#296 - HAED Mini Bouquet - 22.22% completed

 … and after a couple of lucky days of stitching I’ve also completed lines 51 to 60.

Also, happy to report that the new boiler has been fitted, and heat restored.  I would highly recommend Charles Bickham Plumbing, so efficient and pleasant.

I am still behind on cumulative stitches this year compared to 2021, but the gap is narrowing.  Hopefully I can get a decent stitch count to close in on that target and finish my current Stitching Across the Galaxy Mission.

Hugs

Kay x

#295 - Spinning Around

 When I am trying to learn a new skill I like peace and quiet, and no by overseeing me … no matter how encouraging they are.  So I took 15 minutes out to actually spin rather than just treadle.

I did try last week, but found I was having no luck with the Marsham top.  It seemed to take the strength of Hercules to draft it, and so I ended up with essentially wool rope … 

So I pulled out Merino top (which is supposed to not really be beginner friendly) and had a wee bit more success …

It’s still ridden with bumpy bits, and it breaks quite easily, but the slippy nature of it appears to be suiting me.  Obviously, it would make a good spinner cry with laughter, but it’s still progress. 

I think I will look into some lessons, but want to at least be able to proficiently treadle, put on leaders and spin something from a top before I do that.  I can only liken that to the clean your house before the cleaner  comes syndrome.

Whilst I am typing this post, I noticed that there are tiny little pig tails on the flyer, which I think are  good thing, as it means there is a bit of twisting going on … 

Clearly, more practice is required tomorrow, but after watching Grace O'Neill on YouTube making Rolags, I might order some as the look potentially easier to deal with.  If nothing else, it is a Retail opportunity.

Hugs

Kay xx

#294 - HAED Mini Bouquet - 16.54% completed

 

… and lines 31 to 40 completed this evening. There is a nice big section of one colour tomorrow, which 

should put me a good way through another set of 10 lines.

Hugs

Kay

#293 - HAED Mini Bouquet - 15.55% completed

 

Also, lines 11 to 20 and 21 to 30 are complete.  I can’t remember if I discussed the fact that usually I would describes them as rows, but have switched terminology to lines, and will going forward refer to a row as a set of pages,  i.e top row, middle row, bottom row if there were for instance 3 page rows. I hope that makes sense? This pattern, however, has 4 page rows, so it will be page row 1, 2, 3 and 4.

The buds at top right are absolutely beautiful in real life, and they don’t look too shabby in the photo.  I can’t tell you how lovely it is to stitch.

Talking of real life, I have started to drink tea after about 45 years of being a strictly coffee girl, and I tried Kombucha for the first time.  It will definitely not be the last as it was absolutely delicious.

We still have no heating, but at least have a date booked in next week for installation of the new boiler.  Luckily, we do have the log burner, and have oil-fired rads and hit blankets, so it is bearable.  In fact we might have been more warm and cozy than some as there was no power for us for a few hours yesterday and according to a lovely lady in the supermarket today her area was still suffering power outage.

It has been a super productive day, with knitting and wall paper stripping in the mix!

I’m not sure what the weather will bring tomorrow, and so am not sure whether the work party in the woods is on or off.

Right, a warm bed is waiting, and some YouTube on my iPad.

Night night.

Hugs

#292 - say hello to the new family member

 … after the Magical Mystery Tour last week this, or rather who was in the box.

My beautiful Kromski Fantasia Spinning wheel.  I have named her Freya, and she is a thoroughly contemporary girl to match our home decor.

 did do a tiny bit of spinning decades ago, but not enough to say I can spin.  It is all new to m so I have been practicing treading for 15 minutes each day to control clockwise and counterclockwise direction and the speed of the flyer.

That is all going better than I thought, perhaps as I have ridden and danced all of my life my mind/muscle isolation is pretty good.This afternoon I have started preparing some fibre to spin, and I’m hoping my initial confidence will hold.

Hugs

Kay

#291 - Housekeeping

 

Mission 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29 completed - see Challenge Page on the  top bar for photo and stats.

Hugs

Kay

#290 - HAED Mini Bouquet - 12.46% completed

 … also Mission 24, thank goodness.

I need to check the details for the next Mission, but I am pretty certain it is not too big.

I’ll update the Challenge page.

Hugs 

Kay xx

#289 - HAED Mini Bouquet - 11.96% completed

 

So close to getting Mission 24, fingers crossed for tonight.

Hugs

Kay xx

#288 - A no stitch day yesterday

…as we were busy all day, and then I went out with a group of friends to celebrate the beautiful Claire’s birthday.

It was a lovely private moment, which I won’t share on here,  it I thought I would share something else beautiful 

I hope you enjoy it.

Hugs

Kay.  

#287 - Magical Mystery Tour

 

What’s in the box ?

We’ve been here, there and everywhere man today, and this is not the only box that was picked up on the way, but it is the most exciting!

Hugs

Kay x

#286 - HAED Mini Bouquet - 9.67% completed

 

640 stitches this evening has left me [2,706] to finish the mission.

Still loving the process; still thinking that the colour charting is a bit off … we shall see.

Hugs

Kay xx

#285 - HAED Mini Bouquet - 8.77% completed

 

I seem to be working a day behind updating progress.  Time today has been taken up with getting quotes for a new boiler, and not feeling too well.  I have had an ear infection for a few weeks.

Only 344 stitches last night, leaving 3,346 to go on Mission 24.

