25 March 2024

15 Minute & Joining In

 The heat has finally stopped.  There was a couple of days of low 30's and now the weather nice and mild.  In fact the morning a quite chilly have had to pull out a jumper to go for my morning walks... but I'm not complaining. 

Last week I join the Australian Crochet Guild, the local chapter meets in a pub on a Saturday morning.   The pub has to be open  for pokies but the place is empty (apart from the pokies room) .  The ladies meet in  the beer garden, and a few of the ladies stay for lunch after the meeting.   I think there was about 15 ladies meeting up to crochet and talk about crochet and the annual conference which is due to happen in June.   It is only their second meeting but it was good fun to meet with like minded ladies look at what everyone is doing and share ideas.  

I've worked more on my redwork embroidery.  This time I used the non sticky wash away, which was way better than the sticky variety.  No residue on the needle to contend with.  Need to get back to it, but I have been trying to finish the centre of the Cove (see below), but I plan to pick it up again tomorrow night.  

The Cove is growing.  One more row and I'm up to the smaller squares that surround the middle.  At least they will be nice a portable.  


I just got delivery of some new yarn which will go with my new lounge which is on order.  I have picked the pattern which I found on pinterest, it's an organic/wool mix in a pretty green.  

Lastly we sorted tickets for Mo Graduation Ceremony and paid for her gown rental, which I thi
nk is just another way for the Uni to squeeze a few more bucks out of us before she finishes.   Her job is going well and she is happy doing 3 days a week.  Each nite she lets us know what she has done so we can spy the graphics on the nightly news.  

That's it for me this week have a good week.  

  

11 March 2024

15 Minute and Heatwave

 We are in the middle of a heatwave, cooler change is expected Thursdays, the nights have been up round 25 - 29C and day temps are high 30's with the worse day Saturday being 42.  Can't say it has been conducive for working on my crochet, just too hot. 

The week before I just didn't feel like doing much probably just tired from my work trip.  Although I have finished a couple of rows on The Cove the heat has put a stop to it this week.  

Last weekend I went to Fibre Feast, not for a long time I did purchase some more Leahcim Wool, I'm planning on an Afghan of some kind, just waiting to find the right pattern.   The colours I have mix nicely with the stash I already have.  


On Saturday (yes the hot day) I was booked into a redwork class with Lorraine from Hetties Patch.  It was held in the Navy, Military and Airforce Club in the city up stairs in their Library.  At least the air conditioning was good so we didn't even notice the heat of the day.  Had a lovely time with a lot of like minded ladies doing hand work.  Dh dropped me off and picked me up so I didn't have to worry about parking (though they did have onsite parking which I will use if I do a class there again).

Can't say I liked using the Sulky which I have used before making felt ornaments, it gums up the needle which I can't cope with.  Part of the kit was the non glue variety which I will try next.  It does dissolve nicely though with no trace so the non glue might just the trick.    I bought a small printed panel which I am adding some embroidery to.  And will add more to the initial when I decide what I want to put round it probably some more sprays of flowers.  

I decided to book into another class in Lorraine is running with interstate teachers in May its a 3 day workshop help in a local cafe with a gallery space.  I haven't felt like stitching much lately but the one day workshop has helped giving me back my stitching mojo.  

Below is the french panel, haven't decided what I will do with it, might make a project bag (you can never have enough).




Head to Kates to see how everyone is travelling.  



26 February 2024

15 Minute Challenge & Melbourne Trip

 Its been a slow week on the stitching front, and even on the crochet front (only 3 days this week).  Spent 3 days in Melbourne on a business trip to celebrate the company I work for 50th birthday.  

There was lots of fun,  a quite a bit of work and schmoozing with big wigs. I was pretty spent by the time I got home Friday afternoon and have spent the weekend catching up on sleep.  

One thing the company does well is feed you.  Even though it was working lunch there was lots of food for both lunches.  Followed by a big dinner on the first night, we then went to see  Grease the Musical the seats weren't the greatest as you can see by my picture but the musical was great with a couple of veteran Australian stars in the cast.  Thursday night was a cocktail party which some people partied hard after, my coworkers were 2 that stayed up late even though we had a morning meeting with our biggest clients.  

We had a couple of inspirational speakers the first was Tim Cope who followed the trail of Genghis Khan on horseback from Mongolia to Hungary and the 2nd was a SolarBuddy workshop which helps children living in energy poverty providing them with light.   


Mo has got an extra day in her new job so now she is working 3 days per week.  

So not much stitching this week.  Maybe next week I'll be able to report more on that front.  



