A Fragile Nature

Hello Dear Reader,

If you are new here, or haven’t read my previous posts you might not know that I’ve joined a group of quilters called The Endeavourers and that we were all working on quilts of the same subject - 'Nature'. 

For all the gen about my new friends at The Endeavourers visit HERE, and their blogs are listed at the end of this page, so you can see the wonderful quilts they have made!




Firstly I must apologise to Catherine, Janine and the other “Endeavourers” for being so late. I really underestimated the time my quilt would take, and unfortunately a recurring back problem has stopped me working as quickly as I would have liked.

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"A Fragile Nature"

In my last post I spoke about my inspiration for this piece and how I got started ... HERE. 

Well .... there has been this box of fabric paints lurking, unused, in one of our cupboards ever since I took part in a workshop for block printing. I had the idea that one day I would add to my block prints ..... but that hasn’t happened yet! Happily this meant I had fabric paints on hand to use on this project.

Progress on my quilt has been soooo slow, what with my dodgy back and then the light not being good enough. But also, when I decided to paint my design I didn't realise how long it would take me to find the right colours, and then as I progressed I found I could only see properly to paint in daylight. I was also scared to add to the painting in case I ruined my project.

Main piece on the left, Tester 1 on the right.

My first attempt became one of my test pieces early on(Tester 2). I'd made the mistake of painting on wet fabric! Of course it ran! So, when I wasn't sure how to paint the blue there was plenty of fabric to experiment on.

Tester 2

Tester 3

In all there were quite a few test pieces, which looked quite pretty, but when I started on my main project I couldn’t remember which colours I'd mixed together. 

I realise ..... now (thanks to Google) ..... the way to do it is to make a chart!

Anyway, thanks to all the practice, I now have some pretty little pieces which I am thinking of using to make a pencil case one day.

This is the flimsy after adding the final colours to the dormouse.

The next step will be to outline the branches, berries, and dormouse with machine stitch.

Here you can see the binding I've painted too!

To read a little more about my quiltlet I hope you would like to pop over to The Endeavourers.

But it is already time to think about the next project: due 1st May 2018, and the subject is:

Change/Transformation.

Oh help ..... any ideas anyone????

Hugs

Barbara xxx

The Endeavourers:

Catherine - http://www.knottedcotton.com   @knottedcotton
Janine – https://rainbowhare.com/
Nancy – http://www.patchworkbreeze.blogspot.com/
Carol – http://beadsandbirds.blogspot.com/
Barbara – https://theflashingscissors.blogspot.co.uk/
Ruth – http://benandcharlyscorner.blogspot.co.uk/
Gwen – https://textileranger.com/
Martha – www.weekenddoings.com
Julie – www.pinkdoxies.com
Tonia – http://allthingzsewn.blogspot.com
Kay – http://thecraftyyak.wordpress.com
Soma – http://www.whimsandfancies.com/
Fiona - http://celticthistlestitches.blogspot.co.uk/

Fungi Hunting

Hello My Friends,

I am joining Amy's "Five on Friday" today.

If you are new to my blog I would like to explain that in a recent post about My Favourite Pouch I mentioned that Darling Hubbie, our neighbour, and I went on a "Fungi Hunt" with a fungi expert, a City of London Commons Ranger, and a like-minded group of people a few weeks ago.

On that earlier post I showed a couple of photographs of the fungi we saw on that walk, and today I would like to share some more!

I think this was a Shaggy Parasol!

One

This is where our walk began! 

We gathered at this entrance to the Common, and, as I doubted the people on the walk would want their photographs displayed on my blog, this photo, taken a few days later, shows our meeting place and start of our walk. And, no the sweet little cat did not join us on the walk!

There were plenty of fungi to see, and these pictures are just a few of the more unusual ones. I can't promise I have the right names, I jotted them all down as we all walked and talked, but things moved fast, and there were many fungi to be seen, and lots of people chatting at the same time.

At the end of the walk our expert estimated that we had seen approximately 50 different fungi - don't worry I'm not thinking of showing all of them here, even though some were really quite lovely!

Two - Fungi that kill trees

The fungi in the following two photographs are killing the tree they are growing under or upon, respectively.

The dying tree.

The dying tree from another direction.

This tree is being killed by fungi! The tree is right on the edge of a bridleway and we were told it has to be regularly monitored, by the Rangers, for the safety of the Common's users. The fungi is attacking the tree's root system, but as the track which passes the tree has low usage this means the treatment of the tree is low priority as the chances of people being injured are slim. In the future the canopy of the tree will be thinned to take weight away, and hence reduce the chances of the tree being blown down in a storm.

Three - Waxcaps

I investigated Waxcaps on the web and found a very interesting link which informed me that  all these Waxcaps are sensitive to pollution and nutrients and  would disappear if the land is treated with chemicals.

This is a Pink Waxcap which our guide told us was really rare!

Yellow Waxcap

Young Red Waxcap

Four - Some miscellaneous Fungi!

