Tartan rosette for Burns Night or other Scottish-related event

Yeah, the nursery are having a Tartan Day event, which means the children have to dress up in appropriately Scottish attire. Now, I love men in kilts – my own husband wears it particularly well – but I really envy countries where the women get fabby national costume as well.  I mean, check out Norway or Korea – sweet, huh?

Whereas a Scotswoman in a kilt is generally just wearing a tartan skirt, and there’s a big difference… I did, for a while, wear a man’s kilt (to gigs, it was a long time ago, in my defence) and it was phenomenally comfortable. It sat so beautifully on the hips and into the lower curve of the back, and it was warm.  Unlikely that I can get Miss Small into something like that for tomorrow (not even I will attempt to sew a kilt in a night) so I will take the easy route and make a wee tartan rosette for her cardi.

I’ve got two different tartan ribbons here: Rose and Macdonald.  Neither is my own clan – unfortunately Hobbycraft were a little restricted in choice.  Macdonald is the broad one; it’s 4cm wide, so I’m cutting a piece 35 cm long.  That’s 8 3/4 times the width.  Okay, so I eyeballed it…

Right.  Sew it into a loop. I used my serger because I’m a big old lazy-pants.

Now, sew running stitch round one edge.  Don’t knot the end of the thread, so you can use both tails to tie it up when you’re done.  The smaller the stitch the less deep the gathers, I think is how it works, although I can’t think why.  If you’re wise, you’ll not jab the needle into your thumb just to see how sharp it is.  Trust me, it’s probably sharp.

My stitches were probably about 1/2 cm long.  Put the tails to gather the fabric into the centre like so, then tie off tightly.  I’m keeping the long tails to use to sew the rosette together.  I’d like to say that was preplanned but it’s only just occurred to me.

Do the same with the smaller ribbon.  Mine is 2.5cm wide, so I’ll cut about 25cm.  Here are the two rosettes.  Look!  I made a funny face…

Now I want to sew them together onto a backing.  I’m also going to add in a couple of tails.  I don’t want them ridiculously long, only around 13cm each, so I’ll cut one piece of 26cm and fold it at the top, that’ll reduce the chances of it falling out in wear.  (it might not surprise you, although it took a while to dawn on me, that the radius, ie from the middle to the edge, is 4cm.  Y’know, the width of the ribbon.) Sew the tails on first.

Then the big rosette and then the little one. This bit can be hard going ‘cos you’ve so many layers to get through.  If that’s the case, try to aim the needle up through the hole in the centre, then catch the rosette on the way back down only.

Finish it off with a button to hide the scrunchy-up middle. This scrunchy-up middle isn’t too bad actually.

But see how much better it looks:

Then all that’s left to do is stitch a brooch pin onto the back – or a safety pin at a push – and wear with pride!

You could use buckram instead of felt for the backing, if you wanted extra toughness.  And you could totally make this in other fabrics and colours – smart striped grosgrain would be gorgeous on a summer jacket or bag.  Or maybe pin on a couple of vintage school badges – I particularly like one that says ‘vice captain’ although, to be honest, my vices are pretty mild these days.

On gender roles

Let me begin with a declaration: I am a feminist.  I’m not apologetic about it.  I’m not going say I’m a feminist but… or I’m not a feminist but… Feh. I believe in the empowerment of women and equal rights for all.  And that I can do anything I put my mind to.  I’m lucky that I was brought up believing that women should not be contrained by dint of their gender and that I could and should aim as high as I wanted in life.

I went to University, I played in a band, I found a job I loved at a major broadcasting corporation and was pretty good at it too.  My furniture came from skips and the Salvation Army, my clothes from charity shops and my room was full of books.

Which means that I’m slightly uncertain about where I’ve ended up.

Now, I have to say I’m generally really happy. I chose this route and I wouldn’t change it for now.  And I know I’m lucky in my personal situation and that I have the luxury of choice which many people don’t.  But it does sometimes make me wonder; how did I end up being a full time stay-at-home mum with hobbies of sewing and cooking?  And what messages am I sending to my own daughters?

