A Few More Stitches

Here are a few more stitches that have happened this week.

This Christmassy Cat will, in the next week or so, be made into a hanging decoration and posted off to someone special for a very special greeting.

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My Summers End Mandala Madness Part 14 is done (the fawn bit). Hope to get part 15 started this week too.

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And I enjoyed making my last garden inspired weaving, so I've started another fiberart weaving to match it using the same warp, and it has begun with an even plain weave at the bottom for a reason, which will be revealed at a later date when a bit more has been completed, and some more of my freeform style has been added.

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And, after a joint effort (hubby & I), we got all the lounge furniture out of the lounge so that we could get that carpet cleaned before putting up the Christmas tree and decorations. It looks so much better now, and we can put the furniture back in tomorrow.

We also went shopping for two days to select a houseful of furniture for the new house we bought for our son to live in while at Uni in another town a few hours away from us.

Phew!!! It has been a very busy week.

This has been another YOP post.

Happy Stitching

YOP - Crochet - & - Cafe's

Sorry I've been missing for a week or more from here, we've been off gallivanting on our travels again, and having fun while also helping our dd. It was a great catch-up and a very productive time with her.

Stitching had to take a bit of a backseat while I was away, but I did manage to 'almost' finish this little purse/bag during the evenings. 

It just needs blocking, a little fringe on the bottom I think, and I'm on the lookout for a nice button to close it, and also put a lining in it before I can add it to my FO list.

I can't remember where I got the pattern from as it's been in my 'files' a long time.

Summers End Mandala

Since arriving back home on Thursday I have added the ecru thread to the outside edge (two rounds), and now

 I have completed Part 13 of Mandala Madness cal - Summers End.

'Only' 5 more Parts to go.

Here is how the full piece looks so far.

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A couple of cafe recommendations for you if you are ever travelling around New Zealand.

The Fat Pigeon

41 Moa St.

Piopio

Such a lovely variety of freshly home-baked foods, and a top quality barista.

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The Wooden Heart Cafe

28-30 Ellis Rd SH 30

Benneydale

We had a delicious meal here. The home cooked pies are heartily packed full, and so tasty. The meats used are all processed locally and therefore very fresh.

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This was a Year of Projects Post

YOPping along

It's Sunday - and this is a Year Of Projects post.

  Summers End   crochet mandala.

3 rows added since last Sunday. One row of orange, two rows of yellow.

As this gets bigger it takes longer to complete one full round, hence only three rows rows done this week. It also takes a fair bit of concentration to follow the pattern (peace and quiet helps too, but there isn't much of this available at my home at the moment).

  Crazy Quilt Colour Journal  

This is a portable project that I take to meetings to work on. 

Each block has a selection of neutral fabrics for the background hand stitched together, and each block is a different colour scheme. 

This block will predominantly read as lime green (I hope) and is number 8 of 12.

Each block will include a paisley or two.

Each block will include a crochet motif or two.

Basic stitches to these seams were done while I was travelling/living in caravan since selling our farm last year. Additions and embellishments have been added this week.

And my new graphic for YOP

YOP - Summers End Mandala

I managed to find some time to get Part 12 done on my Summers End mandala madness piece.

The edges are curling up a bit, but I'm told this will be rectified with the next additions.

Part 12 is the white and peach edge - rows 77 to 82.

It's Sunday

Mandala Madness part 11

Here we are with another part of the mandala completed.

Mandala Madness Part 10

I have finished Part 10 of the Mandala Madness CAL.

The popcorn and diamond motif was the part 10 addition and a bit of a challenge, but very enjoyable.

Love how this is turning out.

Only 8 more parts/weeks to go on this, lol. 

It should be a lovely tablecloth for my round Ercol walnut table when finished.

Mandala Madness part 9

Part 9 is complete. 

The 6 rounds of Part 9 starts above the long white stitches on my mandala.

And I am half way through Part 10. Up to round 66, which is quite labour intensive with all the changes of colours and multiple repeats, and is causing quite a stir with others who are in this CAL. Personally I quite enjoyed this challenging row, and hence was singing along to the song of a similar name. 

But I have a few rounds to go until Part 10 is complete, so on to it.

And Part 8 of Mandala Madness

Part 8 of Mandala Madness is complete.

And here's a close-up of the outside edge.

Those long 'spiky' stitches were a bit on the fiddly side to keep in place.

I have been in the garden a lot lately and have started a new wild-flower area that I hope will be a great show of colour in a couple of months.

Also, have been working on my vegie patch.

One other thing for this week.

We have been adopted by Billie. Her previous owner lived in this house, and Billie wants to stay here.

We renamed her Billie because her original name was Furry, which seems rather 'non-personal' to me. The name Billie came about from Billy Fury (hahaha).

Mandala Madness CAL - part 7

Mandala Madness crochet along - part 7

Part 6 - with a pink blush

Mandala Madness - Part 6 added

Complete with a 'blush' of peachy-pink and with an orange glowing edge as the sun sets once more on another beautiful day.

We are told that the 'points' will curl a bit at this point in the proceedings.

And another MM round

Another round on the Mandala Madness CAL bites the dust.

Part 5 complete.

I'm calling it 'Summers End' because that is where we are in this part of the world (NZ) at the moment, and my colours, so far, resemble the glow of the sun on the lower arc as it rises from behind Mt. Egmont every morning, and then sets over the beautiful white surf sea in the eve. 

Not sure where I want to go with my colours next though. Will ponder on it some more.

Mandala Madness Part 4 - Summers End

Mandala Madness Part 4 complete.

Summers End

Mandala Madness Part 3

I'm still playing catch-up with the Mandala Madness CAL.

Here it is with Part 3 added. 

Love the yellow addition to my neutrals here. I wasn't sure if yellow would work with the other colours, but I needn't have worried.

Onwards and outwards - part 4 awaits me.

Mandala Madness CAL part 2

The next couple rounds are complete now, and I am about to start with Part 3 soon.

Catching up slowly. I don't know how so many of the other CAL crafters are managing to get two or even three of these mandalas done each week.

I expect that things will get even slower when the 'rounds' get larger as it will take an awfully long time to complete just one round.

But for now, we are given a few rounds to complete each week.

Did I mention that this is a mystery CAL too, so we don't know what the finished Mandala will look like.

Here is mine so far -

  Coffee, Cream & White Chocolate

And I made a Ruffled Hexagon before I began on the mandala, and I am thinking about what border I want on it.

It needs blocking yet but I can't find which of the million packing boxes my pins are in 

(I may have to buy more pins)

Here it is -

Mandala Madness Crochet Along

I've joined in on the Mandala Madness CAL (Crochet-A-Long)

I'm a bit late starting it. I only managed to get rows 1 - 10 done so far, which is only about half way through Part One. 

Part Two and Part Three have already been posted.

Here is the link to the CAL.

http://www.crystalsandcrochet.com/crochets/mandala-madness-cal-2016/

Not a great deal of stitching has been done in the Lewis residence as the gardens have been taking up most of my time,