Hello everyone
I just wanted to let you know that I am still here and still reading your blogs.
Since posting last week, I have been busy.
On Friday, DD and the Grandboys visited for the first time in two weeks (due to my being sick). It was so lovely to spend some time with them.
ON Friday afternoon, WM and I left for Tamworth in Northern NSW, arriving there at 9:30pm. We stayed in a motel overnight and picked mum up from the railway station the next morning. Then we drove to Armidale - a university town in the New England Highlands - for my niece's 21st birthday party.
The party was better than I was expecting; I had expected a smaller venue, more people and a greater amount of noise - so I enjoyed myself far more than I thought I would!
We left at around 11:30pm; we didn't have far to go - the motel was right next door!
On Sunday we drove the 500 kilometres (312.5 miles) back home in dreadful conditions - heavy rain and thunderstorms. We arrived at 4pm; DD and family were there to greet us which was lovely - especially for my mum who was meeting Younger Grandson (asleep) for the first time.
Mum is staying with us until Saturday so I have stolen a few minutes while I wait for the washing machine to finish its cycle. I don't expect to post again until after the weekend.
Hopefully, regular posts will resume next week. Thanks for your patience and support.
Lynne
Tuesday 27 September 2011
Thursday 22 September 2011
update and sewing "progress"
Thank you to all who sent good wishes for my recovery from sinusitis. I'm now on my second course of antibiotics and am feeling much better than I was but am still a little "stuffy".
Today I tried to do a little sewing for the first time in three weeks. Perhaps I shouldn't have tried to piece this block.
I cut the pieces as accurately as I could. I sewed and ripped and sewed and ripped and sewed and ripped and pinned and sewed and ripped... well, you know what I'm saying.
I couldn't sew a straight seam. Not even for two and half inches. Everything was slipping and sliding all over the place (Yes, it's quilting cotton). The square in the centre of the block was not square (although it was cut perfectly square). It had curved edges and a corner that was definitely not square. The white strips were more curved than straight.
I think part of the problem was not knowing which way to press the seams to prepare properly for the next step. I know I should press towards the dark fabrics, but my seams didn't want to lie that way.
Even when I tried to square the block with a rotary cutter, it looked more like a kindergarten child had attacked it with a pair of scissors. I gave up in the end and really felt like giving up sewing for good!
Fortunately, I have enough fabric left to cut some more pieces and try again!
I couldn't even get any decent photos for you! Taken with a flash at night, they were still out of focus! What's wrong with me?
Do you ever have days like that?
Today I tried to do a little sewing for the first time in three weeks. Perhaps I shouldn't have tried to piece this block.
I cut the pieces as accurately as I could. I sewed and ripped and sewed and ripped and sewed and ripped and pinned and sewed and ripped... well, you know what I'm saying.
I couldn't sew a straight seam. Not even for two and half inches. Everything was slipping and sliding all over the place (Yes, it's quilting cotton). The square in the centre of the block was not square (although it was cut perfectly square). It had curved edges and a corner that was definitely not square. The white strips were more curved than straight.
I think part of the problem was not knowing which way to press the seams to prepare properly for the next step. I know I should press towards the dark fabrics, but my seams didn't want to lie that way.
Even when I tried to square the block with a rotary cutter, it looked more like a kindergarten child had attacked it with a pair of scissors. I gave up in the end and really felt like giving up sewing for good!
Fortunately, I have enough fabric left to cut some more pieces and try again!
I couldn't even get any decent photos for you! Taken with a flash at night, they were still out of focus! What's wrong with me?
Do you ever have days like that?
Saturday 17 September 2011
news flash
Lynne is being treated for acute sinusitis
and will be away from her blog for a few days.
and will be away from her blog for a few days.
Regular posting will resume as soon as possible.
Tuesday 13 September 2011
spring has defintely sprung!
The forecast temperature for today is 21*C (70*F) - not particularly warm but when there's a cloudless sky and absolutely no wind, the micro-climate of our garden seems much warmer.
The flowers on the archway I showed you on 1st September are nearly all gone - it's a short flowering season and last Saturday's winds didn't help.
But other things are in their full glory.
The azaleas by the back tap.
The screen of banksia roses (to hide the back neighbours' house).
And my personal favourite: the weeping cherry (almost in full bloom).
The flowers on the archway I showed you on 1st September are nearly all gone - it's a short flowering season and last Saturday's winds didn't help.
But other things are in their full glory.
The azaleas by the back tap.
The screen of banksia roses (to hide the back neighbours' house).
