HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and some time to relax this past week once the festivities were over. I have managed to do a bit of knitting this week as well as some un-sewing (more on that later in this post!). During the month of December, I worked on knitting a new hat for my husband whenever he was out or otherwise occupied. Despite my best efforts, I did not get it done in time and he ended up unwrapping an unfinished gift. He was surprised and pleased with my gift to him, which makes it all worthwhile ...
read moreWe have moved on from the family small holding after four very pleasant and relaxed days. Before we arrived, I was a little worried about the family dog and how he would react to a strange cat on his property. Noodle would come and look at Gemma through the closed screen door. Then one morning Robin had the screen door open, Gemma was on her lead, and the two met nose to nose! I was amazed that nothing untoward happened. It may well have been a different story if Gemma was outside the safety of the caravan door.
First meeting ...
read moreThe caravan was packed, and we were on our way to Kiwitea, to stay with my daughter and her family. Santa Bear and the Christmas cushions were coming away with us on this trip, and we mustn’t forget the bag of Christmas gifts for the family.
Christmas in the caravan
Expecting the holiday traffic to be very busy, we kept off SH1 and drove along some quieter rural roads. It’s always good to be safely off the roads in the busy holiday period, and we were soon parked up on the property. My bacon and egg pie went ...
read moreNeedles: 2,5 and 3 mm
Yarn: Raina Finull, mostly scraps
Patterns sources:
Hat pattern: “Fair Isle Fiskerman’s Kep” by Anne Sinclair
Pattern charts: “Morgenstjerne” by Wenche Roald, Jarbo garn.
The beautiful crown pattern is from «Katie’s Kep» by Wilma Malcomson.
Tassel: DIY Tassel on YouTube.
Other hats finished lately is 2 Oslolua by petitknit (Yarn: Sunday from Sandnes and mohair scraps) and 2 Marius hats; as Christmas
read moreI finished off the centre snowflake and started the wreath above it this week in my Christmas cross stitch project. This pattern is called "Invierno" from Satsuma Street. It is made up of nine motifs with a purple frame around each one. I have a ways to go but this will be my relaxing slow stitching project over the next few weeks. I will have it framed to hang up before next Christmas.
It has been a hectic time, but I am determined to do at least one December post!
Lots of shopping has happened, including these gorgeous biscuit tins. Love the way the bauble has been incorporated into the tin. And, yes, it spins!
The colour and the design on the tin could have easily fitted into my quilt. This is another panel being used and completed.
I have kept it simple with just a few borders added. Each of the squares have delightful images.
I found a lovely piece in my stash to use on the back.
The binding was a ...
read moreIt’s a good day to spend inside today, it’s been raining all day. Mother Nature is a bit tardy as the season has changed over to Summer, so where’s the sunshine?. My slow Sunday stitching is coming along well, and I have now finished my first block of four of a cheeky Kiwi enjoying his Christmas Summer holidays. Kiwi is camping in his Kombi van, cooking over the camp fire. Yes, we celebrate Christmas in the Summer season here in New Zealand.
Kiwi cooking his dinner
I’m also stitching up a pair of birthday socks. These ...
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Pre Christmas is such a busy time, isn't it. We had another caravan trip planned, about 8 days this time, to attend the ICA Christmas Rally, up at Te Aroha and Matamata, quite a drive away for us. Most of the ICA members live much further north than us, so depending on where the rally is being held, we generally have the longest drive. Our first stop was at Turangi, a well known fishing area. There was a tap on the door, and a lady asked us if we would be interested in a trout fillet. My goodness, of ...
read moreA nearly completed quilt this week. 24" X 26.5"
made using this tiny pattern, a pile of pretty scraps, scrap of batting, and effort
we are still in a sick house, 2 medical appts later, a run of antibiotics, 2 plus weeks of contagion that continues as all the sheets, towels, surfaces, etc must now be cleaned. All doctors called it a virus and how it got through distancing, masks, and glove wearing when outside, we don't know. It's knocked dh out and all the heavy lifting, cleaning, dog care, and cooking falls on me. Now he ...
read moreI went through 3 shelves of fabric and finally decided on this stripe for the border of I Spy 2. I bought it way back in the late 1990s with a kid's quilt in mind for it. I might use it for a border on I Spy 3 also.
I was looking through the rest of the 6.5" Kaffe collective squares that I pulled all of the red/pink/orange from for the red quilt top I just finished. I don't know if I want another all squares quilt with so much high contrast.
I ended up ... read more
My little unexpected adventure was a trip to the ER Thursday morning which resulted in an over night admission to the hospital cardio floor for observation. I had a bad drop in blood pressure (it dropped to 73/58) which resulted in me just about passing out on Thursday morning when I got up. I had […]
read moreThis past weekend, my friend Christine and I went to the semi-annual Oxford Guild Quilt Retreat in Stratford. We both were very productive at the retreat--sewing morning, noon and night with breaks for meals and sleeping only! This is why there was no blogpost here this past weekend. I brought lots of projects with me--heaven forbid I run out of things to sew!
I made a couple of Christmas gifts, one of which I can show here now. This little wall hanging is for my MIL for her room in the nursing home where she lives. She loves Christmas and ...
read moreOur Anniversary Trip was winding down. But I did have time for a little shopping therapy. Not much really, I was after some cream wide backing for a project nearing completion, and while there picked up two half yard cuts of pink and green fabric for my daughter’s upcoming big birthday quilt. Nicky doesn't like “bright – in your face” types of colours so I found a couple of muted shades for her.
Holiday fabric purchases
You know you have arrived in Rotorua when that “rotten egg sulphur smell” hits your nose. Not all the time, just here and ...
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