Fairy club fungus, also known as Apricot Club.

This is a very unusual lichen which is only found where

 there is very clean air, called a sploge fungus.

Birch Polypore

Not sure of the name of this fungi - it could 
have been a relation of Snapping Bonnet

You will need to click on the above photograph to see it better, it is not just a mass of leaves, there are tiny white stalk-like growths - which are fungi!

Apparently this has a nickname of "King Alfred's Cakes"
or "Cramp Balls"

This inedible fungus has many intriguing names, such as King Alfred's Cakes or Cramp Balls or coal fungus (Daldinia concentrica), lives on dead and decaying wood, and especially on fallen ash trees, and indeed we found the fungus in a recently cut back clearing within the woods.

A discussion ensued as to whether the damage

to this tree was caused by Woodpeckers or not?

This next fungi is without a doubt the prettiest!

crepidotus

Our guide named these fungi at the time of our walk but as she didn't spell the names out I jotted them down quickly and have since spent a very pleasant  evening looking them up on the web!

Five - Teachers Homework!

When quizzed our guide would tell us whether the fungi were edible or not!

And this is our guide's basket of homework!  She said she
 was taking them home to read up on these further.

I hope you have enjoyed seeing the fungi we found on our walk in the countryside!

We used to eat certain fungi that we were confident were edible, but recently we have become more nervous, and now we only eat the mushrooms we buy in the shop, but I'd much rather be able to grow mushrooms in our own garden!

Do you or would you eat fungi you found growing in the wilds?

Hugs,

Barbara xx

My Favourite Pouch

Hello Dear Readers

I am again joining Super Mom - No Cape for her Vintage Stitchery Party.

My project today, has a little of each of the following:

• hand quilting, 
• embroidery (my name/date label),
• and, Vintage fabric!

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Click on any photograph if you wish to see a larger picture.

Fungi hunting!

This weekend Darling Hubbie, a neighbour, and I, and a small group of other like-minded souls, went on a "Fungi Hunt" with a fungi expert, and a City of London Commons Ranger, on our local common.

We had a very pleasant two hour walk, in ideal weather - cool, but bright - with a lovely group of interesting  people.

My reason for mentioning this walk is to say how pleased I was with this little pouch I made a couple of years ago from a Tilda pattern.

I hadn't used the pouch much before this walk.

The Tilda pattern used high-volume fibre felt - which I didn't have. I prefer polyester wadding anyway, and I like my bags to have body so they stand up on their own, for that reason I used a medium weight wadding, and hand quilted the back and front.

Pouch closure.

I added a loop closure and a toggle (hand made by DH, trimmed from a branch of our own cherry tree in the same fashion as the toggle in my Embroidered Town Ruck), and pockets too!  A large pocket, and a tiny one for a pen.

The little loop on the right is the pen pocket.

I have turned the pouch inside out to show the detail of the pocket clearer.

You can probably make out the dividing line
 between the two pockets, and inch in on the right.

Tilda suggested the pouch be used as a makeup bag but I decided I'd like a bag on a belt, and added belt carriers.

I also added a wrist strap which can be clipped onto a belt carrier, if I don't wish to use the belt.

Have I mentioned, I have been really pleased with "My Favourite Pouch"?

The pattern is from "Sew Pretty Christmas Homestyle", and the book can be found via Google.

Have you seen Tilda's blog?  It looks very pretty. They have a new book out - in Norwegian! The English version is not out until December. Oops, I'm sounding like an advertisement again!  I must point out I have no affiliation to Tilda's World, I just like their stitching makes.

Here you can see the matching lining
 on the inside of the bag's flap

The pouch was very useful on our walk as, thanks to the pocket being big enough to slip in either my notepad or the camera, or both, I was able to either quickly make notes on my tiny notepad, or take photographs of the fungi we were talking about, and I had my hands free in an instant to be able to hold and look at the amazing specimens of fungi!

This is definitely the fungi I liked most!

But the fungi themselves will have to be the subject for another blog post as I must bring this post to an end, as it is now time for bed!

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Do have a peep at Susan's blog - Super Mom - No Cape - to see what lovely projects everyone has been stitching. Today's free downloadable is a lovely alphabet pattern.

Thank you for visiting.

You can let me know you've dropped by... just leave a comment below.  I usually answer here, and, if you tick the box to receive follow up comments, my response will find its way to your email box! And I will be along to visit you too!

I do hope you have a great week!

Hugs,

Barbara xx

Saturday's Five

Hello Dear Reader,

I would have liked to have joined in with Amy's "Five on Friday" (At Love Made my Home), but somehow I wasn't ready in time, so these are my Saturday's Five.

One

I took these photos whilst we were blackberrying a few weeks back.

We are very lucky to have lots of animals around us, of one sort or another!

They are such good buddies!

A little grooming.

It was lovely to watch them drinking and grooming.

This one looks like he is saying, "Who are you looking at!"

