finding "the One"

Although I am still morning the loss of Google Reader, I think I have finally found a good enough replacement.

I first dabbled with Feedly but got a bit put of after reading about the amount of access the programme has to your data (but I cannot remember where the article was to share with you, sorry)

Bloglovin then caught my eye, and seemed to be the bloggers choice of reader, but I just couldn't get to grips with it. I hated each post opening up in a new window. I tend to read blogs from oldest first, occasionally selecting newest first so that I don't miss any posts from my favourite bloggers. I couldn't find that option easily on Blogger. I also missed having a list to scroll through. I also couldn't find an easy way to export my blogs from Bloglovin into my new reader and had to import from Google Reader, loosing a couple of newer subscriptions in the process.

If you have not done so already, you can still export all your blog subscriptions from Google Reader to your new reader.

However, I have now discovered Inoreader, and so far it looks and feels just like the old Google Reader. It is still in its early days, but I am hoping it will be even better in the long run. It is an online reader (rather than app) and can be viewed from any device.

Have do you follow blogs? Have you found a good alternative?

Blog claiming on bloglovin

Follow my blog with Bloglovin


Google reader will be no more from 1st July, if you follow me on google reader, you will need to find a new reader. You can now follow me on Bloglovin.

Return of the prodigal blogger!

Hello, remember me?

I don't really have an excuse for why I have not blogged for so long, unlike some. Other than just "life" getting in the way of things.

Just as I was getting thoroughly fed up with Supply Teaching, I had a surprise job offer. So I jumped at the chance of being responsible for my own class again (and being paid a salary.) I am working 3 days a week and find I  have just the right home/work balance.

Since Christmas, I have managed to loose 2 stone following Slimming World. The plan is called Extra Easy and is just that! Other than a daily calcium (milk or cheese) and Fibre (bread and cereals) allowance nothing else is weighed/measured. You can eat as much veg, lean meat, rice, pasta as you want, cooked with no fat or sugar. (I use frylight spray) Other foods are given a "syn" value and you should have 5-15 syns a day. The plan is pretty easy to follow but I do now spend far more time cooking than previously.

The secret to my success is planning ahead, and this often means batch cooking for the freezer so that I have meals ready on the days that I work. I have discovered some great recipes that I hope to share here eventually. All this cooking means that I have much less time for sewing and blogging.
 
I have so many projects on the go.  I think I counted 4 quilts in various stages, as well as my first quilt commission that I have yet to decide on a pattern for; Some clothes for the boys; Some clothing patterns that I have cut for myself that I think will be far too big now!

All my projects at the moment seem to be at a stage where I need either a clear head or a larger chunk of time.  Hopefully I will get something finished soon!

So, just how do you manage to fit it all in? - work, family, hobbies???

Christmas gifts and makes

 I do have some sewing to share from ages ago, but cannot find where the photos  are stored on the computer or where I have put the camera to take new ones, grrr. So I have a couple of Christmas makes from last year to share instead...

Last year the boys and I made these for the many staff at their Preschool/Nursery.

This year despite attending a smaller School, we still have quite a few members of staff to thank.  My boys are both really happy and settled at their new school and I wanted to say thanks to all the lovely staff, so homebaking is the most cost effective way for me to do so.

I used the stacking star cutters from Lakelands (but only used about 4 of them, they make a really BIG tree) and the recipe on the box.  The recipe was a bit bland so this year, I will be making gingerbread biscuits.  I had to make far more than I needed to allow for any preschooler drool, licking, sneezing, coughing etc and I actually only just about had enough due to the the above. I wrapped them in cellophane and tied with Christmassy ribbon and gave with a handmade card

I recently read a debate on a popular UK parenting website forum about giving teachers homebaked goods. I was shocked to read that many of the teachers commenting said that they throw away any homebaked gifts that they receive! I am a teacher and have never known anyone to actually do this! I suspect that they were Secondary teachers rather than Primary school. The worst I have done is throw away the odd fairy cake from the child wearing Fridays breakfast and lunch on their school uniform on a Monday morning with the eternally snotty nose, but never an actual gift that someone has taken the time to make for me.

