Sew comforting

Life around here after the birth of our daughter is, dare I say it, starting to fall into some form of routine. Our almost 9 months old daughter is doing really well and has learnt to put herself to sleep and now manages to go from 6.30pm to 6am. This means that after dinner I can sit down and do something for me, something creative such as post on my blog or do some work on my new sewing project.


The sewing project I have decided to embark on is my very first patchwork quilt. I previously been a bit nervous of making a quilt. They always looked a bit complicated however after some patient guidance from my Mum who has been attending patchwork classes I have undertaken a random quilt of pink and aqua blue. I am hoping that, once finished, it will be used to keep our daughters legs warm in her buggy come the colder autumn/winter months.


I'm not following any strict patchwork pattern so each 2.5 inch square is placed randomly. I am just enjoying the process of piecing the bright, splashy colours together.

I get a great deal of comfort from sitting absorbed by the careful cutting of the fabric and listening to the gentle hum of the sewing machine. It is really helping me to relax. I can feel my brain letting go of all of the 24/7 mummy worries. Is she eating enough? Is she eating too much? Is she too hot? Is she too cold? For a few precious hours I immerse myself in the sea of patchwork patterns and colours. When I finally emerge from the patchwork waters I feel refreshed and I feel I once again able to give my all to being a Mum. There is also something incredibly satisfying to know that I am making something that will bring comfort to our daughter. I like to think about her all bundled up in it on one of our walks down the lane with our hairy gentle dog.


I had better get a move on as those autumn days are nearer than I would care to admit.

Blackberry jewels

Now I have given up work to look after our 8 month old the only type of blackberry I am interested in are these beauties. They are far better for you than its electronic name sake and far more conduciveto family life.

These juicy black jewels tumble over the wall into our garden. I managed to pick a good bowl full and made a delicious crumble which I served to my visiting in-laws with vanilla ice-cream. Oh it was heaven in a dish! I just wish I had taken a picture of the finished crumble. As it is a bit early for them there are still quite a few little green blackberries-in-waiting. There should be enough for the blackbirds and us as long as the rain doesn't wash them away.

When I had finished I looked down at my hands and was reminded of my maternal grandmother. A country woman through and through. Who often had fruit stained hands from making the best fruit pies and crumbles. She was rarely out of her wellies and was always sending us home with bowls and bags of something she had grown in her garden.

Home For Tea And Cake

There is nothing more comforting than spending an afternoon curled up on a comfy sofa, drinking hot, steaming cups of tea and eatting homemade cake. Its a simple pleassure. The sweet smell of the cake and the hot familiar taste of the tea are quite simply the perfect combination.

Its an opinion we all share in my family. When holidaying in this country as a child we often abandoned an afternoon visiting the local tourist attraction in favour of spending it sitting in the garden of our holiday cottage drinking tea out of unfamiliar cups and eatting one of Mum's homemade cakes which she has carefully transported the 100+ miles. This tradition and ritual continues today and brings me a great sense of ease and well-being.

It therefore seemed natural to name my blog, which I wish to capture the essence of home, family and the simple pleassures of life 'Home For Tea And Cake'. So pull up a chair, grab yourself a hot mug of tea and cut yourself a large slice of cake and enjoy!