Delighted Hands

Tourist Time

2012-01-28T20:45:00.000-05:00

We started the day pretty leisurely with a good knit and gab session at Mom and Dad's. I didn't have quite enough of either of these left over skeins but they worked together so I have enough to make a pair of socks for David! After lunch, we decided to go to the flea market in St. Augustine.

I found this ceramic fish figurine at one of the stalls. (about 7" tall)

And this was a find for only a few dollars.......it is about 16" tall and is sitting on my mantel right now!

I think it is made of plaster but it looks like wood and I will probably tweak the color after I look at it a while first!

As we came into Palatka, we decided to eat at Corky Bells. It was a perfect afternoon as you can see in this shot of the shoreline. It would be a great jigsaw puzzle!

See the happy, FULL, contented family photo! We went back to Dad and Mom's for some games, and Bob won both-he and Shelly have to travel back to NY tomorrow; we haven't heard word about the house purchase but do have high hopes for a good word on Monday!

House Hunting by Proxy

2012-01-27T20:15:00.000-05:00

Since we have been doing a lot of on the road stuff while looking for a house for my brother, simple knits have been our mainstay. I finished this pair of fingerless mitts from the alpaca I spun. The pattern is a a free one from Ravelry, Accidental Girlie Mitts with some changes in the thumb and palm.

I have also made some more of the frilly scarves.........

I just can't seem to stop making them!

Quilt Time

2012-01-24T21:54:00.000-05:00

We enjoyed some sewing time together today to make table runners. This pattern wasn't a very well written project-when I get over the irritation of it, I would rewrite the directions and change several steps to make it easier to piece! Sometimes things get more complicated than they need to be!

But Mom and I persevered and have two table runner tops to add to the quilting frame queue!! Mom's is the top one in the picture, hers was a kit, mine is from scraps in my stash.

Dad was busy painting the trim and outside walls.

Bill was up the chimney at our house revamping a firewall that the inspector said we needed!

Quotidian

2012-01-23T17:48:00.000-05:00

I just learned this word and it fits where I am at right now.........

Knitting and

time with my parents.........

A Rainbow!

2012-01-18T09:13:00.001-05:00

It is rare to get to see a rainbow in my part of Florida-there is little rain and by the time you get your camera, the conditions have changed and you missed it! Well, Bill called me outside this morning to see this one! We were just getting sprinkles but the sun was at just the right spot on the horizon and it shone brilliantly. Beautiful inspiration of color and love to last the whole day through!

Frill Seekers

2012-01-17T20:41:00.002-05:00

I have been enjoying having my parents nearby! We visit almost every day. Mom and I have done some sewing and knitting. I have finished this pair of silk fingerless mitts.

And started this pair of mitts from alpaca.

We even enjoyed a Ladies Knitting Day and learned how to make the trendy new frill scarves!

I finished mine in the evening and immediately started a second........

.....and then a third! Very fast and fun knit! It is wonderful to get together with friends!

Whirlwind Visit

2012-01-11T09:36:00.000-05:00

Last Friday I puttered in the sewing room waiting for the phone call to say my parents, brother and sister in law were almost here! They drove from NY to FL.

This is a Christmas gift from my kids-I had fun cutting out all the fabric so I can sew it all together again-you have to love quiting to understand this! It is going to be fun to arrange all the fabrics!

I also worked on the quilt on the frame for Millie.

Finally! The snowbirds arrive! The temperatures were in the 80's and just what they needed to thaw out.

On Saturday and again on Monday, we hit the Realtor trail-this is the guy inspection-

This is Shelly rescuing a downed cactus.......

....the ladies check out the view,

I check out the texture on the very tall sand pine tree~

We took a drive to find out how far they were from the ocean-10 minutes is manageable!

We got there just as the sun was setting behind us.

The light was very pretty on the water........

We stayed just long enough to see it slip low behind the clouds.

I am knitting up a fair isle vest (Corrie Vest) which is a kit from KnitPicks. It is fascinating to knit and see all the color magic going on under my needles!

Saying goodbye to Bob and Shelly last night was not the best part of this visit.......having Dad and Mom here now for the winter sure softens the blow!

Grout Grind!

2012-01-05T08:45:00.000-05:00

It was messy, and frustrating until I found my method but I love the results! I have a completed and functioning fireplace! Just in time for our three day freeze unfortunately!

See the improvement on the neckwarmer!!! All blocked and merrily on its way to Marsel!

I plied some more cotton-I amstill enjoying the process of spinning the cotton on the takli.

I finally finished the last of the men's suit samples quilt!

The quilting echoes the cool colors-Bill gave it a try last night-because it is fleece lined, it is very snuggly!

Bling is finally relaxing in the house-he goes in spurts of being a house cat for a few months and then transitions to an outside cat-he does not like winter , so we see him when the temps dip! I think he might be smarter than I thought.......

A new quilt from Millie is on the frame......

I have random flower pots all over the house to help them avoid the freezing temperatures-isn't this Italian spinach plant striking!

Mantel Masterpiece!

2012-01-02T22:09:00.000-05:00

I started in this morning setting the tile on the wall between the fire box and the mantel. It was a little trickier to lay tile on the wall but I got the hang of it after an hour or so! (No pun intended.)

See the pretty design in the top tiles? Tomorrow I will have to apply the grout between the tiles. I am sure it will be a mess in the making.......... Bill started a fire tonight because we are under a frost warning! We had to cover and move a ton of flowers to protect them.

All my work tired Nyki out! The fire sure is a feline magnet!

I did manage to get the neck warmer finished today..........it is now being blocked (overnight) and you will see a great improvement in the design and stitches when it is dry! (Even though this is acrylic yarn, I learned from my blog friend, Lynne, that acrylic blocks very nicely also-thanks for the information!)

And because words hold a special place in my heart.......here is a little lesson on the spelling of the word
mantel or mantle when referring to my fireplace! But the word mantle also refers to the outer crust of the earth, part of a bird's anatomy, or layer of a mollusk to name a few.......see why words can be wonderful! ( Further reading mantel or mantle. )

Closing Out 2011

2011-12-31T20:40:00.001-05:00

David enjoyed the job of crushing all the soda cans we emptied over our week of festivities! ( The price of aluminum has gone up enough to make it worth the saving. )

Abigail enjoyed Wizard of Oz while Marsel and I sewed on her new quilt. (We did finish all the blocks of an old one first!)

Civil War reproduction prints in a two block quilt. We worked out all the bugs so she can get to work on it at home!

Bill found a surprise while spraying to kill some ant hills...........forget the ditty about red and yellow kill a fellow-it takes too long; remember black head, you're dead! Bill has thumped it for my picture and then removed the head. It was 28" long-good sized for this deadly coral snake.

All the Christmas decorations are taken down and put away for another year. See how big the living room looks again! I will be working on the tiles around the fireplace this week!
The last of my visiting family left this morning. Always sad to transition to empty again.
But my brother and his wife are driving my parents down for the winter at the end of this week! Yippee!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T05:57:00.003-05:00

For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11

Our Christmas Day

2011-12-24T17:57:00.000-05:00

Crafts with the grandkids........

An abundance of sweets.........

Plenty of chairs around the dining room table

The fireplace mantel arrived in the knick of time!

A dip in the pool (74F) and lots of family time. Christmas 2011 is memorable on every level.

Home Sweet Home

2011-12-19T21:46:00.001-05:00

We worked at making the rooms into home again! Fresh bedding and curtains, no dust in the rooms!

The room looks more spacious with the hardwood floors-wonderful! The picture over the bed is an aerial photograph of our farm in NY. Bill worked on restoring all the lights/fans and the switch plate covers and then we worked to heft all the furniture in place-can you say Ibuprofen?!

The dining room is more formal than I have ever enjoyed previously-very nice to have room for all the furniture now. This set was my in-laws, they bought it when they got married in the 1940's. Cool, huh?!

The china cabinet is filled with my mother-in-law's teacups and fancy dishes. Very nice to give it all a good clean and rearrange it tonight! (The cats added their own decorating touch-that is a turkey feather on the floor!)
A few minor touches is all we have to do tomorrow-like shave 3/8" off the bathroom and bedroom doors because the new floor added just enough to render them inoperable! It is so worth it!
I am almost ready for my family to start arriving!!!!!!!!! Well, actually, they could arrive anytime and I would be ready for them!

I am Floored!

2011-12-17T19:43:00.002-05:00

This morning I applied the grout to the hearth. It was messy work but looks so good when you are done! Bill has tile accents planned for more places in the house-he really likes it , too!

While the men were busy laying the floor, I had to go into town and this caught my eye. The price was right and I became the proud owner! It is fully functional, too, and will be great for demonstrations and home use!
I got all the parts in the car to bring it home but the wheel itself is 52" wide and wouldn't fit in my Toyota! Bill went back and brought the wheel back in his truck! I will be practicing my cotton spinning on this!

We have floor!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The hall to the dining room from the breezeway-Nyki is testing it out.

JD is making good use of the dining room floor-the cats are very glad to say goodbye to the fast moving, busy, loud workermen! See how nice the floors flow into the kitchen (right) and the family room (left)?

The hall to the guest room. So pretty and open now! I am just thrilled with this, can you tell?!

It looks so inviting from the front door! It has been quite the marathon of renovation but this is a big hurdle!
By Monday morning, Bill and I should have the energy to move all the furniture back into place! Good Night!

Color My World!

