Out and About

 I've been out and about lately, going here, and going there.  I was at a craft group last week, and we meet in a beautiful old property called Thompson House, home of a former doctor who lived and worked here.   I believe it has been gifted to the community and groups can hire the rooms for meetings.

Thompson House

 One of the ladies there that afternoon teaches bobbin lace.  She had all sorts of exquisite samples on display.  It's such beautiful fine work, but not something I would have the patience for.

Lace samples and bobbins

Melanie had been working on signs of the zodiac and had one for Libra, the Scales of Justice.  That's my sign, I told her, so she very generously gifted it to me.  Here it is at home, pinned up on one of the spools on my thread spool wall hanging in my sewing room.  

Libra, the Scales of Justice

I'm a member of Age Concern, and go there weekly for my easy balance and exercise class.  They also hold meetings about various subjects of interest to older people, and last week held a movie afternoon, free for the members.  That was fun, there were decorations and balloons galore in the room, and we were treated to bags of popcorn or chippies, tea, coffee and juice was available, and we were presented with  small bags of liquorioce allsorts and jaffas.  The film was called "Thelma" and told the story of an elderly lady who was scammed into sending money, supposably to help her grandson, and the police couldn't help her.  So Thelma took matters into her own hands, and with the help of an elderly friend and his mobility scooter, tracked the scammers down, got into their computer, and with telephone help from her grandson, managed to transfer her money back into her account!

Don't mess with Thelma

And to help with me getting out and about, I'm pleased to say that I passed my 80th driving assessment, I was able to apply a couple of months early.  Here in New Zealand drivers have to get a medical clearance to keep driving at 75, 80, and every two years after that.  I went to have an eye test at the opticians, then had an appointment with the doctor, who asked me questions as he filled in several pre printed pages.  "I know you don't have diabetes, and your heart is good", he said as he worked his way through the form.  That was good to know.  Tick, tick, tick, he went through the questions, then, "all done", he told me.  At my 75th assessment, our previous doctor had asked me all sorts of questions, including counting back from 100 by 7, and other general  knowledge questions, so I was a bit worried about what my current doctor would ask me.  "I know you", he said, "and I know there is nothing wrong with your memory".  Whew.... all that worry about nothing!

I've had to do some car stuff this month, things that Robin used to take care of.  Such as apply for the annual car registration, get a Warrant of Fitness, and the car insurance is due as well.  And last time I filled the car up, I wanted to use up some of the petrol vouchers I have, so called into one of the local service stations.  When I went in to settle up, the attendant was rather worried.  "Did you know you've just filled your car with diesel?" he asked.  I assured him that everything is fine, my little car runs on diesel, which is quite unusual here for small cars.  Although Robin used to top my car up for me, he impressed on me not to put petrol in the tank, which would ruin the engine!  Just as well I took that lesson to heart.

Purple and Teal

 It was time to stitch up my purple block for Rainbow Scrap Challenge for my boy's donation quilt - that was easily done.  I laid them out on the bed and had a count and discovered I only needed one more block.  So I made an executive decision and made the final block, this time in teal.  Surely the colour teal will be selected in the next month or two, I reasoned.

Purple and teal blocks

With these two last blocks done, I decided I may as well  assemble the quilt top.  I don't have room for  a design board and often use my bed to lay blocks out and rearrange them.  A couple of afternoons at the sewing machine soon had the black sashing in place.  Then the black borders were added, and voila, the top was finished.

The top is finished

Part way through making these blocks I had run out of the original black and white fabric, so had to go to my LQS and buy some more.  I couldn't get exactly what I was using previously, but thought the black and white polka dots blended in quite well.  Hopefully I will get this layered and pinned up shortly.

Gemma has been curled up some days in her little hidey hole in her cat tower.  A good place to snooze on these winter days, especially when the rain is pouring down.  She is not too keen on going outside then, she hates getting her little paws wet and doesn't like the wind in her face!  She's such a diva.

She's all nice and cozy in here

The Keeper of the Quilt

 My niece Lisa called in for a visit the other day when she was passing by on a holiday trip.  I had asked her if she would like to become the "keeper of the quilt".  This is a family quilt, one I made for my mother for her 80th birthday back in 2002.  I had sent pieces of fabric out to everyone and asked them to write, embellish, or embroider something of themselves as a message to go on the 80th birthday quilt.   It was exciting to see all the individual blocks being returned. Lisa was delighted to take the quilt into her safe keeping.

