teaching sewing confidence, tip by tip

Monday 16 June 2014

Wouldn't It Be Dreadful...?


“Wouldn't it be dreadful to live in a country where they didn't have tea?” 

― Noel Coward


Are you a tea drinker?  I sure am, English Brekkie or maybe Earl Grey brewed for 4 minutes if you please (yes I do use a timer) with a splash of milk, well not even a splash just show it the milk to tease it.  Sugar?  No way; I can tell if you've even used an empty sugar spoon to stir it.  The best cup of tea anyone's ever made for me - well that would be my Dad's, no-one made tea like him, what I'd give to share just one more pot with him.

So what's the point of this post?  I've found a pile of pics of Christmas gifts I made last year and never shared so here's the first: 


A Christmas 2013 parcel ready to send off to England for my Mum - she's a big tea drinker too.


Her parcel included an apron, oven glove, hand towel and tea cosy.


I don't have Flicky around to model for me anymore so the balcony door handle's as good as it gets - you can rely on a good breeze up on the 23rd floor to add movement to your pics, though I remember I was nervous I might lose everything over the glass balcony wall.  It was freezing too - don't let that winter sunshine fool you.

 

Close up shots of the embroidered pocket detail on the reversible apron.
Floral fabric: Autumn Medley Martha Negley for Rowan #MN44 Citrus;
Zig-Zag fabric: Dear Stella Piper Zig-Zag Orange #172;
Pink fabric: P&B Textiles: Bear Essentials 2 #570F;
Insul-Bright batting;
Aurifil 40/2 thread #2277 - Light Red Orange.


And a couple of pics of the tea cosy and oven glove.

I added a strip of matching Martha Negley fabric to a hand towel to complete the set.

Mum, as always, loves them though she's only using the tea cosy - she doesn't want to spoil the other items, they're just for show in her kitchen!!!

I'll be with you in less than three weeks Mum, put the kettle on and make a brew, can't wait to share a pot with you and have a real good natter x


Disclaimer: 
This post is for informational purposes only, no payment or commission is received on click-throughs and opinions are my own.

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28 comments:

  1. A lovely post... your Mum must be very excited about your visit. I love Martha Negley designs... never though of making oven gloves to decorate my kitchen... I shall make some now though.

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  2. Lovely gifts - lucky Mum, and a visit from you to look forward to. Can you get English tea there? We can't - have to bring it back from UK with us. Not that I am a tea drinker, I love coffee. xx

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    1. I'm okay Lin, I like Twinings English Breakfast and Earl Grey and that's in most supermarkets here but we have to get visitors to bring in Yorkshire Tea for Simon though we could order it on line if push came to shove. At least you're okay given that you drink coffee - do you put chicory in it? - I've added chicory to my fresh ground coffee since my Belgian penfriend introduced me to it on a trip there some 20+ years ago, delicious - Chris :D

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  3. Is the Pope Catholic? Of course I love tea!! Although you would not approve of my sugar-laden weak milky affair. For my better half I make it strong (orange in my view) with just a dash of milk and definitely no sugar (and no spoon sharing as you note). Perhaps I should use a timer for his as I can be a bit hit and miss. Love your apron & oven gloves! Hope you can find a decent brew in NYC x

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    1. Ha, oh no Gertie sounds like you drink tea the way they make it over here!!! I've perfected my own technique - I don't add milk and then walk 2 streets or 1 avenue and remove the tea bag - I've taken to drinking it black when I'm out and about as I can't bear milk added before the tea bag's removed and if they do it for me they always add too much. - Chris :D

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  4. No need for a timer in our house, my husband barely lets the water see the teabag! He doesn't take milk or sugar either so making him a cup of tea is a very quick process. My father on the other hand takes 3, yes 3!!, teaspoons of sugar in a mug or tea, but is very fussy about the mug it has to be china, no thick ceramic mugs for him :) Hope your mum doesn't leaving your tea stewing for three weeks it will only be fit for builders!

