SHADES OF BROWN

It's been a long time since I have had a gopher tortoise in the yard!  His shell is about 11" long so you have an idea of his size which means he is a fully mature female (10-15 years old!) .

The latest skein of yarn off the spinning wheel is at 200 yards and is the closest to the olive color I was aiming to achieve!

And the latest vase off the lathe--it is made from a small chunk of Black Walnut. It is about 9" tall and 3" wide at the base.  I used beeswax for the finish and it feels delicious in your hands!  Since the temperatures are still around the 100+F mark, I am very grateful for the window A/C unit Bill installed right over where I work or I wouldn't be able to work in the garage at all!

 

A DAY AT HOME

Every other morning there is a new flower blooming on the orchid!  I do love to have an orchid in my room!

My total yardage for the four skeins was just under 900 yards of superwash wool/nylon which I dyed. I'm thinking I will make a crocheted blanket since I have been enjoying that lately!  I still have 4 more skeins to add to the pile so I know I will have enough yarn for a blanket.  Or maybe I could knit some small mitered squares blanket--isn't it nice to have ideas?!

This pipe is where my 'lizard' lives--sticking his head out like a submarine periscope checking out the world. 

 I heard a flurry in the afternoon and she sat there for a bit 

but left empty handed, to my relief!  

I put out seeds for you so leave my lizard along, please!

 

TRY AGAIN

This is the shawl I started in May--it languished because I was off on the count and couldn't get it corrected.  I ripped it out and in only a week I have it completed!  The big time clicker kept me on track!  I will be blocking it today!

I also dug out this old project--and not only 4 more granny squares are all I need to get it to the finish mark!  This one languished because I had put the squares together by crocheting them like I do for afghans but it made too much bulk because cotton yarn is not soft!  I pulled out all of the rows and stitched them together with a darning needle and now the seams lie flatly.  I was going to make a cover for my laptop for when I travel.  I'm very close now!  It's nice to make some older ideas come to light!

 

MORE TDF DYEING

Another crockpot of dyed wool;  I'm still not thrilled with the color but it did improve some.

I squeeze out the water and hang them to dry overnight.

The first skein of the orangey-brown yarn;  it is soft and squishy!

The next skein is still an orangey-brown but lighter in color.

And the last hank of wool turned out the best in the lightest color.

I will look forward to a lot of spinning today!

WORKING WITH COLORS

The Posy table runner is a done deal!  

It was fun to use the Fat Quarters to make the flowers!

This 60" x 66" ,or so, quilt is all pieced except for the narrow top  and bottom borders!  I just ran out of oomph for the long strips! lol

I did piece some of the cat/flower layer cake blocks---the colors are so rich and a lot of fun to make!

A bit more spinning is happening also.  I tried to make some olive green roving!  It came out way too orange/brown---a common error when working with this color because it is made of green and red and the color 'breaks' into its components instead of the end goal color.  I will try again.  Yes, it is still a pretty color, just not the one I was going for!

 

ME AND MY SHADOW

We enjoyed a relaxing time first thing in the morning listening to the birds and watching the day emerge.

She napped while I put the finishing touches on the C2C blanket-

but woke up for supervising my work.  

The blanket is 36" x 48", made of Lion Brand Mandal Bonus Bundle yarn in the Chewy colorway except for the top right corner where I used some other DK yarn where I ran out! lol

 

FABRIC PLAY

The large pieces of these blocks made this a quick top to gather---I still have to stitch all of the pieces into a top.  

I thoroughly enjoyed sorting and pairing the layer cakes 

before cutting them.

And now they are cut and organized into their box 

to await stitching!

Lena was looking out the window like a statue;  I didn't center her too well in the photo but in just a few seconds,

 she had jumped down!  

 

A BOUNTIFUL GIFTING

I had a wonderful time with my quilting friends for lunch yesterday!  I was given two kits from one lady to make for the kids quilts we do--doesn't this look like fun?!

This is the second one--

all of the pieces are cut and ready to stitch!

There is also a layer cake of kitties!

With very nice coordinating fabrics--I think I will make the slices I did for the QOV but it will look very different with the cat prints!

And she even gave me several yards of batting for them all and some extra!  A bonus!

 

MONDAY GOALS

I am heading out to lunch with several quilting friends--an old group that no longer meets but these friends still do!  Afterwards, I have a table runner to complete on the frame!

And some roving to dye so I can continue with the Tour de Fleece!
 

SLOW ON SUNDAY

Another paint-by-number is ready to be hung on the wall! 

To tell you the truth, I am running out of space!

I'm on the last bit for this C2C blanket but I think I will run out of yarn first!  I am hoping if I do run out, I can use some dark gray I have from the other blanket and use that since the first corner is a dark gray!  I will know in the next day or two!  This is what I will be working on after we get home from church today!

GOALS ACCOMPLISHED

The Liberty box quilt is completed!  A very enjoyable kit.

The Layer Cake blocks is also ready to turn in at the next QOV sew day.  I hope to load the table runner and get that quilted today.  Then I will be on the hunt for the next pattern to piece.  
 

SOME STAGES OF FINISHED!

65" x 78" will result in a nice size quilt for QOV!  I need to sew a label on the back before I throw it in the washer and dryer so it isn't  a final photo but it is a finish--mostly!

I also stitched mitered borders on the posy table runner ! 

 Now to wait for the quilting frame to be empty so I can quilt it!

This will be 24" x 48" when finished.

 

MAKING MORE YARN

Another bobbin of the Superwash Merino finely spun wool.

And now there are two skeins with about 225 yards in each.  I've ordered some more of the Stroll Bare Roving so I can dye some in a solid color to match these skeins.

Oh, and look at the beautiful new orchid blooming; 

 this orchid sits on my bedroom window sill

 so it brings a smile each time I see it!  

 

PLAYING WITH COLORS

The first QOV is off the frame and I hope to get the second one done over next week!

I rearranged the layout for the table runner blooms--

now to stitch the idea together!

And I finished another lap blanket and have just one left to work on now!  I had 5 going at one time over the last few months which is totally out of character for me!  

 

BEFORE AND AFTER

I got all ready to head out to a dr appt and realized I was ready an hour before the time I needed to go!!!  So what do you do--head to the studio!  I started new table runner and I want you to note how clean the background is on the design wall!  I spent almost an hour cleaning the whole 8' x 12' space and went through almost a whole roll on the adhesive lint roller! lol  

But now the wall is clean and better able to hold my new ideas!

I have two more fabrics to make the last posies for the runner and will figure out the borders, too.

I'm almost done with the quilt on the frame--I like it when I can see the end in sight!

I'm using a new to me panto called Fireworks by Urban Elementz and I like it so well, I am going to use it again on the next quilt that's ready to load!

 

THE POINT OF ALL THAT SPINNING

I plied the two singles into yarn and then I prepared the roving to spin the next two singles.  The fluffier roving on the left is the same length/weight as the one on  the right but I have stretched or attenuated the roving which opens up the fibers after being compacted by dyeing and drying.  I love how it makes the fibers light and airy and it calls me to be spun!

Here is a close up of how the yarn looks on the bobbin right after plying the two singles together.

And here is the skein of 230 yards of 2ply yarn, 

about a DK weight of superwash Merino.