The lights are on.....

These are dark winter days in our corner
(it really has been impossible to work without a light in the last week)
...but it's lovely indeed to be finally back in my favourite place...
(have I mentioned how much I love being here? ;-) )
~ ♥ ~

I don't tend to think I've been anywhere near as productive as I
had planned hoped to be until I look back on a year through my photographs
...above are a just a few of my favourites...

 I've also really enjoyed working with my lovely friend Nancy through 2015
on the Dutch translations of my patterns which have proved to be very popular 
(the next available pattern on the list will hopefully be Little Yarn Dolls : Method 2 )

Putting together the doll kits was another highlight of the last year
(they travelled safely to all corners of the globe!)
and for those who have inquired, there will hopefully be a few batches 
available here during the year in between working on new patterns

...and so... 
I'm really looking forward to everything 2016 may bring
with lots of projects on the go to share with you here on the blog
(although I'm thinking I really need to show some restraint right now 
and not buy any more yarn...at least just for the moment...it's not easy though, is it? ;-) )
...and I've knitted at least 2/3 of the front of my aran jumper amongst other things
...finally...wahooo!!


...I'm also hoping to open the doors here more often...

...back...very....soon...

 ...happy...new...week...

~ ♥ ~

 P.S...are you on instagram?... 
...I just may see you there soon ;-)...

Visit Mary Jane's TEAROOM's profile on Pinterest.

September days...

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

(my little vintage beehive...hiding my yarn from Miss Daisy ;-) )
 ♥ 

...time to get out the quilts and cosy crochet...
...there's definitely an autumnal feel in our corner...

...in my happy place...

...my favourite season is almost here...
 ♥ autumn...I love you! ♥

...knitting news...

'Chrystal' is now available in Dutch
on ETSY or here in the TEAROOM Shop
(for anyone who has previously purchased the pattern written in English and
would prefer the new translation just let me know and I will email your free copy)

A huge thank you once again 
to my lovely friend Nancy of Dolce Lana
(whose Facebook page can be found here)
...I'm definitely...slowly...improving my Dutch... 
(although only in knitting terms...so I'm not going to go very far just yet ;-) )

until next time

...happy...new...week...

...happy...autumn...


X X x ♥ x X X


P.S ...Thank you everyone who has ever visited the blog...
this little corner in the crafty universe reached 1000,000 visitors last week!!! 
...and I can't imagine not being here..x
Hurrah!!

Summertime and Peppermint Tea...

(Hmm...I don't think he's too happy that I'm moving his quilt :-) )

♥

Yesterday, I took a few more pics of my summer quilt (which I've previously posted about here, here and here)...and it's now ready to be put to good use...I've loved making this quilt ...a very simple and relaxing project...using 5 x 5" squares (charm packs plus some squares cut from my magic cupboard fabrics) secured by 'stitching in the ditch' (oh yes, I love that those stitches just can't be seen...makes me very happy )...with a deep quilted border made by first sketching a design all the way around then stitching with my walking foot...and lastly I added the hand sewn binding (the stripy fabric above is the backing fabric) The bedroom it will probably reside in is currently being redecorated...lots of white...and I think this will be a lovely splash of colour when the room's finished ;-) 

♥

I was planning to call it my 'Summertime' quilt but as I took my pics yesterday and sipped my peppermint tea (more below) I noticed that there's actually quite a large dose of peppermint amongst these happy colours and so I've decided it's going to be known as my 'Peppermint Tea' quilt... it will connect my quilt with happy memories...

...anyone for peppermint tea?...

...eldest lovely daughter brought my tea all the way home 

from the beautiful Charlottesville house of 
Thomas Jefferson in Virginia...

(more about Thomas Jefferson and 'Monticello' here 
it's definitely an interesting read :-)  )

♥

I wonder...have you tried peppermint tea and do you like it?

(it's known 'to soothe both body and spirit'...it's a yes from me...

...I do need to be more adventurous with my tea......
if you have a recommendation would you let me know?  

♥ ♥  ♥  ♥ ♥♥

...back soon...

...happy making...

xxx

Stitchin' happy....

...sewing down the binding on the back of my quilt...

(the best part....and always a perfect excuse to spend the afternoon watching an old movie along the way ;-)  )

...fresh summer colour...

(and for once I'm actually ahead with a project ... bring on summer!)