2011-12-16T22:36:00.000-05:00

I slept late this morning because I woke up with another head cold. I loaded up on the ibuprofen and got to work! I needed to get to use the tile saw to lay the tile on the fireplace hearth. Today was the day.

I had a few glitches but got the rhythm finally and look forward to laying out the rest of the tiles on the wall when the mantel and surround gets installed-they promised me it would be here soon! I will be applying the grout tomorrow. It was hard to work on the floor-it is not as easy to do that anymore....

Bill worked all day spraying the primer on all the new sheet rock. When that finally dried, we began to roll on the new room colors! It went well considering it has been a long day! This is the guest room. A tropical blue that matches the pool which you see out the window!

The hall is the same color as the dining room-Sherwin Williams Comfortable Cream-it is golden which I wanted and almost a beige which thrills my husband! We both love it.

This room gets the morning sun and it will just glow.

The hall will shine now, too, as there is only one small window, this will make the space more light and open.

We had the marathon of painting today because the men come back tomorrow to lay the flooring!

In between coats, I did a little knitting.

And a little spinning-the bottom bobbin is my before bobbin and the top one is my new and improved work-I see progress. (Progress being smoother, thinner and less lumpy!) I am enjoying the cotton finally!

I sewed some little gift bags-I think the pattern is from Hannelore Nunn from TheQuiltShow.com

Textures

2011-12-15T19:43:00.001-05:00

The doorways are all taped off and mobility is definitely impaired around here!

The cats were very confused with our new traffic patterns!

This morning when I had to walk around the front to the garage to come in the back way to my sewing room-I had a moment of panic that it was taped off, too! The guys took the extra time and made it able to be opened for me! Now that is kindness! (The cookies I feed them helps their disposition, too!)

I was able to finish the stocking marathon! Bill and I already have ours, Marsel made ones for her family and is bringing them and now everyone else is represented! Now all we need is the fireplace mantel!

After lunch, I did some more on the quilt-and I did a lot of lay down time because I have come down with another cold!

This is why the guys had the new rooms closed off-they sanded everything and then used their sheet rock sprayer to apply texture to all the new surfaces!

I received a huge box of fabric from a blog friend, Benita, and the cats immediately inspected the emptied box! She has two new kitties who sent feline messages to my guys! Thank you so much for the additions to my fabric stash-I need another shelf just for your yardages!

We have Walls!

2011-12-12T21:37:00.000-05:00

The men got to work early this morning and for the most part, I just stayed out of their way in my sewing room! I want to make some crazy patch Christmas stockings and so to to work. (I had embroidered the centers on Saturday with the other embroidery work.)

I just add strips in the sew, flip, press order until I have covered the interfacing pattern then press all the strips down.

Turn over my work and trim.

Next comes the embroidery steps-I used a variegated thread so I didn't change that the whole time-

but I did use all those stitches that usually get ignored by quilters!

PuffDaddy helped me through all the steps as usual-he did not like the noise the men coming in and out generated, either!

The dining room has all of its sheet rock up, the sliding glass door is patched and so is the ceiling!

The back bedroom has the walls patched and the place where the window used to be is also history!

Here is the biggest change-the hall coming into the dining room from the breezeway/garage. This has always been an open area as far as insulation/lumber and it is nice to see it enclosed! (The doorway on the right in the hall is where my sewing room is!) The sheet rock mud has to dry for 24 hours so the men will not be back until Wednesday to spray the walls and ceiling with texture mud! I will work on the stockings again tomorrow to turn all those crazy patches into their useable shapes!

Rain Check and Work

2011-12-12T09:09:00.001-05:00

Saturday evening Caleb and Cassandra came for Caleb's delayed birthday visit!
We had a great time, thanks to both of you for sharing your time!

Yesterday, just before they left, they helped us empty the back bedroom

and the dining room.

This will be the last shot of the rooms before their overhaul! The men are here working as I blog this!

All the furniture is in the breezeway for now! The cats are handling the chaos pretty well.

Saturday Accomplishments

2011-12-10T18:34:00.000-05:00

We put the dining room back in order for a few days to see how the new layout would work.

So nice to have traffic flow in the room now.

Bill had to fill the cement blocks with cement so the flooring can go down next week.

Nice to have all the jobs ticked off his list!

I spent a lot of time in the kitchen and the sewing room today. I haven't done any embroidery in a long time but after a few false starts, put everything in motion again.

I plied some more cotton yarn while waiting to change thread colors of the machine embroidery-this cotton was picked from the bolls, separated from the seeds and then combed by me-it is a bit lumpier than the processed roving but it turned out nicely. Boiling will have to wait until next week!

I sewed two pillowcases for some young friends' birthdays tomorrow.

And I loaded up the last of the men's suit sample quilts. This one is backed with polar fleece, too.

The embroidery off the machine-this is for a friend who saw this tote for sale but the word Grandma needed to be replaced with Nana for it to be appropriate for her family! Nice to be able to do the embroidery again!
I don't know why some skills get pushed to the back burner for a while!

I knitted up the cotton sample for the FiberBinderClub-I am pleased to say that the notebook is all complete for 2011 and I am ready for next year!

I made one dishcloth this evening while I wait for Caleb and Cassandra to arrive for a visit!

The Christmas cactus add a festive touch to the front door.

The poinsettias are doing their thing just in the nick of time! So pretty!

I helped Bill put up our ice cycle lights! Marsel gave these to us last year but they never made it up-I like this kind of ice cycle very much and am grateful there is only a 1% chance of real ones for my Christmas this year!

Preparation

2011-12-07T09:07:00.003-05:00

I learned how to use my Takli spindle! For my fiber this month from FiberBinderClub it was FoxFibre brown cotton so I knew I had to stretch my spinning skills and try the little spindle again! Well, when I threw out the 'it isn't wool....' mentality, the right skills kicked into gear and I thoroughly enjoyed a good spin!

I wound the singles from the spindle onto one of my weaving bobbins so I could spin the second half of the cotton roving.

Then plied them onto my larger Kundert spindle so all the fiber would fit..........how do you like my bobbin holders?! Knitting needles and an old shoe box worked great!

I have a 33yard skein of cotton yarn!

Next, it is recommended to boil the yarn to enhance the color and to set the yarn. The smell was very much like tea-the color in the pan was like tea, too. I wonder if it is tannic ? (This cotton is not dyed, it is grown in this brown color so the water is not tinted with dye but with the very color of the cotton itself which is why I think it might be tannic like black walnuts.)

As long as I was boiling cotton, I got out my previous projects and yarn-boiled it and hung it out to dry.

The yarn is very soft and the color is just a bit deeper.

We are going to finish this little hall to the breezeway after all-Bill just has to frame this and he is finished with his part! We are very close to the finish line!!!!

Bill had to prep the sliding glass door for sheet rock finishing.......

He had to frame and then secure all the new wires for outlets, thermostat, etc. We are ready to roll!

The cats have been playing with a box.......when they are not doing this---->

Naughty, Nyki!

Speaking of Time Crashing By...

2011-12-05T12:02:00.001-05:00

I read this yesterday, Job 7:6a

"My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle...."

Job had obviously watched a weaver to know this and apply it so aptly.

Here is a video that shows a weaver's dance........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tg2ZqO1X-Qs

she starts out slowly and then gets it going, just like our days.

(Video by Laura Fry on YouTube)

Another Week Rushes By...

2011-12-02T19:55:00.001-05:00

This is a potted plant on our porch, it is 6 feet tall and we were alerted to its bloom by the incredibly sweet aroma.

Iit bloomed all week and smelled just wonderful! It blooms at night and the moths were very attentive.

How could we know it is December without a calendar? The robins ! Such a flurry of activity as they eat the many berries and enjoy picking through the green grass for bugs.

Another harbinger of December, the camellia bushes are in bloom!

The Christmas cactus is also in bloom!

On the renovation front, Bill has made a lot of progress this week.

He removed the fan/light and put in a new box just 12 inches over but now in the center of the room.

This is all the attic space he has to maneuver in but he did it!

This is the temporary light so he can see to work on the walls....

New studs are up and the new electrical boxes are going in -tomorrow sheet rock will cover up all this week's work!

In between clean up and gopher work, I have finished quilting Mom's quilt.

It is just so pretty-I have folded it up so she can finish putting the binding on it when she comes down for the winter!

I loaded another quilt, this one is an old quilt top that needed to be given life as a quilt! It is moving right along!

I have a lot of Christmas knitting going on...........I have tweaked the color so I won't give the particulars away!

And today, I put out all the Christmas decorations! (Still waiting for the fireplace mantel but it is coming!)

He Asks and She Says Yes!

2011-11-26T21:39:00.002-05:00

Through a series of circumstances, Bill and I had the privilege of going to the beach today and setting the scene for Caleb's proposal to his girlfriend, Cassandra! The treasure box in the middle of the heart is engraved with her name, inside is a bottle with a love letter.

After we set the stage, we had to guard it until they happen to wander by! Lots of oohs, and ahhs! (and photos)

I had raced up to the pier to get the photographs without being seen-Bill ran and hid by others on the beach.

There are no words to express my joy at witnessing this............

She said yes, by the way!

They are still smiling and so are we!

Every kiss begins with Kay.............

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T08:03:00.001-05:00

How great is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear You, which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You, before the sons of men! Psalm 31:19

We are spending the day with Matthew and Caleb and Cassandra's family in Live Oak-what a blessing to get to meet her family!

I am hoping your day is filled with family and giving thanks!

