Blanket

I have finished Matthew's blanket and done about a third of Olivia's.Olivia's blanket will be roughly the same size as Matthew's (60x70cm) but the pattern is different: a square in the middle (with a heart) surrounded with 4 fitting rectangles.

This is my last post before Christmas. Tomorrow, I am flying home for 2 weeks.

***** MERRY CHRISTMAS ******

Sunday with friends

Today, Diane invited us for gluwhein and german biscuit. It was great to be together in a very christmassy atmosphere.




I finally took a pictures of the buttons I bought in Copenhagen a few months ago. Some are very appropriate for this time of year !

Newburgh knitting group

Today was the monthly knitting group at Twist Fiber Craft in Newburgh.
As usual, we had loads of wonderful things to eat: biscotti from Louise (I am sure she will put the recipe on her blog), cakes from Allyson, Biscuits, meringues and macarons from Andrea...and much more. I made a parmesan and courgette cake (the recipe is here but it is in french).

We gave Laura and Peter the poinsettia wreath we made together and they loved it. It is now hanged on the wall behind the counter.

Blanket

As I told you before, I am knitting 2 baby blankets for my brothers twins (Mathew and Olivia). They are due in March but as you know, time flies... This is the one for Mathew: 30 squares (I initially planned 35 but the blanket is big enough with 30). It will be around 60x70 cm, a bit bigger once I've knitted the border. The sewing is taking ages so I will design a blanket without sewing (or far less) for Olivia.

I am also trying to finish the bits and bobs that are lying unfinished here and there like this jumper. It is a size 5-6yr so it will probably be for Elliot, my brother's son, for his birthday in September (he will be 4 then).

Finally, These are some of the crochet flowers (brooches) I've made for the gallery.

Jam Gallery

The Jam Gallery in Dundee, run by Julie, exhibits and sells work from local artists and crafts people. If you are looking for nice and unique gifts for Christmas, you should go and have a look., prices start just at a few pounds.





Stephane is exhibiting some of his paintings (the 5 at the bottom) and I am selling my cards and crochet flowers.

Forfar

This weekend friends from Paris were visiting. Although they spent 7 years in Dundee, they've never been to Forfar ! To be honest, this little village is not really worth a visit. The only reason we went there was because Stephane is exhibiting a couple of paintings at the museum. The exhibitions runs till January 4th.






The Meffan Museum of Forfar:



Stephane's paintings: a scottish croft (white frame) and a church in Vik, Iceland (underneath the croft)

Knitting

Yesterday was the knitting group at Borders. I didn't knit anything but I did improve my sewing skills. I am currently knitting 2 baby blankets for my brother's twins (they are due in March so I am on target to have them finished by then). I have decided on a simple pattern: 35 squares, half plain, half stripy, then a border. So, for an hour and a half I've tried several sewing techniques, all a disaster. I had advice from several experienced sewers so I kept trying and later in the evening I manage to sew a couple of squares and I was pleased with the result ! :0) I'll post pictures later when I will have done a bit more.


I've been knitting lots of Christmas presents but I can't show you them all as some of the people they are for are watching.


I can show you the cushions:

Book

Today, I went to Borders to have a wee wander in the knitting books and see if I could use my 25% off voucher. Found one :0)

Disaster

On Saturday, my brother, his wife and their 3 year old came for lunch. Initially, I wanted to post something about the wonderful banh bao I would have made for the occasion. Unfortunately, it was a disaster: the bread dough was a bit too wet, also I didn't have proper bread flour, so by the time the banh bao was stuffed, left to rise and ready to be cooked, the quail eggs were trying to run out of the buns. I should also mentionned that I made a pandan and coconut cake (it was a mix, I just had to add water) that didn't turn out well either. It was a 2 layers cake but the bottom layer escape as I was putting it in a tray and broke in several pieces. I had to cut it in small pieces to try to make it eatable... Anyway, we did eat the banh bao and the cake but we also had steam veg and a fruit salad.
I am posting some images, at least you can have a good laught ;0)))

Quilling

As promised donkeys ago, pictures of the quilled cards I bought in Vietnam (It was the first thing I spent money on actually).