Socks and Stockings

The re-used yarn has finally found its true purpose! These socks are for me and they fit perfectly.  #1 needles, 12 stitch cast-on at the toe and working up using a gusset for heel, leg over 64 stitches in a k3,-p1 rib.  Again, I like the way the colors pool instead of striping over the heel ;  it might drive someone else crazy and I admit, doing a simple short row heel would voids this but I like the crazy at my ankles!

And each sock has its own pooling pattern even though the rest of the sock matches its mate.

This is the other pattern from my Mom-a little stocking just big enough for a little gift to tuck inside!  This is two strands of Bare Hare from KnitPicks for the cuff and my handspun for the body of the sock;  the pattern calls for worsted weight. This is 4 1/2" long;  I will make a stocking with #1 needles and sock yarn for comparison later today.  

I will post instructions tomorrow just in time for December!

(Betsy you can compare patterns!)
 

Closing Down on the Weekend

Cassandra and I made some stepping stones today. 

 It is so relaxing, if messy, to play with grout!  

This will cure in another 24 hours and I will put it out with the other stones, I almost have a completed path!

 I also did a little bit of painting;  another winter scene card.  

I watched a tutorial about a different style of fir tree

 and had to give it a go!   

 My company has gone home, 

my house is quiet 

and the cats are out of hiding.

  I hope to finish that pair of socks today after church!

What's your plans?

A Day of Adventures!

Cassandra and I worked on step one of making a stepping stone. (applying tile adhesive and placing our tiles) 

Now we must wait to grout it.  Today will see it finished!

The tree crinum is doing it again (this bloom bundle is 18-20" wide).  The smell is delicious!

A lot of this happened today.  (pool temp is 82F)

In the pond out back, 

we saw this pattern in the water and knew this was around!

A water snake. 

 A permanent removal was necessary but it was not wasted-

because we hang it in the tree for a hawk or eagle!

  The camouflage is good-can you see it?!

The evening was perfect 

(except for the mosquitos which is why I am inside the lanai for the bonfire)

for fireworks!

A loud and beautiful end to a perfect day!

Such a Good Time

We spent the first part of the day preparing this meal.  Enjoyed eating and telling stories and then cleaning up!  

This is youngest son and family with Bill and I.  It was so nice to have a relaxing afternoon.

The kids did this a lot of the day-the had pirate accoutrement (I took the pic too soon) and their imaginations are alive and well!  

After the kids finished while the adults watched, we did some motorized fun!  Even I enjoyed this ride because there was no fear of falling!  What a blast! We finished out the day with a good movie (the Black Stallion) and snuggles-we all dropped into bed! 

Today will be some more relaxing and crafting for Cassandra and me, swimming for kids and some odd jobs for Bill and Caleb to share-guy style!  (meals you say--leftovers are on the menu! lol)

A Special Day

I have so much to be grateful for this year.  Yes, this year with its many challenges.  I survived Toxic Shock and pneumonia and recovered fully.  Bill was in a collision that totaled our car but he has only minor injuries.  My parents both had a trip to the hospital in the ambulance but recovered and were soon home.  My youngest son fell off a roof and had a car accident later in that month and was able to recover almost 100%. Those are just the headline kind of experiences...there are so many blessings daily I can't count them all!

It's been a good year for the artwork.  I can almost smell the horses in this barn....

This is a great reminder for my on the days when I have more pain than smiles!

I 'm working away on the second sock but I keep being distracted with the lathe zone!  See the bowl?  It's completed and the best one yet!  (5 1/4" wide and 2 1/4" tall.

I mean, look at this perfect bottom!  It is camphor wood with oil and wax for the finish.

I have family here-youngest son and family and middle son is here.  There is laughter and joy.  The essentials.  

And thank you to all of you who are faithful commenters;  the encouragement and inspiration you give are wonderful gifts that are also a major facet of my life!
 

Errands, Lathe and Knit!

We had to go into town but when we got home, I couldn't wait to head to the lathe!  I hollowed out the bowl in no time at all without a single mistake!  I almost felt like a real wood turner!

Today I hope to release the tenon from the chuck and turn the bowl around for the last time to remove the tenon and make a smooth bowl bottom!  Stay tuned!

I knit on the second sock while in the car yesterday but am being distracted with cute little bells when I take a break.  Mom sent the pattern for a little stocking, too, so I will give that a try and show you soon.  Family arrives this afternoon, I need to do baking first thing...I will most likely take a break from everything except knitting in the evening because my hands will be busy cooking or snuggling some grands!
 

Lathe, Piece, Knit and Paint!

 I thought I would show you the beginning of a bowl.  This is a hunk of wood, I have cut off the 'corners' so I could work easier at the lathe.  It is attached to the lathe with  a faceplate-a piece of metal that is screwed to the flat side of the wood-the side that will be the inside of the bowl eventually!

I use a roughing gouge to chip away at the side until it is round.

Then I work at making the bottom of the bowl.

And after an hour or so, I have the shape I like and the bottom which will be held with a different chuck so that I can hollow out the bowl from this side--I hope to find time today!