Demolition

2011-11-22T20:12:00.000-05:00

We will be working to renovate the second half of the interior of the original house; hoping to have a big chunk of it done before the Christmas company comes! Bill works well with a deadline. First on the list is removing this closet to expand the dining room.

I began the week removing all the molding around the room-floor and doorways.

Bill began by peeling back the sheet rock and the door way!

Each of the blocks have to be knocked out and hauled out. It is messy and dusty but the only way to accomplish our goal.

This is the closet that used to house our air condition/heat unit but that was moved last year so the closet was no longer needed.

As of tonight, most of the wall is gone.........

and it sure looks better all cleaned up! The little bit of wall left will be finished tomorrow morning. What a difference a mere 24 square feet can make to a room!

See how it opens up the dining room even from the family room view! So much more light and the traffic flow will be much more navigable!

In between jobs for me, ie clean-up, I worked on piecing the men's suit samples which has been on the design wall for months! My queue continues to grow for the quilt frame!

I also couldn't resist carding up a bit of the alpaca and spinning a little-sheer luxury! I will most likely use a good portion of this yarn in a shawl, or two!

A Wonderful Fiber Day

2011-11-19T20:01:00.001-05:00

Today was a perfect day for a fiber festival! Bill drove me to the festival and then went to some of the seminars after helping me unload all the supplies and displays.

This is a small town event , their third year for this and a nicer group of people you could never meet! there was a constant flow of people and tons of interests for our learning. A great family event to mark on your calendar for next year!

Marcia on the left, owner of the Alpaca farm, Breath of Heaven and on the right a new friend who is learning to spin, Dee. Great day spent sharing spinning and knitting!

These guys were the hit of the booth, and they made the most delightful conversation all day! I came home with a beautiful fleece from one of their herd mates! You will be seeing more of that in the near future.

We ended the day with a great meal with a gift certificate meal!

A New Quilt

2011-11-18T19:32:00.000-05:00

I brought this quilt back from our NY trip, it is a quilt top Mom made. I got it ironed and then loaded on the frame so I could hit the quilting trail.

The quiting is dense but dainty-perfect for this quilt and just what it needs to set off the pastel blocks!

I caught this guy, PuffDaddy, this morning-I had put out their food and had not covered the rest of the can yet-------->he didn't want to eat with the others on the floor, I guess he preferred self-serve!

Hobbies

2011-11-18T08:27:00.002-05:00

I finished the quilt for my neighbor, so nice to have the machine in top condition again!!!

A lovely panto of paisley.

Finished the pair of mittens and have cast on the ear band to match.

I didn't get greasy once on my day's activities......unlike my spouse-

Bill's latest project-it needs a little work but that kept the price in the manageable rate!

Home Time

2011-11-16T21:42:00.000-05:00

Bill started the day doing a chore for me............my quilting frame had worn in the center of the rails to the point of unusable and I asked him if he could grind it smooth again for me. After working for a while he had a brilliant idea-to turn the rails (two make up the length of the frame) so the worn spot would be to the ends instead of the center and so we took it apart and switched them , tightened up all the bolts and the frame is better than new! I was so excited to have it fixed, there are no words! Needless to say, I spent several hours making up for lost time in the afternoon! (This is one of Millie's quilts)

I needed some light grey yarn for a new project-so I dyed three skeins of this natural colored wool-and voila, just what I need! It is good to be able to provide for yourself! I am my own best customer!

Travel Time

2011-11-15T21:34:00.001-05:00

Hard to drive away after such a great visit.......but we loaded up and headed for home this morning.

A knitter measures miles by how much she is able to knit..............

I got 8 hours of knitting accomplished for the drive home.
Fell asleep in my chair a little after 8-travel is harder work than watching grandchildren!!!

Making the Day Last

2011-11-14T21:23:00.001-05:00

Monday started with a wonderful visit from two mamas and their offspring in the yard eating acorns.

Marsel and I spent a good chunk of the day working on a quilt-she was the seamer and I did the pressing! So nice to spend time with my daughter, too!

Abigail and I worked on a craft; this is a kumihimo braided friendship bracelet kit. We looked up the directions on YouTube and then set to work. She had several inches done in no time!

The day closed out with a great meal, story book with the kids and then a game of Wahoo with the guys who conquered the evening 2-1............thank you for the great week!

Filling Every Minute!

2011-11-12T20:55:00.001-05:00

Abigail wanted to start out the morning by using her new yarn, knitting and watching a movie, so out with the needles, pop in Sound of Music and knit we did! She just knuckled down and loved it! We knit all three hours of the movie!

Next we went to work to finish our craft project. Voila! Two candle holders for the Thanksgiving table.

After lunch, we set up our sewing station and Abigail made her doll a skirt;

David made sleeping bags and pillows for his guys. I was ready to drop but it was only 2:30!

We knit some more, and played games after supper and baths.......I am sorry to report the guys took the trophy for the Wahoo game tonight!

First Hand Grandparenting

2011-11-11T21:48:00.000-05:00

We started out the morning with some craft time! We used the little Sculpey cookie cutters to cut out some fall leaf shapes,

laid them out on the tray to bake and will continue part two tomorrow.

Bill and David got ready to head out to the golf course while

Abigail and I visited our neighborhood Knitting Shop!

We picked out some yarn and had a wonderful perusal of all things fiber!

We enjoyed a McDonald's lunch and some play time.

We ended the evening with popcorn and soda and another rousing game of Wahoo and just so I am honest in chronicling the day-the girls are ahead 2-0.........yippee! (I look tired but it is just my 5th attempt at getting the camera to take a timed shot of us and we weren't getting along!)

Arrived Safe and Sound

2011-11-09T20:49:00.002-05:00

Traffic was light and the colors were beautiful on our trip to Bruce and Marsel's.

The girls gave us a concert while Bill took a nap and

David and I did puzzles.

And I got a lot more knitting done on the trip without a cat on my lap!

Grandparenting

2011-11-09T07:37:00.001-05:00

Bill and I are headed north to Bruce and Marsel's for a week of one on one with the kids so they can go to a church retreat.

The cats are all home this time, in the capable hands of Millie, my neighbor.

The crafts are packed so I get some creative time with the kids. (Hip to be Square loom)

Bill will pack his clubs to spend some time with David on the greens.

I have my knitting in the bag- it is the first thing to go, you know!

Hope to have pictures to share from there!

Wool Play

2011-11-08T16:37:00.000-05:00

My fiber for this month is Coopworth. The locks are long and curly and soft!

It was a perfect opportunity to try out the combs as the fiber is too long for my carder.

Beautiful little nests of soft fiber results!

A dream to spin, and oh, so lustrous!

I recorded my info, set my sample of yarn in its appropriate place and then knit up my swatch with the rest of the yarn.

My binder is really shaping up! It has been a great year of learning and experiencing different fibers!

Conquering UFO's

2011-11-07T10:43:00.000-05:00

I finished weaving all three of the waffle weave dishcloths with my gifted cone of cotton thread.(16" x 32")

I cut them apart and hemmed them. (I run a line of water soluble glue between the towels while on the loom so it is easy to cut them apart without fraying now!)

They immediately go in a load of laundry and then the dryer-I wish you could feel how thick and cushiony these towels are! Just a huge success! The thread is a #5 cotton I think so it is thicker than the #8 I used before. The shrinkage was considerable, too, as the finished towels are now 13" x 23 which is why you always allow extra for your dimensions when weaving!

Bill and I marked out the area where the hearth will be sitting......

and Bill cut out the flooring. All ready for the inspector tomorrow! Now if only we would hear from the mantel company!

Almost finished with one of David's mittens.....ready to begin the second! It is so warm and humid out right now, it is hard to remember that it is going to be cold again someday!

Building Up Steam

2011-11-02T09:17:00.001-04:00

I was able to finish the Quant to match the mittens for my grand daughter-she will love to be wrapped in the pastel rainbow!

I actually spent some time in the sewing room-it has been too long! I loaded up this quilt my neighbor pieced and got the quilting done all in one day! I am pleased with my increased stamina levels!

The borders have a parade of circus animals dancing around the edge!

I am almost done with the rainbow skittles socks for grand daughter and have the next skein of yarn ready to cast on for grandson's mittens!

And if you remember the story of The House That Jack Built, then you will understand what Bill has been doing; free insulation for his garage but he had to buy a trailer to haul it............
(He will be selling his old junk trailers to offset the cost of this one!)

Silent Endeavors

2011-10-29T19:29:00.000-04:00

I am down with a sore throat and head cold. I am moving slowly and silently. I got up to do a little spinning-this was a sample sent to me from a friend, it is several shades of silky llama. (25 yards of fingering weight yarn)

And in between naps, I finished the mittens for my grand daughter. They are ssssooooo soft!

Dressing Up

2011-10-26T17:31:00.000-04:00

I was on a roll to dress out the two looms I own; the rigid heddle is here with some black and red variegated in tencel thread, being woven in hounds tooth pattern.

My estimate of twenty minutes left to thread the loom turned into 4 hours but it is DONE and I remember why I haven't warped it in so long.........Every that could have gone wrong-did: mistake in the reed, mistake in the threading, goof in the stripe area-more threads on one side than the other, and tangling threads......I am putting it out of my mind because I am in the good place-the weaving! I have woven 10 inches of waffle weave dish towel this afternoon. The thread is size 3 slub cotton with stripes in left over cotton that was gifted to me from my friend-she found the cone of thread at a garage sale.

You can see the texture potential as you weave but it will really bloom after it is washed and dried.