 

19 February 2024

15 Minute Challenge

 It was my birthday last week just before Valentines day so lots of nice flowers on offer in the shops.  Work has been busy, but most of February is locked down, ready for our Melbourne trip at the end of the week to celebrate the companies 50th birthday. 

The family got the presents right all I wanted were some plants for inside, so I have new plant babies to look after.  



We are going to see the Musical Grease on the first night and there are lots of things planned  over the 2 days.  We have to schmooze with the Board apparently, I'm hoping to blend into the background schmoozing is not my thing.  I really should think about packing but I haven't even thought about it yet.  

Mo got the job and last week she signed all the paperwork.  The job is doing the graphics for the nightly news.  Its a contract for a couple of months with an option to extend.      She had her first day last Friday and is back again today, it is 2 days a week on casual wage so the money is really good and it will be great experience for her.  She was terrified going into work on the first day thinking that they made a mistake but it sounded like she had a good time and they are prepared to train her so I think she will settle it is great experience being able to use her degree. 

On to the challenge I think I've managed at least 15 minutes each day over the last 2 weeks.  I'm still working on the CAL.  I'm not rushing it just cruising along keeping my pace.  I'm still not sure if I will do the big version, but I will probably have to make that decision soon.  





06 February 2024

Milestone Birthday and a bit of Crochet Progress

 Mo turned 21 last weekend.  We had a couple of dinners one with her boyfriend and another with Maestro when he could have a day off.  She then hosted a picnic and a trip to a new bowling/amusement centre in the city with her friends from Uni.  It was all low key and typical Mo.   

She also had a big week on the job front doing a phone interview and another interview/tour of one of the local television stations for a contract job in their graphics department.  She doesn't know if she got the job but at least it wasn't as bad as she thought it was going to be, it sounds like she didn't sell herself enough but its all good experience.  

Our internet/NBN is on the fritz at the moment its been patchy for weeks. We were completely offline on Sunday, which wouldn't have mattered if it hadn't been a swelter of a day (think it got to 41C).  I was fine I read a physical book for once under the air conditioner but all I could hear from the lounge was DH lamenting the lack of anything decent on free to air TV.  


There has been a bit more progress on the CAL, not much sewing but I did sort my threads tonight, so there may be some progress on the sewing front in the next fortnight.  





Head to Kate's to see how every one is going.  

22 January 2024

CAL and A Bit of Stitching

I really wanted to blog last week but was a bit worn out on Monday for some reason.  We did a lot of window shopping over the weekend for a new lounge and then ordered one, now to impatiently wait for the 4 months for it to be made.  

I have made another set of placemats for Maestro, these one were double sided I haven't heard from him if he thought they were ok.  The fabric was very hard to work with and I think a couple of them may have not been particularly square but they got done.  

I'm still way behind on the CAL but I have the book now and not relying on the download of the pattern.  I was going to do a shortened version without granny squares going round the edge but I think I may need to do them as it is coming out quite small.  Oh well will have to see, but I like how it is working up in 4 ply.  I'm working on the part that is called Wicker and it really looks like wicker work but you can't tell because it curls up.  I think there are another 40 rows to straighten it out so it will be ok in the end and there is nothing blocking won't fix.  




Well that's it for me.  Head to Kates'.
 

08 January 2024

Back to Work

 Back to work wasn't too bad today, the new guy took care of pretty much all the urgent stuff so I just cruised all day sorting through emails and starting a piece of work that got dropped on me the last day before I went on holidays.  

 Ended up at Maestro's one day and we were pretty beat by the time we got home.  Hung some curtain's which I was sure were going to need hemming but they didn't and DH got a blind put up and did some cleaning up in his garage. He has a girlfriend at the moment so I'm thinking we won't get to see him as much.  

Mo is working on a few things and applying for jobs but she wants to do some online courses and is entering a competition to illustrate a children's book.  She has to submit a 2 page spread, what she has shown me is pretty darn good but with all art it is subjective so who knows.  

This week I kept up to the 15 minute challenge 6 out of the 7 days. The day at Maestro's was tiring so nothing got done that day.  I have finished part 2 of the CAL and have started on part 3. I'm still way behind but I can't really go much faster, as my wrist gets sore I do too much and it will only get worse as it gets heavier.  Might have to alternate with my embroidery/hexie quilt.  


I finished one set of placemat for Maestro and have another set cut ready to stitch this weekend.  

Mo's 21st is coming up.  She doesn't want a part and trying to get her to pinpoint what she wants is proving to be an issue.  First it was camera lens but she has decided that's too expensive and maybe a bat's system for the potter's wheel might be a better option.  She just has to choose which one she wants.  

Love the new image below for this year.  Head to Kates to catch up with everyone.