Kogin and Cross Stitch

 It’s about time for another catch up - at least to record progress on my stitching.   Currently I am obsessed with Kogin and with some of what’s left of the red Lugana I am making two tray mats.   The DBEM and I usually have our evening meal on a tray in front of the television so we will appreciate a new cloth each for that.   There are many stitches in these so this is a long term project and we will continue to use our old ones meanwhile :) I am stitching one "diamond" on each mat first as the book needs to go back to the library and I can then copy my stitching to complete the mats.

Many years ago I found the instructions for a folding etui on a French blog and carefully kept the instructions.   

Then more recently I burrowed down a Pinterest hole and found this.   

So I have started a new sewing/stitching/project bag.   In DMC930 I am stitching over one thread of fabric on 28 count Cashel linen so this too will not be a quick finish.

And the weather has turned bitterly cold and my head and ears get really cold on my daily walk so I am knitting myself a beret in left over yarn.   I’m not a fan of knitting in the round and as this is definitely a “ needs must” project I’m going to knit it flat and put a seam up the back.  

Today was sunny (but still bitterly cold) and I managed to get my lawns mowed and also a quick pulling of weeds in the vegetable garden.   There are carrots ready and broccoli and silverbeet coming on apace.   The leeks are doing well but it is a slower race with those!   In the flower garden I still have roses blooming at the same time as the daffodils are in bud.   Our weather has certainly been strange this year.   Next week I am scheduled for my pacemaker lead replacement (finally I hope) and so won't be mowing lawns or doing gardening for a couple of weeks.   I'm working my way through a "must do before the 30th" list of jobs.   Tomorrow the weatherman has promised fine but cold so I may be outdoors again and the baking and other indoor jobs can wait until the wet weekend.

New month, new resolutions and a new start

 Well, where to begin.   It seems ages since I have updated this blog so here we are...

First, the Kogin coasters are completed and I am pleased with them.    Next I shall begin a set of placemats for my own use but not in red!   I am most definitely a blue person so it shall be the traditional indigo navy and white for me.   

Nearly two weeks has passed since my last post and the DBEM has been for her various appointments and  has her “warrant of fitness” for 3 months so this week I have some time to myself.   We have been to the Optometrist and are waiting on new spectacles which have sharpened up the little sight that the DBEM has remaining.   And we are waiting for an appointment with the Opthalmologist too as the right eye needs looking at.   So it was a good and bad report but the DBEM is still happy she can continue with her knitting so all good.

Little Sister came up last weekend and stayed while I went to a very interesting embroidery class.  This 'Grecian Urn' is constructed of surface embroidery stitches converted to counted work so I had fun.   But I have to confess that my plan on learning about colour combination didn't really come to fruition.   The variegated thread I chose for the initial row of 'spider web wheels' set the colours and that was that.   However I am pleased with the effect so far.   What do you think?   

By the way - thank you Mary for the introduction to https://stitchpalettes.com/   I shall certainly be making use of this in the future:-)

And I have made good progress on the Acorn Etui and even stitched a few of the detached buttonhole leaves.   The realisation is that this will take a loooong time to stitch -  those leaves are not conducive to quick progress.   But there is no hurry;-)

And that's all for tonight.