WOW 31st Oct 2012 with Esther Aliu www.estheraliu.blogspot.com 30

Yesterday I brought home several very dirty Afghan crocheted bed covers to wash, I did not look at them closely at the shop just asked one of the young girls to put them in the back of my car as I have pulled a arm muscle,  when I carried them in to wash I brought just a couple at the time and discovered a woollen one amongst them, I thought they were all made from synthetic yarn, I washed the other 3 by machine and they are now back in the car to return tomorrow, the woollen one I washed twice with woolmix then rinsed in hair-conditioner,

1/2 of a beautiful antique woollen Afghan I have just washed. Click on photo's to enlarge to see details.

this is the most darling of afghans, each square is about 2 1/2 inches except for the outer ones which are 2 inches only.

Lying on a double bed last night to finish drying with electric blankets on low!!!!!!

I have fallen in love with this throw, there is a lot damage but nothing I can not fix, several of the squares need replacing and a great deal of the seams need resewing but it will be worth every stitch. So with luck I will start making 1/2 dozen wee squares to replace the damaged ones today, there are round 500 tiny wee squares all up in this afghan.

Completely dry now and I have 19 squares to repair at least 6 to replace and lots of seams to redo but Ohhhhhh it will be worth it to have it again much loved for years to come. It reminds me of those lovely random square in a square quilts. Who ever made this planned this afghan it did not just grow, wool used was a 3ply from England I use to use this wool 40 years ago to knit baby clothes and little boys jumpers!!!! It only weighs 1 1/4 kilos squares are felted as I guess it has been machine washed in the past several times?????

Just before going to bed last night I popped the very large afghan in to the washing machine and this is what I have just hung out to dry!!!!

Wowwwww looking closer at it I realise it is wool , but it needs a lot more softener to bring it up as it still feels harsh so it is back in to soak and spin this morning; it has had a rough last few years where ever it was and so much dirt came out I can now see how beautiful it is. A round 5 squares need replacing and a few seams gone over again but in pretty good nick considering how badly it had been treated, even the dog smell and hairs have gone.

I have rinsed and added more softener to the afghan and it feels a lot better. I think this has been made by the same person who made the tiny square afghan above as again this has been designed not just a hotchpotch putting together of a afghan, you can see it now that I have hung most of it up for you to see in this photo. These squares have been made of double 4ply wool again it is very light for the size and will be a delight for many years to come now.

It is 8.30am and I have not left for the beach!!!!! You can see why above, I have been studying these afghans and learning about them.

Also I need to cut out a new arm for Annabelle

Annabelle Wishing by Michele. I still have the floating thistle heads to add above her and more wild daisies. I have also changed the back ground fabric from bright pink silk to a dark grey woollen fabric from a sleeve off a mans jacket!!!!! I have also changed my mind about a carry bag, they will become a muffs now as the girls who are receiving these wee Annabelle patchworks live in Switzerland and they will be perfect on those snow covered walks to Church on early Sunday mornings?????

as the other one I had cut out needed to be a slightly darker colour for a 3D look.  I have been spoilt and delighful new pattern of Annabelle  arrived today, she is sewing a blanket, I’m going to make a mini mini quilt to add so the next week is looking very busy as sewing and repairing goes. Annabelle is Michele’s baby, and you can see more on her at  http://www.xstitchalley.blogspot.com.au/

Our garden is sooooooooooo dry, when you walk out side the watering area of the section dust flies up around as you walk.  Gardiner continues to flourish and makes walking out side heady with their perfume. I pick one each morning for the kitchen and it fills the house as well. Broms

Broms standing up like sentries, they always add a tiny dash of colour around the garden all year around.

are still flowering they are such great plants up here in the tropics as the wild turkeys DON’T dig them up and there is allways one flowering some where in the garden. Our wee tadpoles

Those little black dots on the side of the water container are my tadpoles!!!!!!

are growing so fast, I have relocated many of them. Unfortunately the mossies are back so I have pulled the citronella burners

Gardiner

 flower sitting on the window ledge, and burners waiting to be refilled today for the front entrance.

out for the entrance to the house, I burn these there in the entrance and it keeps the mossies away from the fly-screen doors when they are constantly opened and closed.

Well it is now 9.30am and I should just be getting back from the beach and I’m still here????? If I go I will be able to swim this morning as it will be around 29C down there now?????

Just as I was leaving I saw the mint

and just had to pick it as the grasshoppers have discovered it, and they can eat the lot in a couple of days, it is now vitamized and in the fridge waiting to be boiled up when I get back to turn in to mint sauce???? Now after 10am!!!!

Now 2pm and just back from the beach and as I drove up the drive way I was hit by this wall of colour,

Wowwwww what a wall of colour????? It is now bone dry and much softer. SO I'm much happier with the feel but it has taken a tube of hair conditioner to get it there.

this is a amazing afghan the more I look the more I see and discover about it. !!!!

While down at the beach after brunch I went for a swim, the water is so warm you can just walk straight in!!!!! coming home I took photo of some of the trees down there.

Flowers 1/2 the size of the palm it self??????

seeds on another palm, One man could not pick this bunch up they are so heavy. It's funny but some of the seeds the birds eat the lot and on others they never touch them????????

Frangipani tree

Flame tree.

Don’t forget to link up with Esther at

http://www.estheraliu.blogspot.com

Cheers ALL Glenda