Post 486 Autumn

I tried another vegetable bake with chipolatas last night. This time I left out the lemon juice and baked it at 200 degrees in an attempt to get it a bit more crispy. I cooked it for about 100 minutes and mixed it around several times during cooking. It worked fairly well. Nothing burned, and about one third of the contents were to some degree crispy. I think that's OK. Everything is cooked, and it provides a bit of a choice of soft or crispy. I meant to add the lemon juice back in at the end, but forgot (likewise the photo). Next time.  I think the higher temperature worked. 

I finished the multi-coloured baby cardigan and delivered it to the Guild shop to go with the crocheted blanket. It was well received and completes their current need. The next round of demand is expected around October. I need to finish the second crocheted blanket I am working on - then take a six-month break from  baby bundles. It's been a useful stash buster - and I enjoy it. There are, however, a couple of other things calling.

Before I seriously moved on to them however, I attended the Guild's Certificate Course workshop on Rumanian Braiding and Needle Lace with Christine Bishop, who had generously as always, worked lengths of braid for us in advance so we could work on the needle lace and weaving.
I really  loved it. It is a great design. I finished it off at home, but haven't quite mastered the braiding yet. It's much easier with a lucet but this does give a more decorative result. I'll keep trying from time to time. I haven't quite decided what to do with the finished piece. 

My next knitting project is Brigid's jumper, the wool for which arrived last September. I have gathered my tools (lots of stitch markers!) and cast on. I need to refer to three charts to progress, so am waiting for a few uninterrupted hours to get into the swing of it. Hopefully tomorrow.

My embroidery priority is Glazig. I need to prepare for a workshop on this in May, so I have started working on the kit Genevieve so kindly sent me last year, Yar Zour (Beautiful Chicken in Breton). It is proving to be most interesting - more detailed and varied than I had anticipated. I hope to have this finished this week and will write about it in my embroidery blog. I'm learning heaps.

My progress on Yar Zour slowed today. I had originally planned to go to the Cinema, to see Fisherman's Friends 2. It is only showing once this week. I really enjoyed Fisherman's Friends 1 which I saw twice, once in England with Pen and Mark. I haven't been to a cinema since Covid arrived and thought I might venture now that I've had my 5th shot. However, on reflection, I demured. I read several critical reviews of the film, and lots of luke-warm comments. Since Health authorities have warned of an infection peak this month in Adelaide (Mad March), it seemed a silly time to relax my risk management, especially if I am likely to be disappointed in the film itself. Looks like I wait for it to be streamed, or buy the DVD. 

That left me free today to finish the bag I have been making for my hap stretcher. This is quite a saga - details in my embroidery blog. 

Daylight saving ends next weekend. 22C today. This afternoon I needed a singlet under my cotton top - always my sign that Autumn is here. The day began with rain but finished with sunshine - perfect for my plants, most of which are looking very happy.  I fertilised them about 10 days ago. The forecast has been amended to rain for most of this week. Plants 1, washing 0. We don't complain about that in Adelaide!