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    1. Oh no Fiona, hot water and a splash of milk, yuuuck ;D My Dad was the same about tea in a china cup - he wouldn't even use a china mug let alone a ceramic one - he beat your Dad on the sugar though he like 3 large teaspoons and 2 sweeteners - I don't know why he thought he was being healthier having 2 sweeteners instead of a straight 5 sugars! You know there wasn't an ounce of fat on him either, if I tried that my insulin resistance would be full on diabetes overnight. I think Mum will have made and drunk a few pots of tea before I get there and you made me giggle thinking about tea for builders and remembering how in England I had a cupboard full of mugs for workmen who came to the house (we were continually renovating) and lists of how they all liked their tea/coffee attached to the inside of the door - somethings are better about living in a maintained apartment! - Chris :D

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  5. Harney's Tea in the city. Awesome loose teas and very affordable. Their main shop is in Millerton, NY, which is a nice field trip from NJ.

    I love the tea set! What pattern did you use for the apron?

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    1. Haven't been Ruth, I'll have to try it - I've recently been buying by the ounce at Teavana by my apartment and I've been enjoying some Monkey Picked Oolong and also a Youthberry and Wild Orange Blossom White Tea. The apron pattern is my own, I'm hoping to teach it in a class at The City Quilter as some stage but I need to find out how to get the pattern printed professionally or come up with a way of sharing it in the class at the moment I have it drawn out on newspaper! - Chris :D

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  6. What a wonderful gift ... great colors ... the embroidery on the pocket and the tea cosy! I was just emailing my mom that I need to make a cute cover for my stand mixer. Now I want a cup of tea!

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  7. She'll love that parcel, I'm sure! I know I would :)
    I completely agree with you about tea. A hot cup (no sugar) can take the edge off a stressful day. My daughter just came back from Paris and brought me back some Paris Breakfast tea. I wonder if it's as good as English Breakfast.....

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    1. I'm going to Paris myself in 3 weeks so I'll give it a go and see! I couldn't live without my tea - Chris :D

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  8. Such nice pressies, Chrissie! I made some oven mitts as gifts just recently, and no-one is using those either, LOL! People just use them as displays... :)

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  9. And to answer the question, yes, it would! I am all for tea! Earl grey with lemon, or regular with milk :)

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  10. What a fantastic set! I do enjoy good tea, but usually instant iced tea.

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  11. Wonderful job! Your mum must be a very lucky lady. :)

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  12. How fun! Enjoy your trip. Nice that your mum actually uses some of it:)

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  13. Hello there Chrissie D! Yes I drink tea all afternoon at work trying to stay warm! In the morning it's coffee. Lovely makes here again : )

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  14. very pretty, being a southern girl, I like my tea sweet and iced, but that is just me.

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  15. The gift is just beautiful. Homemade gifts are so special. I drink my tea without sugar or cream. And dark, very dark, whether it's iced or hot. ~Pamela

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  16. What a gorgeous set! Have a great time visiting with your mum, Chrissie. Enjoy your trip!

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  17. Love the fabric. Did you use thermal lining in the mits?

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  18. That is one nice slideshow of pretty projects. Thanks for sharing them.

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  19. PG Tips - every time - mostly because that's what my Mum always bought and her mum before her.
    I love tea so much I have a pinterest board dedicated to it! The sun is shining here right now, hopefully it will last for your trip, but it's always a gamble. Tell your Mum to use the lovely things you made, I understand not wanting to spoil them but being used is their destiny, their purpose for being!

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    1. Oh my Dad loved PG Tips, it was always PG when I was growing up and then at some stage he changed to Yorkshire and in his last years back to PG again. Can't beat the old PG chimp ads either, apart from made the Smash Aliens! Since I wrote the post Mum tells me she uses the apron too so maybe she'll move on to using the oven gloves and towel too soon :D

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  20. Beautiful! I bet she will love them!! :)

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  21. Another amazing creation! Thanks for sharing this on Fabulous Friday Party

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Chris Dodsley


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