WOW: Home Again

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

Well I've had enough of this exhausting flu!

My DH and I got in the car and decided to get away for some serious fresh air and relaxation. We went to Ballarat and it really was a restful break from the last few weeks.

Of course, I'm completely disorganised at the moment (even more than usual) so when I packed the camera, it hadn't been charged since I got back from Europe! At least I got in one snap - of this luxurious spa - where I spent a lot of time soaking away all those aches and pains.

On the way back home we stopped at a giftshop where I found some really charming teatowels and an oven mitt and pan mitt too. It was a good reminder of all the housework waiting for me at home...

Today I've got lots of emails to catch up on, a house to sort out and a few lists to make. I'm really looking forward to creating some time to get some WIPs done. If feels like months since I last enjoyed some productive WIP time!

How's your wednesday?

FMN: Block 7: Details

Magnolia: I was really undecided about which background to set the Magnolia block on. I'm making 2x of the same quilt: one light and one dark background, so each month I have to select the right block for the right quilt.

The Crown of Thorns was an obvious choice because the colour really stood out against a dark background, but I had to consider the flowers that came before, and to achieve balance of the quilt overall. It's an unusual choice for such a flower, but it works on my quilt.

I edge turned all the pieces and then went back in with coloured pencils to create depth and shading in the petals. As with all my blocks, I will be embellishing the block further when I reach the quilting stage.

Crown of Thorns: Again, all the pieces have been edge turned and I've used coloured pencils again for shading.  Only the thorns are raw edge as I will be stitching over them for effect.

These are blocks from Part 7

of my free 2012 Mystery BOM Forget Me Not

You can download this month's block via my website or my Yahoo Bom Group 

WOW: Magnolia & Crown of Thorns

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

Part 7: Forget Me Not BOM  is launched

I'm feeling better today but still rather tired. The flu has really taken it out of me and I could use another month in bed just recuperating. I'm looking forward to seeing what you all do with the BOM blocks this month, it's always exciting when the photos start trickling in. If you're not already a member of my Yahoo Bom Group, it's always a good time to join. There's always some beautiful work going on.

Magnolia or
 Crown of Thorns



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!