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Sunday 13 July 2014

Sewing up a storm on Sunday

I have exciting news, well it is exciting for me. I am going to try having a small indoor market stall, in Ammanford.
New friends Dave and Nessa, who live a few doors away, have 3 stalls and there is a vacancy next to them. I was saying how much stuff that I need to dispose of and that I was thinking of doing a few Car Boot Sales. Dave said that it is at least £10 for a Boot Sale and that I could have a stall for £7 a week and be indoors. He and Nessa have been doing this for some time and love it.
I am going to gather all my unwanted things together and run up a few more bags, cushions and aprons and see how it goes. I will not have to be there every day and the opening hours are 10:00 till 4:00.
To gild the lily Nessa went on to say that she had a bag of fabric that I could have as she no longer enjoyed sewing. I almost swooned.




A selection of yardage cuts.


Fat quarters and half yard cuts.


More fat quarters.
There were also 2 packs of Charm Squares in a wide range of colours. I had a box full of Charms so decided to begin by using these first.




Sorted out into 12 Nine Patch layouts.




Two half sewn Nine Patch blocks, I have made charm bags before and now have 6 bag outers finished and the linings ready to sew. I am going to make all the handles from the same fabric and will make these next. The 6 bags will be finished tomorrow. I have a stack of half sewn blocks that will become cushions and have made a prototype frilled apron. The apron is very pretty, I have not taken a photo yet, but it took too long to make so I will have to simplify the pattern. I will keep the frilly apron myself, I do like an apron when I am in the kitchen, I am a messy cook and always get flour down my front.

Reasons to be grateful

1.  More sunshine today.

2.  Ben is happy to curl up under my new cabinet while I sew.

3.  I took my new friend, Maggie, and her cat, squid, to the Vet last week. Thankfully Squid is much better and responding well to treatment.

4.  Maggie has managed to dispense pills and apply salve without a scratch or a bite.

5.  My neighbour has cut down a massive shrub from the very edge of his garden and the increase in the  afternoon light it has let in to my house is amazing.

The extra light is wonderful now but I will really reap the benefit in the winter, the shrub was directly in line with my dining room window and when the sun is low in the sky hardly any light would get through. He is also intending to take a tree down from further back, 3 large branches came down this morning,. I hope that he knows what he is doing. The tree is tall enough that if he brings it down wrong it will go through his roof and mine. I do not want to move again that soon.

My sewing for the market will, hopefully, reduce my stash of fabric so that I can buy some more, the charity shops have curtains and duvet covers at amazingly low prices. There are also some wonderful fabric collections that will soon be on sale for up to 50% off.

I am reading Brendan O'Carroll's Biography and enjoying it and also have Dust by Patricia Cornwell on the go. To add to the pile I have a Milly Johnson, a Dean Koontz and The Johnny Cash Biography. How about that for an eclectic mix.

I still have to visit the library, if the market stall works I will not have time to read.

I tried out a "no knead" white bread recipe that I found on Attic24. It is sublime, so good that I dare not make it again until Fran is home next weekend. There has to be someone to share it with.


Fresh out of the oven.


The second that it was cool enough to handle I took the edge off and loaded it with salty Welsh Butter. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm.


To justify eating it for dinner I made a fridge bottom veggy stir fry and spiced it up with some of my plum and chilli jam and a shake of pomegranate balsamic vinegar, delicious. 


I topped it with fresh tomato and lots of roughly torn Basil leaves.
The bread soaked up all the juices and the whole meal was bursting with flavour. 

I am now feeling peckish so it must be time to take Ben out before I ransack the kitchen. I have had dinner am not hungry at all, it is just thinking about that bread.

       TTFN                                                          Pam







10 comments:

  1. Great news on the market stall, when will you be there I will have to pop along and say hello :-)
    The bread looks great, i must say I am impressed at how well you eat, many people on there own tend to just snack, you eat a very healthy diet, it will be a challange for me to eat properly when hubby is away through the week

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    1. It will be at least 2 weeks, I have to sort through a mountain of things to get rid of and sew a few things up just to test the waters. I do try to eat as healthy as possible, most of the time, then if I slip and eat a family bar of whole nut I do not worry about it.

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  2. That fabric is just lovely! That's a really nice neighbor you have:) I hope you have much success with your stall.

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    Replies
    1. I have some really lovely neighbours, I hope that the stall does well. If I only run it long enough to got rid of the mountain of "things I do not want" I will be happy.

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  3. That is great value rent for the stall- I hope you sell loads!

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    1. I did a classic double take at that amount, it includes an electric supply as well, I will be able to take my little machine and sew while I am there.

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  4. I am sure you will do really well, you make some lovely things, I was thinking about doing that if I ever get good enough, but in the mean time I might sell some fabric remnants and squares for quilting, down our charity shop they sell fabric for 50p.

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    Replies
    1. I have not been lucky enough to find a CS that sells fabric, or wool come to that. I do buy curtains and duvet covers and sometimes find pure cotton mens shirts in extra large sizes. You should sell them with no problem.

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  5. You really have fallen on your feet with neighbours like that. £7 is an absolute steal, the carboot on a Wednesday near us is that and you freeze/burn (depending on weather) and have to queue three weeks for the loo.

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    1. My neighbours are great, several people told me that I would regret my move as the Welsh do not like the English coming in. All I can say is that every single person that I have come into contact with has been completely friendly. Perhaps it is all about attitude and how you approach people. I am having a great time settling in.

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