Post 160

It was a sunny day in Adelaide, if, for Adelaide, cold.  A maximum of 14C for Adelaide is a cold day. I stayed inside, mostly embroidering and reading.

This book arrived in the mail. It is a mixture of identification of references to embroidery and textiles in medieval, or pre-medieval texts such as the Saga of Ragnar Lodbrog, Piers Plowman and Beowulf. To this she adds stanzas by Kipling, Sherrington, Lowell and Allingham. The bulk of the book is an exploration, in thread, of flora and fauna mentioned in literature and often embroidered.  It is illustrated with Helen Stevens’ own illustrations and embroidery suggestions. I’d have liked a bit more exploration of the literary context of embroidery, but there are some very useful embroidery hints, such as the ears of wheat in page 77.

Most of my day was spent on the counted bag. I managed to finish the second side of the bag. It is, I think, coming on well. The spacing in the middle motif is different on the two sides. Neither is the recommended one. The next one will be exactly correct, but I think the last one will be a repeat of today’s, which is so far my favourite .

I also conducted a bit of an experiment with a mask to see it I could make one for a friend who is, in fact, exempt from the need to wear on.  I  might discuss it further once my friend has tried it.

In order to stitch the mask I had to replenish my bobbins. I used up everyone I had making masks over the last week or so. There was nothing for it but to fill myself a supply. I managed to fill 11 bobbins with white thread before the call of the Repair Shop got too strong. 

No knitting today, just a focus on the squares. The next couple of days are forecast to be colder than today and to rain. No complaints about that. Sounds like embroidery weather.

Post 154

I finished reading this yesterday. Hamilton Crane is the pseudonym of Sarah J Mason who wrote a series of Miss Seeton books in the 1980s, continuing a series of original books by the British actor and writer Heron Carvic (Geoffrey Rupert William Harris 1913-80) in the 50s and 60s. This one, written as a prequel, is set in England in WWII. While it is nothing special as crime fiction, what I found interesting was the context of government directed morale building to focus the population on the war effort. While I was aware of much of this, I was not aware of the effort put into stopping negative talk that might undermine morale, or 'loose talk' that might aid the enemy should there be fifth columnists about. Workplaces, landladies, shop keepers, everyday citizens - all promoting 'the right thing' in word and deed.

It was interesting reading this in the midst of a Covid pandemic. While I wouldn't suggest a war time propaganda campaign, there might be lessons in how to engage a society in behaviours that get the whole community through a crisis.


There was a lot of building activity today, deliveries of steel struts on huge trucks and strange sounds. I haven't been out to inspect the progress, but the pile-driver is once again parked next to my balcony.













I was keen to continue my Breton stitch, so finished my diagonals and got on with it. The line at the bottom is, in fact, straight. I have manipulated the photo which wasn't straight and in the process distorted the bottom line.
I then switched to mask-making, stitching down the side hems on yesterday's batch, cutting and inserting the elastics before stitching them by hand into loops.








The gigantic pincushion that Niamh made me for my birthday last year was invaluable in this exercise, which is very pin-hungry.

I used the thinner, softer elastic on the fine fabric masks. This elastic can be tied rather than stitched, as it is therefore more easily adjusted.

This is the set for my Adelaide family finished. I now need to make some for my brother.


Speaking of my brother, I received a parcel from him today














- a photo album that belonged to our mother, for storage with my family history records, and a couple of her small framed paintings - both of red honey eaters. She took up painting in the last 5 or so years of her life, after she retired. She'd be very pleased - and surprised - to know I was embroidering birds! I'm not sure what I'll do with these.

I had a long phone call with my friend Robin in the Blue Mountains. I'm not sure that we solved the world's problems - but we did define a few of them!

I stuck with the counted thread box side. Still a way to go to finish this side - then I have to repeat it for the other three sides. I'm pleased with the progress - if not with the wonky photo!




Finally, I have just finished the heart at the top of the owl, using some synthetic gold thread.

I now have to work out how to colour the owl on the other side of the bag without letting the colour run!

A job for tomorrow!

Post 152 : Monday meal and making

This morning was mostly taken up with shopping for family dinner tonight. I also posted a set of face masks to a family friend and deposited 3 bags of soft plastic to the recycling at Unley. Dinner was a stir fry of noodles with duck, ham, broccoli, spring onions, capsicum, soy and salami. I bought a cooked Beijing duck and deboned it. I made stock from the bones so hope to have duck soup tomorrow. There was also enough stir fry left for Niamh's lunch tomorrow.
I managed to cut out another 7 face masks while making the stock. This time I did it sitting on a high stool. It avoided the worst of my sciatica but not entirely. It's very difficult not to stand while cutting and ironing. I used the remains of a bamboo Tshirt Katherine gave me for the inner lining (the tealy-green). It will be interesting to see how it makes up.

This will provide a set of 12 for Katherine's family. This is not urgent, since we currently have not community transmission in South Australia, but I hope to finish these tomorrow. I've had one request for elastic for masks.

