Baby Hats and Christmas Stockings

 Baby hats are great for evening TV knitting, and I finished these a wee while ago. Then they sat  till they were finally sewed up.  At last they are completed and have been donated to the church where I attend a monthly knitting group, for the Nest Collective group.  There is a Columbium refugee family with a new baby the church supports, I was told, and would I mind if the hats get passed on to them instead?  Not at all, whoever needs them.  One of the other knitting ladies had several pairs of knitted booties which will also be gifted to this family.

These little hats were knitted in acrylic I found in the Op Shop, but I'm not very happy with the results.  I'll use wool or wool blend next time, I think they will turn out nicer.   But I rather like the pattern with the little top knot, so will be knitting that again sometime.

Three little hats

I received a bag of Christmas Stockings from Jo (ButterZ) recently, so that was rather exciting.  The stockings and bands  were all cut out,  and the motifs have been fused on.  One stocking was almost complete,  and three others had the motifs partly stitched, using stranded cotton.  So I've done a little work on these four.

I don't have stranded cotton to finish the stitching, so I improvised and used sewing cotton (machine thread) instead.  I just needed to finish stitching around the bottom of the band on this one, and added a button. Doesn't that Christmas Pudding look delicious! I'm so pleased this one came almost complete so I will know how to attach the band and finish all the others now.

Just needed a little stitching on the band to finish.

The Peppermint stick had been started to be stitched down in the next one, so I found some similar red thread and got stitching, then did running stitch around the leaves and berries.

 This is a nice seasonal motif too

And lastly, I found two Gingerbread men who had been partially stitched down.  They are now completed, and I added eyes and mouth to each with my Pigma pen.  Mmm, don't know about those expressions, they look a little manic to me.  Are Gingerbread Men usually naughty or nice?

Two Gingerbread Men

This stitching whiled away a winter  afternoon at home.  I think my alternate threads used blended in well enough.  As my Mother used to say "A blind man will be pleased to see it".

I'll be using Perle No.5 thread from now on to work on the stockings, I've got plenty of different colours in my bag.   Some of the other motifs have already been stitched down, while the others have just been fused.  Guess I'll work on one stocking at a time, wish me luck.  I'm not planning to have them all finished  by this coming Christmas though, they will be done when they are done!

Tiny Christmas Stockings, and Darning

 I've completed stitching three pair of tiny felt Christmas Stockings, which were handed out at last month's quilt club meeting.  Each set of stockings came with an extra strip of felt.  These will be hung on the display of Christmas Trees in December, our club's entry in the Avenue of Trees.

Red, white and green

After putting my thinking cap on, I had worked out how I wanted to decorate them.  They are tiny, so keep it simple, I decided.  Sadly, I failed miserably with blanket stitch, so just did running stitch instead.  I'm sure it's not that hard, but I just couldn't get my head around it.  Maybe I'll ask the Sew Wots to show me sometime.  With a bit of simple stitching, a couple of buttons, and ribbon hanging loops stitched on, they were done.

White, green and red, and I found one tiny Father Christmas looking for a new home

I can't remember when I last did some darning, but I had a hand knitted sock emergency.  Most of my cozy thick socks are knitted with 8 ply wool, ply 4 ply sock yarn, and these are hole free, so far.  But I did knit a couple of pairs using 12 ply wool in the early days,  and one of these pairs developed a hole under the heel.  There was only one thing to do, try to darn the hole up

That's no good, is it.

I had a very small ball of grey acrylic which toned in quite well, and  used that.  No darning mushroom though - I can remember these from my childhood when my Mother expertly darned socks.  I improvised and slipped a glass into the sock, and started working.  I don't think I'll win any prizes for my darning prowess, but it did the job, so I'm pleased with that.

Finished is better than perfect!

I've just finished another library book, Fallen, by Karin Slaughter.  I've read a lot of her books, but missed this older one somehow.  It features one of my favourite detectives, Will Trent, together with Dr Sara Linton, Will's partner Faith and boss Amanda Wagner.  This was such a gripping story, and I hadn't worked out the who and why as the tale progressed, as it hurtled to the climatic ending.

Just finished, I could hardly put it down

I have seen the Will Trent series on TV and was quite disappointed with the casting.  According to the books, Will is white, tall and lean, with a runner's body shape, and the TV show featured a darker, maybe Mexican character.  Rather like casting Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher, readers all know Jack is a big, powerful, strong  man, so I refused to go and watch the two movies featuring  the much smaller Tom Cruise.  Guess I like things to stay the same.

