Week 23 of 2024

I sewed another bra this week because I wanted to make sure I had how to sew a bra firmly in my mind, so that I wouldn't have to refer to the Craftsy class all the time.

I tweaked the pattern again, and I think now it is just right for me.

The pattern is a mash up of the Maya Bra from AFIAterlier, and the Classic Bra from Bra-Makers Supply (demonstrated in the Craftsy class). The kit for this is also from Bra-Makers Supply, not the one I originally order, but this one is very nice.

Bras don't take long to sew - all the seams are short, but most seams are stitched a few times. This bobbin was full of when I started sewing (I think it is a 70 weight thread, finer than regular sewing thread).

Works in Progress -

Temperature Blanket

Tatting

Cross Stitch

Photos from Around - 

The chicks are almost 5 weeks now.

In the front row are the three kinds of chickens we have.

They are still living inside, but go outside for short times.

We had more rain this week.

But also some amazing clouds.

Both big girls.

The garden is drying up - the weeds are doing well with all the rain, but I should be able to start planting.

The perennial gardens are doing great.

We were able to mow the grass today, and I started planting flowers.

All the best!♥︎

Week 22 of 2024

Did some sewing this week-

Made Miss Maggie some bright collar covers so the birds see her (she had been catching a few too many recently). I made 3 all the same because she loses them easily (the collars are quick release and she tries to rub them off on everything). Apparently only birds see the collar, and she still catches rodents.

Finished sewing another bra. The one I made a few months ago is so comfortable. I made this one with a foam lining for a change. The pattern is a free download pdf pattern - Maya Bra by AFI Atelier (I modified the straps).

Last week I wrote that this cross stitch project was going to be a five year project, but it turns out I have only been working on it for two years, so it should still be what I originally planned - a three year project! I am trying to stitch a thread or motif a day now. The pattern is All Creatures Great and Small by Barbara Ana.

Temperature blanket.

Photos from Around-

We are still seeing flocks of Canada Geese flying north.

The little chicks started going outside for a few minutes each day this week. Miss Maggie is still keeping an eye on them.

Miss Molly too, but she tends to lunge at them, and scare them.

This one has places to go, she is definitely one of the most dominant ones (she is a Cinnamon Queen).

We think it is racoons eating up the eggs in the nests around the yard (the two Mallard nest and one Kildare nest - all were on the ground), but there is one little Mourning Dove in a tree that hopefully will survive.

We have had so much rain in the past few weeks that everything is so green.

This is during today's rainstorm - the vegetable garden never gets a chance to dry out, so I don't know when things will get planted. We did manage to get some mowing done in areas yesterday.

All the best!♥︎

Week 21 of 2024

A couple knitting finishes this week -

A pair of handspun socks. They are my regular sock pattern with a simple 3x1 cable rib added for interest.

A handspun hat knit as part of a weekend knit along challenge. The pattern is The Traveller Hat by Andrea Mowry, and the knit along challenge was in Andrea Mowry's Ravelry group, to knit the hat between May 24th to 27th 2024.

More knitting on the temperature blanket too.

I also finished spinning the Wensleydale/Romney fibre. The yarn is quite fine, but scratchy, and I think would work well for weaving.

Photos from Around-

The bees sure are busy with all the dandelions. The yard is flooded because of all the rain this past week.

The chicks are growing fast.

Such big feet.

The Cinnamon Queens seem to have the most feathers.

Each of the Sapphire Gems have a distinct shade of grey feathers.

They are all developing quite the personalities, and are very friendly.

The Barred Plymouth Rocks are the ones that try to jump out every time the door is open.

Miss Molly helping out getting the chicken coop ready (it is one of the grain bins in the front yard).

Miss Maggie supervising as I stitch a cat like her on my three year cross stitch project (which will  probably be my five year project now since it has almost been three years and I am no where near done!).

All the best!♥︎

Week 20 of 2024

Still lots of works in progress -

I have been spinning some locks from a local shepherd. They are a Wensleydale/Romney cross. I am flick carding the individual locks to open them up before spinning - something new for me.

The latest handspun socks are long enough to start the ribbing.

A few more medallions added to the piece of tatting.

A good selection of temperatures this week for the blanket.

Photos from Around - 

The chicks are now 13 days old, and are really changing.

Miss Maggie still keeps an eye on them, and they love her.

There are lots of other birds in the yard too -

A Kildare nest in the front yard - this one was under water a few days ago when there was just 2 eggs (lots of rain this week).

A Mourning Dove on her nest (I don't hold much hope for the two eggs).

Another Kildare nest in the back yard (I had to mark this out because it blended in so well when I was weeding the mulch). Four eggs in this one too but Mama is very protective.

Another Mallard nest - this one near the garden. The eggs are slightly darker than the other nest we found earlier (that nest disappeared one day - not a shell, not a feather, not a trace, and it had just as many eggs).

Maybe the Mallards knew that their nest would be near water, because now the garden is full of water.

The garlic is growing well and will hopefully be fine (more rain in the forecast).

All the best!♥︎

Week 19 of 2024

A few projects on the go-

Started a new weaving project - a simple, plain weave, project to stay on the loom for the summer time (more tea towels).

I picked this tatting project up again (started in 2021), another simple project for the summer.

There was a hot 27ºC day yesterday for the temperature blanket.

Photos from Around-

Very exciting week for us - the chicks arrived!!

Cute little balls at the beginning of the week - 1 day old, 9 of them.

It's amazing how fast they are growing - 5 days old.

6 days old.

We have three different breeds of chickens - the gold ones are Cinnamon Queens, the black ones are Barred Plymouth Rock, and the grey ones are Sapphire Gem.

The pets are quite excited too.

Miss Maggie spends a lot of time laying by the cage, we are hoping she is just keeping an eye on her babies....

We have had high winds this week and lots of trees came down, Miss Molly helped with the clean up.

Today we had lots of smoke from forest fires in Northern Manitoba.

All the best!♥︎