Wednesday 30 March 2016

Granny squares colourful blanket

It has been a while but blankets do take longer time to make. My second daughter came up to me and asked me if I could make her a colourful blanket and ofcourse I said yes. She was choosing all the colours that she wanted together, she helped a little too making the granny squares. I think she did a very good job in picking up the colours together. It took me less then two months to make I mostly worked at nights on it. She also wanted wider border and she wanted that floral finish too. I am glad I did something for her that she wished for. Mothers' are good at that pleasing their children.




Monday 14 March 2016

Cute amigurumi duck

I researched for something cute to make for Easter. I thought I make something small for my grandson. I used the head a body from this pattern, the rest, I made it from my head. My grandson is over two years now and he will play just for a little while with this toy. He will be supervised because of the eyes when he plays with it. He is more into trucks. I don't think ducks have that thing on their heads but I thought it looked cuter with it. I have to try a small thing that I will make to see if I can fluff this wool without ruining the actual duck. It didn't take long to make but I researched for better wings to make. I found this one which I like very much but I can't make the left side. I tried to make it with my left hand but I can't do it. Maybe one of you know how to make the right side of the wing and share it. I am pretty pleased with the result. I used pipe cleaners for the legs. I think my grandson would love this duckling.

Saturday 5 March 2016

Part of my childhood

We had to get up early and get ready for mass, that was a daily thing. Once in awhile, I felt like sleeping in so I played it sick. My excuse was a headache or a I didn't feel well. In summer though when we attended mass I often felt faintish and it wasn't just me. The special fun times that I remember where the Americans would collect all the institutes together and make us a very big party. there were the boys from the orphanage the girls' one and ours. We would talk to each other as we knew some of the girls from the other orphanages. We would eat plenty of food and playing games and Santa would be there giving us maybe lollies don't remember if we got presents.  We also went to Malta on the buses with the boys' orphanage to a lemonade factory. It was fascinating to see the bottles being washed and filled with lemonade, closed with a lid without no help from people. They gave each of us a bottle to drink, we ate like in a restaurant that they have organised for us and after that we went to a beach in Malta. On the way to the ferry, a boy sat next to me and we talked heaps. As a young girl talking with a boy was fun. lol. So far, I have seen a couple of girls that were with us and we treat them like sisters.

Part of my childhood

When I was in the convent or institute as you want to call it we had many nuns. We had nuns that stayed with us during the day. I actually don't remember if one nun had us in the morning and then another one in the afternoon or the whole day and then change. I am sure they had turns but I don't know how their system worked. We had a piano nun she taught piano to the boarders and people who didn't sleep there, they came over just to learn piano. The earning was of course for the mother superior. There were some nuns living and staying with the boarders so we didn't see them much. The place and how it ran was very much in order and routine. I would have loved to learn the piano, sometimes, the nun would let us touch it and try out some keys because we couldn't play anything. The piano sister was called sister Emanuela she had the perfect beautiful fingers and soft hands, she was happy and make you feel at ease. As maybe you know we were four sisters there, sister Emanuela picked us four sisters as her singers so when it was Christmas, she teaches us songs suited. In the beautiful small chapel there were a narrow round stairs which took us upstairs and we will sing from up there. I felt very special and it was such a good feeling to be able to sing beautiful songs. The nuns between them spoke Italian so we couldn't understand everything they said to each other. Sister Emanuela,we called her Manuela too had another job, she took care of the chapel. She would prepare the dress colour for the priest, who would come everyday for mass and another day for confessions. She would fill the wine and water bottles that the priest uses during mass and decorate with flowers. I had a small part in those chores but not for long. Oh sometimes, how I miss those days and I would so much thank those nuns. I never wanted to be a nun but I can't help feeling grateful how much they did for us.

Wednesday 2 March 2016

Bananas in pajamas

 Bananas in pajama finally done. It was an order for a baby boy. I never wrote the pattern I tried different every time. One came a little bit bigger head and one has bigger belly. The third one would have been good I reckon. I used different Technic each time to improve it and to sew less each time. I The first one was challenging but the last one I kind of knew what I was doing. Anyway I'm sure the baby boy would love them if  the lady who ordered them doesn't like them my grandsons would. I think I am better following a pattern then making my own. I embroidered the eyes for neater finish. The stripes came better finished the way I've done them.