Sunday 17 April 2016

It's Been A Funny Old Week

or so really.  Lots going on which interrupts the creative pursuits, which might be a good job, because when I did get four little incubator size quilts pieced, I had to unpick as many seams as I sewed!

Sometimes you just can't get your mind to concentrate, so I have put things to one side and am doing what I fancy rather than what I maybe should be doing.

I have a Block of The Month quilt being sent from the lovely Kids Quilts and I really would like to keep up with that, so I have started tracing the applique shapes onto Bondaweb, ready to crack on with that.  

 I did pop to the monthly Crochet Group meeting and managed to work this baby bib from
this pattern, which is written in Icelandic, so I worked from the chart!
I used some soft DMC Natura yarn which is lovely and soft and I hope will soak up any spillages!



 I have tried to keep up with a bit of exercise and joined Sister Two at Sywell Country Park for the 2 1/2 mile walk around the reservoir. It takes just about an hour to do the circuit, and we get a lot of chat in at the same time too .  On Tuesday she came over and we strode of in the sunshine down the lanes to Stanwick Lakes. 
 The only down side is that on this walk you have to turn round and take the same route back home. I much prefer a circular route. But it was fine and again we discussed lots of stuff 

When we had got just about a third of the way home, the rain started. No - it's fine, it's only a shower.  Hummmmp!  That was not a shower, we could have canoed the way back and we were soaked right down to the undies. A bedraggled photo sent to my lovely niece brought the response " you should be prepared and take a Kagoul. No sympathy there, and I suppose that she is right! We should remember that in April, just because the sun is shining now, it very well may not be doing so in an hour.  Anyway, a round trip of just under 5 miles was completed in a surprisingly short time.

And NO old lady hips the following day !!



A friend called me on Thursday and said that she was going to a yarn shop that I have not visited before and would I like to join her.  Well, why not?  It's not far from where I live, and 15 minutes saw us there.  Purlwise has been open just a year, and they have a nice selection of yarn for sale and at good prices, not just fancy expensive (if lovely)  ones. 

We were greeted with a cup of tea and had plenty of time to browse the shelves, (though I certainly didn't need ANY yarn) 


 But did pick up a couple of balls of a variegated yarn for a cardi for Little Miss  and a couple of balls of a Cotton/Bamboo blend that I plan to make this wrap in.


Darling Daughter came to stay on Saturday night and  kindly put me right as to how to get the new cover securely attached to my chair. She lent the brute force that I needed to hold the fabric tightly in place whilst the staple gun snapped into action


I can see a couple of "could do betters" but am really happy with how this has turned out and as I used an old (not THAT old) pair of curtains and the chair had been given to me I think that this is a win win.
Off to sit in the chair in the sunshine and progress my Waiting for Rain shawl for an hour or so.



Tuesday 5 April 2016

Mini Mania # 13 Reveal

 Ok - so Carol set our March Challenge

Here is what we saw on March 1st ......

"Something different for this month and it's all about numbers.

I love English history and this month's challenge is based on this and especially two dates that every school child in the UK should be aware of in 2016.

It is 950 years since the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and 350 years since the Great Fire of London in 1666 and so we will be working on these numbers only; 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 9.

Your 'Mini' should be designed using numbers, using any medium, any technique, any shape, 3-D if you like, but there must be some sewing, either hand or machine or both and it must not be bigger than 20" (51cms) when finished.

So get creating and I hope you enjoy it!"


 WAH?????

 Well, all the brain cells were brought into action and my take was rather than actually use numbers I would make blocks with different numbers of pieces - like a nine patch, five patch and so on.  I started, but honestly, it wasn't floating my boat. so right toward the end of the month I had a light bulb moment and .......
 three little cushions to go in Little Miss' room


 Ena has joined us again and I think was the first to finish

numbers and corresponding letters
 Dee used Roman Numerals


blogged here
 Janie did...

1 hexagon, 2 Jewels, 3 sides of a triangle, 5 sides of the Jewel pieces, 6 sides to a hexagon, 9 fabrics used including backing) and 0 quilted in the cornerstones



 Linda has stunned us all into confusion silence

Design (doughnut chart) generated in Excel using 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 950, 1066, 350, and 1666
Chart series X 5/ with 35 counted numbers
2 blocks by 3 blocks = 6 blocks;
Blocks 5.25” X 5.25”;
Hanging Loops x 3
Add in the other elements resulting in finished size 10.66 by 16.66
Printed onto fine cotton by way of my inkjet printer; bagged out, machine quilted, decorative cord sewn on by hand
Temporary hanging rod - coffee stirrers



 Carol used different mediums and methods 
blogged here
 Angie had a brainwave


 Lish used a  dice game theme
so all in all another successful challenge!

Much more simple this month - Drunkards Path. Yay!! Curved seams!!!






My Waiting for Rain shawl is coming on nicely


But that is about it for this week. We have been down to help No1 son out with his house move. I mostly helped out my taking Little Miss for a long walk in the woods near their home.


With the obligatory paddling session

(don't tell Mum!)


I won't go into the loooong story about how I got us lost ---- TWICE!!!

I can't walk any farther!
But we did almost 5 miles and I can confirm that a lot of sleep was had that night.


And the following day .......