Post576 Festival, food, fabric, friends and fixing.

As I’ve been writing this all week, I have been following the progress of Cyclone Albert as it approached and made landfall on the north east coast of Queensland and NSW. We are relieved, and grateful that our numerous family and friends in the area are all safe, though some will be dealing with flooding and cleaning up for some time to come. 🙏🏼   In comparison, Adelaide news is insignificant.

I wasn’t really needed as Desk Hostess at the Guild on Wednesday but was glad I’d gone. The library team were there and we caught up on a few books. There was a steady dribble of exhibition visitors, good sales of fiction books and trading table activity. It was good to be around the action and I got the central motif of the Japanese Nordic cross stitch done. 

As I was largely redundant, I left around 2pm and went to West Lakes to buy the perfume from the department store that had given me the sample. I left with a 100ml bottle and 2 samples of other perfumes. The women who had originally served me were not there, but I left messages of thanks.

The sunset was a distraction, but by the time I went to bed the basic Nordic design  was clear. I was oddly buoyed by the sense of community at the Guild.   

The replacement magnetic clips for the sashiko bag also arrived, carefully wrapped in a complete pattern for a child's dress! Clearly Spotlight are clearing out their patterns and using them as packing. I applaud their recycling effort, especially the use of the complete pattern. It could certainly be used to make a simple child's dress.  Will I ever need that? Possibly. I will enquire about use at the Guild.

It’s good to be back to Pilates. My finger was sore and a bit inflamed at the end of the session but had subsided by the time I’d eaten as much as I could manage of a potato omelette with rocket and pear salad at Queen St Cafe.  

I was therefore able to construct the sashiko bag when I got home. Very pleased with it.

It’s still hot in Adelaide, well over 30C all week. Watering my balcony plants is a daily must. The Festival is now in full swing, along with the Fringe, Womadelaide and, last weekend, the Motorsport Festival, at Victoria Park, a couple of blocks behind me. It provided a background soundtrack from 8.30am to around 4pm.   On Friday I missed most of it by taking the City Loop bus to the Art Gallery to meet a couple more friends over from Sydney for Writers Week, which finished on Thursday. 

Oddly, the car noise wasn’t evident travelling along Hutt St, between the apartment and the race. Maybe there was a pause.   Street trees and surrounding parkland provide shade and a sense of tranquillity, one of the advantages of Adelaide as a Festival City.

My friends were visiting the Radical Textiles Exhibition which I've already visited twice. I spent a while in the main gallery, where preparations are already underway for the Dangerously Modern: Australian Women Artists in Europe 1890-1940 Exhibition in May. It’s going to be interesting.            

I was also taken by this bark canoe filled with painted snail shells.  

The main business, however was a long lunch with friends I see at most years at this time when they come for Writers Week, although from 2017-2020 I was visiting the UK at this time of the year for Embroidery Retreats (the origin of this blog!) and 2021-3 were interrupted by Covid. This year the city seems in full recovery. After lunch we drove to catch the Guild Exhibition. Another grand day.

The heat persists. Yesterday reached 40C. Thankfully it's down to 30C today. Most of Saturday and Monday was spent inside ,allowing me to finish stitching the Nordic Cross Stitch project. I'm in the process of working out how to construct it.   

A couple of small dramas interrupted my stitching calm. Firstly, I had to cancel tomorrow's WES Group meeting. I had not adequately recorded it on the exhibition roster. I had checked the arrangement with the President, but not with the exhibition organiser, and a group is travelling from the country to staff the exhibition on that day. It's my stuff-up. I didn't communicate clearly.

The other drama reached me around 3pm yesterday via a phone call  from our Strata Pod Rep. She had just interrupted our carpark burglar of a month ago breaking into my carpark locker again. She came through the door from our foyer into the carpark to see the man, recognisable from the original break-in CCTV footage, at my locker, cutting the padlock with bolt cutters. She screamed, trying to attract attention. He waved his hands, as if to say 'I mean no harm' and ran through the carpark and away. There was no one around to hear her. He had cut through the new padlock on my storage cage, but got no further. Although he had stolen a carpark entry fob in January, he gained entry yesterday by following a car through the door. Nevertheless, our fobs are being reprogrammed on Thursday. It is a bit creepy that he came back to 2 lockers, one of which was mine,  I presume for the boxes I carelessly marked 'Personal Treasures' and 'Treasures from Asia'. 