Anyway, here’s what brought this to a head.  My big girl has been awash with books for a while now. Her bed is an island in a sea of enid blyton, nancy drew, rainbow fairies and the rest.  So I measured and pondered and finally decided that rather than take the Ikea route, we should make her a bookcase.

Well, actually, first I decided I’d make a bookcase for my craft room.

I have a press in the corner and then a bunch of wasted space.  A bit of measuring showed that I could have a decent size bookcase in this wasted space and then, hopefully, with homes for my books and maybe even a few boxes of trim, notions and paper bits, I might have more room to actually work in there.

I looked up timber yards online.  I read about how to make bookcases.  But the sea of books was more urgent, and also the bookcase was going to be smaller (read: easier).  So I figured, make the bookcase for my daughter as a warm-up and then get going on the craft room one.

And yet, after a family trip to B&Q to buy wood, it’s my husband who’s now in the hall knocking nails into planks.

Why?

I really wanted to make the bookcase.  I read all the instructions – even drew a little diagram to work out dimensions.  But when it came down to it, part of me wanted to let him do it.  I tell myself that it’s nice for a daughter to do something with her dad and that it’s important for him to feel capable, the kind of guy who can knock up bookcases for his family at the drop of a hat.  Which is all true, but it doesn’t take away the fact that while he was doing that, I cleared the table, did the dishes and gave the 3yo her bath.

the best (scotch) pancakes in the world

Seriously, they are that good.  I was given the recipe by a lovely lady from the island of Jura who made the lightest, fluffiest, most delicious pancakes I’d ever tasted.  I had a suspicion that her superlative pancakes were only so good because of her 40 years service at a cooker – she truly is one of those Scotswomen of whom it’s said “born with a rolling pin in her hand”

But I was wrong. Even a novice pancake maker can do this.  You doubt me? My 3yo did the mixing of these – I just did the measuring and frying.

If you only make one recipe from this here blog, please, I urge you, make this one.
Anne’s Pancakes

4oz self raising flour
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
a spoonful of sugar (as much as you like, really – I usually use a dessert spoon)
one egg made up to 5fl oz with milk (full fat, if poss)

Stir together the dry ingredients, make a well then whisk in the wet stuff til relatively smooth.  It’ll not kill the pancakes to have a few lumps, just make sure there aren’t any big streaks of dry flour.  The batter will be quite thick.

Heat a frying pan or griddle (or girdle) to good and hot.  Grease it quite lightly with a knob of butter and a few drops of veg oil to carry the butter.  Drop spoonfuls of batter and cook over medium high heat until little bubbles form on top and the top also has formed a sort of skin – it shouldn’t look wet any more.

Carefully flip them over with a spatula.  These are not the ‘flipping’ sort of pancake!  Cook on the other side for a minute or so, until golden brown.

Transfer the warm pancakes directly to a plate and eat, or store in a teatowel until you’re ready – the tea towel will stop them becoming hard as they cool. Eat liberally spread with butter and jam, honey or golden syrup.

Makes enough for a ladies coffee morning, an afternoon snack for a few kids or just a wee treat.  (ie.10)

Do tell me if you have a go?

Toasty toes

You might not have realised already, but it’s been snowing here in the UK. Amazing.

Actually, it is amazing, as the snow has lasted nigh on three weeks now – each time my husband goes out and clears the path, another load falls.  I think he’s partly responsible, you know.  Anyway, snow=cold nights and worse, cold toes.

