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.

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.

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.

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.

My punishment

When I was in the convent all you know and love are the people around you nuns and the girls. We were all girls so if a girl leaves the convent I used to find it hard. When a nun leaves I sometimes cried for them. They become part of your family. It was very good when we had young nuns they were creative. I remember when it used to be a nice summer day we used to be playing picture lotto and the older ones would be cross stitching I learned how to do that too. We had a summer place we used to go there maybe for a week. We used to go swimming but I vaguely remember that. If by any chance a nun forgot to put her veil on I used to think she was naked and sighed. About once a month or when my mother could take us home to stay for the weekend she had to use transport as she or my father didn't drive at that time. Transport was not convenient those days buses did their route till eleven in the morning. Once a week my mother would take our dirty clothes and bring them clean sometime during the week. We didn't always see her maybe she would be in a hurry. She would bring us a packet of biscuits which we shared between four siblings. Once, a week we used to have a catholic gathering called Legion of Mary, there we would pray the rosary and report good deeds or prayers we had done the week prior. In one of these gathering I couldn't stop talking and laughing so the lady kicked me out of that room, one of the nuns saw me and asked me why I was behind the door, so I had to tell her why, she told me as a punishment no home visit. So my sisters went home of course it hurts that I didn't go but instead the few girls that were left there went for a walk outside the convent. When life falls into a routine you will not remember much of it, it is the special instances that you will remember. I hold a special place for the nuns, I love their commitment and dedications I loved being there and I considered it good times. No payment all for God, I wish God will reward them 1000 times more which I'm sure He will. Talking with my sisters they say the same thing about the nuns. Till next time.

My younger years

Maybe you can tell that English is not my main language, sorry, If I don't explain myself well.  At the beginning of my stay, the nuns were young so during Christmas they thought us acting and drills. Once, I had part in all the acts we had and I got sick with fever. I hated it when I got sick that means I had to stay in bed all alone in the dark, upstairs till Marinton, the old lady retires. Her bed was very high I think she had two mattresses, why, I don't know because she seemed to have trouble to get to bed. I got a little better and I acted my parts and they sent me back to bed that was upsetting for me because I felt better. I will tell you about Marinton now. Her job was to answer the door, ring the bell during certain hours for school breaks and ours, the children who lived there. She also took care of the brooms, buckets and rags that we used to dust or wash the floors. We washed the floors on our knees not mops. If she favoured you, she would give you a good rag so we considered ourselves lucky to get goo rags. She ate in our dinning room and slept with us. She also could understand Italian. I am not sure how long she was there for, but she died there, not while I was there. While I was there no one visited her. I was there from nine years till fourteen years. Now I will talk a little about me again. I don't know when I started to help the nun in the kitchen Sister Maurizia, She was an excellent cook she was slightly deaf. So every night, evening what ever you want to call it after dinner, I would go and help wash the dishes because she was stuck in washing the nuns' plates, pots and pans. She also prepared the milk for breakfast. During my washing the other girls were playing guided by another nun of course. When Easter or Christmas is approaching she would call for me at the end of school so I can go and help her make buns and figolli (it is a shaped bun and decorated Maltese tradition). The job I would have done was maybe bring her stuff from the pantry it was in the next room. As a young girl of course I had trouble sometimes to get her what she wanted, She tries to explain to me and give me directions of where they are. I didn't  know about baking stuff. I also was quite so I pretended I understood what she told me. I would take longer in that room and she will come and get it herself. I did that for few years and one day, I was with three other girls in the dining room cleaning, I think we were and the nun that was in charge at the time, told us one of you here is nominated for something. I ignored her completely but it was me as a reward I won a doll and a frame that lit up and also spoke on the radio. I wasn't excited or anything for me it wasn't a big deal but I was nervous when they said I am going to talk on the radio. Some more next time.