Yesterday was, perhaps not coincidentally, a public holiday in SA. Hardware shops were open and I was tempted to rush to Bunnings for more secure locks, but decided to wait and contact Adelaide Locksmiths this morning.

I’m glad I did. They were, as usual, fabulous. We spoke by phone, I sent them photos and then visited them after the cleaners had gone. After much discussion, we settled on a heavy chain and lock that can only be cut by a grinder. The links fit so snuggly in the lock shaft that it can't be cut.

 

The chain comes in metre lengths, so he cut it in half for me and I bought 2 locks. The storage cage is now secured towards the bottom and above the bolt lock. I will probably also  put a simple lock back on the bolt.

Overkill? Probably. It certainly makes me feel good. I have my don’t mess with me dander up. A couple of pod reps came by as I finished installing it amd were impressed. We laughed a lot - a great sign.

This afternoon I've had to change a couple of medical appointments due to doctors moving practice. I have had such help and cooperation from receptionists along the way. It makes such a difference to my day. 🙏

I'm now starting on the last of the Evil Eye mandalas in the set of 5. The next week's forecast is still consistently above 30C. Tomorrow I  now have time I hadn't counted on to stay cool and get on with stitching this one. 

While I'd prefer it to be cooler, this weather certainly produces some great sunsets. This is tonight's.

Post 408 Jacaranda Joy and Jab

For those who get this by email, the feedburner service is not posting on time and not being serviced. It posted 14 hours late last week.  I'm posting this a bit early in the hope of compensating. I'll wait for 16 hours this time before sending out manually so you don't get 2 posts.

Adelaide  jacarandas are gradually shedding purple, displaying their leaves and distinctive seed pods. I wanted to capture the last of the purple against these two stone churches, St Francis Xavier's Catholic Cathedral at the top and St Augustines Unley below. Not great photos, but an impression.

Wednesday was the last meeting of the WES Group for 2021 and in lieu of a party we had coffee during and after our meeting with a small paper bag of biscuits for each attendee. We got our 2022 program sorted and then a bit of a show and tell. This proved very interesting. Janet, our weaver, brought along her trial pieces - all scarves. 

They were extraordinarily varied and interesting.

Junette had some hand-dyed fabric from Rarotonga, 

and Lori her counted sampler of trees inspired by a range of mostly literary sources.

We had a lovely time catching up. Our next year program includes. Or Nue, Pockets, Tablet Weaving, Smocks, Rarotonga Embroidery,  Sequins, Lagartera, Anglo-Saxon and Celtic Embroidery and The Goddess in Embroidery.

On Thursday my missing parcel turned up, packed in a box twice its size and weighing next to nothing. It's the cane stand in the lower right corner - yes, identical to the other one I already had. It now holds the splendid snake plant I bought at the Guild Christmas Market, and it's companion pot (which doesn't fit in the stand!) holds the other succulent from the Market.

It's great that Australia Post got it sorted. I thanked them when at the PO today.

I spent much of the first half of the week finishing the Maria Rita Faleri Catherine de Medici design I picked up again last week.  The hem was easy but I hesitated over making the knotted tassels. 

In the end I just went for it. 240 knots in each tassel, but they are not hard to do and don't demand too much concentration. Relaxing really. 

At the moment he finished piece is draped over a cushion. While these can be used as food covers, that requires regular washing which isn't a good idea. 

I dropped some pieces into the Guild for the Certificate Course Display which goes up this week and stays up throughout January.  The promo sheets for each of this year's workshops are posted around the display board along with the tutor and student samples. Students add their pieces I needed to dig out my samples for the Icelandic workshop and then a couple of others I had attended. Barbara also wanted my Design Online Coat. I find it hard to remember what I did!

It was a very pleasant, quiet evening at Katherine's on Saturday. Her front garden is looking fabulous, repaying all their hard work. I was home and about to go to bed when I got a message to say the Federal Government has approved booster jabs at 5 rather than 6 months. I immediately searched and managed to make a booking for Tuesday at my local pharmacy. On Sunday afternoon I called in to the pharmacy to check that they had approval for the 5 month change. The pharmacist had spent the day checking and said yes, I can have it.  This solves my timing problem in January.

I'm still in the mode of finishing off smaller projects rather than moving on to the Aesop Frame which will occupy my time for several weeks. I'm now tackling the Fallahi tasselled, beaded pincushion from Inspirations 72, which I bought as a kit at the time and began. I should have checked before continuing with it. I had worked five petals, all of which I have had to undo, because the count was wrong. I no longer choose to work with 36 count linen, but I will finish this one. I really love the look of it.

