A Family Portrait

The girls agreed to stand together for a Hitty family photograph today.

From left to right:  Hitty Granny Estelle, Hitty Patience, Hitty Moana & Hitty Ethel Raikes.

We have been asking our person for some new clothes and now that her wrist is feeling better, we are  hoping she will perhaps make something for us tomorrow with the lovely fabric Fung sent with Hitty Moana Kauri.  It is so lovely though she is loath to cut into it, and just keeps admiring it!  The whole purpose of the fabric both myself, Hitty Patience and Hitty Ethel pointed out, is to make something pretty for is with it!  

Just Released!

A slight deviation from Hitty to advertise my clever husband's newest product!

 

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Making a Hitty Bench - Part Two

My bench has been finished and it blends in nicely with the other furniture.  Perhaps a tad light but I'm sure that doesn't really matter.  My person was a bit upset that the new glue she used shows through the colour washed, but I have assured her I don't mind, it just adds to the character of the bench, and it is perfectly okay for a first attempt.  I have been delighting in having a nothing read of Hitty Robertson's 10th Anniversary book and have just heard that Hitty Moana is going to bring me a cup of tea.  Isn't that nice of her?

Hitty Ethel has been busy at the sewing machine, but won't let on what she has been making.

Making a Hitty Bench - Part One

Hitty Patience asked for a bench to add to their furniture - after all Hitty MUST have a bench!

Fortunately I had found a tutorial while browsing the Hitty Girls site.  My son had some balsa wood from a never completed project, all I had to do was to cycle down the road to get a stanley knife.

Hitty Patience wanders over to check out the almost finished bench.

She gives it a good inspection.

Tries it out for size...

"Yes I think this will do nicely", she says.  "All it needs now is staining the same colour as our other furniture please."

Fortunately I had some dark green wash stain.

Looks a bit dark here, but I am sure it will lighten up once it is dry.

.

Log Cabin Quilt - Part Two

I forgot to post pictures of the finished quilt the other day.

The ladies at quilting suggested (tongue in cheek) to straight line spiral quilt it...not thinking I really would!  How could I resist such a challenge?

As we saw in the previous post, it met the approval of the Hitty Girls.

Fourth family member arrives, a quilt and a book.

The fourth member of our Hitty family arrived yesterday after a trip across the wide expanse of sea.

I welcome her with open arms and she gives me a lovely hug back.

She tells us a little about herself.

"Hello, my name is Hitty Moana, which is Maori for 'wide expanse of water/sea' and I was chosen so that our person could satisfy her need from something from home.  My history is very old as I am carved from 'Ancient/Swamp Kauri' I'm sure I have many stories to tell if only I remembered them".

We are astonished and also admire her darker colour and very pretty dress that she arrived in.

Hitty Patience explains that their person has been making a mini quilt for them all.  

"Shall we go and have a look at it?"  Hitty Patience asks.  

"Oh my isn't it wonderful?" she exclaims!

They all gather round the quilt.

"Gosh look at all the thin stripes that form the log cabin effect" Hitty Ethel says.

Hitty Granny Estelle holds the other side of the quilt.  "It certainly is interesting"

"Come on let's sit on it while Hitty Patience reads us the wonderful book that the Hitty Robertson has sent us to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of writing her journal".  Granny Estelle suggests.

The Rose Cottage Hittys all listen with wonder and hope that they get to go on such interesting adventures

They enjoy looking at all the wonderful photographs in the Journal and feel very lucky to have received such a wonderful gift and would like to send a very big thank you to Hitty Roberson and her person.

Log Cabin Quilt - Part One

The workings of a small quilt for the Hittys at Rose Cottage.  Needs wadding, backing and quilting yet.  I had planned on doing something completely different this morning before going to quilting group, sorted out the pattern I wanted to make and then left it at home!

Some Surprises are in Store

Now if there is one thing Hitty Ethel and I like, that is a good cup of tea, morning, afternoon, or anytime of day really.  You can imagine our delight when this delightful tea set arrived for us yesterday afternoon all the way from America.

