Scrubs and scarecrows

Completed another round of scrubs for Norfolk NHS appeal. A nice pattern top and red trousers this time which were actually easier to sew than the standard plain blue! Compared to some valiant sewers who did 30 or 50 sets I only did a few. And they were making XL and XXL and I was only doing Small. I am wondering if there are only a few small staff?  Anyway the need seems to have passed and they are "pausing" for June.

Once free from the scrubs I converted my dressmakers stand to scarecrow duty. The village is having a 2 day scarecrow festival/trail at the weekend. Trouble is every time I go in the log cabin it scares me!

Must remember to give it a mask. I found something to do with all those plastic carrier bags I get with Click and Collect and home deliveries at the moment (even though request do not use) I used them to stuff the arms!

Not a great picture but tried something new for lunch today with salad (overcome with lettuce from the garden this week).  Flatten some puff pastry (brought, obviously), score a line about an inch in all round and pick the inner square. make an red onion "sauce"  from 2 red onions, brown sugar and balsamic or other nice vinegar (I used cider vinegar) . Put on the square top, top with nice bacon and crumbled feta cheese and bake. I sprinkled a bit of dried basil but would be nice with fresh basil if you have it.  

It was really nice. And all the ingredients were what was left around the kitchen/fridge this week!

Winter veg crops

Still wandering down to the veg patch a couple of times a week to pull some veg for tea!

Not a lot, but helps fill out the menu. Probably all have to go in an Asda "wonky" box for quality. And what a good campaign against food waste that is turning into and it is now a mainstream topic. 

Talking of TV we found a treat on BBC4 late one night this last week. "The People's Liners" all about the steamers that used to go from pier to pier each summer. We have been on the Balmoral up the Bristol channel and the Waverley to Ilfracombe in the past so were delighted to hear about the history, the social changes and see all the wonderful footage. A brilliant progamme.

I am delighted to say the rebuild of our workshop outer skin is complete! Just the windows and doors to do and then I can start demanding work in the house be done! No excuse for not having the tools to hand now.

Good exchange for vegetables

Visited son and family at the weekend and took them a car boot full of vegetables! I know they have a wide circle of family and friends locally so they could share the bucket of beetroot and box of runner beans. Four e-supermarket mushroom cartons of tomatoes (about 2 kg each) were raided by my eldest grand daughter who spent the afternoon popping in small sweet baby toms while the younger one sliced cucumber to nibble. No wonder they are growing so tall!  Daughter in law's mother phone mid afternoon and reserved the some tomatoes and the red chill's promising to turn the hispi cabbage into a curry for them all the next day.

Son texted later to check we had got home safely and he had spent the evening making a big saucepan full of leek and potato soup using the 3 leeks and giant onion I had given them.  I am so glad I encouraged all 3 boys to cook - they all pull their weight in cooking for their growing families.

In  exchange my daughter in law had saved a stash of fabric from bin bags being jettisoned by a friend.

I washed them all and got them on the line just as the neighbour lit a bonfire. Rather cross as it took longer to dry them indoors and get them folded and ready to go in the sewing cupboard. 

So excited by the sewing projects I can achieve over the winter!

New Year

In some ways a slow start to the ear.Could not find any "mojo" at work and the only enjoyment of the week lay in coming home to various sewing projects and the next stage in making some elderberry wine (a kit on offer in Wilkinsons - £6). Not that I am counting of course, but 195 working days to go - if, and only if, we survive the next round of council cuts!

My experimenting with sewing with knitted jersey - a jumper from the charity shop has resulted in 4 baby hats!

Next I am trying a baby jacket pattern out of some fleecy material. Again a new material for me. And another frugal sew - as it was a pair of "leisure" trousers (value £3) I was never going to wear from Primark.
One leg is making one jacket.

I have purchased half a metre of red dress jersey to line  for £3.  And I am probably going to stay away from cheap jersey as it is awful to handle!  I have some red and blue double knit wool around so I will probably knit a hat to go with it. Two outfits for 6 month olds about £3 each.  My husband is wondering why I am making this when the birth dates for our new grandchildren are June and July!  I know we are going to be so busy this summer it will be November dark nights before I get any more evening sewing time.

Struggled to find the enthusiasm for cooking this week as not very hungry but I did make some nice frugal soup from half a swede, 2 carrots, a potato and an onion with a stock pot by Maggi.  This made 6 bowls of thick soup. For some reason the swede was very sweet when I boiled the other half for a straight veg - but it was not so bad in the soup.