Post 383 Mostly bags - and I buy more wool!

 

Wednesday saw me at a friend's place for lunch and an exploration of what we might do with sheets of Madagascan silk, prepared by communities in remote parts of Madagascar by methods which do not result in the death of the moth. The cocoon is opened after the moth has emerged, and then pressed and beaten into a silk sheet. 

There is an article about this in the December 2020 issue of Embellish magazine. We purchased some sheets of the cocoon silk from Dale Rollinson, who wrote the article. Margaret has produced one embroidery from the Cerancia Lacey sheet and we now have a plan for this one on the left, the Suraka. 

I have these sheets to play with and Margaret has a a similar set. 

Our experimentations will hopefully contribute to a World Embroidery Study Group session next year.

Margaret also gave me two books on low GI diets to read, along with a copy of Sue Spargo's Creative Stitching, which I've used for my latest bag - the one I began at Basics 2 Beyond last week. More of that later.

Thursday saw me paying a quick visit to the Guild, before some shopping and my annual visit to my dermatologist to check for skin cancers. It was an interesting visit. I have an all clear on skin cancers. We also had a discussion about weight loss and the science that has established that sugar is a greater danger to health than fat. I am definitely learning a lot about the changes I need to make to reduce my weight. Apparently reducing my sugar intake will  also reduce some of my skin spots, which, I'm told, feed on them! Who would have thought? Dinner tonight was a prawn salad. I need to check if tomatoes are part of my fruit allocation.

Just before I went out this morning the postman delivered this book I had ordered. I'm hoping it will help me use up some of my yarn stash.

Also arriving this week was some fabric from Missy Rose - a company that takes orders in advance of production. I intended it for bags but it is so spectacular I’m considering more possibilities. There's a couple of metres.

It's very realistic and vibrant close up.

Friday saw me back at the River Cafe, at the Weir, with three friends for lunch. I had mineral water, the fish of the day,  (swordfish with Quinoa and three small potatoes), and coffee. It was very pleasant and my food excellent, without busting my weight loss program.

Before lunch I drove out to the Yarn Trader at Port Adelaide, and yes, bought the wool for two more shawls. What a glutton for punishment!

Back at home I finished the embroidery on the latest bag. I'm quite pleased with the way this worked out. By focusing on the short rows that flow like rivers into the next row, in addition to the spaces between the patterns, the stitches blend with the pattern to make a whole.

On Saturday I constructed a bag from the red bird linen I had embroidered a couple of weeks ago, using some linen offcuts for the sides and lining it with calico, as suggested by my B2B friends. I'm pleased with the result.

Since I had finished the embroidery above and also finished knitting the shawl, I took the Sashiko piece (left) to Katherine's place on Saturday night and finished it later at home. This is obviously before ironing!

These have proved really useful during Covid restrictions at the Guild as a placemat for eating lunch at my workstation when in classes.  I seem to have mislaid the ones I was using.

I spent Sunday morning constructing the sampler bag, using some spare linen for the sides and back, and some cotton I bought from the Guild trading table as lining. The steam iron got a bit of use along the way.

Jennifer and I had Sunday lunch at Mr Nick's at Frewville  We both had grilled calamari with barley. I had mineral water and a coffee.  

After lunch we repaired to her place to Sit'nStitch. Jennifer began Row 99 of Sophie's Universe and I began the second shawl, using two of the balls of wool I bought on Friday.

I also spent time over the weekend ordering supplies for the Viking Embroidery workshop I have agreed to give next year for the Guild's Certificate Course. While I have a presentation well underway for the World Embroidery Study Group, that group doesn't require a project as the Certificate Course does. I have sourced some brown handwoven natural wool fabric from a supplier in Europe specialising in reenactment supplies. I've also ordered some Naalbinding needles and a bone Lucet.  In for a penny....

I can also now post a photo of the bag I had been working on in the May Basics to Beyond group. It was for a friend's birthday today. It is on Ink and Spindle Kangaroo Paw linen, with Dancing Spirit cotton sides and appliqued honey eaters.  I got help from the group with the applique, using Misty Fuse for the first time. It enabled me to cut right to the edge of the birds and stitch them down without fraying.

I have continued editing the Baby Boomer Teacher stories into a book. I've also tried a couple of low blood sugar recipes. Tonight I tried cauliflower as a rice substitute with bolognese sauce. It was excellent. I have lost 1.8 kg in 9 days. Hope I can keep it up.

Here in South Australia our Covid restrictions have been lifted again. NSW is still controlling a community outbreak.  My second Astra Zeneca shot is on Thursday this week.