back again.......

Just a quick post today and then I want to get to my favourite blogs in the next day or so.

49 of the 63 Sampler squares

The rug above is complete as far as the squares go....I'm only doing 49 of the squares as there were a few I couldn't get to work & some I wasn't all that keen on.  This project has been a great way to use up some of this wool from my stash, which has been around close to 25 years, as well as a good one for the car (obviously not when I'm driving lol).  So now, to do a row of cream around each square, join together & then do the edge.  This picture actually shows the rug from the side.  If you come across this book - it's well worth a look - I posted about it when I started the squares a couple of posts ago.

3 weeks to our local show, so I will post before with my entries (assuming I get one of them finished).

Hope all is well in your week....

~ Karen ~

it's my blogiversary......

One year ago today I started this little craft blog and my ramblings.  A couple of times I've almost not continued doing this, but the comments always make my day and let me share others creative journeys.  So do make a comment, then I can check out your blog :) (I must confess I don't often comment either - but must make an effort too)

No pictures today, but I'm please to say some things are moving along again - the family tree cross stitch has had some names added and a bit more work done (although I must confess the tree in green is starting to really annoy me - it's taking far too long and there's so much of it).  My hardanger piece is getting closer to completion and the crochet sampler rug now has about 20 squares done.

Our local show isn't far away either and nor is summer and holidays.  I'm planning on a 4 1/2 week break (including public holidays) to have a good rest & get some things finished off.  I think I'm going to have to hand quilt the hexagons (I'd much rather machine quilt it - but my local advice has been to hand quilt) - a job I'm not really looking forward to - but once I get started it may grow on me lol.

enjoy your weekend & thanks for reading

~ Karen ~

I've not been back on here because I've been busy........

Warning: - picture heavy

Sorry for the long title, but I have been quite productive.....




The runner in white & beige above is for a Christmas gift.  I tea dyed some lace butterflies and used some ecru lace. It's backed in white cotton fabric & the panels are done in 60 degree triangles (I found these in a strip quilt design & used the concept here).  The edging was done from a simple quilt stencil I'd bought - making this one fun quilting over paper.



Red & Yellow runner



 This runner is also a Christmas gift (that's 2 done) - based on a simple design I saw that used embroidery, where I've used some of my fabric stash at the ends instead.   

Hexagons

The hexagon quilt is ready for quilting.  I've never done one of these before either, so I'm doing this my way.  The hexagons have been appliqued to the backing fabric in white.  I'm still deciding on how I will quilt this, which is why I've started on the panel quilt below. 



panel cot quilt

The quilt above is a purchased cot panel, that I've started quilting.  I've never tried one of these before so here it is....It's quite good fun but just need to be careful to stay on the lines....

what I'm crocheting at the moment....

 This book came in a set of 3 from the "Fox Collection", so I'm using some of the wool stash.  Since I took this photo, I've finished 12 squares - 4 in each colour.  I'm trying to use pure wool oddments to make this a special blanket.  The designs are written in the US crochet terms (which can be a pain), but on the whole it's enjoyable.  I thought if I got cracking, I could get 3 done a night, meaning it would be completed in 3 weeks - however, I've decided against this plan as I have some other UFO's to do.....

Lately, I've been reading on some blogs about pictures of finished stitched items being copied & then the item created. I love a free pattern as much as anyone else & if I really like the design I'll buy it.  There's enough free stuff about to not have to 'borrow' someone elses work without asking.....just ask.

Well, that's my rave for now....waiting for my fruit trees to get some leaves, then I'll add another photo.....

Have a wonderful week.....

~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 ~ :)

at last the trees......

above are my fruit trees - 3 pears, 2 apples, a fig & 2 plums.  All have been mulched ready for the warmer weather.  It's a bit hard to tell what type of trees they are without leaves, but once they do have leaves, I'll post another photo.

What a busy couple of weeks....I didn't realise it had been so long since I'd been on here....

You may have noticed I changed the top picture.....I found some software from when I bought my scanner.  It  allows you to put photos together, so ta-dah - my own craft collage.  One downside - all the photos work better if they are either all portrait or landscape. 

Not a lot to speak of craft wise - a bit more work on the hardanger piece in the previous post, I've started the Winters Tale (http://kalina-kalinovivishivanki.blogspot.com/ - then search for 'winters tale').  It's a lovely little hardanger bell, perfect for the Christmas tree, although mine is blue & white.  Also finished a 4 ply blanket using previously used yarn (more from the inherited stash), but loads of threads to end off (yarn had been used already & was in small balls).  Now I've got another blanket in the same yarn (but un-used this time) just to have something on the go for my lunch break.....

We've had glorious weather, but 31 sleeps to spring officially....I'm so looking forward to more light morning & night & being able to get out in the garden after work.

I hope all is well in your corner of the world.....:)

til next time......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~

Another finish.......

Tri-Face Floral

I stitched the tri-face floral above last weekend....the design is from http://kincavelkrosses.wordpress.com/ and makes this cute scissor fob.  This is attached to a pair of brown handled scissors - it was either make a fob or stab myself looking for the scissors on a brown rug covering the couch......I've done this in the suggested colourway too.  It's a bit like a biscornu to put together and about as fiddly.....lol

Slowly making some progress on the family tree sampler and I've started a piece of hardanger....I just can't get back to the stumpwork piece (Butterfly Garland by Jan Kerton) - I think it's the butterflies on the silk gauze sewn with one strand of silk thread (I think I've got hairs thicker than this thread) - but maybe the warmer weather will inspire me to get back to it....

As of today, it's 56 sleeps to spring.....the cold and lack of light is getting to me.....but it's good weather to plant fruit trees.

enjoy your week.....

~Karen~