baskets

among the craft books I picked up recently I found one on basketmaking. this is one of those crafts that always looks so simple but I felt it was necessary to buy willow or an equivalent to have a go. well,one of the suggestions in this book is to trying basket weaving using dried leaves from plants such as irises or montbretia. now the irises in my garden are new gifts this year so I don't want to start chopping them down but we have a lot of montbretia and, if it's not cut back before the first frosts, it soon turns into a slimy mess. so, as I've chopped it back, I've gathered it into bunches and hung it in the garage to dry. more news later if it works.

books for free

picked up several boxes of craft and sewing books today through Freecycle. lots of really interesting things to sort through and perhaps gain some inspiration from

make-over ; trousers into cushions

I have a pair of daughter's old trousers in purple velvety material with beading, sequins and embroidery. they are now far too small, but the material is largely unworn. I'm hoping to turn them into cushions for her den.

plum jam

collected about 5 pounds of Victoria plums at weekend. some were windfalls and aren't keeping too well, so I decided to turn some of them into jam.

3lbs plums, 3lbs sugar,10fl.oz water, 14 cracked kernels = 4 pots of jam