"The pile is growing"

only this many left to do.

about 35 sqaures done.

My little pile is growing ...s l o w l y...I haven't done much on these this week and hoped to have them done so I could start joining them but work got in the way... I will definitely get lots more done this weekend....I only have about 7 to do! I think at a rough count I have done about  35out of the 42 charm pack.

the beautiful kowhai flower

he's  almost saying "what are you looking at"?

they look so calm!

eating my poor tree!

look how fat they are...

beautiful greens and purples.

The other night as I was cooking dinner Mr wood pidgeon arrived for his evening  feed of my Kowhai tree. They have almost demolished the top half of the young spring shoots and all other foliage. They just sit and eat...moving carefully down each branch  and trying not to fall off as the branches really bend under there weight. They are almost the size of a small bantam chicken and hop from branch to branch. I got about 2 feet away from him and he didn't seem to mind.   My cat hurley has his eye on them though....thought he could camoflague himself and have pidgeon for dinner...it was really funny watching him edge closer and closer up the tree towards the bird!  It just sat there munching away happily not paying any attention to the cat. The bird  left with a full belly and not the cat!  . I didn't know they actually eat the flowers too till I saw him scoff a couple down, but much preferred the leaves .

"I'm invisible" !

Mmmm...pidgeon for dinner!

bird is at top left corner

getting closer...

More fusion blocks done.

Last night while watching the rugby...Our All Blacks  'winning'  against the  wallybys( australia) for Bledisloe cup,...I managed to get a couple more of these squares done.  I now have 10 completed.  I have worked out I get four out of a ball of the cotton and have a few grammes left over which I put aside. I'll use this to join them around then I should know if I am going to need to buy more cotton or not.  Last week I went to spotlite store and they had a 30% sale of everything so I saved a bit buying the rest of the cotton I am using. It is by 'moda vera' called 'gelato'...50% acrylic  50% cotton  so I  think it will wash up quite well when it needs to be washed. It is nice and soft, not to stiff when crocheted up.

Today I am meant to be making 5 coat samples for "Paula Ryan' , very trendy but not my cup-of-tea really, they have lots of inverted  pleats  (7) all around on the panels near the hem.....I  Suppose they will look much better when properly pressed and finished fully.

close up of the crochet round the edge.

the pile is growing slowly.

fat Norbitt having a lounge!

Last night after the game I found a circle granny to make that is really easy to do.  I will make some of these in between doing everything else. Maybe just a cushion but...it could turn into a blanket...not sure  , I'll see how it goes.I found a tutorial over  HERE  at wisecrafts blog,   It's really clear and straight forward. .No pic of mine  yet sorry. but one on her blog of course.

And this ''Norbit" he is fatter than ever!  ..he looks like a pregnant female but I know he is not coz he had  the 'chop'!  I think he travels the  neighbor hood and eats every other cats food he finds. bye for rnow. sue.

"At last some of these".

Well I been looking everyday when I go to the chook house to feed my 'girls' to see if they have started to lay us some eggs.......and they have, yay !  been hanging out for some decent eggs and especially fresh ones.  There was  just 1 the first day then none the next but on friday it was dark when i got home so they didn't get feed but there was 3 nice brown eggs sitting  in there box for me.  It is warming up now and winter is nearly gone so they will be busy little girls now.  I only have 4 layers  left and 1 old thing that is just living out it's days.  I am on the look out for a couple of new 'girls' to join them.  This year I might try and keep count of how many they lay seeing as there is only four left. I'm off to eat these for breaky now.

Fresh eggs.

The first four eggs.

A little progress on the fusion blanket

I have done 2 squares on this new project so far.  We were watching the Warriors(league) get thrashed then changed channels to the Olympics and were watching the mens walking race.  Loved seeing the kayak ladies race and winning the 'Gold' !  Good on her.  We will be back to normal viewing tomorrow sometime.

the edge crocheted around

the block rows done.