Whilst searching through my photo folders I found these

The Little fella was charging around the house on an empty wrapping paper tube when inspiration struck.

They were made in about 5mins from wrapping paper tubes, old socks, felt scraps, ribbon and buttons. They are stuffed with a mixture of old newspaper and carrier bags and I used my hot glue gun to add the eyes and ears.  We have actually made quite a few of these this past year as the tubes don't last very long however you could use a broomstick or piece of dowel.

With the school holidays coming up, it is a nice little activity to keep the kids busy (except for the hot glue gun the boys were able to assist with most of the making, they were 2 1/2 and 4 at the time)

Hopefully I will be back before Christmas to share my November makes and some more Christmas Gifts.

Bloggers Quilt Festival

Welcome to all my lovely readers old and new! I am linking up to the Bloggers Quilt Festival over at Amy’s Creative Side, so apologies to all my regular followers who have already read about this quilt.

The colours are much more vibrant in RL, I had to take the photos in a short interval before the rain started again – don’t let that chink of blue sky fool you!



I made this quilt for my Mum’s 60th Birthday back in May and actually it is the only quilt that I have finished this year!The pattern is from a 2010 quilt-a-along by Audrie at Blue is Bleu that I came across whilst searching for inspiration, I am so proud of this quilt, I really developed my piecing-skills during the making of it.



I have only made a handful of quilts previous to this and most of them were from jelly rolls.  In fact the first two quilts that I made are still sadly waiting for me to quilt them!  So you wont be surprised that I sent this quilt away to Christine at Father’s Heart Quilting. 



She did an amazing job and turned my quilt into a work of art! She used an all-over meandering daisy, taking inspiration from the embroidered daisies on the centre panel.



For the centre panel, I used templates from Janet Clare’s gorgeous book “Freya and Fred” to applique my Mum’s Grandsons and dog onto an old embroidered linen tray-cloth. The fabrics were bought in a sale at my LQS so I have no idea which lines/makes they are – sorry.  The yellow solid is Kona Cotton bought from Backstitch here in the UK and the backing is a 100% cotton duvet cover from TK Max.



QUILT STATS
Quilt Name – erm will “Mum’s 60th Birthday Surprise” do????
Pattern  2010 Quilt-a-long by Audrie at Blue is Bleu
Pieced by Me
Quilted by Christine Marriage at Fathers Heart Quilting
Size - before quilting it was 70X83 inches. I didn't measure it afterwards.(it was only supposed to finish at 66X78)

Original Post, and here, and here

Best Catagory - Best Applique, Best Bed Quilt, Best Professional Quilting???



Thank you for visiting today, you are welcome to stick around and have a nose.  I very occasionally blog about my crafty makes here (I tell people that I have a blog but I am not a blogger) so don’t expect me to be clogging up your feed reader to often

flash with the cash

With the Summer holidays a distant memory, I am back at work and have actually been very busy. I had expected the demand for supply teachers to be quiet at first, then becoming gradually busier towards the end of term and all the coughs & colds the change in weather brings.  However, I have pretty much been busy from about the second week of term.

 So after having to watch the pennies closely for so long it was nice to be able to book this without having to worry about how to pay for it . 


Even better was that after I had booked & paid for it, the Husband finally got some overtime pay that he has been owed for months and had practically written off so he then gave me back the money that I had paid for the ticket (I Love that man!)


So armed with some guilt-free cash I went off to the Stitching and Knitting Show at The Alexandra Palace aka Ally Pally. I bought LOADS, I don't think I have spent so much money on myself since I had my little shoe shop Saturday job and lived with my parents lol!  Here are my buys…




FQs on the left for making up my Cherry in the Tree embroidery into a cushion, Some random FQ including a cute Incy Wincy Spider from Annie at The Village Haberdashery, Guttterman and Aurifil thread (I am yet to try the Aurifil in my temperamental machine, so lets hope she likes it!,)



A bag of what I thought was random scrap pieces from Euro-Japan links but was actually 10cm square pieces, even better! I know exactly what I am going to do with these!

