temporarily not blogging

Hi friends

Since last weekend I have been doing an online ministry course which is effectively taking up a lot of my time that used to be used for hobbies. I was a little slow in getting started. The course officially began on Friday but I didn't get started until Monday and I was quite a few sessions behind by then! I have been trying to play "catch up" ever since!

As I understand it, the course runs for two weeks but the course videos stay online for an additional week for those who need to review (or catch up). So, you may not hear from me from now until 13 August when I no longer have access to the course material.

If you have an iPad, could you please tell me what app you use to take and store notes and what you do and don't like about it? Currently, I am using Evernote (I have just lost a couple of hours worth of typing, no autosave that I know of!)

If you're using an app for a Bible, could you tell me what app you are using and whether you are happy with it or not?

I am using Tecarta for my Bible which I find easy to use and very quick. The free version only gives me access to KJV so I may install both the NKJV and the NIV. Does anyone use Olive Tree App? What's it like?

I also have The Glo free app, which is fun if you want to play with maps, art works and other media but for serious study it's too cumbersome. I typed "greater is he that is in you" in the search box and got over 1,000 scriptures! I only wanted one! Funnily enough, when I typed only the word "greater", I got 66 hits! When I typed the same phrase in Tecarta I got eight scriptures - much more manageable!

The Ravellenic Games begin in just a few hours and I think I have four items for the Frogging Trampoline and at least three for WIPS Wrestling so I'll be head-down, b* up for the next little while!

See you at the other end!

PS I am still reading and commenting as much as I'm able - thank goodness for iPad!

Sew What Monday (on Tuesday)

Carol, over at Fun Threads, writes a weekly post about what she’s working on and invites others to link up and share their works-in-progress. This week she has finished a quilt top based on a book called Goodnight Moon. (while you're over there, check out that beautiful rocking chair).

Since I got my iPad four weeks ago, I have done very little sewing. I spent about a week catching up with blogs and then started downloading books from my local library. I have read more books in the past month than I have read in a year. It has even inspired me to dig out my Kindle and read books I have stored on there too.

But I do attend classes on Mondays. Since the beginning of June I have been working on a bag made from a half jelly roll (that is, twenty 2 1/2 strips).

the bag as I took it to class yesterday

I know I am very slow. I find it hard to stitch straight lines and be accurate so I have my machine on the slowest speed possible to be as accurate as possible. Due to my family commitments and my revived love of reading in combination with spring-like weather last week (which caused me to sit outside in the warmth to read – far away from my cold sewing room), I haven’t been sewing between classes.

But, finally my bag is starting to come together. Yesterday I sewed the pockets to the front and back and started putting the bindings on the top of the bag.

I had been doubting my choice of fabrics but am now beginning to see how it all comes together and I think it will all work out in the end.

IFO (identified finished objects)

Just a quick post because I have someone coming here today to show me how to load my quilting frame properly and how to get the right tension on both the upper and bobbin threads on the machine. Yay!

Yesterday afternoon I grafted the toes on these bed-socks.

DD is wearing them over her ordinary socks but they fit just fine.

The pattern was modified from the “Lacy Rib Socks” in Socks from the Toe Up by Wendy D Johnson. I knitted these cuff down (my preferred style) on dpns using an hourglass heel (that I learnt from Lynne Vogel in The Twisted Sisters’ Sock Workbook). They are knitted in the 2011 soft version of Moda Vera Marvel 8ply (DK) on 3.25mm needles. (Marvel is now a much harder acrylic yarn and I don't like it anywhere near as much)

What's on your current reading list?

Just as with my knitting, quilting and sewing projects, I also have more than one "reading project" on the go.

On my iPad I was listening to The Wise Woman by George MacDonald, who was a favourite author of C. S. Lewis. This story was published in the nineteenth century and is described as a 'parable' or 'fairy story'. It was a little hard to get into because MacDonald's language is very descriptive but once the story got underway it was hard to stop!I finished it while doing some embroidery in Friday's beautiful spring-like weather.

I have since downloaded The Amazing Mind of Alice Makin by Alan Shea (read by Zoe-Anne Phillips), which is billed as historical juvenile fiction. Set in post war London, it follows Alice's imaginative life to which she retreats when her home life becomes unbearable.

Also on my iPad, I am reading The Distant Hours by Kate Morton.  This was recommended by Renee of "Sewn with Grace" and I am thoroughly enjoying it. It is described as a gothic novel but I'm not sure that's how I would describe it.

All three of these books were borrowed from my local library, as was the audiobook downloaded to my computer: Teacher Man by Frank McCourt (the author of Angela's Ashes). This as an autobiography about how he came through teaching to become a writer. It is a little hard for me to understand because it is being read by the author who has an Irish accent and I have to listen carefully - not ideal when I am using my sewing machine at the same time! Nonetheless, it is an interesting read.

My Kindle has all but been forgotten in the excitement of owning an iPad but there are books there too. I am in the middle of reading the classic Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift. It's interesting but not compelling reading; perhaps that's why I left it several weeks ago. There are many other books stored on that device when I get to them.

And, yes, I still read books in print. At the moment I am reading two autobiographies: Mao's Last Dancer, which was loaned to me by a friend in my sewing class and Be Your Best, by Australian swimmer Geoff Huegill, which WM and I bought for DD. She has finished it and kindly loaned it to me.

