Repeato Ditto

 On Saturday afternoon I once again had to push the ambulance emergency button as the DBEM collapsed on me.   So off we went to our "favourite spot" in Emergency Department where we were promptly seen by a lovely young doctor who ordered lots and lots of tests.   So of course hours later we were still awaiting results.  But being more au fait with ED now after the visit the week before I went home, phoned the siblings, had a very late dinner and took myself to bed.  Whereupon in the middle of the night the phone rang; a call from the lovely doctor.   There had been an influx of Covid cases and she wanted to send the DBEM home where the doctor felt she would be safer in my care.   Naturally this is what the DBEM wanted too so I got dressed again and went out into the cold frosty night to collect her.   (No serious diagnosis just 'frailty of old age')

Result is I am currently confined to quarters as I can't leave her alone and she requires assistance to mobilize and to toilet.   Little Brother came for a couple of hours today and I managed a quick visit to the gym to exercise off some stress.

Other stress relief has been the cross stitch Map of the World.   I'm almost complete now and it is such fun.  There are only a couple of icons I cannot guess  -  perhaps you can help out.   What is the one below the bottle of maple syrup in Canada?  A turkey??

Hopefully a photo of the completed map tomorrow.  Meanwhile, Goodnight.

Travelling

 I’ve been travelling…to and from the hospital to visit the DBEM. Today her doctor said she could come home if I was happy!   Currently she’s in ‘her’ chair in the sun catching up on sleep.  Too much Covid and early Winter virus are causing overload at the hospital so she’s better at home.

So not much stitching has been done.   I have made a little progress on the world map and that’s all I have to show.   I’m still enjoying this “journey round the world” and enjoy the puzzle of deciding what the various icons actually are.   Not all have been puzzled out but I was quite smug to realise that the frog with a fly on the end of his tongue was for "French Indo-China" and that Japan was chopsticks with a bowl of noodles.   Many like the Matroyshka and St Basils are immediately obvious and others not so.  I did message the designer asking for a list of the icons but so far no reply so I am left guessing.

Hopefully life will return to normal and I can get some more stitching done.   My quilted winter jacket is at the stage where I need to make metres of bias binding tape and I have the fabric ready to begin that.   Perhaps these next few days I will actual make a start.   But the weather is supposed to be fine after severe storms and I need to get outdoors and mow the lawn and tidy up a little.   

Hardanger Sewing Set and....

 Today I completed the cord drawstring for the hardanger sewing set and I'm very pleased with the result.   Only two more sets to go and each of my brother's grand daughters should have one :)

I have begun a new cross stitch - a map of the world created of icons from most of the countries (but not all).  It is addictive as well as enjoyable.   Some of the icons I cannot 'decipher' so have sent a msg to the designer asking if they can provide a list of those they used.   I'm not 100% hopeful of a reply but meanwhile am enjoying this stitch.

I'll be back in a few days with some progress to report.

Ukrainian Whitework, Hardanger and ....

 I’m midway through another two Sewing Sets for the Great Nieces.   And I’m justifiably tired of this project!   The hardanger one will get completed as I’m currently working on the bag. 

 Pincushion, scissor fob and needle book are done - minus a couple of finishing touches such as scissors and a fastener on the needle book.  I put emery in the scissor fob to add weight - a satisfying touch that will also be useful for keeping needles healthy.

But the Ukrainian Whitework set has come to a grinding halt.   I finished the needle book and the scissor fob.  They too need the scissors and a fastener for the book.   In this scissor fob I put a New Zealand $1 coin - a satisfactory weight and a secret that may well go undiscovered into posterity😉.  I cannot summon up the enthusiasm at present to complete this sewing set so it will sit in the box while I work on my next “itch to stitch”.  

At the same time I have been working on a Quiet Book for my newest Great Niece.   She is only 3 months old so I have plenty of time to work slowly on this but I am thoroughly enjoying it.

So far 1) a zip up tent with a small teddy bear who sleeps inside fastened by a press stud (dome).   He's tied by a ribbon so can't get lost!

