Changing Rooms

There were big changes made yesterday.

I've been struggling in my room for a while, it was over crowded with the quilting frame dominating the space. This week Mr H and I are both off work and both intent on doing our own thing, together at home. Well, he caught me moving into the kitchen with my cutting mat, iron and bucket of scrap fabrics.I explained my problem, it's something we have discussed often and he always suggests that I move my sewing room into the sun room, and I explain that that wouldn't work for me. There is no storage, it just isn't the right room for a sewing room. Well yesterday he got his tape measure out and started measuring this and that, then came up with,why don't we move the frame?

It fits.

Just.

It's a bit of a squish getting through the door, but it is accessible from both sides, with plenty of room 

to move around on either side.

And I'll have wonderful views of the garden.

Of course there is no room to sit in there any more, but I was the only one who did anyway.

So, that has really opened up my wee room again.

In the my efforts to declutter and open things up I took the majority of the teddies and toys down off the shelves and up went one or two decorative items.

There is room for an ironing board again! So my stitchy step count will fall somewhat as I no longer run out to the bedroom or the hall to press seams!

All of the manoverings created a spare arm chair, so it was tucked into the window, what a lovely place to sit and read, I won't miss the sun room in the afternoons and of course there is a comfy seat if he wishes to visit with me, or any visitor. Belle spent some time on it yesterday.

A secondhand desk was acquired last night and up went Naomi Janome.

It's a much better option than my old white table as it has a greater surface area and is also lower than the table.

It took nearly all day to get things sorted as they are now, so himself was unable to 'get another brew down'! I think that is what he had intended to do, before I took over the kitchen as a cutting station. LOL So today he is busy, getting down with his second brew. A stout this time he tells me.

The first one was a bitter. Yep, I can attest to that!

So while he putters about, taking up the whole kitchen, I'll be in my newly arranged room playing with my new sewing machine,

Making some more itty bitty stars, for my itty bitty quilt top.

Then maybe I'll get on a put together the itty bitty boats I cut yesterday, before the big change was suggested and happened.

There is a nasty storm heading our way, right up off the southern ice, it's bringing snow with it and some nasty winter weather. A good week to be able to stay at home warm and cosy and spend time with my dear, as we craft the week away.

My secret cross stitch is growing and I'm over the half way mark. I'm really pleased with it.

As I'm sure you all understand, I have the next three or four cross stitch projects all kitted and ready to go! But there is another gift to stitch first. I should be able to share that one with you though. And of course, now that my room is feeling more comfortable, I should be spending more time in there too.

Meet my new friend

You may remember, we were off to get my early birthday present last weekend.

And here she is. I already have a Jenny Janome, so I think this one will be Naomi Janome.

I haven't had a chance to use her properly yet. Perhaps if I had had the foresight to have some pieces ready cut to make up some quilt blocks? It is simply too dark in my room in the evenings to cut accurately. Tony has promised that he will get some better lighting sorted out soon.  Meanwhile, I have been able to play about with some of the fancy stitches.

I could have so much fun with these.

The top three stitches in the greeny colour are all the same design, just widened or lengthened. 

I'm going to have lots of fun.

Hopefully once the domestics are done today I can get some cutting done while we have sunshine and good light in my room. Then I'll have some real sewing to do once it gets darker.

Meanwhile I've been stitching away at the secret stuff and also having a go at my crochet here and there. This wee pink blanket has grown very slowly.

I stopped last night at this point intending to bury thread ends and perhaps start on a border. It still looks just the same this morning. LOL

Here is a closer look at the pretty variegated pink yarn.

As previously mentioned, Mr H has a new craft interest.  No his bottled home brewed beer did not explode all over my lounge. Phew! It sat in the lounge for almost three weeks, before going into the fridge. He arranged a bit of a soiree on the weekend and had a grand opening.

I think it went down well. There were quite a few empty bottles.

Finally a mid winter sunrise!

I had to start work later than usual on Friday and was actually at home and able to see the sun come up. What a beautiful sight. The sky was on fire.

None of the photos I took really do it justice, but this one is pretty close.

I've had quite a few extra shifts at work lately, which leaves less time for the fun stuff. I'm looking forward to next week. Tony and I both have a week off work and by sheer lucky fluke, so does Debbie and her hubby! There will be crafty time, but there will also be a day out, maybe two.

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Right, time to be domestic, then I'm off to cut, cut, cut and sew.

A finish, A Start and some shopping!

A Finish!

St Basil's Cathedral is finished.

To be honest, it doesn't look any different in this photo, to the one in my last post!