Lisa and the family quilt

There were blocks from us four siblings, two son in laws, and all the grandchildren, and a very special nephew.  The youngest grandchild had his baby hand traced.  I added extra blocks in the names of my mother's sisters.  There were several photos printed on fabric, a special one of my grandmother who sadly died when my mother was about 8 years old or so.  The largest photo is of my mother and hung in the family home when I was growing up.  And underneath are three smaller photos of her over the years.

The 80th Birthday Quilt

I really enjoyed putting this together and making extra blocks to fill in spaces as required.  We had a family get together for this special birthday, and the quilt was presented.  All those very special family blocks were inspected, oohed and ahhed over, and admired.  

Sadly, as often happens, this quilt was deemed "too good to use" and was folded up and put away.  Many thanks to Lisa for taking care of the quilt now, and she told me she plans to use it and snuggle under it.  That's a nice thought, knowing that Lisa will be surrounded by all those family members, some have passed away and all the little ones are now well grown up.

And now, 23 years later, I will be turning 80 this year.  Goodness me, how did that happen?

A Knitting Finish

 Just to show that I do knit other things than socks, I have finally finished the little cream toddler toddler jumper.   This was started many years ago  by my friend Eileen for her grand daughter.  The girl is growing up fast so I suggested to Eileen that she pass the knitting over to me - I can finish it and donate it to somewhere worthwhile.  There was only about six inches done on the back, and because our tensions could well be different, I unraveled it to start over again.

This is what I received from Eileen

I've been working slowly away on this project over the last 6 months or so, knitting a little here and a little there, in between other things.  The design has a pattern on the front and back shoulders and I wasn't too sure how complicated that would be.  It wasn't too bad at all, I just needed to concentrate and read the pattern carefully.  The sleeves were easy to knit, then the neckband and the button facings and I was all done.  This is a nice design, and I would like to knit it again, sometime in the future.

Finished at last

Gemma likes it too

There was a small amount of wool left so I cast on a hat and started knitting away.  No, that's not going to work, there's not enough left to knit a hat.  So I cast on a pair of booties instead, believe it or not, I can't remember ever knitting booties before, so this must be my first pair.  This is a nice pattern, knitted flat with a seam up the back, and a little folded over cuff.  So cute.

My first booties

These items will be donated.  I plan to knit a couple more pair of booties and pass them on to The Nest Collective, a charity which supports new mothers and their babies.  And the jumper will find a good home too.

Finished - A Touch of Orange

 It's great to have a finish, isn't it and just today I've just finished my donation quilt featuring string pieced neutral blocks with the feature fabric being strange creatures, half insects and half machines.  I'm sure this will appeal to a young boy.  A couple of weeks ago I had completed the top.

Top completed

Then it was layered and pinned and I started machine quilting.  This always takes me longer than I think it should.   I don't like to sit at the sewing machine for hours at a time as it hurts my back, so I spread my machine time out making sure I get up and move around every half hour or so.

Machine quilting

The binding was stitched on, folded over and clipped in place.  Stitching it down was a job to do when I went to my quilt club's sewing day today.  

Binding time

It was a lovely day out, I was busy with my binding, someone was making crazy patchwork, while others were busy working on donation quilts using gifted fabric.  There was plenty of friendly chatter going on, and with stops for morning tea and lunch, the time just flew by.  I had taken some home made pumpkin soup for lunch, and snap...... one of the other ladies had pumpkin soup as well.  

I keep my binding clips in a lovely little box, a gift from my daughter Nicky.  Several of the ladies came over to see what I was working on  and were most intruiged with my box.  I'm pleased that I put the last stitches in the  binding  just before I left to return home.  It's always so satisfying to get this job done.

My lovely little box from my daughter

So here it is, back at home, all rolled up and showing the cozy fleece backing.  So nice and cuddly and  will keep some child nice and warm.

All done, and ready for donation

Wardrobe Malfunction

I heard a funny noise the other morning, but didn't think too much about it, perhaps it was the traffic on the road out the back.  But later in the morning when I went to hang some freshly ironed clothes  away, I saw what it was.  The wardrobe shelf and clothes rail had parted company with the wall, and was hanging by a screw!  Oh dear, what to do now?

Ooops, it gave way

I had an electrician around the following day, Callum, a nice young man just starting out in business on his own,  to replace the light fitting in the front porch.  Perhaps he would be able to recommend someone who could help.  Yes he could, there was another tradesman who he knew and had worked with, so passed on his phone number to me.  I must admit that I find this recent spate of home maintenance  a bit of a trial to organise, it's not something I have had to do before.  Something else went wrong recently too, which completely overwhelmed me, but that's another story.

