Busy times

 Thank you to everyone who expressed get well wishes. My throat is feeling a lot better and I do finally sound more normal. I was still hoarse yesterday when I popped into work to chat with my boss and we decided that I should have today off work as well, just to get in the maximum rest and hopefully get rid of what ever it is, once and for all!!

Here's hoping.

So I haven't been lax during my time off and find that today, I actually have quite a bit to show and tell. 

First up Jiffys blanket. As you can see, it's a bright sunny day, which made taking photos a little difficult.

I wanted to show the blanket on a bed, to give an idea of how much is done. I think maybe just over a third. This is one very cosy blanket. Here it is without the shadows.

My arms are starting to complaining about the amount of crochet I have been doing. The top of my left arm, and the wrist of my right. Maybe I had better slow down a little.

So the other day I found myself in my sewing room, adding borders to the Carpenters Wheel. I had thought to add something pieced and pretty, but in the end I decided that less is more and added just a simple cream border, with red corner stones that match the wheel itself.

 I'm pleased with how this one is going. 

It's currently waiting on the frame, while I await the arrival of backing fabric and quilting thread. I have set aside fabrics for a scrappy binding.

Today would be a good day to be in the quilting room. It's full of sunshine. Most of the trees are bare and the garden is in winter mode, but it is still a beautiful space to work in.

 I changed the guard in the hall way. My sister in Law recently borrowed a whole bunch of my quilts to put on a display at her place of work. When she returned them I had a tidy up in the cupboard and came across this one. I decided it could have a turn in the hall. I made this one in 2012. Funny, I don't recall the problems I mention in that post, but I have to say, it's very rare that I use anything other than cotton batting these days. Lessons must have been learned.  LOL 

Here is the display. Made up of quilts, crochet and cross stitch loaned by myself and lots more crochet and yarn loaned by another lady.

I didn't get a chance to visit it in person, but I'm told it looked better in real life than it does here, and all who saw it were complimentary. 

Still trying to rest my arms, on Saturday I headed back into my wee room and pottered about tidying up the left overs from the Carpenters Wheel. During that process I came across a wee kit I bought at the quilting shed earlier this year. Before I knew it I was selecting fabrics for borders and cutting up the left overs!  I didn't even get a before picture. LOL

here is where I left it at lunchtime. Mr H took us out for lunch and we didn't make it home until late afternoon. We did a little shopping, (Not something we do together often, so that was nice). We bought boring but necessary items for the home. I did go back into the room yesterday, but got side tracked, maybe today I'll get back to these pieces and make up some flying geese.

Here is what got my attention yesterday.

Spring Queen has been resting in my room for a while.

She didn't say much, just rested quietly on her frame against my sewing desk. Yesterday for some reason, it was her day.

As you can see I took her out of the frame and was using a hoop. My frames are quite old now and not holding tension very well. I brought them with me from GB and have been unable to find the same frames here. I have found others, but struggle to make them work with my stand. I really do need to find a solution. The largest and best alternative frame I can find here in NZ is not big enough to hold a design this size. 

I shall plod on with my hoops and maybe set Tony a mission to find a way to repair the old frames.

Beading really is easier on a frame!! 

And I have lots of beading to do on this piece, and her sisters.

Well that's my news. 

Now I'm off to play.