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Hello again....time definately flies...41 sleeps to Christmas (just in case someone else hadn't mentioned it) and the weather is certainly warming up (in the southern hemisphere anyway).

So, the past couple of weeks have been quite busy.  We travelled to Adelaide for the craft & quilt fair...some lovely quilts but no photos (sign said photography was not allowed), and have increased my stash, but everything will be put to good use (eventually lol)

Hardanger doily on 28 count from the book Award Winning Designs in Hardanger 2010

Both our local shows have been held & my hardanger doily won a 1st along with a few other things in the first show, so put another piece of hardanger in for the second show and that won a second.  

I did read that handmade is 'back in fashion' - I wonder why it ever went away.  It would be nice if the number of entries increased but I wonder how we get people interested in sewing, embroidery, crochet & the like?  Some groups run during the day (which is OK if you don't work), but how do you get younger ones interested when they maybe studying or have young children???  Then probably the cost of materials may also be out of their budget.....maybe at the shows we need a place for demonstrations of crafts...or leave some flyers with some names to contact if they want to learn.  I just think in maybe 30 years time some of these crafts may all but die out in some communities.....Sad really

Not much else for now........thanks for reading...

~Karen~

an update and a win.....

Apologies - life just gets in the way of posting, but I'm over the moon at present.  I was having one of those weeks where nothing would go right and then Jenny of Elefantz (http://www.elefantz.com/) had a giveaway after reaching 1500 followers.  I love her work and she has inspired me to draw some of my own favourite things ready for stitching, then I was picked as the Australian winner - I still can't quite believe it.  Anyway a big thank you and thank you to Katherine for alerting me to the win as well - I'm not on here that often on weekends.

Butterfly on 28 count from Awaard Winning Designs in Hardanger 2010

I've finally finished the Hardanger - was quite a nice design and now it's ready for our local show.  Done on 28 count jobelin in no8 & 12 blue & white thread.

Completed blanket from 63 Sampler Squares to Crochet

The blanket is also finally finished.  I should have tidied up each square before I joined them together - don't know what I was thinking (I obviously wasn't) and it's taken most of the weekend to end the threads off, but it's done.  It's also extremely heavy as it's all pure wool (now I know why I also do these rugs in acrylic lol). 

so what to do now....?  I'm one of these peiople who doesn't have 2 many projects on the go - I'm not a fan of UFO's or PHD's (Projects half done), although I can hear the stumpwork calling me again....(lovely design but I'm just not keen on working in silk thread that's thinner than human hair)...maybe I'll get it back out......

Anyway wherever you are - have a happy week and thanks for reading....

~ Karen ~

I'm back.....well kind of......

You know the best of intentions....well....I have no real excuse for not being back on here....just got busy with work and was so tired....so a quick post today.....then maybe another in a day or two when I get some photos off the camera.

Thank you for your comments - I am indeed lucky to live on 5 acres, but it's a lot of work and I'm afraid I have no idea how to make jam (I'm barely housetrained & leave that to hubby - maybe he knows lol).  I am looking forward to when our native trees & shrubs get going & the house isn't sitting like a blob on the landscape....will try for some better photos for a later post....

I now have 9 trees in my 'orchard' - 3 pears, 2 apples, 3 plums and a fig.  As it's 2 weeks to spring, I've done all the planting I plan on doing this year and may add to the 'orchard' next year.  There's also been some more native euaclypts added to eventually give us some privacy.

'Winters Tale"

I'm still working on my main hardanger piece and am helping some local sewers with the 'winters tale' (see last blog post).  Here is my sample piece (in case they wanted to back out)....you may notice it's in my favourite colour of blue.  I thought this was a good design that would give the group something they can display at the end.....It's done on hardanger fabric in no 5 & no 8 perle.

On the crochet front, I'm working on my 3rd & final baby blanket in Panda 4ply baby lustre.  It's good having something to work on at lunch (gets my eyes away from the computer).  I think I read somewhere this yarn was being dis-continued, so I'm using some of the inherited stash as I don't think this yarn is soft enough for clothing (maybe that's just me, but a blanket should be ok).  (There are no grandchildren on the horizon, but building a stash for daughters & any of their friends)

Wherever you are and whatever you are doing - having a safe and happy week........

~ Karen ~ :)

and what about the trees.........

What trees you may ask - well I've been planting fruit trees - pears x 3, apples x 2 to add to my expanding 'orchard'.  I really was going to add some photos of the fruit trees, but guess next time - sorry :(

Instead, I've been working on a hardanger entry for our local show.....It's a bit hard to see the blue flowers on the needleweaving - and they took me a bit to work out.  No instructions, so with the aid of a magnifying glass I worked it out.  I'm pretty happy so far - just have to get all the cutting done without cutting a major thread.....so good so far...:)... at least everything meets up.  This is done on a 28 count Jobelin fabric...very nice to work on & seems crushproof too, so would use this fabric again for this or even cross-stitching.

Speaking of cross stitching, the family tree chart is slowly coming along, and I will get back to it....

Latest effort in Hardanger from the Award Winning Designs 2010 by Nordic Needle

 This doily has been done in a no 10 DMC ecru cotton.  I thought it would make another local show entry.  I might even do another couple for the daughters for Christmas......Quite a good pattern to follow although it is written in the US crochet language.


Doily in no 10 cotton from the book 'Old Fashioned Doilies" by Annies Attic

44 sleeps to spring - I can't wait - more light in the evening & morning, hopefully some warmer days.

Enough of the ramblings - have a wonderful week...

~Karen~