THE END OF THE YEAR!

Nothing like finishing up the end of the year with a good finish.  I completed the 2022 Totally Tunisian Blanket from Jayda in Stitches.  I haven't blocked this yet, it is right off the needles but all of the threads are woven in and the border is complete!  It is 39" by 51" so a good nap blanket.

I just added rows of single crochet using up the leftover balls from this project and then ended with a row of reverse crochet so the curl is tamed along the edge.  It will get a good wash and dry and I will use it later today!  We don't stay up for the 'ball' to drop but I do want to wish you a happy new year and thank you for the friendly connection throughout this year!

 

PUTTING IT TOGETHER

Look, I managed to work on another project  and will continue to work on it today!  I have all 12 of the Tunisian Calendar Blocks crocheted together and will begin the border work next.

Lena helped me graft the ends of the cowl together 

and almost agreed to model it for me....

This is what our home has looked like for a week--Bill removed all of the blankets and frost cloths from the garden areas but I am sad to say that 5 nights below freezing did a number on everything.  I'm hoping the blankets will at least allow the plants to make a comeback!  The weather is improving and it will be 79*F tomorrow so hoping that will give the green a chance!

Many of the Camellias were burned brown 

but a few still flourish!

(I managed to walk out for these pics yesterday after breakfast and that was my highlight of activity for the day!) 

 

A SWEATER EMERGES

The second sleeve was completed and attached with the same ease, gratefully.  I have also completed the buttonhole band.  Today, I tackle the easier buttonband on the left side.  I hope to be able to be upright so that I can block it by day's end!

I don't know what it wrong with me-the symptoms are confusing and the MS also adds quirks.  All I know is that I am down for the count and glad it is post-Christmas and not the week before! 

 Today was the first day without freezing morning temperatures!  Here's to Florida weather being restored.

 

SOMETIMES YOU WIN!

It worked!  I added the three inches of length to the sweater sleeve plus the waste yarn, picked up and knitted the armhole onto waste yarn and grafted the two pieces together!  Very relaing, very exact and it turned out beautifully much to my deight!  I'm well on my way with sleeve #2 and will use the same technique to attach it.  I consider this idea a huge success!

 

JUST A SLEEVE

Since I am down with a virus of some sort, I am in bed, dozing and knitting as I am able.  I  figured out how to knit the sleeve from the cuff up-as opposed to picking up stitches and knitting down from the yoke as the pattern reads.  This way, I didn't have to haul the sweater around each time I knit a round on the sleeve!  I have the markers up the inside of the sleeve, marking the increases and leaving me a good path to follow (and notes) to make the second sleeve to match!  I have about 3" more to knit and then I will knit a few rounds in waste yarn.  Using waste yarn on both ends to join with grafting is a trick I use with the machine knitting and it is worth the little bit of extra work so you can SEE what you are doing! It is working beautifully in my head! 

 Today will see if my plan goes as smoothly in 'real life'!

 

KNITTING HAPPENED!

I made another flower petal dishcloth on the Sentro last night--I like it in the colors.  Since this has only 30 rows, it should be an easy project but the cotton yarn takes some extra handling so it is a slow machine knit but still very doable-especially when the results are fun and all of the little balls get used up!

Now here is a real slog!  I have finally finished the section of the body from the armholes to the hem!  I hope to breeze through the sleeves-I might just knit them in the round and graft them to the shoulders when I am done;  I don't look forward to hauling the body of the sweater around and around as I knit the sleeves!  At least the first fitting is good-I am looking forward to the blocking so the lacy yoke shows up better!  If the weather keeps in these below freezing numbers, I need to get it knit to wear sooner rather than later!

 

I WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS!

A very Merry Christmas to you today! 

 We've put a dinner in the oven and are off to church, 

then home for a nice dinner for the two of us! 

Yesterday did indeed mean bitter Florida temperatures of 24*--we had to run a trickle of water from our faucets to ensure the pipes wouldn't freeze.

On the way to visit our son, we saw one of the reindeer on the road--it just might be Rudolf!

These nuts had fun with me on the trampoline--I never let go of the pole but did have a tons of laughs!

(yes, it was cold out still!)

 I learned how to make a double layered dishcloth on the Sentro 48--it sure is pretty and is about the size of my opened hand--just right!  There is more of these in my future--with a color change to make it look more like a flower

 that the designer had in mind!  

I hope you have a lovely day today!

 

PLEASING PURSUITS

The Quilt of Valor top is finally loaded on the frame! 

(and do you not that the design wall is empty!)

 I don't know what is wrong with my thinking because I knew I had to load this with the bottom at the top of the quilting so I could use the panto I chose right side up.  Well, I immediately forgot and loaded it wrong-

and had to rip out just a bit of quilting when I realized it pretty quickly that I had goofed!

