WOW: August Already?

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

When did August get here?

I've lost three weeks I'm just not ready; I'm still in an early July state of mind. The flu's been staggering around the house. First my DH, then me a week later and a week after that my DD.

Looking at my DH, I have hopes that I'll pick up this week. I really hope so. The worst thing is the lost time. And the realisation that a virus can seriously leave you bed ridden. I can't even remember the last time I was this unwell. I actually had a flu shot this year and I don't know it it's helped, all I know is that I did all I could to prevent this happening. Oh well.

This is the best I've looked for the better part of a month!

It's my first coffee since the flu arrived so I must be feeling better...

but I'm still taking it easy, I'm totally exhausted. And I'm thinking about the rest of the year and starting a priority list of things to do. Because there's so much to get done and I really want to see as many as possible WIPs become finished pieces to enjoy. I also have a lot of clearing out and generally tidying up to do. I might even start a completely new WIP to motivate myself. Anything to get going again.

Hopefully my next WOW will be full of doings instead of recovering.

How's your wednesday?



WOW: Blogging from bed :(

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

I got a bit ahead of myself last week; I thought I was over the flu and went ahead with my plans as usual.

Last wednesday I was at Vic Quilter's Showcase. I did it again on Thursday...but by friday I was feeling unwell again. Then on Saturday I picked up a little...but it wasn't to last and I've been back in bed since.

This flu that's been going around is a lingering one. The most annoying thing is the lost time, particularly as I have so much to do and so many things to be getting on with. But for today, I'm taking it easy and just working on getting better.

I did spend some time looking for the Vera Moda yarn last week, but with no luck so I might have to stop my winter crochet WIP for now, it's so frustrating to stop so near the end of such a useful WIP!

It's tea and rest for me today...



A Little Winter Crochet

Remember my inherited WIP? My DD started out on an epic crochet WIP but moved onto something else and abandoned her WIP to me. I left it with my knitting things, thinking that I'd return to it during winter. Well, it's winter now so I thought it was time to do something with all that beautiful yarn.



I really loved her granny ripple but at pure wool 8ply and 1/7th finished (above), it would have weighed about 5kgs when finished and needed another 3kgs of extra wool to be purchased. This just wasn't workable and the expense would have really been ridiculous. In wool and working a blanket this large, the yarn should be at about 3ply to make it useful as well as beautiful. I've been wanting to make another ripple since my last one here, I have had so much use from it, and it's so warm that I definitely need another - so this is something I might consider for next winter..

But back to my current stash dilemna; I looked at all the pink wool yarn left and considered what I could do to make it useful and I came up with a puff flower hex triangle motif blanket idea. It was quick and easy to make and I've really been enjoying my cold nights snuggled up hooking. And it's so fast, I made all of these in a week (evenings only). The puff flowers are made from all the pinks and surrounded with white.

The beauty of this was that it would be using up her entire stash (!!) as she has quite a bit of white in there that I wanted to put to use. So everything was going so well, and I'm only about 45 motifs left (120 total) until joining together time...and I've just realised that I've run out of the very specific green used around all the pink puff flowers! I miscalculated and need another 300grams of the green.

Well, yesterday I looked everywhere for this green. It's nowhere to be found. So today I will be hitting the internet in hope of finding some Moda Vera Pure Wool 8ply in COL 3061 LOT 775513

It's so frustrating to be so close to finishing a WIP...and being thwarted at the last minute. It's hook down and steady searching for me today...

Wish me luck, I really want to finish this blanket

WOW: getting over the flu

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

4kgs lemons

1.5 kgs raw honey

8 x tissue boxes

3 jars Rosehip Jam (84%)

Rosehip is a miracle jam. Rosehips have 40- 60 times more vitamin C in their natural state than oranges; although after boiling for jam this is rapidly diminished down to 20 times more vitamin C than oranges - a significant vitamin C pick me up for colds and flus. I haven't made Rosehip Syrup for years, (luckily we haven't needed it) but I think I will next year as it's been so useful in getting us back on our feet.

Here's to a better week ahead!

Postcard from the Cake Cafe

words are completely unnecessary ...

Wish you were here??

Walking Down Memory Lane

Once upon a time there was a castle

which was turned into a boarding school

and I lived in the top right attic room

and I met my DH there

when I was a 15 year old girl

and it still seems a wonder to me, to walk around this castle

which was a long long time ago

and remember the beginning of my own happily ever after ...

WOW: Hooky Cat Mat

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

Mum, what are you doing?

Oh, just hooking up a cat mat...

It's not like I don't have hundreds of other things to do, but some WIPs turn out to be on the spot WIPs. Since our much loved cat died, the one eyed naughty neighbourhood black cat has been coming over quite a bit. Our cat used to really dislike his visits, and I discouraged him, but now I don't mind anymore as he isn't disturbing us in any way. We don't feed him or encourage him. He simply does 'his rounds' of a morning and they include stopping by our kitchen door to say hello. Later in the day he returns and watches me working or sewing in my sewing studio. I mean, he sits there for hours, just watching and occasionally talking for a bit before watching again.

I've been sorting through my fabrics and found some prints which I decided to hook up into a mat to put outside on the step. I forgot how quick and easy this is. And also, addictive. Like all crochet, once you start you can't stop.

 nearly done...

 I haven't hooked one of these for, oh...maybe 20 years...perhaps even longer...

Has anyone else found an excuse to hook their fabric into a rug??

What's going on in your wednesday?