 
Some Aneela Hoey goodies from two lovely ladies at a new-to-me internet store called “pin it and stitch” The “sew stitchy” layer cake is for my embroidered tray-cloth/hankie quilt.



And a completely random purchase - I kept walking past this stall, in the end I caved.

 Now I really need your help to decide what to do with it. Magee of Donegal, Ireland, make tweed fabric and clothing.  They decided to tap into the craft market to use up the smaller pieces left over from manufacturing their clothing ranges. I bought a fat 8th bundle and a fat quarter of the check in gorgeous heathery colours which remind me of the Irish countryside..

They are pure wool tweeds so have a slight itch factor, so I was thinking of pairing with some cotton.  It is recommended that I use a generous 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch seam allowance. Maybe some Oakshott? Or do you think a print? And what pattern? I was thinking along the lines of simple squares or box in a box type thing…
Please leave me a comment below with your suggestions.  I don't think that I am going to quilt it, maybe just back with a cozy flannel.

 
I did a free motion embroidery course where I made this little pocket mirror – (It is supposed to be a butterfly) The session was taught very well by Lisa from Sew Over It and it was nice to have a finished item to take home.

All the other classes that I was interested in where fully booked, so just one course for this year.

This is the 3rd year that I have gone and although I enjoyed myself, I am thinking that I might not bother next year. I wasn't that impressed with the exhibits (although there were a few gems)

One of the main exhibitions was a selection of improv-quilts, which I was looking forward to seeing. Although there was some amazing work (booo no pictures) I thought that  the exhibits looked dated. There were also no real bargains, or things for sale that cannot be bought online or elsewhere. (and no Australian craft magazine man this year)

I was really disappointed that virtually every sellers booth and exhibition stand had notices asking for no photography. I think the reason that I dislike the no photography rule so much, is it is the complete opposite to blog-land, where every one shares and enjoys seeing others re-create their work.  Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery after all, as long as credit is given wherever credit is due. What are your thoughts??

Right, I will be straight back with my entry to The Bloggers Quilt Festival over at Amy's Creative Side, see you soon...

Little Stitches

I spent Saturday at an embroidery class taught by the very lovely Aneela Hoey.

Aneela and Pennie did a fantastic job organising the day, especially considering that it was their first time at organising such an event. We were kept well fed and watered with tea & posh biscuits, a lovely lunch (in the sunshine) and afternoon cake (a-m-a-z-i-n-g chocolate brownies and cheesecake) Should you be in the Henley/Berks area and looking for a caterer then please look up Thames Catering. The company that Pennie runs alongside her Husband.


It was nice to see some faces that I had either met or recognised from The Fat Quarterly Retreat back in June as well as some new ones.





After practicing our stiches we all got stuck in to the “Cherry on the Tree Swing” pattern . I stitched onto some osnaberg, which is a natural, unbleached cotton fabric with a texture a bit like linen only about half the price. My filling stich needs a bit of practice – Aneela’s tip was to make fairly big stiches, mine are far too small but I am happy enough with my first attempt.


I love my copy of Little Stitches, and have been picking it up anytime I have a spare moment. If you love Aneela’s fabrics (sherbet pips, little apples, walk in the woods) or follow her blog, then you will really enjoy her book.  The book comes with 12 projects for using her designs as well as over 100 embroidery designs. You can trace the designs straight from the book or use the iron-on-transfers.


There are at least 3 patterns I am desperate to start once I have finished Cherry although I also fancy stitching another version, this time all in a dark graphite grey (like a pencil drawing) and then adding a pop of colour to just her dress maybe using applique?


Thank you Aneela, Pennie and all the other stitchy ladies! I had a fantastic day and it was well worth the course fee.


You can read more about the day from these guys, Ruth, Hadley, (who might have even got a picture or two of me) Kelly and  Elena.


Whilst I am on the subject of embroidery, my bloggy friend Miss Pixie has set up a shop selling her original embroidered makes that she has designed and made.  Please pay her a little visit