Friday 14 June 2013

Birthday Tea

I know breakfast is widely regarded as the most important meal of the day but I disagree.  I also know that lunch is the perfect time for a break in the day but I know a better time.  And dinner has universal appeal.  But there is one meal that knocks all these into touch – it is a meal I am particularly fond of, a meal that has universal appeal to young and old alike and it is a meal that transforms an ordinary day into a blissful day.  Yep, it is time for tea ......
..........and cake .....
 
It's TEA TIME!!
The Zakka 2.0 project for this week is applique based – right up my street.  So much so that I combined Ayumi’s letters with my mug pattern from my One Block pattern book.
This week's project specified linen as the fabric of choice.  But, if I learned nothing else from Zakka 1.0 I did learn that linen is awful to launder.  It creases as soon as you hold it and it soaks up water like a sponge.    I didn’t want my handiwork spending more time in the washing machine than on display so I chose to work with 100% cotton instead. Having said that there are some linen tea-towels in the Flickr group that look awesome so I have to stress – this is just my opinion.

Also, as Amy points out on Amy Made That (and she made a gorgeous retro tea-towel) – linen is expensive whilst cotton is not.  What is more, cotton tea-towels are easy to come by.  I purchased a set of three from Marks and Spencers and they even came with a little hanging loop on one corner just like Ayumi's.
(I am wondering if the M&S designers have read Ayumi's book - same hanging loop!)
Once I got down to the applique this project went together quickly and easily but ..... and it is a huge BUT ..... why, oh why do the publishers not provide us with full-size pattern sheets.  I know the argument about saving space in a book but in this day-and-age they could provide on-line access to the full-size sheets or even on-line access to the print outs so that we could enlarge them quickly and easily.  I believe the book is available in an on-line version anyway so it wouldn’t even be that much work for the publishers.  I wasted over an hour trying to get the letters to the correct size. 
My copier/printer would only enlarge to certain sizes – 167% was not one of them!!  In the end I scanned the page and saved it as a PDF.  Enlarging a PDF at print time is easy – it is on the print screen.  But I have yet to figure how to print an enlarged pattern over several pages.  This is, and always will be, a bug bear of mine.  It needs shouting from the roof tops – FULL SIZE APPLIQUE SHEETS PLEASE!!! 

Onto other matters ..... you must’ve heard about THE BIRTHDAY.  It is the talk of the world.  I do not mean Queen Elizabeth’s birthday although I did celebrate this with a cuppa and a cookie.
 I don’t even mean Prince Phillip’s birthday though this too was marked with another cup-of-tea and a cookie.
No I mean THE birthday – the Patchsmith’s birthday.  Surely you didn’t think all the flags and bunting were for Lizzie and Phil?   This coming week is a royal week here at Patchsmith Palace as my birthday marks the start of another year of fun, fabric and friends. 
As a special treat I would like to mark the day with a little competition ...... ‘guess the Patchsmith’s age’.  Now it has to be said that I am like the Queen in that I have two ages – one official (birth certificate in evidence unfortunately) and another that is my preferred age.
I will be giving away three mug rug patterns:
 
Spring Chicken ......
Is the Patchsmith a Spring Chicken or an old bird?
Flower Patch .......

and Coffee and Cake........
These three patterns will go to the first person to guess my preferred age.  Just leave a comment with your guess (only one entry per person) and I will check in regularly to see who guesses first (you should also make sure I can contact you via email somehow!)

***** UPDATE - Competition is closed *****
Linda guessed my preferred age as 38 y.o.
Thank you everybody for taking part in this little bit of fun.

Sew until next time ........ 

47 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday! I'm wondering if it is the big 4-0 for you this year?

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    1. Thank you Joan - but no 40 for me this year.

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  2. I love your tea towel. It's great! I haven't read the instructions yet but seriously 167% ?!?
    Honestly I have no idea about your age. You have no age in my image of Patchsmith, lol.

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    1. I like that I am ageless Vera, I hope it stays that way :-)

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  3. I don't know what your preferred age is, I would have said 21 but I don't want to be 21 any more! I was 60 in April (eekk did I really say that out loud!!) I think this is my preferred age now, we are both retired and having the time of our lives. We live in France and have just been to the UK for 4 weeks holiday in our new to us motor home, we have been back in France for 2 weeks and are reluctant to go back home! I would say your preferred age is the one you are now... enjoy it... and Happy Birthday! Linda xx

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    1. Thank you Linda - it is lovely to hear that you are having such a great time and the freedom and company to enjoy being your age. I too enjoy being my age but there is a difference between my true age and the age I feel inside - neither of which are 21 unfortunately. I am so glad you enjoyed visiting the UK - it is a beautiful place to be - as is France.

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  4. I would say you're ageless, but if I had to choose a preferred age for you, I'd say 45. Old enough not to care what others think and young enough to enjoy. Now I'm into my 60's and still having a great time, but if I had to redo, I'd start in the 40's! Thanks for your happy blog.

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    1. 40s are/were good but unfortunately 45 is not my preferred age. Sounds like 60 is the way to go though as you and Sunnybec both seem to be having fun.

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  5. I'm going to say 29 would be your preferred age....it is for me! I would love to be 29 AND know what I know today :)

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    1. Ah the old saying "can't put an old head on young shoulders" eh? 29 sounds like a brilliant 'preferred' age but I think my colleagues would roll-on-the-floor laughing if I said I was 29 years old!

