STUDIO CALLING ME

I have to decide how I will put some borders on this--the blocks are all done and stitched together, though.  Right now it is 40 x 50'  I have enough to make another row but I am not sure I want to do that.  I will stew over it for a few days.

I sewed this one together, too, and only have enough of the green strips for three sides so I will use it in pieces alternating with the leftover solid strips.  Of course, I couldn't find them so will put that at the top of the list for today

 so I can get it ready for quilting!

And I even adjusted the pants pattern pieces so I could cut out the linen pants!  All ready for me to serge it together. 

 They should be a done deal by day's end! 

 Nice to start the week in the studio!

 

STITCHING

This is my view when I want to watch a painting tutorial on YouTube!  She won't move until I get up and move toward her!  Stinker. 

I am on the last row of the doily-it takes forever because it has tons of picots!  It will be finished, blocked and starched next time you see it!  I've enjoyed each stitch of this project!

This hat is made with the leftover yarns from the baby blanket!  Since I got sick when home from NY, I didn't get to deliver the blanket.  Now I can include the hat to match!  I am still making hats-I just don't post about them!  I am making another large pile to take to the shelters when we get into December so they can be handed out in time for our January freezes!

 

TAKING A DAY TRIP!

We had an adventure day!  We packed a lunch and headed out to Kelly State Park and when we got there, they were turning people away as they had hit capacity!  A quick search on Google and we found another Spring only 15 minutes away!  It was a very fun time once we got over the disappointment of the change!  

This park is called Wekiwa Sptinhd State park.

The water is cold-but once you get over that, it was very refreshing!  It is deep all around the large limestone boulders so it is a welcome haven as you swim around 

enjoying the crystal clear water!

Once we convinced Bill to get over the initial jolt of cold so he could enjoy the water, he did! 

In fact, he thoroughly enjoyed searching for rocks on the bottom and collected quite a few!

We will identify these and make a display of them--what a wonderful family adventure!

STITCHES

I saw this pattern and  couldn't wait to make this doily! 

 It is designed for multiple colors but I knew I had some grey crochet cotton that would be just right!  I'm a little rusty at the small string and hook project but it is working out well overall. 

I am using a new-to-me cotton called Artiste Mercerized Egyptian Cotton. (#10)  I chose it for the color and it feels like any other crochet cotton I've ever used.  I'm using a number 7 steel hook.

And I am ready to begin the gusset increases on the new sock.  I'm doing a zig-zag up the side. Other than dropping my cable needle every few minutes, it is going well! In fact, I am on my second cable needle because the first one disappeared!  I  had tucked it in my watch strap to use on every other row, got up and did something in the kitchen and when I came back, no needle!  lol

And I even loaded and began a quilt on the frame! 

 Nice to have the house full of stitching again!

STUDIO TIME

It sure felt good to do some sewing in the studio for a change! I have had this printed canvas for a while and couldn't wait to turn  it into an apron!  I have another one cut out but I need to get some more bias binding for the neck and tties.  I have all of the kinks worked out so it will go together smoothly!  I made a full swath of pockets at the waist--my phone can stand up or lay down, depending on what kind of work I am doing! 

I also pieced the last two star blocks I needed;  now I can get this one together!   I will be 40' x 50" so even with a border, it will not be large enough for a QOV but a good donation quilt anyway!

  Now to stitch the rows together!

 

WANNA TAKE A WALK TO THE BEACH?

Acrylic Paint

9" x  12"

And when the two birds went into the sky, 

I knew I was done.

It felt great!

 

And a new pair of socks are on the needles.  Stroll yarn by KnitPick in the Yeti colorway.  They go well with the picture!

ALMOST ME AGAIN!

Palmier by Berroco is completed and even washed and blocked.  I can't wait to pair it with a pair of unbleached linen pants!  I will be making these as soon as the fabric arrives!)  

Another finish is this pair of red/white/blue socks from the me-dyed Stroll Bare yarn.  They sure are a busy print! 

 It's a good thing they kinda stripe!

And bit by bit I finished carding the rest of this fiber!  It's been way too long that I needed to finish this fiber.  (It's the one where I had an idea that didn't turn out the way I wanted and the wool  even felted a bit so it was a bear to work with....blah, blah. )

  But is will not own me any more!!! 

I even cleaned the drum carder and put all tools away.

 I am going to continue to spin it this week to turn it into yarn--being sick sure set me back but I am cutting myself some slack! 

(the meds are kicking in and I am getting relief from the sinus pressure!  Now to build up my stamina again!)

 

DIFFERENT JUICES FLOWING

I broike out the new paints I have had for a month and finally began a painting with them.  I am about halfway done with this;  it takes a lot more time than you think to build up the layers starting with things farthest away and then adding details the closer to the viewer you get.  A good way to get me upright more!  The paints are a new-to-me brand which more closely mimic oils yet are acrylics.  They take longer to dry yet haven't the odors associated with oils and they don't dry out so quickly on your canvas or your palette. 

 A good way to get my brain cells working again!

In between layers of paint, I worked on the sleeve. 

 One done and on to the next! 

HERE'S HOPING!

I managed to finish the dishcloth my Mom had started , made another one and then did an old favorite, the corner to corner dishcloth yesterday.  

