Fall Back

Don't worry, I haven't had a fall.  This is how we remember to alter our clocks when daylight saving comes to an end.  It’s “Spring Forward” at the start, and “Fall Back” at the completion.  This important job belongs to Robin, he is the clock fixer-upper in our home.  I must say that I'm always most impressed that the computers and cell phones can do this task all by themselves!

We've had a busy week.  Robin had his procedure on Saturday morning so we had a drive up to Palmerston North Hospital.  I was well prepared for all the waiting around, and took my knitting along on my hospital bag, a gift from Jean of https://jeanmckinstry.blogspot.com/.  Jean made me this lovely batik bag several years ago when I was having health issues, and it traveled to many a hospital appointment with me, so I always think of it as Jean’s hospital bag.  A lady walked by and told me that she wished she had packed her knitting too, while she was doing her own share of waiting.

I've got my knitting with me

Eventually Robin was processed and whisked away so I made my way to the hospital café for a late lunch.  Being a Saturday it wasn't too crowded with visitors, so I chose some lunch, found a seat and made myself comfy while I ate my lunch.  Then I waited, and waited until I received the phone call to come back and collect Robin.

Lunch, hot coffee,and a good book

So back I walked along seemingly miles of corridors to find Robin sitting up having a sandwich and a cuppa.  He was given a printed report, everything seemed well, then it was home time.  After a week of being on a restricted diet, he was happy to resume our Sunday Morning cooked breakfast tradition the following day.

Sunday morning breakfast

Some time was spent at the sewing machine during the week.  I stitched up eight neutral string blocks for a new project, more about that later when I move this further along.  These blocks will be sliced diagonally.  All these strings came from an overflowing bag which i hardly made a dent in, and I stitched them on some tracing Vilene I found lurking about.

Neutral string blocks

Easter is coming up quickly, and we are going away in the caravan again.  You can be sure we are taking some hot cross buns and Easter Eggs away with us.  Sadly, no animals are allowed at this particular venue, so we have booked Gemma into a cattery, for only the second time in her life.  She didn't have a happy experience last time, much too noisy for here, so we are hoping that with trying a different cattery it will be easier for her. 

The ladies have been requested to bring something for supper at the caravan rally, and I thought of just the thing.  Robin's usual breakfast cereal wasn't allowed the week prior to his procedure, but he could eat rice bubbles instead.  There were such a lot left over so I made some Chocolate Crackles.  These chocolatey treats were always such a hit with my children at birthday parties, so I’m sure all the caravanners will remember them.  I’m not sure if this recipe is just an Aussie and Kiwi thing, or if these are known in other countries too?

I’ve made two containers of Chocolate Crackles to take away

Wishing everyone a happy Easter break, however you plan to celebrate it.  Safe travels for those who will be travelling during the long weekend.

Sew Wot Tuesday

My turn had come up on the roster to host the Sew Wots, so that meant an afternoon spent in the kitchen the day before, whipping up some tasty treats for morning tea.  We all like to make an effort when the ladies come for our two weekly get-togethers, after all we are not called the Eat-alots by one of the hubby’s for nothing!  I made an orange cake and a batch of shortbread on Monday, and some sandwiches on Tuesday morning.  Robin helped with a quick run around with the vacuum cleaner while I did some dusting, and I was all ready to welcome the ladies.

Mary had been having a clean out of her stitching books and arrived with a big heavy pile for us to look through  and rehome, if we saw something that took our fancy.  Several of us spent a happy time browsing and made our selections.  This is what I wanted to keep.  The remaining books would be dropped off as a donation at the Op Shop. 

I decided on these three

There was not so much Show and Tell today.  Carol had been busy and had knitted some soft toys to be sent to the Wanganui Neo Natal Unit.  Say hello to Koala, Panda, Teddy and Piggy.  I’m sure the parents will enjoy selecting one of these toys for their little baby.

So cute

I had my two recently completed flag quilts to show, these will be donated to Foster Hope for children taken into care.

Two flag quilts, different designs

I had forgotten to take any further photos, but can tell you that we were all quite busy working away at our different projects.  Sandra was continuing knitting her lovely cream basket weave baby blanket.  This was her Sew Wot project, she told us, and when completed it will be donated to Plunket. Heather was knitting socks, Carol was starting another knitted toy, and I was continuing on my navy cardigan.  Mary was crocheting Peggy squares, and Helen was stitching EPP blocks together. 

Robin was a stay at home hubby during the morning too, he is having a medical procedure in several day’s time so wants to stay away from the general public.  He was busy at his computer for a while then took himself into the bedroom to watch TV.

It was so nice to have the Sew Wots here, and we will do it all again in two weeks time, at someone else’s home.