I finished knitting the hat I started the other night while sitting by the fire. It has cabling on four sides, and ate a bit more yarn than I thought it should but that is what happens when you knit with garter stitch; this will most likely be gifted.

It is knit in a bulky yarn from KnitPicks, 100% wool so no washer/dryer for this hat. (Pattern is free from Tahki Stacy Charles, Shelter Island Cabled Hat)

I drew out a new pattern for the mittens and know this one will be just right on every level! The yarn is a single ply of wool, extremely soft and fluid. (Mini Mochi yarn) Lovely to work with now that I got the bugs worked out!

It's a Frame Up

2011-10-25T19:12:00.000-04:00

Bill is framing the outside area of the fireplace so he can call for an inspection this week.

I started a pair of mittens for my grand daughter and had to rip it all out for two reasons; the colors started to parallel each other so I lost my contrast and it was too narrow! I have redrafted , ripped out and will cast on again tonight with more stitches!

I am mad at myself for ignoring my loom all year so I counted off a warp this morning and throughout the day have gone in and dressed the loom. Most of my dislike of warping is the back-breaking work of threading so I decided to lift it onto the bed (thanks, Bill!). Now I do not have to bend to reach the area I need-bonus, the cats thought it was a great adventure!

I only have a few threads left and then I will be weaving tomorrow! Now that part I enjoy! (This will be a set of waffle weave dish towels.)

I have quite a pile of quilt tops that are calling me, too. I brought home one from my Mom she has recently made and an old top a friend inherited that needs to be completed; the others are from my neighbor! Under the pile is a collection of fat quarters that are calling me to put them in a quilt also!

What can you do with an empty salsa jar, Popsicle stitcks, raffia and 'leaves' and a hot glue gun? How about a candle holder just in time for the Autumn season! Very satisfying to start, finish and enjoy a quick craft!

The Home Fire is Burning

2011-10-22T19:33:00.000-04:00

Bill is working on getting the fireplace to the inspection stage and a test fire for the fireplace attracted a knitting wife and all four cats! I am busy designing an oak surround and mantel for the fireplace-we have picked out the tiles already!

PuffDaddy kept close watch on the sparks-he was quite mesmerized while the other cats settled right down for a nap!

I am knitting a free pattern using chunky yarn from KnitPicks. This cold snap will pass in a few days but it sure feels good to have the fire going in the living room-I have wanted a fireplace for all of our 34 years! Some dreams just never lose their appeal. (No, the wood stove doesn't count-it isn't a fireplace, you know.)

Recap of Family Trip to NY 2011

2011-10-20T17:55:00.000-04:00

Sun rise from the plane leaving Jacksonville.

Leaf colors in NY .

Dad's losing battle with falling leaves! (our rental car)

My immediate family at the wedding reception at Justin's in Dewitt.

My siblings and parents! (My brother's oldest son was the groom!)

Bursting the seams at Dad and Mom's house!

My knitting and snacking project for the trip! A perfect match!
A wonderful gathering!

Family Gathering!

2011-10-12T07:00:00.001-04:00

All family members are on their way today and tomorrow for my nephew's wedding and family get together in Phoenix, New York! Let the family time begin!

Rainy Day Activities!

2011-10-10T09:06:00.000-04:00

It has been a rainy weekend-very unusual for us to have rain all day let alone three days in a row! Bill mixed up some cement to fill in the hole where the old power line pole used to be.

It filled in nicely and then cooler weather gave it some good drying time.

I was digging around in the sewing room and found this pile of preprinted Autumn vests which I cut out,

I pulled the linings out of the stash and had fun putting these to rights all day.

I think this one is my favorite. I like the scenery.

I finished this pair of Nordic mittens for Bruce-I enjoyed this knit so much

I immediately started another pair!

(Bruce's pair is a free pattern from Ravelry called Andalus Mittens and the new pair is called Icewine Mittens.)

A week Ago

2011-10-10T08:35:00.000-04:00

Caleb brought his girlfriend to meet us last Monday, and we spent the day getting to know each other. My camera batteries were dead-I borrowed Caleb's camera, my computer wouldn't download his pictures, he left his camera at Cassandra's house, I just got them from his FaceBook page-talk about crazy-but the day was just perfect so here is the record just a week late!

We had fun spotting gators and enjoying the beauty of the ride.

Caleb did a bit of this until the old skis left a blister on his foot! He only fell once this time!

We enjoyed a great meal together on the patio of Corky Bells.

This bench is a tradition now for pictures!

Isn't this egret majestic? There were many birds hunting along the shore .

And several in the air! They race along side of the boat and then finally go up above the trees.

We finished the day with some table games and a very grateful heart for God to bring a wonderful friend into my son's life!

Our Week

2011-10-07T08:29:00.000-04:00

Bill was able to burn the two large brush piles out back-they burned right down to nothing! The camphor tree gave off its Vicks aroma for two day!

I actually spent some time in the sewing room! I quilted the striped table runner and put the binding on, too.

I used the oak leaf pantograph. It is already in use!

I started a new pair of mittens........nice to work on in down time and not because I am too sick to do anything else-I highly recommend feeling good!

Two stranded knitting moves right along.

One done........men's size this time, palm side.

This is the back of the hand side. The mate is already on the needles!

Quant Comparison

2011-10-01T20:46:00.000-04:00

I ripped this Quant out because I did it in garterlac for an experiment and while the colors look fantastic, I was losing the dimension of the entrelac stitches soo.........

I like the entrelac version (stockinette stitch instead of garter stitch) MUCH better! A pair of Norwegian mittens are on the needles now............

Beach Therapy

2011-09-30T21:09:00.000-04:00

I woke up feeling like I am returning to my energetic self today! About time! I hung this sliding glass door blind this morning while Bill did an oil change, and then I packed a lunch for us and we headed to the beach!

When we got to the beach, we discovered we did not have the lunch!! Off to our favorite beach restaurant!

We were able to drive onto the beach today, conditions are not always good enough for us to do this but it was a treat for us today! The tide was going out when we got parked- perfect conditions abounded-hardly any people, excellent temperature , sunshine, and breeze and shells.

We walked and lounged and let the ocean air clean out my sinuses! It felt so good to be at the beach.
As the tide continued receding, there was a tidal pool and a sand bar right in front of us that we enjoyed exploring. The two sets of waves were fascinating to me!

The clouds gave just the right amount of comfort, changing the water from light to dark blue today. We saw several dolphins but I couldn't get to the camera in time to catch a photo.

The dolphins and the pelicans were feeding on schools of mullet just beyond the waves-very fun to watch them swoop down for a catch!

There were lots of crabs and scurrying in the tidal pools and lots of these miniature volcanoes from the mussels under the sand.

The sunset on the drive home was spectacular-a perfect close to a great day.

When we got home, we found the picnic lunch right where we had left it!

Stitching

2011-09-29T19:52:00.001-04:00

I made a Quant, an entrelac headband with some left over bfl yarn. It has a very nice subtle color change.

So, I took some more bfl left over yarn and made on with the garter stitch entrelac. It was faster to make but it used more yarn and lost the woven look of the entrelac. I like the contrast of the colors too much to waste the yarn!

I have ripped out the garterlac Quant and will reknit it-I can because I am the Knitter! (Nyki helped to unravel the knitting-you can only imagine how much help she was!)

Smoke Signals

2011-09-27T11:50:00.002-04:00

Bill cut the roof out for the fireplace chimney! A perfect cut!

Of course, it will all have to be framed in, but it is installed and almost ready for inspection.

I knit these fingerless mitts from some mohair I had spun several years ago. Very heavy, soft and warm!

I also used the alpaca I spun last year to knit these mitts-a free pattern from Ravelry called Diamond and Feather Mitts. I did have to make quite a few changes but that is typical of this knitter. They are very, very soft. I am sure I will get to use them when in NY next month!

The cats like the incomplete rug already-and they lie right on the warmest spot, too!

Even though the temperatures are still very warm, the first signs of fall are all around us. There are thousands of acorns on the laurel oak tree. (No, I am not feeling tons better yet, the medicine is helping but I feel like I am only a shadow of my real self.........)

Third Time's the Charm

2011-09-23T17:06:00.001-04:00

It has been a hard week again, I finished the sock knitting which aren't needed until next week for a birthday surprise. The variegations gave two very distinct patterns for the socks-so much fun to knit!

While digging in the sewing room for a 'lost' project, I rediscovered this hooked rug in progress. I enjoyed working on this yesterday, enjoying the rain and not moving much! My present mode of existence! The strips are cut 1/8" narrow so it is slow work but it is relaxing and not too taxing-just right for my mental status!

I gave in and went to the doctor's again today, some steroids, a shot of antibiotic and a bottle of the same, I hope to be gaining on this drama. I also went in for x-rays of my head-keep the jokes to yourself, I am not in a frame of mind to laugh yet, to determine if there are polyps which is the cause of the sinus pressure. Will get the results on Monday. I am being grateful for the medicine to help me make this sinus adventure a thing of the past!

Birthday Boy! (man?)

2011-09-19T22:52:00.001-04:00

Drove up the Matthew and Caleb's house so we could spend the day with Matthew for his birthday!
Bill and Matthew took off to try a new golf club nearby and I plopped on the couch-my new station in life!

I worked on this pair of socks. And when the guys got home, they grilled some steak and shrimp (which the boys had caught them selves last week!) and it was ready just as Caleb got home from work!

After stuffing ourselves on our feast, we took a short drive to the beach.

I am grateful for so much......

