Granny square update.

 This is the fourth week of the six week challenge set by Claire.  I have managed to make twenty three squares this week, as we went to visit a friend who had just come out of hospital. This meant I was able to do some crochet on the journey there and back.  I have now got a grand total of seventy six squares. As we have no plans to go visiting this weekend, I don't think I will get as many squares made this coming week. 

As I was getting onto my car at work today, saw this dear little clump of white violets growing wild, Spring is here at last!

Third week of Granny Squares.

I am so enjoying this challenge!  I have now completed a total of 53 squares with all the ends sewn in.  I will need to find out how to join them all together.
I have also completed another set of tail feathers for Mr Peacock,( still awaiting a name!)  All being well, I hope to have a sewing day Sunday, once all the usual weekend chores are done.

Rita Johnson from O2.

 Even though it was my wedding Anniversary on Monday and hubby had suggested going out for a meal,I declined as I wanted to hear  and see Rita's work as she was our speaker for our EG meeting.  I have seen her work at O2's exhibition at Hyde Hall and Ally Pally.

These pods were inspired by nature, the inspiration looked like they might have been senna pods to me.

 Rita bought along her holiday sketchbooks for us to look at, oh, to be able to draw like that!

 

I admired these bags made by two of our members, very beautifully made.  They then explained ALL the instructions were in Japanese!!

Granny square tally so far- week 2.

Diane asked me how many squares I had completed so I though I should have a count up, and so far I have :-

14 completed, all ends sewn in

11 completed waiting for  the ends to be sewn in

16 awaiting final round of black.

 

I never realised how addictive crochet could be.

A few more squares.

 Yesterday we had to drive to Melton Mowbry  a 300+ mile round trip for one of Alan's Aunts funeral.  This  gave me plenty of time to do some more crochet as he did the driving. ( am taking part in Claire's challenge)  In my spare time I have been making the daisy centres, so that when I go back to work, I will just need to take a single colour with me to add on another couple of rounds. 

 

As it was dark by the time we said our 'goodbyes', I couldn't do any on crocheting on the homeward journey, but managed to complete 4 squares while waiting for my electric blanket to heat up.  I now have plenty of squares to do in my tea break when I am back to work next week.  I am using the pattern from here, but with 2 slight changes.  As you can see I have changed my colour scheme from my original idea.

 

 

 

A little bit of progress.

 I was hoping to achieve so much this school holiday, but as I have not been firing on all cylinders, I've not made as much progress with my white peacock as I had hoped.  I have at last finished stitching the individual feathers on to the wings, so they can now be stitched onto the bird.

Today, his crest was finished after playing with silk fibres and some experimenting. 

Tail feathers embellished with washers covered with buttonhole stitch, sequins and beads.

Bernina (Australia)

My Burmese peacock is being used in The collage for Bernina (Australia)  I must admit to feeling a bit chuffed.

Ramster

On  Saturday, Nickie, Diane and myself set off for Ramster, couldn't have chosen a better day, weather wise.  We have heard a lot of people talking  about the bi-annual textile exhibition that is held there over the years, but for some reason, never went there. We wont be missing it again.  There was such wonderful work to see, I would be hard pressed to choose a favourite,but, there was a lot I would have liked to see on my walls at home.

This is the one of the  two rooms that had the work in, the other was a huge room.  What a beautiful venue!  I wont post any photos of the work I saw as it would be unfair to the creators to do so without their permission.  The exhibition finishes this week, and if you can get there, you wont regret the journey.

After lunch, we had a lovely walk around the grounds,( I have posted more pictures on my Facebook page)  I just love the reflections of trees on water!

Something different.



 Over the Easter weekend, I did a bit more work to my peacock 3, the bird and his feathers. I took a photo but the light was so poor, it is a waste of time posting it, I will try to take a better one tomorrow.
My pleurisy is making it painful to work for any length of time on the sewing machine, so, I have given into temptation, bought some wool, and I am trying to crochet some squares.  The one above was last nights effort.  Got mixed up with sc and dc and there is an English and American version, so ended up the wrong size, but, another try this afternoon, and I have made 2 squares, with, the correct stitches.   I have not done much with a crochet hook, I have always preferred knitting, the last time I crocheted was about 30+ years ago.

I bought the wool from Craft Arena, the plan is a cream daisy centre, a single colour for the next 2 rounds and then a Debbie Bliss random wool for the final round .  I am hoping this will be a tea break project for when I am back at work and I don't have any hand stitching to do.