I've got the Quilty bug!

Evening, just a little update to let you know how I got on this morning on my quilting course - well it looks very promising indeed and I have a horrible feeling that I am going to be hooked.

The tutor was lovely and the ladies (yes, all ladies of a certain age) seemed very nice and were very welcoming and encouraging. I am going to start off by making a couple of cushion covers which will use blocks and incorporate a couple of appliqued hearts. I am going to go and choose some fabric tomorrow. The tutor explained for this project I will need two plain fabrics and two patterned fabrics and to try to pick a light colour, a medium colour and something a bit darker. I had a go at using the rotary cutter and the measuring mat which did take a bit of getting used to. I was a bit unsure at first but managed to cut some 2 1/2 inch squares and a six inch square reasonably accurately. It doesn't really sound much of an achievement but believe me it was as I was all fingers and thumbs to start with.


I already have a stack of lovely Cath Kidston and Amy Butler fabrics that I could use but I am going to save them until I know what I am doing.

It was a really pleasant way to spend two hours on a Monday and I would definitely recommend taking up a crafting course. It's crafting without the guilt! When I do spend time crafting at home I always end up thinking about all the jobs that I should really be doing and it always ends up making me feel guilty.

Nothing much to report from the weekend, it whizzed by in a flash. We had a trip to Windsor on Saturday afternoon via a little sewing and yarn shop that had been recommended to me. I managed to buy some really reasonably priced yarn that I plan to use for my sisters granny stripe blanket. Her birthday is at the beginning of April so I really need to get my skates on and finish of my big ripple. The ripple has reached a size where it is just right for throwing over your legs and the perfect size for the back of the sofa. I just need to decide whether to make it a little bit bigger, which would be perfect if you were stretched out on the sofa or to leave it at the size of a large lap rug. I might crochet another nine double rows and finish it there. I don't want a blanket that is so big that it gets in the way, I would rather have a size that can be thrown over the back of the sofa, so that you actually get to see its lovely ripply colours. I really can't wait to sew in all of those lovely ends - not!

I tried out a new recipe tonight - pork stragonoff, in theory using up the left over roast pork from Sunday's roast. I only needed to buy some double cream and mushrooms, it sounded easy enough. It was in fact very easy to make but tasted bloody awful. It tasted like left over roast pork in a slightly paprikary sauce - not nice at all. The kids cried, Mr P spat out the meat and even I thought it tasted rank, we ended up ordering in a pizza instead - emergency measures you understand. Has anyone got any good recipe suggestions that use up left over roasted meats that actually make them taste like a whole new dish and not taste like left overs?

Well that's it for tonight. I will update on Wednesday with a little post for Alex's birthday.

Till then.

Alison

x

PS I managed to watch the entire DVD collection of Downton Abbey over the weekend. It was fab, I can't wait for the next series to be screened. I do love a good period drama!