"News from Kainga."

Hello,

A while back I found a wonderful blog with unusual crochet patterns. There are also knitting patterns if you are interested. I got very inspired and went and purchased ten balls of yarn. Let me just say that the yarn I used I would never use again. It was a bit hard and the blanket doesn't feel as soft as I would like. I used some of the cheapo yarn from the $2.00 plus shop in town. Some of the ladies from the crochet group had been using it and were loving working with it. I am glad I used it all up. I will be spending more money on yarn next time.

The pattern is called "Shell and V Stitch round ripple blanket" 

Not knowing how big the blanket would end up I was hoping and praying whilst doing the last round.  I ran out of yarn just 8 trebles from the end. I left it overnight. Then the next day decided to not purchase more yarn and just undo that final round and do a row of double crochet around the edge.  I ended up with 54 rounds of pattern and the final double crochet row. So the blanket is quite big.

I also made another "Kiwi" inspired Toiletry Bag. This one has the waterproof lining. I made the bag according to the size of the fabric I had. Great to use up the whole piece of fabric.

Now I have had this fabric in the stash for many years. When I bought the material I made a bag out of it.  So I got to and  made it into three tea towels. Let me say they have been put to good use since they have been made.

The embroidery machine has been put to work. I made two bookmarks. These are stitched out onto stabiliser that washes out so you are left with a beautiful bookmark.Great for popping into a Christmas card.

We had a wonderful Christmas day, spending a fair amount of time in the pool and inside in the air conditioner. Temperatures  since Christmas have been 41 and above. I think we are having 44 next Monday. Boxing Day saw us drop David of at the Airport. He and his friend Sav are Backpacking through Asia for the next month. We will be having another Christmas next month as Ainsley was working on site up north for Christmas Day so when she gets back we will have a special lunch with Ainsley and Julian.

With all this hot weather we have been experiencing our walking routine has been right out of whack  Seeing there was nothing to watch on TV last night Ian and I decided to go for a  walk at 7.30 pm. I only put on thongs because it was so hot and it would only be a short walk. Well we got to the bottom of the hill. Decisions were made Left or Right. We decided to go right as the next street we had to turn into was easier to walk down than up. We were walking along looking at Christmas lights on the other side of the street when I felt something go over my right foot.  I looked down expecting to see a weed. No it was a snake. My worst nightmare. Lucky I didn't step onto it. It slid over the footpath up a property owner's storm water pipe.I now realise this is how they end up in people's bathrooms. It was only very thin but about two feet long. I decided that the walk was over and and had a shower to wash of those snake germs. I will be wearing closed in shoes all the time even if it is going to be 44. Lesson well learnt.

Happy days.
Bev C