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  6. Preferred age? 39 and holding? Old enough to know a lot and young enough to do it all! Seriously, I love your designs and philosophy on life. Keep on keeping on!
    purrfectquilts@yahoo.com

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    1. Thank you so much - 39 does sound very close to being a good idea. I have heard it said that as you get older you should pick a number and stick to it - so I do (giggle). Unfortunately 39 is not it.

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  7. I'm guessing 30 would be your preferred age.

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    1. Sorry Diane, 30 would be good but it is not THE year.
      xxxx

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  8. I will guess your preferred age would be 40...oh, to be 40 once again!!!

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    1. Stitches, if you want to be 40 again then it should become your preferred age on your next birthday. I think it is a good round number - but it is not my round number at present.

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  9. My guess would be 36.
    Thanks for the opportunity to win.



    caseqfk@yahoo.com

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    1. 36 is exactly the right kind of preferred age - unfortunately it is not quite right.

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  10. I am guessing 35. It was a good age for me.

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    1. 35 is a very good preferred age - glad to hear it is yours. Unfortunately, it is not mine. I have had the same 'preferred' age for about seven years now - it just helps when anybody asks my age. I do get some giggles and odd looks though so I may have to put it up soon - but not this year.
      xxxx

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  11. I am going to guess 32 as your 'preferred' age. Happy birthday and hope it is a good one for you!

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    1. Thank you - I am hoping it will be lovely - birthdays are always good days.
      32 is a lovely age but it isn't my preferred age.

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  12. I have no idea, I have never seen a picture of you, so I'll guess 51 as your preferred age. I always think of myself as 21 but my daughters are 38 & 41....
    thelady at hotmail.com

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    1. A picture wouldn't help Marjorie as my preferred age is the age I like to think of myself - it is more akin to how I feel than my true age. 51 is quite close to my true age so I'm afraid it isn't my preferred age. But if you want to have your own preferred age of 21 then don't let having grown-up daughters stop you!
      p.s. There is a picture of me on my 'About the Patchsmith' page.

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  13. Good evening! I'd say your next birthday will see you in a lovely 55 years old and your preferred age could it be 25?. Have a lovely birthday!!

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    1. You are very close with my real age but unfortunately not so close with my preferred. Thank you for my birthday wishes - don't you just love the sewing community - everybody is so nice.
      xxx

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  14. I'm guessing the Patchsmith is celebrating its 1st birthday. According to your blog it was started in 2012. As to your preferred age - I haven't a clue but I suspect you are probably saying something hilarious like sweet 16 going on . . . whatever your real age is! or the reverse: your real age going on sweet 16 or something like that. The mug rugs are nifty. Enjoy the day whatever age you are!

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    1. I wish I had thought of saying I was 16 y.o. - everybody at work would've laughed so much. Maybe I will try it next year! I have a lovely day planned for my birthday - starting with breakfast-in-bed and ending with a meal with family.
      xx

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  15. Really cute rendition of the "tea" towels!!

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    1. You just knew there would be gingham this week didn't you? It is such good fun to be back in the Zakka swing of things. Thank you for co-hosting Debbie.

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  16. This looks like a fun game :) my preferred age is 33. I had my two children, I was thin and fit and indestructible . So, is your preferred age 33?
    I do love tea and cake appliqué . Yours is very pretty.

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    1. Glad you like the tea towel Val - it is much more Patchsmith than breakfast, lunch or dinner. I think 33 is a really good age but it is not THE one.

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  17. I love you tea-time towel Amanda! Happy birthday! 17 maybe?

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    1. I am not sure I would want to be 17 again Rumeysa - all that teenage angst - so I'm afraid it is not my preferred age. Thank you for the birthday wishes - I am so looking forward to a wonderful day.

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  18. 37? Just because... well why not?

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    1. 37 is a very good guess Brenda but unfortunately not quite right.

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  19. Are you turning 52? After looking at your photo, I wouldn't have guessed over 40! Preferred age? My guess is 38. I love your mug rugs. I have bought several of your patterns. I love the tea cup pattern on your dishtowel. Happy Birthday whatever the age. My birthday is June 30.

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    1. WOOHOO - absolutely right. 38 is my preferred age. If you were to ask at work how old I am the answer would be a resounding 38! The patterns are on their way to you.

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    2. Thank you Amanda! I love them. Happy Birthday.

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  20. Oops clicked to fast >>I adore the tea towels and i agree tea time is my favorite as well! I thought I already followed your blog but it turns out didn't. So here I am :-)

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  21. Tee Hee, you had everyone going here :)) Just want to wish you a Happy Birthday and to say how much I enjoy reading your blog and seeing all your wondeful creations. Hugs Ellyx (Back from Spain yesterday!)

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  22. You always do sucha great version of the projects and this is no exception Amanda. I check in for you tips and comments before starting each of mine - excpet I think you have skipped the tea pouch (how is that possible?) and I was stumped for a bit. Happy Gingham Birthday.

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    1. I did skip the tea pouch - well actually the tea cosy AND tea pouch - two projects in one week is just too much and it was my birthday week. (Well that is my excuse and I'm sticking with it). It is just like old times isn't it?

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