When fun becomes a chore -- try something else

While the Bringing Home the Tree wall hanging did get some thread painting but not without a lot of effort.  I ran into a lot of problems the first night I tried -- the thread broke almost every time I took a stitch -- or at least it felt that way.  After an hour I went upstairs and read.  The next night I looked up which way round the spools of thread should go -- cross wound on the vertical pin and stacked on the horizontal.  That seemed to make things go much better.  Some thread conditioner also helped on the rayon spool.  On Saturday morning I continued to do some more thread painting but it started to feel more like a chore than something I was enjoying.  So I finished the tree I was working on and switched to something else

The something else was Bonnie Hunters Celtic Solstice Mystery.  I'm still working on part 1 & 2.  The link will take you to see the progress others have been making with this mystery.  On Saturday, I worked mostly on part 2 although I snuck a few part 1 pieces in as markers between the groups of 10.

Between Saturday and Sunday all the squares were added and the excess trimmed.  I haven't managed to throw the trimmings out yet but I expect they will end up in the garbage.  I don't really see myself turn these into little squares

A few pieces even got pressed and are waiting to be joined

The last few nights, the knitting started to call again so I've finished the 5th repeat of the Art Deco Shawl

It needs a total of 8 repeats and a lace edge so I'm getting there.

Tonight I went back to the thread painting.  It didn't feel like a chore tonight.  I finished the bridge and a snow bank.  I don't think it will all be done for Saturday morning but I should have more of it finished.

Also joining up with Esther Aliu's last WOW of the year.  Perhaps over the holidays I'll get back to some applique and pick the colours for those next shapes.