A passerby took this for us!

We ended the day with a rousing game of cards in which Matthew lost the most-lot's of laughs. I do love my family!

World Wide Spin in Public Day!

2011-09-17T18:58:00.000-04:00

And I am home in my pajamas.......not feeling well enough to venture outside. So , I did some spinning in the living room watching Bill work on the fireplace! I spun the silk mawata that was this month's Fiber Binder Club.

Once I got the speed up on the wheel so there was enough twist to hold the silk together, I did alright spinning the silk. Just a slight learning curve because it isn't wool! Unfortunately, when I was finished with the small amount of fiber, I had a blister on my thumb! I guess I was spinning fast enough to give myself a friction blister! I ended up with 76 yards of two ply yarn-very pretty!

Bill loaded the fireplace on the forks on the tractor so he could move it from the garage to the other end of the house to set it by the hole in our wall! It weighs a couple hundred pounds and I was no help!

Ta da! Almost log ready! Well, not really but it is nice to imagine it ready for a fire! Most of the work will now take place outside to put the pipe up through the roof. (We have to have the surround and mantel made for finishing the inside-I think some tile around the firebox, too.)

Pretty slim clearance on the porch, too, we are glad it still leaves lots of room to walk around! Bill will be boxing it in and doing the stucco finish to match the house, in the future....

The fingerless mitts are a set! These are fraternal, too! It is a good test for me to wear them when they don't match exactly-I struggle with symmetry issues, you know!

Steps Ahead and Backwards........

2011-09-16T19:17:00.000-04:00

I have a pair of bfl hand spun socks! Soft and silky!

On Wednesday, I was feeling good and began doing some work in the hall-building out the two by fours so they will be flush with the existing wall (used to be garage space) so it can be sheetrocked.

Bill got the inside work done and placed the plywood over the hole so he could work outside.

He has a cement saw to cut through the stucco.

The reciprocating saw did the fine tuning for the cut.

Bill got the base built on the outside, too! The sunset is shining on the fireplace hole so that it looks like there is a blaze going already!

I woke up with another terrific headcold! I feel miserable again! This is getting to be a vicious cycle! I didn't feel up to hammering on the sheet rock project so I peeled these sand pears. They are not a variety that you can eat fresh off the tree-they have to be cooked to be edible-they are hard as a rock and stay that way until cooked!

I have found my favorite way to eat them is to cook them down into a sauce-like applesauce-delicious!

I have a new project on the needles, the second fingerless mitt of this pattern found on KnitPicks called Belladonna. The cuff is worked around, seamed and then you pick up stitches for the hand. I made some changes (don't I always?!) but it is a nice pattern. The yarn is the last of the hand spun BFL.

A Stitch and Day Two Fireplace

2011-09-13T22:11:00.000-04:00

Bill got the insulation pretty much removed, cut out the 2 x 6's and ran into a little glitch with wiring.
Where there is a will, there will be a way! He thinks he has a plan!

I am working a pair of plain socks in the blue faced leicester wool I spun in July. I am well on the way of the second sock, too; I have turned the heel and begun the ribbing-the yarn is so soft and silky-a real delight to knit! The color is working up nicely also-very pretty but the two socks will not match exactly-a good exercise for me!

Getting Back My Full Stride

2011-09-12T18:49:00.000-04:00

PlanetPatchwork had a mystery quilt on Saturday, so I dug out some scraps and got to work . They release a clue an hour so you have time to finish each one before the next-fun! I did not get to finish this because I need some orange/blue batik for the border and I didn't have any scraps that would do it justice. The JoAnns list has one new item on it! (Each block is 11 1/2" and it is dimensional-the blue strips and the blue squares are folded and sewn in so that they stand out even when pressed-fun to learn a new technique!)

This is some fabric I had bought for a Fall table runner-one yard is enough for the center section and the 60 degree triangles on the ends. Quilting will get done this week.

Today, Bill started the fireplace! This is the week to see the fireplace installed! Yippee!

This was delivered today also-a wood splitter! More pics to follow when we get it put together!

I finished knitting the headband and got it blocked today-the sun was so warm it was dried in no time!

So here is the set, ready to go into the mail to my daughter-pattern for the mitts on Ravelry as Anna's Mittens.

Empty needles? Of course not! Socks are ready to be cast on and knitted toe up!

Just Baby Steps

2011-09-09T19:24:00.000-04:00

Well, I crowed my victory over this sickness way too soon -let me suffice it to say, I was down for the count! On the way to town yesterday, they were cutting hay in this pasture-isn't it beautiful?!

When we got home, Bill went to play on the tractor and did this instead.........the wife and his truck remedied the situation!

When I'm not sleeping, I work on the headband to match those mittens!

The knotweed has filled out and is in bloom-the butterflies love this plant, too.

Look at how deeply this ginger cone has become!

The magnolia cones are blushing very nicely;

when they fall to the ground, they are eaten up-the squirrels are burying the seeds for winter and hoarding, too.

We brought a cone in and by morning, it had exploded with these red seeds! Kind of cool and creepy!

Today I psyched my energy up to go into the sewing room to make these-I haven't been thrilled with the old ones and wanted the curtains to match the quilt in the guest room-

It worked! Glad to get back to the couch, but it was nice to accomplish something today!

Feeling Blue!

2011-09-03T20:46:00.000-04:00

I have been under the thumb of a dumb virus....my creative output is severely restricted! I finally gave in and went to the doctors Friday so have begun my counter attack!

I have been moving slowly and when awake, have been working on these fingerless mitts. The white is handspun superwash and the variegated yarn is from the yarn shop I visited a few weeks ago!

This is a neat little addition to my knitting accessories; it is a magnetic pattern holder that also folds up and goes in the knitting bag more easily than the solid magnetic board I previously used.

It holds the pattern neatly and then folds up for easy travel-I had to rework the pattern for these mitts (a free pattern on Ravelry called Wintergreen) because the first attempt was way too big! After a bit of reworking, I worked pretty steadily on these all week and thoroughly enjoyed the two color knitting.........still.

Bill's project this week, besides mowing, was to empty our refrigerator to try and defrost it so that it would encourage a sensor to reset...........that didn't work but two good things resulted from the adventure any way; One was we now have a very clean and reorganized fridge,

And since he dug this out of storage to plug in and use to hold all the things from the freezer, he discovered a pile of treasures inside this from our move almost 5 years ago! Of all things, my scroll saw was in here along with a myriad of sheets and comforters that I had chalked up to the Bermuda Triangle of moving!!! After a good launder, they are perfectly good and usable still!

But this was another find-a pound of raw fleece that was in a crock (which is also cleaned and added to the decor in my family room!) inside the freezer-I rewashed the wool and am in the process of carding it! I do not remember what kind of wool it is, but it is soft and will give it a spin next week to see how it works up!

I'm Seeing Red!

2011-08-30T18:06:00.001-04:00

I might be seeing red, but not in anger! Quite the contrary-I have enough left over yarn to make a matching headband.........

because the Nordic mittens, Anne's Flower, are finished! I blocked and dried them this morning!

You would be seeing red if you took a walk in my yard now because it is full of flowers in bloom-all the red ones, which are our favorites! This is one of a dozen of the canna lilies.

Several of the hibiscus are in bloom.......

....even the buds are beautiful.

The crepe myrtle are doing their thing.......

even the Dogwood tree is putting out red berries!

The magnolia tree pods are ripening and blushing prettily.

The camphor leaves are dropping and turning red-this tree never loses all its leaves at once, they just fall and grow new ones all year round.

The ginger pod is turning very red now-so pretty!

The bromeliads are in bloom, too. I like to see this kind of red!

Irene Waves Goodbye

2011-08-26T21:24:00.001-04:00

Hurricane Irene just grazed our shores and sent us bands of rain and wind for 10-20 minutes at a time all morning. When the sun came out, Bill and I headed to the ocean to see the waves!

We walked all around the Matanza Inlet and looked for shells, didn't find too many that weren't broken but I did find some sea glass.

We took a lunch break at the South Beach Grill, eating on their deck and watching the waves and surfers.

Back to Matanzas we watched some young people play in the waves. We were going to mark the spot if they got in trouble! The waves averaged 10-15'-the wind kept the top of the waves in constant motion.

The next band of rain was heading toward us so we packed it up.

Made it to the car just in time. Sometimes the ocean has a calming affect on us but today it was exhilarating and powerful-another facet reflecting our Lord God!

Knitting coming and going to the beach.........making good progress!

Tops and Bottoms

2011-08-23T17:53:00.000-04:00

Millie finished her tumbling blocks Dr Suess quilt top and I finished the quilting today-most of the fabrics are flannel and the back , too, so it will be a very comfy quilt! (Yes, Nyki looks like she is inspecting the seams, doesn't she?!)

The raspberry socks are done-they look purple until I place them next to the other bfl socks I made and they the mulberry undertones are more pronounced.--The socks are so silky and cushiony-a very nice knit!

A Plant Show

2011-08-20T22:18:00.000-04:00

We took a trip to Lake Mary to visit friends and Becki and I went to a plant show/sale sponsored by her gardening club. I bought a few plants but Becki had a dozen plants she had started and gave them to me-my yard is full of the generosity of my gardening friends! (Thanks Sandy, too!)

Becki had found this cone of cotton yarn and saved it for me-wow, weaving, here we come! The guys replaced the pool light-very fun to come home and see Tom holding Bill under water so he could stay under long enough to fix the light since they have a salt water pool, too, you are very bouyant! We had a good laugh!

