Incoherent Scribblings

Stitching Rules

Today’s SBQ was once again suggested by AngelSan and is:

Do you have rules in the way you stitch? (i.e., Do you start in the middle? Do you determine which blocks to stitch first? Do you always start from the top or the bottom? Do you have special paths to prevent wasting thread?)

I would say that I am pretty much a free spirit when I stitch because I tend to go wherever my needle takes me. The only thing that I do that might qualify as a “rule” is that I always start in the middle because no matter how hard I try, if I don’t start in the middle my stitching always ends up off-center!

Lavender Inspiration

Inspired by Jo’s “Flower Fairy” finishes and helped along by Isabelle’s tutorial, I finally got around to finishing “The Lavender Fairy” today. I turned her into a mini-quilted wall-hanging.

I have actually done a couple of other quilted wall-hangings, but have never really been impressed with the instructions that I used so I decided to give Isabelle’s tutorial a try. Mostly visual, Isabelle’s tutorial is the best one that I have come across and of all of the quilted wall-hangings that I have done, I am the most impressed with the way this one turned out by far. Of course, it probably helps that my sewing skills keeping improving… still, if you are looking to make a mini-quilted wall-hanging, be sure to check out Isabelle’s tutorial!

For my “Lavender Fairy” wall-hanging I used some fabric that I bought last fall when I thought I might turn into a quilter. I was so convinced that I was going to make a full-sized quilt that I bought two meters (that’s over 2 yards for my American readers) of this fabric! The fabric is green, has teapots with lavender on them, and the words “Lavender Tea Garden” scattered throughout. Apparently the fabric is based on a Debbie Mumm design and I think it compliments my Lavender Fairy quite nicely.

I added a green flower button on each corner of the design and a piece of cording at the top for a hanger. I thought that such a hanger might pull the fabric forward, but Isabelle used a ribbon to make a similar hanger for her little wall-hanging so I trusted her judgment and was pleased to see that my fears were unfounded.

And the best part about Isabelle’s tutorial and my subsequent sewing: I only had to use the seam-ripper once and in total it took me less than two hours to put it together. I will definitely make more of these mini-quilted wall-hangings.

Thanks for the tutorial Isabelle!

Knit, Knit, Purl

While I got some stitching done on Vash’s robin today, I spent part of my afternoon in the gynecologist’s waiting room and since knitting appears to be a bit more portable than cross stitch, I took the knitting with me to pass the time.

As I mentioned yesterday, this scarf consists of two knit stitches followed by a purl stitch repeated over and over again. The part of the scarf that consists of the first skein of yarn is kind of chaotic because I kept losing track if I was at a knit or purl stitch. In order to keep track, I started saying (either out loud or silently) “knit, knit, purl” and now those three words are stuck in my head like a song that you hear on the radio and then sing for the next four days. I even noticed as I was walking home from the train station that my foot steps seemed to be in time with the spoken rhythm of “knit, knit, purl!” However, my little chant seems to be working because I have noticed that my scarf is slowly starting to form a pattern.

I started out by buying four skeins of yarn but after knitting one and one third skeins, I decided that I might end up with an awfully short scarf. Therefore I bought two more skeins today while I was out and about. At the current gauge, I think the scarf should end up about 48″ long. If so, I think that should be long enough to wrap around my neck a couple of times!

The Doctor Visit

It’s that time of year again: No, not the beginning of my holiday shopping season, but that time when I must make my requisite visit to the “Frauenarztin.” (Literally translated, it means “woman doctor” or, you guessed it, the gynecologist.)

I doubt there is a woman on this planet that actually enjoys going to the gynecologist and I am no exception. However, I see it as a necessary evil and therefore I don’t complain too much about going. I just suck it up and go.

Now, it goes without saying that a yearly visit to the gynecologist for any woman is a sensible thing to do. However, my main reason for visiting the Frauenarztin is not really for health reasons: I make my yearly pilgrimage to the gynecologist essentially so that I can get my subscription to The Pill renewed.

