A Preaching Stole and a Shawl

Back when I first started my blog, I organized and helped sew 22 preaching stoles, for a national church event. You can read more here.

I have acquired a bit of a reputation, with those stoles, so recently I was asked to make another. This one is for a Lay Preacher, who also needed a place to put the transmitter for her microphone, since women's dress clothes seldom have pockets. She asked me if I could have the children of the congregation, help.

We actually ended up with two stoles. One is now finished and was presented last Sunday, while the other will need a bit more work.

The fabric was supplied to me, and my helpers did some hand stitching, with embroidery floss, around the motifs.

The back side, where you can see the pocket for the transmitter and the label from the makers. Some of the makers will not be confined to a box on fabric, so the label is also a pocket, with names on the inside, as well.

Needless to say, the recipient loves it.

A few weeks ago, I showed you my 1001 Nights shawl. I am slowly making progress, although it might be 101 nights before it is done. This week, the designer's photo assignment is to take a picture of the shawl relaxing, while not being knit.

The weather here is breaking heat records for September, so my shawl is relaxing in the air conditioning with a large glass of ice tea.

I spread it out for a better view.

The upside of the weather, is that the flowers are at their best right now.

My Rose Mallow, with flowers the size of plates!

A Brief Vacation

I had the opportunity to spend some time this week as a tourist. I traveled with friends to see some popular Ottawa sights.

First up was a trip to the Canadian Museum of History. This is the museum which seems to have an identity crisis. It started as "Museum of Man" which, of course, was not very inclusive. Then it became the "Museum of Civilization". A couple of years ago, they decided to change again to the History name.

I discovered this on the ceiling (who ever looks up).

It is called "Morning Star" by Alex Janvier. You can read more about it here.

It is a huge museum, and I didn't take a lot of pictures, just enjoyed the exhibits.

In the distance you can see Samuel de Champlain, using his astrolabe as he prepares to navigate the Ottawa River. Behind him is the National Gallery, with the glass roof.

The next day, we went to MosaiCanada. Wow, just wow!

I took so many pictures, I have to spread them over some other days.

As I arrived, I walked through a train station, and saw this train.

It is sitting in a field of sunflowers, which had their backs to me. Sitting on the platform, was an old friend of mine.

Anne of Green Gables, waiting for Matthew to pick her up. I am sure she is pleased that her skirt is flowering.

Nearby, a fisherfolk is catching lobster.

Across the way are Sable Island ponies. I had the problem that the sun was so bright, I couldn't see my camera viewfinder, so I cut a bit off in some pictures.

Some puffins were eating lunch.

The French explorers arrived to map Canada.

I love that the Musk Ox has a mouthful of the plants at his feet. I just wanted to reach out and pet him.

It was 29C, and very humid, but the grounds were packed with visitors.

I have more pictures to share with you later. I probably need to go and sew right now!

Bibs

Last year, I was busy making bandana bibs for my not yet arrived grandson.

However, he is now nine months old, and these bibs are not big enough. He eats real food now. So he needs bigger bibs.

I found a pattern for Knot Bibs, that looked perfect. 

So I went into my fat quarter stash, and whipped up a couple of bibs for Nana's house.

The bibs have a buttonhole on one side and a knot on the other. The knot passes through the buttonhole to hold the bib around the neck. I think it is genius.

The fabric is Laurel Burch. I believe it was a gift from someone who knows I like Laurel Burch, and it was perfect for a bib for a baby boy, bright and colourful. The bibs are backed with some flannel left over from pillowcases.

In the background, you can see my teacup, so I thought I should take a picture of the bibs with his teacup.

He gets Royal Doulton Peter Rabbit. It was a gift to his Daddy, and Daddy and I shared many tea parties. Now it is the next generation's turn. He just has to get passed the sippy cup phase.

Linking to Needlework Tuesday, and The Needle and Thread Network.

Plan B

Last week, I showed you the yarn and beads I planned to use for 1001 Nights. Sadly, the best laid plans don't always work. I discovered that my yarn was too dark to be able to read my knitting, except in very bright light. It has rained everyday this week, so bright light has been at a premium. On to Plan B.

Plan B involved a trip to the LQS, where I came home with some lovely Drops Lace, a silk and alpaca blend. Since the bead shop is conveniently located in the same mall, I bought 2250 size 8/0 Iridescent Blue beads.

Of course, the beads are smaller then my usual, which necessitated a second trip to the store, to buy a smaller crochet hook. A 0.6 mm hook is really tiny.

Want to see how it is going now?

You will have to click on the picture to see all the tiny beads. I am doing 9 repeats of the lace pattern. I currently have over 200 stitches on my needle. One row takes a very long time and a lot of concentration, so progress is slow but steady. I am trying to do at least 2 rows, every day.

Anne-Lise, the designer, is currently having a picture contest in her group on Ravelry, where you are to show your shawl at a party. My shawl is attending a Teddy Bear Picnic. With all the rain I suggested that the teddies have their picnic at the dining room table, and I let them use my good teacups.

This is Marmy, with her own teddy, and Twila, in the hat. The shawl has progressed a bit since the previous picture. The cup is Trillium, by Royal Albert. They will be having lemon zucchini bread, and strawberries with their tea.

I found a really cute and sensible bracelet, at one of the yarn shops.

It is a leather tape measure bracelet and it is accurate, so you can use it to measure your knitting, of sewing projects. It is 17" long, so it is perfect for travelling knitting projects, like socks or hats.

While I was at the yarn shop, I accidently came home with a cake of Katia Spring Rainbow. It has become my knitting for when I don't want to concentrate, and follow the lace charts.

The pattern is a simple, reversible triangle shawl. No beads!

My grandbaby has suddenly gotten mobile, so this week, I moved a bunch of stuff our of his reach.

My nail polish is now on a much higher shelf and while I was at it, I tossed the colours I never wear, and sorted the baskets by colour. Serious organization! Nail treatments, decals, and other accessories are in the left basket, the middle one is reds and pinks, and the right one is blues and purples.