  I turned it around and stitched the first row.

See the panto-last time I used it I had to do the writing upside down--this time I can 'write' more easily!

My other big project yesterday was fixing my Sentro knitting machine-the row counter stopped counting and it is a necessary tool!  I turned to YouTube and began to take the layers apart!

I learned that if you turn the needle base upside down to see how it fits, they will spill all over the floor!

I repeated this 3 times so I really got well acquainted with how it is built! lol  I was able to fix the counter, remove lint and lubricate the needle barrel--I even tightened the slack in the turning handle--the machine works now better than ever!  I love being a tinkerbell!

While Bill worked hard outside protecting the fruit trees, 

I admired my camellias--the red one is in full bloom.

The blooms are double-doubled layered! 

They are full and multi-colored in hue-dark pinks 

and true reds on the same bush!

This is from another bush--this is a very large 8" bloom  It looks more like a hibiscus bloom than a Camellia.

Bill built a 'hut' to protect the agave flower stalk!  It's creative and we will find out today if it does the job!  It is supposed to go down to freezing by 1am and then continue to drop to 24F by 7am.  It will take the sun until 3pm to warm it up to 45degrees

--a heat wave!  I hope you are or have fared well in this winter storm system!

 

PREPARING FOR THE FREEZE

 

No, I have not opened a Plant Nursery! 

 We would cover the sensitive plants if there was temps predicted for the 30's but since they are saying we will get three-four nights in the low 20's, we are trying

 to save as many as we can!

Bill spent most of yesterday moving plants in, covering the ones too large and trying to  save the fruit that is ripe on the trees-oranges,, tangerines and grapefruits!  

They can handle an occasional drop into the 30's 

but this will be a strain on the trees and fruit!

I worked on the lathe-putting the many layers of finish on the bowl and sanding between each.  Very calm work!

I knit a scarf with the little handspun leftover balls- (which I found cleaning out the yarn bins!)-it is 6' long!  

Thank good ness for the Sentro knitting machine--this is double-layered and going to be needed this weekend!

I also made some hats to send to family!

I plan on sitting in front of the fire tonight!

I hope you are keeping warm, too!

CLEANING A PROBLEM AREA

This is the view I see when entering the studio--cat nesting.  This mess is what they pull out to spend the night.  They might like it but I do NOT!  When Sarah  posted about this solution to her pet  'digging' in her scraps, I knew it was just what I needed!

I folded the larger pieces and now this cube is off limits to the cats! Bwahaha! 

Look!  There is a tidy floor again.

And I used the rest of the bins to organize my yarn!  This way I can pull out one skein without causing an avalanche of yarn! 

 I love to organize things! 

 I also threw away a full garbage bag of useless detritus

that I have collected and now it is gone and I feel lighter!!!!

In fact, I've ordered more so all of the yarn will be sorted!

 I usually go crazy cleaning corners in January,

 so, I am ahead of the game!

A MISTY VISIT

When we first arrived at our Fernandino Beach family, we had lunch and then took a walk at a nearby park that borders the Intercoastal waterway.

It was beautiful despite the brisk temperatures 

and very drilling wind!

The kids briefly enjoyed the playground--I enjoyed the paved walkway (much easier for me to walk along!)

and then on the other side of the playground, 

I discovered a Little Library!  It was all kid's books 

but I found one to read to the kids at bedtime!

A small berry but not so striking without the snowy backdrop!

I enjoyed spotting this majestic Hickory tree;  our farm in NY had so many of these in the back woods!

There were these Laurel Oaks infested with a bug that results in the large growths on the sides of the tree. 

 Not quite a burl but similar.

Unfortunately, this is the end result of the bug infestation!

A very large tree that is quite dead.

I was interested in how they might turn on the lathe! lol

The kids ran circles around us but we had a wonderful time.

Yes, rough-housing with Grandpa is part of the package!

 

QUILT, KNIT, MAKE HATS

This little quilt now has binding and as I write this,

 it is in the dryer!

I started this when I had a broken wrist 

and couldn't do much in the area of cutting, etc. 

 Nice to have it completed before the year is over!

I have the tenth block on the needles.

   It is a very good blend of texture and cables!

It is block #49 and it is a quicker knit than some of the others!

Another hat is in the pile! 

 I am really clearing out the bins of yarn

 and that is a good feeling.

Today we are heading to youngest son's for a early Christmas visit!  We look forward to sharing time with them!  I have knitting to enjoy on the ride up and easy knitting while there which I probably won't touch unless we watch a movie! lol  

 Today is my birthday (67th) 

and I will get to share that with them, too! 

Now that is a bonus!