I managed to do some knitting on the way and even home in the dark! A great day.

St Augustine's Treasures

2011-08-18T20:32:00.000-04:00

First stop was Woody'sBarBQ in St Augustine! Bill had some coupons for the restaurant that expired today so we packed it up and took a drive! Being retired does have its perks.

Next stop was to the yarn shop but when we arrived-the store was filled with something but not yarn! I called the number on the business card I had gotten on the last visit and she gave me directions to her new location-about a mile away in her home (the Garmin helps)! Her husband's health had deteriorated and he needed round the clock care-she is able to do this and run her retail business, too! So, was very pleased to visit with her and pick up some yarn for a project you will see more of next week!

Last treasure of the day was the beach-the rain was threatening but the ocean was so calming to stand and watch! The air was very warm and the breeze was perfectly warm and tropical-I would have loved to have a hammock in which to recline! Bill and I still brace for cold air when a storm rolls in but it doesn't happen this way at all-the temperatures dip a bit but stay warm and moist-not chilling at all! Have I mentioned how much I love living here!?!

There were about a dozen surfers catching the waves before the storm. We had a nice relaxing stroll watching both the waves and the surfers!

When we looked behind us to head back to the car, the sky had darkened considerably with huge storm clouds! The sea oats contrasted beautifully with the sky!

This is what I worked while driving to to St Augustine..........

And this on the way home-no chart reading required! I can make a pair of socks almost without looking!

Socks Plus

2011-08-17T08:50:00.001-04:00

Started a sock for our knit along-this is the blue faced Leicester I spun recently.

Got the first one done and started right in on the second.

Voila-a pair of socks! I wanted the needles so I could make these----->

Another pair of Norwegian styled mittens.

I have this up on the design wall-I have been tweaking it each time I walk in my sewing room. ( Some more of the men's suit samples cut 6" square and looking at the picture helps me to point out areas that need more attention!)

Bling came in for a visit; he is so soft and fluffy-I can feel my blood pressure go down just stroking his fur!

Life Goes by Very Quickly

2011-08-15T10:50:00.000-04:00

I have had a busy few days-the away from the house busy! I made this dress-up outfit for a birthday gift;
the t-shirt is store bought and the skirt is from a wedding dress that was given to me to have fun with and I have! The dress is higher in the front so there will not be any tripping while being worn!

I accompanied a friend to Jacksonville on Friday and worked on my knitting on the way. (Got to stop quick and give Caleb a hug-always a bonus!) When we got back to my house, we lingered long in the pool to unwind and cool off-it is summer hot here! (These fingerless mitts were from the left over yarn from the mystery shawl in June-in fact, I have enough for another pair! I used a lace pattern from a magazine but 'designed' the rest of the mitt myself.

Saturday, we went to a children's birthday party where the fun never stopped! (Note to parents of young children: if you know of an older couple who do not have local family members living nearby, invite them to join in your celebration--we miss most of our immediate families' birthdays so this was such a gift to be included as 'family' to this party!)

I watched a budding artist gather blooms to make this beautiful display-she has quite an eye, doesn't she?! (the egg was a dud-don't panic)

After a quick rain shower, a dozen hummingbirds came for a drink-they wouldn't hold still for a good photo but you get the idea-just beautiful!

Yesterday afternoon after church as Bill watched golf and I sat knitting, (the one on the right was using left over balls of cotton-I knit one row across and back, and then the other ball-alone there wasn't enough of either color but together they were just right!) we had a fast paced thunder storm roll through-the rain was wonderful but the lightening was very close-

In fact, our neighbors called to say how close-they lost several very large branches, this one took down the power line to their house! The wind was pretty impressive, too!

The only damage was to their power line, which was amazing considering the number of branches downed.

Almost but not quite on their painting shed;

and almost but not quite on the lean-to roof! Always exciting.

Go Fish!

2011-08-10T12:46:00.000-04:00

I finished the goldfish mittens! I have never knitted a Norwegian style mitten before but have been hearing its siren call and when I saw this pattern, I knew it was for me!

They are very warm-two strands gives it a double thickness so it is funny to knit them when it is 100F everyday-perhaps they will hold the heat of the day in their wool!

I began spinning up my last skein of the Spin A Long I am participating in.

Blue faced Leicester is a wonderful fiber to spin-I am looking forward to a good knit from this skein;

I have read that it is also a good fiber for socks so I am going to give that a try with a KAL starting on Monday.

Bill has been keeping busy rebuilding his zero turn mower. The mower pan had been rebuilt and he has spent the last few days putting it all back together-his victory lap around the yard was short lived-he snapped his drive belt for the mower and they have to order it-not a stock part!

As long as I was out, I strolled around the yard and noticed the ginger plant has a cone!

And speaking of cones, the magnolia tree is loaded with cones-seed pods actually.

They are just so striking but will be even more amazing when they begin to turn to orange-I will keep my eye on the tree so I can show you.

Spontaneous Beach Visit

2011-08-05T20:33:00.001-04:00

The morning brought a tv tech to our house-we have been without tv for over a week due to technical difficulties....('No, it is rarely the satellite dish on your roof that is the problem....") but the brains of our dish had been fried in these temperatures and needed to be replaced! It was refreshing to have a technician who was smart, well mannered and personable! After he left, the morning was shot so we packed up the beach goods and headed out! Our first stop was for lunch at the South Beach Grill where we ate on the outside patio and saw beautiful waves and this guy fly over head!

The waves were impressive and thoroughly enjoyed. The inversion of the ocean water is still present-the water was very cold still for this time of year! (I might be pool-spoiled, too!)

We even saw our sky sailor again!

Hopefully, the shrimp ship was successful.

There were no clouds today, the breeze was straight from the ocean and was just perfect.

We didn't drive onto the beach but walked from the parking area today, there were very few people on this end of the beach-just the way we like it! (Near Matanzas River outlet)

We found some nice shells-Bill gave one of the conch shells to the children next to us.

I played with a new pattern from WendyKnits ; and now I leave you sun kissed and fresh ocean breezes tired!

A Wool Experiment

2011-08-04T20:51:00.002-04:00

A fiber friend sent me some raw Cheviot fiber for my enjoyment! Since I have never worked with this breed of sheep, I decided to do a bit of a report on it.

I hand washed , rinsed and then spun it in my washer and laid it out in the sun to dry. (Nyki kept guard over it!)

It didn't take long to dry in the 100F sunshine! I carded it on my drum carder into four one ounce batts.

After a dip in the pool to cool off, I sat and did some spinning .

I repeated these two steps until I had two bobbins of spun singles.

I then plied the two bobbins into one strand of yarn. This fiber spun very easily and I will purchase more for future projects!

I unwound it from the bobbin onto the niddy noddy, counting each wrap so I know how much yardage I have-383 yards this skein.

Voila! A nice skein of yarn to enjoy from that pile of wool!

Taking a cue from my Fiber Binder Club, I printed off a fact sheet from the internet,

and attached a bit of raw fleece, washed fleece and a sample of the yarn that resulted. I will knit up a swatch, too, so that I will have a complete record for this breed of sheep!
( Thank you, Nikki, for your generousity in sharing the raw wool!)

Rain-Really Rain!

2011-08-02T22:14:00.000-04:00

We were taking a nice swim in the late afternoon when it began to sprinkle...and then we got a real downfall; unlike any rain we have had in years! 4" of rain fell in just over an hour! It was wonderful to see standing water in the yard!

The driveway looked like a river!

But it didn't take long for it to dissipate-it is thirsty sand under that grass!

The pool filled up-almost overflowed, in fact! Bill had released some earlier in the day and we were relieved he had!

The cats did what cats do best when you can't be outside....

We didn't lose electrical power so I went back to work at the quilting frame. This is a QuiltforKids from Millie.

Very cute ! One of their new patterns in a kit.

I used a bee panto but upon closer inspection, I think they are supposed to be lightening bugs but this works!

I also made another journal cover.

All ready to be gifted to a budding journalist!

After dinner, since it was still raining, although much lighter , I did some spinning. This is 3oz of bfl, fingering weight, 225 yards.

Starting the Week Right

2011-08-01T16:19:00.000-04:00

With a finished project! The second corduroy scrap quilt-60" x 42", backed with polar fleece is done!

I wrapped the back around to the front and sewed it down; this is the way my Grandmother always bound her quilts and I liked the connection!

The polar fleece was given to me, the front are scraps that I have had in a 'someday' pile for at least 15 years so it is a nice way to see the fabric put to good use!

Visit from mama sandhill crane.....

...and baby-they are both the same size but he hasn't gotten his red head yet. It has been wonderful to have them visit us several times a day asking for bread!

The bottle brush tree is in full bloom-isn't is pretty?! I am thrilled with how it is growing!

Saturday Spins, Too

2011-07-30T22:12:00.000-04:00

I spun the second skein of bfl done by the pool today, very pleasant to sit and spin and then swim when I got too warm! The birds are very busy in the feeder right outside the pool area and are very relaxing entertainment!

In fact, I got these two skeins of superwash done by 9 in the evening!

Spin a Little More

2011-07-29T20:43:00.000-04:00

I started spinning the lighter color way of bfl fiber-one skein down and the second skein I took out to the pool patio to spin.

The temperature was very tropical and just a light breeze-very relaxing.

Nyki tries my lap but doesn't like the double treadle action of my knees and settles down next to my chair.

I finished the second bobbin, and got it plied while relaxing to a book on my Zen.