This morning Margaret Morgan sent me a link to a video tutorial on Breton stitch. I found it useful. The stitch can be worked, it seems, as surface stitchery as well as counted. There are also variations.

I worked a little sampler on much larger  fabric. A is the stitch as included in yesterday's class, only a bit larger. B is a variation that is longer - three times the number of threads in height. C and D are the same stitches further spaced widthwise. This helps me get my head around the way the stitch works. Now I think I can work the smaller variety.


As I had expected, the pile driver began at 7.30 this morning. It was background noise I could live with. Just before sunset I took this photo of the day's work. It seems they are driving very close piles and setting them in concrete. It appears to be slow work.

It's unlikely I will see much of the doves while this work is going on. Enough to put any bird off.




Tonight I have worked a bit more of the owl. There is not a lot to do to finish it. I haven't decided what colour to make the heart above the owl's head.

Post 151 Elastic

Just after the sun rose gently this morning,  I noticed Myrtle and Turtle waiting patiently for some seed.










As I opened the door Turtle stood his ground and Myrtle backed away, but she didn't fly away. They stayed to peck at the seed for quite a while.

I, of course, had to get breakfasted, dressed and organised for today's class. I'd promised to take the products of the Stratford Retreat and my isolation to show my table companion.







She, however, had a bigger - and very generous - surprise for me. Yesterday I had told her about my face mask endeavours. Today she brought me some elastic, given to her by a friend who downsized. She had bought this online as a job lot - we surmised it might have been a shop closing down. The rolls each hold 100 metres. None of them is full - but there has to be well over 200 metres of elastic on the rolls, without counting the smaller packets in the plastic bag. I have not intention of turning into Mask-Making Madame.  I calculate I need to make maybe 15 more. There is enough elastic here for around 600 masks. I'm very happy to share. Just get in touch.

There were two goals for our class today, to finish one item from the project and to learn Breton stitch. I focused on the scissor fob first. Christine had managed to make most of us, myself included, the cord required. The fob fitted together very neatly and was fun to make.

I then practised a little Breton stitch on the sample that Christine had worked for each of us. Hers is in green, mine in blue. There was something wrong with mine. I clearly hadn't got it right.









I reread the instructions and practised more at home. I did have it wrong. My second attempt is much better. The stitch is right. It took a while to get the tension.












Following the example of Lee, my wise table companion, I chose to work the outside border and inner outlines of the box before adding the Breton stitch, which forms an inner border between the little markers along the side of the frame.


So I have a way to go and time for more practice before I need to use the Breton stitch.

It was a good weekend, and a chance to see how the Guild is t the afternoon there was an occasion when a couple of people left their tables to look at something. Melissa and Christine were alert and reminded us of the social distancing requirement. It can so easily happen - and just as easily transmit disease. I'm so pleased to have seen Melissa's reaction and concern.

Eternal vigilance.




Myrtle and Turtle were again waiting for me when I got home, having cleaned up every last bit of this morning's seed. Of course, I provided some more.



This evening I added the elastics to the face masks I completed last week. I decided to do the stitching by hand, because I figure that could be more easily undone to shorten than machine stitching. Many of them (not the one in the photo)  have about 2cm that could be released if the elastic were too tight. I suspect too loose is more likely


I also experimented with very flexible, narrow elastic on one of the child-sized masks by tying a knot with a generous tail. This would be the easiest to lengthen or shorten and slips easily into the hem without a lump that would irritate. I'm hoping these will provide means of adjustment for recipients too far away to give them back to me to adjust.

It has been a very eventful week - and weekend - in my relatively narrow Covid world. It was great to see Guild friends and get a sense of what it means to meet and stitch in the contest of Covid. I met some new people and really enjoyed the lunch time conversation, the quiet companionship of Lee, seeing photos of Margaret's garden and projects and hearing little bits about other groups.

I do home Niamh and Veronica enjoyed their umpire workshop.

Hopefully I can progress the box this week, as well as delivering a few masks.

Post 150 Back at the Guild

After a couple of days absent, Turtle came looking for food this morning, waiting for me to scatter it and staying while I did so.

I finished off the partially completed demonstration face masks from yesterday before heading off to the Guild for Christine Bishop's class  - Cube Pincushion, Needlecase, Fob and Bag Counted Set.

There were about 17 students, plus Christine and Melissa - on cleaning duty.

The Gallery is set up on the 4 square metre per person principle - tables well apart and only 2 students per table. Entry is through only one door - the main one - and exit likewise- through the shop door. There is a sign-in sheet requiring phone number.





The cleaning every 2 hour rule has been relaxed. Once seated, students don't leave their seat. Anyone using the bathroom must clean all touched surfaces, then exit, cleaning door handle and light switch as they go. In the break, Melissa boiled the kettle and poured hot water into the cups students had brought with them. I brought a thermos. At the end of the day Melissa cleaned the tables and all from 1.5 metres touchable surfaces.  Christine walked around the room observing student work and offering assistance. As always Christine had tacked the outlines on to the lines marked - a substantial amount of work.

