We're Getting Married - An Engagement Cushion

Back in January, we had the best phone call from our son, Joe and his partner, Katie, to tell us they'd got engaged.

She's 21 Today, 21 Today

Last week I flew over to St Andrews, Scotland to celebrate Flicky's 21st birthday with her. Five days of fun with some of my kids is just the ticket when I'm missing home.

If you've never visited St Andrews, or Scotland for that matter, it's absolutely beautiful with tons of history but also quite bleak and very cold.  I've put together a few photo collages from the weekend.

 There was lots of food and drink and a fab spa day at the Fairmont resort.

My son, Joe and his partner Katie joined us and, as it was their first visit to St Andrews, we did the touristy bit showing them around the town.

The University

The Castle...

...don't you love a loo with a view? (centre pic below)

and crawling through the tunnels underneath the castle was a lot of laughs too, though I think there were moments when we were laughing just so we didn't cry.

The Cathedral

Love this selfie of us all at the top of the Cathedral Tower.

The Gin Tour

We also visited the local brewery and gin & whisky distillery, Eden Mill, where we may or may not have sampled four G&Ts each as part of the Gin Tour.

If you're a gin girl (or boy) I highly recommend the gin tour.  All the Eden Mill gins are abs delish, the guys at the Eden Mill were super friendly and I think you can tell from the pics we had a lot of fun there.

Eden Mill Gins

Original gin - citrus and seabuckthorn - forget the lime slice add some pink grapefruit

Love gin - tastes of berries and citrus - try it with raspberries

Oak gin - tastes of whisky - great with an orange slice

Golf gin - made using hickory (golf club wood)

Hop gin - tastes of beer - add a sizzling chilli slice

And on Sunday, Flicky's actual 21st birthday, there was even a birthday cake...

...with candles that Rob and Colin, Flicky's two housemates helped her blow out.

It was over all too soon but I was almost glad to get back to slightly warmer weather on the US east coast and slightly pained in the knowledge it'll soon be just as cold or colder here too.

Happy 21st Birthday Flicky xxx

If you'd like to read more about St Andrews you can click through to my previous posts on the images below:

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Linky Parties

This post may be linked to some great Linky Parties, always a great source of inspiration too.  If you click through to my 'Fave Linky Parties'  page you can  see where I like to share my work.

Spin Me A Yarn Basket

My dil, Katie, has started knitting again so for Christmas I made her a divided basket full of knitting goodies, just like the Knitter's Dream Basket I made for my daughter, Flicky, last Christmas.

Again, I used the Divided Basket pattern by Anna of Noodlehead and here's a list of the fabrics:
A cotton/linen fabric - the selvedge reads "made in Japan - Project: by Cotton"

Moda Linen Mochi dots - Teal and Boysenberry

Cotton + Steel Hatbox 4001-052 cotton canvas by Alexia Marcelle Abegg.

Outside pieces and handles.

Outside sections joined.

Lining and divide.

 

 

And a knitting basket should always be full of knitting notions

Thankfully, Katie's present has the Tatty seal of approval.

Katie made good use of her knitting basket during her stay with us over Christmas and set about making a scarf for my son Joe and by New Year he was wearing it on our trips out.

Aren't they both gorgeous?!!!  I'm missing them so much already now they're back in London.

Click the images below to read more about other Divided Baskets I've made.

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The Pyjama Game

I'm looking to teach a pyjama pant class this year so I wanted to find a good, reasonably priced pattern that I could use with students.  

My friend, Amy, who orders all the books, notions and other goodies for us at The City Quilter suggested this book, Sew Easy Pajama Pants by Cindy Taylor Oates which comes in around the $15 price mark.

I tested the pattern by making these two pairs of pyjama pants, one for my daughter, Flicky and one for my dil, Katie.

Fabrics:

Eucalyptus in Jade from the Pretty Potent collection by Anna Maria Horner for Free Spirit (and yes, I cut the fabric upside down! :( )

 Riddles and Rhymes Cloud collection by Tina Givens for Free Spirit

I made up one pair extra small and the other as a small.  The pattern is straightforward and easy but I was immediately concerned about the length from the waist to the crotch as the finished pants are supposed to sit on the hips rather than the waist.  Flicky, I knew, would be very happy with this fit but I wanted a higher waist for Katie so I adjusted the pattern for one pair adding an extra inch to the length in this area.

From the paper pattern I could see the leg length would be a perfect fit for me but I'm only 5' 2" - not a problem for Katie but Flicky is 5' 8" and likes extra length in her pyjama leg so I added extra inches to the length of her pants too.

I gave the girls their pj pants for Christmas, they were as eager to get into them as I was to see the fit on each of them.  I can report that both pairs fitted perfectly.  They both have enough ease in them but not too much so the pant fit isn't baggy, which is just how they like them.

I like the pattern, the price and design and it'll be great in class to be able to cover ways to lengthen and adapt patterns to get the correct fit.  The finished pants were a hit with my girls and there's no better recommendation than that!!!

What do you call yours: pyjamas, pajamas, jammies, pjs or do you have another word for them?

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