I also made the last three blocks yesterday afternoon;  I have to sew them together and add a border of the red fabric!  I so enjoyed the piecing for this!

One sock is finished-I just kept knitting until almost out of yarn and then I bound off --the sock has a k3, p1 rib up the leg, the rest of the sock is stockinette.  

 And this is a winter card out my front window!  A clear night sky with stars, the palm tree is a Queen palm with bromeliads at the base.  The bushes in the background are my camellias....

AFO'S (almost finished objects!)

I did add jingle bells to each of my bells but I want to make quite a few more before this season is done!

I'm close to finished sock #1;  I will knit until I am almost out of yarn which is a great benefit of knitting toe-up!

I have been working on the Mystical Lanterns afghan to bring it to a conclusion--I am presently crocheting around the outside of the blanket-again, I will knit until I am out of this yarn once and for all!

Ta-Da Times 2 !

I ordered these canning jar rings ages ago and they finally came-so I wanted them not for canning but for crafting!  I sprayed painted them orange first.

Then I threaded an orange ribbon through the rings and tied it tightly in the middle.  It naturally forms the pumpkin shape.  In the center hole, I placed a real pumpkin stem saved from seasons past.

I now have a very seasonal table centerpiece!

Once that was complete, I wanted to head to the lathe. 

 Bill installed the LED light overhead for me and what a difference it made!  I sanded and polished the inside of the bowl

 and then it was time to turn it around to complete the base.

This is where I am having trouble to hold the bowl in place to remove the tenon that I make first so that the chuck can hold this while I hollow it out.

I made a chunk of wood into what is called a jam chuck--I shape the end of this chuck so that the bowl will fit over the end perfectly.

I then 'jam' the bowl between this wooden piece and bring the tail stock up to the bottom of the bowl as I cut away the now unnecessary tenon.

I whittle it down to a little nub and then remove it.  I sand this down and apply the finish to match the rest of the bowl.

And then I have a near perfect bowl from a piece of Camphor tree from our own yard!  The bowl is 4" x 4".  It took a lot longer than I thought but I hung in there until it was a done deal.  I can't wait until the next project now! lol

 

Jingle Bells

I worked on some piecing today!  I listened to Agatha Christie's Black Coffee (Audible on YouTube) while I worked and it was a nice hour!

Bill and I ended up doing a bunch of pruning in the central area of our driveway circle--things sure do grow fast and thick here!  It was such a good feeling to beat back the jungle.  So , I didn't get to finish the bowl but I am close and today will see its finish for sure!  But I did paint a new card.

I also played with a bit of memory lane knitting!  My Mom has made so many of these through the years (even knitting them in white for wedding gift accents!) and I remembered them the other day and asked her if she still had the pattern.  Sure enough , later in the day I got an email with her successful hunting notes!  You can use any yarn with needles that match the yarn, straight needles work well because these are knit flat and grafted to join.  

Here is the pattern for your knitting pleasure!

KNIT BELLS

Small amount of yarn and straight needles to give a firm fabric (for example, worsted weight yarn + #5 needles, or fingering weight yarn +#1 needles)

Cast on 14 stitches

Row 1- Knit 10, Purl 4

Row 2--Knit across

Repeat these two rows until there are 22 garter ridges (44 rows)

Knit row 1,  cut yarn 12" from needle (you should be on the stockinette end of the bell to cut the yarn)

Pick up 14 stitches from the cast on edge onto a second needle and graft the two rows:

Kitchener for Stockinette for the first four stitches says: knit off, purl on the front needle and purl off, knit on the back needle.  When you reach the garter stitches for the front needle, the Kitchener song changes to: knit off, purl on the front needle and knit off, purl for the back needle!  Continue across until all stitches are used, now pick up the top bumps all around the top of the garter ridges and pull it tight to close the top of the bell.  Use a single strand of yarn for the loop, twist two strands or even use gold braiding.  I like to hang a jingle bell inside for a clapper, too. 

 Make a million of these or at least a dozen! Be sure and post them if you do knit some bells!

(worsted weight and #5 needles were used here for the green bells (2") and #1 needle with sock yarn for the Christmas  colored bell (1 1/2")

And it was a Good Day!

I had a visit with a friend yesterday;  

how nice it is to get with another woman 

and just share what it going on in your lives! 

 After she left, I puttered at the lathe 

and really caught on to the hollowing part of bowl making. 

 A sharp tool really makes it so much easier! 

 Today I will apply the finishes and have a completed bowl!

I ordered these wood blanks from Amazon--they really do have everything! lol 

 I have plans for these, just wait and see. 

 The 3 x 3 x 6" pieces are Black Walnut 

and the square 5 x 5 x 3" is Sapele which is a wood 

that is being used instead of the endangered Mahogany.  

I've also been doing the painting for winter cards...

I forgot to add snow to the first one 

but have now added the dots of white ink to represent snow falling.

  It's fun to just play but my favorite one so far 

is this one--no surprise--because it is line and wash 

which really looks so neat and defined 

which is my style in so many other areas, too!