Back into the groove

Until today I had not sewed a single stitch since just before the Christmas Fair, so I was delighted when I negotiated an hour and a half sewing window today after my plans to go to the LMQG were scuppered by various (small) members of my family.

I decided to get started on a paperback book carryalong bag as seen on the cover of from this past issue of Mollie Makes:

...using this London fabric from Echino:

The pattern said it would fit an average sized paperback of up to 500 pages.  Mine, however, seems to have supersized itself as it comfortably fits my too-tall-for-the-regular-bookshelf monster 1300+ page copy of Les Miserables :

I do like the pattern so I have measured a normal paperback against my monster Victor Hugo and am going to adjust the pattern accordingly so that I can make one that fits the majority of my paperbacks.  Nevertheless I expect that this monster bookbag will its share of wear, as Les Mis is going to take me a while to read.

I am also obliged to post an update about the marmalade.  It turns out that my "ridiculous husband" is also a curious soul who occasionally reads my blog.  Oops.  Hello, dear!

Anyway, here is the marmalade boiling away at 222F on the final straight towards marmalade-dom:

And here it is all bottled up:

I am not normally a fan of marmalade at all, but I was asked to try a bit of this particular batch on a piece of toast (possibly as punishment for ridiculing the whole process in my previous blog post).  I have to say, as marmalade goes, it is definitely much more palatable than some of the other brands I have tasted.  Compliments to the chef!

Although, dear husband, if you are reading this blog again - THIS is the kind of Marmalade I really like....

.... yum yum x

Edited to add: linking to Heart of Charnwood's monthly book challenge - by happy coincidence this month's challenge is to make something book related!

Here's the linky button if you want to enter too:

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