A Knitting Finish

It’s always good to have a finish, and although this is only small, it’s still  a finish after all.  When we were preparing for our 10 week South Island caravan trip, I wanted to make sure I took a couple of knitting projects with me. I had two balls of the blue, and the purple was left over from knitting my daughter a pair of thick wooly socks.   Early in our trip, I cast on the rib, and ready to go.

Over the weeks while we were traveling around, this little boy’s toddler jumper started to grow. Because this project was small, I decided to knit the back and front at the same time, up to the shaping.

Two at the same time

Finally the little jumper was knitted, and sewn up.  A button was needed for the front band, and I was sure there would be just the right one here hiding in the button jar.

On a button hunt

I had intended to donate this little toddler’s jumper, put perhaps I’ll keep it for a while, just in case it’s needed.  Must say I’m quite pleased with how it turned out, using up some odd balls of wool which were  just hanging about.

All finished

Family Wedding and Kakahu

This week we attended a family wedding.  The venue is so popular that Saturday bookings are not available for the next two years.  So Robin’s niece Hanah (daughter of Kaye and Jan from Nelson where we spent a wonderful Christmas) and her bridegroom chose a Tuesday wedding, followed by a casual BBQ lunch for all the guests on Wednesday.

It was a garden wedding, with guests from as far away as Ireland  from the groom’s side of the family.  When the ceremony was concluded, and the photos taken, we sat outside in the sunshine with drinks and nibbles, till it was time to go into the function centre for dinner.  Speeches were made, and the cake was cut.

David and Hanah cutting the cake

During the cake cutting ceremony Hanah was wearing a beautiful feather cloak – there is quite a story behind this.  The kakahu (Maori cloak) was a garment made in early Maori times and was generally woven or made from traditional materials like flax and feathers. They are worn as a mantle of prestige and honour.  Underneath the beautiful feather cloak was a woven flax cloak which previously belonged to Hanah’s great-grandmother and had been passed down the family to Jan.  Kaye received help and encouragement from the local Marae who advised her how to construct the feather cloak and attach it to the original family heirloom.  The bride was honoured to wear both her great-grandmother’s original cloak at her wedding with the beautiful feather overlay made by her own mother.

Kaye and the feather cloak, attached to the original woven cloak

Dinner was delicious – we had to select our main from a choice of three when we received the invitation way back prior to Christmas.  And we were wondering what we had ordered all these months later.  Luckily the catering staff had a list and brought out the correct meal to each guest – we had both ordered beef, by the way.  More speeches and then the dancing began.  We left a little early as Robin’s knee didn't feel strong enough to be up and dancing, not like the old days when we could dance till midnight!

Place cards at our dinner table

The following day all the guests were invited back to the venue for a BBQ lunch, put on by the bride’s parents, Kaye and Jan.  It was a beautiful sunny day and we all enjoyed sitting outside in the pleasant surroundings.  Must say that the stars of the show were a whole lot of crayfish which Jan had caught, cooked and frozen over the last few months especially for the big day.  The crayfish were halved with a big cleaver, and the tasty flesh removed from the tails and cut up into bite sized pieces.  For those who haven't tried crayfish, it is a real delicacy here in New Zealand.

Preparing the crayfish for lunch

The BBQ was cranked up and steak, chicken kebabs, sausages and meat patties were sizzling away.  With salads and bread rolls, and a helping or two of that crayfish, it was a lunch fit for royalty. Many thanks to Kaye and Jan for their hospitality, and very best wishes to the young couple Hanah and David.  It was a very pleasant afternoon and we got to chat with visitors from far and wide.

After two days of family wedding celebrations it was a real change of pace the next day.  We rook a trip up to Palmerston North, as it was time for my annual mammogram.  I am so thankful that I receive this free follow-up care after my breast cancer several years ago. The radiographer told me that they now had new machines, brand new this week!  I’m sure they came with a hefty price tag.

All done

We decided to go to the local Chinese restaurant for lunch to settle my nerves,  I’ll be waiting and hoping for good results now.  This place has lovely buffet food, and  very reasonably priced too, with dessert and coffee included in the price.

Lunch time

Slow Stitching Sunday

My Noah’s Ark stitcheries have been on holiday down to the South Island with me, and have now returned home.  I’ve just completed the black and white Friesen cow blocks, complete with a rainbow, one of the girls is happily munching on buttercups.  Plus  another small rainbow block to go over the top of them.

Happy cows

In fact, I’ve completed six of the stitcheries so far.  I thought it would be easier for me to trace the designs on to one larger piece of fabric, and this way has worked out well for me.

Noah’s Ark blocks done so far

I’ve also stitched the frames for the second lot of blocks, so I’m raring to go again.  What one will I stitch first, I wonder?  Perhaps the penguins.