So the day that Brent was coming to look at both wardrobe fittings, the other one in the sewing room had collapsed earlier and looked in danger of doing it again, I spent hours removing everything.  Various items were taken off the top shelf, shoes were bundled into a big bag, and clothes were stacked on the bedroom chair and on top of the bed.

That wasn't so bad, but the wardrobe in the sewing room was much more of a challenge.  I had a basket full of project bags sitting on the floor at the wardrobe door, which had to be moved, and umpteen RSC projects in bags piled up beside the basket, waiting to be completed.

This is just part of it

Inside the wardrobe were our winter clothes, they all came out.  Who knew that Robin had so many jackets hanging up including two sets of bright yellow vinyl wet weather trousers and jackets?  The hangers were cleared, then I had to deal with what was on the wardrobe floor.  Four large plastic crates chock full, and  bags containing unfinished projects, or materials gathered for new ones. And quite a few fleecy backings too, I noticed, and batting.

How did it all fit in the wardrobe?

I couldn't resist peeking inside this one - string pieced blocks, sashing cut ready to go, chickens to stitch, and several lengths of fabric for backings.  I'd completely forgotten all about these.  There was even another bag of neutral strings hidden away.  Everything was piled up - so much stuff I had put away and forgotten about.

I'd forgotten all about this bag

Tradesman Brent called around, we discussed what needed doing, and he will also trim back a tree for me which has a branch growing over the top of the clothesline.  He will come back bright and early on Friday morning he told me.  Oh dear, that means I have to move that big pile of clothes on hangers for the following two nights so that I can get into bed.  

The wardrobe fittings are now fixed, Brent added an extra piece of timber behind them for added strength.  I was a bit mortified when he asked for a soft broom so he could brush a few spider webs away!  But as someone told  me, a few whispy spider webs means that the home is warm and dry, according to a real estate agent.  So that has to be good, just sloppy housekeeping I guess.

Arrived bright and early on a cold wet morning

So now things have to be put away.  The bedroom is almost back to normal, and it is a chance to sort through Robin's clothes as well.  But the sewing room is another story.  I really need to go through those crates and umpteen bags before they get placed back.  And sort out all those rain jackets which Robin had tucked away.

With so many RSC block sets discovered, don't let me start any new ones next year!  I knew I had a few, but there really are a lot more that I realised.  Plus several assembled RSC quilts piled up on the chair waiting to be layered, pinned and quilted.    Oh dear, wish me luck with all this!

Chookshed Challenge completed

I'm so pleased that I have my Chookshed challenge for June completed - especially as  May was a non event for me.  I started with this, all the little blocks embroidered and ready to go.  I really enjoyed stitching these little beauties.

Starting point

This kit also provided a pattern to make a wall hanging, so that is what I decided on.  So I added some red/green/gold sashing and started assembling the blocks.  This was a little tricky as the middle row was a bit too long compared to the outer rows.  So it was unpicked and just a smidgeon cut off the middle row blocks.  Whew, luckily they now fitted together nicely.

Next was the outer border, and I decided to keep it simple with a green and gold patterned fabric.  I contemplated hand quilting but no, although this was small, it would still take me a while to complete.  And I wanted it finished in June.  So, a little while quilting on the sewing machine, adding the binding, and I was almost there.  Then it was just a matter of hand stitching the binding down, adding a hanging sleeve and a label, and this little project was finally complete.  This is the first time I had worked with felt applique.

By assembling the blocks together as a wall hanging, there were two blocks left over.  So I used one as a label on the back.

This kit was a gift from my pen friend Carol from Dakota several years ago, thanks so much Carol.  The little blocks were stitched a while ago, and I'm pleased this project is finally completed.  It will now be ready to come out and be displayed at Christmas.

A Big Bag of Scraps

I have a big bag full of scraps, lots of trimmings  and little leftovers from various projects. Occasionally I would tip everything out on the floor, looking for some particular colour, but really, it was a mess, and I was getting sick of it.  

Full to overflowing

So one fine day, I took the bag out to the patio table, and tipped it all out, it was high time for a sort out.  The colours were all separated, and it was easy to tell that the neutrals were by far the largest pile.  My aim was to see how many 2.5in strips I had, so that I can start making some baby jelly roll quilts.  Sadly most of the strips were less than 2.5in, maybe I can make string blocks instead.  

All those neutral strips can  be put to good use making some more of these cream coloured string blocks I'm using in another recent donation quilt.  This will be a good leader and ender project.

There are plenty of strips to make more of these

The neutrals were put back into the big bag, and the other scraps were bagged into colour groups, ready to be utilised.  I was amazed at just how much fabric there was, all those bits and pieces certainly add up, don't they.  As I used to tell Robin, I'll never run out of things to do!

