I'm BACK!!

Morning all!
I have to apologise to my followers - I have just not felt up to blogging recently. (Blushes as I realise the last post was in August!) And apologies that there will only be a few photos as I can't find the camera to download what I need! (Maybe next post?)

I have no excuse other than I couldn't really motivate myself to put fingers to keyboard! At least not for blogging! I still kept in touch with folks via the various Yahoo groups I belong to, but even that became a pain in the **** recently when Yahoo changed it's format for the groups, making it a real learning curve to keep up with it all. However (apart from a few minor niggles recently) it seems to have settled down, and most days I am able to do what I want or need to do.

Recently we went with some friends to their villa in Spain for 10 days. The weather in Spain was amazing for October. In fact we discovered that Spain had never had such high temperatures in October for many years. But it was relaxing to sit on the terrace, drinking the odd glass of wine, reading on my tablet or finally getting back into stitching. As we flew on RyanAir (a cheap carrier for those who don't know) we travelled with hand luggage only, so I had to find something SMALL with only a few colours of thread to pack. I chose a few christmas heart ornaments from a recent magazine.

My cheetah had to stay at home - far too bulky and too many colours, so I haven't put many stitches in there at all recently. My Joan Elliott diary piece is progressing as I had been able to put a few stitches in it while watching the tv of an evening. As a result I now have almost 9 months completed.

I did manage to complete a rush piece for our friends who took us to Spain. This weekend they celebrated their Ruby Wedding Anniversary, and as they only told us they were having a party about a month ago I had to find a pattern I could stitch fairly quickly. I found a free pattern which I had downloaded some time ago, and managed to get it completed in time to frame it and present it to them at their party. I even had time to make a special card for them too!

On one of the Yahoo groups I am on, one member had been saying earlier this year that her granddaughter will have to have major surgery next year, and other members offered to make quilt squares for Grandma to make into a quilt for her; Grandma chose the patterns she wanted us to use to ensure continuity; we all had instructions on fabric type etc; and then we all started stitching. I managed to put an individual touch to mine by adding a line of paw prints down one side of a personal message for her granddaughter, as the pattern was quite tall and narrow. 

The tacking stitches indicate the 8x8 inch square we were told to make sure we didn't exceed! Grandma has received the square and seems to be delighted with it, so I am happy to have contributed. 

I bought some cotton yarn on holiday in Austria, for 1euro a ball! So I have been busy knitting a few washcloths. Last weekend I went to the Knitting and Stitching Show in Alexandra Palace in London. I was a little disappointed that there seemed to be even fewer cross stitch stands this year. I was looking for a wire hanger for a christmas gift for my granddaughter, but couldn't even find one in the entire exhibition. So I have to resort to internet shopping for it - and who knows what else I might find while I'm doing that!

This has to be made up yet, but the idea is the bottom makes a pocket where Jessica can slip her letter to Santa. When I was a child many homes had open fires, and children would write their christmas letters to Santa, and then consign them to the fire where they burnt and went up the chimney to Santa's home. As more homes now have no chimney, the tradition seems to have died out. So I'm trying to make a new tradition for Jessica!

I still managed to spend a fair amount on fabric and yarns at the exhibition, coming home with 2 bags full of goodies - more of those next time. Until then - take care and keep stitching

Sandie