Make it Yourself

I've read several blog posts, recently extolling the advantages of having a permanent pressing station set up for all those seams which need to be set and pressed.
many people seem to have made their own, so I thought I would have a go.
Take one cut down cupboard door, bought cheaply from the local B&Q (and cut accurately for free).

Next a square off cut of wadding - cost doesn't count, as already had it in stash.

Then a thrifted 100% cotton pillow case, from the local CS. Cost 50p.

Assemble using copious amounts of gaffer tape on the back where it won't be seen. The more handy people use tacks and a hammer. I used what I had.

So, I have an 18" square, padded pressing station, which can stay permanently set up in my sewing room (have stopped saying back bedroom). All for the cost of £2.50. Job done.
However, within 2 minutes of finishing it, another use emerged.

It became an instant cat bed. Bernard was really quite taken with it. After a quick clean up of the cat hairs, it reverted to it's original use.

Thrifty Find

A lucky find in a local CS yesterday. I have a thing for Art Deco and things from the 30's

A pair of small candle sticks in really very good condition.

Cost - 50p. Very pleased with that.

Linen Closet Quilts: To Be a Better Blogger

Linen Closet Quilts: To Be a Better Blogger

Unpaid Cats

I like to read the blogs hosted by other quilters. I am truly in awe of the quality of work they produce and love to see the photos of their quilts.
However, in amongst the many inspiring examples of quilting there is another common theme running through a lot (not all) of these blogs. This theme is the inclusion of cats. cats looking cute, random pictures of cats, pics of cats' view out of their window and often cats 'helping with the workload.
Evidence of this has clearly been noted elsewhere, as seen in this very funny post from Dawn at Linen Closet Quilts.

One of my own workforce, Bernard, acting as a security guard in charge fabric.

A Very British Obsession

One of the things I really like about being British is our almost stereotypical obsession with the weather. Other countries have state of the art insulation in their house - like this, use snow tyres and chains, have adequate clothing, etc.
Here, we treat the winter and even the slightest flurry of snow as a surprise. It becomes newsworthy, being the lead story on BBC news website.
I like the pointless conversations about weather, but not the ongoing problems that we are told about each year. Elderly people being unable to heat their homes, schools being shut due to inadequate heating systems, the ongoing pressure many of us feel about paying those fuel bills.

Ok, so it looks nice, but isn't it about time we were better prepared for adverse weather - it happens every year and yet it's treated with the same amount of surprise usually reserved for the shock that Christmas is expensive.