When in doubt read the destructions!

 My friend Fiona used this comment once upon a time and it really stuck in my head.   Never more so than in my current tussle with this Wessex Stitchery

After linen and colours of floss had been decided (a story of its own!) I gaily got the first panel stitched and made a start on the second.  The chart seemed clear to read but alas it didn’t line up and so offended my mathematical brain.  Several episodes of reverse stitching later I gave up and knitted a pair of socks - deciding that my stitching days must be over.

Then a “light bulb moment” - try a trial piece to the side.   Well, it didn’t look exactly like the cover photo or the stitching chart.  So I consulted my Gay Eaton Wessex Stitchery book and didn’t receive any enlightenment.   So I started another pair of socks!

Finally I read the instruction book that came with this chart thoroughly and….duh!   Off I went and this morning I have motif one completed correctly.

But now the dilemma is.  Do I continue with the Wessex or finish the other sock first?

Breeding Rabbits

 A couple of weeks ago I made a brief trip to Christchurch to visit elderly uncles and managed to squeeze in a trip to Broomfields, the amazing needlework store.   Of course I fell into temptation and a chart and fabric for a French Rabbit came home with me.   Saintly moi finished knitting the pair of socks on the needles before starting this adorable creature.  And now I’m finished.

Stitched on 32 count Belfast linen using Silk N Colours Finnegan’s Fog, I’m ever so happy with how it’s turned out and am grateful that cold weather is keeping me indoors and providing stitching time in abundance.    Brer Rabbit may be sartorially splendid but he is really only a useless ornament.   I really must try projects that are more useful.

Today a friend sent me an intriguing reel of a folded triangular needle case and as it’s a long holiday weekend here I plan to go through my stash and see if I have the ingredients necessary to complete that as a project.

 

Plans

 The end is in sight for the Kensington House.    I’m on the last section and then it is trees and flowers and “final fix” as Kevin McCloud always calls it on the TV.

So I’m thinking about what to do next and on a recent bout of decluttering I found this piece of Lugano already hemmed to make a tablecloth.   Totally unnecessary as I don’t use one (except when my nieces children visit and then both floor and table get a cloth 😂) but I’m going to go ahead and stitch a hardanger cloth.   Methinks this pattern can be adjusted to fit the size of my cloth.   I want to do it in two colours so the cable stitch thick lines joining the square Maltese Cross will be in my favourite blue.  I will possibly need to think hard about how to introduce a little more colour.  But first I need to find out whether or not I should wash the fabric to remove the "holes" created by the previous work - can you see the line across the fabric?

Meanwhile, I found this piece of Anne Afghan cloth and have started a very simple hardanger design -  based on the colours with which I have hemmed the fabirc.   This will be no earthly use to man nor beast but will look pretty lying across the foot of the spare bed.  And...it's one less thing in the stash cupboard.

Heritage Hall left a comment about where the Quaker Needlework Pocket.   The designer is a New Zealand designer who as far as I know does not market overseas.   I’d be happy to mail my chart to you if you want it.   Please contact me on the email coded in my profile.

Construction Zone

 I am busy in construction mode now.   

The Quaker Needlework Pocket is now completed and I am very happy with this one.   It was fun to stitch and has turned out exactly as specifications.   

Now I am constructing a Kensington House.  This is from the Nutmeg Company and will be made into a box.   I'm finding the chart hard to read but that is a function of my eyesight rather than the designer.

Today I spent some hours at the dentist and now have a new filling in one tooth and a crown on another.  All went well but my jaw does not open very wide and when it was necessary to put in a camera to scan for measurements for the crown there was a lot of wiggle and grimace.   I was intrigued that the crown was printed on a 3D printer and the small rubber looking "thing" was checked for fit before it went off to be fired whereupon it miraculously changed from a lurid purple to the normal tooth colour.    Now the numbing injections have worn off I'm not comfortable but hopefully the pain will be gone by morning tomorrow.

Tis the season for frosts here and we are promised our first for tomorrow morning.   But if the day is another golden autumn one I will  happily go out for a walk scuffing through the leaves. Aah....Autumn bliss.

 

Let’s Plod On

 March already! 

The days are flying by so fast but it has been a good year so far.   

I have been successful in a couple of small DIY jobs and because of that shed tears my father isn’t here for me to share with him.  He’d have been so proud of me and although he’s been gone 34 years apparently I can still miss him badly.  Those couple of days were bittersweet but I do have more confidence in my ability to do small jobs and so avoid calling in an expensive professional.

And I finished my Ukrainian Whitework mat.   This was such a pleasurable stitch.   I loved every bit of it and am so pleased with the finished result.

So I’m inspired to get on with another WIP and have pulled out the Pocket Quaker.   My aim is to get the second section completed before Stitch Group day.   Quite possible I think but only if I’m disciplined:)

And at long last my scales are my friend and I feel as if my cardiologist will be happy with me when I see her at the end of June.   The UK cream tea kilos are off now (ha ha) and I need to lose the Bereavement Kilos and then my happy dance will be so loud and long it will be heard from far away.   That’s the plan anyway.

February already?

 January seemed a long month but looking back I don’t seem to have accomplished much.   

Oh well, new month new start.

I built a house in Kensington Square!   The chart was difficult to decode with my poor eyesight so this may not be exactly to pattern but I’m very happy.   The few gaps are for French knots which I shall put on last.   I have stitched but not constructed the lid so only three sides of the box to go now but I’ve put it aside for the moment.

Three times I turned the heel on my Stephen West January Sock and three times I pulled it back.   I realise now that I am not going to be able to keep up with a pair of socks a month in his crazy adventurous avant- garde patterns so have decided I shall print them all off and keep them and will progress at my own pace.   I don’t need 12 pairs of new socks anyway!  So a current photo is…..

Quaker Pocket and  Wedgewood Reticella are both in Time Out while I am enjoying the utterly delightful Ukrainian Mat.   A friend designed this so instructions are sparse and there has been quite some reversing but I’m well on the way in the first quarter now.   Yesterday I sat under (near) the sun umbrella absorbed in this stitching and absorbing vast amounts of Vitamin D and feel enthused once more for what promises to be a busy week.

First up is the usual housework, laundry and general chores then I need to get on to my sewing machine as I need new summer pajamas.   I don’t have  a lot of fabric stashed but there’s just enough cotton lawn for a pair of those  - yay!   During February I’m trying to have a “nothing that’s not necessary” month which is partly to try and complete half done projects and tidy up my To Do list.   Early days yet but resolve is strong.

Some finishes, some starts and a return to a WIP

 January is passing by so quickly and we are finally enjoying hot summer weather.   So besides watering the garden daily and sitting under the shade umbrella with a cool drink, I have been busy with my needle.

First up the Noel ornament is finished.

Then I completed the pincushion from the Wedgewood set (kit from Inspirations).   I’m using this to teach myself reticella but have not fallen in love so the rest of the kit has gone into time out.

Section one of the Quaker Pocket is done.   I’m enjoying this one and the variations in the DMC 115 make it interesting to stitch.

And I started a new piece.  A Ukrainian Whitework piece but done in blue and white.   However the first motif, while it is in the correct place is not in the correct colour so this too has gone into time out until I get some Perle thread in DMC 794

My start

What the finished piece will hopefully look like

So  as some sort of penance perhaps, I decided to go back to the Kensington Square box and get that finished before Show and Tell at stitch group next month.  

And I have the first pair of Westknit socks to finish.   Oh dear, too busy!