All bagged in colour groups

A Touch of Orange

 I have more UFOs around than I really want to admit to.  However, one of them incorporated a touch of orange, so I decided to try and move it forward this month as much as I can.  After all,  orange is the colour of the month for those of us taking part in Rainbow Scrap Challenge, RSC.  The project started like this, a bunch of neutral string pieced blocks I had stitched together back in 2023.  I was using up the never ending supply of strips and strings which were gathered in a bag.  There are still enough to make yet another set of neutral blocks sometime.

Neutral string blocks

I know I've mentioned my former neighbour Dorothy many times, and the fabrics passed on to me by her daughter are still going strong.  Included in the box of fabrics was a half yard of this blue children's fabrics featuring strange little machine bugs, which looked quite fun.  Last week I paired this fabric with my string blocks.  

When the blocks were assembled, it was time to think about borders.  How about an orange border first to pick out the orange in the print?

First border

Yes, Gemma likes it too

I decided on a navy border next, I had enough of that fabric to do the job.  Its good to use up what you find in the stash isn't it - no need to go racing off to the shops to buy even more fabric.

That's the top finished

I'm quite pleased with my progress so far.  The backing and batting is ready to go, so I hope to get this pinned up shortly.  No promises if I can get it quilted this month, but I have prepared the binding.  That's always a bonus, I find, having it ready and waiting.

Sew Wot Tuesday

 I was looking forward to Sew Wot Tuesday, as I was unable to attend the previous get-together.  But first I had to wrap up a couple of birthday gifts to take, both Mary and Helen had recently celebrated their birthdays.

For the birthday girls

There was a full house at Carol's home, it was so nice that everyone could attend.  Sadly these days as we are getting older, medical appointments and issues seem to pop up regularly.  But we all made it, so that was great.  It was such fun watching both Mary and Helen open their gifts, I'm sure we got just as much pleasure seeing it happen as the birthday girls did opening their parcels.  

Socks certainly featured in show and tell, they were all laid out for a photo opportunity.   Some completed, and some just needed stitching up the side seam, another pair on the needles, plus a pair displayed on feet!  Winter certainly is sock knitting time, and Helen had also knitted a couple of wooly hats.

Cozy and warm for winter

Carol had completed her knitting commission from Heather to knit some garments for Heather's upcoming twin great-grandbabies.  So pretty.

For the twins

And Carol had another lot of baby donations to show, before they are whisked away to the hospital.

Knitted by Carol

In fact, I think Carol qualifies for a Gold Star as she had yet another finish to show us.  She had just completed this pretty embroidered wall hanging.  I love seeing embroidered blocks used in quilts.

Carol's pretty embroidered wall hanging

All of us were industrially knitting  even more socks, except for Jude who was busy with her crochet hook.  She was working on this lovely blanket, so pretty in these shades.

Jude's pretty crochet

Then it was morning tea time, always the highlight of our get-togethers, we always look forward to this.  I know we don't really need such a beautiful spread each time, but as we are known as The Eat-alots, we certainly enjoy it, and appreciate the work that goes into it.  Thanks to Carol for a lovely morning hosting the Sew Wots.

Morning Tea

Sock Knitting

I'm pleased I have a sock finish, this pair seems to have taken ages.  But only because I don't work on them all the time, I tend to flick from one project to another.   These are for my daughter, I asked if she would like another pair for Christmas.  "Yes please" she said, "I'd like pale blue this time".  So they are done well ahead of time, which is good.

  Socks for my daughter

I knit my socks flat, two at a time then sew up the side seam.  You can't feel the seam and it doesn't go under the sole, but up the side.  None of those tiny double pointed needles for me!  This pair was  made using Tootsies 4ply Merino sock yarn.

But wait, there's more, I'm working on two more pair as well, both up to different stages.  These are thick 12ply socks, using double knit together with left over sock yarn, and will be for me.  The heels are done on the dark pair, and the pale ones have more growing to do to reach the heel stage.  I prefer wearing these thicker socks, especially in the winter.

Two more pair on the go

Our winter weather has been very changeable, cool but sunny some days, and heavy rain on other days.  There was a sprinkling of snow on the hills last week, which always looks pretty in the sunshine, but I'm pleased we don't live in an area with snow on the ground. 

Snow on the Tararua Ranges

Colder weather means more soup making, so I made a batch of French Onion soup in my Crockpot.  It was delicious served with some cheesy toast on the top of my bowl of soup.  Nothing beats hot soup for lunch on a cold winter's day.

French Onion soup