knitted river and another dragon

At the weekend we visited The Saltaire festival. There was music, stalls, food and The Knitted River. This was wonderful and children entered into the spirit by taking of their shoes and fishing.




At one of the stalls we found a new addition to our family


He seems very at home flying above the stairs with our other dragons.

On Monday it was John's birthday and we visited Leeds went to an Organ Concert at the town hall and had a very nice lunch in a vegetarian cafe.

Tuesday was boiler day and we are now the proud owners of a very quiet (expensive)boiler. And almost instant hot water in the kitchen

I haven't really done anything constructive this week, have got got more and more fed up because I haven't been called for any work. its great being home but the bank account needs feeding!
I have discovered facebook and spend way too much time playing Word shuffle instead of sewing.

Found this
amusing.

I've been busy...

...this week. I have made a dragon which was a fun birthday gift from John. An elf and a Christmas tree both Artgirlz kits. I am pleased with them all.




I have mailed out my exchange x stitch square



Thanks to all of you who comment on the blog. Its great getting feed back.

We had a lovely warm sunny day yesterday but today is back to grey and windy. The washing machine engineer arrived although the door button had mysteriously sorted itself out but he did a bit of adjusting and went on his way. Next week we have the trauma of the new boiler being fitted so I hope that will be pain free.

Today I have working on my second exchange square which is not too complicated.
This is the one I received in the post this week



Isn't he cute I have signed up for 6 altogether and hope eventually to make them into a wall hanging.

I am still looking through stash, magazines and patterns to find a big project to tackle. I did come across a rather nice wall hanging of the three wise men so that has joinedthe list of possibles.

No sign of any work yet other supply teachers tell me its all very quiet where they are.

Tomorrow is eye test day so I will get to choose new glasses.

Sleepy Folk

This is how the other two members of our family spent the weekend. Laid back unlike me! I was meant to have a laid back Sunday but...

The weekend was fraught, starting with the non appearance of the girl that was meant to cut my hair. It was cut eventually and was worth the hour I had to wait. A visit to the bank to sort out a problem, may have been resolved. The poor girl sorting it out for me was passed from department to department. So it happens to employees as well as customers. Grrrrr. All this I was trying to explain to John by text but realised he was not receiving them. So on Sunday I spent 30 mins on hold to the phone company but a very nice chap resolved the mystery once I got through. Some how my mobile had switched to receive only.

So thought everything was OK. NO! The washing machine door will not open. A man is coming on Wednesday. Luckily the afore mentioned washing is not wet!

No work today meant that I finished the Advent Calendar and have almost finished my flower square. I have to decide on another "big" project. Mother Nature still needs more leaves.

I think I am in Christmas mode

Friday again

Another week has gone by. No sign of any work for this week and nothing prebooked for next. Its always slow this time of year so I am not panicking yet!

It has meant that I have been able to get on with more exciting things. I have completed a piece for a Christmas swap (can't show this yet) and my advent calendar is almost done, just needs some quilting.


I am pleased with how it has turned out. The tabs to carry the dowel proved easy than I thought they would be.

I have been tidying the pots and plants in the garden and found these little chaps munching away



They are somewhat late this year.

I am well on the way to finishing a nasturtium for a swap iam participating in. But have to buy a skein of floss. Why is it with all the floss I have one always eludes me.

I need new glasses and I have been playing on the spec savers site to can upload a photo of yourself and see how you look in a new pair. It was great fun ( I am easily pleased, must be spending too much time on my own). I have to have bifocals so I can see and read, but need reading glasses for the computer. Otherwise I get a pain in my neck. Lately it has more and more difficult to thread needles. And even my normal vision doesn't seem as good. I am longsighted so I can see "miles"down the road but nothing up close. So I shall have to go and make the appointment sooner rather than later.

Tomorrow is hair cut day!

The schools are back...

..it's raining and I have had a cold all week. I haven't had any work didn't expect any really then I got this cold and wouldn't have been able to talk for a whole day. None booked for next week yet either.

Despite feeling yuck I have completed some X stitch for a swap so I can't show it yet. And I have stared a square for an ongoing exchange. I also sorted out some old magazines. I used to faithfully keep all my stitching mags but I am running out of space so I have kept the charts that appealed to me. It means I have 4 free magazine files now.

I haven't really had much chance to try out my new camera but did take some pictures of the garden.



The garden bench has been taken over by a nasturtium plant. That little patch is looking really wild with poppies and other wild flowers. Mousie has been cheating and taking stuff out of the bird's container which has been moved onto our big stone.

I have been making an advent calendar. I bought it as a kit and you sew on to the background foundation five strips which divide into 25 pockets. I thought this would be straightforward but discovered that the five strips are not the same size and don't marry up exactly. Now I am not one for regimental rows and displays which are measured precisely. But things that are supposed to line up should!
I am well know for not telling when things are straight and all my school displays have info deliberately slantwise.

Anyway the calendar is coming along nicely and I have the wadding to add and the the backing. i have even a good idea what is going to be put in the pockets.