The kit contained everything we need - including Liberty print lining (or dupion silk if you ordered the green or red kits).

Christine even prepared a stitch sample for each individual student!

It was a fun day, listening to people talk and laugh and catching up with a couple of old friends.

I had a request for another set of face masks, including a child's one. I managed to source more Tshirt fabric for this when I got home and cut out pieces. At Katherine's tonight I got them to try the fit of the masks with ear loops. The younger kids need shorter loops. Ear loops seem to be winning. I think I need to make another half a dozen to meet the current need - plus a couple I have promised my brother.

We worked on the scissor fob today - the smallest piece. I didn't get a lot of time to work on this tonight but this is where I have just reached.

I can see this will not be a quick finish project, but it is pleasing to work on and breaks down into manageable chunks.














I did make a little progress on the Owl while at Katherine's tonight.

It's late and I'm falling asleep.  It was a productive day - and more tomorrow.
e

Post 149: Building

I woke this morning at 7am to the sound of an engine nearby, It turned out to be a pile driver on the vacant lot next door, which is approved for a 9 storey apartment block.

The top of the pile driver was about 2 metres from my balcony.

The pile driver itself made almost no noise but there was a motor, presumably powering it, that made a steady engine noise.

The work seemed concentrated in the corner of the site closest to me - the north east corner.




I was out much of the day. When I returned home this evening this was the result. I seem to remember the developer added a screening wall in this position. It looks as if the build is about to begin.

I rearranged my blocked shawl, removing the towel which holds moisture underneath. When I got it pinned out again, I recalled buying blocking wires last year.  They turned up in the last place I looked - under a sideboard cupboard right at the back against the skirting board.

They certainly made blocking more even.

I love the way garter stitch turns out in squares when blocked.




I left the blocked piece to dry out properly while I was out.


This is how it looked  when I removed the blocking pins this evening. It is quite large and wrappy.



I managed to complete a few more masks before heading off to my Sit'n Stitch with friends this afternoon. One of my stitching friends wanted to talk today about mask-making, so I left the last 4 in various stages of construction to demonstrate the process.















This worked quite well. I just need to finish these and I have another set for family to try out. 

Jennifer was at Sit'nStitch today. Our hostess made us a great lunch of pizza and her home-made pasties. Jennifer has some permanent heart damage from her Covid experience, which has resulted in fluid on her lungs. She is taking diuretics and limiting her fluid intake to get rid of this. She also has a thorax stenosis reducing her air passage by 50%. On 6 August she is booked to have a balloon inserted to widen the air passage and also have an angiogram.  The latter will provide more information about treatment. She gets exhausted and can't exercise or do anything strenuous. We has a good time stitching.

I worked on the owl today. It's coming along nicely.

This weekend I have a two-day class at the Guild with Christine Bishop. Six months ago this would have seemed routine, but right now it seems exciting and daring.

The biggest challenge will be waking up in time! I'm not sure pile drivers work on Saturdays!

Post 146: Shawl Finish and Mainly Masks

I did finish the shawl tonight but blocking will wait until tomorrow as well as photographing it in its full splendour. The day did not turn out to be simply knitting and blocking!


I discovered this morning that the new row markers I ordered from the Fox Collection had arrived yesterday after I had checked the letterbox.
The one I have been using is on the left.It requires metal backboard for the magnet, It's OK, but is a bit clunky to carry around. The new are ruler-sized strips with an inbuilt magnet. They slip over the page like a bookmark.


Unfortunately, I no longer need the pattern for the shawl, but there will be other projects.


The day took off in an unexpected direction. I got into a conversation about face masks with my daughters. This led to my finding an online pattern for masks made from circles of cloth - using different sized plates for adult, adolescent and child sized masks.

I made a sample with three layers - cotton outer, 1200 thread count middle layer and T-shirt fabric on the inner layer. It was rather too tight and too small.






I then downloaded a shaped pattern in two sizes - women/adolescent and men.

The test sample, with the same three layers, was much more satisfactory.

I had used an old t-shirt of mine for the sample. Once I had cut the t-shirt for the sample, it seemed sensible to use it up on a batch. I spent several hours, ironing and cutting out layers. The t-shirt yielded 9 large sets and 13 medium. I matched these with middle layers from the sheeting. I then raided my stash for cotton outer layers for 22 masks.

Here's the result.

It was quite tiring. I did the cutting standing up so I could use the iron at the same time. I don't usually stand so long. It triggers my sciatica and back ache. I took short breaks every hour.

Tomorrow I will try to get as many stitched as I can.

As i result, I did not get the shawl blocked. As can be seen from the photo above I did finish, but am too tired to either display of block it.

That's for tomorrow.







It was an impressive sunset.