Wednesday, 16 November 2011

I am Finished. Woohoo!

I sat last night and did the hand sewing thing to my tablerunner and it is officially finished - except for those thread ends. I keep forgetting about the thread ends. It's like I hope some sewing fairy will come and do them for me if I ignore them long enough. I have also discovered that the trampoline surface makes a great backdrop for taking photos and really have the item show up well.

Front
Back
I just hope my partner is happy when she sees my name on the return address of the parcel. I went through my ornaments (got lots!) and chose some for my partner. I happen to know she had a preference to certain ones but decided that I would give her two of the ones that weren't her first choice as well. Because I like them and am hoping she likes them too.


So that is it for swaps until the new year. Now to concentrate on Christmas. Not that this swap wasn't totally about Christmas!



Meanwhile, I still have two sick girls at home. Not sure what to do because there doesn't seem to be any improvement. I think it will be off to the doctor tomorrow if they are still home. I got into the kitchen today to do a little baking myself. I went retro and made something I haven't made in years.

I got out one of my Bero books. Do any of you have any of these wonderful little books? They are baking books first printed in the 1920s as a promotion by Bero flour to encourage people to use their self-raising flour. In fact the early books only use self-raising and do not specify it in the recipes as it is just automatically assumed that is what you are using. I have a collection of these books going back decades, and received the newest just the other week from my mother.


They might not look like much but if you ever need a handy reference to British baking - savoury as well as sweet - these are very useful things. While the newer books add different recipes and become slightly  more international in flavour (slightly) these are the books to come to if you want to make a very traditional British bake. So today I did.


Rock Cakes.
When is the last time you had a rock cake?
And, just for the record, these are not like rocks and are very tasty indeed.
Susan
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30 comments:

  1. Annabella16 November 2011 at 14:25

    Rock rocks. Hmmm. Circa 1972? I`ve never heard of Be-Ro but U like the retro look of the books. Bravo on finishing your tablerunner - looks beautiful....and long!

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  2. Judith, Belfast16 November 2011 at 14:36

    Congrats on your finished runner! It's superb! I'm sure your partner will love it! Don't think I've EVER eaten a rock cake before - yours look yummy! Hope the girls pick up soon! Jxo

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  3. Anonymous16 November 2011 at 14:54

    Hope it is for me!
    That is all :)

    And for the record I have never sewn a thread end in in my life. I didn't even know that mad people like yourself did such a thing until you kept mentioning. I just cut mine off.

    Is that a total quilty cardinal sin that I had no idea about or are there others in this lazy "cut 'em off" school with me?

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  4. linda16 November 2011 at 14:59

    my mum has the one on the very left of your be.ro books :))

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  5. Unknown16 November 2011 at 15:09

    What is this "thread end" thing of which you speak? I have never once sewn a thread end in... Do you mean with a hand needle and everything? Lordy... I just lop em off with the thread snips. I figure if I secured them enough the first time they should be okay right?? It never even occured to me to sew them in...

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  6. Sarah16 November 2011 at 15:11

    I really want your runner... Its a stunner... lol
    Love my Be-ro book, love mums be-ro book (some recipes are slightly different...) Be-ro books are awesome :-)

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  7. Chrissy16 November 2011 at 15:28

    ooo they look great! I'm sure I learnt to bake from my Mum's Bero books.

    I hope the girls feel better soon. Everyone seems to be poorly at the moment. I think it's the change in seasons.

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  8. Dianne Neale16 November 2011 at 15:37

    We used to have the one on the left, but heaven knows what happened to it.
    BTW, I would be really happy with that runner if it were coming my way.
    Hope the girls feel better soon
    xx

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  9. Pomona16 November 2011 at 15:41

    I have a Bero baking book too!

    I absolutely love the table runner and decorations - what a most magnificent swap parcel to receive - lucky partner.

    Pomona x

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  10. Heather D.16 November 2011 at 16:10

    I think anyone would be happy to receive this package. The runner is wonderful. :)

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  11. Indianna16 November 2011 at 17:30

    Ooooooh I love Rock Buns made with suet and then Lyles Golden Syrup poured over while still warm - The Lancashire way?

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  12. Sheila16 November 2011 at 17:34

    Fabulous tablerunner Susan - I do a lock stitch beginning and end and cut off, probably not "proper", but quick.(Used to sew the in)
    Rock cakes are great, quick and easy.

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  13. Nicky16 November 2011 at 17:39

    So gorgeous! And so you Susan! Who wouldn't want that??

    Bero - my mum had one with a red cover but it was falling to bits - think my sister has it now!

