Slow stitching

 I seem to have inadvertently joined the 'slow stitching' movement with this Australian embroidery BOM.  I am still slaving away on Block 2, and it is starting to feel a bit like slaving although the end of the embroidery part is in sight.  Even though the result is very pretty, it would be nice to hop off the treadmill and do different things, but I'm conscious that Block 4 is now on its way.  It doesn't really look any different from last week so I haven't taken a picture.

As a break, I have been slowly piecing the rows for my Strip Pieced Star quilt that I laid out some time ago.  It turns out piecing the rows is the most tedious exercise, I can only do about 4 rows in a session before I lose the will to sew. I think the Y-seams in the traditional block piecing would have been preferable.  But I've made it to row 20 (out of 36) so I will soldier on.  The cat is supervising my work.

I've done a few more rows on the Lenten Rose fair isle sock, I'm almost to the top of the chart then the toe decreases will start. I also started knitting a little penguin from a free magazine kit when we drove down to the in-laws last weekend, for something to do in the car, although it ended up making me feel car sick.  On the Bucks Point lace butterfly mat, I am just finishing the penultimate repeat, so in a few more months it will hopefully be done. I lost the plot a bit on the latest repeat and ended up bodging quite a bit.  I think when I show this to my lace group, I will be better off just waving it at them from the front of the room then pretending I've put it away if anyone wants a closer look :)

I had a few deliveries this week.  I picked up a few  teatowels from Ulster Weavers including this one because I thought the double ended design would make a really attractive tote bag (cut in half, sew in a toning solid bottom, add some straps):

And Facebook marketed me some  textured cotton fabric from China featuring Lucky Cats at a ridiculously low price, I thought I might try my hand at a 'haori' loose kimono jacket. I always think I am going to wear these things around the house, and then I never do because they are too 'good' for my slobbing around in leggings and t-shirts.  I think one of my goals in retirement will be to wear my damn clothes.

I've been enjoying working my way slowly through my mountain of secondhand books and magzines acquired on our recent caravan holiday.  I've ripped a few things out for my collection from the sewing magazines, but most of them will be making their way back to the charity shop for another cycle.  Fun to look though.  My m-i-l also gifted me a small stack of old Quilters Newsletter Magazines from the 80s so I look forward to reading those as well.

We are going through the annual bounty/ordeal of pears from the pear tree.  They were a bit weird this year, mostly small and a real mixture of already overripe, and very underripe.  I guess it's the weather.  I picked all the ones I could reach with a ladder from the front and they are all sitting in the basement.  They don't keep at all, they come ripe in a few days and then rot.  I took some down to the in-laws, and I've made a pear pudding but it is a real race to eat some before they all go off. I don't know what variety they are but obviously not good keepers. DH isn't that keen on pears and DS doesn't like them at all. We are probably not the best family to have inherited a pear tree. I have been given recipes in the past for pear chutney but it seems like too much work.