TUMBLING TUESDAY

Isn't this a pretty sight for the last day of February!?  The more rounded rocks on the left are some more from Lake Ontario.  The brown one on top and the ones on the right are some that are no completely know-two are petrified wood, one is chert and the others mysteries!  Fun stuff.  They are reloaded for week 3 for the lake rocks and week 2 for the mystery load.

My order of rocks arrived today!  Bill says he is feeling flummoxed over me paying for rocks!  Well, I did and I will be doing it some more until I get to a place where I can rockhound for myself!  These are from the Rock Shop, which has a great variety and wonderfully fair prices!  I bought some blue quartz, green quartz, Amazonite and a mixed bag!  You will be seeing more on them in the future!

And this is a great way to end the 'love' month--a blog friend sent some sock scraps for adding rows to my sock scraps blanket!  Just in time to finish up the row to make it wider!  Thank you!

 

FINISHED TOP AND FUN POPS!

I did work a long time Saturday but I managed to piece all of the blocks and sashings to the top!  It felt good to accomplish this.  Now I have some frame time to do!

In the down time, I've been making a few of these granny squares for that tote.  Twelve done and thirtysix more to go!  I can only make a few at a time-four at most because the cotton yarn with a small hook size means I am manhandling the stitches!  I am stitching over my ends and weaving tails in after each row/square so when I am done, I will be done!
 

SOCK ON SUNDAY

I did a lot more work on the sock lately. 

 I had taken quite a break from knitting a sock and frankly, 

my days have been so filled, it gets set on the back burner! 

 This one will be done this week and the second one will be well on the way by next Sunday!

 

WHERE I'VE BEEN!

Thursday I went with a friend to an absolutely excellent plant nursery!  We enjoyed the many garden areas and bought several plants to commemorate the day! All of the plants are started and grown by them for our planting zone 9 , all native plants , so they are all success stories!

This is an ever bearing cherry tomato plant--for Bill who loves them and will enjoy keeping this one alive for his own tasting pleasure!

I bought myself a Soap Nut tree-I don't know everything about it yet, but it grows nuts which are used as a soap-I've got a lot of learning to do before this starts to grow its fruit!  It will grow up to 30' tall-we will have to find the right spot for it!  

This little guy is a guava tree and will produce fruit next year!  It will be in the new grove we have started in our side yard!

And yestereday, Mary and I went to the Daytona Beach AQS  Quilt Show!  What a great day!

There were many quilts which caught my attention but this is one I will actually make!  A QOV, of course!  Today I will be home (phew) and will sew on the latest quilt to get it off the design wall and into a top!  
 

PUTTERING DAY

The baby sweater is finished-I will just add one button to the top.  I will whip off a hat this morning and mail it off with the quilt!

I wanted to wear the bottom necklace of natural amber but the elastic I had threaded it on popped--likewise the necklace on the top.  I guess that the elastic that is sold for threaded beads on lasts as long as rubber bands--just a few years!  I thread them both this time on silver wrapped thread.  This time it will last!

We repotted the Ficus tree;  it had outgrown its pot--the angle is funny here-the tree is over 6' tall and the pot is 2' tall. 

 This won't be tipping over anymore!

I had to go to the lab yesterday (it is located in a corner of WalMart) and when I was done, I bought some crochet cotton so that I could make the tote on the cover of this magazine!

It is made with a smaller hook to give the tote some firmness-

I might have to change that because it is harder to crochet 

but I am pleased with the look so far!  

 

HAPPY HIPPOS!

Hippo quilt is completely completed!  It is heading to the mailbox today to make it to my niece in time for her delivery!  

Vintage hippo print with some solids for framing. 

 The backing is mottled grey.  The quilt is 38" x 48"

 which is just right for welcoming a new baby into the world!

 

TUMBLING TUESDAY

My first batch of tumbled rocks is finished!  What a thrill.  They are right on the table where I can see them

 each time I pass through!

Here is a close-up of the Lake Ontario rocks.

These are the Carnelian rocks I tumbled for my friend!

Here is what is going in the second batch--some petrifiedd wood and unknown others that the previous owners of this house

 left in a pile outside.

The second tub has these larger Lake Ontario rocks that I started last week.  I have the tubs marked for what grit they are on--#1 and this one is #2.  They each get one week on this stage.  

 

PLAYING WITH YARN

Here's something unusual-I cast on a new pair of socks for a change!  I usually make a pair a month but haven't knit any socks for a few months!  It is going well, though, 

and striped yarn is always pleasing to work with!

