Kainga, where Roses bloom, life is lived at a gentler pace.Living Simply, doing all those good things like stitching, gardening, cooking and reading.

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

"Happy Hat, Food Throw,Christmas Bauble,Cross Stitch and Crochet Bunting."

Hello,

I do hope everyone had an enjoyable and relaxing Christmas. Ours was just perfect, all the children at home this year. Thankfully Ainsley and Julian put on the Christmas lunch this year. I only had to supply some rather delicious cupcakes. .


I have crocheted this hat twice before, once for me and a blue one for someone little. This one is the child's version and was made especially for Jacob, our Grandson. He did look rather cute in it. I used a 5 ply Pellicano cotton and a 3 mm hook.


I made this  food throw for a gift for Debbie for Christmas. I machine embroidered some bees, ladybirds, pansies and a piece of cake on some pink netting. I found some curtain weights to hand sew on each corner to hold the net down.


Hooray, I even made up this  Christmas patchwork bauble, it was given by a fellow blogger just before last Christmas. Lots of folding and pinning involved.


The cross stitch is finished. I changed a few of the thread colours and are happy with the colour choices I made. This will have to wait until Summer is over before I drop it into the framers. Hot weather and travelling in a car are not good for framed items.


My last finish for the year is another crochet bunting. This time I used up some size 10 DMC  Cebelia crochet cotton.I could have kept crocheting these little motifs.

As I finish typing this my 600th post I want to wish everyone a Happy and Safe New Year. All the best for 2015. I wonder what 2015 will bring , I have been looking through my sewing room and de-cluttering and have found a few projects from pre-blogging days that need finishing. Hopefully January will see me finish one or two of them.

Happy days
Bev C

Saturday, December 20, 2014

"Friday Night Sew in for December."

Hello,

Having the opportunity to take part in Friday Night Sew in saw me working on "Because it's Spring"  cross stitch.


Last night I stitched the letters K L M R Y Z and some of the pink flowers and stems on the right hand side. Only the birds nest to stitch now. Thanks to Wendy who kindly hosts Friday Night Sew In each month.


Earlier on in the week I machine embroidered several lengths of organza which will be table runners. The hardest part of this was hemming the organza. The over locker was needed for this. The embroidery designs are from a Brother card using Robison Anton thread.

Now is the time to I would like to  wish everyone a Merry Christmas. Take care if you are on the roads and be kind to one another.

Happy days.
Bev C


Tuesday, December 16, 2014

"Christmas Bunting, Decorations and New Cross Stitch Books and Chart."

Hello,

The Christmas crochet bunting is done.


4 red and 4 white designs were made up and a couple of rows of double crochet across the top to join them all together.

I think Santa will see this when he visits next week.


It only took just over an hour to complete these three cross stitch designs for the hanging decorations last week. These have been in my stash for more years than I can remember.


Back in October I ordered some books and charts on-line from a shop. Not Happy Jan is all I can say. They finally came last week  I especially liked the stories and history in the Schoolroom book.


I have made a start on the chart. I will be changing a few colours in the design. The chosen colour for the stitching of the alphabet doesn't show up on the fabric that I chose at all. I will finish stitching the birds nest and flowers and decide on the colour then.

Happy days.
Bev C

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

"Important Christmas Warning."

Hello,

Just thought you needed to know this.


Happy days.
Bev C

Monday, December 8, 2014

"Occupied"

Hello,

Happy Monday.

The yearly end of year lunch for our sewing group has been and gone. The Garden Club Christmas gathering has been done for the year. This year I decided to ask a local Eco nursery owner to come along and give a talk on herbs and seed saving. A most enjoyable morning was had. I purchased a couple of packets of seeds. Among them was some American Upland Cress (Barbarea vulgaris) which was featured on Gardening Australia a few weeks ago. I also found out that there is a local seed saving network for a low cost to join for the year.

The Graham Thomas rose is in bloom again so decided to use this photo as my new header photo.


 The ironwork is by a welder who resides in Mundaring.


 I finished the filet crochet. As I was using a ball that was already started I had to shorten the pattern. Kainga means home so I thought this was rather appropriate.


 I am presently working on this crochet pattern, I have 11 of the squares joined together. I decided to do ten across and see how many I get out of a ball to see how long it will be. This project will most likely take a very long time! This one is being done in size 20 cotton and a 1.25 mm hook.


 Wendy  had a bunting that she crocheted on her blog. I downloaded the pattern but it was written in gobblygoog. I crocheted up one but it was such hard work so went back on-line and found that Cheryl a lovely blogger had written up the pattern and included the graph. I was overjoyed. No reading just counting. I am using a 8 ply cheapy and a 3.5 mm hook. The plan is to make a few more and use it at Christmas. I also did a few in size 10 cotton and a 1.5mm hook. Still deciding what to do with those ones.


 I planted some Amish Paste Tomato seeds and was very pleased to see the first tomato forming the other day. If it warms up we may have our first tomato at Christmas.


The other weekend we had a news helicopter hovering just above us. In the background was a plane creating a jet stream. It was interesting watching it across the sky.

After a rather busy couple of weeks it will be good to be back into a more normal routine, I might even get into the sewing room.

Happy Monday.
Bev C