Here comes a Tuatara

I've spent a little time stitching around a tuatara on my New Zealand panel.  I've been lucky enough to hold one of these rather special creatures.  Those spines on the head and back are not sharp, but rather feel rubbery - yes, I had to touch and see for myself.

Stitching a tuatara

The tuatara is endemic to New Zealand and is known as a "living fossil".  They are the only surviving members of an ancient lineage (Sphenodontia) that thrived alongside dinosaurs, and are unique because they are not lizards.  Introduced predators brought in by settlers have taken their toll, and tuataras are now only found on predator free off shore islands and in fenced sanctuaries.  They can live for 60-100 years.

As well as a little slow stitching, I'm keeping busy with knitting, and have started another pair of socks, using the pink 4ply sock yarn my daughter gave me on Mother's Day.  Because  I prefer thicker socks, I'm pairing it with pale pink double knit.  And doing flat knitting, two at a time, because that's the way I like to knit socks.

A new pair of socks for me

Guess I'll have to admit to having several other knitting projects on the go.  A couple of babies hats,  my summer cotton jumper, and a 12 ply blue cardigan are waiting to be picked up and worked on too.  Just like  quilting, with lots started, it seems I'm just the same with knitting as well.  But they will all get finished sometime, I'm sure.

There has been quite bad weather over parts of the country lately.   Once again, the ferries and planes were cancelled, there has been bad flooding and road damage,  but it seems to have missed my area, luckily.  Today has been cool but sunny here.  Gemma has been soaking up the sun streaming through the venetian blinds while relaxing on a dining chair.  She likes to tuck her head under the corner of the tablecloth.  Cat's have the best life, don't they?

Gemma does a great job of relaxing

But it is mid winter so that means plenty of home made soup.  I love making, and eating soup, and this pumpkin soup was nice and tasty with a little curry powder and cooked bacon added.

Pumpkin soup for lunch

The days have been cool but sunny, with the mornings and evening cold enough to enjoy the ease of the heat pump.  I can remember the years of open fires, buying and stacking wood, chopping kindling, cleaning out the grate,  lighting the fire after returning home from a long day at work.  Fires do look so cozy and comforting, and have a wonderful relaxing ambience, but I'm pleased things are so much easier for me now.

Binding, and a Knitting Finish

Quilters are in two camps about quilt bindings, they either love it or hate it.  I love hand stitching the binding down, it's the last job to do and then you have finished.   Like this little baby donation quilt with the cozy fleecy back, all clipped up and waiting to go.

Binding time

I have a knitting finish too.  Remember this?  I was stitching it up back in April.  Then it got put aside for a while, don't ask me why, it just happens.

Stitching the sleeves in to the body

Then once it was all stitched together, it took me a while to go and buy some brown buttons.  This little cardigan was looking at me accusingly every time I passed it by - just get on with it, it was saying!  For this knit I've used hand spun wool from my late friend Merilyn.  I'll tuck this one away with the others in my great grandchildren crate for a while.  Maybe I'll donate it later, I'll just have to wait and see.

Finally finished, made with hand spun wool

And I've started knitting the  sleeves for my cotton summer jumper.  These are short sleeves, so won't go on and on as a pair of long sleeves seems to.  I like to knit two at the same time.  Most of my knitting is done in the evening while watching TV, but Gemma has been extra friendly lately and likes to jump up on my lap.  That puts the knitting on hold as she thinks those moving needles and balls of wool are there for her to play with.

Two short sleeves

I've just finished a book, and goodness, this was a scary one, all about a rather nasty serial killer and his followers.  I had to put it down and take a breather every now and again, and it had a finish I never saw coming.  This is the second book by this author, so I need to check if the library has the first book.

Don't read this if you are easily frightened!

Another Lovely Day

I can't believe this run of calm, mild, sunny weather we have been having lately.  No complaints of course, but Winter is starting tomorrow 1st June!  I've been sitting outside for an hour or two, once again, making the most of the gentle warmth.  Gemma joined me too, once she woke up from her afternoon nap.  She is always very interested in this small bark garden when she comes outside, especially in the far corner.  I can't see anything which would catch her attention, but maybe there are some tiny ants running around in the bark, who knows?  But it certainly holds her interest.

Wonder what she can see?

I was working on my New Zealand Land and Sea panel again.  The other day I went to my favourite quilt shop, Foxes Cottage, In Foxton, and purchased two skeins of Perle no 5 which I needed.  But I still needed a couple of shades of turquoise which I couldn't find on the stand.  The helpful staff member then directed me to another stand, which had reels of Sue Spargo threads, including the colours  I was looking for.  I didn't realise that this brand was available, so that is certainly another option  for me in the future.