And my personal favourite: the weeping cherry (almost in full bloom).
Monday 12 September 2011
perhaps I should return to work
When I worked, I was very rarely sick. Perhaps that's because I was employed on a part time (casual) basis and if I didn't work I didn't get paid. Perhaps it was because I don't like to let people down. I believe in honouring my commitments.
But truly, I rarely was so sick that I couldn't work. Sure, I went to work with allergies and sniffled (perfectly acceptable in many cultures) or had runny eyes.
In June, I told my boss that I either wanted to work two days a week or not at all. One morning a week - two and half hours (so that I was away from home for about five hours) - is just a pain, it interferes with real life and becomes a drudge. The long shot of that, for those who weren't following my blog back then, was that I received an email saying there would be no work for me this semester. That suited me fine. WM was happy for me to stay home so it caused no friction. I was in "forced" retirement and "happy as Larry"!
Since July, I have had a heavy cold four times. The first three times it came unexpectedly, knocked me down for about twenty-four hours, and was gone almost as quickly as it came!
This time my sinuses have become infected. I have an appointment to see the doctor -- this Thursday; by then I will have had this heavy infection for a week. As I type this, the occasional tear rolls down my face (I'm not crying), my head is throbbing, my nose feels like I've gone backwards into the swimming pool and the centre of my face feels like I've been punched several times!
I missed another sewing class today - I just couldn't face driving my car or driving my sewing machine! I haven't done any sewing for more than a week and it doesn't seem likely I will be doing any in the near future.
Enough of the whingeing - I'm off to knit!
Perhaps I should return to work?
But truly, I rarely was so sick that I couldn't work. Sure, I went to work with allergies and sniffled (perfectly acceptable in many cultures) or had runny eyes.
In June, I told my boss that I either wanted to work two days a week or not at all. One morning a week - two and half hours (so that I was away from home for about five hours) - is just a pain, it interferes with real life and becomes a drudge. The long shot of that, for those who weren't following my blog back then, was that I received an email saying there would be no work for me this semester. That suited me fine. WM was happy for me to stay home so it caused no friction. I was in "forced" retirement and "happy as Larry"!
Since July, I have had a heavy cold four times. The first three times it came unexpectedly, knocked me down for about twenty-four hours, and was gone almost as quickly as it came!
This time my sinuses have become infected. I have an appointment to see the doctor -- this Thursday; by then I will have had this heavy infection for a week. As I type this, the occasional tear rolls down my face (I'm not crying), my head is throbbing, my nose feels like I've gone backwards into the swimming pool and the centre of my face feels like I've been punched several times!
I missed another sewing class today - I just couldn't face driving my car or driving my sewing machine! I haven't done any sewing for more than a week and it doesn't seem likely I will be doing any in the near future.
Enough of the whingeing - I'm off to knit!
Perhaps I should return to work?
Sunday 11 September 2011
When is enough enough?
On Friday a good friend came to visit (Hi D!). I picked her up form the railway station and when we arrived, DD and the Grandboys were already here. We had a lovely day knitting and talking and eating and talking and knitting and talking and ...
DD and the Grandboys stayed overnight. Older Grandson didn't sleep well because his ears were bothering him. He's okay when he's upright but lying down obviously puts too much pressure on his ears. Because he slept in our room, we didn't get much sleep either. Well, we did but it was definitely broken sleep!
Yesterday we visited the Farmer's and Artisan's Markets at Castle Hill. The Farmer's Markets were good; we looked, we sampled, we bought some strawberries and navel oranges and I was given a bar of goats' milk soap to try - I hope it works because I have very dry skin which becomes itchy and when I scratch it sometimes tears! We ate freshly made spinach and feta gozleme. OG loved the samples of yoghurt he got to eat! And now he loves strawberries too!
The Artisan Markets were a bit of a disappointment. Apparently some stall holders had already packed up and gone (was it the bitterly cold wind?). The markets have only been operating for four months and there were less than twenty stalls when we got there more than hour before closing time. It didn't help that one of the stall holders was complaining to the one of the other stall holders that people walk past (obviously us since we were just about the only people in the hall at the time) without even stopping. Doesn't she know that people walking slowly can look at the same time? And that there are some things in this world that are just not that interesting to some other people even if she finds them endlessly fascinating?
On the way home, we stopped at the Big Box Store for the much advertised Quilt Expo - a total waste of time! The store in Castle Hill had a much larger range of fabric than our local store but our local store displays fabric by colour and the CH store by some other kind of system - so if you wanted fabric in one colour you'd have to look in three or four different places! Needless to say, DD and I didn't stay long (WM was in the car with the sleeping Grandboys) and we didn't buy anything!