Therefore, last week when I realized that my subscription was about gone, I knew that if I don’t want to hear the pitter-patter of little feet any time soon, it was time for a visit to the gynecologist. I always detest making that appointment, but the situation is made somewhat bearable because, luckily, I like my gynecologist.

I have been seeing DrX since my first year in Germany when I randomly picked her name from a list of English-speaking gynecologists in Munich supplied by the American Consulate. She is nice and a quite competent doctor who truly does speak superb English. She and I speak German most of the time during my appointments now, but I find it immensely reassuring to know that if I have a problem or question concerning my most intimate health care needs that I can speak English with her if necessary.

Today when I arrived in DrX’s office I noticed something a little different than the other times I have seen her: I found that I am finally able to do that doctor-patient chit-chat with her in German. In fact, she has been seeing me long enough that she even made a comment about how far my German skills have come since my first appointment.

After our initial chit-chat, I was told to get undressed and then poked, prodded, informed that I was healthy, and then told to get dressed. DrX typed away as we wished each other Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I was feeling mighty good for just coming from the gynecologist until I went to reception to get my prescription.

For as much as I like DrX, she has one flaw: She has a grumpy receptionist. I waited for a couple of minutes for the grumpy receptionist and then when she finally came she was holding a microscope slide in one hand. (I really didn’t want to know what was on that slide!) I told her I needed to pick up my prescription renewal. While holding the slide with one hand, she typed with the other and then informed me that the doctor had not given me a prescription… to which I replied, “But that is why I am here!”

Now as many of you probably know, Germans are sticklers for the rules. Therefore she could not possibly print out my prescription renewal until she had verified it with the doctor. So, microscope slide still in hand, she bustled out of the room and left me standing there wondering if I had overrated my German chit-chat skills. Minutes later the receptionist came back (slide still in hand) and told me that I did indeed have a prescription… Apparently I had made it to the reception desk before DrX could put the necessary information into the computer.

As I stuffed the prescription in my purse, I let out a sigh of relief: Not only do I not have to worry about the pitter-patter of little feet in the near future; I also don’t have to go back to the gynecologist any time soon!

What I’ve Been Up To

On Thursday I didn’t stitch because I bought some more yarn and started knitting my first scarf. I found a really easy “pattern” that calls for me to cast on 50 stitches and then knit, knit, purl until I have reached the desired length for my scarf and then bind off. It is coming along quite nicely… I think I like this knitting stuff!

On Friday I knitted a little bit, but I mostly stitched. I worked on my “Summer Arches” for Nicki’s robin, but realized that I didn’t have any of the color that is needed for the arches! I completed the middle of the first arch and then I put the piece away until I can run to my LNS for some 840.

After I set Nicki’s robin aside, I started my Garden Exchange piece for the SBEBB and stitched on it for the rest of the day. I am about 60% finished with it (it isn’t very big), but won’t be able to share a picture of it for a while. However, I can tell you that it is looking good so far!
Yesterday I didn’t stitch at all. I knitted until I finished my first skein of yarn and realized that I needed to learn how to attach the next skein onto what I have already knitted. However, because I was tired I decided that I would tackle it later. I then napped for the rest of the afternoon.

After I woke up from my nap, Hubby and I walked over to the video store and rented a couple of movies that I hadn’t seen before, so instead of listening to them while I stitched, I actually left the stitching alone and watched the movies from start to finish! We saw a new version of Frankenstein (It sucked! Don’t rent it!) and Constantine with Keanu Reeves and Rachel Weisz. Contantine wasn’t too bad, but I don’t think I will be adding it to the DVD collection anytime soon.

That brings us to today: I stitched all afternoon while watching/listening to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and The Chamber of Secrets. We are planning to see The Goblet of Fire sometime this week so I decided to take this afternoon and get psyched! Anyway, while enjoying Harry Potter I worked on “The Cat in the Big Pink Hat” for Vash’s robin.

I must admit that I have had a bit of trouble finding my mojo for this piece. I really like the cat and all, but the pattern is a bit hard to read and so it took me a good uninterrupted stitching session to really get comfortable with it. I feel like I am on a roll now though so I am going to try and concentrate on getting it done this week.