This little chap is a Jacob sheep,
looks like he was feeling a little left out!

Our footpath was alongside the hedge,
behind the electrified fence.

They can look a bit frightening, but they are OK and are often put in fields that have footpaths going through them.

I sometimes worry about the dog walkers that use these paths, some of whom don't seem to bother to put their dog on a lead - and, if challenged, would say "oh my dog wouldn't chase them"!!!!

Two

A few weeks later we saw these guys who are quite a lot younger (and, as the sign says, are Weaned Calves) not very far from our home.

Luckily this year we didn't keep hearing them, worrying that there was something wrong with them, as they were further away from our house.  When we first heard them on a previous year it was quite distressing as we thought they were in trouble, however they were just (just!?!) missing their mothers.

This year the Rangers have put up signs to let walkers know that the calves had recently been weaned from their mothers, and that they would be noisy for a couple of days, and that that is completely normal, and they will soon settle down. There is also a telephone number to ring in case passers-by spot any problems.

Resting quietly together.

Three

Then another evening, Darling Hubbie went up on the common in the early evening and saw these young wild deer grazing on the field just across the road from our house. He had time to run back home, get the camera and take two shots in the fading light, before they spotted him and trotted off. If you enbiggen the photos you will be able to see the deer a little better.

Four

That same evening DH went down the garden to our shed and nearly trod on this cute little newt who was sitting happily on the floor just inside the door.

The second photo shows that DH had picked up the cardboard the newt was resting on and left it outside the shed, in waddling distance to the pond.

Five

And then we have had the badger digging the lawn again.

A little more badger action

It isn't too much damage, but we hadn't planned on
having to reseed the lawn!

About a week ago we were lucky enough to spot a pheasant in a neighbour's front garden, but didn't have the camera to hand to take a picture as we were dashing to catch a train at the time.

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I hope you are having a great weekend, and next time I intend to have some stitching to show you!


Hugs,

Barbara xx

An Update, and my surprise!

Hello, Dear Reader,

Thank you for looking in!

I'm just taking a "bloggy minute" to say hello.

We will have to disconnect from the internet for a day or so, as we are having work done in the house,  including windows and door replacement, and we don't want the guys tripping over the wire as they work. I only mention this as I will not be able to visit your blogs or reply to any comments for a day or so.

I will be back on line as soon as possible!

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I wanted to take the opportunity to show you a few pictures of some lovely sparrows enjoying the puddles on our terrace, yesterday.

They always look as if they are having such fun, splashing about in the water, obviously washing! If you click on the photographs you may be able to see the sparrows better.

We have about six bird baths (although four of them are only plastic bowls on the lawn), and three ponds of different sizes (two are quite small, and are only the preformed fibreglass type that my husband dug in some years ago), but what they love most is splashing about in the pooled water on our terrace when it has rained heavily.  It seems that they are such social creatures as they all turn up in a group of at least a dozen and splash about together.

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I recently had a marvellous surprise when I won Sheryl's very generous Giveaway.  I was so delighted!  I had only recently discovered her blog through Super Mom - No Cape's Stitchery Party (link button in my side-bar), and didn't think I could possibly win her beautiful pouch, but I made my comment, and luck was with me, as against all odds I was fortunate enough to win her lovely original gifts.

Yesterday her envelope flew literally through our open doorway, and landed with a satisfactory plop in the hall. I immediately thought at first "Gosh, it must be airmail!". The door is currently open almost all day as our two workmen, replacing our door and windows, are continually going in and out.

I took these photographs of Sheryl's Giveaway items, in my excitement when her parcel arrived:

Package as it arrived by "Airmail" in the hall - please excuse black plastic
protective coating on the floor whilst works are under way.

And such beautiful wrapping, one of my favourite colours too!

When I received the parcel I realised the flowers have all been outlined with
 blue thread, and have the most gorgeous little pearl beads in their centres.

I can't tie a bow like Sheryl!

The package included 2 sweet bobbins of lace, 1 of patterned ribbon, beads and
 threads.  You can also see the pouch's satin lining in this view.

Sheryl also very kindly included a fat quarter of her toile de jouy.

I am so happy to receive these and am already planning something I can make with them.

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As you might imagine, with all the building work in progress, there is no stitching going on here at the moment!

Mostly, we have been removing curtains and furniture, first thing before the arrival of our window installers, making coffees all day, and generally trying to keep out of the way, which believe it or not is really tiring.

Our poor little cat is a bit distraught with all the noise, and has been sitting in the garden shed in her favourite cardboard box. Unfortunately she is a rescue cat and is therefore very nervous of any visitor to the house unless they are very quiet!

We left the radio on for her and visited her frequently throughout the day with food top ups, and as soon as the guys left she was indoors and on our bed in the evening sun, before we could even hoover the dust away.

I hope to be back to blogland very quickly.

Thank you for visiting, it's nice to know you have been here!

Lots of love,

Barbara xx