TURNING LEAVES

 I thoroughly enjoyed piecing these leaves! 

 I bought enough of the background fabric to make these three leaves but I think I want to make another one for the table runner. Unfortunately, I will have to wait until I get to the quilt shop to buy some more!  The blocks are 10" so another one would fit on my table better anyway.  

WOOD ON WEDNESDAY

A few of the things that entertained me on the lathe; 

 2 spalted oak vases (6" and 5") 

and another grapefruit square bowl (5 1/2" x 3")

  I am experimenting with different finishes and this time

I used friction polish--a bit tricky at first 

but I got the hang of it eventually! lol

 

S U C C E S S....THAT'S THE WAY WE SPELL SUCCESS!

Hot off the seaming express, 

I present Brielle Boatneck Tee from Premier yarn. 

 AND it fits me this time!

This yarn is not by Premier but is some #1 yarn (fingering weight) that is a cotton which I purchased specifically for machine knitting.  Any yarn in a gauge of 24 sts and 32 rows over 4" will work, though.  I'm so glad I persevered in converting this hand knitting pattern for one I could do on the machine!

 

VISITORS

Laughter and hugs...stories 

and the world from their point of view-priceless.

Outside of the lanai is my mandevilla plant;  covered in flowers, 

it is a striking pop of color day after day. 

This is also the view out of my bedroom window...the rising sun shining from behind it and the setting sun shining from this side. 

 It is beautiful and will be until frost removes the flowers.

Just behind this by the bird bath is the bleeding heart vine. 

 In full bloom, it looks like this.

After the blooms are spent, the husks turn this dusty rose color and continue to look stunning.  

What a perfect day was enjoyed yesterday. 

MAKE A PLAN

No, I didn't get to cutting or sewing yesterday

 but I did write/graph out my plan for the new table runner. 

 It helps me find my way through a new block 

and set the colors so they make sense to me.

Here's another idea that came in the mail--a new jelly roll of Christmas prints!

And it is from one of my favorite fabric lines!  

 

IT'S A WRAP

The binding has been sewn on both quilts; 

 I will be washing and drying them and adding another

 I've already made to send out the box to the Quilts for Kids.

The stitches were picked up for the back and front;  

I've even knit the ribbing on the front 

and at least picked up stitches on the back.  

I'm thinking of adding length to the back for a split hem 

which is always easier to wear to be kind to a thick middle! lol 

 I hope to even have the seams sewn up today!

 

TOWN & COUNTRY

I did indeed get a lot of knitting done while at the doctor's yesterday and finished casting off when I came home.

I did use the gift certificate after the doctor's to pick out some fabrics for a new pattern which will become a new table runner soon!  Who needs a lollipop after being a good girl at the doctor's?!

After lunch, I helped Bill, who was finishing this shed, by packing up the golf cart with boxes from the garage and bringing them to him--he then filled the shelves inside.

I brought 6 cart loads of  junk treasure to him until I was done in more ways than one!

Seeing all of this floor was very encouraging to us!

How do I know it is Fall?  The giant grasshoppers appear!  These are 5" whoppers which I am unable to kill because they are so disgusting....Bill to the rescue!

Today, I will knit on the blue top and begin to work on the new runner!  Umm, after I put the binding on the two QFK's first.

 

TRY-AGAIN-TOP!

I sat down and decided to try the top one more time...

and it went off without a hitch! 

 I even improved a few of my techniques

 for the separating and joining rows! 

 Nice to have it go so well.  

This time if it doesn't fit, 

I will find someone it will and be done with it! lol

I am enjoying the new mosaic blocks for the afghan--this one has what looks like a flower tile in the middle!  

I have two more blocks to make 

and will be done for this month already!  

(which is a good thing so I can catch up 

on the granny squares afghan I am making, too!)

I will be knitting the ribbing rows on the sleeves of the top 

while waiting at  a doctor appointment this morning; 

 without the errands afterwards,

 I hope to not tire me out so much today!

