I sat and sewed again this afternoon and have probably sewn too many big squares now (a couple at the top of the bed are folded in half!) but all in all it looks pretty good and I am delighted it's gone together so quickly (and with mostly accurate joins!) My patchwork class starts again on Wednesday so I hope to get all the big squares joined together into one top and then our teacher (who I showed a photo to) has suggested a few sessions in her quilting workshop on her long-armed quilting machine so we can quilt the top professionally. I'm quite excited at that idea.
This has been a good stash-buster anyway, although I still have some double blocks sewn together - probably enough for a lap-quilt for downstairs. Now I must go in search of the magazine that had the pattern for my Heirloom quilt, as that looks like it will be started far sooner than anticipated, although I do have a Space Invader quilt to do for my son first as well, but that is an easy one I can do at home.
Plus - it had to be done - I orderere a black Egyptian cotton fitted sheet and it arrived today, has been washed and I will get it ironed and on the bed soonest, with the new duvet . . .
I also had a surprise email via Ancestry, regarding the whereabouts/fate of my gran's (half) brother Christopher Charles Rose. Apparently he emigrated to Canada, where he married, but sadly died from Tetanus in 1916. I had a postcard of a church near Harrogate with a note on it in my gran's handwriting, saying that her brother was buried there. So, confusion all round. Which brother then? I am a lapsed member of Ancestry, so don't know how I can thank Christopher Rose's grandson for his note.
P.S. Nearly forgot - First Snowdrops noticed locally today when I went out for a walk (3 miles in an hour, so good going for me) - by the tiny ruined cottage on the riverbank, were some Snowdrops with multiple layers inside. This cottage last lived in around WWII and I think these may be a very old Snowdrop type. (Just looked them up and they are "Double Snowdrops" - Galanthus hipplyta - yet near the Mill are ordinary one-layer Double snowdrops. Yesterday, on the way back from N's, lots and lots of Celandine leaves and one Celandine flower about to open. Yay!!
As you can see, I have been busy today. I had lots of these blocks made and sewn into pairs from the summer, but finally got around to piecing them into the top today (which will be king size, for our bed). Many of the beautiful fabrics were sent to me by Sharon (Morning's Minion blog). I was awake early so thought I might as well start making them into 4's, and then I got onto a roll and got all this done (probably 2/3 of the top). So I'm quite pleased with myself this evening, especially as I got most of the piecing accurate. These bigger 16-piece blocks aren't sewn together yet, but I hope to get some time with them tomorrow (I have decorating to get back to though), and it will also go to class with me on Wednesday. I want it finished SOONEST and then I can get started on my Heirloom Quilt, using the fabulous William Morris fabrics that my daughters bought for me last birthday.
Whilst I was working on this I was playing the 60s music CDs I was given for Christmas and singing along. A couple reduced me to tears though, as they were strong reminders of my best friend Trish, who died over 2 years ago now. Knights in White Satin was the one that really did it - we played that over and over and over in her bedroom when we were 15 or so, and played it so much that the black vinyl record was almost white from use.
My favourite fabrics are the centre of the first full block up from the bottom (above picture) and to its right, the lovely hollyhocks fabric (one of Sharon's).
After being stuck finishing the girls' quilts for so long, this is an absolute delight to work on as it is such a simple initial block setting and no sashing to slow me down.
In the middle of the sewing, we popped down to our smallholding neighbour N's, and caught up with all the news, and then I walked back - pushing myself up the steep hills (ours and the v.v. steep one from N's place). I was amazed I managed them without getting too out of puff.
Right, this won't do. My bath is calling me.
On Friday we had a phone all from a friend who runs a small car boot sale/fleamarket on a Saturday. He'd been badly let down by 4 people cancelling, he could do us two tables for the price of one if we could help fill a gap. As we'd arranged to meet a friend there later we thought, for £5 we might as well try and get rid of some of the junkier stuff from the junk room. So we packed the car, got up at 6.30 and spent the morning waiting for customers. Perhaps 25 people in 4 hours, after which we packed up and came home. Since I had plenty of things I could have been doing back here, it was a lesson in listening to my gut reaction - Keith had been suggesting we do this one just before Christmas but I told him it was a waste of time. We'd done one there and sold one thing for £10 (to another of the traders there). Yesterday we took . . . £6.50! We shan't be going back!
