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Wednesday 18 February 2015

Bargains and a Hooky trial


I had a little trip into Pontardawe  and came away with a few bargain buys. First up was my stick deodorant, pricey but I can not cope with sprays and do not like the roll on sort, BOGOF so I had 10. I would have had a few more but felt that I had to leave 2 on the shelf. Then my shampoo of choice was also on a BOGOFso I had 2, they are the largest size and I already have 2 from the last time they were on offer.
I wanted to buy some chocolate filled Brioche for a friend and lo and behold they too were on the same offer, cue a little happy dance.

Yesterday I read Thistlebear's post showing her latest crochet blanket, Heartwarmer. She included a pattern, I was intrigued by the "cellular blanket" look so found an odd ball of yarn and tried it out, I am hooked (pun intended) it is so simple and a soothing stitch. I see a new blanket in my future. The sample will become a dolls blanket for Kaitlyn.

 
As it was Shrove Tuesday yesterday I decided to treat myself to a tasty breakfast, not pancakes I do like them but only "when I like them" if you know what I mean. No I rustled up 4 large cheesey scones, some grated cheddar and a little corner of  Stilton with a spoonful of wholegrain mustard in the mix made a very nice snack. One more was my supper, the other 2 are in the freezer for a little while. Now that we are in Lent I will be watching what I eat, chocolate in any shape or form is out of bounds and pastries and breads are strictly limited. I do this every year, it was part of my life as a child and has continued.
 


 
I did make 4 but ate one while it was hot.
 
My breakfast this morning was this little treat,
 


 
an orange, half price from Lidl, and a grapefruit, peeled and sliced and swimming in their own juice. Lent does not mean that you have to live on gruel and cabbage soup. I try very hard to use what I have all the time but in Lent I make a stronger effort and justify every purchase.
 
I read the Jolly Jabber blog, that is where I found the Snapshot quilt, and this Single Wedding Ring block was featured. They had it made up to a 13" finished block. When Fran went home after the New Year she took one of the big Christmas cushions with her. I have been looking for a pattern for a replacement cover and love this at first sight. It was not big enough so I made it with bigger HST and it will be finished and on its way to her soon.

 
I made the bold fabric into the background because I did not have quite enough of the lighter print, I do like it this way round. I even found a free printable for paper piecing the HST,s and my points are perfect with no angst.
 
And here comes the Ta Dah moment, the second Snapshot block, many more pieces than the first so I used 2 1/2" squares as leaders and enders.

 
Look at this lovely little pile, all ready to become 4 patch blocks when the machine starts again. All from my scrap bin, ready cut and sorted by size on my last "tidy up" in the scrap department.

 
I regard this as free bonus sewing, it means that there are no thread ends to trim from the back of my block and uses a few more scraps from the mountain. Goodness knows what they will become, suggestions on a postcard........:-)


I ran over a nail yesterday and it cost me a new tyre, hey ho, as the M O T is due in a couple of months I had them check the brakes. The verdict was that there was around 4 weeks driving left in them so the car has gone to have them replaced this morning.

And now I feel a cup of tea coming on followed by a quick whizz round the kitchen and bathroom. While I am at it I better scoot the vacuum cleaner round and get the floors done as well. Ben and I were in the garden yesterday so there are a few dusty spots and a dead twig or three to be slurped up.

                             TTFN                                        Pam

25 comments:

  1. Love the look of the crochet pattern, I will add that to my list of things to try

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    1. It is so simple, I will probably use it for my next blanket.

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  2. Just finished my quick whip around the house and ironing, so back to patchwork for me. love your bargains you got yesterday, I love it when products I use are on offer. Love, love your sewing machine patchwork, what you going to do with it, I would make it into a sewing machine cover.

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    1. The block will go into a quilt when the last block is issued but you are right, it would make a good cover, something to think about.

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  3. Ooo Pam I saw a thing on Facebook and thought of you. I screenshot it and will put it on tomorrow's blog. You might have seen one before but it was a quilt made up of men's' ties!!!

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    1. I look forward to seeing it, I did make a skirt out of men's ties when I was a teenager.

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    2. You have a link to your blog off my post today x the photo is there of the tie quilt! X

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  4. Busy Busy Pam, Its nice to see that you acknowledge lent as a follow on from shrove Tuesday, I do not follow a religion but admire those that do and follow traditions, the sewing machine block looks fab, will all the blocks be put together as one ?

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    1. My Lent observance is pure ingrained habit, I do not follow a religion now. I will make the quilt up once I have all the blocks. I am going to make a few birthday cake cushions during the year.

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  5. Well done on your bogof's, I very often have grapefruit and oranges with a few prunes for breakfast.

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    1. I love prunes, I can and do eat them like some eat sweeties, once a packet is opened it is gone in a day.

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  6. The sewing machine block looks great. I to love a good bargain, especially when it is on something you already intended to buy. We have our MOT coming up soon and I'm hoping everything is up to scratch, we have just had to part with £300 on repairs.

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    1. Cars are like teeth, it hurts to get them and the pain keeps coming till they are gone.

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  7. Loooove the sewing machine block....mmmmmmm I need sewing machine covers too!

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    1. I have made scrappy quilted covers for my machines but there is always room for another.

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  8. Your sewing machine block is great isn't it!! xx

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    1. It is and it was easy to construct, the download is free, the $5 payment is optional.

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  9. I'm so excited that you tried my pattern! It makes me really happy, you have no idea. I'm so glad it worked for you. I wasn't sure if I'd written it well. Thank you for trying it out.

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    1. It is an easy pattern but looks intricate, I have a stash of bright yarn and once my knitting is finished I will be hooking a blanket.

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  10. What lovely things you have been making. I am full of good intentions, but since we have set up our little antiques Unit, life seems to have gotten so much busier! I have two quilts to finish for my girls and today is a rainy day . . .

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    1. You only have one pair of hands, I never managed to craft much when I was working, if it was fine at weekends I was gardening, if it rained I was cleaning.

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  11. That great sewing machine block made into a sewing machine cover, as suggested by Marlene, would make lovely Christmas present for a couple of young women I know.

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    1. off you go to The Jolly Jabber and download the pattern, it was much easier to make than the cake, even with more pieces.

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  12. Your makes a lovely as always, I haven't seen that pattern on crochet before will have to check it out. Especially love the machine block. I enjoy most forms of orange bug can't have grapefruit it brings on cystitis so keep clear. I take advantage of multiple buys, we have a Lloyds chemist near us and they always have offers on a £1 each or 6 for £5. I stock up on whatever we will use, it did catch me out though last time, on offer were panty liners, Colgate toothpaste(large) Dove deodorant, Dove soap and Paracetomol. It wasn't until a couple of weeks later I realised I paid £5 for 6 pks when they're only 39p on the normal shelf , they won't catch me again lol.

    Take care our weather is appalling

    Peg x

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    1. We are having another day of mizzle, but more sewing time.

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