My best friend...

My best friend Kazumi sent me a package from Japan.   She told me it was coming.  She told me it was chocolate.  Then the postman left a card in the mail box and this afternoon I collected the package.
Look what was in it....two tins and a box. 

Wonderfully pleasing to the eye, tempting to the taste and guaranteed to add centimetres to the hips.
Want a look inside?

And let me tell you, the DBEM has already gratefully accepted two of the chocolates from the blue Hotel Okura box.   An orange flavoured dark chocolate (bottom left in the box)and the one with the writing on it in centre right.   Both equally delicious she tells me.   No Easter Eggs for the DBEM this year - she will eat my Japanese chocolates:)
Thank you very much Kazumi.   Both of us are very very happy.

Catch up

My kind, courageous, gentle, calm 'boss-become-close-friend' lost her battle with cancer and last weekend I went down country to the small country graveyard where she was laid to rest.   A little over a six hour drive each way was very tiring and it has been a hard few weeks.  How I am missing her!
This weekend I am taking quietly as I have a head cold.   No energy to knit or stitch but I have read a book or two.   Coldrex makes me sleepy, lemon drinks keep my throat happy and the evening walks are on hold.   But this morning the scales were my friend - a total of 5kg lost.   And an email from Kazumi says she has mailed a package of chocolates:( Will I survive that temptation?

Anyway, the Aztec Stitch bookmark is completed and the knitting is started.   Yes, just as the weather is getting cooler I am knitting a short sleeved cardigan.   My efforts to clear my wool stash start with this and then it will be two pairs of wool socks.   I like having projects lined up ahead and once this piece of knitting is done it will be back to Arabian Nights.  Sounds like I am converted to a rotation??

Almost there

Last week has been well occupied with activities other than stitching but this afternoon I did complete the Aztec Stitch on the bookmark.
Then I tacked out lines so I can do the mitred corners and finally complete this "simple job".   It has been a bit of a nightmare.   One thing I will be doing is taking some close up photos and rewriting my copy of the instructions so I don't have a repeat of this time's reversing and miscounting,

I'm thinking of doing some knitting next as a respite from the stress:)

At long last

I finally made the foundation work and two and two do make four.   Once that was completed it was easy to draw the threads and begin work on the Aztec Stitch.   My choice of floss has not given the best coverage but this is a bookmark so probably not destined to become an heirloom!

Amendments have been made to the instructions so that I will be able to be more accurate next time and I am thinking this could look good done in wool on a heavy linen as a cushion cover.

Good deeds great rewards

A couple of weeks ago at work I helped out with a tricky request and today in a courier bag came a gift.  Policy is that all gifts have to be declared so I duly went to the manager and showed him.  His response?  "Anything under $50 value doesn't have to be declared so let's eat"
And here's the evidence that he did:-)

I haven't been out pounding the pavements for an hour each night and watching the weight drop so was grateful to my colleagues for removing temptation!

She can't even count in twos!!

Having decided that I wanted to stitch an Aztec Stitch bookmark, I read the instructions and gaily start the foundation four sided stitches - over four threads.  Doesn't everybody do four sided stitch over four fabric threads?   Why wouldn't this work out?   Reading the instructions again I see "over two threads of fabric"
Starting again on 28 count linen - the previous 32 count was too fine for my eyes when stitching over two -  I counted carefully, two by two.   I double checked (I thought). Then I sorted through the extraneous floss in stash and selected a pretty gun metal grey.   Up and down each side with the scroll work.   All is well - everything adds up(I thought).
Again, read the instructions and begin the cutting and drawing of threads.   And then.....can you see what has happened?

It doesn't add up.   I have two many fabric threads.   Both ways - warp and woof.   I can't draw threads in the correct permutation to achieve a grid for Aztec stitch.
Rather than cry I go out on my evening walk and pound the pavements on my 8km circuit reaching home a red hot perspiring mess but having made a decision.  Start again and go carefully.
So here's the progress shot of tonight's stitching. 

No I'm off to bed to read a book.   I can't go wrong with that surely as all the pages are numbered.