I woke around 6 a.m. this morning and have the morning planned - I'm going to work on my Random quilt whilst the Archers Omnibus is on. I want to get a goodly walk in, and pop down and see my smallholding friend who lives 1 1/2 miles away - I may combine the two and walk down to see her - the steep hills will be a challenge but do me good.
I have letters to write, more decorating to do, and I want to carry on sorting out the junk room and anything which I deem not worth keeping stock-wise will be going off to auction, and the auction boxes can go out in one of the stables. I am also going to scrub the hall floor, which looks in dire need of it!
So, not much exciting happening, though I may make a start on my lovely felt goose that Gabby gave me for Christmas.
Before they get forgotten in the bustle and hustle of the new year, here are some special gifts from family and a friend. I had admired this beautiful chunk of Labradorite when Tam was showing me that and similar stones on Fleabay. I was amazed when I unwrapped just the piece I had loved so much, and it has the most amazing power. It is said that crystals choose you - or rather, you are drawn to them because of your physical or mental needs. This one is good for lung function and it really does seem to help when I have it near me for an evening. The colours remind me of our river, which has a particular blue which comes from the slate bedrock, and browns and golds from shallows and sparkles in the quartz rocks on the riverbed.
Just one of the 12 days of Christmas which I saw on a blog and fell in love with. I am waiting for a quiet day to get started. Gabby also gave me this lovely pile of felts to use, and the beautiful yarn.
I was trying to line these both up, but no, they
don't want to! Anyway, big pack of felt squares for my Goose-a-Laying, and a ball of gorgeous wool to play with.
Danny gave me this posh DAB radio, with the words "Perhaps you will be listening to something other than just Radio 4 now, as it accesses a lot of different channels". I fear he knows me too well, but although it is currently tuned to Radio 4, I have been exploring!
A joint present for Keith and I from Tam, who hoped it may mention the family who lived in this house, and rallied to the call and fought for Henry Tudor at Bosworth. In fact, one of them was made Esquire to the Body of Henry VII, so he must have helped appreciably to further his cause. It's a brilliant book, chronicling Welsh history from that period, especially West Wales and Carmarthenshire.
And again - not side by side, but you can see two lovely books from my dear friend Gay, who knows my taste exactly! She just buys what she would love herself (or already has) and knows I do the same for her!! We have been friends for nearly 50 years now, so it's no wonder we know each other well.
The little pussy cat pin cushion was a surprise gift from Keith and came wrapped in a shoe-box so no way could I guess the contents! He also bought me the pewter shoe pin cushion behind it at last week's Fleamarket. I hope I'm not starting another collection . . .
Finally, we were given some money as a gift, and also had a good fair last week, so we indulged ourselves in some new bedding. Having redecorated our bedroom, I wanted bedding which wasn't pink or deep red (bought to match the old decor). Wish I could afford the matching curtains too, but that's not going to happen - this was enough of an indulgence!!
As for the New Year's new broom - now I have my Hospital Appt. behind me, I am feeling more positive and energised, and have made a mental list of what I want to achieve before the house goes back on the market - of course, this includes yet more redecorating, but that is an ongoing process in a house this size. If the weather allows, I need to get busy out in the garden too, before it all gets away from me when the pollen arrives.
I am also going to turn the long bedroom (5) into my craft room proper, so the bunk beds will have to go so I can put a long table in the corner for cutting out on, pinning etc. where there is good light from the Velux window in the roof. There's another the other end, but the door opens out onto that area. I bought myself two storage stacks from Aldi today - they have 4 pull out trays so I am organizing my small crafting bits into those so I know just where to look for things. The crafting items in the corner cupboard in the sitting room are now gradually travelling upstairs.
I'm also going through the Junk room to turf out all the bits of china we haven't sold in the past year or so and doing a few car boot sales and what doesn't sell will go into auction. I want it to look much tidier and open in there, without piles of cardboard boxes of STUFF!