But I know there are changes. So I am happy.

It has now been added to the queue!

I have about a dozen cross stitch pieces all hanging in my cupboard, all awaiting framing, or some other finishing treatments.

I'll get to them.

A start.

There has been two starts in fact!

One is secret. It's for a gift and as the number of people who may or may not look at my blog may or may not be growing.....

No pictures sorry!

But it is a cross stitch.

The second start is also a finish! LOL

Claire, Debs and I had another shopping trip on Saturday. We went North this time. I purchased the beautiful blue yarn used to knit the scarf you see above. It only took me one evening. It's for a gift.

I don't think she reads my blog, but if she does, she knows what she is getting for Christmas, as it is 'her' shade of blue!

Also on our trip I bought this lovely collection of pretty florals. I already have a few, and plan to collect some more.

I finally found something I want to use them for. I have known for some time I wanted to do something floral and romantic, but could never find just the right thing...

Here it is.

The shopping!

Our trip was a little uninspiring this time with Debs and I purchasing yarns, my wee bundle of fat quarters and Claire purchased a bundle of blues then came all the way back to Timaru to find some black batting.

Never mind, we are off again in two weeks, we will be re visiting The Quilting Shed and hunting down two other shops that we haven't visited before which another shopper told us about. 

For those who like to know, we visited...

The Pin Tin.

The Yarn Barn.

Ashford Craft Shop

Annies Country Quilts.

We tried one other shop but Material time was closed!! 

What self respecting fabric shop is closed on a Saturday? And they have no website.

Great shop though, if you can get there when she is open.

I'm so happy that I also bought two pairs of slippers, as it was minus 5C here this morning when I climbed out of bed, and only just 2C degrees at 09.30 on a beautiful sunny day.  A good day to snuggle in my new slippers and sit in my armchair in the sun and cross stitch.

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On a very exciting note!

Mr H has agreed that I can have my new sewing machine a whole month before my birthday, so next Saturday, after I finish work, we will be off to the shop to order/purchase it. Hopefully they will have the very one I want in stock and we will be able to walk away with it, on the day.

Excited!!

Time to go be domestic, then I get to stitch in the sunshine.

A new craft!!

A new craft, doesn't that sound exciting and intriguing? 

More about that soon. First my current and previously seen works.

St Basil's is drawing very close to being completed now. All of the cross stitches are done and now I'm working my way through six pages and seven shades of back stitch. For those who don't cross stitch, back stitch or BS!! is usually the final stage of a project when a single strand of thread is used to outline or highlight certain areas of the design to accentuate them and define the image. 

Hopefully, by the end of this week, I will be finished with this piece and ready to move on to the next one. I have three lined up ready to go now. Which one though? Decisions, decisions.

Meanwhile, as well as the cross stitch I've also been picking away at another crochet project.

Making up pretty pink squares here and there. Nothing fancy, just eight rounds of Granny.

One or two more squares, then I'll join them all together with the white, using a new technique I discovered on pinterest.  It joins them all in one go. No making rows and stopping and starting. Sounds and looks easy enough.

And finally, the new craft!

It's not mine, it's his!

Tony decided he wanted to have a go at making beer!

This big barrel sat in the corner of the sitting room for just over a week, while it blooped away to itself. Once the blooping stopped it was moved to my kitchen!! Where you see it in this photo.

Something was added and it sat for a week before going into bottles.

I now have thirty bottles of beer sitting in the corner of the sitting room.

I'm told they will be there for a few more days, before moving into the cold garage for a week. After that, there will be a grand opening and official tasting!!

I wonder if it will live up to his hopes and dreams?

Right, the domestics are done, time for a cuppa tea and a sit and sew.

What a difference a day makes!

And a week makes an even bigger difference.

St Basil's has grown considerably.

I took this first picture on Sunday, intending to write up a blog post, before I started stitching, but didn't get a chance. Instead I was called into work.

 So I didn't get to pick up my needle until Monday afternoon once I had completed some domestics and neglected a few others!. I spent the rest of the day and the evening stitching and made great progress.

I'm onto the very last page of this chart and although I am excited to be nearly finished, there is as I mentioned in a previous post, a huge amount of backstitch to do, which I am not looking forward to. It is spread over several pages, one for each colour/shade. I predict lots of scrolling up and down as I complete each colour. 

Incidentally, I pulled out my third needle on this design last night. One  became terribly bent, then the eye broke. Another became tarnished and tired, I'm sure it had been used previously on another project, maybe this third needle will last until I'm finished.

Right, time to get on with my day. Sadly, I can't spend all of it stitching.