Ready to start stitching again

What other slow stitching have I done lately?  Hand stitched the binding down on my second flag quilt, that didn’t take too long.  And knitting of course – I’m a slow and steady knitter, but I’ll get there in the end.

A busy week with RSC

I've been sewing green little bricks blocks this week, with two projects on the go using this nice simple little block.  First is my zig zag stacked bricks row, this is carried over from RSC 2022.  Then I’ve started stitching little bricks, to be put together in the original setting.  Gemma was ready  to give her opinion once I was ready for a photo shoot.

Little bricks in green

Then I started a new RSC project, two of them in fact.  I decided to carry on making Happy Blocks again this year, a quilt for a boy and one for a girl, as I’ve got plenty of child themed 5 inch squares which were donated to me.  I’ve caught up for the first few months and stitched green and blue for a boy, but no pink allowed.  There are pirates, dogs, snowmen, bunnies and creepy crawlies in this lot.

Then I stitched pink, blue and green for the girls blocks.  What's hiding  here?  Baking stuff,  ballerinas, and various critters.  These little blocks are fun to make.

Happy blocks

You may remember I was stitching boys happy blocks last year as one of my RSC projects.  That is now assembled and waiting to be quilted.  Hopefully I’ll get to it soon.

And I have a finish!  It was time to pin up the flag quilt and get quilting.  Of course, Gemma helped with that too, holding the quilt sandwich down to stop it escaping when I was having time out from machine quilting.

Working away

The binding didn't take too long to stitch down on this little cot quilt, then it was all done.

Second Flag quilt

Looking back on my blog, I started stitching these easy peasy little blocks back in August 2020!  The first quilt using these blocks was completed in late November 2022.  I had found this interesting design on the internet and decided, ”I can do that” and I’m pleased how this one turned out.  So that’s two small cot quilts using the flags blocks.  These two will be donated, I’ll drop them off at the Foster Hope collection site shortly.

Previous quilt using flag blocks

Sew Wot Tuesday

It was time for another Sew Wot Tuesday this week, and Jude was the hostess this time.  Carol had brought along an assortment of paper back novels which we looked through, to see if any took our fancy, and two jumped in my bag to come home.  There were several interesting items for show and tell, always a highlight of the morning.  First up was Heather, with her braid donation quilt.  This is a nice pattern, one I haven't done before.

Heather’s braid quilt

Sandra had been putting a lot of work into community (donation) quilts.  The quilt club members stitch a block or two, and Sandra takes on the job of assembling them.  There were enough of these interesting  batik blocks to make two quilt tops, Sandra had showed us the first one last Sew Wot morning.  We were all intrigued how these blocks were made, quite easy once you know how, and so very effective.

Second batik quilt top

Not so many blocks were received from quilt club members for this one, so Sandra came up with quite a creative idea of how to put these blocks together.  When this one is quilted, it will be a stunning donation quilt indeed.

Black and grey donation quilt

Carol had a donation quilt to show us as well, a pretty little pinwheel baby quilt.  I rather like pinwheel, they always look so nice. 

Carol’s baby pinwheel quilt

As for me, there was nothing at all to show.  I have a couple of projects which are almost at the finishing line, but not quite there yet, perhaps next time.  As well as chatting, we were all quite productive though.  Now I’ve finished the back of my navy cardigan, I have started on the fronts, just like sleeves,  I like to knit the two fronts together.  Sandra was knitting away on her cozy cream basket-weave cot blanket, Jude worked on socks, and Carol was knitting teddy bear ears!  Mary was quietly doing crochet, and made several small squares for a blanket, she just sat there and churned out one after another.  Heather was unpicking, never a nice job, but hopefully made easier while sitting and chatting with friends.

In came the tea trolley for morning tea.  Of my, lots of goodies here, we are certainly well catered for, aren't we.  And on the bottom of the trolley were sweet treats, a bowl of soft marshmallows, plus another of locally manufactured licorice all-sorts, we all had a taste of them too.

Morning tea time

Jude didn't have any show and tell, but she did have some works in progress she shared with us after morning tea.  “Lots of Little Houses”  was a class started at Foxs Cottage a wee while ago, made up of teeny tiny log cabin blocks.

Lots of Little Houses

And Jude had another gorgeous start, called Sunshine, a BOM quilt.  We all loved this one, a combination of piecing and applique.

Sunshine BOM, so pretty

But wait, there’s more.  Jude had made a pinwheel variation donation quilt top to use up her small scraps, but honestly, does that ever work or do you end up with even more scraps?  This is a very pretty design indeed.

Jude's donation top

It was another lovely Sew Wot morning.  Many thanks to Carol for the books, and to  Heather for sharing her freshly picked green beans, much appreciated.