Bill bought two folding screens at Ollie's recently and made a change in the hinges to one section so I could have them as a privacy screen on the corner of the pool patio facing a long driveway on that side of our property.  There are new homeowners back there and I felt the need for some changes.  The large plant in the blue pot is a lemongrass plant--yes, each leaf when broken smells delicious!

The other plants from left to right ( I double-checked my words here for accuracy! lol) are a Plumeria, Buddha plant and ponytail palm.  The outdoor temp in the sun read 118F--not a day for hanging out by the pool !  I did go to the doctor's and am on a 'script of anti-biotic so I should be feeling better in a few days!!!!  I'm ready for that!
 

GROAN

I finally finished the dreaded stockinette-body-round-and-round-forever-stage--the ribbing is done and cast off, too! I am pressently working on the sleeves delighting over the fact that there are far fewer stitches to go round and round!  It is only a short sleeved sweater so it won't be long before I have these sleeves finished!  In fact, I have a doctor appointment today so I will have some waiting room knitting time! (I always postition myself as far from the dreaded game show program that will be on the waiting room tv and try to relax and knit instead!)

I tried a warm-up exercise on this recent watercolor.  I have some new acrylics that I want to paint with soon as I can bear standing and thinking.... and thought this would be a good way to get my colors flowing again!

After reading a few comments on my last post, I had a good laugh!  I said I 'saw a face' on the right side of the Dotz painting but it was indeed on the left side!  That is, unfortunately, One of the effects of my MS; my inability to say my right from my left--I can point okay but hearing it or having to tell someone can be rather contrary!!!!  (Can you imagine me as copilot? 

 I yell, "That way!" and just point! )

Anyway, this is the next Dotz painting is waiting for me;  I glued it to its board so I will be able to start working on it today, I hope!

 

MESSING WITH WOOL

I used the enforced up time in the morning yesterday to card some more fiber so I could spin another bobbin. 

 This is how the wool looks when I begin.

I load some on my hand card first.  (just glob it on! lol)

And then make sense of the wads by combing them for a few strokes--it doesn't take much to get it fluffy like this!

Next, I load these fluffly bits from the hand cards into the carding drum and add about 4-5  of the fluffy fiber from the handcards to make a 'batt' from the drum.

I brought 4 of them into my bedroom so I could spin from bed and someone immediately began to do her own fiber ministrations--biscuit making of the most intense attention!

And then she promptly laid down for a nap!

I did get to spin after a bit because a jet went over and she thought it was thunder and went to hide!

After I did my spinning, I finished the Dotz project I was working on when in NY last week!  (because I mount it on the art board before I work on it, I can recline in bed with it leaning on my knees to work on it!)  I didin't notice it there, but do you see the face of a woman toward the right of the water/sky?! 

 If you don't see her, blame it on my head cold--

it does impair my brain to be so stuffy! 

 

MORE YARN!

I have some yarn to show for my spinning time-216 yards of worsted weight yarn.  I have plenty more of this fleece so I hope I can match the results.  I wasn't able to wash this yarn to set the twist because it poured all day and that doesn't help it dry!  

 

ROCK-A-BYE-BABY

It's amazing what you can do while laying almost flat on your back!  I crocheted the block together lengthwise and then the rows horizontally were done.  I did a few rows of double crochet and single crochet and then the last row was done in points around.

You can see what I mean here.  Nice to use up some scraps, right, Mom?!  This is for a lady at church to gift to someone in her family.--a little boy baby!

 

BIT OF A CRASH

 In my usual MO, my body is needing a bit of a crash (in bed) to recoup from the travel, etc.  I did a bit of spinning to try out the weird batt/rolags and they were a huge success!  I will be making some more when I am upright again!  It shouldn't be long!

SETTLING IN AGAIN

I wound the plied yarn I had made before we left so I could count the yardage and prep it for washing and setting.

I have a skein of yarn that is probably between fingering and DK weight yarn with 510 yards.

I then began the job of picking and combing on the drum carder to get some new fiber to spin for TDF again!

  This is some Gulf Native Sheep wool I had dyed a few years ago and didn't enjoy picking and combing before spinning 

but I am going to finish it up this time with little whining! 

I changed the whorl set-up on the drum carder

to the larger one and then rolled the batting off tightly

 so that it is like a large rolag.  

I will be spinning it today and will let you know how it goes!

I unpacked, walked around a bit to see the flowers and was glad to see the orange tiger lily that was in bud last week-

I was so glad I didn't miss it!

This guy watched me water the plants--he is a a green anole;  he can change colors to match the shade of his background  and we call them chameleons but they are not true chameleons. 

 They are not as common as brown anoles in my yard so I enjoy watching them!

 

INTO THE SUNSET

We had a beautiful view all the way home on our late afternoon flight.  No delays or problems again!  What a relief!

Mom and I worked to make these; 

I brought the yarn home so I can finish the last 4 blocks

 and then assemble and border the blanket.

I made 1/2 a sock on the flight home--

I was so glad to be greeted by all of the cats!  

I will have to get some more fiber ready to spin today!

 

HOARDING THE LAST HOURS

As I walk around the yard and enjoy the flowers-the hydrangea,

and the balloon flowers, I remember that Central NY in July is one of the most beautiful places you can be!

I organized my rocks by type--it is hard to tell what they are when they are dry.  I did manage to find two that are granite with garnet chrystals--very pretty!

How can you tell what a rock will look like polished?

You give it a quick lick!

We head back to Florida this evening!  This has been a precious visit.