And now to the point of my post. Because the last couple of days have been filled with other things, I haven't had any time to read blogs. This morning I've been catching up! It's midday; I have spent four hours reading and commenting! I'm still in my pyjamas. I haven't had breakfast! I haven't done any knitting (I'm working on a pair of socks that I started last night and plan to finish them in time to wear next weekend - am I mad or what?)
I enjoy all the blogs I read but this is a total time suck! Imagine what it will be like when I go away for the weekend, bring my mum back to stay for a week, then go away for another weekend! I'll be days catching up!
What do you think: when is enough enough?
DD and the Grandboys stayed overnight. Older Grandson didn't sleep well because his ears were bothering him. He's okay when he's upright but lying down obviously puts too much pressure on his ears. Because he slept in our room, we didn't get much sleep either. Well, we did but it was definitely broken sleep!
Yesterday we visited the Farmer's and Artisan's Markets at Castle Hill. The Farmer's Markets were good; we looked, we sampled, we bought some strawberries and navel oranges and I was given a bar of goats' milk soap to try - I hope it works because I have very dry skin which becomes itchy and when I scratch it sometimes tears! We ate freshly made spinach and feta gozleme. OG loved the samples of yoghurt he got to eat! And now he loves strawberries too!
The Artisan Markets were a bit of a disappointment. Apparently some stall holders had already packed up and gone (was it the bitterly cold wind?). The markets have only been operating for four months and there were less than twenty stalls when we got there more than hour before closing time. It didn't help that one of the stall holders was complaining to the one of the other stall holders that people walk past (obviously us since we were just about the only people in the hall at the time) without even stopping. Doesn't she know that people walking slowly can look at the same time? And that there are some things in this world that are just not that interesting to some other people even if she finds them endlessly fascinating?
On the way home, we stopped at the Big Box Store for the much advertised Quilt Expo - a total waste of time! The store in Castle Hill had a much larger range of fabric than our local store but our local store displays fabric by colour and the CH store by some other kind of system - so if you wanted fabric in one colour you'd have to look in three or four different places! Needless to say, DD and I didn't stay long (WM was in the car with the sleeping Grandboys) and we didn't buy anything!
And now to the point of my post. Because the last couple of days have been filled with other things, I haven't had any time to read blogs. This morning I've been catching up! It's midday; I have spent four hours reading and commenting! I'm still in my pyjamas. I haven't had breakfast! I haven't done any knitting (I'm working on a pair of socks that I started last night and plan to finish them in time to wear next weekend - am I mad or what?)
I enjoy all the blogs I read but this is a total time suck! Imagine what it will be like when I go away for the weekend, bring my mum back to stay for a week, then go away for another weekend! I'll be days catching up!
What do you think: when is enough enough?
Saturday 10 September 2011
a letter to my quilting friends
Dear Quilting Friends
I haven't given up quilting but I do have two full day knitting workshops to tutor in the next three weeks (17th September and 1st October) so please bear with me if this blog seems heavy on the knitting content at the moment.
Quilting posts will resume soon!
Lynne
I haven't given up quilting but I do have two full day knitting workshops to tutor in the next three weeks (17th September and 1st October) so please bear with me if this blog seems heavy on the knitting content at the moment.
Quilting posts will resume soon!
Lynne
Thursday 8 September 2011
knitted FO
Back in April, I started a pair of toe up socks for WM.
I learnt a long time ago to knit two socks at the same time to save gauge issues later!
I finished the first sock but the cast off was too tight so I put the sock away.
At that time, the toe and the foot of the second sock had been knitted.
Due to workshop I am tutoring next week, I thought I should unpick that too-tight cuff and finish it. In the process, I discovered the second sock which I hadn't even thought about.
Both socks were finished after dinner last night and so the colours may be a little "off" due to the use of artificial light and flash.
WM is very happy with the socks; they fit perfectly - which I guess is the point of knitting socks from the toe up!
I learnt a long time ago to knit two socks at the same time to save gauge issues later!
I finished the first sock but the cast off was too tight so I put the sock away.
At that time, the toe and the foot of the second sock had been knitted.
Due to workshop I am tutoring next week, I thought I should unpick that too-tight cuff and finish it. In the process, I discovered the second sock which I hadn't even thought about.
So, on Tuesday night I turned the heel and knitted most of the leg.
Yesterday I finished the leg and knitted the cuff.
