15 Minute Challenge Lots of Crafting

 Mo and I went to Bowerbird Market on Friday evening.  The market is run in May and November every year, usually the May one coincides with Mother Day this one was a week later and there weren't as many people and not as many stalls this time.  We always plan to get there early and have dinner at one of the food stalls before it gets busy.  There is alway vegetarian options, I was tempted by paella (not vegetarian) but we decided to get both something from Lets Eat which is vegan.  We then sauntered round the stalls.  

Mo nearly bought a pair of earrings at one of the stalls but decided against it when she couldn't decide.  When she looked at the makers etsy shop she found she could buy the earrings singularly which she was happier with.  She has 4 piercings in each ear and she wants all the earrings to be different.  She is lamenting how much it is going to cost to replace all her sleepers with silver jewellery.  

I have finished backgrounds on 3 of my Springtime Romance blocks, I would have done more but my shoulder has been quite sore since the previous week, it was a bit better yesterday but I didn't want to push it too much and I knew it was the quilting that did it.  As long as I can get the majority of it quilted by the time entries are due I will be happy that it can be finished.  

I finished adding the small squares to Nimue and started on a few rows so I could get ahead in the CAL which is a good thing because it takes a couple of nights to finish a row now and I need to get up to row 58 in next 2 weeks I'm working on 54 now, so it is doable.  

There is a little bit of progress on the cross stitch and I think I might sign up for another SAL which will go with the cryptid one that I started last year (not finished) but I have the linen all ready (the other half of the piece for cryptid).    So what is another start when I already have the supplies.  

That's it for me for the week.  You know the drill head to Kate's to see how everyone is progressing.  

15 Minute Challenge and Expensive Week

 Had to drop the dog at the Vet today for dentist surgery, they rang a little while ago to say 2 teeth out so it was the more expensive quote they gave me.

Mo came home from Uni saying she needs a higher end tablet for animation class.  She has been struggling with the new software they are using this year and wasn't happy with her last assignment though she still got a HD but it took 10 times longer than it needed to and she still wasn't happy with the results.  So there's another expense I wasn't bargaining on.  Her friend has the one with the built in screen and she said it was so much easier to use with the software.  Glad I'm still working.

Springtime Romance is all basted and I have outline quilted all the appliqué blocks in the centre of the quilt.  My neck isn't very happy with me today.  The quilt is quite heavy which surprised me as I'm using a thin batting and backed it in voile but there is lots of layers to the appliqué and i don't trim out the back of my appliqué pieces so I think that has added to the weight.  With the outline done I only have to figure how to quilt the background, but I'm leaving that till next weekend.  

Nimue CAL is steaming ahead.  I finished all the small blocks (this is half the number) that I blocked yesterday, last night I finished sewing in ends for the final 12 squares.  These are blocked and we have some sun today so the board has been dragged out into the back yard otherwise I fear it will be a week before they are dry because winter has sort of started to set in and it has been cold for the last couple of days though it is supposed to be warming up again.  

There was even a bit of cross stitch done though it doesn't look like I have done much but it is a couple of hours work.  

Head to Kate's to see how everyone is going.  

15 Minute Challenge and Closing Up My Shop

 I've decided to close my Etsy shop, etsy fees have gone up and most of the time I end up paying Etsy for the privilege of the shop so it just isn't worth it just to have the convenience of instant downloads.  

I'm not shutting immediately, I just won't be renewing any of the patterns on there, so the patterns will gradually disappear so if you want one and haven't purchased it go ahead and do so.  I actually thought I would be sadder but I'm not, I think the decision has just taken the pressure off a bit for another BOM.

I got an email for entries to the Royal Show last week and I have decided to try and quilt Springtime Romance in time to enter it.  There is also a crochet class so I might try and enter my Nimue Cal as well.  I joined the fabric for the backing yesterday and DH got the trestle table out so I might make a start this afternoon at basting it so it will be all ready to put under the machine on the weekend.  

This weeks progress it was a 7 out of 7 week.  I managed lots of crochet and a tiny bit of cross stitch.  As well as doing some tidying in my sewing room on the weekend.  Last night I finished 3 sides of row 48 so one more row and another 8 small blocks to finish for the CAL.  Row 49 is the end of the centre square, then there is a row of the smaller blocks.  Then another 42 more rows for the outside border, a couple of people have added a few more rows to make the blanket larger, I will see how much wool I have left over I haven't used as many balls as I thought I would yet so I might have some left overs.  The last couple of rows are a little less intricate so they have crocheted up in no time, it was good to have a bit of a rest because parts of the centre quite challenging.  It's going to need blocking before I head to the next step.  

Only a little bit of progress on the cross stitch and the house is pretty much all filled in so it is going to take a while but it is cute and I found some cushion inserts while I was searching for batting on the weekend so cushions are sounding promising.  

Head to Kate's to see how everyone is going.  

15 Minute & another quiet week

 I'm enjoying the calm before the storm. Mo goes back to Uni this week and with the end of the month I'm pretty sure work will ramp up again.  

I finished another the 8 small squares for the Nimue CAL ready for today's for a new list of instructions.  10 rows and another 8 small squares.  I have finished one row this afternoon as we have a long weekend for Anzac Day today.  

I have finished the first Loose Feathers pattern and have started on the next.  I think I will make a cushion out of it as I'm not sure where I would put a framed piece but I may change my mind once it is finished.  Its fun breaking it off into small chunks with each 6" pattern.  I like this next chart better than the first, it has a house in the centre and some birds and vines and not as much of a defined border.  

