Autumn Leaves

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First of all, thank you everyone for the kind wishes you've sent for Bob's birthday. He is having a great week [as am I] More on that later...

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Among all the post for him was a small envelope for me. My October 2x2 patch from Kirsten. As often happens, we have been thinking along similar lines. As I was making autumn leaves for a cake, she was stitching them.

Inspired by some leaves stitched by Karen Turner, Kirsten did this piece.

What a diverse collection of stitches: backstitch, seed, stem, split, chain and satin. And among the regular stranded floss,  some rainbow glittering thread to catch the light.

So charming!

And my flat gift was  a stack of little origami envelopes each contains a folded sheet of paper [15x15cm] These will make lovely gift tags, or little notelets to tuck inside a greetings card. UPDATE See Kirsten's comment below about notelets

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Such lovely colours, a joyful,celebration of the season. Maybe you can describe being in our 70s as "the autumn of our lives" - but that is no reason for the days to be dull and colourless and lacking in beauty and happiness...

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Casting Off...

It is the end of the month and therefore the end of my knitting challenge. I was supposed to do 30 minutes every day. That would be 30 x 30 =900 minutes = 15 hours
There were two days when I only managed a brief 10 minute knit [looking after grandchildren was keeping me rather  busy] but in total I've knitted for over 60 hours not counting today, And my generous sponsors [thank you all] have helped me to raise over £450 for the Bone Cancer Research Trust. My JustGiving Page will be open for another two weeks, and I'm hoping to pass the £500 mark. 
What did I knit? One of my Christmas Projects, and a lot of little mini-jumpers. But the second project [a knitted nativity] has languished untouched. I realised that I didn't actually like it! Mary, Joseph and Jesus were knitted in Dorset, but not sewn up. I may just complete those three and make a little stable - without the collection of angels, animals, shepherd and magi outside... 
I have enjoyed the challenge, and the opportunity to promote a very worthwhile cause. And the weather has certainly proved an encouragement to stay inside.

Needles At The Ready

I ran for charity [2011] and abseiled for charity [2016] but since then I haven't taken on any challenges. I do not like heights so bungee jumping and skydiving are out of the question. I still cannot believe I descended from the church tower on a rope. 

But I can knit. So I am taking part in this fundraising for the Bone Cancer Research Trust. 
The two most common forms of bone cancer affect children and young people, and tend to start in the long bones of the arms and legs. I have not had any close friends or family members with this illness, although it has affected two pupils in schools where I did supply work.

Twenty years ago, in 2004, a group of families who had lost children and young people to primary bone cancer came together. They wanted to tackle head-on the fact that there was virtually no accessible bone cancer information, and practically no funding for research into this disease. The Bone Cancer Research Trust was registered in 2006, and the first grants were awarded that same year. Today, the Bone Cancer Research trust aims to fund research into all forms of primary bone cancer, and ensure that information and support are available to patients of all ages.The BCRT aims to provide research,awareness, support and information, with prompt diagnoses kinder treatments so that more patients will survive and thrive.

Maybe you think this will be an easy challenge for me - but I suspect doing 30 minutes every day  for 30 days won't actually be that easy. Last year I started my Christmas Knitting projects in September, and finally completed the 4th jumper on 27th December. Here's great nephew with his grandad [my brother Adrian] I have just two projects on my Christmas knitting list for this year. 

So I am going for it. And however busy I am, I will do my 30 minutes a day - even if that means I will pick up my needles at 11.30pm if I have to. Although I sincerely hope I will be better organised than that!

I know you are all generous people, and I fully understand that you are probably already supporting other worthy causes at the moment, but if you can spare just a quid or two, link HERE

Thank you

 

Just To Say...

I'm quite overwhelmed by so many of you who took the trouble to check the shop link in my sidebar. And sending helpful comments about browsers etc. It was so kind of you all. It appears that some people with Norton Security programs are being told it is a fake site. I have reported this to Norton and hope they correct the error. 

