Post 385 World Embroidery, Madagascan Moth and back in lockdown.

 A lot of water has passed under the bridge since last week's post - literally, in that we have had quite a bit of rain in Adelaide, and figuratively, as we are now in lockdown for a week after a cluster of 5 cases of the Covid Delta variant has been identified here.  The Guild has of yesterday, closed, so I have been fortunate to spend 2 days there in the past week. Next Saturday's Certificate Course and next Monday's Basics2Beyond will be cancelled.

The World Embroidery group met last Wednesday. As I pulled in and parked I noticed the amazing flower appearing on the succulent. I was early enough to go and have a good look at it. 

It was a wonderful world of elegant flowers and insects.

It took us a while to get organised for the meeting which was a presentation on Marghab embroidery by Phyllis. Marghab is a form of Madeira Embroidery introduced and promoted by the Marghab Linen company as a way of providing employment for women after WWI.The Guild's Museum has a collection, some of it seen here.

Pat also has a collection (tree and boat on the far right) and Maureen brought along a beautiful Madeira  supper cloth (left). There were 11 members at the meeting and lots of discussion and sharing. It's a great group, and I'm so glad we got this meeting in before restrictions came back.  

I wore the wool felt coat I made a couple of years ago with a Zenbroidery mandala I had worked and appliqued to one pocket. I take it for granted, but several members were interested and Junette took this photo (thanks Junette). It got me thinking. I've worked all the Zenbroidery I have, so - yes, you guessed it - I ordered another one to work for the other pocket.  Tree of Life this time.

On Thursday I picked up a new top fromTS before going to Pilates.  Martine is adapting my program to help with weight loss - the vibration machine is challenging, but I'm getting to like it.

On Friday morning I helped a friend make a video for a 25 year celebration of a school at which she was principal. It was a challenge and a lot of fun.

In the afternoon, at Sit'nStitch, we admired Susan's completed blanket. The brilliant colour changes were not obvious until it is spread on a bed. It's magnificent. Jennifer has about 5 rows to go on Sophie's Universe.      

Somewhere last week I read a suggestion that stitchers should keep a list of their unfinished projects. I had never thought of that, but realised it would be a good idea. Instead of a list I decided to photograph, not just projects I am still working on, but kits I haven't started, or projects for which I have gathered the materials, but not started. The result, executed over Friday and Saturday is a bit daunting. I've attached the photographs of most of them at the end of this blog. If I put them in here, readers will never reach the end!  I'm pleased I did it. There are a few things there I had forgotten about.  

Sunday was the first day of a two day Guild workshop with Melissa Walker on her Madagascan Moon Moth. It was a terrific day. We worked on one wing. The second, and final, day of the workshop is in a month's time. It's not obligatory, but clearly desirable, to finish the stitching in the month, so construction can  happen at the second day. 

I put in quite a bit of work at home after the class, and again on Monday night, to finish the first wing. I'm finding it quite addictive - and I don't want to add it to the photo catalogue of unfinished projects! 

I've now outlined all the pieces with wire and am in the process of buttonholing around them. Maybe this will be my main lockdown project.

We spent a bit of time discussing how to display. Veronica suggested a brooch, but it isn't strong enough. I have now ordered a box with a glass display lid. In for a penny....

Monday's sausage and vegetable bake dinner was pretty successful. I had two potatoes pieces and was a bit worried it would break my diet, but it doesn't seem to have done so. As of this morning I have lost 3.6 kilos in 23 days. It's been a bit slow this week - but heading in the right direction. I hope I can sustain it in lockdown.

Yesterday I visited my doctor to check that there was no health impediment to renewing my driver's licence which there isn't. It's a ten year renewal,  so I have to have a new photo taken. 

This morning I headed out to Mitcham Services SA with my form filled out. It was managed really well - socially distanced, all wearing face masks, in line with restrictions issued last night. I haven't seen the photo, but the attendant says she'd be happy if it were her photo.  I had intended to buy coffee beans on the way home, but didn't remember until half way home. Since my doctor also gave me a referral to have another fasting blood test, I figured I could do that tomorrow and get the coffee then. However, when I got home and checked my phone, I discovered we were going into full lockdown from 6pm tonight. Other people rush out and buy toilet paper. I can't face lockdown without coffee beans, so I headed out again to Frewville Foodland, where parking was at a premium, but the store wasn't too crowded. I have my coffee, a supply of vegetables, fruit, soup, meat and muesli. Ready for anything!

Back home again, I had a nice long chat to my friend Pat in Sydney who has pulled out a jumper she knitted some years ago, but couldn't figure how to assemble. She's now working it out. The other good news is that a friend who had a melanoma removed a few weeks ago has had further surgery and a negative result. 💪

Before I finish and attach the photographs of my unfinished projects and untouched kits, this is the new kit that arrived yesterday from Queensland. My argument is that I need this for my Anglo-Saxon Embroidery researches for WES.