Both socks were finished after dinner last night and so the colours may be a little "off" due to the use of artificial light and flash.
 |
| the colour changes in the yellow are in the yarn not the photo! |
Wednesday 7 September 2011
preparing for a toe up sock workshop
On Saturday 17th September, I am tutoring a workshop on knitting socks from the toe up. I am being assisted by two very experienced sock knitters, one of whom only knits toe up.
We will be using Judy's Magic Cast On (pending permission), some short-row shaping in the form of an hourglass heel from The Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook by Lynne Vogel (2002) - used with permission - and finishing with Jeny's Surprisingly Stretch Bind Off (also used with permission).
I have written the pattern for our sample sock. I have test knitted the pattern for 5 dpns, 4 dpns and two circulars. I have asked one of my assistants to translate the dpn instructions for Magic Loop (I hope it's not too complicated) and have asked the other one to re-test the instructions for 5dpns.
Here is my sample sock. Cute, huh?
What do you mean, you can't tell what size it is? LOL
Here it is again - those are my 20cm (8") Knitpick dpns added for scale!
This sock is a little too small - it is knitted on 24 stitches on 3.75mm (US 5) needles using 8ply (DK) yarn. I have re-written the pattern for 32 stitches; that will mean more practice on the short row heel, which can only be a good thing, right?
We will be using Judy's Magic Cast On (pending permission), some short-row shaping in the form of an hourglass heel from The Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook by Lynne Vogel (2002) - used with permission - and finishing with Jeny's Surprisingly Stretch Bind Off (also used with permission).
I have written the pattern for our sample sock. I have test knitted the pattern for 5 dpns, 4 dpns and two circulars. I have asked one of my assistants to translate the dpn instructions for Magic Loop (I hope it's not too complicated) and have asked the other one to re-test the instructions for 5dpns.
Here is my sample sock. Cute, huh?
What do you mean, you can't tell what size it is? LOLHere it is again - those are my 20cm (8") Knitpick dpns added for scale!
This sock is a little too small - it is knitted on 24 stitches on 3.75mm (US 5) needles using 8ply (DK) yarn. I have re-written the pattern for 32 stitches; that will mean more practice on the short row heel, which can only be a good thing, right?
Tuesday 6 September 2011
What will I do with these?
Last Thursday, at the monthly meeting of Caring Hearts Community Quilting group, I was given 27 x 9 inch random disappearing nine-patch blocks and asked to "do something with them".
The fabrics are truly random: there are florals, paisleys, solids, novelty prints, Japanese writing and plaids (to name a few). Despite what my photo shows you, there is no colour consistency between the blocks either!
The fabrics are truly random: there are florals, paisleys, solids, novelty prints, Japanese writing and plaids (to name a few). Despite what my photo shows you, there is no colour consistency between the blocks either!
I do not seem to have the four pieces that made the original nine patch.
I have some blocks that have matching fabrics, mostly the small square. I have two blocks that have matching large squares, and two blocks that have the same fabric in the large square of one and one of the rectangles on the other!
Right now, I am considering separating the blocks into those that contain black in the background fabric, and those that do not. I was going to sort them into colour groups but some of the blocks were too random even for that!
Since there are twenty-seven blocks, I guess I will have to make a few more (to make thirty perhaps?)
I have looked around the 'Net for some inspiration and found these:
Sarah Loves Fabric (scroll down)
Gypsy Hill (scroll down to the EQ layout)
Grandma Barbara (no tutorial so I'd have to wing it using another tutorial!)
Any other suggestions?
Monday 5 September 2011
I've been doing some light reading
A couple of months ago, I won these three novels in a give-away on Cindy's Fluffy Sheep Quilting blog.
It took a while from them to arrive from Ireland but they got here safely.
They are detective stories set in a small town in New York. The central characters are the quilting circle at Someday Quilts; specifically the owner of the shop, Eleanor, and her adult grand-daughter, Nell.
I have finished the first of the three books. I couldn't put it down so finished it in just a few hours. The ending was a surprise to me - I certainly didn't see it coming.
Those who read the post on my TV viewing habits will know that I am a fan of detective/crime shows.
This book is a combination of detective story woven around Nell's quilting journey - what's not to love? LOL
They are detective stories set in a small town in New York. The central characters are the quilting circle at Someday Quilts; specifically the owner of the shop, Eleanor, and her adult grand-daughter, Nell.
I have finished the first of the three books. I couldn't put it down so finished it in just a few hours. The ending was a surprise to me - I certainly didn't see it coming.
Those who read the post on my TV viewing habits will know that I am a fan of detective/crime shows.
