Threads and Metal

 I cast on a new pair of socks yesterday, as you can see it is moving along quickly when there is just straight knitting!

 Over to Mom's today, we finished our tops for the QuiltsforKids.

And we each cut out and started another top for our second quilts for them.  These fabrics are all stash busting so that is a bonus.  Now I have some work lined up for the quilting frame........

Bill and Dad emptied the old shed by the empty trailer behind their place (yes, it is ours, too!) and took the metal appliances to the scrap metal center in town.  I like getting to clean out and getting paid for it, too!

Cloaked

I just squeaked the January fiber entry in on time;  Gotland fiber. It was a first time spin for me on this particular wool.  I  combed and then spun it woolen method.  While it looks wiry, it is very soft for such an old breed (New Zealand) and since it was the fiber used to make the cloaks in the Lord of the Rings, it had an additional interest to me!  It is a very soft medium wool.

Babies and Stitches

 We had a nice weekend with a visit from Caleb, Cassandra and Ella.  Great Grandpa got to walk and show her the world-she looks like she was more interested in him than the scenery!

Great Grandma exercised her rocking skills when needed!

 I did a bit of knitting and finished the lacey socks!

 For the last few days, I have been staying with Ashley and Will while Matthew has an out of town trip for work-the pic is blurry because he was rocking when I tried to take the pic!  He likes motion, all the time!  We took a long walk and he slept through most of that, too!

I have a new yarn purchase-can you see the new entrelac blanket for Aria?!  I can.

The First Annual Visit Your Local Quilt Shop Day

Today really is the first Visit Your Local Quilt Shop Day and so Mom and I went to the newly opened LaRue's Quilt Kottage in Crescent City.    After running a few other errands in town, we shared lunch back at Mom's house.  Then it was time to go to our sewing circle where we are making sleeping bags for the homeless.  It is a nice group of ladies and wonderful to share the afternoon with my mom.

 This is the double knitting head band that I finished!

 This is side one,

 and this is side two.  They are knit simultaneously without any slipped stitches.  A fascinating but thoughtful knitting technique.

 I cast on the first wrist warmer and that was a much quicker project

-on to number two tonight!

Sewing Room Warmth

 I decided to stay inside and accomplish some sewing while it is a bit chilly outside today!
I used the pretzel m & m's for incentive to get the quilting finished.......

 I sewed a bunch of pockets to the inside so that I can carry all my tools more easily over to Mom's on sewing days.

 Voila!   Tote for my tools!  All supplies from the stash........just love that kind of project!

 I also made these nursing capes; one for Ashley.........

and one for Cassandra!  Also stash supplies.

I printed out enough photos to fill my new Grandma Gallery frame!  I have it right next to my knitting spot so I can enjoy a glimpse whenever I need one!

Closing out the night with a good knit on the double-knitting headband.  The chocolate at the end of every row is working good for me!  I am finally hitting my groove  on this project, I have even figured out how to correct a goof on the row below.  I am enjoying this!

Tourists

Saturday we went to the annual Crappie (perch) Festival in Crescent City.  It is always fun to walk around the booths for 'deals' and for fresh veggies.  We got adventuresome after our tour of the main square and went to a new Bistro.  

We sat outside in the sunshine and had a great lunch.  

The walk down to Crescent Lake put a nice finishing touch on our day!

I have completed one sock in the Snowflower pattern from the latest issue of Interweave Knits.  I saved the pattern for the leg only and it worked out perfectly.  I learned a new cable stitch since I have never cabled with two cable needles but it was easy after the first few awkward attempts!

Knitting and Sewing

 Today, Mom and I took an online class for two-colored double knitting.  It felt good to stretch our knitting muscles and we had a lot of laughs along the way!  The first good laugh when we realized the computer didn't have speakers and we had to try to lip read the class!  Once we wiped the tears away, I had the bright idea of listening to the class from my Kindle while we watched on the bigger screen-it took just  a bit of coordination to get the two devices in sync!  Just how it goes for us!

After a few false starts and several outright mistakes.......the lightbulb went on and we managed to knit our learning swatches! 

  Both of us finished out little squares tonight as homework.   This is one side of my work;

  and this is the other.  The next project will be a headband/ear warmers for our double knitting in the round!  Alone this would have been hard-together it was great fun!

 After lunch, we put away the knitting and got out the sewing equipment to make a knitting tote for Mom.  Since they will be flying home, they didn't bring as many supplies as usual with them.  Mom stocked up on supplies when she got here but one of the projects we wanted to make was a bag to hold and transport her knitting projects.

 We managed to find all the fabric we needed in my stash!  The tote is about 11" x 13" x 6" and double interefaced not quilted.

 We put pockets on the inside for  chocolates , knitting gadgets.  Over all, we had a wonderful day together!

It clouded up this afternoon to end our 80"s streak and sprinkled a bit so Dad came in and did some reading while we were sewing.  See his new recliner?  Just right for a rest between projects!

Projects, Catching up and Christmas!

 It has been a while since I blogged.....I had to get over the flu and dehydration complications and then prepare for company!  It all came together just fine.
Bill has been taking down the Camphor tree in the front yard limb by limb.

 I did some last minute sewing for our late Christmas plans.

 When Marsel and family got here, we planned a quilt sewing day.  We sure kicked it into gear and got the top finished in no time using the multi-generational assembly line!

 David and Bill played with branches and limbs while the girls did the sewing.

 I also worked in between things on my January installment of the FiberBinderClub.  This is Gotland sheep wool; the same kind that was used for the cloaks in Lord of the Rings.

 I combed the fiber and have it ready to spin but that isn't going to happen right away!  It will wait.

 After all the blocks were sewn together, we watched Marsel work at their layout.

 Once the blocks were arranged satisfactorily, they were sewn together and the appliques added.

 We didn't waste any time getting it right on the frame for quilting.

 Matthew and Ashley and Will arrived Saturday but Caleb, Cassandra and Ella had to cancel due to sickness!  Can you say disappointed?!

 Will was a good sport about all the cuddling!

 The afternoon was delightful and treasured by one and all .

 David and Uncle Mattie raced the Hot Wheels.  I love that the kids still love imagination-powered toys best.

 Great Grandpa put a fussy Will right to sleep one afternoon .....he still has the touch!

 Bill's winter garden is growing well though he did have to fence it in because of marauding deer!
The peas and beans are wiped out because of them.

 The two hard frosts we had killed the outer branches of the banana tree but Bill learned this trick of loading a pile of mulch up half of the tree (a ten footer) to keep the frost from killing the core.

 Well, it worked and we are very excited to see the banana bloom and baby bananas growing!

 The bloom is around 15" long and the bananas are only 4" right now.  Can't wait to see if they make it to maturity!  The weather has been pure Florida in the 80's every day so we are hoping it stays this way!

 After Matthew and Ashley went home, we had one more day to sew and get the quilt done-we did it!  Marsel was able to deliver the quilt to Will on her way home.

After my company had to go home, Bill and I went with Dad and Mom to Daytona to pick up their  new recliners.  They bought two like this-no more sunken seats and trying to get the pillows stacked just right for comfort!  We even went out to dinner together so had a wonderful ending to a  very full week.

Today, Mom and I put away all the Christmas decorations and I cleaned the house-all ready now for the New Year to begin........I am just a little behind date-wise but ready to move ahead into 2013!