Friday, July 18, 2014

On Hold.

And then there was an unexpected project.
I can't stand to see (some) things unfinished.  Especially beautiful projects that have languished for years in upstairs spare bedrooms, with no hope of ever attaining FO status.
I'm guessing it has been at least 8 years since my daughter took over our house on a visit by creating, planning, and piecing this quilt.
Until I unfolded it this morning, I had no idea how HUGE it is.  What was she thinking?  This is stretched out on a California King-size bed.  It's turned so it is wider than long. And gorgeous, no?
As with many a quilt, I'm sure, the quilting got in the way.  It's so much fun to play with the colours and put it together, and so... time consuming, and heavy, and repetitious, to quilt it.  She has learned her lesson though.  She quilted most of the centre (not the outer two rows of inner blocks) and then put it away, and then folded it nicely on a single bed in her mother-in-law's upstairs spare room.  And she hasn't "quilted" a piece since.  She has made several smaller quilts, and sent them to be quilted by the local quilt shop.  And they are beautiful.
Unfortunately for me, obsessive-me, I slept in that bed last weekend.  Only it was 80 degrees in that room, I had to move it, and I discovered it needed binding.
Having 2-1/2 weeks left here, I thought... yeah, I can do that!  But this morning, I see how much work it's going to be.  When you count the borders, I bet it is half quilted.  I spent hours this morning replacing basting that had fallen out.  It will NOT cross the ocean, so if it gets closer to finished, that's what it will be.
 If I should get to the first border, it will be machine quilted from there.  In fact, I had grandiose plans to use the machine for the triangles, but the size of it, and the turning on those little pieces... to match what's there already, make it impossible.  I guess I'll be staying warm!
A 36 cm hoop.


Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Knitting...fuzz and miles

I manage to put my feet up now and then, and I finished a fuzzy little cardigan, which I would call a bolero, except... mohair-bolero?  It's a beauty, and just right for a late summer evening, or air conditioning!
A delicate "Swiss dot" pattern.
Pattern:  Audrey's Cardigan by Andrea Pomerantz from Interweave Knits, Spring 2010

Yarn:  Superior by Filatura Di Crosa Lace / 2 ply
70% Cashmere, 25% Silk, 5% Merino 330 yards / 25 grams
Meanwhile, I have been attracted to a pattern called Yggdrasil, for a blanket.  And finally I bought the yarn.  YAY for July, 35% off DROPS cotton yarns... and my, 1.2 kilos of cotton yarn, oh my!  Daunting, I haven't started yet.  It's a start-in-the-middle square pattern.  All one colour... I can imagine how long this is going to take. And the grumbling in the future.
There are 44 balls of 50 grams.
Pattern:  Yggdrasil Afghan by Lisa Jacobs from Knitting Daily Free Patterns

Dear USA friends, no, I'm not trying to be cute with my British English spelling.  The keyboard I'm borrowing is set up that way and auto-corrects me, and instead of trying to change it, and get in trouble, my Canadian fans will have to translate for you!  LOL 

Monday, July 14, 2014

And Then I got BUSY!

My first week of full-time daycare was last week.  Let's say it starts around 7 when I am greeted by a cheery little girl who wants grandma to play a game.  And it ends around supper time.  There's lots to do, and we will probably do repeats this week because some are so popular.
One day we were at the aquarium:
Penguins, sea lions, and crocodiles are fascinating.  And I was asked so many questions... like about the huge tiger python curled up with its skin.  She wants to know everything. And that's OK!
Other days were playground, and science museum, and crafts.
The scooter is the new thing! and who wouldn't want Hello, Kitty knee, elbow and wrist pads?
On the fifth day of the week we went to see the other grandparents, a bus and a ferry and a bus, and a taxi away... 4 hours.  And the weather couldn't be nicer!  Life on the coast...
Ferry crossing: The bus drives on and we get off.  It's a 40 minute ride.

And at the grandparents':
And the amazing sunsets... 10:15 pm.
Knitting projects, too, to follow.




Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Fun in Bergen

Pizza at "Dumpster Pizza".

Then a climb on the Norwegian Constitution. (Celebrating 200 years this year.)
And then ANOTHER birthday party:
Juju hits her target!





Sunday, July 6, 2014

More Bergen

Here's a sight you don't often see:  Watering the grass and flowers in the parks of Bergen.  There have been lots of days in a row of sun, and no rain.  I've felt insulted I had to water the plants in the garden...expecting rain at any moment!
The above and below photos are of the library:  Probably scholarly folk on top, and lecture hall for youth below.  Are those "sheep led to the slaughter?"

 This I passed on my way to the LYS.  Inside the train station...
 which features Rowan and DROPS plus many others.
Yes, a closer look at the above photo shows 35% off DROPS yarn... YAY for summer!

Friday, July 4, 2014

Working Women

All sorts of working. An evening of work for me as a seamstress.  I wish I had taken a "before" photo, because my daughter (the working woman) came home with the smallest size available and 12 hours before take-off... a man's medium.  EVERYTHING needed shortening, but I got away with shortening the sleeves, the leg cuffs, and the bodice (a huge tuck just above the waist.)

Wish I had had her put on steel-toed boots and hard hat for the full effect!
 The biggest part was removing the top+bottom opening zipper and putting it back in.  Amazingly I had the presence of mind to leave it sewn in from the collar down about 5 inches, so I didn't have to line it up again at the top.  She didn't mind that it no longer unzips from the bottom...

Wow! Reflective!
Happy Fourth!

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

A Night Out

Yes, I own a dress!!
This is the "National Theater in Bergen", for lack of a better name.  Impressively grey on the outside, but look at this ceiling art!  And the lobby/refreshment area.  

 I think the ceiling is gorgeous, and very in tune with the play we were about to see.  Yes, "Rime of the Ancient Mariner".  It was crazy with a three man band, one vocalist, one percussionist, and one bass guitar/everything else.  He even had a theremin, as seen in "Big Bang Theory".  They are Tiger Lillies, and you can hear it here.  Very bizarre original staging and black and white face masks, which I gather they use for all of their gigs.
 Then coming home to a 10:45 sunset.

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