First Sunday of Advent - 2011

Today was the first sunday of Advent. While this made me happy because it means in 3 weeks I'll be home for another 3 weeks, it also made me a little sad, because for as long as I can remember I've gone to every single Advent sunday at my church. And every one of those sundays I would watch the candle be lit and say a little prayer. Only today I wasn't at my church. I was in my room in Uni halls, over 50 miles away, which although not far is too far.

So i got my Sister to take a picture of a candle for me, we're not allowed candles here, let alone to light them.

And I said a little prayer.

This week I prayed for those serving in Afghanistan. I prayed for the health and happiness of my family and friends.

And I just thought a little while. It made me peaceful.

Do you have traditional Advent celebrations?

Rowen

The Mayor of London Parade - 2011

A fortnight ago yesterday I went to the Mayor of London Parade in London. It's actually an annual fireworks display over the river Thames, and as far as I'm aware, there's no actual parade involved. This is the third time I've gone, although the first time I went I didn't actually see and fireworks as it was too windy for them so they were cancelled.



My boyfriend and I have gone for each of the last three years with his brother and friend, the three of them just used to do it together before I was brought into the equation.

 

They're a really good display of fireworks and last around 12 minutes each year.

 It also makes for a really good day out in London. Normally we make it to London for about 10.30, this year because I was coming from the Uni rather than our home town it was about 11am before we got to looking around.

 We spend the morning wandering up and down Oxford Street and eat lunch at the plaza about halfway up as the food court has a range of fast food places, to please everyone.

 In the afternoon we go to Harrods and look around. The guys look for the most expensive thing they can see, it's usually a watch, and I wind Robert up by telling him that I want all of the fancy old-style tables. It's not strictly speaking true, although I do really like them...

 We'll then stop in at a coffee shop, and wander down to the banks of the Thames, ready for the 5pm start of the fireworks.

 We have tea at Garfunkels and then head on home.

 I wonder sometimes if it's bad that the day is more or less identical each time. But then I think that actually it's kinda nice, at least I know what I'm doing.



All in all it's a really good day out with friends every year, regardless of whether you see the fireworks, which are in fact excellent.

Rowen

Autumn Cushion

I was inspired to make this cushion, which is going to be part of a set for my aunt, uncle, cousin and her husband for Christmas this year, by looking at all the trees which appeared in the Celebrate Colour contest as soon as it opened.

Being typically myself I procrastinated in starting the cushion, which wouldn't have been a big deal, except that I want to enter it into the Celebrate Color competition at Stitched in Color. The other issue is that although the competition ends tonight I only started it on tuesday, which causes major time issues when you're also revising for an exam and have no machine with which to do the piecing, it's not out of objection that I don't have a machine, but that as a student I can't afford one, and I find hand-stitching quite peaceful most of the time.

So I cut out my pieces, of which there are a grand total of 28 and started stitching the front together. I put the four non-descript pairs in the borders and a half of each of the 'seasonal' pairs in the corners. The Butterflies represent summer, the budding leaf pattern spring, the Snowflakes winter and the Ivy leaves autumn. It was essential these fabrics were highlighted in some small way as the set of cushions will eventually consist of Summer, Spring, Autumn and Winter.

Once I'd pieced the centre of the front I drew out my pattern on some squared paper that I use for my maths work and pinned it to the space which needed to be embroidered.  

I did the embroidery through the paper to use it as a guide, although I discovered a major issue that it can cause. I started by stitching the grass in a green thread and then outlined the tree in black, both were done using a simple running stitch.

The next stage was to infill the tree's 'bark', also in the black thread and running stitch. It was at this stage the problems started to arise as I realised I needed to remove the paper from beneath the embroidery, however the stitches in places were close enough togethe that this was practically impossible.

 When It was time to do the leaves, in a metallic orange thread, using a satin stitch, I cut a guideline area out of the paper before starting, a much better idea!

 Eventually I completed the embroidery, this part didn't actually take too long, maybe a couple of hours. To remove all traces of the paper I actually had to wet the fabric and rub it off the front, fortunately for me this worked and didn't cause ink from the pen I'd used to run onto the fabric.

 I was very impressed with how the tree turned out. The bark looked so realistic and the whole of it, except maybe the grass really contrasted with the general beigeness being used for the rest of the cushion. Exactly what I was aiming for as it really focused the eye.

 I'm actually in love with the colour of the leaves. So glad I found that thread!

 The next stage was to attatch the final border to the front of the cushion. The border fabric, also used in the centre, was from a pair of curtains I bought from the second hand shop where I worked over the summer. I was really concerned with how they'd hold up to my hand stitching but they surprised me :)

I pieced the back as well. this consisted of the same four focus fabrics appearing in the same size, order and places as on the front of the cushion. The rest of the back was made from the curtain material.

