Big Build Progress!

Have you noticed that the posts on this blog are like buses, you wait absolutely ages for one then 2 come along at once! But I wanted to bring you up to date on the Big Build, this week we have had some lovely weather and so the boys' (aka known as DH & Mike) have really steamed on with the roof, the timbers were completed on Wednesday,

and the building inspector booked to call on Thursday. Unfortunately he did not arrive till 3.30pm so they had to spend the day doing trivial jobs but as soon as the inspector had 'signed off' the timbers they started to get the roofing felt on, working til almost 7pm last night, and continuing this morning, so now it looks like this.

This is the back view, you can see I have 'ordered' a large window!

The front looks good too.. this window is smaller but it has to match the exisiting bedroom window, but 2 windows should give me plenty of light to sew by. Today DH orderd the windows which will be ready next week.

Other news this week is that I have started to volunteer at my local museum, I have been in twice to learn the ropes etc, I love that we have a museum here and though it is small it seems to be 'pefectly formed'. They have part of a Roman Coin hoard which was discovered in the area where my grandparents lived, this actually belongs to Bristol museum so we have some of it on permanent loan.

The area at the side is made attractive with some pretty flowers beds, which are maintained by the local Women's Institute. 

The bulding to the right of this picture is the hall where Severn Valley Quilters hold their meetings. Over the years I have loaned the museum lots of our family pictures which they have copied, so I guess you could say I am actually an artefact there. I learned during my visits that they have just aquired 2 quilts which date back to the 1800's, I'll be trying to get a look at those in due course!!!

Finally I have been making Jam, DSIL visited his parents last weekend and they have 2 allotments, so he was sent home with a lage quantity of rhubarb, (and quite a few other things as well!) but DD doesn't like rhubarb so I got a fair amount of it 'donated' to me, trouble is DH can't stand the stuff either so what does one do with it I ask myself, then yesterday I decided to make some Jam. Out came the trusty Recipe book

I have been using this book for 40 years, DH gave it too me as a wedding present (not sure what he was hinting at!!!!) but it's the one I always turn too for no nonsense cooking advice, the recipe for Rhubarb Jam was a straightforward set of instructions.... so in 4 easy lesons this is what I did.

Wash and prepare the fruit  (I had 2lbs) and chop into short pieces, place this in a non mettalic bowl and layer it with the sugar (1.5lbs) and the juice of 3 lemons (I didn't have any fresh lemons so I guesstimated the amount from a bottle of juice I had in the fridge) and leave overnight.

By this morning there was a considerable amount of juice and the fruit had softened, it almost looked 'cooked'. I placed the mixture in a large pan over a medium heat till it came to the boil.

Once the fruit is boiling turn down the heat but keep it on an 'active boil' stirring often to stop it burning, the smell was wonderful!

and 12 minutes later the setting point was reached, after cooling it slightly I put it into clean washed Jars. Voila! almost 3lbs of jam, just a shame I'm on a diet!!!!

Well perhaps just one slice of nice fresh bread......... LOL who am I kidding, who can stop at one slice when home made jam is around. :-))

Byee for now folks.

Lx

 

A picture heavy post!

I just don't know where the time goes, one minute I'm here talking to all of you lovely people and then suddenly it's June - and what time we have been having! The Big Build progresses, sometimes a little slowly but at other times I cannot believe how quickly it grows. Here are some pictures of the progress so far, I'll only show the views from the back of the house or you would have to settle in for the duration if I put them all up!

It was early April, when things really got going, the materials arrived and the roof of the garage came off

 By Mid April we were up to window levels, you can see the existing landing window, which is where the door will come into the new room.

at this point R had been working alone most of the time and all things considered he did pretty well getting the floor joists in on his own! In May the scaffolders arrived and we now have the help of a good friend (who also happens to be a builder)  so it's going really fast. As you can see from this picture I will still have a view of the back garden!

At the beginning of last week they started on the roof timbers, which is quite tricky as we have to have a 'hip' roof to stay in line with the style of the houses on the street.

but.. before the timbers could go in the Velux window in the upstairs bathroom ceiling needed moving over by about a 12", this is the scene that greeted me when I finally went to look at the progress, as you can see they 'forgot' to cover anything up with some dust sheets :-(((

 While all this has been going on I have not been idle, in fact at the moment I seem to be on a roll. In May I went to Malvern with the lovely Lisa, (who I am delighted to tell you passed her UK driving test last week!! Yayyy!) At the show there were many wonderful quilts but nothing that made me stop in my tracks, here are a  few that I liked, starting with the the Judges Choice by Liz Jones.

 I'm afraid I didn't get names for the others shown here, I just liked them and the techniques used.

Also in May was Yarn Shop day, Lisa and I visited our local shop where we were sustained by tea and wonderful cake while we made knitted hearts to be added to the Yarn bombing outside the nearby bank, and took part in raffles and competitions. I particularly liked the 'Hat' on the phone box

Now for the finishes I have managed since we last spoke, you may remember the BIG Sweater project well I am delighted to say it's done! I am very pleased with it plus it fits DH a treat,

Feeling inspired by my success on that I fished out a sweater project I started for myself in 2006, which was only waiting for the neckline to be done and some sewing up, within a couple of days it was completed (now why did I not do this before I wondered)

I completed my entry for the WPQ Seasons Challenge on time and unusually for me without a last minute rush, this is 'Summer Beach Huts' a design by Kathleen Guerrier seen in a back copy of Popular Patchwork. it involved some curved piecing which I have wanted to try for a while, I think my curves were a bit to shallow but maybe next time I'll feel a bit braver and cut them more enthusiastically!

 Other projects done since my last visit here are 2 cushion covers for the Severn Valley Charity project which was to make new covers for all the cushions at the local church hall, we had a collection of orphan blocks and took home ones we were inspired to use. These 2 were 18" and I had to reduce them to 14" which proved quite easy as it just meant taking off some borders.

Plus a Biscornu pincushion started at Westbury Park Quilters last Monday evening under the direction of Carys

 and a fabric postcard made using wax crayons and some machine stitching on cream fabric.

Well I guess that about brings you up to date, the roof timbers are now almost complete but as yet I have not taken the pictures!

Byee for now

Lx