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Tuesday, 29 January 2013

January starts plus 110 jars ........!

The past two days have been non-stop wind and rain - but at least I have got going on my patchwork again.  A new fresh start was what I needed, so I pulled out this box full of glorious fabric which I purchased at the FOQ last August - and was inspired:
I spent yesterday morning slicing my rotary cutter through this beautiful fabric, and then started piecing:
It is going to be gorgeous, and these bright colours are uplifting in this grey miserable weather.

I am also getting on well with my first choice of sampler for the challenge of Nicola's Scarlet Letter Year:
The Log Cabin Sampler is one that I have wanted to sew for many years - and this is the year,
 I collected two samplers from the framers:  a wedding sampler for my God-daughter who got married just before Christmas in Denmark:
and a fun Christmas sampler which has gone away for next December: I am very pleased with the end results.
I do sometimes have an issue with the cost of framing:  we have a great framing shop with a wonderful choice of mouldings in nearby Tavistock, but they are not cheap.  However they always do a first class job.
I have had work framed cheaper elsewhere, but have never been so pleased with the end result, and they always complain that the linen I sew on is difficult to get straight - not good.  The last piece they framed for me had to go back as they had framed the picture far too tight, with almost half an inch of border hidden under the frame - totally unacceptable.  They were not very graceful about their error, and I will not use them again.
So the Tavistock Picture Framing Company gets my vote:  they never complain, in fact just the opposite, and they always do a terrific job - so I guess you get what you pay for!
I would be interested to hear of other people's experiences.

Life felt very flat after Rod's birthday weekend - and thank you for all the comments regarding cheesecakes! So to cheer myself up after the girls returned to London I got "stuck in" - literally - with making marmalade - 110 jars - yes, 110!  Enough for us to have one every week, plus plenty for friends and family:  but everything in the kitchen ended up sticky, from cupboard handles, light switches and work surfaces to the Aga.  But oh so worth it, though I say it myself there is nothing like home made marmalade - the larder shelves are now groaning!:
Well, back to the log fire and my cross stitch - and I think I will challenge Rod to a game of Scrabble, always a favourite before we settle down for some TV viewing.  I am in a winning mood!

6 comments:

  1. Wow, what a lot of marmalade! Fantastic! I love your SL Log Cabin. Your pieces from the framer came out just lovely. Love your quilt so far too!

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  2. fantastic start on your quilt and your log cabin sampler!

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  3. You've been really busy. The quilt is going to look gorgeous. Jx

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  4. I made the same Bent Creek sampler for our son and ddil when they got married almost 6 years ago but mine was in browns.

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  5. I am very lucky that we have a good framer in the village. We do not have a lot of choice with frames but he will order in. I guess you always get what you pay for and it is time consuming to stretch a piece correctly.

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  6. Not such a bad solution to come up with making marmalade after that gorgeous Cheesecake party. When looking at all the pictures in your last post my mouth was watering and I would have liked to buy some pieces of cheesecake (if I had known where, lol).
    Your framed pieces look really gorgeous!

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