Miss Small took to wearing socks in bed, but I always worry that feet can’t ‘breathe’ properly under those conditions and so took it upon myself to knit her a pair of bedsocks.  I am a huge fan of hand-knitted bedsocks and have been since I was a teenager, much to the amusement of my sisters. My absolute favourite pair were red, green and white with a tiny jingle bell sewn on the front – I was in my 20s at this point, so there’s no excuse – which usually required me or someone else to shout ‘GO LAZZIOOOOOOOO’ like they used to do on Channel 4 when they were trailing the Italian football. Ah, maybe you had to experience it for yourself…

Anyway, I’m on a knitting spree at the moment. It all began when I ran out of cosy enough jumpers and decided to resurrect a cardigan I started a couple of years ago. I pulled it out of the bag with some trepidation, to see where I’d got in the pattern, and hoped to goodness I’d kept the bit of paper with stitch counts on.  Well, to my delight, I found a back, both fronts, and half a sleeve completed. Result!  I’ve finished the bulk of that now, although I did shove it back in the bag instead of actually sewing it up.  Scaredy cat.

Then I had a shot at socks – on four needles! I felt like a knitting superstar, although close inspection (ie from around a metre away) would reveal that my sock knitting is still pretty ropey.  But, hey, four needles.  I have to confess that it vastly improved and became much easier when it was pointed out to me by my mother AND mother-in-law that I was actually knitting it inside-out… round the inside of the tube rather than the outside.  *blushes*

With that in mind – and the fact that I’ve not finished that sock yet, let alone its partner – I was reluctant to go 4dpn again for Miss Small.  A little hunting online threw up a few patterns but they were all for little babies or adults.  Very little inbetween.  The lovely Katy of GirlIndustries offered to send me a pattern to try but, before it arrived, I found a pattern that claimed to be for a toddler and in a burst of enthusiasm, got started on it right away.

But when I knitted it up, I could tell half-way that this would barely fit over Miss Small’s toes.  So I scaled it up.  With a variable degree of success – they look okay, sort of, unless you sit them side-by-side, at which point you notice that they’re not actually identical. The ribbing starts before her ankle, and they’re probably a bit wide too.  BUT, the fact remains, I knitted bed socks! Finished them, sewed them up even. Threaded through some elastic to keep them on her feet. Pleaded, begged and threatened in order to keep them on her feet.  And here’s the result!

Here they are in action:

Of course, now her sister wants a pair too…

Happy new year!

I hope it’s a good one – full of fun, laughter, love, friends and family – for me and for you.

We had our traditional steak pie for tea tonight – is this just a Scottish thing? We’d have gone for the Ne’er Day walk too, but it’s still so icy underfoot, we have barely set foot outside the whole holiday.  Also did the visiting of relatives, so all in all, a pretty trad start to the year.

When the schools go back next week, I’ll be back online too.  Not that I have anything new or exciting to report…

Advent activities – day what?

Yeah, sorry, got distracted there…

We’ve done stuff, and I even took photos with the intention of dutifully blogging it all, but alas it didn’t come to pass.

We’ve played with a dreidl (day 15), made clay hanukiahs (day 12) and glittery sticky greetings cards (day 14)

Yesterday’s activity was “Read the Christmas Story”. I was busy trying to get dinner on the table so big girl could get to her school disco on time last night, so Mr Rhubarb took over advent duties. He came back downstairs with a copy of “The Little Christmas Tree”. Er, no, dude – THE Christmas story? You know, the one with Jesus in?

I found the picture strip bible and they set too reading it – unfortunately my little heathen children would have far preferred The Little Christmas Tree (well, one would, the other one was campaigning for The Spirit of Christmas) and there was general dissent until I went through with a stalk of broccoli and a) distracted them and (b) threatened bad things if they didn’t sit nicely and listen to the story.

*sigh*

advent day 10 – chocolate snowballs

This is a pretty easy one  – the three year old was ecstatic at bashing up biscuits with a rolling pin, while the 7yr old felt grown up doing the measuring out.  And the end result is yummy. 

It’s my dad’s recipe, so at least 40 years old I suppose.  I remember him making it – not often, but occasionally – when I was younger.  Maybe because he didn’t cook that often, the things he did make stand out in my memory; tablet, marmalade, scampi on a Saturday night (hey, it was the 80s) and this. 