 After pieceing both front and back I pressed them, always makes a difference. Although I never press fabrics as I go along  I always do before putting the front and back together.

 The cushion was then pinned for the most time consuming part. Putting it together. I tacked with a loose running stitch from the bottom of the left hand seam, around both sides and the top to the same place on the other side. I then tidied it up with a tighter running stitch back the other way. This is the way I do pretty much all of my seams. At this point I turned it right way out and stuffed it, using the contents of a pillow I'd bought. I then pinned the back closed and finished off the last stretch of seam with a slip stitch.

I love how it turned out, I keep saying it but it's true, and I'm a tad disappointed I can't keep it, but I'm fairly sure my aunt will treasure it.

When I stitch I double all of my threads up to hopefully make them stronger and more contrasting. I think all of the threads that I used for embroidery were actually intended for machine stitching, however the orange and green came out of the bargain bucket because of broken spools and the black belonged to my mum but she doesn't sew often.

Hopefully this will link with Stitched in Color and I'll try and find the button.

Rowen

Life of Pi - Yann Martel

This Morning I finished reading Life of Pi. At just 4 days it is the shortest any 'true' book, I don't truly count Mills and Boons, has taken me since I've been living at Uni, and in great part that is testamony to the brilliant story-telling and captivating tale.

I'm still unsure if the story is real or false. It was told in the sense of 'true' fiction, however that isn't to say it wasn't completely made up. Some credence is lent to it's being true by the fact that events leading up to it were put in a preface, however that is completely counteracted by the sheer improbability of the story.

Either way it truly is a tale to make you believe in God, and I felt ensconced, could imagine myself there, from beginning to end.

My personal favourite part was the nickname of Pi, Pi, which is in fact, even by design, a number. It is my favourite number, not because of anything actually to do with the number, as much as because I just like the symbol which is used for it.

Life of Pi was the 47th of the 1001 books I have to read, and to date it is one of the most interesting, if not the least weird, that I have come across.

It was also a World Book Night book. This year, 2012, I intend to spend the night reading books from their designated list. Although I doubt if I'll get much more read than one book, I can but try.

Rowen

Little Miss Chatterbox - A cushion

This August one of my best friends turned 18. She has the sunniest disposition of anyone I know, she's so sunny that at times, very early in the morning times, you can just want to make her stop. However The point to this is that for her birthday I made her a very tiny cushion, I wanted to show it on here but I never took a picture and she's never gotten round to sending me one :P

However another of my friends saw me rushing to finish it off, because typical me the day I was giving it to her it still wasn't finished. She said to me 'For my birthday could you make me a Mr Bump one?' I said yeah ok. Fast Forward about a month and a half, and it's a bit of a long and slow day at work, I happened to bring up the topic. As we were working in a second hand children shop the result being that whenever we went into the shop to put items out we would look for a part of the Mr Men and Little Miss Libraries.

We didn't find a single book, a fact which completely shocked me until I realised that if most children were like I was as a small child their Mr Men and Little Miss books would either be treasured possessions or coloured over, or both...

However she did happen to see a pair of curtains she liked the colour of that I agreed would cut up acceptably. I told her that with that much fabric I could probably make four. We decided upon two large and two small. Of those four I only managed to get one and a half done by her birthday which was yesterday. She got the one and will get the other two and a half at a later date, when they're done.

So Happy Birthday Sarah, I hope you enjoy Little Miss Chatterbox :)

Rowen

Bringing a Smile to my Day

It's the little things that make you smile. Or I think so.

Of course when the little things make you smile the big things can render you heartstoppingly happy.

When I've had a tough day, or been woken up what feels like a million times during the night and still have to be up for 9am then the little things make my day.

Getting a hug off someone special.

My parents taking time out of their day to skype me, even though it sometimes feels like checking up.

Sitting down with a hot drink for just a few moments between seemingly endless sets of questions.

Reading the blogs which really inspire me.

A chat with a good friend I really miss.

All of these things make me feel just a little bit happier and help to keep a smile on my face.

Rowen

We Will Remember Them

Rememberance day is one of the most important days on my calendar and that of many other people I'm sure.

It is a day of reflection and thankfulness, gratefulness even, for everything that the servicemen and women have given for us to be able to live as we do. As I was often told growing up 'it's thanks to them we don't speak German', and although I have nothing particularly against speaking German I am proud of my heritage and the flexibility of the English language. Without it I wouldn't be able to enjoy many of the books I do, and certainly if the second world war had been won by Hitler we'd be much less culturally diverse than we are today.

It makes me angry to hear of demonstrations such as the one last year where people burnt our poppies on one of our most important days as a nation. I don't object to people living in this country who weren't born here, I'm not against them seeking protection. But I have to say that I do agree with the sentiment of 'If you can't show some respect to the people who made the safety and security of this country possible then maybe you shouldn't be here'.

We Will Remember Them!

Rowen