This cold may (and I am whispering now) be getting better - I am certainly not sneezing and coughing as much. However I am very tired - I woke up at 8:45am this morning and yet, by 11 am, my eye lids were dropping! What is that all about?
Anyway - taking it easy has its advantages - this morning I completed nearly all the borders for my "A Quilter Lives Here" hanging. There was a lovely treat of Wendy and Nigel popping by as they were taking a stroll around the village but, as you can see, the hanging is coming on.
The gap in the middle is the final block - the tree of life. The pattern says that it could look like this
but it encourages you to make it more personalised to reflect your family. So far my version looks like this and I think that the personalisation rather daunted me. You can tell how long this has taken me - Katie is on the block from when I started - and I have just added Daisy!
I also spent some time finishing Terry's Scamblesby block by adding the borders - but look what happened! As I gave it a final press the embroidery thread "melted". I then ironed on the back and the thread was ok so I am going to try and oversew the damage and see what happens. I have also wet a small patch to make sure that the thread doesn't bleed - which it doesn't - so need now to wait to make sure that the damp patch doesn't leave a stain. Who wants to take odds on me redoing this one?
I have also started to cut down the quilted Splendid Sampler blocks ready to add some sashing at some stage. Not too shabby then!
Back to mum then. I have a fitted dishwasher that is rather elderly and, last night, started to make rather strange noises. The wash takes well over two hours to get through and Mum is always suggesting that a newer one with a 30 minute programme might be better. Whilst I agree with her I didn't want to waste a working machine. Maybe now is the time to plunge in and order a new one?
By the way - did you bet? One "Terry" square copied out and ready to sew!
Whilst I had the light box out I drew the Splendid Sampler block from Christmas - you know hoe much I like having a stash of hand sewing ready to do!
Shame about the melting thread :(
ReplyDeleteJust to add to the "shall I..shan't I?" debate on dishwashers, I rarely use the 30minute cycle as the longer one is more eco friendly,using less water and electricity! But they are cheap enough and your old one is likely to be very uneco friendly, so you will at least have the option to be quick or eco!
What make is the thread that melted?
ReplyDeleteMine was o.k!
oh well at least you learnt something, not to iron it next time.
When I hand embroider I use 100% cotton thread as far as I know it is what is used here in the USA but there is much discussion about what brand of 100 % cotton embroidery floss or pearl cotton (also 100% cotton)
ReplyDeleteDishwashers ours is 20-25 years old I have not timed it I think I will. So I don't know but my thought is that it does not take 2 hrs to run a complete cycle. I do use the heavy wash and no heat dry and usually wash dishes after dinner or while fixing dinner. I always run a full load , but as our dishwasher is older I do wipe off all food bits ...the dishes look clean going in but haven't been washed not sure the cost of a new one here