Warmth at Last

From this ... to this ...  with a few swings of the axe (well quite a lot of swings actually)

 I thought that I would get prepared for lighting our new fire - at the last house we used to chop kindling on a daily basis - as and when we needed it but this time I thought I would have a good stash all ready - there's nothing more satisfying, believe me!

James finished the heating system at the weekend.  This wood burning stove heats up the water in a large thermal store which then circulates around the underfloor heating pipes that run all around the house.  Each room has a thermostatic zone valve which means we can choose to heat which rooms we like at varying temperatures - clever stuff.  It also means that there's no Gas bill!  However, lots of storing and carrying wood required, but we don't mind - it's a natural instinct and rather comforting to light your own fire for warmth.

Patchwork Cover

I was recently given a sample book of these lovely pieces of fabric - linen and cotton mix. There were 16 pieces all the same design but different colours or shades, so the obvious thing to do was to make them into a large patchwork.  I fiddled around with them to try and achieve a pleasing combination and this is the result.  I backed it with a piece of cosy checked fabric and am now imagining snuggling beneath it during these cold months.

Honister Green Slate

Our new worktop has now been delivered and fitted - it's beautiful!  This photo shows the markings well but it doesn't do justice to the colour;  it's many shades of lovely greens.
I found this information about how slate was formed and thought that you too may find it interesting.
"About 450 million years ago, the area around Honister Slate Mine was in the midst of
considerable volcanic activity. Volcanic ash and lava spread across Central Lakeland and from this the slate was formed. However, the slate was not formed simply from volcanic debris. It is a metamorphosed rock which was subject to strong earth movements millions of years later and this resulted in the parallel layers or veins of slate now lying at angles of thirty degrees below the surface. This metamorphism was caused, it is believed, by the tremendous pressures and increased temperatures exacted on the land masses when the continents collided, creating the unique properties of slate". http://www.honister.com/index.as

Of course I couldn't resist making a couple of little matching coasters for our mugs and also a pan stand - I'm feeling very protective of my new worktop!

Kitchen Furnishings

In anticipation of my new green slate worktops arriving I decided to smarten up my existing soft furnishings in the kitchen.  This old oven glove was looking shabby until I covered it with a green leafy fabric (William Morris design).  I just placed it on a single layer of the fabric and drew around it leaving a seam allowance all around the edge.  I then did the same again for the middle section and then for the pocket bits. With right sides together I machine stitched the parts together leaving openings where the pockets start.  After trimming the edges and snipping the curves I turned the entire thing the right way around and inserted the old oven glove.  Some top stitching finished off the pocket openings and all around the edge.

I have a bit of a soft spot for William Morris fabrics and therefore I tend to collect off cuts whenever available.  Whilst searching for something suitable I found that I had only enough of this Blackthorn design to make half of the seat covers for the old foam cushions on my kitchen chairs.  So, I used a co-ordinating gingham fabric for the other side.  Winter and Summer!

Looking at these photos I just realised that I should probably have ironed the fabric, but I think that there is always something better to do than iron, don't you agree?

Chiffon and Linen

When I saw this chiffon printed all over with butterflies I couldn't resist buying a piece with a view to wearing it as a scarf.  But, I didn't find the time to hem the edges before wearing it and having thought that it would be quite soft it actually turned out to be a bit scratchy, although it did look nice and I persevered for a while but then left in in the drawer.

Then, one of my friends was clearing out her scarf drawer and there was this linen scarf - a bit thin in places and faded in others but still, I'm a sucker for linen and so it came my way.

Seeing these two rejects together gave me the obvious solution; they happened to be exactly the same size - you could say made for each other.  I placed them right sides together and machine stitched around all four sides, leaving a little gap in which I could turn it all out again.  A few slip stitches to finish off the gap and there you have it - a lovely soft scarf  that can now be worn in comfort.

William Morris Vine

I went to visit my friend yesterday and took my camera so that I could show you my latest make.  She moved to a wonderful house about 2 years ago that used to be partly a joiners workshop as well as the living accommodation.  It is on many different levels with some very interesting features.  It is quite extensive and they have renovated every room; I have been the 'curtain and blind maker'.  When the last room had been dressed I had thought that my work was over until Gill said "do you make loose covers for chairs?"  Now, I have done lots for myself over the years but never for anyone else so I was a bit scared in case it didn't fit properly - I can put up with little faults in my own products but I like things to be right for others.

So, having decided to take on the challenge I cut into the fabric and here it is.  I have to admit that it was very tricky, so many different angles and getting the right pattern balance of the fabric with it being a large design; it is a William Morris fabric that was designed in the Arts and Crafts era but still produced today.   We were very pleased with the finished product, so I can relax again now!

Gill has a sewing machine but just needed a bit of encouragement to use it again, so I then showed her how to insert a zip and make a cushion cover in some of the left over fabric.  This is the result that she sewed all by herself - I think it looks fabulous - well done!
Next we went onto pillow cases and she was so enthusiastic that I imagine the next time I visit the house will be full of her own creations!

A Floral Day

Two of my daughters do some volunteering in the gardens at Sizergh Castle, which is a National Trust property near to where we live.  Lorna brought home these flowers from when they were tidying and cutting back some of the plants - I don't know what they are called but they come from a large shrub - the leaves have been eaten by something but the deep pink flowers still look amazing.  I put them outside as the floral part is a lot longer than the stems and they drape all over the table.  They look magnificent!

By the way, do you recognise the base of the table?  It's the one that I found and used to support my outside sink when we didn't have any washing up facilities in the new house.  Now that I have running water in the kitchen I am able to abandon the alfresco set up.  However, these offcuts of my slate flooring fit perfectly on top and so once again the old table gets a new lease of life!

Talking of a new lease of life I can't believe that my Sweet Peas are still going strong - I nearly pulled them up a couple of weeks ago but now there are new blooms every day.  I think that Skye likes the scent of them too!

Kitchen Fitting

After being in our new house for over a month now we have finally got the new phone line and internet up and running - it's amazing to realise how much we rely on it when we didn't have a connection, I've being doing bits and pieces at work but I'm not really supposed to (so don't tell anyone!)
So, now I can get back to blogging and browsing - not that I have a lot of free time as there's always something to do at home.
Here I am in the kitchen cupboard putting some fixings in for the shelves, it's a good job that I'm small, I don't know how big, burly builders manage.

Our electricity supply was connected yesterday as well; we were running an extension lead from next door up until then.  So, the kitchen is looking good and functioning well.  James needs to make the cupboard doors still but until then I am happy with my curtains - they were bedroom curtains that I cut up from the old house and gathered onto wires -  with the slate floor and the ceramic sink I think they suggest a sort of French farmhouse image.

And here's the cupboard I painted a few weeks ago, it was only going to be temporary storage but I've decided to leave it here.  Now all I need to complete the kitchen is the slate worktop which is arriving in about 2 weeks - I can't wait for it, I'm so excited!