The skein is so soft, all 180 yards of it!

My bottle brush tree is beginning to bloom! The color is stunning and the bloom itself is very interesting.

JD enjoyed my company, too, but she remains elusive when the camera comes out-it doesn't help that Nyki chases her away from me if I show any attention to her! A very nice afternoon.

Catch up the Blog

2011-07-28T09:25:00.001-04:00

Caleb came for a visit and we had rain threatening but made it out for our boat ride and water skiing without a drop!

I started a different kind of knitting project, it is a scarf made from 'yarn' which is 1/2" strip of Tyvek paper-very easy pattern and a decorative scarf results!

Isn't it fun? Any fun yarn would work for this pattern-I will be trying some more; especially some hand spun.

I loaded the smaller corduroy quilt on the frame-this one doesn't have batting, instead I backed it with some polar fleece to make a comfy quilt. It is going well.

I dyed two sets of Blue Faced Leicester roving, 4oz each for spinning some sock yarn.

I like to divide the roving into four strips so I can spin each section, ply two together, and then repeat for the other ball so each sock will have its own skein. This way , I don't have to rewind to divide the one big skein in half for each sock-it works for me...

One skein is done, working on the second!

Regular Activities

2011-07-22T18:38:00.000-04:00

While Bill tackled the mowing,

I headed into the sewing room! I made a journal cover for my daughter in law.

Then finished quilting the first corduroy quilt! I sewed the binding on by hand with lots of feline assistance!
Finished dimensions are 60" wide and 78" long. (If you look to the bottom left corner, you can see one block got in upside down and the nap of the corduroy makes it look like a different color-I noticed it while quilting but left it for my humility square!)

The quilting on this is a whimsical dragonfly in variegated thread done in an allover pantograph.

I did layer this with batting and backed it with flannel; a larger 100 topstitch needle sewed through all the layers just fine. It will be a comforting , snuggly quilt this winter!

I came close to ripping this shawl out without blocking but waited for my angst to cool off!

The hump and odd shape did block out and it must hold its shape after blocking to be acceptable but I am pleasantly pleased with the results! The beading on the edge pattern adds a nice weight to the overall drape of this shawl-100g hand spun peruvian wool from KnitPicks roving, beads #6 from JoAnns, my own dye formula from Jacquard powder dyes, 60" wide and 30" long at point.

Pruning Party

2011-07-21T17:57:00.000-04:00

Today was the day for pruning all the palm trees-there are 18 large ones and a few young ones in our yard!

Bill uses his pole saw to cut the old growth from the tree and I collect the fallen palm boughs.

Some of them needed a more drastic trim, since we haven't done any pruning for two years.

It not only looks better, but in this drought it gives the trees less draw on their resources.

We have quite a few date palms in the front yard, they have ferns growing up their sides. The squirrels got all the dates before they were even ripe this year!

These two trees in the backyard were only 6 feet tall 4 years ago-now they have doubled that!

A perfect place for the bench, note that it is in the shade-a much needed break in our 100F heat!

Bill needed a boost to reach this tree's branches-I put him in the John Deere tractor bucket and raised him up-use your imagination, because there was no way to get a picture of this!

We took a break for lunch and a swim and then right back at the job!

The trees look so tidy after their haircuts!

The small trees are trimmed to encourage upward growth-this one will be twice its height in just a few years!

We had a visitor while trimming....a gopher turtle who would not let me get a picture of his face so

Bill picked him up-he wasn't very happy about it!

After another swim, we trimmed the cat's tree fort to a more manageable size and then cleaned the pool decking. What a great and exhausting day!

Ups and Downs

2011-07-21T09:27:00.000-04:00

Our mailbox was fatally wounded by a wayward vehicle so we had to replace the box and the post-which was snapped off at ground level! We had fun building a new mailbox and this time we set it farther back from the road hoping it will reduce the mailbox vandals and crazy drivers!

I finished the shawl a few days ago but I am not happy with it. My experience tells me that the hump in the top will not stay blocked out-it is a result of poor design. I am tempted to just rip it out without blocking but I am waiting to see if cooler thoughts prevail.

This was a great summer read-a friend of Marsel's loaned it to me when we were there recently-see if your local library has them. I couldn't identify with the family dynamics, we are better at voicing ourselves, but the author has a tremendous grasp of human nature and she creates a very realistic set of circumstances that is both endearing and believable! Go find these books for yourself-there is still time for a good summer (or winter-Lynne) read!

Last of the corduroy blocks went up on the design wall. I leave it it for a few days (weeks or months even) to see how the layout works for me.

This morning I immediately knew what this needed-can you see the difference? I am pretty sure this will be the final layout. I have to finish the quilt on the frame but for now-on to yard work while the temps are under a hundred and it has the morning cool out there!!!

Saturday's Slow Minutes

2011-07-16T21:39:00.000-04:00

I finished the child's washcloth and it was fun to knit but the pattern is really hard to see.

Can you guess what this is....? How about the three little pigs. I won't be making any more.

I did load up the corduroy quilt on the frame. I have flannel for the backing and did end up using batting to layer it. I like the weight of the full quilt and also the fact that the batting hides the seam allowances from showing too much when there is no batting.

I am quilting it with a whimsical dragonfly panto. The layers are not too thick for the topstitch needle but the thread is breaking because it will not feed off the spool right. I have tried turning it over and putting a mesh netting on it but it is still being a stinker.

On the spinning front, I spun up the Fiber Binder Club's selection for this month-Lincoln fiber in such a rich dark black! I have never spun this kind before but it did remind me of Jacob fleece which I have spun.

40 Yards of fingering weight yarn for this little skein.

My info sheet for this month.......

And I used about half of the skein to knit up a swatch-I did this for each of the fibers I have spun so far; a really nice way to see how the yarn turns out. I have made all the swatches on number 5 needles across 20 stitches so I can compare them. I make a separate page for all the swatches. This Binder is really shaping up for a great fiber reference!

Ahhh, the Beach!

2011-07-14T23:53:00.001-04:00

We headed out early this morning (9am is early on retired time!) to go and visit friends as they stay at a house they rented for a few weeks of vacation at Butler Beach. I brought some yarn and tackled a new washcloth pattern during the drive there.

The ocean was so changeable today! The colors hit all the spectrum of blue through gray. It was stunning.

There were lots of clouds but that just gave you a break from the heat-add the ocean breeze and you have an idea of perfect! (There house was tucked in just to the left of the beach access drive.)

We swam and took a walk and even explored some tidal pools.

We had the pleasure of watching and handling lots of these guys-very fun to explore.

After lunch, the waves changed color again and the waves were much more frequent-fun to swim, body surf kayak and jump! (These were a collection of group activities not all participated in by me!)

We also sat and enjoyed some liquid sunshine-a ten minute shower cooled us off.

These are the treasures I collected on our walk-I was looking for shells with holes in them so I could use them in my weaving and knitting projects.

When the shower transitions to a real thunder and lightening storm, we packed up and headed to a tourist shop. I picked up this 6" souvenir which is already on my shelf to remind us of the great day we enjoyed!
Thanks to Suzanne and all her family for the wonderful hospitality!

Electrical Upgrade!

2011-07-11T20:57:00.000-04:00

Today was the day-FPL (Florida Power and Light Co) subcontractors came to cut the above ground service and pull the wire through the underground conduit (which has been waiting for 4years to be used!)

The men turned off our power and made the new connections to our electrical panel.

They used the bucked to cut the wire from the first pole.

Bill pulled the wire from the old temporary service we have had in this conduit up the side of the house! Good riddance!

When they turned the power back on and left, having finished their part of the day's work, Bill cut down the old unused pole-Timber!

And dragged it away! (We get to keep the old creosote pole and leftover wiring they took down, which is nice since it cost a LOT to switch the service the materials perk helps!)

Bill worked around the old pole, loosening the sand to try and pull up the buried 6 feet of pole. He was able to pull it up about a foot and then could cut the 'stump' off.

He hauled away the stump and ....

One, two, three jump-and he sunk the pole down about a foot into the hole and filled it in!

It looks so open and neat now without the visual interrupt of that old pole!

There was one unhappy fellow when we finished-he skittered, slithered? to quieter territory!

It sure does look nice without the pole interfering with the roof line! See me do the happy dance!

We got rained out twice while working today-in fact, we have had so much rain the last few days, that the pool is too full and we had to siphon water off! Nice problem to have!

When I wasn't needed outside today, I was putting together the corduroy quilt-all 12 rows sewn and pressed.

I also loaded and quilted half of Millie's latest quilt, a Dora quilt for her great-grand daughter.

This dahlia from my father is blooming again, it has finally adapted to the l o n g e r season of bloom here, and wintered just fine! (Happy Anniversary, Dad and Mom-58 years today!)

Bling was quite tired out from all the work today............a good job done and worthy of a nap!

The Last Shuttle Launch

2011-07-08T22:09:00.001-04:00

We arrived on the beach in Daytona in plenty of time to wait for the launching of the last shuttle from Cape Kennedy. The beach was not as packed as the launch we watched in February-the weather kept many away.

We got to see two split second views of the shuttle as it roared off the launch pad-it was a bit anti-climatic but we did get to see something! (Click this pic to enlarge it and you will see the glow in the center just above the horizon over the scaffolding?)

After the beach, we headed to our favorite pizza shop for some NY style pizza! Nice to sit outside and watch all the people!

I knit as we rode along and worked on another garterlac dishcloth with the yarn I purchased at the yarn shop from the visit to the McKees. It is the softest cotton yarn I have ever used-just wonderful!