Its’s dull, cold and grey outside today, and I have fingers crossed that the Universe will be kind tomorrow so I can push in with the gardening.

Stitching is in my immediate future, so I will say bye bye for now.

Hugs

Kay xx

#284 - HAED Mini Bouquet - 8.30% completed

 This Mission is a lonnnnggg one, but I am aware it is not the longest one.  Still, good progress with another 824 stitches last night.

I have [3,690] to do, whichever I can keep up a decent stitch rate should not be too bad.

I may, or may not, have said before this design is lovely to stitch, but I am concerned that some of the subtle flower detail (top right)is too washed out … actually it looks better on screen than in real life.   I appreciate though that the section I am working on in the pc hart picture is in shadow, it would be a bummer to spend six months on it to be disappointed.

As I am at heart a process stitcher that is a dilemma, but we all know in all probability I will just throw it in the finished objects box of shame, where it will languish with all its brothers and sisters and never become fully finished.

#283 - HAED Mini Bouquet - 7.15% completed

 

624 stitches done, and trotting along nicely.  This is so nice to work on.

Hugs

Kay xx

#282 - HAED Mini Bouquet - 6.28% completed

 

425 stitches moved this on quite a bit, and has left me 5,138 to do on this mission ... that’s a long way to go.

Still no central heating here, the havegiven us the quote for the repair, but seemed to have forgotten we also asked for a price to install a new boiler.  So I guess we will freeze our buts off waiting on them.

The house is quiet, nobody else is up so the log burner is not on, I am going to fill my hot water bottle, find a nice warm pair of fluffy socks and snuggle under my blanket at my frame.  The house is reasonably tidy, washing is done, and dishwasher on the go, so no guilt involved in this decision!

Hugs

Kay xx

#281 - HAED Mini Bouquet - 5.68% completed

 As promised, I have an updated photo for yesterday (3 February).

This is what progress 716 stitches gives one.

Also, I thought I’d also add this horrendous photo of my latest knitting all pegged out like a 1970s science experiment?  It’s probably the best one I have knit, and normally I would just throw it in the washing machine and tumble dryer, but can’t do that as it is a gift ... never say that you don’t get interesting gifts from me!

I promise it looks better in real life, when not being butchered by my lac of photography skills.

Talking of which, we just opted up to the Farm Sop for meat and other bits, where I was also treated to delicious coffee and a stunning lemon cake, which I am pretty sure was polenta based … sooooo good.

I have had some requests for the Dandelion Balm receive, and am just waiting for the okay from High Vibes Up Hosts to be able to post a link here for it, they are so lovely that I am sure they will be fine with it, but I like to stick to the etiquette.  Failing that, I have it on my list of things to do as soon as I have access to the flower heads, and will do a video (probably it will go on the #projectsussexgarden blog.

Hugs

Kay xx

#280 - HAED Mini Bouquet - 4.68% completed

 …although I did more last night, so this figure was valid 2nd February.

It left 6,279 stitches to complete for Mission 24.

I fully admit to lurking in bed until now, as our heating was condemned yesterday when the chap came to do the annual service.  Darling One is currently firing up the log burner to stop my moaning about how cold it is.  On the p,us side the hot water  heater is hotter than the actual central heating water!

We are just waiting for a quote for a new boiler as it was nearly a £1,000 to repair it - we’ve been here a good long time, and we have no idea how long ago bodgit bonce the former owner had had it as he was allegedly a plumber it may even not been in mint condition when it went in, as so it has been on our radar as needing to be replaced.  It is just not really the weather to do it, nor was it time for the utility room renovation.  That’s life.

I see flames, I will warm up and pop back in with yesterday’s amazing progress.

Hugs

Kay xx

#279 - HAED Mini Bouquet- 4.21% completed

 

… still working on Mission 24, but good progress made with 730 stitches, leaving [6,621] to do.

However, I have done more as this photo was on 1st February - a few more were done yesterday, and I have yet to take a picture.

For a HAED this one is a pretty easy stitch; my frustration is that I am just not getting a chance to stitch as much as I did last year despite the fact that I don’t have a “day job”.

Hugs

Kay

Xx

#278 - HAED Mini Bouquet - 3.57% completed

 

As I am working on Mission 24 currently, I sat down and stitched 273 stitches this morning, before I realised that it is 1sr February...so for January progress deduct off that amount.  There is still a long way to go to complete the mission, as of 30th January it was [7,351] - I won’t deduct off the stitches today until close of stitching.

I had a decent overall stitch count for January of 14,289 overall, of which 141,141 counted towards the Stitching Across the Galaxy Challenge, and the whole total towards Stitch Buddy Battle.

That having been said, in January 2021 I stitched 21,225 so the total this year is down by 6,936 if I want to  come in at the same, or ideally higher than the 2021 overall yearly total of 158,482.  It seems a lot, but in reality some months in 2021 were lower totals … ergo it may well be possible to go gang busters and out do myself.  All of which makes me sound super competitive, when in reality I only like to compete against myself not another person or team!

February 2021 had a stitch total of 12,745, and therefore I have let my Buddy, Loes, know that I will be aiming for 14,500 in February 2022, which should catch up a bit.

On the upside, this Project is great to stitch, and seems to have nice little blocks of colour at the moment.

Right, I have nothing more in my day than stitching, so I will catch you on the flip side.

Hugs

Kay xx