On Sunday I caught up with my friend Lorraine. We haven't met for many months. She has had significant blood pressure problem, ending up in hospital twice in the last 2 months. She has lost weight but remains engaged, positive and active in her health management. She is making adjustments to her diet and seeking as much information and help as possible. It was so good to spend time with her. 

We exchanged gifts. Hers was some neck cream (she has a knack of picking key needs - I had just noticed that my weight loss is showing in my neck!) and a lovely potpourri sachet which I've hung with my woollen coat).

This week there has been a third dove competing for the seed. The first couple of days there were attempts to drive one away but by Sunday there seemed to be acceptance. I'm unsure whether two of them are young birds, or just one. The one at the back is definitely young. The one in the front is also small, but not quite as small. It is most likely the mother, but possibly a sibling. They are nervous of any movement from me.

This is now the third generation of birds that I've been documenting. Not bad for what was intended to be a three week blog!

I've made progress on Fallahi. Both sides are now embroidered. I gridded up the second side, counting over four, under four. It made me realise how much I've learned in the ten years since I purchased and began this kit. I had marked the centre lines without thought to stitch length, not realising how important it is to have guide lines with threads marked accurately. 

I do love this design, especially the fit of colour and shape.

Today I had my Pfizer booster at my local pharmacy. Pretty straight forward - form to fill out, questions, jab, wait for 15 minutes. While I was there several people came in or phoned to make vaccination appointments. It is a small pharmacy with only two staff at any time and this is clearly keeping them busy. Good to see so many people acting on the new timeline. I'm very pleased to have it done. 

Afterwards I had coffee with a friend, called at the PO to pick up a parcel and at Create in Stitch to get some memory thread for an idea I've had for the Guild's Certificate Course Christmas Challenge.

On the way I snapped a couple more jacarandas.

My eye is recovering from its Meibomian Gland Disorder. I'm still keeping up the treatments 8 times a day as instructed by my optometrist and my weight loss is 17kg as of this morning. My vaccination arm is a bit sore and I have a headache hovering. I suspect I'm going to have aches and pains for a day or two, but I'm not complaining. I may need to cancel a commitment tomorrow, but that's a call for the morning.  Deo Gratias. 

Post 393 A promise of Spring

My friend Robin in lockdown in the Blue Mountains sent me this photo of the remaking project she has finished embroidering on the back of a woollen cardigan. Inspiring, isn't it? So clever to have chosen the gold colours and circular variations. 

I spent last Wednesday at home, pretty much absorbed in the third bookmark I bought from the Fox Collection. It took up much of Thursday too, in between Pilates. 

There were a couple of hours of sunshine on both Thursday and Friday afternoons, and I spent at least one of them each day stitching on my front balcony. The plants are doing pretty well right now. The mint I bought from the supermarket is thriving. The frangipani are bare but will soon be bursting to life. Must nearly be time to fertilise. I haven't used the electric barbecue since it blew my fuses nearly two years ago.  I'm thinking of turning it into planter bowls. I might pluck up courage to try it again before I do.

The light was great, both for stitching and for a few photos.I came inside as the sun got low in the West. 

At the other end of the apartment, as I was closing the doors to the balcony, I caught the flash of green and squarking that signals the arrival of the lorikeets to the first buds on the trees.  These first photos are not very good, but hopefully I'll be better prepared next time.

Our Sit'nStitch was cancelled on Friday as Susan was poorly. I went to Unley and shopped for Monday dinner, a task I had planned for Saturday. Back at home I finished the third bookmark. I'm not sure why I have enjoyed these so much. 

The designs are great, as are the colours. The backstitch outlines took me about 4 hours, but there is great satisfaction in completion. I am looking forward to receiving the various Aida Bands I have ordered from the Crafty Frog. 

I'm planning to back the next batch with silk, rather than felt, to make them thinner. Felt works, but I think silk will be an improvement.

At our September Book Club meeting I have to nominate the books for us to discuss in September, so I've been trying out some options. I spent Sunday reading Diana J Febry's  The Skeletons of Birkbury, which I think is a bit of a find. I'm currently reading Robert Gott's The Orchard Murders, also a possibility.

In between reads, I have been charting a couple of motifs from Vala Georgieva's Bulgarian embroidery for my Bulgarian Embroidery workshop for the Certificate Course in September next year. It occurred to me that I might be able to put one of them on a bookmark as an option for one of the projects. I liked the idea so much I set about trying it on the slightly wider 16 count Aida I already have. 

