Knitting and a trip

I'm coming along quite well with knitting my cotton summer top, although to be honest I don't find cotton very nice to work with.  But that's what I'm using in this project so of course I will persevere.  The back is completed, and I've started on the front, which I will take away on holiday with me.  It's always good to have knitting at the ready, just in case I feel like doing a few rows now and again.

 The back is now finished

I couldn't help myself and have cast on two little toddlers hats, to use up some part balls I had hanging about.   They are easy small knits so I decided to do two together.  One in burgundy, and the other in navy with stripes.

Oh dear, you can't see them, Gemma is checking them out

Two little hats

Of course, I need to take a book on my holiday as well, but didn't want to take a library book.  So I'm packing my copy of Wuthering Heights, to read again.  There is a film out at the moment which I plan to see on my return, so I thought I would refresh my memory of the story.  I do wonder how a clergyman's daughter living with her sisters and dissolute brother in the wilds of Haworth  could write such a book of love, lust, revenge and cruelty.  But the girls were very well read, I believe, and had been writing stories since childhood.  Maybe Emily was full of imagination and longing for love herself.

Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights

I'll be away for two weeks traveling around the South Island, so will tell you all about it when I return.  I'm flying down to Christchurch tomorrow, haven't flown for several years so I'm just a little nervous.  It certainly doesn't help that I have just enjoyed  watching a series of air crash disasters on TV!  Gemma is  having her own holiday in the cattery, she wasn't at all pleased when I picked her up while she was sleeping, bundled her into the carry cage, then took her for a drive this afternoon.  She usually takes a day or two to settle down, and I know she will be looked after very well by Carol.  

Five Green Bags, and Books

 There was more green stitching this week and I completed five green drawstring bags for the foster kids.  So I'm quite pleased with that.  I'm always amazed at what is tucked away in my big bag of bits and pieces.  It doesn't seem to be getting much emptier. 

Bag making bits and pieces

So what did I find to work with?  There was an already made elongated nine patch featuring frogs, and a farmyard scene with a red barn and roosters.

A fat quarter of dark green Japanesy fabric was enough for two bags, plus two small pieces of New Zealand inspired fabric plus extras made the final bag.  I'll add them to last months blue collection, and I'm getting quite a pile.

Five green drawstring bags this month

And what have I been reading so far this month?  Lost Light, by Michael Connelly featuring Det Harry Bosch who has finally quit the LAPD.  But he took a murder file with him to reinvestigate, running foul of his old colleagues and the FBI.  As always, another exciting read with unexpected twists and turns.

Angela Marsons Dead Souls was next, and I'm a real fan of her books featuring DI Kim Stone, they never dissapoint, and I'm reading them in order.  The Thread Collectors was a joint collaboration by Shaunna Edwards and Alyson Richman, telling the story of two women, a black slave and a wealthy Jewess during the Civil War.  Their husbands both enlist in the Union army and form a friendship through their love of music.  Such an interesting tale, about two women in completely different circumstances doing their bit to help the war effort.    I certainly would recommend this book.

Books read so far this month

I had a lot of Help

It all started with this, a felt kit containing all the pieces for a family of snow people.  I found it at a charity fabric fair some years ago selling both new and used fabrics, linens, wool, kits and quilting and embroidery supplies.  That's cute, I thought, and I seem to remember I only paid a small amount for it, about $5 or so.  So it came home with me and sat for a while.

The Snowman Family kit

Why don't I just get on with it, I asked myself, and I have to say I really enjoyed doing the simple embroidery on the felt hats, gloves and scarves.  But then what?  I had no idea how to put it all together.  To be truthful, I don't really like making and stuffing toys, let alone stitching their heads and arms on.  So once again, it was put aside.

Then last year on one of my daughter's visits, I got the kit out and asked if she would like to help me as I was stuck.  I had the pieces already cut out and stitched and Nicky spent the afternoon stuffing their limbs and bodies.  Luckily I had some toy stuffing and beads for the bottom.  

