Xmas pressies 1- homebrew

Spent an awesome afternoon Saturday wandering about the Somerset countryside with Em picking blackberries. Encountering some angst ridden heffers and bullocks all frantically mooing at each other :) we managed to gather over 4lbs of blackberries as well as a bonus 4oz of elderberries and pound and a half of damsons :)




So thanks to a lend from Em of some bits and a sneaky purchase of some demijohns and yeast I got the first gallon started today. 1 gallon of blackberry and elderberry wine hopefully ready for gifts at some point! :)

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Homemade Goodies - the plan!

I'm getting a bit overexcited about making stuff at home now and have latched onto the idea of using my home grown beetroots to make pickles. I love pickled beetroot, and so does my stepdad, so have found a recipe and gathered some jars from lovely work peeps, so when I get hold of some pickling vinegar I'll crack on. I'm hoping if they come out ok, I can give them as crimbo pressies, so am keeping an eye on some funky material and labels to jazz up the old jars a bit.

I took my mom and step Pa on my fave local walk from Woollard this weekend to show them the lovely views and check out the hedgerow goodies situation, I'm happy to say there are loads of sloe's and blackberries. So list of things I'm hoping to make before crimbo are:

Pickled beetroot

Apple chutney
Blackberry jelly - this weekend!
Ginger cordial
Burnt sugar fudge- this weekend
And finally some sloe gin - that'll have to be for next crimbo or after though :)

I'm also keeping an eye out on freecycle and ebay for brewing schtuff, there are so many blackberries it'd be a shame not to try and make some wine with them! So fingers crossed! Maybe a text to my Pa.

Other ideas for things I'd like to do of late are:
Reupholstry course
Woodwork course
Rag rug making - this is in the process - book on 'how to' purchased, hessian aquired and rag merchant contacted - just need to find some resonably priced tools on ebay!

 Sorry this is a bit wordy - more pics as things unfold!

Knitting revisited!

Since last time and now that we're heading into winter, I'm getting all excited about making things. It was all spurred on by picking up my knitting again, I checked out Youtube to find out how to cast off my first scarf, so that freed up the needles for some more experimenting. Not happy with a standard knit stitch project next I decided to check out a herringbone stitch, again thanks to Youtube :) which is ridiculously hard going for a newb, basically it involves purling one row and then slippng the next row, slips all nice and loose and purls were so tight I could barely get a needle through them! So bought three balls of chunkier Sirdar Indie wool colour 160 and some chunky 10mm 60cm circular knitting needles to try and make a snood. I've now joined Ravelry and faved a few patterns, so we'll see how that goes! (I also bought some DK Sirdar 828 bright purple, its gorgeous, no idea what I'll do with it yet though!)

My original scarf I think I will jazz up with some contrasting tassles and buttons, not sure exactly on the finish yet, so watch this space. Also popped to Midsomer Norton with Em and went to Rose Crafts which was awesome, am tempted to get some sock wool and knit my Pops some chunky socks for crimbo, maybe next year though! They had what I thought was called festival or something like that, basically a super funky multicoloured ball of wool that makes one pair of socks. Will have to go back and get some!