I also cast on for a newborn's sweater--I've made so many of these sweaters and I am doubting myself about the size--it is REALLY small.  I forget how tiny newborns can be!  

And I gave the intarsia-like crochet work a try-chosing to make just a sample from the pattern.  Other than not having enough contrast between the two colors for the star-I found I am glad I tried this kind of work but I will be checking this one off my list of skills and leaving it at that!  Too many strands to keep track of and ends to weave in! lol  But I did it!

 

Studio Twice

I loaded up the hippo top and began a simple meander panto.

I also cut out the rest of the pieces for the remaining blocks

 and sashes for  the QOV kit.

And it is really shaping up!

 

STUDIO TIME

It's starting to come together! 

 I made the blue/white units, added some cornerstones. 

 Seeing it up on the design wall

 really sparks the energy to make some more stars!

  I have all day to play!

 

A FRIDAY FELINE

Another furbaby needed a lap to help me knit!  I've enjoyed a few days with the grands;  I had a quiet day while they were at school and then much laughter and joy after school!

I made a few quilt blocks. I couldn't press them because I didn't have an iron here!  Finger pressing to the rescue!

After I made my own little nook for sewing, I could leave the blocks out and ready for me to stitch!

 

A FEW THINGS

I've added a few more blocks to my sock yarn blanket;  I am making a widening row and then I will add another with the same yarns to the top to lengthen the blanket, too.  I do this after I have accumulated enough more sock yarn scraps.

I found a few thick loopers and whipped off a few potholders because I could.

And I hung a dozen of the knitted hearts all around the paths in the park;  this one is the same color as the azaleas.

This one was hung in a tree that had the same color lichen growing there!  I saw no stray cats but did pick up quite a bit of broken glass and papers to do Tammy proud! 

 

ROCK TUMBLING CABINET!

Bill, who is the king of 'free' brought home this cabinet.  I told him to put it in the 'garage sale pile'.  And then I got to thinking...This would keep my rock tumbling supplies in one neat place and in the bottom-where the piece of foam is, houses the tumbler and helps to muffle the sound!

See?!  It is sitting on a towel;  I drilled a hole in the back for the cord to go to the outlet.  I will buy some wood for solid doors the full length of the cabinet--just add it to the wood shop projects for the near future!

These rocks are in the last stage-the polishing phase of their tumbling.  I already have some new ones in the other tub and some more to go in this one in one week when these are done!  Exciting stuff!

For Valentine's Day, I will be hanging the hearts at the park nearby!

I hope you have a good day by sharing some kindness!

 

RUG HOOKING

As so often happens when I am looking for something else,

 I found a project I had started years ago!

I cut a few more strips with this Fraser cutter (1/8" strips).

And hooked for an hour.  I found my technique in no time

 but I had completely forgotten how long this takes 

to workm an area only 3" x 1" !!!!! 

 I was a bit discouraged by this discovery.

(which is probably why it was stuffed into a bin in the first place!)

I did find an old project that was completed but needed to be bound so it is ready for sewing into a pillow, 

wall hanging or footstool which is what this will be.

  I hope to build the footstool myself 

and turn the legs on the lathe! 

 How's that for ambition?

  I think I would prefer building to hooking any day!

 

TOPPED!

 I did it!  I pieced the two extra rows

 and put it all together and then added the borders.

  I will be turning this in on Quilt Group next week!  

    I also bound, washed and dried the MQAL that Alycia designed                         this year in Long May She Wave.

I will also turn this one in 

to the local QOV chapter. 

 A good feeling to be finished

and a prayer for the ones who will receive them.

PUTTERING AND PROGRESS

Bill 'rescued' this table and yesterday I decided it was going to get repaired or removed from the garage!  I tightened all of the joint screws and then painted the wrought iron.  I painted the top portion with grey paint and will now sand the top to give it a  driftwood look.  I think the legs need about 2" cut off so that the table is level with the window ledge.  There are rubber stoppers in the bottom so that I can replace them when the leg is sawed off.  I am pleased with the look!

When it began to rain, I decided to add the two rows of blocks (to the top and bottom) with the similar but different print.  Since the original 'kit' from QOV Day was for fewer rows, I have improvised with at least the top and bottom different but matching. 

I will piece the blocks and finish seaming all of the rows today.

I like the look of this--it is 56" by 72" when completed. 

 It will need borders to the sides 

because I like to make these quilts in a generous size.

I hope to apply the binding to the other QOV I finished recently. 

 It is supposed to rain again today

 so I need to make good progress on the piecing!