It was a 6 out of 7 week for me, Maestro came over one night we haven't seen him since we went into iso so it was good to catch up.  

So that is me for this week short and sweet. Head to Kates to see what everyone is up to.  

15 Minute Challenge - Uneventful week

 I am very happy to report a very uneventful week.  We were able to come out of ISO on Wednesday which allowed me to do some shopping for over the Easter break and run out and get DH a gift for his birthday on Saturday.  Easter has been pretty quiet as DH still isn't completely over Covid and apart from a couple of shopping trips (where he stayed in the car) he hasn't really been with other people.

Mo made him a cake, a simple packet cake with cream filling, it wasn't super sweet but it was yummy.

There has been plenty of time for the crochet cal and I have completed the next step on the centre square which still has another week to go and I have to do some more of the smaller squares by next Monday which is doable.  

I decided to get out the Blackbird cross stitch I started earlier in the year.  There are 9 patterns which I am going to do as one piece, so there is a long way to go, but I am enjoying the stitching.  

Head over to Kate's to see how everyone is meeting the challenge.  

15 Minute Challenge - ISO Fun

 DH and I went to a party last Saturday night, we got an email the next day that someone had tested positive the next day.  By Wednesday DH started getting symptoms and we did RATS he was positive and has been really sick with fever and a terrible cough.  Today which is day 6 he is much better and he keeps coming into the house for a chat (he has been living in Maestro's old room) he's bored and feeling better.  Both Mo and I have tested negative every other day.  We have one more test to go tomorrow.  

So apart from working all I've been doing is crocheting and cross stitching.  

I had a couple of finishes my easter projects are done but I need a small basket to put the eggs in to take a decent picture but I can't go to the shops till Wednesday.    

I got up to date with the CAL see picture below, the next instalment has just been released so as soon as I'm finished here I think I'll get going on the next 20 rows.  There is a facebook group and lots of people are steaming ahead and are already on their 2 blanket, I will be happy just to keep pace with the CAL. 

 

I have also got out the Loose Feathers Blackbird Design I started working on earlier in the year which I think I will keep going on for the next little while.  There are 3 small heart cushions in one of the new books I purchased recently and they might get started as well, they look very pretty I just have to decide what threads to use.  So lots of cross stitching to come.  

I saw that Kim Mclean is releasing a new pattern and I might just have to order it but I shudder to think what the postage is going to be.  

Well that's it for me ISO is pretty boring, but a big cheer for online supermarket shopping that has made life easier.  

Head to Kate's to see how everyone is going.  

15 Minute Challenge and More MIA

 Although I have been absent I have been keeping up with my 15 minute challenge.  I think there was only 1 or 2 days over the 2 weeks where I didn't manage to sit and stitch (cross stitch) or crochet, no quilting though I have just lost the quilting mojo.  I think it will come back but I just don't have the urge to sit behind the machine at the moment.  

2 weeks ago I was asked to go to a conference for work as one of the people going from interstate got Covid.  The first event was a big cocktail party 10 minutes in I nearly ran home.... too many people in close proximity many from interstate where numbers are rife no body wearing a mask.  It was on a balcony so pretty much outdoors and I was careful about only taking food from the servers directly from the cooking stations and not from servers walking around the crowd.  I only went to a couple of talks the next day.   I managed to stay away from Covid, though my boss got it, but he thinks he may have picked it up from his mum and they both tested positive on the same day.  He was only in the office a short time that week and I had left for the day.  

I returned to the office on Friday and thorough Glen 20'd every surface and sprayed everything with alcohol all over the bosses desk/keyboard and phone.  He is allowed to return to work on Monday.  Last week was so busy we had our biggest client due and also one of the large Vic clients that we are still looking after.  Both these practices are very demanding and paperwork has to be double checked and triple checked.  By Friday I finally felt like things were under control again, but running the monthly report found out that we had 10 new policies which means next year March will be more busy again.  We are going to have to search for new office space because we are going to need to take on another body and no young person will want to work in our pokey little office with no social interaction that the boss and I don't care about.  

So what have I been after craft wise.  The Spincushion Cal started, 2 weeks to get to row 20, I think I am up to row 15, a whole week to get the next 5 rows done.  

I finished the light purple square and have started a dark purple one for the other impromptu blanket I decided to make.  I love the purple square and that was a previous CAL that I have the pattern for so I am thinking I will make a nice big blanket for Maestro in wool instead of cotton.  I just got Bendigo Wool Mills 2022 shade card and they have added some nice manly shades that will go with his bedroom.  

I've been working on my easter cross stitch kits that I got last year.  I will need to head to the sewing machine to finish the bunny and hopefully the eggs before easter still got a bit of stitching to go on the egg.   Might need to head out and find an easter basket to display them all.  

Mo got a letter from the university this week.  She has been awarded a Chancellors Commendation as being in the top something % of students sorry bit vague on the figure as the letter just got waved at me.  She will be invited to join some academic group which will give her a chance at scholarships and hopefully will look good on her resume.  She says she hope she isn't expected to get great marks this years as she doesn't think she is going as well though she is probably just being modest she is definitely putting in the work.   Lastly is the back wall of Mo's pottery shed, with finished and drying pots.  She has been also working on jewellery from resin and polymer clay. 

Head to Kate's to see how everyone is going in my absence.