 

WEDNESDAY'S WOOD

An oak  vase is being born on the  lathe. 

 It was very dry but with lots of sanding 

and then oils, it is responding beautifully!

There is plenty of spalting on the other side; 

 these are not cracks but water that had seeped in and left its scarring on the chunk of wood--being brought out with finishes gives it beauty and it's not damage anymore!

I drilled a larger hole in the center of this vase--

I wanted to try something different.  

This one will hold water when I paint the inside with epoxy

 once it is off the lathe. 

This is how it started out! 

 Just a chunk of wood....it's been a wonderful journey!

SATISFYING DAY

The second QFK;s is off the frame and waiting for binding.  I will be going today for a bone scan and afterwards will pick up some fabric to bind this quilt and the last one....

so I can add them to the growing pile of finished quilts!

My old child's rocker is shiny and smooth again; 

 ready to go back into the kids room to wait for a visit.

I played a bit on the lathe today;  taking a small 9" chunk of oak and removing the bark and then smoothing the wood underneath.

And then the fun part begins;  the shaping of the wood. 

 I have it polished and waxed.  

Today, I will be drilling out the center for the glass vial 

so I can use it for a plant or flower!

 

HARLEQUIN STITCH

I have longed to make this stitch for  14 years when I first saw it used to make a baby blanket.  

The person making it only knew how to make this one stitch, 

didn't know the name of any of the stitches

 or even had a written pattern! 

 Nonetheless, I was hooked and I found it on YouTube 

and was able to add several rows to this sampler blanket.  

I thoroughly enjoyed learning how to make it, finally!

 

SATURDAY'S STUFF

I pulled the first of the QFK's off the quilting frame

 and loaded the second one and started quilting it but I was tired of standing by then 

so I put the put the binding on the jar quilt--it still needs to be washed and dried but it's done being sewn.

Bill took the box of Autumn things of the high shelf in the garage so I could put a few things out and about the house!  It was enjoyable to add the pops of orange around the house.  I even hung two pumpkin watercolors on the wall, too.

I added some orange to the tall vase in the corner of the dining room.

While I waited for the pizza to bake, I signed all of the newest bowls with the wood burner so they are official.  I do need to seal the bottoms, though, but that is a job for another day!

Bill brought in the mail and the order from KnitPicks came--sock yarn!  I've missed having some socks on the needles!

 

A FINISH AND ALMOST FINISHED!

 Another bowl is finished-I will be trying a different style soon; 

 one more is my plan for these square bowls first, though.

I completed both tops from the Quilts for Kids kits;

working out the mitered corners on the striped inner border on the one.  The fabric matched on one end but I was unable to match it on the other---I stopped stressing over it and just sewed it!  It looks fine.

And the Jar Collection quilt is off the frame and ready for its binding.

A new bowl and binding will happen but I really want to put the machine knitting sweater back on track.  It has been reduced to a bunch of yarn cakes--not a fashion draw right now!

MY DAY-FROM CATS TO CROCHET

We have three cats...all  females and not friends with each other--they walk through the house giving each other wide berth. 

 Every once in a while, one will lay in front of the cat door

 so the others can't come in! 

 And then there is the face off to prove who is top dog cat

 and there is much caterwauling!

!

Lena is all 'puffed up' but she won't join in their battle; 

 she often will face off one on one, though!

I made a work apron yesterday-something to wear at the lathe

 to keep the wood chips from sticking to my front!

It worked well--the dust you see on this

 is fresh from the work I did on the lathe to try it out!

The fabric is duck so the chips brushed right off-very convenient and not too warm to wear!

I also broke through the quilting frame freeze---

I am using this design;

---a pantograph called Rick Rack, I believe. 

 It is simple to do and I like the look.

I ended yesterday with a new block for the afghan--

mosaic stitch with an interesting center motif! 

 I will be doing more of the same today 

but hope to make some finishes along the way!