The first two of the photos below is mostly of unfinished projects or ones for which I have an idea and have gathered the materials. The remaining four are largely untouched kits. Yes, I do realise, that in the course of a week I have added two projects not yet in the photo catalogue! I won't run out in lockdown.

Post 384 I get my second vaccination and keep busy.

Photo from Inspirations

Apologies for posting a day early last week. It is school holiday time in South Australia and it felt more like Tuesday than Monday. I lost track of the days. I'll double check in future.

My Inspirations  magazine arrived and as soon as I saw the Natural Wonder project by Maria Rita Faleri I knew I would do it.  I found a piece of fabric Christine Bishop had provided for a similar project and began straight away. The threads in the fabric are finer than in the original, but the count right. I'm giving it a go. I love the design.

On the Tuesday I missed, The Adelaide Advertiser sent a reporter and photographer to interview Jennifer about her Covid experience. I went along as a support. Both reporter and photographer were pleasant, thorough and professional. The article appeared in Wednesday's paper.

It is a good representation and distillation of Jennifer's main points. And a good photo. 

On Thursday I had my second Covid vaccination. I parked in the Frewville Foodland carpark and walked across the intersection. Afterwards I bought some prawns for my dinner. I also went to the chemist and bought a new set of bathroom scales. My existing ones must be at least 25 years old and keep giving me different readings with up to 0.4kg variation 10 seconds apart. It may be related to the fact they measure to .2kg rather than 0.1 but I was not confident they are properly calibrated. I need a fairly accurate set, so thought I should be sure. I've been using both each day. So far there is a consistent 0.4 variation between the two, but the day to day change is the same.

I had no reaction to speak of to the vaccination.

At home, I unpacked and hung out some washing. A dove friend came down to watch, again staying while I was there. 

I had a nice long talk with my brother and finished editing the Baby Boomer Teacher conversations before making a prawn salad for my dinner.

Friday saw me working on my Conversations with Baby Boomer Teacher book in the morning and off to Sit'nStitch in the afternoon. It's 2 weeks since we met and there was much to catch up on. Susan is working an i-cord edge on her knitted blanket and Jennifer is now on Row 99 of Sophie's Universe. I worked on my second shawl. The first one arrived in Canberra late on Thursday and was put to immediate use. I'm delighted it proved to be as warm and useful as I had hoped in the Canberra winter. 

Saturday morning the sun rose on fog - not common in Adelaide. It had lifted by 7.30 here in the city, but came down again around 10.

Sunday morning our Crime Book Club met at our usual coffee shop in Norwood. We had two hours of animated conversation, most of it about the books we had read, but some about our health and experiences we had as young women in education. Our books for next month are Her Last Holiday by C.L. Taylor and

When You Are Mine, by Michael Robotham.

The Sunday sun went down on a threatening sky - more rain forecast this week.

I spent Sunday afternoon following up references for Anglo Saxon embroidery. I am researching this for WES Group and had agreed to repeat it for the Certificate Course next year with a  counted project. This is not proving sensible so I've negotiated to change it to Bulgarian embroidery. I've already got a plan for a project. Nevertheless I had a pleasant and interesting afternoon gathering information. 

The Sunday sun went down on a threatening sky - more rain forecast this week.

Again, I had to remind myself that Monday was not Tuesday. I'll recover when school goes back! I spent much of the day writing the final chapter of Conversations. The 49 Conversations are anonymous, but I think for both context and authenticity I need to provide my own story, which I can hardly make anonymous. I struggled a bit with it, but am  happy with the result at the moment. 

I finished reading Agatha Christie's Murder at the Vicarage, the first Miss Marple book. Kerrie, the convenor of our Book Club, is running a U3A course on Agatha Christie, and has me interested enough to do a bit of rereading.

Today I had a dental appointment with a new hygienist. She did a great job and entertained me with conversation (mostly one way!) the whole time. 

I picked up a new top at Unley before picking up the kids for our school holiday lunch at River Cafe.  We shared Tapas starters - Mozzarella & saffron arancini, salt and pepper squid, 

house-made flat

bread with garlic yoghurt and lemon. The girls had various pasta main dishes, Fionn had a mixed grill with barley tabouli, which he loved. I stuck to the swordfish and kept to my weight-loss regime.  No one was up for dessert.

Most readers will be aware that Sydney is in the midst of a Covid outbreak and locked down. We are struggling with vaccine rollout, with supply issues for Pfizer and media-generated fear around AstraZeneca. I feel for authorities in NSW. It's easy to criticise with hindsight. They will manage their way through it. I'm very pleased to be vaccinated. 

Today's progress on Maria Rita Faleri piece (left)

and the second shawl. I put my magnifying headset alongside to show the length.

As of this morning, I have lost 2.8 kg since I began this regime 17 days ago. I'm encouraged and not finding it too hard. In that time I haven't had an ice-cream or a glass of wine, both of which I will have as a treat once I have lost a few more kilos.