It is freakin' cold

It is colder than freezy frosty chilly.  Record-breaking cold temperature cold.  It is downright nasty out there, which is why I'm in here by the fire with coffee brewing.  I'm not silly. 

Progress on the rattled down jumper front:

The cable design is called, very imaginatively, 'Wide cable panel'.....which it is, being 20 stitches wide with eight rows for each pattern repeat.  That makes the centre panel 51 stitches wide, and it is progressing quite quickly.  I am hoping that the vertical panel will make me appear both slimmer and taller but I fear that, at my age and stage of life, both of those hopes are doomed to fail.

Oh well.  It will be warm, at least.

During the week I took my $10 birthday voucher, trotted off to the Big Fabric and Homewares Superstore (which I won't name because they don't pay me to advertise but Aussies will know who it is), and found Just The Very Thing for the backing of my green and blue quilt.

Different shades of green with some blue swirled in.  I had hoped to find a green and blue print but had no fixed preference as to design, although abstract was preferred to a realistic print.  This fits the bill nicely.  At quilt group yesterday I made the odd (slightly smug) comment that my challenge for the year was progressing well....it's coming along nicely, I said.....quite enjoying making it, I said.....

Some blocks have been made, and more have been cut.  A decision about binding is yet to be made but I am thinking perhaps a pieced binding, something I have never done before.  Quilting hasn't been decided on either - it may be sent out for quilting, or I may have a go myself.  This backing fabric would be a good one to try free-motion quilting from the back, wouldn't it?  I might think about that.  Maybe.

This morning's market gig went off well although I don't recommend singing early on a very cold morning; some of our higher notes were a bit thin.  Fortunately we were warm inside the hall; we had fun, and our audience said nice things to us and about us.  We suspect that some of them may have driven home singing "Seven little girls sittin' in the back seat....." so now you can all sing it too.

Diamonds have been joined.  Words have been read.  Stitches have been both knitted and sewn, as you see.  Words were plinked and sung.  Time has progressed in its usual way, and here we are at the end (or the beginning, depending on how your calendar is printed) of another week.

Am I the only person who finds it annoying that everywhere we go, every purchase we make - or so it sometimes seems - we are afterwards contacted and asked "How do you rate our service?"  I let those messages drift by me out to cyberspace somewhere, and ignore them.  If I have a problem, I will tell you.  If I am thrilled to bits about you, I will tell everyone I know how wonderful you are.  That's my best offer, take it or leave it.

Continuing on with Etiquette of the Street:

"Passing before a lady.

When a lady wishes to enter a house or room, if a gentleman accompanies her, he should hold the door open and allow her to enter first, if practicable; for a gentleman must never pass before a lady anywhere if he can avoid it, or without an apology."

That courtesy seems to be a thing of the past in many places, doesn't it?  Many gentlemen still hold the door, but not everyone does.

Enjoy your days!