Naked snow bodies

You can guess what happened next - it was packed up and left again.  And just before Christmas I took the bag along to my Monday Craft Group, asking if anyone would like to take it off my hands, otherwise I would be disposing of it.  I don't enjoy making toys, I declared, and I don't know why I bought the kit in the first place!  Carolyn, one the the members, is an accomplished toymaker, and came to have a look.  I'll finish them for you, she said.  And when the group started up again in the New Year, she brought the Snow Family back, all finished.  How kind was that!  

Here they are, all finished

Carolyn had to make and then stuff the heads, assembled the bodies, stitched the clothing onto them so it wouldn't get lost, created their faces and made Mother a little hat.  And she didn't want anything for her trouble, except maybe a little dark chocolate, she whispered.  So the following week I packed my lunch to take to the group, gathered up my knitting and wrapped up some chocolate for her to enjoy.

A small gift for Carolyn

I'm not sure what I'll do with the Snow Family, or even if I want to keep them.  Perhaps I can offer them to the co-ordinator of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren later in the year, if she wants them.  They could given as a set to a child, or split up and be gifted to three children, whatever she she thinks best.  I'll look after them in the meantime.

Although I've said I don't like making toys, I'd like to try making a bunny out of a square of knitting sometime, surely I could manage that.  And I have a pattern for a trauma teddy I'd like to try.  This design only has a front and back, no separate head and legs, and a simple embroidered face.  But maybe I need to get over the trauma of the snow family first!

Green for February

In the Rainbow Scrap Challenge internet group, green is the chosen colour for February. No problem, I can do that. so I set to and got to work on my two easy peasy blocks sets.  First up were the baby blocks, featuring a base fabric of white with tiny blue flowers.  I chose a pretty apple green floral to use - this fabric  was purchased to use in my daughter's 60th birthday quilt but the colour was not right, I decided.  But it looks fine in this project.

Green edged blocks for the baby quilt

The dinosaurs were next, this will be a bigger bed quilt for a boy.  There are not just dinosaurs here, but mammoths and sabre toothed tigers as well.  I made dark green blocks first, mmm, that piece of fabric didn't go very far.  So in my quest to "use up what I have" I came across a strip of lime green to use for two more blocks.  This is the last remaining piece of this fabric and I remember using it in a froggy kiddies donation quilt a while ago.  I like the way the coloured strips zig zag down these blocks.  Many thanks to Lou for showing this block, the nice thing about quilting bloggers is that they are happy to share their ideas.

Dinosaur blocks

You may remember that I've been working on blue stars and hearts for a secret project recently.  The tops have now been completed, and have been delivered to Deborah for long arm quilting.  And, is my custom, the binding has been made, so is ready and waiting for their return.  I will show you the quilts and the story behind them when they have been gifted.

 Blue stars and hearts

I have been enjoying the Jurassic Park movies each Sunday evening shown on one of the free to air chanels over the last 6 weeks or so.  I had previously seen them all, except the final film, "Jurassic World Dominion".  The story lines through-out were similar, dinosaurs escaping and running wild, bad greedy men out to make their fortune,   the good guys doing their best, the baddies getting chewed to pieces, and children running and hiding from the monsters.  I don't often watch films on TV, but these were good escapism and quite entertaining on a Sunday evening.    

Chookshed Challenge, RSC, and Books

 I'm taking part in the Chookshed Challenge again this year, and have listed ten projects to work on.  Some of the ten had been started and put aside, and some are new projects on my wish list.  Number 3 was  chosen for January, which for me is a blue and lemon cot quilt.  There is just the quilting to be done on this one, the top has already been stitched, layers pinned, and the binding made.  Blue is also the chosen colour this month for Rainbow Scrap Challenge in January, so this project ticks both boxes. 