Filling the gaps for my stitching

So today I worked on finishing up this gull, he needed his head, face and feet completed.  Slow stitching indeed, but so restful, and nice to be sitting outside.  And I gave my thread bag a tidy up, so that is good.

Hello, Mr Gull

How about a knitting finish?  This was easy and simple and was my evening TV knitting for the last wee while.  Some time ago at my Monday craft group, one of the ladies bought in a box of stuff she was going to take to the Op Shop, she wondered if any of us would like to check the items out first.  We certainly did, we were like bees around a honey pot!  There were all sorts of goodies, I selected a pink fat quarter and  some eyelash yarn to take home.

Eyelash yarn

Then I cast on 25 stitches on very big needles, and set about knitting a scarf.  Each evening I would knit some more rows, and it grew, and grew, till I had used up all the yarn.  It's a little bit prickly so I'll give it a wash and maybe add some fabric softener to the rinse.  I will be donating this to Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, and maybe a pre-teen girl might like it.  When I met the co-ordinator Fleur last week, she told me she was starting to gather up Christmas gifts for all the children, so the scarf may be just what someone will love.  

Pretty white scarf

So that's what I've been up to lately.  It's time to wish Autumn goodbye today and say hello to Winter tomorrow.  I do wonder how much longer the weather will play nice and allow me to sit outside?

Slow Stitching and Knitting

Well, we certainly can't complain about the weather today.  It was warm and sunny enough to get the washing dry outside.  And pleasant enough for me to sit outside on the patio, under our Arch-gola.  It's hard to believe it's almost the end of May, and it makes me wonder just what Winter will have in store for us all.  Just have to wait and see, I guess.

So, this afternoon, I took my New Zealand panel outside for a couple of hours to do some more big stitch quilting.  Today, I was working on a heron, slowly stitching away with a cuppa and biscuit to help me along.  This is such a soothing a meditative pastime.  and I thought about this and that.  Gemma was curled up inside on a dining chair, with the sunshine coming in the window.  You know what cats are like, sleeping is their number one hobby!

Hello heron

I need some more colours of Perle no. 5, in particular a couple of shades of teal/turquiose and some blues.  Although my favourite quilt shop has a good range of colours available, I couldn't get everything I needed last time.  Guess another trip is in order to see if they have restocked again.

This is the state of the bag I keep my threads in.  I tend to rummage around, looking for something in particular, and I suppose that is why it is so messy.  Oh dear, I think it could do with a good tidy up.  I'm sure most of you wouldn't put up with this!  I cut and plait my threads, that was always a job Robin helped with.  He would happily hold them for me while I got busy plaiting.  

It's a bit of a mess

After been put into time-out for a while, I retrieved my cotton summer top which I'm knitting.  I'm up to the front neck and had to figure out what to do, as the actual pattern is a cardigan, not a jumper.  With the help of a notebook and a pen, I made a few notes and luckily my calculations worked out fine.  I'm pleased about that, as it had been worrying me for a while.  So that is the back and the front now finished.

The front is finished at last

So now I'm ready to cast on the short sleeves, I'll knit both of them at the same time.  

Sleeves are next

I've just finished reading another book.  This one was about the secretive Bletchley Park and the important work taking place there.  It tells the story of three young women from quite different backgrounds who were recruited because of their knowledge of the German language, decoding intercepted Luftwaffe messages.   This novel was quite a different read for me, and I really enjoyed it.

RSC - Just a Touch of Orange

 Orange is the colour of the month for RSC stitching, not my favourite colour by any means.  I'm not too keen on bright red either, wonder what that says about me?  I'm still working on my baby quilt and found a scrap of yellow with orangey coloured flowers - just enough for a corner block.  I was looking for something more apricot, but nothing was to be found.

That will do

I laid the blocks out on my design bed, to see what else I needed.  Yes, there were a couple of spaces that needed filling, so I stitched up some three purple blocks, and a teal for the other corner.  

On the design bed

The blocks were then webbed together and I contemplated what to use as a border.  And finally settled on a pale blue.  There, that's the top done and dusted.  Plus I made the binding, I always like to get this done early.   The next step is to get it layered and pinned.  Perhaps next week.

Finished the top

A local charity had put the call out for warm winter things recently.  I hadn't heard of this charity before, but thought I would like to donate a couple of things for local children. 

Donations needed

 You may remember the crate of knitted items I retrieved from the loft recently, full of things for future great-grandchildren?  I could pass two jumpers on, I decided.  Two boys jumpers, one about age 4-5, and the blue hooded one for a toddler.  Seems like there won't be any family babies for a while, I'm told.

