Stumped

I had a lovely day on Saturday, when I went to a stump work workshop at a local village.  It was so pleasant to be sitting and sewing with friends.  It was just a short, one day workshop where we learned how to do the above 'Funky Flower.'  I loved learning this, but have decided I hate the colours!

I shall just leave it as it is and put it on a shelf in my workroom.  The sewing isn't as neat as I would normally do, and the thread we were given was, well, cheap and nasty. Most of us spent half our time re-threading broken thread, as well as it just falling apart.  It was such a shame as there is so much work involved in this - each petal is outlined in buttonhole stitch, over wire, before pushing the wire through the fabric.  Then, the back of the wires are sewn over to catch them, and the front, centre of the flower is covered in french knots.  Oh, and the buttonhole stitch is sewn using only one thread of the skein!  Luckily, the french knots use all six threads. 

We could choose to either use the plain pink fabric for the flower itself, or, as I've done, reverse it and use the own (the tutor's) dyed fabric.  I think I chose the best version.  But, you can tell from my tone and moaning that I'm not overly impressed.  However, I am pleased with this new technique and most pleased with the company I kept!

~~~~~~  -o0o- ~~~~

In other news our little nanny's lolly-dolly-pop has been right poorly with the tummy bug which has been doing the rounds, it seems.  Poor wee thing! She's been sitting about, all pale and interesting - very different from the jumping-bean we are used to. 

Bless her.  Sadly, her last childminder recently died from a relapse of her cancer. There has obviously been no way any of us can explain her demise to our three-year-old.  The other day, however, we were travelling along in the car past some fields.  N's l-d-p says,

"Sheila and I went to a field on an adventure.  We saw a frog, and the grass was wet."

She told me she does like her new childminder, but she likes Sheila better.

Bittersweet.

~~~~ -o0o- ~~~~

I Will Survive!

Woo, hoo!  I have been quite worried over the last year or so as my blood pressure and cholesterol have been 'raised'. 

I went for my 'MOT' tests in December, and got the results this week.  My cholesterol and Blood Sugar are 'acceptable' and my Blood Pressure is Normal.

So, I stopped taking the blood pressure tabs - only a small dose, anyway, but felt I needed to just check this out with the doc.

I spoke to her this morning, on a telephone consultation, and though I need to have the BP checked another two times before a conclusive diagnosis can be made - I can stay off them!

And, furthermore, by losing weight, being a non-smoker and a t-totaller, I have reduced my chances of a heart attack within the next few years, down from 1 > 5 to 1 > 20! 

How bloody wonderful is that, eh?!

So, I lost 2 lbs last week at the old weight watchers new Pro Points plan, and it seems to be working.  I shall find out tonight if anymore has gone.  But, judging by the way I have been pee-ing for Scotland this week, it looks likely.

Also, I have signed up at the local Live Active pool and gym, went to Aqua-fit last night; and am due to attend for Zumba on Monday - so here goes for 2011!

I buy my own Christmas Presents & Change Rooms

     'Give me your Christmas List, or I won't know what to get you!

Is the cry I hear all through December. So, here it is


a new dressing gown
a metal ruler for my embroidery course (for drawing lines and cutting outs)
Downton Abbey dvd
a sparkly bracelet
Best of Parky dvd


Not much to ask, actually, is it?  No.  So, what did I receive from my lovely family and friends out of this list?  The Parky dvd (from my sister) and a beautiful sparkly bracelet from the everloving Mr T.


Luckily, I did receive some Christmas money, so Amazon orders have been placed for the ruler (£1.47) and Downton dvd (£15.95) and M & S will perhaps have a sale on, so I can shop there.

~ -o0o- ~

And, the Changing Rooms team is here!  Don't get so excited it is me and Mr T, as well as SIL to help with any (loads) of the heavy lifting.  We have wardrobes, chests of drawers and a whole sewing room to move around upstairs.  Woo, hoo! 


Our rather large bedroom is above the woodshed, the mud floor woodshed, in a very cold and snowy Scotland.  The cold was such that we would put a pillow at the top of our heads, to keep some warmth in And, it is a  l-o--n---g way from the bathroom (actually about thirty feet).  And, my sewing room is next door to our bedroom, and has to be passed when attending to the bathroom, etc, which means that it is espied by Mr T each time he vacates said bedroom.  Now, you have seen the mess in there, ladies, and you know what these men are like - very visual beings.  I got fed up with the amount of earache I was getting for that.  Also, our third room, our spare room is right next door to the bathroom.


So, yesterday, we moved our bed (heavy wooden frame, and tempur mattress) and stuff into the spare room - bliss.  It is lovely and warm, much lighter and brighter, and right. next. to the bathroom. Result.  Our old (large) bedroom will now be my sewing room :o) and the other room, the spare room.  Which means there is more room in the sewing room for z-beds etc, and we all win, all round.


A good and organised start to 2011, methinks.  Perhaps I shall get more work done, and as I've more or less gotten everything sorted out, be able to find stuff, and remember that I own it before buying anymore stuff.  Great Result.

Good effort

This is my resolution ............................ to finish all the

                                                             

things I have started.













The first picture is of a pair of socks from cookie a's 'Sock Innovation' called kai-mei.  I started these in October, when we went on holiday - actually knitting on the 'planes, there and back.  However, I finished the first sock, but have now started the second.  The yarn is 'Valbella' a lovely bargain I picked up at Lidl's a while ago at £2.99 for 200g.  Erm, I've got another 600g's of it in the cupboard.

The second piccie is of a wee jumper I have been knitting all over the Christmas period, for our little grandson, in an Adrafil (I think). Four balls of it was in my stash, I don't know what for, though it was earmarked for little 'un since he was born.  I was hoping to have sent it home with with him, but was busy with the whole family staying here for Christmassy stuff.  But, a couple of things were left behind, so it can go off with them.

When sorting out my sewing room so as to fit in beds for said family to sleep in, I had to clear all my stuff away.  What a job!  The place looked like something had exploded in there, but clear it away I did.  And, while doing so seemed to find a large amount of unfinished knitting projects - including a baby's blanket from about ten years ago, and  a jumper from about 1996! 

Plus, and I'm sure most knitters/sewers have this, several bags with kit in it.  I mean the pattern and the yarn, or fabric.  I say several, but there is more like about ten or so, plus random balls of wool to do hats with, a clothkits skirt (ooh yummy! but I'm not doing this until I've lost at least one stone = my treat to me, esp as it cost £59 to buy!) a Jamieson & Smith fair isle teacosy, which I am really looking forward to, wool and pattern for cardis, obv, for nanny's lolly-dolly-pop, kit for a fair isle neckwarmer, last year's knit sock club yarns - only one has been started and that is next on my list, plus the year before's sock yarn from the Get Knitted sock club (streuth!) and others that I've temporarily forgotten.  See?  This is what happens, isn't it?  You buy stuff, forget you've got it, then see something else you fancy and start that.

It would be just so silly for these things to be taking up so much room.  And, that is without the yards and yards of fabric just lolling about the place.  I have, so far, been able to squeeze most of this into two cupboards, two suitcases and a blanket box, I think, unless there's more.

So, deep breath here, I aim to not be buying anymore yarn (deffo sock stuff, anyways!) or fabric, unless it screams at me to be taken home, because I simply can't leave without it.  I am intending to list it all on Ravelry.

As well as all the craft books.  Ahem.