A tutorial for you

We've been really fortunate this year to have had lovely weather over the summer and so we have eaten lots of lunches outside.  One of my favourite lunches has to be salmon and asparagus quiche served with an English salad and freshly baked bread, accompanied by a refreshing White Zinfandel.  For dessert, or maybe even to be served later in the day for afternoon tea, delightful little fancies.  I will write tutorials for the food but today I would like to share with you how I made the basket which the bread is in.  I used bright summery Cath Kidston cotton but any cotton could be used to fit in with your table setting, particularly since it's quite close to Halloween now, or day I say it, Christmas!

To make the basket you will need the following:

A circular piece of thin card measuring 15cm in diameter
A square piece of thin card measuring 10cm x10cm
80cm square of patterned cotton fabric
1/2m contrast fabric
30com wadding
10cm pelmet vilene

Now let's hope that I make my instructions clear enough for you to follow. 
1.  Using the round card template cut out 8 circles from your contrast fabric.
2.  Stitch all around the edge of the circles, inside the seam allowance, with a small running stitch.
3.  Place the cardboard circle inside the circles of fabric and pull the ends of the thread to gather the fabric over the card.  Press and leave to cool.  Remove the card template.

4.  Cut 8 squares from your patterned fabric and 8 from your wadding. With your circle facing the wrong side up, lay a squre of wadding and then a square of patterned fabric right side up in the centre.  Pin the folds down and stitch through all three layers.  Make 8 of these patches.

 

 

5.  Using the contrast fabric cut out 2 rectangles meauring 21cm x 11.cm.  Leaving a.5cm seam allowance, wih the right sides together, sew the 2 fabrics together around the outside, leaving an 8cm gap on one side for turning.  Press and turn right side out.  Slip the Vilene into the base and slip stitch the opening closed.  Top stitch around the outside to strengthen the edges.  This is your base.

6.  Placing 2 patchwork squares next to each other, join them together using a zig zag stitch.  Repeat this another 3 times so that you have 4 sets of 2 patchwork squares.

7.  Join the patchwork squares to the base as in step 6 using the picture below for guidance.

Finally, pin the edges together as shown and top stitch into place. 

Phew, after all that I think I need a nice chilled glass of White Zinfandel.  Happy stitching!

Mary x

This is me

Well, I must say, I'm not very good at keeping up with my blog!  Also, this is the first post which I've written without the help of my daughter Sarah, so fingers crossed that I manage to get it right.  A couple of weeks ago I had laser surgery carried out at the site for eyes clinic situated in Sunderland Eye Infirmary and for the first time in years I am sitting here at the computer typing without the need for glasses.  It's both amazing and strange because I only had my left eye done, so I can actually see more clearly if I close my right eye!  But at the same time the fact that I can read and write without glasses is fantastic.  I'm having surgery on my right eye next month so I can't wait for the end result.  This is me about an hour after the operation wearing a protective patch over my eye...all that is missing is the parrot!  Not the most attractive picture which I have had taken I have to say.  But, a huge thankyou to Mr Jean-Pierre Danjoux and his team for making such a huge difference to my life!