Two jumpers for little boys

And I always seem to have a couple of donation quilts waiting to be passed on, so delivered these as well.   Both of these were RSC quilts finished last year.  And they both have a touch of orange too.

Off to keep some local children warm

And speaking of warm, we have been enjoying some lovely, sunny, Autumn days lately, beautiful and calm.  Not today though, it's cloudy,  cool, and getting colder.  The heat pump is on, luckily it doesn't take too long to warm things up.  Guess winter will show it's teeth here soon enough.

Donation Time and Mother's Day

 It was time to send a few more items off to new homes.  You may remember the crate of knitting my granddaughter got down from the loft for me, it contained knitted jumpers I had done for future great grand children.  It was time to let two of them go, plus a several knitted hats I had finished recently.

Off to new homes

The pink jumper was knitted recently with yarn I had purchased from an Op Shop, and the navy one is a reknit of a pattern I made for my first baby Michael many years ago.  He is now 61 years old!  And the little hats were made from ends of yarn I wanted to use up.

What else?  I sent along this little blue and yellow cot quilt too.  I think it is so pretty, cot quilts are quick to stitch and enjoyable to make.

Cot quilt

I took these along to show the ladies in my monthly knitting group.  Not everyone knits, some have hand issues and come along for the company and a chat, which is nice.  We meet in a local church, which collects donations for The Nest Collective, who distribute items for new mothers and their babies, a New Zealand wide organization.  A very worthy cause and one I'm happy to support.  

Today is Mother's Day here in New Zealand, and I met my daughter for lunch.  I drove up to Foxton and she drove down from Kiwitea.  It was just as well that she had booked us a table as the cafe was really busy.  Mind you, that cafe is always busy, the food and service is great, but today it was especially busy with families out celebrating with their Mums.

Out to lunch

Nicky had brought me a gift.  What's in here, I wonder

It was some pretty sock yarn, self striping in pink.  "Breast Cancer Awareness Special Edition".  I had only just thought of starting a new pair of socks for myself, so this is very timely indeed.

Sock yarn from Nicky

After a delicious lunch, and coffee each, plenty of chatter, we went back to the cars.  As usual, there was a bit of swapping to do.  I had two good quality travel bags found in the loft which Nicky was taking off my hands, so they went home with her.  These had only been used a couple of times, and as  I mentioned to her, we purchased these for overseas travel as cabin bags, before we realised that pull along small cabin sized suitcases were so much easier to cope with.  And I had found a pair of hedge clippers in the shed which I was donating to granddaughter Megan to use in her  garden.

Nicky had things in her boot (trunk) to pass over to me as well.  A bag of lemons from her tree, and a big bag of feijoas, much appreciated.  The two granddaughters had sent along a little something - one of Megan's butternut pumpkins from her first crop, and a pumpkin pie from Emma.  Didn't I do well.

Pumpkin and pie

So I had a lovely day.  And I've had a phone call from my son Michael too, so that was lovely.   Happy Mother's Day to all you wonderful ladies too.

Binding, Knitting and Reading

I've pleased to have finished the quilting on the final  (third) quilt I'm  making for a special family.  I really struggled with the quilting, and couldn't understand why the tension was wrong and the machine was really struggling.  My  Bernina had just come back from a service so should have been running fine.  Eventually, after rethreading yet again, I decided to change the fancy embroidery thread I was using to standard cotton.  What a revelation, no tightness in the tension, no strange noises, and the final quilting line ran smoothly.  When I sent my machine for a service I told them that the pick up thread area was really tight, but just send ordinary thread along.  Guess the moral of the story is, my machine doesn't like that fancy thread!  I'm a slow learner, and struggled with the quilting all along.  

But now the binding is on, and I can enjoy hand stitching it down.  Today is a wonderful calm, sunny Autumn day in my part of paradise.  I sat outside on the patio with my box of trusty binding clips, and started stitching the binding down along the first side.  Such an enjoyable pastime. 

Binding time on a sunny May afternoon

Just like my quilting projects, I seem to have multiple knitting projects going on as well.  I've almost finished stitching up a little toddlers jumper, using the last of the natural coloured brown wool, which was hand spun by my late friend Merilyn.  After looking through my button jars and not finding anything suitable, I'll be off to buy some brown buttons this week.  I'm pleased that I've still got a couple of balls of Merilyn's white/cream wool left which I will use in my 12ply winter socks, knitted with some 4ply sock yarn.