I have dozens of books on my library wishlist, in my Kindle and on my "to be read" shelf. Oh for a few more hours a day! LOL

The current favourite book in these little guys’ house is The Red Tractor.

What's on your current reading list?

moving forward with sewing projects

Back at the beginning of June I started making a bag with my own hand-picked half jelly roll.

I’ve pieced and ripped and pieced and quilted. (I'm very slow at quilt-in-the-ditch; I have my machine on the slowest speed and still can't quite manage to stay in the ditch!)

Here’s the carcass of the bag (front, back and sides)

and the pockets.

I have also made the handle but forgot to take a photo.

My teacher gave me homework to move this project forward but I’ve been side-tracked.

We are having such gorgeous spring-like weather today that I am going to sit out in the sun (yes, it’s still the middle of winter) and do some hand stitching!

The same teacher also takes a monthly embroidery class. On Wednesday I started this and I worked on it last night (stem stitch for the inquiring minds that want to know).

Can you guess what it’s going to be?

vale Robbyn Kenyon

I found out yesterday, through the power of the internet, that knitting designer Robbyn Kenyon passed away in February.

I followed Robbyn’s blog, The Yarnpath, for several years and had communication with Robbyn via email.

In January 2010, Robbyn decided to stop posting to her blog in order to focus on fighting the battle with cancer.

Earlier this year, I knitted a cowl which I called Dragon Skin Cowl.
 
The stitch pattern for the cowl was based on the “Dragon Skin” stitch found in Barbara Walker’s library of stitch patterns. The Alexstraza Cowl (Rav link), which is the pattern I used, was a design by Robbyn Kenyon.

I missed Robbyn’s blog when she closed it down and it saddens me that she had been gone for five months before I knew about it.

In her memory, I think I should cast on another of her designs (Rav link) that will live on after her.

Thank you, Robbyn, for sharing your patterns freely with knitters of the world. And thank you for the joy you brought to the readers of your blog and the people who “attended” her Knitting Chatter sessions on Saturday nights (USA time so I could never get involved).

Though I never knew you personally, and we had lost contact online, I will miss you.

brought to you by the colour blue

I am making up for my lack of sewing in June. During the last few days I made all these blocks:

four patch (6.5 inches unfinished)

nine patch (6.5 inches unfinished)

strings (6.5 inches unfinished)

improv (6.5 inches unfinished)

Wonky Windows (5.5 inches unfinished)

…a total of 28 blocks and I still have all this blue scrap fabric to go (I haven’t even showed you the smaller amount of teal, turquoise and aqua scraps!)

Better get back to the sewing!

Linking up with Rainbow Scrap Challenge over at SoScrappy's blog.

on and off the needles

Last month I didn’t do much sewing but I definitely knitted!

a black beanie ( no photos – sorry)

a cowl which I designed on a train while taking my mother to Strathfield to meet her country train – it’s hard to see but it has a textured zigzag pattern

a blanket for a local animal shelter (approximately one metre – 40 inches – “square”) – unblocked because I don’t think animals care!

a pair of socks for mum (Baby Mock Cable - which look so much better than this photo shows)

a pair of “plain vanilla” socks for me (Patonyle, purchased 2008)

four sample socks for the workshop I gave on 16th June

a single repeat on these socks (pattern: Ribbed Ribbon Socks from “Socks from the Toe Up” by Wendy D Johnson)

and 40 rows (8,000 stitches) on this blanket (not 80 rows - 16,000 stitches as stated on my progress report – I counted the ridges and doubled twice but some thing told me that couldn’t be right!). I have added another 26 rows (5,200 stitches) to that this week.

And to think I nearly frogged it when I was just past that pink stripe!

I frogged this blanket (which wasn’t working for me).

On Thursday night I cast on and knitted twelve repeats of Wendy D. Johnson’s Lacy Rib pattern on a bed sock for DD.

I think there are two problems:
1) the toe shaping isn’t quite right for DD’s narrow feet and there are too many stocking stitch rows before the pattern begins
2) I’m knitting DK weight on 2.75mm (US 2) needles; I think the fabric is too tight for bed socks and I need to go up to 3.25mm needles (which DD has and therefore I couldn’t use them in the first place)

What do you think?

midwinter in his garden

There’s certainly not much in flower in our garden at this time of year, a few struggling miniature roses

some camellia flowers

the winter flowering bergenia

the ever flowering tree begonias

some early strawberries

and some confused azaleas!

The zygocactus on the back veranda is in bloom.

And this is still growing!

A shot of the workers last weekend.

Apparently some steps will be added today.

progress report

In order that I might keep track of what’s really going on with my projects (following my long list of WIPs published on the first day of last month), I thought I would bring you a progress (or lack thereof) report!

I had a fairly slow month in June as far as sewing went but I did a fair bit of knitting!

SEWING




And I started a bag in class on 4 June -- separate post about that soon!

KNITTING

brought to you by the colour purple

Linking up with SoScrappy’s Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

Nothing like leaving it till the last minute. It is actually the first of July here but it’s still June in USA where the Rainbow Scrap Challenge originated so I’m fine!

I made four blocks yesterday and, to my surprise and delight, I have made another ten blocks this morning.

Two string blocks (6 1/2 inch unfinished)

and twelve improv blocks (6 1/2 inch unfinished).

That brings my totals to 56 improv blocks and 17 string blocks. That’s enough improv blocks to make a quilt although I don’t have any blue blocks yet (but I know what the colour for July is!)