Two finishes

I can't believe it yet, I have two finishes! First of all, Mary Wigham is completed with initials of my stitching friends.

And then the Sticklounge SAL Many Years Ago is completed too. Part 9 is done and I managed to do it before the deadline.

And then there is part two of the KAL Mystery  #29. On to part three!

Mary almost finished and a new KAL

Stitching on Mary has been my main pastime this week. She is almost finished now , so time to decide wether or not to stitch initials. I decided to stich them and as initials I wil take those of the girls that have been part of my life since I re-discovered needlework.

They listen to me, they stimulate me, they inspire me, they ah-and-oh with me and they are my companions in crime when I buy too much fabric of yarn LOL

The first set of initials is stitched. MS, in the center of the wreath of roses, top right. She deserves this place the most. Other initials are to be stitched random, as I love my friends equally ;)

Yes, a new KAL was annonced by Renee Leverington and of course I had to join! Two weeks ago, when I was in Germany on vacation, I bought the perfect yarn, a Zitron Filigran, colour Taiga. And now I can show the first part of this shawl-to-be, here she is: Whispering Grass.

So long, Marian

This was quite a week, with quite some things done! To start with a finish, the surprise I made for a friend is done. It's a shawl, Windsbraut Padua, a design by Monika Eckert. I used Zitron Filisilk.
Here it is, called So long, Marian. Do I need to tell you she was quite happy with it?

As I went by train to bring the shawl in person, I went to Astrids's Dutch Obsessions in Zwolle. I could not resist a beautiful yarn and pattern. On my way back I saw this:

And of course I stitched this week. May Years Ago part 8 is done! Only one part to go and it is a finish :)

Mary Wigham has two more ornaments. This might be a finish too this year!

And I have a small update on Vibrant Vista, a long lost visitor in my home.

Vacation

DH and I had a very relaxing week. We had a vacation in Germany, we rented a house (on the top of a hill) at the edge of a village,  and stayed there for a whole week! Away from work and all day stress (traffic noise in front of our house is getting worse and worse) we had a week of silence. No radio, no television, no phone, only our little trips in the neighbourhood, our books and my stitching and knitting.
I'll show some picture at the end of this post, for who is interested.

So, due to the hours we needed to get there I had some extra knitting time. And I decided Red Wine was the lucky one this time. So here she is, added more than two rows of flowers.

Many Years Ago part 7 is also done. 

And than there is Call of the Raven, I added at least 2000 stitches, so my goal for this month is reached again :) 

And here is the selection of some pictures of our vacation in  Germany.

Not much, only Mary ...

Hey there, Mary IS much! She is much fun to look at and  much pleasure to stitch. And there is a little progress again. The red- brown ornament is finished, another brown element too and a little pink bird is growing.

Besides stitching on Mary I am busy knitting. Knitting on a secret project, a lovely shawl for a special person. But of course I can't show progress here, for not spoiling the surprise element. I only can say I am more than halfway....

Red Wine and Mary

Don't worry, this title is not about Mary and red wine spoiled over her. You might know I love a glass of red wine in the evening. Consider it my nightcap :) Maybe that's why I named my new shawl Red Wine. Since evenings are getting colder I can knit this warm woolen shawl without sweaty hands, so there is progress.

There's also progress on Mary and I am careful with her, especially in the evening ;) So no coffee or wine stains yet, but a finished black ornament and a nearly finished brown one.

Many Years Ago has another part added too. Part 6 is done, three to go!
I still have difficulties with the fabric, there is much frogging involved. Ugh! But the result is what counts, so I keep stitching!

Forever Autumn, a gift and Mary

Forever Autumn is a finish! I finished the knitting last wednesday, so I blocked her and today I could see how she turned out. It definitely is a 'she', having little pearls all over the design.
I am not sure if I am happy with her. The design is great, the finish also, but I am not sure if the color fits me .... So I'll give her (and me) some time, to get used to each other. Ever made pictures of yourself in the mirror? 

Also wednesday, after a not so nice day at work, a gift came in with the postman. A sweet friend crocheted a lovely little project bag for me. We don't know each other in real life, only  via the internet, but that doesn't matter. There is friendship between us, that's what matters. 
And look what a lovely bag she made. I already use it, my new knitting project is in it :)
Thank you, dear friend!

And Mary. Mary and I become close. We are each others company several days a week now and it does good to both of us. The black ornament on the right is finished, the blue ond is added this week. Started a black ornament.