The little cloth that was sent with it when perfectly on our little table.

Ah...very pleasurable Hitty Patience, thank you for that cup of tea.

But what did the tea set arrive with?

Well this lovely little handmade cabinet that the Weathertop Hittys used to have was bought for us by our person.  Now where shall we put it?  

Come on give me a hand Hitty Ethel.

That's it, we will move it against the wall for now.

I think it will look best in a living room Hitty Patience, what do you think?

Yes indeed I think it will.  That way we can display ornaments on it, as the kitchen crockery won't really fit on it properly and it looks like it would make a lovely display cabinet.  Of course we will have to wait until our person can build us a living room, which may be some time away yet.

Now one thing you will learn about my person, as I have been learning very quickly, is that she doesn't do anything by halves!  She goes the whole way and more if at all possible and puts her heart and soul into her interests.  I can see we Hittys at Rose Cottage, are going to be one of those big interests for her.  I mean goodness, only a few weeks ago, Hitty was just a name she had seen mentioned on a few blogs over the years, but never given it any thought...then all of a sudden her interest was piqued.  I arrived, and I think, if it isn't too impertinent to say so, that I will be one of her favourites as I was her first, and she also had to bring me to life by painting me.  Now I may have a slightly startled expression at times, but that is perhaps because I was so surprised to be completed so quickly, especially being the first Hitty she has ever painted, having never painted anything before except walls in houses!  Anyway where was I?  Oh yes, I was telling you that my person doesn't do things by halves.  First it was me, then Hitty Ethel Raikes arrived, and now would you believe it, Hitty Granny Estelle has arrived from Thailand!  What she was doing there, goodness only knows, as she originated in Ireland so the story goes.  Anyway, she is here in good ol' England now and are we pleased to see her.

Hitty Ethel rushes to give her a hug. Almost knocking HItty Granny Estelle's hat off in the process.

Hitty Granny Estelle shows us her travelling trunk, complete with little draws and a special smaller trunk on which she has set her hat for now.

We insist she rests for a while and I serve her up with a cup of tea.

It doesn't take long though before she is al settled and insists she gets busy in the kitchen.

She serves us up with her signature dish of Lox and Peppers, which we have never tasted before.  It was actually rather nice.

Hitty Patience takes time to smell the roses.

Today has been overcast so rather cooler than yesterday thank goodness, it was just so hot yesterday it was difficult to get a lot done.

The roses needed to be dead headed...and of course there is always time to inhale the lovely scent of this lovely yellow rose.

Hitty Patience has been enjoying her time in the garden today and has also been training the puppy to carry the newspaper in.

Good boy, you are doing well!

Now bring it a bit closer...

Now young fellow, I've got to teach you to let it go now...

Hitty Patience leans done to get the newspaper from the puppy so she can take it inside for Hitty Ethel to read.

Gathering Lavender

"This lavender is wonderful" Hitty Ethel tells Hitty Patience.

"It sure smells divine doesn't it?"  Hitty Patience replies.  "It is perfect for making lavender bags and pillows"

"So relaxing at night"  Hitty Ethel comments.  "We will need to hang it up to dry out for the lavender bags and pillows, but will need to get some fresh sprigs with long stems to make the plaited/weaved Lavender posies. Can you manage the ones you have okay?"

"Just about"  Hitty Patience replies.  "Come on let's take it inside before we get anymore."

Hitty Raikes arrives

Now this is the life, relaxing in the shade in the garden on a warm sunny day.

Oh dear, is that the time, I better go and get ready to meet my new friend.

Fortunately I have this nice dress that I am wearing already. 

Such a pretty fabric.

Oh I am so excited, I have been waiting ages for her to arrive, in fact my person said she had fully expected Hitty Raikes to arrive before I did as she was sent USPS, but we have learnt that anything sent Priority Post from the US actually takes at least two - three weeks longer to get here than just normal airmail.  In fact poor Hitty Raikes has been stuck in customs for three weeks, and if my person hadn't given up on waiting for the invoice, she still wouldn't be here!  Instead, my person drove to the depot, paid the bill and brought Hitty Raikes home yesterday, and she has been sitting quietly ever since, trying to get her bearings.  Anyway that is enough of my rambles, hopefully she will be coming to meet me very soon now...