Melt in a saucepan:

2oz butter
2oz sugar
1oz milk
1/2 tin condensed milk

then stir in:

13 digestive biscuits, crushed up
2oz drinking chocolate
2oz coconut

Allow to cool a little (but not for more than a couple of minutes or it will set in the bowl) then roll into small balls, and roll these in chocolate vermicelli or coconut.  You could also press it into a small tin and cut squares, but that’s not very snowball-y is it?  Best kept in the fridge and out of the reach of little fingers.

advent day 5 – oh no it isn’t!!

Today was Miss Small’s 3rd birthday and what a busy day we’ve had! Grandmas in the morning, a birthday lunch and then we all headed off to a panto. 

Miss Small was a bit apprehensive about the show, so she and I relocated to the back of the hall, but her big sister was absolutely spellbound.  It was a local production, held in a church hall, not the big-name, big-theatre extravaganza in town, but that suited us down to the ground. We could park, it wasn’t too expensive, and there’s something charming about amateur productions that you can’t replicate.

This particular one was a mash-up of Mamma Mia and Aladdin – a curious mix, it must be said, but it was such fun.  We clapped along, we sang, we shouted ‘it’s behind you’ and ‘oh no it isn’t’ .  And they also sang Happy Birthday to Miss Small.  She was a bit overwhelmed, but I guess if you go to a pantomime wearing your party dress, jewellery, two badges saying ‘it’s my birthday’ and ‘3 today!’ – oh, and a light-up musical tiara with ‘birthday girl’ written on it in hot pink felt, well, you can expect people to notice.

It was lovely. But now I’m completely exhausted, about to send Mr Rhubarb out for curry and firing up the Murder She Wrote dvd…the perfect end to a pretty good day.

Advent day 4 – snowy scenes

Now, today was originally going to be making wreaths, but just when i was getting ready to take Miss Small up to the charity shop in search of wool and scarves, she capitulated, put on a party dress, fairy wings, deely boppers, make-up (well, lipbalm) and sparkly shoes. 

Ah.  Not really wanting to go up the street then? 

The thing that confuses me most is how long it took me to realise that I could move the activities around and replace wreath-making with something we actually have all the stuff for. Duh.  Mind you, it’s only possible as we didn’t have time to open the calendars this morning…

So instead, we were painting scenes then sticking broken-up polystyrene packing chips on to look like snow.  Miss Small opted for the abstract approach and finished off the scene with liberal amounts of green paint, while her big sister went religious with a traditional stable scene.  Success!

No pics, as I have yet another birthday cake to make (that’ll be three in the past four days) and shouldn’t really be faffing about with cables and the internet.

advent activities day 3 – Olive the other reindeer

Aaah, now I feel like Christmas is on its way… today’s activity was watching my absolute favourite holiday film/programme, Olive the Other Reindeer.

Do you know it? If not, can I urge you to try and get hold of it?  It’s a sheer joy.  Based on the book by J.Otto Seibold and Vivian Walsh, it’s the tale of a little dog who hears the phrase “all of the other reindeer” and thinks that means she must be a reindeer.  Off she goes to help Santa…

 This afternoon all four of us squashed onto the sofa under some quilts and watched it before dinner. Each of us has our favourite song, favourite scene, even favourite visual joke in the background shots, but we all agree that it’s wonderful.  At just 45 minutes long, it holds the attention of the wee-est one right to the end, but isn’t a total all-day tvfest.  (The Wizard of Oz, I’m looking at you)

In other news, we had the  first  second celebration of the 2yo’s impending birthday, with five of her small friends and their mums round the house this afternoon. It was fun but by jove, they were loud.  (the kids, not the mums – they were all pretty well-behaved) Decibel levels peaked at the point at which they formed a band with accordian, swanee whistle, keyboard, tambourine and shouting.  And then the sugar from the crispie cakes kicked in and the tiredness levels rose until they were just whining. 

It was a success, I think, and Miss Small certainly enjoyed herself.  But for me, I think a glass of wine and a quiet sit-down is in order for the rest of tonight.