Just finishing the stitching 

And just because I could, I started something new.  With just one 50gr ball of this blue wool left after knitting a toddler jacket a while ago, there seemed to be enough left for a donation beany.  I'm doing a bigger size than I usually make so I hope there is enough, otherwise I'll just have to pull it out and start again, a size smaller.

Blue beany

My summer cotton top that I'm knitting has come to a standstill.  I need to sit down and work out the front neck shaping - because the pattern I'm using is a summer cardigan, not a top.  I'm sure with a bit of concentration and taking some notes it will be OK.

I need to get back to this project next

As you know, I love to read, and there is nothing I like better than a fast paced book about serial killers.  After discovering Angela Marsons books featuring DI Kim Stone, I'm devouring every one in the series in the library that I can find.  There was  so much going on, multiple murders of young sex workers, an abandoned  baby, and modern day slavery all taking place at the same time.  

And for a change of pace, I've recently finished Phillipa Gregory's books two and three in her Fairmile series.  Book two is set in Venice, where dark deeds take place, in America where the early settlers and indigenous people are headed for war, and back in England in the docklands.  Book three tells of the uprising against Roman Catholic King James, and the sugar slave trade in Barbados.  All written with Phillipa Gregory's flair for historical story telling.  To me these were "Can't put down" type of books.

A trip to the library tomorrow is a must, I've finished my books!  I'll be getting withdrawal symptoms.  

Winter Woolies, the Repair Shop, and Up in the Loft.

 With my sewing machine away being serviced, I've been spending a little more time knitting.  Last week I came across a stalled knitting project and set to work finishing the two fronts, knitting with  some hand spun wool sent to me by my late friend Merilyn.

That didn't take too long, and now I'm working on the front bands.  I've almost finished them, so the next step is the neck band, and sew it all together.  Wonder if I can get this finished by next week?

On to the front bands

The weather is certainly turning cooler and my feet really feel the cold weather, so it's time to get my hand knit wooly socks out.   These are my lighter 4ply socks, I'm sure it won't be too long till I'm wearing my nice cozy 12ply socks.   And it's time to change the summer sheets to nice cozy winter sheets too.  I'm feeling the need to cast on another pair of wooly socks too, it's so satisfying to knit your own.

Wooly sock time

I have a handy small folding clothes airer in the garage, and I went to fold it up recently and a bit broke off the foot!  Bother - now I'll have to go and buy another one.  Then I remembered that there is a local Repair Shop who operate one Saturday a month in a local hall, so I popped down to see them.  As it turned out, I knew one of the handy fellows there.    Terry has been volunteering every month, ever since this handy service started about 5 years, but this was my first visit there. The men on the team looked at the problem, and it was soon repaired for me.  That was a bonus, I don't need to go shopping for a new one now - and worry about getting rid of the damaged one.

Checking out my folding clothes airer

This is such a handy service, with all sorts of skills on offer, including two ladies with their sewing machines set up, an electronic guy, and I noticed someone fixing the legs on a coffee table.  There is also a cafe available, so I sat and had a coffee and a scone while watching all the activity taking place in the hall.  I noticed that most of the clients were elderly, a handy service for someone like me who has lost their home handyman.  Anything that Robin couldn't do, he could take to the Menz Shed and get one of the retired experts to help him.

My daughter Nicky and Granddaughter Emma called to see me today.  I had asked the two girls to come and help me with things up in the loft "sometime"  and Emma decided that sometime had arrived.  I really didn't want to climb that fold down ladder, and climb through the hole in the top any more.  Quite a lot of boxes and crates were handed down to Nicky and me standing in the garage.  All the interior and outside Christmas lights were going to Granddaughter Megan, she is a real Christmas fanatic and has her own home.  Son-in-law would be really keen to get the heavy tarpaulin, Nicky suggested, so that went in her car  too.  Nicky took a good quality wheely suitcase from our overseas trips.  What I really wanted to get down were several crates of fabrics, mostly knits, which I will probably donate I think.  And a crate of baby and toddler knits I had made for expected great grandchildren.  It really was a treasure trove of long forgotten items, a long way from being completely cleared but every bit helps.  And Nicky left with her car full to bursting.

I had cooked a nice lunch, or so I thought, of French Onion soup with cheesy toast.  Emma doesn't eat onions, she told me, but had plenty of cheesy toast.  I had also made some rather tasty smoked salmon baby quiches, everyone liked those.  I didn't take any photos of the visit this time, never mind.  It was lovely to see them, and they were so helpful getting all that stuff down, some of it I couldn't remember at all.