Oh my, it is so good to meet you Hitty Patience.  Hitty Raikes exclaims, wrapping her arms around Hitty Patience.

I am so glad to see you have finally arrived safely Hitty Raikes,

Oh please, Raikes is my surname, my name is Hitty Ethel.

That is a nice name.   Hitty Patience says kindly.  Please come outside for a little walk in the garden.

Oh it is lovely out here, although the grass is rather long.  I'm fairly sure my person has hinted to the man of the house that the lawn needs mowing, but he has been rather busy today unfortunately.

Hitty Ethel likes keeping herself busy and it wasn't long before she was working at the table pouring a concoction into little jars.

Oh what are you making?  Hitty Patience asks.

Well, it is a little surprise, but I'm sure you will enjoy it with breakfast.  Hitty Ethel replies.

Can I help?  Hitty Patience asks.  I can take these to the pantry for you if you like?

Oh yes please that would be lovely, I have almost finished now.

Three Billy Goats Gruff

Pretty much as soon as my person learnt about me, Hitty, she joined a group called HittyGirls.  They also have a Yahoo Group of the same name that she also joined.  These Hitty fans enjoy the whole world of Hitty and also enjoy participating in many challenges, from dress making swaps, photo challenges, craft exchanges (for Hitty of course) and many more.  One of the photo challenges for August is 'Three Billy Goats Gruff' which my person thought might be fun for me to take part in...this was the challenge

"For this photo challenge please have Hitty dressed as a troll. Is she a cute troll (is there such a thing?) or a scarey troll or maybe she’s an ancient old bearded troll.  I can hear her giggle now…won’t she have fun dressing up as one of the Toll Bridge Trolls!"

 Well of course I wanted to take part - what fun it would be...

Out came the fabric and sewing machine, now what to make I thought.

I know I will make some frayed hemmed trousers, a dress/top out of some checked and woollen type fabric, which will need a belt of course.  Now what shall I do with my face, I can't possibly be a pretty troll can I?

Hitty Patience had a good think and a rummage and came up with a green felted beard and brown felted wool for the hair.  She had hoped to set the whole scene up outside, but the weather thought otherwise...so she improvised with other materials available around the house.  Her person made her a bridge, much to her delight, as she thought that was going to be a bit too difficult, with not having a 'handyman' around the place.

So without much further ado, Hitty Patience would like to present her version of 'The Three Billy Goats Gruff'...

Trip, trot, trip, trot...

'Who's that walking on MY bridge?' Roars Troll Hitty Patience..

"It is I, Littlest Billy Goat Gruff' Answers the little goat.

"You cannot walk across my bridge"  Troll Hitty Patience, tells the Little Goat

"Oh please, let me cross, there is not much of me to eat, and you have already eaten my two brothers?'   The Little Goat trembles in fear...

Troll Hitty Patience has a think...

Perhaps she thinks for too long...

Just before she goes to grab the Little Goat, he has skiddaddled across the bridge to greener pastures.

In which I gain a chair and some under clothes

The last couple of days my person has been busy acting in rather an unusual way taking apart and glueing together clothes pegs.  Goodness knows what she was up to.  It took me some time to work out what she was making and was surprised to see a couple of chairs take form out of what looked like a pile of useless clothes pegs.  Aparrently she was inspired after seeing something similar in a charity shop.  The first was a  rocking chair  which was rather too larger for me really and Percival has taken possession of it as seen here. 

How ever the armchair was the perfect size for me.

Oh yes, this chair will do indeed.

While my person was busy making a chair, I thought I had better get busy sewing as I needed some underwear to protect my modesty.

I made myself a camisole, pantiloons...

and a petticoat/half slip.  Much better!

The pantaloons give a cheeky peek out from the hem of my dress and keep my legs warm on those cooler days.