C10 Swirl

I am over half way stitching my current swirl temari. It is a different pattern from those I have done before. The first half stitching was very tedious, and I was having trouble sticking with it, but now that the pattern is starting to reveal itself, it is getting much more exciting.

The swirl is based on a c10, without any extra guidelines. Mark your c10 with the thread you will be using to stitch. Then stitch a swirl design in each of the 10 small triangles that make up the pentagons; half of them clock-wise, and half counter clock-wise.

I was afraid of getting confused, so I did all the clock-wise stitching first. When I did that, the only thing to look at is how uneven your stitching is. It was very hard to keep going on it. Now that I am stitching the counter clock-wise triangles the design is starting to appear, and I can tell it is going to work out.

Now I can't wait to see the whole thing! The only thing is, there are 60 of each kind of triangle! Again, I am worrying about running out of thread, but I do have a second spool of a very close color, so I should be fine.

We had a nice weekend. DH was recuperating from a cold, but was willing to go for a drive (even with the price of gas). We went to the show of the Country Cut-Ups Quilt Club in Indiana. They had a very nice display, and several vendors. I was not in the market for any fabric, but there were some nice embroidery patterns. One of the vendors carried Valdani pearl cotton, and I got all excited, but she only had sizes 16 and 12... not big enough for temari. When I mentioned I was interested in sizes 5 and 8 she made a note of it. I may be in trouble, because she plans on opening a store front in the town I work in. It would be wonderful to have a source so close!

Another vendor had "paper" or flannel dolls. It was a make it/take it opportunity, so I took a couple of minutes the opportunity to sit and chat and play for a couple of minutes. I hope C will enjoy playing with them as much as I did. This cutie is all set for Easter Sunday.



There is some stitching going on, but not a lot. This is a swirl with a different pattern, and I am about half way done. I am not at all sure this is going to turn out, but I won't know unless I try it, right? I think part of my problem with stitching this one and my flower sampler is the dark green base. The weather has been so gray that I think I need a little more color.



We woke up to sleet and snow this morning! Of course DH and I got married on April 24 many, many years ago, and there were snow flurries on that day as well. At least the forsythias are blooming and the daffodils are out, otherwise it would be hard to tell that it is spring.

December, Poinsettia

Finally some stitching! This is my December choice, and I think it does look like a poinsettia. I could possibly squeeze in another round or two to make it a little more robust, but I am pleased with it.



I found the pattern in the Japanese book called Incredible Temari, or Shin Shu. This book also has the pattern I want to use for May, but I think I am going to have to work it out on a simple division before I stitch it here. It is designed for a s6, so I have to see if I can get it to work on a S10, before I try it here on my C10. DD1 was born in May, and we always had lilies of the valley in our yard, so I was really excited when I found this pattern.

I had a little extra time this morning as well, so I started making a mari. I didn't quite finish in the 20 minutes I had, but I got close. Making a mari used to be a much more daunting task, but practice does make a difference. I think I need a little bit bigger mari for the swirl I am contemplating, though.

No Stitching to Share!

The last couple of days have been crazy!

Sunday was crazy busy; all good stuff, but just too much packed into one day. In the afternoon we went to a concert with wonderful music.

Monday evening was guild night. I love to see my friends, but again, no stitching.

Last night DH, a friend, and I went to the Rush concert. It was somewhat of a stretch for me musically, but I did enjoy the show and the company. No pictures and no stitching!

Because of all this activity, I have no stitching to show, but I hope to fix that tonight. I want to get back to my flower sampler temari.

Temari for Japan Relief

The Talk Temari group is making chrysanthemum (kiku) temari to sent to the JTA in Japan as a token of our concern for the whole country.

We think they will be displayed for some time, and then possibly sold as a fund-raiser for relief. I am so happy to have something concrete to do to help, and to show my concern. I finished this kiku over the weekend.

Side 2:



Side 1:



I am very pleased by the way the colors turned out! I also found the patterns I had picked out for two more of the flowers for my flower sampler temari. I hope to have at least one of those stitched to show you this week.

One Word

TAXES!

Reading instead of Stitching

I do not have any stitching to show you this week! Instead of stitching this past weekend, I have been reading! A new book called Kings of the North by Elizabeth Moon came out last week, and I got it very reasonably for my Nook. I could not put it down! I finished on Saturday evening and I enjoyed it so much that I picked up an e-book copy of the previous book in the series Oath of Fealty and read it on Sunday and Monday. Now, since I finally remembered what happened first, I am re-reading (already) Kings of the North.

I really did not have any hesitation buying these books for my Nook, because I read Deeds of Paksennarion (by Elizabeth Moon) almost every year, and these new books cover the continuing adventures of a lot of the people that show up in Deeds. Now, I suppose, I have to wait another year for the story to be completed... will Dorrin put on the crown? Will Kieri have kids, and go south for war? Will Stammel get his eyesight back? Can't wait!

I have a mari wrapped and marked, and the Holland Springtime Sampler is waiting patiently as well. Maybe, since it is starting to feel like spring, I should pick that up again!