Right, it's a start anyway.
I've a few photos to share with you from yesterday's walk along by the river. Camera settings were deliberate yesterday (!) and I played about with night-time settings again, and sports-speed ones (for the rushing water). My favourite is the new header photo though. That turned out quite well apart from the stray sprig of wild rose off to one side!
I attended the hospital today for my gynae "procedure" and all I can say is I wouldn't be first in the queue to rush to have it done all over again. Their idea of "discomfort" does not agree with my personal take on it! Anyway, it's over and done with, my girly giblets (thanks to friend Mike for that description!) are all functioning as they should be with no unwanted hangers-on and I have had a thorough spring clean . . .
Tomorrow is a continuing of tidying up and clearing out - I would like to clear the Junk Room of all unwanted lesser stock. We're doing an indoor car boot sale on Saturday, so hopefully I will shift some of it then. We've bought some new storage boxes so the best china and glass will go in there, and discards can go in boxes to the stables and sent off to auction in the spring. I intend to sort out my sewing room too and have everything up there in order so I know where to put my hands on things. The bunk beds will have to go and that will free up a lot of room.
Anyway, the New Year = new broom here. Onwards and upwards. Enjoy the photos (and thanks for your support over the Hospital bit.)
I walked up the hill several times over Christmas and was pleased to see 4 Canada Geese on the top pond (with some ducks (all Mallards I think) right against the bank behind them. They weren't at all bothered by my walking past, although some other wildfowl will head for the hills if they see me walking by.
As you can see, the first Primrose is flowering on our hill (and indeed it was on Christmas Day) - it has been so mild I'm not surprised. The trees with catkins (Hazel, Alder, Silver Birch etc) are putting on a good show and I am looking forward to Snowdrops later this month.
The last Red Campion bravely flowering. On the road to Cwrt Henri Tam and I noticed the first Cow Parsley in bloom, and there are still a few Hogweed continuing from last autumn - having been cut down and grown back again.
We have had to go to Cardigan 3 times in 4 days, to empty our Unit, as it wasn't working out as we had hoped. On today's journey I noticed the Butterburs were in bloom and putting out leaves but of course as I was driving, I didn't get the chance to take photos (they are by Narberth roundabout, for future reference.)
Tomorrow I will finally start to catch up with the chores around the house, but on Thursday/Friday I will need to rest up as I am having a Gynae "procedure" which I am dreading. I am trying not to think about it at present, and just want it to be over and done with.
Anyway, all the best (again!) for 2019 and let's hope it's an improvement on 2018 which was not a good year for many people.
I am sure you will find your way through the castle photos - odd shots from odd angles, and not as sharp as they should be as only at the end did I finally realize they were blurry because I had the camera on a food photos setting . . . Sometimes I think I am losing the plot.
I wish you all the best for 2019 and let's hope it is an improvement on some of the parts of 2018 - especially the not in the best of health bits which seemed to feature far too heavily here. The Chinese New Year gave us (both Dragons) 1/10 for health and boy, it wasn't too far adrift at times! I'm not even going to LOOK at what predictions the Chinese New Year will give us in 2019, just take it as it comes.
K and I are both tired as we had long day at our local Fleamarket yesterday (thankfully it was mild and so we weren't standing shivering inside as normally happens, when there is a sudden cold snap the day or two before we are scheduled to be there. We had a good Fair too, which made up for all the bad ones there this past year. On Saturday and today we have been across to our Unit, as it hasn't been a success for us there, despite it being a nice place and lovely folk running it. One more trip should see the Unit emptied and the house even fuller than ever, although we did give all the 2nd hand books we had there to the other folk who run it. I couldn't face having boxes of surplus unwanted books back in the house, and we are gradually working our way through the bookshelves and getting rid of the surplus we don't want to be taking with us when we finally sell (though that seems as remote a possibility as ever).
Let us hope that an evening's relaxation and a good night's sleep give us some energy again.
Happy New Year all.
There are four HUGE Bronze Age Cairns along the ridge (this is the edge of the Black Mountain) - here are two of them.
A Jacobs Sheep.