Doing these squares is fairly straight forward . I don't have to follow a complicated pattern so it should come together quite well....maybe not that fast but fairly easily.  I have crocheted the edge instead of blanket stitching like I said  I would.....changed my mind  again!  I thought it would be to hard on my hands but I just did about 8 at a time then crocheted around them.  They are all crocheted with the chocolate cotton yarn now so just the other colour to do. then join them  and it's done.  I weave in the few ends there are as I go so that pesky job is done also.  I have't got back to the quilt yet, just not been motivated much but must try and do a bit . I've had a cold thing and it is still hanging around a bit.
 The weather was rotten yesterday and poured all night but the sun is trying to come out today and the rain has stopped!  We have to clean out the spouting as it is blocked up with manuka leaves and branches from all the wind. The chook s are nearly on an island in the yard so i have to do something with them and get them out of the mud and slush!  They have't started to lay eggs yet but should start any day now i think as there combs are starting to colour up.(turn a bright red) and it is getting warmer for them.  can't wait for some fresh eggs!
I want to watch the closing ceremony of the games tomorrow too. so hope you have a great weekend.

My fusion blanket

I have started my fusion blanket . A couple of nights ago I stitched my charms together...at about 11pm!  I turned them out the next night while watching the olyimpics.  I am using 2 packs of the same so it will be reversible . My charms are by Holly Taylor- "Dragonfly Summer''.
I'm blanket stitching around each square with a chocolate cotton  4ply and then crochet around with a mushroom/tan colour. I'm not sure  weather to do a rectangle shape or square shape.  I have more of the same charms so I can always add a few rows if I need too.
It's a very portable project too once you have stitched your charms together. I was going to crochet around and not do the blanket stitching but it is a bit hard to push a hook through the layers of fabric . I have a hand punch that makes a wee hole first but that is hard on your hands after a while so blanket stitch is what i will do after all.


You can check out the progress of everyone in the Flickr Group here.  There are all lovely.  If you want to se the original blanket go here or for the CAL instuctions go here .

the pile is growing.

"Hello everyone"

Well I have finished miss sock monkey.  Didn't take long at all. I did the sewing one night when i had a hour spare between doing the dinner and other things. Then a few nights later I finished it. It was just a matter of stuffing and sewing on the arms and tail and doing the face.  Very easy and turned out quite well.

miss sock monkey

I sewed all seams twice for strength as you know how rough kids can be!  Now to do a couple more.

charms for the blanket infusion cal

I have decided on my charm pack for the blanket fusion cal and these are the ones I will use ..'.dragonfly summer ' by Holly Taylor.  I like these colours. Purples and green and browns and tan and some creams.  I was going to use a pack of 'spirit'  but decided on this. so I will keep posting my progress.  That will be slow probably at first but once I get into it I might surprise my self and keep going...I hope so. (sorry this is a bit dark .took it at night)

Now I must get something out the freezer for dinner . Got the fire on because it's a wee bit chilly today.

"What will this be" ??

I  got the urge to make some of these.........Yep you guessed it...a sock monkey!

Must of been those socks I am knitting and all the stipes.....
I might make a few as I got a 5 pack of socks nd then found this pair under all my clutter!  Nice and  spotty!  That will make a cute monkey maybe for a boy . The others are girlie colours...If they don't become sock monkeys I might just wear them lol !
Iam nearly finished the  first sock , I am up to the toe but I need to concentrate so when no one is around to bother and interupt me I will do it.  It has a few wee mistakes(dropped stitches) but who is going to see them in my shoes ah?   I will post when  the sock is done.  oh an the sock monkeys too.

monkey is started

five pairs of  socks ready to go!

One fat lazy couch potatoe of a dog!...and in my chair too!

'Some more progress"

Well I have made a bit more progress on my sock.  II think I have got it right....  It is resembling the foot shape at  least... It is fairly straight forward to do....I only have to really concentrate on the increasing  rows and write them down as I go.  so far so good. I haven't done any for a couple of nights as I was following coro street which is a bit exciting at the moment!!   Still got my cold too . Doing a lot of coughing and got a sore stomach from doing that...can't wait for it to be gone!!

my sock  so far.

I'm still thinking about the infusion blanket as I keep looking at all the lovely ones started on the flickr group. so inspiring !  Take a look they are all lovely.