2) the centre page -  fruit in a bag that can be buttoned on to its matching pair 

3) threading a mouse through the holes in the swiss cheese from his little 'mouse hole'

My face is slowly recovering from the fall but my confidence to go out walking has completely disappeared.  I needed to go to the post box a day or two ago and it required the summoning of tremendous amounts of courage for just that 20 minute stroll.  Even the fact that I got there and back safely hasn’t restored me to the regularity of daily exercise so I think I will join a gym and use their treadmill - surely handholds on each side of me, even if not used, will be enough to get me back to my regular 60 minutes a day?

And I have the Downton Abbey movie to look forward to at the end of next week.  Yay!

 What have I been up to?   Well my eyes rebelled at the diagonal round eyelets in the newly started sewing set and after the third unpicking I put the whole thing into time out and started another piece in my favourite hardanger.   A small Christmas Ornament which I took some time to cut out very carefully.

The DBEM is much improved and in a far better frame of mind regards Covid so I can see that my “release date” will be soon and I can resume my small number of activities.  It has been very lonely staying away for these past four months and I will be happy to be back among people.   Our local Health Board tells us that ‘the Omicron Peak has passed but the Pandemic has not’ so we are still all being very careful. However now that the DBEM is less fearful I am much relieved.

I have begun yet another sewing set - this one in hardanger - and in a rare divergence from my usual tone on tone I decided to do this one in bright white on dark blue.   So far so good and I am hopeful that the final set will look as I envisage it.

At Embroiderers Guild a small group tackled Hardanger Tassels and of course I had to join in.   Someone asked how many I had made…I don’t really know but a quick estimate got me to about 60 and there are now another two to add to the total.   No more for a while.  I am rather “tasseled - out” 😉

Yesterday while out walking I fell over (again!) and this time injured my chin ( a deep gash), my left wrist (a sprain it seems) my teeth (two chipped and broken) and my iPhone (now replaced).   So I am feeling a little sorry for myself and am on pureed foods only until I get to the dentist.   That will be good for the weight loss.

Back again when I have more to report.

Finished….what to do next

 The small sewing set is finished - I even had a pair of small scissors to suit.   

And that is three sets complete.   

With six great-nieces in that branch of the family I am only half way!   But I am determined to use up my fine count linen and so what to do next.   Another sewing set of course!   

This one is on some 32 count blue linen from stash with DMC 932 in perle 8 and 12 ( also from stash).  Some years ago I did a course in Ukrainian Whitework with Gay Eaton and it seems fitting to be stitching that technique at present.  Her book is no doubt long out of print but it is a great resource and from it one can really teach oneself this technique.   Admittedly my eyes are complaining at the strain of diagonal round eyelets but I am enjoying this greatly.  I have started on the needlebook -  which since taking this photo is well on the way to completion.

The DBEM has been unwell with a chest infection which is not Covid as the doctor did a Rapid Antigen Test to check.   Currently she is on a course of antibiotics and seems to be improving.   We have been enjoying several audiobooks and are with Michael Palin on his Pole To Pole at present.  

And that's about all for tonight.   I've had a busy day with the DBEM's medical appointments and so will make a cup of tea and it's off to bed for me.

A finish or two.

 A dedicated effort on my hardanger tray cloth and voila, the end.  But wouldn’t you know it!?  I’m already dreaming of what hardanger piece I shall do next!

Several commented on my last post asking for details of the hardanger stocking.  I found the chart via Pinterest and the link to this blog.  Hope that helps.   It was really simple to do.  For the back I stuck two layers of felt together and stitched the hardanger (after all the beading was complete) carefully to it before trimming even more carefully.  

As a palate refresher I stitched this little Christmas Ornament.

And then as a result of gentle but consistent nagging by the DBEM I looked through my stash of fine linen.  The DBEM seems to think I will end up with macular degeneration like her and doesn't want me to "waste that high count linen".   There are no signs of any changes in my macular yet so I consider I have time but the nagging wore me down and I have tacked out the grid to do another needlework set for one of my great nieces on 38 count Graziano linen.   This one will be in Blackwork technique.   I have five great nieces and another due in August and with only two sets complete I'd better keep moving if all the girls are to get one:-)   So far there are only tacking lines to show so no photographs.  Perhaps tomorrow when I hope to make a start on the actual stitching.

Until then.