I couldn't do it without magnification, but this is the result over a couple of days. 

To complete the experiment, I backed it with silk. I like the result. It's thinner, so kinder to a book, and looks quite elegant.

I think some students might quite like to work the project this way and I have plenty of this band.

The weather has warmed a little this week in Adelaide, with a couple of days of 20C. It is forecast to be 29C on Thursday and then back to 15C next weekend. I have spent a bit of time in my bedroom chair stitching or reading in the morning light. I'm pleased to have found this resting place for the Sheepjes rug.

I discovered this week that sweet potato goes really well through the spiraliser.

Tonight I had some Osso Bucco left over from last night with sweet potato.  I resisted frying up the leftover mashed potato (the only way I like mashed potato!) in favour of this lower carb option. My weight loss has slowed but still heading in the right direction. 6.8 kilos down this morning.

I spent most of today trying out my chart of Vala Georgieva's Tree of Life embroidery. I am no expert in charting counted thread work. I have charted knitting patterns for myself, but charting a multicoloured embroidery design for others to use is another matter altogether.  

I played around with fabric,  settling on 14 count Aida, close in structure to the original, which I think is handwoven hemp.  I've discovered a couple of errors in the chart as I've worked it. It's fairly easy to fix as I go.

I'm  taking photos as I go, so I can document the stages to suggest to students. I think there are conventions I am unfamiliar with for charting stitches (even though I've used enough of them).  I know there is software but I'm not sure it would help in this circumstance.

The Viking Embroidery workshop is well before this one, but I am still waiting for the wool fabric to arrive from Sweden. It has arrived in Brisbane, but hasn't yet cleared customs.

Jennifer called this evening. She told me I missed a brilliant sunset. I was focused on the Aida tree of life.  My attention has been on the small things. 

Tomorrow I will try to look up and out!

This should definitely be the last post with automated email notification. Next week I expect to email manually.

Post 291 Productivity - or obsession.

Today was a stitching day. I didn't quite plan the direction it took - but I got carried away. My window cleaners was here before 8.30.  I worked on the sashiko panel while they worked on the windows, and kept going  after they left until it was finished.

 While I was working on it, I was thinking about a gift for a friend I will be seeing tomorrow. We usually exchange presents but she has sent me a card this year and I am not sure if this signals a change in practice. She likes bespoke Christmas tree ornaments so I try to make one for her. I had no good ideas this  year. This morning I found the pattern for a set of tiny Bucilla stockings in cross stitch that I had made years ago. I still had the grid from the recent Certificate Course Workshop on Large Cross Stitch Projects so got the idea of using it to make a tiny stocking for my friend. I thought she'd like one on Joy.

It took me quite a while - several hours. I used DMC Etoile stranded cotton. The sparkle in the thread lends a lift to the embroidery. The word "Joy" is a bit strange. If I were doing it again I'd redesign it.  As it is, I think it's at least indicative. 

It was after 5 pm by the time I finished the cross stitch. I fortunately had the cardboard, template and felt backing stored with the pattern, so I cut out one cardboard and two felt stockings, then the embroidered aida. I folded the aida over the cardboard with some wadding in between. Reluctantly, I followed the instruction to glue it to the cardboard. I also glued a red felt stocking to the back. This is where the instructions end. The stocking is designed as a hanging ornament only. This seems like a waste to me, so when I made the original set I added another felt stocking to the back to form a proper stocking in which a little gift can be placed.  

It's a tight fit, but a chocolate Santa just fits in. A candy cane would be easier, and look better, but chocolate tastes better - and I have one to hand. A twisted chord finishes it. It looks as good as any I made in the past. The Etoile thread I think.

When I got to empty my mailbox there were several Christmas cards and the book I had ordered on my brother's recommendation. It does look interesting. I now have a pile of books waiting to be read.

As if that wasn't enough stitching productivity for one day, I took a plunge and made a little needle keep to put in one of the pouches I've been making. I was given one of these and have wanted to make some for a while. The base is a wine bottle top or something similar. The advantage is that it is shallow, and needles do not disappear into it. I was hoping to make two, but settled for one today!

While watching Morse tonight I folded the sashiko square from this morning into a pouch and added a zip. Like the last one, I put the zip in by hand. It appears to be strong.

The furthest I've been today is to my letterbox. I'm writing this while Lucy Worseley's 2019 Christmas Carol Odyssey is on TV.  

I want to go to bed but it is really interesting - and the carols are lovely.