Now I feel I really must get on and make more stock for the autumn. [There are little bowls of mouse body parts on the coffee table]

I've almost finished the little sewing jobs I'm doing for other people. There is one other [non sewing] project to be completed by the weekend.

But today is family focused, as Julian's coming up for a flying visit.

I am so grateful to have so many friends and such a loving family. Thank you all

UPDATE Now FC has also contacted Norton, it looks like the problem is fixed. Yippee! 

Footnotes

There are loads of ideas out there for decorating support boots. 

But I shan't get the chance to use them.

The Dr at this morning's Fracture clinic decided there are no bone breakages in either foot, just damaged tendons and ligaments. He reckoned that if Bob's sensible, all should be healed in a month or so. So he doesn't have to wear the boot all day, and can use walking sticks rather than crutches if that's more comfortable.

All of which is really good news. I'll still be designated driver for a while.

We continue to take things easy. Thank you all for your kind words, prayers and encouragements

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Thank You For Visiting

 Sometime on Star Wars Day, this blog reached another milestone

It is encouraging that people are still reading after sixteen years - at the beginning I said I'd stop writing if nobody bothered to view. I know some just follow, whilst others have their own blogs. There is definitely a growing group of us who all read each other's blogs. We ought to call ourselves "Some Sues and friends". I love the interaction in the comments and via email - I've learned so much from others, and made so many new friends across the globe. I'm overwhelmed at times by people's kindness towards myself and my family. So thank you to all of you. God bless you. 

A Get Well Gift

Bob came home on Monday with a gift - he had been in Wymondham, and popped in a Charity Shop - where he found a book he thought I would like. I have blogged about the Quaker Tapestry before. Check out the website here. The Centre in Kendal sells embroidery kits. This book is a guide to the stitching, with a particular emphasis on the Quaker Stitch.

One Sunday in 1981, a twelve year old boy called Jonathan Stocks asked why he had to just do colouring with the younger children on a Sunday at the Quaker Meeting, Wasn't there something more interesting?  From this, Ann Wynn-Wilson developed the idea of the Quaker Tapestry. A piece [similar in idea to the Bayeux Tapestry 900 years before] work as a collaborative project, to tell the story of the Quakers, their faith, their history, their deeds... It took 15 years to produce, with 77 panels, and around 4000 people involved. Now you can see in on display in Kendal. Cumbria. It is a wonderful piece in a beautiful location.

The fabric used is a woollen fabric with a random warp producing a low key stripe. The weave and stripe provided a guide to keep lettering and buildings vertical. It is backed with calico, which carries the design for the picture and wording on the front.



Quaker Stitch was developed especially for the tapestry and is now recognised by the Royal School of Needlework

Quakers have always promoted gender equality- and one kit features a bicycling woman! My book shows how to recreate this piece, and personalise it.

There is also information [and an alphabet guide] for stitching your own words!

I have had such fun reading through this book, and I suspect some of the ideas may make their way into Collaborative Project #3. 

I have learned too, that the word crewel comes from the ancient word describing the curl of the staple of the wool. Crewel wool has a long staple, which is fine and can be strongly twisted.

I love this book!

Thank you Bob! And thanks too to everyone else who has posted kind Get Well Comments - my sore throat is improving [but I am grateful not to have any preaching commitments this weekend!]

This book gets a *****rating from me! 

I think it is wonderful too that the Quakers refer to themselves as The Society Of Friends. 

Small Gestures

 The picture for March on my calendar. "Do small things with great love" is attributed to Mother Teresa - and I also found this quote by Helen Keller, that amazing deaf-blind woman.

I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks, as if they were great and noble.

The picture reminds me that a small kindness can mean so much, and lift a heavy heart. Many in the UK will be celebrating Mothering Sunday today. I thank God for my Mum, and also for my daughters who have become great Mums themselves. Today, for me, is one of gratitude and joy. 

However, I know that many find today really difficult, for all sorts of reasons. May they experience small acts of love and kindness to lift their hearts today. May we who are so richly blessed be aware of opportunities to bless others