Ready to be quilted

I remember starting this quilt when the Ukraine War started.  Quilters worldwide were stitching blue and yellow quilts which were the colours of the Ukraine flag.  I had already made the blue and yellow nine patch blocks, in fact I think they were left overs from yet another UFO.  So I set them on point with a lemon background, added a pale blue border, prepared some binding, and promptly set it aside!  Sadly, the story of my quilting life.

But luckily, this UFO made it to my 2026 Chookshed Challenge list as number 3, which was the number selected for January.  Time to get quilting.  I decided on a cross hatch design and got to work.  Then added the binding.   I took the quilt along to a craft afternoon, and hand stitched the binding down to the back.  

This lovely little cot quilt will be donated to The Nest Collective sometime soon.  Perhaps I'll wait till I have another one finished as well.

Blue and white check backing

Several of the blogs I follow list which books they have read each month, so I thought I would do that too.  You may or may not be interested, but I'm an avid reader and the thought of not having any books to read fills me with dread.  Most of my reading is done in bed at night, and when reading a Jack Reacher book, he is one of my heros, I often used to tell Robin I'm going to bed with Jack!  (A bit of a play on words, as before I met Robin over 42 years ago I used to go out with a guy named Jack.)  No Jack Reacher this month though, but these are the books I've read, and enjoyed, in January.  And just to let you know, I particularly enjoy reading about serial killers, and always hope that  the baddies will get their comeuppance at the end!

Play Dead, by Angela Marsons, featuring DI Kim Stone.

City of Bones, by Michael Connelly, featuring Dectective Harry Bosch.

The Glass Room, by Ann Cleaves, featuring DCI Vera Stanhope.

These three lead characters, I realise,  all had a flawed beginning in life.  Kim Stone's mother left her two young children chained to a radiata and Kim's toddler brother died, and Kim ended up in care.  The mother of Harry Bosch was murdered when he was a child and he was taken into care as well.  And Vera Stanhope's mother died when she was ten, and she was raised by her rather shady father.  All three characters live alone, moved up the police ranks and solve murders, fighting  to  put the baddies away.  I also enjoyed the Vera TV series,  and she and the other characters comes to life so vividly in the books.

Livid, by Patrica Cornwell, features another strong character,  Kay Scarpetta.  Kay is the Chief Medical Examiner and has her fair share of troubles, some of them political as well as attacks on her life, as she solves her cases looking after and examining the dead bodies which end up in her care.  Kay is married to a FBI Profiler, another very interesting character.

And lastly, I read The Disappeared, by C J Box, featuring Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett.  This series is a little different for me, but very enjoyable.  Joe is a quiet man, busy keeping the hunting rules enforced, but comes across his fair share of  mysteries and murders as well.  This character is happily married, but often has political interference to his job.

So that's what I've read and enjoyed this month.  I love my local library!

Out and About and Lemon Honey

 I've certainly been out and about lately, meeting up with friends.  Firstly with Louise and Robert who came down this way in their motor home to attend a country and music festival in Marton.  Then they had people to see, family to catch up with, and arranged to meet me for lunch too.  There was a communication breakdown about where we were meeting, as my text message didn't get sent, for whatever reason.  After a bit of telephone tag later in the morning, everything was smoothed out, and arrangements confirmed.   We went to a favourite of mine, Salt and Pepper Cafe.  There was plenty to catch up on, we pondered the menu and ordered our lunches.  There was only one choice for me, with soup on the menu - mmm, delicious leek and potato soup, so tasty.  Louise and Robert only wanted a light meal too, as they were moving on after seeing me and meeting up with family for dinner that night.  And then driving back to Papamoa over the next couple of days.

