread into puddles. It's a different skill set, vegan would be very challenging. Tho I have a good cut out cooky recipe w/out eggs that must be vegan, in an old traditional way.
ReplyDeleteThe fair looks really good, I esp loved the kantha pieces and that wall of rainbow shades of yarn. I see just the turquoise/ periwinkle I so love. Love the sheep too, tho they don t look too happy, bet they prefer green hills and sunshine.
You're not kidding. I am going to tell Ed to eat the flat offering I made yesterday and I will cook something from my repertoire of traditional farmhouse recipes, just replacing the egg with stewed apple! I don't think he realizes it is a challenge to try out a totally different way of baking.
DeleteThe sheep did look pretty fed up, but had plenty of hay and water and admirers.
I enjoyed the walk through after a day spent cudgeling my brains to write. Re the large spinning wheel--I've read the term 'walking wheel' as in the spinster [?] pacing back and fort while spinning. Did Rosie get to touch the sheep/lambs or was she adoring them from a distance?
ReplyDeleteVegan baking: I have acquaintances who insist everything must be vegan--most of their baked goods I've sampled are 'heavy.' I can do 'vegetarian' at least the method considered lacto/ova but vegan is a stretch too far for me.
Yes, "walking wheel" would cover this one. There was a sign up telling people to wash/disinfect their hands after touching the sheep, so we just held her up to look at them. She LOVED them!
DeleteYes, heavy would describe yesterday's pancake bake! I have no patience for faddy baking but am being paid for this, so need to try and get best results!
My aunt had a spinning wheel similar to this one, my dad made it for her from I think historic plans, when he was a teenager. My memory is she sat on a stool to work it, tho it may have had a foot pump like a treadle sewing machine to make the wheel spin.
DeleteYou mentioned Tam would knit for Rosie: I m picturing tiny perfect cardis over liberty print smocked dresses. You're in charge of smocking and sewing. This is a shop on IG, the patterns are downloads but knowing you , you ll be able to make the patterns yourself. I rem loving hand smocked dresses I wore as a child, hand me downs from a ''big girl'' who outgrew her gorgeous clothes. I didn't have time to sew for my kids and only designed their handknits [someone else did the knitting]. I wish I had had more time, tho my daughter prob would not have worn a smocked dress if bribed w a winning Lotto ticket. https://www.childrenscornerstore.com/collections/pattern
ReplyDeletePS A sweater in that beautiful wool would cost about $200.oo to buy the yarn. Their worsted is lovely, the colors up close are flecks of many colors and fleeces for a variety of sheep breeds.
ReplyDeleteI love wool shows and have been to the one in Skipton twice and I'm proud to say the wool I bought and kits were all used in the months after. A lovely day for you.
ReplyDelete