this mornings sunrise

red sky by night shepperd's delight..red sky by morning shepperd's warning....

yay..bring on the rain....

cabernet shoes

i had a picture of black boots in my mind, i know just what i want...something practical for country living ie: not too much of a heel, good with skirts, pants and dresses.... i just could NOT find them, as much as i searched the city 'burbs' .... but i did find these, and they will be put to good use i am sure.... are my legs really that white????nooooo!!!!

four days in the city

perth recently had a craft fair that was heavily advertised statewide, and coincided with me having several appointments in the city.
with great anticipation i ventured into the show. people everywhere as you would expect, too many people everywhere as you would expect. i did meet the lovely ladies from Amitie who were over from melbourne, and all i have to say about that is.... you lucky melbourne girls!! clearly they had the best stall in the place. i thought there would be more contemporary fabrics and quilts on show, so i was a little disappointed. i was however, inspired by the japanese craft on display. unfortunately photography was not allowed, because the traditional embroidery was to die for...
i did manage to spy some japanese kimonos and bits on sale whilst wandering through subi a little later in the day...
here's a glimpse, with more to come....

now to ponder, on how to get some of this stitched up, in between the usual weekly chores!!!....

stitching at stone cottage

a weekend to myself, well nearly to myself, meant i could spend it 'Stitching At Stone Cottage', with this ancient book full of daggy patterns, fantastic for drafting and modernising.

mona was overworked, but didn't complain at receiving the occasional pin stick. here she is modeling in the stitching room for me..

great skirt pattern with:

-pleat front and A-line back,

i took the zip out as its a knit fabric, cut down the waist and added a roll down waistband...

now i just need a trip to the city to find some nice black boots to wear with it...

meeting mona

meet mona, she has been sitting in the op shop in town with a bag over her head for a long time. i ummed and arhhed about giving her a good home. she is old and needs a few new washers, but generally she is in good working order. so for the cost of $50 she came home with me yesterday. i figured she might help me, with fitting some clothes properly. i usually drive 20kms to the neighbours house- who is a non sewer -and get her to do it.

heres mona cooking and modeling a skirt i made yesterday. i drafted it from an ancient pattern, pinned, cut and re-cut only to discover i didnt have enough fabric for the roll down waistband!!!

this was the comprimize. now to try it in some better fabric. i will amend the pleates,waist, and length.

p.s. wish i could take a decent photo for you to see the detail properly. practise i'm told...

knitting affection

knitting is like getting to know the newborn. you start in the unkown and somewhere in the journey you just fall in love. one more row, one more row, i'll just do one more row then go to bed.... then the project gives you some grief and tests the bond..... and then wham, that love is back with avengence. this cardigan i am knitting, i am just loving. the yarn is so beautiful to work with, and because it is all garter stitch i can even knit going along in the car at night. with some nurturing its growing...
the unexpected colours in the yarn and just so devine. i was worried it was too brown and that would limit its use, but it doesnt seem to matter what you mix it with, browns, black, greys, it just works.
yep, i think im in love.....

quince paste for lunch

there is something special about a quince. its odd shape, its odd texture, how it transforms itself into shades of burgundy after cooking, disguising itself.

quince jelly and quince paste in abundance.....bring on the school fetes....or add it to a delicious cheese platter for mothers day lunch!

the receipe i used was a mixture of several. basically you peel and core the quinces cover with water and bring to the boil. simmer until the fruit is soft. now the interesting part, you have to drain off the liquid through muslin overnight. just let it drip, don't be tempted to squeeze it or the jelly will turn cloudy. the next day you bring to boil equal quantities of sugar and liquid and simmer until it reaches setting point. I also added lemon juice, a cinnamon quill and a few bay leaves. bottle while hot. as it starts to get hot it transforms into a lovely ruby red. it keeps for 12 months and is best eaten with blue cheese.

thanks for coming on over

thanks for coming on over and visiting me again. the previous blog title was in use by someone else, and i felt very intrusive, how that happened i do not know, but originality is the key. anyway, here we are and off and running once again.