This book is a combination of detective story woven around Nell's quilting journey - what's not to love? LOL
Sunday 4 September 2011
Happy Fathers' Day
WM with his two grandsons
SIL and Older Grandson
We miss you, Frederick Francis
 |
| 1928 - 2010 |
and Maxwell John.
 |
| 1929 - 2011 |
Friday 2 September 2011
the good, the bad and the downright ugly!
In my experience, most people want the bad news first.
DD and I did not get eight blankets finished by 1st September. We tried but it just didn't happen. Sewing takes twice as long (or more) when you are working around a toddler and a demanding baby!
We wasted a few metres of thread (and precious time) by not checking the back of the blanket. If we had done so, we would have noticed the bobbin thread was making loops instead of stitches.
I didn't complete the knitted blanket I began last week. I have knitted about 70%. I've found that I can't sew and knit and the same time! LOL
DD has also not completed the baby blanket she is knitting.
But the good news is, we went on the Angels for the Forgotten website and they exceeded their targets of 3000 bags and 1000 blankies by 31st August - they did it without us making a single contribution! They actually received 3361 bags and 1297 blankies.
The problem with the bobbin stitching turned out to be a bent needle and an incorrectly threaded machine - easily fixed!
I have learnt a lot about working with flannelette and passed that knowledge onto DD. We have both learnt how to make mitred corners in order to tum the backing into the binding. And that knowledge is useful and transferable.
Seven of the eight blankets we planned to make are now complete and the last is well under way. It just needs the corners mitred and the binding (machine) sewn down. I'm sure Angels for the Forgotten will not reject a "late" contribution!
There is now less pressure on us to complete things so we can relax and just enjoy the process.
And the downright ugly:
On Sunday DD and family had guests for lunch. They came with bad colds. Older Grandson succumbed first. DD and the Grandboys visited here on Wednesday (in an attempt to complete the blankets). By Thursday, DD, both Grandboys and I had heavy head colds. A virulent strain indeed!
This is the third time I have had a cold since I "retired"; I was rarely sick when I was working!
DD and I did not get eight blankets finished by 1st September. We tried but it just didn't happen. Sewing takes twice as long (or more) when you are working around a toddler and a demanding baby!
We wasted a few metres of thread (and precious time) by not checking the back of the blanket. If we had done so, we would have noticed the bobbin thread was making loops instead of stitches.
I didn't complete the knitted blanket I began last week. I have knitted about 70%. I've found that I can't sew and knit and the same time! LOL
DD has also not completed the baby blanket she is knitting.
But the good news is, we went on the Angels for the Forgotten website and they exceeded their targets of 3000 bags and 1000 blankies by 31st August - they did it without us making a single contribution! They actually received 3361 bags and 1297 blankies.
The problem with the bobbin stitching turned out to be a bent needle and an incorrectly threaded machine - easily fixed!
I have learnt a lot about working with flannelette and passed that knowledge onto DD. We have both learnt how to make mitred corners in order to tum the backing into the binding. And that knowledge is useful and transferable.
Seven of the eight blankets we planned to make are now complete and the last is well under way. It just needs the corners mitred and the binding (machine) sewn down. I'm sure Angels for the Forgotten will not reject a "late" contribution!
There is now less pressure on us to complete things so we can relax and just enjoy the process.
And the downright ugly:
On Sunday DD and family had guests for lunch. They came with bad colds. Older Grandson succumbed first. DD and the Grandboys visited here on Wednesday (in an attempt to complete the blankets). By Thursday, DD, both Grandboys and I had heavy head colds. A virulent strain indeed!
This is the third time I have had a cold since I "retired"; I was rarely sick when I was working!
Thursday 1 September 2011
first day of spring
In Australia, the first day of any season occurs on the first of the month.
According to the Macquarie dictionary,"wonga wonga" is of Aboriginal origin but I have not been able to trace its meaning!
However, according to MacMillan dictionary (and others), "wonga" is (or was) an English slang term for money!
However this plant got its name, I hope you've enjoyed the pictures of the flowers!
Today is officially the first day of spring.
A couple of weeks ago, I showed you photos from our garden. The wonga wonga vine, an Australian native, was in bud.
Many of those buds are now flowers and the vine looks like this (I don't know why the plant on the right is flowering better than the plant on the left.
According to the Macquarie dictionary,"wonga wonga" is of Aboriginal origin but I have not been able to trace its meaning!
However, according to MacMillan dictionary (and others), "wonga" is (or was) an English slang term for money!
However this plant got its name, I hope you've enjoyed the pictures of the flowers!
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