Lunch at Salt and Pepper

Once they arrived safely home, there was really sad news from their home town and nearby Mt Maunganui.  The severe rain had triggered landslides.  One in Papamoa, which buried a house, killing a grandmother and grandson.  And another which came down at Mt Maunganui at the motor camp, burying caravans and damaging the toilet block, with the loss of another six lives.  So very sad

Then several days later I had a big (for me) drive down to Paraparaumu, I'm not too keen driving along the expressway, especially in the rain.  But I made it, and needed a coffee to recover!  Then I had a couple of things to do on my list, including going to the local Spotlight to purchase some wide backing for the blue heart and and star quilts I'm working on.  That was a  bargain, luckily it was on special at one third off the price!  I had arranged to meet friends Bill and Val for lunch at nearby Waikanae.  Bill and Val went out of their way to help me that day I lost Robin, towing the caravan safely home for me from Hastings, I will be forever in their debt.  We met at Relish Cafe, such a very popular place with great food.  I enjoyed some pate and toast for a change, delicious indeed.

Relish Cafe

Then I had an unexpected invitation to meet with my daughter Nicky and her husband Robert for breakfast.  They were staying in Foxton Beach for the weekend, and the weather had turned bad, so I think they were bored.  Once again, I set off in the pouring rain, luckily the traffic was fairly quiet.  I enjoyed the most delicious mushrooms and bacon with blue cheese sauce, served on toast, so nice and tasty.  Nicky had her favourite Eggs Benny, and Robert had the Big Breakfast.  

Robert and Nicky

So what else has been happening here as well as me being a social  butterfly?  Gemma has been her beautiful self, and here she is getting some treats out of of her little plastic mousie.  She bats it gently with her paw and mousie wobbles about, releasing a couple of treats.  What fun for her, and she soon gets them all.

I think she's got most of them out

And I've also made some lemon honey (lemon curd),  so delicious.  And really easy to make in the microwave.  The recipe just makes a couple of jars which I store in the fridge.  Mmm, so tasty on a slice of toast, or fresh bread.  I think it can be used in desserts too, I'll have to check that out.

Microwave lemon honey

Knitting and Mending

 I've got three things on the knitting needles at the moment, no socks though, but I'm concentrating on a light summer top I'm making for myself.  For this I'm using some pretty pastel knobbly sort of yarn I found in the local op shop (thrift store). 

 I only have four balls so it's been a bit of an adventure to see just how far it was going to go.  Not too far at all, as it turned out, so I had to purchase  some balls of pale pink cotton yarn to eke it out in stripes.  After knitting part of the back four times in various widths of stripes, I've settled on two rows knobbly and two rows plain, so I know I will have enough to finish this project.   Finally I'm on the right track with this project,  so will just keep on knitting.  

Soft and pretty for summer

And after such a long time of procrastination, I have finally dealt with the mending.  First up was a small lumbar cushion which had a hole in the corner of the velveteen cover.  Not actually a hole, as it turned out, just the seam had come undone.  So that was an easy fix, the seam was restitched, the cover was washed, and it is now looking as good as new and I'll be able to use it again.

Then I had to fix the neckline of a summer top, which was too loose, which  I can't abide.  I threaded some shirring elastic through the top of the back neck band to pull it in a little and secured it.  Now it fits so  much better and doesn't slip off my shoulder.  And it didn't take too long to fix, either.

The last one was an alteration  - I had a pretty dress purchased ages ago from Hilo Hatties in Hawaii, which was also much too loose in the top.   I was heavier back then.  This dress has been residing in the back of the wardrobe for quite some time, lonely and forlorn, and needed a new lease of life, I decided. Out came the scissors, I chopped the bodice off,  made a simple elastic waist band, and now I have a new summer skirt to wear.  I've got a couple of tops I can wear with my new skirt.  Once again, I wondered why completing these simple fixes took me so long.

All the way from Hawaii

Gemma doesn't care much for mending, although she will happily jump on my lap when I'm knitting, and I have to quickly gather it all up.    Luckily she settles down to snooze and so I can get on with knitting a few more rows.  Here she is after I disturbed her looking out the window - she's always on the lookout for birds.  When she sees then hopping about on the lawn she focuses on them, making funny little chirpy noises.  I'm sure she is saying, "I really, really want to catch you, but I'm stuck inside  and you are outside hopping about".

Don't bother me, I'm busy trying to look for birdies.