First WOW for the new year

This is a really tiny wombat, as you can see! A couple of years ago I was walking by a jewellery shop window, I happened to glance in....as you do......and what did I see calling my name but a little gold wombat on a neck chain. So the shop and I did a deal involving an exchange of money and a small package, and the little wombat came home with me. Would you believe I have never seen another one of these, ever, anywhere else? It's probably not the only teeny gold wombat in existence but goodness knows where the others are hiding.
Isn't this impressive? Today I looked in the manual for My New Overlocker, and had a go at threading it, and even used it, and it works. Yesterday I cut out fabric to make a skirt, and having an overlocker gives such a professional finish to the seams. I owned an Elna overlocker for over 17 years and it did sterling duty in that time, but its tension was never wonderful. When My Lovely New Bernina (on the left) went to the sewing machine spa just before our Canadian holiday last October I looked at new overlockers, and this one was on special - "yes please" said I. So it was duly ordered, and collected when the other machine was ready. Because I haven't been able to sew for so long I looked at it occasionally, and sighed, and bided my time until my hand was usable again. Now the desk looks like a proper sewing centre.

Speaking of the hand, two days ago a real milestone was passed.....chuckle if you will, but it's a milestone just the same.....I can now do up my bra by myself! Before Saturday morning the last time I managed that small task was 15th October last year, the day of The Great TO Tumble. The pressure for using a ruler and rotary cutter is not quite there yet, but it's getting closer. Still to come - driving the car (the swelling in my hand and fingers means I don't have much strength in my grip yet) and playing guitar. The hand has its next appointment with the nice young physio bloke tomorrow morning so hopefully he will give it a good report. While there are a couple of promised items in my UFO list I decided that the next thing to tackle would be a skirt which was cut out with scissors. The promised items need the use of a rotary cutter so they will be done as soon as I can manage it. A few days ago I finished the Flower Basket block that I started in Canada, and knitting is relatively easy again, so my crafting life is slowly returning to what passes for normal.

Today I received a package from Carol, we're having a swap between ourselves - Carol has sent me some lovely patterns in exchange for some Aussie magazines. Getting parcels from overseas is exciting! Thank you Carol, and I hope your parcel doesn't take too long to arrive. Speaking of which, early in December I won a giveaway on a blog - an Aussie blog, in Queensland, not a blog on the far side of the known universe - and my giveaway hasn't yet arrived, which is sad. It was one of several prizes posted the same day, one apparently arrived fairly quickly but the others didn't. I feel sorry for the ladies who organised the giveaway as it's not their fault, but I suppose these things happen from time to time.

Carol and her husband have a little teardrop trailer, we have our 12ft Nipper caravan - we don't need a huge RV to have fun. Kevin sometimes makes noises about getting a bigger caravan, more space could be useful.......but I must admit I have a soft spot for our little Nipper. The more space we have the more things we will take away with us, whether or not we need them.

"Accepting Hospitality A Sign Of Good-Will.
As eating with another under his roof is in all conditions of society regarded as a sign of good-will, those who partake of proffered hospitalities, only to gossip about and abuse their host and hostess, should remember, that in the opinion of all honorable persons, they injure themselves by so doing."

Now I am going to tinker around in my sewing room for a while, then get ready for the first choir practice of the new year. Have a lovely week!

Jennifer