Bits, Bobs and a Poorly Sewing Machine

I'm sure you sewing lovelies out there will share my pain at finding my beloved sewing machine was missing stitches, failing to automatically thread the needle and generally pooping up buttonholes.

Obviously she's not as bad as this one, but she had to go the the sewing machine doctor.  To my horror, the doctor had just started his summer hols and is away for a fortnight!!!

Even worse, I have four duvet dresses to make out of this fab charity shop find before the vintage fair on 11th August!   

I've had to borrow my daughter-in-law's machine which is like a little toy one after mine but it does the job.  I've recently run these up so hopefully when the new ones are finished there will be enough for the fair.

I've finally finished my yarn stash blankie too.  When the weather breaks I'll have something bright and cosy to snuggle into. 

Meanwhile Miss Peach Pudding is enjoying the sun...

... I haven't been making toddler punch - that's a tennis ball, not a lemon, honest!

and

NOM NOM NOM... Mr C has been making his fabulous crumbles with our homegrown raspberries!

Hope it's sunny where you are xxx

My New (Completed) Project

Whew, that didn't take long!

This lovely weather allowed me to tart up my charity shop crates in the garden.

Ta-daaaaa!

Going to use them to display items on my next vintage stall.

My New Project

Two crates, £1.50 each from the local Care Shop 

and a half-price tin of Farrow and Ball's "Green Ground"

Watch this space...

Attack of the Earth Mother!

So, it's lovely, warm and sunny, the garden is growing like a jungle and I discovered an elderflower tree on a walk with Miss Peach Pudding.  Having had a moment of earth-motherliness and back-to-nature-thriftiness earlier in the week (more in a minute) I filled my bag with elderflower heads.  The tree was on no-one's property, by the way.  I do try to keep to the Country Code!

I already had the lemons and sugar so free Elderflower Cordial was the order of the day.  Having perused a number of recipes on the tinterweb it appeared to be a free for all regarding the number of flower heads to lemons ratio so I did my usual - made it up as I went along.  I couldn't get citric acid anywhere so braved it without.  I believe it's only for clarity and longevity but I was quite happy with cloudy and anyway, it's not fated to last long at our house!

Ta-daaaa....!

Delish with chilled white wine, but certainly good enough with icy water on a hot day.

Cooking our home-grown beetroot I was reminded of my natural dyeing escapades last year.  I saved the beetroot water, strained it and added alum to half and ferrous oxide to the other.  I then dyed some white craft cotton.  They both ended up a similar soft grey-green, not the prettiest shade.  To compensate I finished the craft cotton off in cranberry tea (pinkish) and rooibos tea (orange-ish).  They're not stunning shades but do have a certain natural pleasant look.

 Once dried to paler shades I had a play with them while watching a very exciting Men's Semi-finals Day at Wimbledon and drinking freshly-brewed coffee.  

Ah, this is the life!

Knitting for Victory!

Armed Forces Day dawned bright and sunny - Hurrah!

Our yarn shop, A Good Yarn, took part in a wonderful event to celebrate the day.  Sea View Street, Cleethorpes is a fantastic little shopping area with individual specialist shops and cafes and the yarn shop is just around the corner.  All the stores took part with the street decorated to the hilt, plus vintage stalls,ice cream van and music.

 

There were also wartime vehicles and lovely men in uniforms!

 The street was divided into three sectors - Britain, France and America.  The lovely ladies at Tilletts (fab clothes shop!) were Land Girls

La Flotte (shoes to die for) were Can Can Girls

and we were French ladies "Knitting for Victory"!

 

The event was packed and the weather beautiful.  Even many spectators dressed the part.  

During the afternoon there was a magnificent air show, including Tornadoes, Vulcans, the new Euro Fighter and WWII vintage bombers.  As the area is right next to the beach we saw (or mostly heard!) the whole thing.   

A great day - and yes, there will be bluebirds over the White Cliffs of Dover!

(Tomorrow, just you wait and see)