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Thursday 22 June 2017

We're Jammin, jammin till the jam is through.

Thank you Bob Marley xxx,

This mornings batch is Strawberry and Rhubarb, another quick setting mix which will maintain as much of the fresh flavour as possible.

There will be a new batch as often as I have fruit to make it. all my friends and family love their jars of  "Pam Jam". 

No doubt a few will find their way to Beckenham but they will be of the seedless variety as Francesca doesn't like bits in her jam.

I am eyeing up the Elderflowers and wondering whether to make another batch of cordial. I discovered yesterday that my neighbours love the stuff. The giveaway was when they started to dribble when I mentioned that I had made a couple of batches. A jar went to each of them, it's good to share.

I am thinking that a batch of scones might be cooked next Tuesday morning, scones with jam and clotted cream would go down a treat at knit and natter. (What do you think Chrissie and Debs)
We can wash them down with Elderflower cordial.


I did a little sewing and then settled down with some sock knitting to watch Hinterland on Netflix.
 A very self indulgent day, but I'm worth it.

We did have rain forecast for this morning but not a drop so far, I had to soak the back garden last night and if the rain doesn't arrive soon will have to do the front.

I fell into bed at around 10:30 and had a long sleep, 5:45 when I woke up, marvellous.

No plans for today, once the kitchen has been put to rights I will settle down to some sewing, a little knitting, possibly some reading.
I have a new book, complete Dressmaking. Apart from Tilly and the Buttons, Love at first stitch, which I bought for the patterns, this is the first "how to" book that I have bought for dressmaking.
 I read a review and ordered it straight away, it arrived yesterday and I flicked through it after dinner.
My granny taught me how to sew (she was fed up with my demands for dolls clothes) and apart from the odd primary school lesson I am self taught.
There are lots of fabrics that I steer clear of as I have no idea how to handle them. There are tutorial videos galore out there, I learnt to put in an invisible zip that way, but they can not help you to feel the way certain fabrics handle.
Neither  can this book but there is a wealth of advice, and lots of helpful tips.
I can not say that I long to sew jersey dresses but there are some gorgeous prints out there in all sorts of stretch fabric. I did a search for some fabric for Francesca, and rapidly lost the will to live, as every single print that I wanted to buy was in stretch fabric of some sort.
There is no excuse for my reluctance, I have an overlocker. I have a modern machine that has a few stretch stitches and I have the correct needles.

I am a scaredy cat. Plain and simple. I am also a bit of a control freak, and the thought of ruining a length of fabric fills me with dread.
Of course I do not have any scraps to play with as I have never sewn with it. Catch 22.

Ooh, A Lightbulb Moment, I ought to look on Ebay, people sell all sorts of fabric bundles there.

That's my next port of call. Some times it is good to have a mind that hops and skips all over the place.

I better skip over there now, before I sidetrack myself to another dimension.

                       TTFN                                              Pam

PS.  Of course I was going to tell you all about the book, tomorrow peeps. xx




19 comments:

  1. Oh Pam....I am just the same with regards to stretch fabrics. I have a couple of lengths of jersey in my stash and although I don't have an overlocker at the moment (working on that) I do have a machine with the right kind of stitches and the I have the correct needles so I have no excuses apart from the fact that like you I am scared of ruining a length of fabric.
    It wouldn't be the biggest loss ever as it wasn't expensive fabric but nonetheless I would hate to waste it.

    Your jam sounds wonderful.....but I have that song in my head for the day now....lol-x-

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    1. Not sorry at all, anyone who can hear Marley in their head deserves a big hug. Consider yourself hugged.

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  2. Try making something out of an old tee shirt to give you the feel of sewing jersey fabric. Love to hear about your knitting and sewing - like Sheila says the jam sounds wonderful.

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    1. Thanks for the tip, I will look in the CS for a tee shirt.

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  3. Pretty please can I have the recipe for the rhubarb and strawberry jam? I was going to just make strawberry, but we have rhubarb in the garden, it will help the jam set better.

    Love your blog........

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    1. i usean old recipe from Marguerite Patten. 1 lb rhubarb, thin stems chopped up to the size of strawberries you are using.
      1 1/4 lb strawberries and the juice of a lemon. Stir in 2 lb granulated sugar and let stand for 1 - 2 hours. bring to simmer to dissolve sugar then boil to setting point. It is delicious.

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  4. Loving the sound of strawberry and rhubarb jam. An old T shirt will make some great cleaning clothes and the perfect way to try out stretchy fabric by putting a hem around them.

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    1. I am going to try the tee shirt idea, a trip to a charity shop should happen today.

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  5. Hi Pam... have a look at this website... I have oredered a few things and the quality s great. Although the delivery time estimate is huge, my orders have started to arrive and I only placed it last week. There are all different things that you can search for too...

    https://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?catId=0&initiative_id=SB_20170622031751&SearchText=cotton+fabric

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    1. Oh My Word. I have bookmarked this site and the second that my buying ban is lifted I will be shopping. I am bewitched by the selection on offer.

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  6. I was thinking of making some more elderflower cordial myself but the flower heads seem a little past best around here now.
    Your jam sounds delicious, especially with freshly baked scones. X

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    1. The ones in my garden have gone over but I want the berries from them. I may be able to get enough for one more batch from my other source.

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  7. Strawberry and rhubarb jam sounds delicious xx

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  8. I've got strawberries and rhubarb going to do this jam today pam thankyou for the recipe any more fruit combinations would be appreciated x

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    1. You can combine any fruit that is in season at the same time, just remember to add a high pectin fruit to a low one. For instance redcurrant and strawberry now and blackberry and apple later on. In the days that I had 2 huge redcurrant bushes I would boil the fruit up with a little water, strain it through a jelly bag and freeze the liquid. That way I had a pectin rich addition to any jam that I fancied making.

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  9. What a great idea with the red currants I will do that I've got some in the freezer I made the jam tastes gorgeous but is a soft set is that how it's supposed to be x

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    1. Yes, I generally make soft set jam, that way if you use it for cooking it doesn't turn to chewy glue. If it is too soft to stay on cake or scones just whisk the cream a little bit firmer and stir the jam into it. I do that with lemon curd as well, it is lush on meringues.

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  10. When I made the cakes for the Suntrap open day I used to whisk 2 tablespoons of lemon curd into the butter icing for the lemon gateaux, really made a difference to the icing. Yummy.

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