...securing the layers by Stitching in the Ditch...
(also highly recommended for clearing the mind ;) )

...hopefully my border sketching will disappear completely in the wash...
( fingers crossed...I'll soon find out  x  :-)  )

...using my trusty walking foot to stitch gentle border curves...

...I managed to slip in some vintage Laura Ashley fabric...
(purchased some time ago on Ebay in pristine condition and lovely to work with too  x )

(Laura Ashley Home Decoration 1984)
...and I've since found it in one of the old catalogues I've collected over recent years... 
...'Palmetto'...

(Laura Ashley Home Decoration 1986)
♥ I also came across this stunning old Florida town house ♥
...which is just beautiful and reading all about it became quite a distraction from my sewing ... I would love to have a browse through those book shelves too...  

love 

♥ ♥  ♥ ♥ ♥

...and so... 

another finished quilt for one of our beds...and it's going into the washing machine today to hopefully remove my border sketching...the wadding should shrink just a little too :-)  ...I've also been working on some crochet (not exactly sure what it's going to be yet... probably a cushion...unless I buy more yarn... but the point was to use up some of the yarn I already have and I need to stick to my intentions once in a while :-)  )...and while my walking foot was gently chugging along to the radio ...I've been pondering long about new knitting projects and which direction to go next on the magic carpet...all to be shared soon along with my 'afterwash' quilt :-)

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

....back soon with more news....

...hope you have a lovely weekend all...


x take care x

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P.S.... Thank you so much for your lovely comments about little Miss Daisy
...she's a darling and her happy nature continues to be wonderfully infectious  x

Stitching....

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...happy...mischievous...smart...beautiful...brilliant...

...a treasure...

The days just before Easter were really dark in our corner...so much so that I even had to put the fairy lights on in the workroom to take pics of my quilt strips hanging over the coat hangers on the magic cupboard....192 squares...16 pretty strips of 12 ...ready to be joined for my quilt top...

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Having thought hard about which fabric to use for the border I finally decided on the print you can see in the top photograph and below (with a really pretty plaster pink base...one of my most favourite shades)....and an aqua shade to make the binding ...yesterday afternoon I pieced together the backing fabric too (the fine stripe pink above)...and ordered the wadding (batting) after much decision making as I'm using a new variation...which means I'm ready to make my quilt sandwich just as soon as it arrives! (one lovely daughter has made a claim so no time to hang around :) )

I'm also planning to make a daisy themed crochet cushion too making use of more yarn leftovers...I think I'll make the final round of each square white...It does seem a long time since I last picked up my hook as I've been doing so much knitting and it's lovely to be crocheting again in quiet moments...

...and may I introduce you to Daisy?...

...our little pup who we brought home from our local rescue centre at just 8 weeks old in January (pictured above sitting under my table while I  sew) ...she's a little bichon/schnauzer cross and was part of an unwanted litter and we feel very lucky indeed to have her...you'll be seeing much more of her I'm sure as she loves spending time in my workroom and sitting outside the doors on the decking in the sunshine...she's very curious about the flower pots, birds, butterflies and bees...

Back soon

Happy Weekend All

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

This week....

...the sudden burst of sunshine and a blue sky over recent days has inspired me.... 
♥

...to finally begin my new quilt which will hopefully be ready for the summer months...something to enjoy between yarny projects...I love the zingy fresh colours...192 pretty squares (overlapped here to fit on my work table!) ...a simple quilt with a deep border using a mix of charm packs and fabric oddments from the magic cupboard including a few more plains, some vintage scraps and a handful of extra white squares. They've been organised and numbered and are now ready for the machine. Quilts are wonderfully easy to care for, aren't they? Ours are constantly in use and can be washed, dried and back on all the beds in no time at all...no ironing required...I love them...decorative but completely practical too...

♥ ♥ ♥

The beautiful orchid at the top was a gift from my girls on Mother's Day along with my pretty card ...they spoiled me completely by cooking 
a truly delicious meal of Beef Wellington followed by Peanut Butter and Jelly Brownies with Ice Cream from one of Jamie's recipe books...sooo lovely!

...it really was a perfect day and I was counting my blessings...x

Hope you're having a wonderful week

with sunshine in your corner
(it's a lovely sunny morning here again ;) )

x Back soon x

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