I was determined to get back into the swing of writing my blogs, and Monday’s usually mean a quick update and reflection on what’s been going on. And I’m still just about on track, as it’s still just about Monday. It’s gone 11pm, but it is still Monday!
We had a couple of days off last week, which were spent not doing very much at all. MOH celebrated a birthday, had a few days bumbling around due to a broken work laptop, took delivery of a new one which needed setting up and kept me in cuppas and lunches even more than normal. We spent some time with family, talked through our plans to finally visit my parents in Norfolk later this month, which is the first time since just before lockdown.
We pottered a bit, chopped quite a lot of the garden filling our green bins, and had a rather good meal from Cote at Home. To be honest I wasn’t expecting much, but I was wrong, and I’d happily order again. I’d give the green beans a miss, but Cote de Boeuf, frites, fougasse, creme caramels and the wine were just as you’d expect.
There was time for some crochet, actually quite a lot of crochet. And a couple more mini projects were started. One was even finished. I’ve been meaning to make a new key fob for our back door for a while. I thought a flower would work, but somehow ended up with a heart shape, made from odd ends of wool from one of the brightly coloured throws I’m making. I think it’s turned out pretty well, for something that was completely ad-hoc.
Since I’ve last written one of these posts I’ve been out. And it’s been a while, so much so that it was the first time I’d seen this advice sprayed onto the subway close to where we live. I even put proper shoes on for the occasion. That occasion was something I’d missed very much, and I left with a smart - and very much shorter - haircut, with some colour thrown in too, as I was there.
Actually the whole experience was way better than I expected. I was apprehensive but the whole time I was in the salon there were in total only eight people there, and I was one of them. And I can’t believe how good it feels to have short hair, in the style I’m supposed to have, again. I’m sure that my hairdresser had a quiet giggle at the state of my home hairdressing, but needs must and all that.
Last time I shared the mini skiens which had just arrived. I quickly decided to start a vintage shawl pattern, and then equally as quickly got stuck and needed to leave it to one side until I had the headspace to work out what and where I’d gone wrong. It turns out it was the round before, and once I’d sorted that out there was no stopping me.
I now have almost four squares like the one above, and I’m waiting for my next box to arrive. As impatiently as ever. I’m curious to know if the colours will blend, or if they’ll be completely different. I’m hoping it’s the former but I don’t think I’ll have that long to wait to find out as the boxes are despatched shortly after the 15th of each month.
I’ve been seeing a lot of the same patchwork blocks on my Facebook feed, and I was curious to find out more. Especially as the block looked simple enough, and one that I thought I could do. I knew I had some material that I wanted to make a quilt with and so spent some time on Saturday looking for it. Of course, it was where I first looked, but somehow I didn’t spot it and so spent some enjoyable time reminding myself of what else I have, and the plans I had for what I found.
Of course, all the time I spent reacquainting myself with my stash meant I had less time to actually get started. Now I’m pondering if I should wash the fabric beforehand, especially as it’s furnishing fabric and feels quite robust.
I’m also questioning if it’s the right material after reading the blurb that goes with the block a week, which says to have 33 fat quarters. I know the material I have will be enough to make a quilt, but I’m wondering if by having just five different designs, I’m making it harder for myself. Probably, but I like a challenge, and let’s face it I may not make every single block in any case so it could be a concern that doesn’t materialise, and if it does, then my quilt will certainly be special!
Not seeing the full design doesn’t help, but then again if I did I might not start at all. But what a dilemma to have.