    Rock cakes - love them - use wholemeal flour, brown sugar and cinammon in mine! Delish!


    Want one of my rock cakes? Take your pick - sorry ancient joke!

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  14. Susan16 November 2011 at 19:32

    You know how much I love your runner! Rock cakes -yum! Haven't had one in years!

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  15. WandaFish16 November 2011 at 19:38

    You have a very lucky swap partner! I love both sides of the runner and the ornaments are lovely too :)
    Mum used to have the Be-Ro book on the far left but I'm not sure where it is now. It's probably 30 years since I've had a rock cake, lol.
    Hope the girls are feeling better x

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  16. Mrs Flying Blind...16 November 2011 at 19:55

    The runner is so brilliant, can I be a last minute swapper?? I'll buy something nice for the person this was destined for!!

    Cookery books? I have some with nice pics of Jamie Oliver in, they mention food I think!

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  17. Catherine16 November 2011 at 20:06

    Your table runner looks amazing and is totally in my favourite colour. I am just at the binding stage on mine and hope to finish it off tonight.
    your rock cakes look yummy, ages since I had one of those

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  18. Shay16 November 2011 at 20:34

    Obviously Bero cookbooks didnt make it to my parts of the world. Our two cooking bibles are the CWA cookbook and the Green and Gold cookbook over here.

    Your swap partner will be dancing a jig when she receives those swap items.

    Hope your girls are all better very soon!

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  19. Inspiredbyfelix16 November 2011 at 21:15

    Oh Susan, it's lovely! It's brill that its a double A-sider too, the back's fab too! Sorry that the girls are still poorly, that's no fun for anyone, maybe the rock cakes will work wonders? :) x

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  20. Sarah16 November 2011 at 21:43

    Your runner is ab fab Susan! I have all very traditional Christmas colour scheme in my house during December but your runner makes me want to switch to the newer colourways! Soooooo gorgeous - you should be proud! Well don on such a great fn swap for folks too. I've been peeking in and there are all sorts of great runners popping up in the flickr page! And you thought no=one would want to play!!!!

    Hope the girls are better soon - nasty bug doing the rounds of schools here in NI too! We've avoided so far (keeping fingers crossed).

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  21. Sarah16 November 2011 at 21:46

    PS - I always sew in my thread ends too, even when I've back stitched!

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  22. Katy Cameron17 November 2011 at 00:29

    I think I heard a little burst of the Hallelujah chorus there for you! Well done on the table runner, it looks fab :o)

    I'd forgotten all about Be-Ro flour though, obviously it's too sophisticated for Tesco in the east end of Glasgow ;o)

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  23. Rachel17 November 2011 at 01:03

    Rock Cakes! Both my mother and grandmother made rock cakes when I was growing up. My grandmother NEVER measured a single ingredient and hers were always the best (sorry, Mum). Awww...you brought back such good memories with this post. Thanks.

    I love your tablerunner too. So pretty. And the ornaments go with it perfectly. Nice job :)

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  24. Doodlebug Gail17 November 2011 at 01:09

    Rock cakes!!!!! Oh my - what memories I have of my Mom baking rock cakes for us when I lived at home. I'm South African (now Canadian in Toronto) but all my favourite recipes are from home .... made Chocolate Crunchies last weekend which were devoured by my family and I do think that my Mother's Rock Cake recipe will get used this weekend.

    Love the table runner - wish I was in that swap and so sorry to hear that your girls aren't well - hope they're back to 100% real soon.

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  25. Rhonda the Rambler17 November 2011 at 12:42

    I can very politely tell Hadley and Sarah ....no, you may not have MY table runner...hehehe

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  26. Strawberry Patch17 November 2011 at 17:03

    Gosh I LOVE rock cakes :) The runner is amazing (which of course it was bound to be!) x

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  27. Wendy17 November 2011 at 17:30

    Well done, it looks fantastic! leave the threads, it can be a design feature!

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  28. Archie The Wonder Dog17 November 2011 at 20:03

    I love rock cakes - did you sprinkle a little sugar on the top?!! Sorry the girls are still poorly - any improvement today? The runner is stunningly beautiful - I love it, I covet it, I adore it!!

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  29. Anonymous17 November 2011 at 22:15

    I have the 40th book :) However my bOH's brother decided to make a cake with the older version and used plain flour and ended up with a massive biscuit...

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  30. Collette21 November 2011 at 09:54

    oh your table runner is gorgeous and the little snowflakes I love everything about it! I used to have a bero recipe book but then ourhouse got flooded 4 years ago and it got chucked out in the skip with all the other flood damaged stuff :( never replaced it yet. Great wee book though.
    X

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