Family and friends at our table

I spent a few very pleasant hours yesterday with Katie and Reuben from House of Humble blog. I had met Reuben once before on my book tour but Katie was working that day, so it was good to finally meet her. They are such a lovely couple and we had a lot in common, talking about our lives, writing and our blogs. I made a vegetarian quiche with backyard eggs, local cream and cheese and a salad from the last of the backyard produce. We drank raspberry cordial and elderflower cordial and had a great time of it. I get a lot out of speaking with young people such as Katie and Reuben. They ease my fears that we're not doing enough.

When they left, I started on a new piece of redwork. I bought a metre of this fabric when I was with Tricia in the Blue Mountains about two years ago. It sat there in a brown paper bag and when I was tidying up my workroom, I rediscovered it. Tricia made me a template of a running hare she used on one of her quilts, I rediscovered that too so I traced around it with pencil, and started stitching. It's going to be a table runner. 

This type if simple backstitch embroidery is the easiest thing to do. If you've never tried this before, get yourself a plain piece of fabric, draw on a simple design and see what you come up with. I have some needlework instructions here and free patterns; they make lovely Chirstmas gifts. All my stitchery patterns use this simple stitch.  Try to use a course weave pure cotton or linen fabric. The stitches will sit best on that kind of background.

The other small bit of sewing I've done this past week is to make a cover for my office chair. This is the chair I sit on when I'm on the computer and I've always wanted it to be more colourful. Well, look at it now! All it took was 30 minutes, a piece of fabric about three inches wider than the seat on all sides. I cut out the shape while the fabric was on the seat, I ironed down the hem, threaded elastic through using a safety pin to guide it and it came up really well. The top was just fitted to the size of the back rest and hemmed at the bottom. It's simple, it's easy to remove for washing, it used up some of the fabric I have here and it's made the seat look much better than it did. Not bad for 30 minutes work.

Hanno and our visitors will come home today and I'll be pleased to see them. It's been seven days since I've been out anywhere and while that doesn't bother me at all, I do have to pick up some fresh milk and fruit. Kerry, Sunny and Jamie will be here tomorrow so our dining table will be extended out to its full length and we'll all be packed around it for lunch. Luckily we have two high chairs - one for Jamie and one for Jonah. I think it will be another day to remember.