On the way home Bill spotted this road kill which we turned around so I could take a picture so we can learn to ID these guys. It is a cottonmouth snake in the pit viper family (in which are most of FL's venomous snakes) We had a great 'off to town' day!

Georgia Recap!

2011-07-07T20:16:00.000-04:00

I taught Marsel how to make the garterlac dishcloth and she grasped the concept right away-we had fun knitting and talking and being together!

Here are our finished projects-mine of handspun cotton and hers of variegated Sugar and Cream cotton.

Bill worked on the front yard all week, trimming bushes, shaping and removing some unwanted ones which he bagged up and brought back to Florida to try to grow them in our hedge.

It really shaped up the front yard! There is a mocking bird nest in the top of the topiary tree-very fun to be serenaded by her as we sat on the porch swing and knitted!

I got to enjoy a gladiola-this one opened while we visited so Marsel brought it in. I need to try growing them in Florida. The rules change a bit-you have to dig up the bulbs and bring them in for refrigerator time for cold storage-in case the winter doesn't get cold enough this year! If the winter stays like it has the last few years, I could leave them out and they would be fine!

While outside one day, I found this growing in the side yard! We brought it in and pressed it in my journal for a memento.

When it rained, and hailed, the kids just moved inside for play time-their imagination carries them through every day at breakneck speeds!

They built forts and had ideas, David had the room filled with 'spider webs' of yarn at every turn-you had to be careful when you walked and be alert as you sat or you ended up tied up or tied to something! The cats kept them in their view-the kids do fun stuff and they liked to tag along! See Mindy peeking around the corner of the fort?

Sprinklers still hold the joy of young and old alike!

It poured for the fireworks show but was still amazing! The thunder and lightening just added to the fine effects! What a great week-thank you McKees!

Happy Independence Day!

2011-07-04T09:31:00.002-04:00

Family time......bbq, sparklers, pool and going to watch fireworks this evening!

Hope you have a great day, too.

Wrapped in Love

2011-07-02T08:35:00.001-04:00

Getting in lots of grandchildren time!

Blocked the second shawl from TheWholeNineYarns, an excellent pattern, and left it drying while we were at the pool! Love how quickly things dry here in the southern sunshine! I am going to give this one to the friend who gave me the fiber which I spun for this yarn! Nice to complete the circle.

Mindy approved the new shawl-fun to see that cats react the same way to a knitted object on the floor!
I did it just for her, right?!

And of course, a new shawl went straight onto the needles! Hand spun Peru roving from KnitPicks, dyed with my own concoction of Jacquard dyes-very emerald like in person! The pattern I am using is a free one from Knitty called Bitterroot.

Georgia Projects

2011-07-01T08:31:00.001-04:00

First day here, and we began tackling 'The List"!

There is nothing like taking piles from the stash and turning into something so beautiful and useful!

The porch swing got a new cushion and pillow set sewn of brushed denim-very inviting!

Marsel invited a sewing friend over for a project day! Jelly roll aprons!

We laughed that we had worn shirts that matched the colors we had chosen-not premeditated!

Bill and David tackled the front yard landscaping and then went for some groceries. Abigail enjoyed entertaining Karen's little boy,

Noah, who was the hit of the day! Nothing can beat baby snuggles!

Week in Review

2011-06-25T11:24:00.001-04:00

I have been at the quilting frame again-this is a baby quilt from Millie.

The fabrics are cute and modern.

I have made a few table runners trying out the triangle thing on striped fabric. It almost works!

I have organized the corduroy squares on the design wall so they are ready to piece.

Bill has been renovating his zero turn mower pan. He ground off all the rust and treated it with Ospho from Sherwin Williams.

Then painted it with industrial enamel. Hopefully, it will be good for another 5 years!

As he waits for the paint to dry, Bill is continuing his work enlarging the pond. You can see how little water is left-even tho we have had three rains this week (2/10's each time), we are so under-watered, it isn't making a dent in the pond's water level.

I made a pair of socks for a friend battling breast cancer. It has a hidden breast cancer ribbon until

you put them on and then you can see it! (Thx for the yarn, Benita!)

I am up to the edging on the second Mysterious Summer Shawl from TheWholeNineYarns!

The rain lilies are happy with the few afternoon rains we have enjoyed.

We have these planted all around the yard and they are all in bloom.

Bill's canna lilies are getting ready to bloom, too. He has wanted this plant for a long time and he is going to get to see it bloom ! (The bloom stands at 4.5' right now!)

Feasting!

2011-06-20T22:10:00.001-04:00

We enjoyed celebrating Bill's birthday a few days early by going to Boston Lobster Feast in Orlando! Caleb could make it along with a friend from church. We had a great time! Also enjoyed a game of miniature golf after to work off some of those calories!

Nyki found a smorgasbord of her own-this small guy found his way into our pool patio-

Bill beheaded it so Nyki could relish the game bite free! We have a motto here-chop first, identify second! It is a good motto ! Nyki had fun tossing the snake and 'sharing' it with her buds. I do not show the proper affection for reptiles but she tries to engage me!

Slice of Plum Shawl

2011-06-18T19:50:00.000-04:00

I was on a roll and finished the shawl this morning! I only had a few yards which gave the kniltting an added buzz! (I call this extreme knitting!) 52" x 22" again, in superwash handspun wool.

Pattern is available from Kay Meadors or on Ravelry as Slice of Autumn/Spring Shawl.

On a quilting front, I won this from a blog I follow. The blog is by the author of the book, she was kind enough to autograph it for me, too! Talk about inspiring........!

So naturally it gave me the incentive to spend a few hours in the sewing room today......... I loaded a quilt from my neighbor, and finished it.

This quilt has an all over panto, 56" quilt square.

When I finished one of her quilts, I loaded the other one on-this is like an I Spy quilt using scraps. Very restful to quilt compared to the bright colors of the last one! I quilted it with the same panto, this quilt measures 48" x 60". Saving the rest for another day.........a good Saturday, it rained some and I stayed in my pj's all day!

Slice of Kiwi Shawl

2011-06-16T19:15:00.002-04:00

I finished the Slice of Autumn/Spring shawl with the tricolored yarn-I have hit on a great dyeing idea, I think!
This is the shawl pattern by Kay Meadors, I only changed the garter stitch rows to stockinette but the rest is knit as written and I used only 230 yards of my hand spun superwash yarn. This is the shawl unblocked.

And here it is in all its glory! It is just spectacular. (52" x 22", not counting the wing tips for length at center) I am so pleased with the results that I immediately.....

......cast on the same shawl in the other colorway I dyed! Happy Knitting!

Hot but NO Complaints!

2011-06-14T16:45:00.001-04:00

Yes, this is what Florida does well........summer temperatures already!

If you are going to work outside, it happens in the morning when it is still in the 90's! This is the project this morning-picking up the area where the shed used to sit.

It picked up nicely, we are going to sell the old windows and they will be out of here soon, too.

Bill worked on spreading some more mulch, the plants really hold the moisture so much better when you water in the morning so the sun doesn't steal all the water first.

We had a visitor today, one of the yard's gopher turtles; this one is close to the house and not way out back like the others we have seen.

We followed him to his burrow to see where he was visiting from....

Then we noticed that part of the tunnel had caved in so he has a back door! I think we will be interfering and adding a board and covering it over so it won't be open here-there are no footprints going in or out this side so I think it was an accident.

We would be in big trouble after working out in the heat if we didn't have this to cool off in!

It is just what a heated, overworked body needs!

Another shawl I have on the needles, this is the tricolored yarn I spun.......I will continue enlarging the shawl until I get near the last color change and then I will knit the edging! It is A Slice of Autumn/Spring by Kay Meadors, available on Ravelry.

National Knit in Public Day

2011-06-11T17:32:00.001-04:00

A few friends and I met in the Crescent City Library to share knitting with the public in honor of the day!
We had a great time troubleshooting on projects and learning new ones! The library has invited us to have a knitting day every month! It will be something we look forward to sharing with our little community!

Bill had fun........he moved the shed from the just outside the pool area...... (can you say landscaping needed?!)

to over the well. He will be building a lean-to roof off the side to house the water filtering system, too. Gotta love the JD tractor-it is quite the workhorse! I didn't think the tractor could do this! "Ok, you were right, Bill!' (But I am only saying it once!)

Quick Report

2011-06-10T08:17:00.001-04:00

It seems we have been in the car every day this week which seriously cuts down on the creative output!

I have been working on some knitted socks..........

I have also been experimenting with some designs for stitch markers for my lace shawls. I will give these a try on the next shawl....

...which I just happened to have started last night-another mystery shawl because I have yarn left over!

Mystery Shawl Unfurled

2011-06-06T10:24:00.001-04:00

I finished knitting the mystery shawl on the way to the move on Saturday. It doesn't look like much right off the needles-it has to be soaked and then blocked (pinned out flat to open up the stitches.)

There were several new construction techniques that I got to try with this pattern. The garter stitch triangle is knit from the point to the bound off edge at the top, yarn overs at the beginning of each row left a loop to use for picking up stitches to begin the lace patterning for the body of the shawl. The border lace is knit vertically on new cast on stitches joining it to the body as you knit from one tip to the other! An excellent knit!

I used my own spun alpaca yarn,(440yards) so this shawl is deliciously soft. See the difference once it is all blocked?! It measures 54" across and 32" long down the center.

Thank you to The Whole Nine Yarns for the KAL!