Isn't it a bit too hot to knit something in wool?

It is a very nice design and the embroidered panel looks good in the middle.

Looking great. They are all different patterns, aren't they?

Fantastic work, and growth as artists. The 'Beyond TAST' Running Stitch sample in the last picture is fab.

A bad or slow connection is so frustrating! It is really a waste of time! Your stitching is not slow, though! You have made great progress. The Kogin is perfect for Beyond TAST Running Stitch, isn't it?

I think you have. been more than busy. Unbelievable after all the work you had during the holidays. The sweater and cap are charming!

I hope. you will have many meetings, journeys and other opportunities to work this beautiful pattern. Silk thread, eh? Won't it fray....?

You have had a very active time over Christmas. Are your guest still visiting? Will they be around to celebrate new year, too? Keep up the good work!

You need a good serving of that Pavlova after your endeavors with the kayak.

I am also tempted to take part in the Beyond TAST challenge. Furthermore I want to check which TAST stitches I might have missed. I joined TAST in 2012 and have tried to add any odd stitches that was not part of the TAST that I did. My collection is now 155 stitches, but I am sure there are some I have missed.

It IS a busy time of the year, but it is also a chance to meet up with family and friends. Let's hope there will be time for a bit of everything!

That's a colourful lot! I think China is fast to dispatch parcels, but many countries are overwhelmed by the mass of mail after Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and can't distribute the parcels smoothly. There seems to be chaos in Sweden!

The prints are all charming and suitable for different age groups, too. Well spotted!

Printer ought to be a four-letter word! Printers really should go on a diet as well, the hunger for ink is draining the bank account!

What a lovely view from your apartment window! The print shows another nice view! Have a good time with your friends.

I agree with Rachel - avoid nylon thread at all cost! You are so quick, having finished the samples as well as the kits!

...but you will manage it all. You've been in tight spots before! Good luck!

Any work done by hand is hard and time consuming. To keep the tradition there must be meaning and some kind of profit in it. In Japan, craftsmanship is highly valued and we expect to pay for the amounts of labour and love that is put into making, e.g. a kimono. I hope, that in many other countries handiwork and handicraft will be valued so highly that it is really worth keeping up the traditions, while the country can move into the future. Otherwise these women will be kept back and trapped in poverty.

Your friends are lucky they could benefit from your trip! Every time you pass the picture on the stairs you will remember all your adventures!

I bought some Perle made in Romania, and it is the best perle I have ever used. You might love all your purchases and use up everything quickly,

Old medication can be doing you harm, just as food that has gone off can. I hope you will soon feel better and can use all the lovely threads you bought. The seabirds will be lovely quilts.

Welcome home. I hope you stayed safe most of the trip and had only that one meal problem. What a lot of impressions you must have had. The stitching done in the market looks colourful and attractive. I hope it is not just a tourist attraction, but that the tradition will go on. Looking forward to your future post.

Have a good trip, a safe adventure and blog when you can.

Prints with 'straight' lines or repeats will show up any little mistake. What a pity you had to redo this, but then again if you get homesick on your trip you can always read the names of your local area and feel good again! Have a safe trip.

What a beautiful garden - it could have been in Japan, so well is it made. Enjoy your trip and do things slowly!