PULLING OUT A BURIED OBJECT!

So I pulled out this Christmas mini quilt that I started several years ago and figured out that I made the first 16 blocks (arranged like an advent calendar) and then quit.  The pattern and fabric were still there with the blocks  so I decided to give it a finish!

There are still as many pieces to cut as in a full sized quilt

 but they are just small and fiddly. 

 I got the pieces cut out and then stitched them together.  

 

Not so happy with the results.  I remember why I put it away.  That 1/4" seam allowance which looks so small on a 6" block is really big on a 1" square!  I might try it again today but no guarantees!

 

FINDING COLOR

A friend has just delivered a new baby girl and I wanted to gift her a sweater and hat.  I want a beret for the hat and I haven't found one yet, but I will!    (it's from MJ's off the hook blog)

Every morning there are new camillias on the bushes!

There is just one bush that is behind the others but it is always the last one!

This bush has several shades of red, red/white and red/pink.  This one is my favorite, though~

The robins are here!  We usually see them by Dec 1 so they are a few days early!  This cold snap has blown down the whole east coast so it convinced the birds to head south!  But even here we have a freeze warning!  So unwelcome around my yard! lol

 

JUST DO IT!

I was losing the race on floor space in our closet; 

 I needed a place for all of the projects in the works. 

I knew that I would have to haul a lot of stuff out of the closet

 to accomplish this!  

But look how much better this is! 

 Because I wanted the clothes basket under the shelf, I had to rearrange the unit a bit.  That meant that I had to make some more spacers to put the bottom shelf on top!

It's a good thing I know how to make them on the lathe!  I spray- painted them white and they look like the originals! 

 It's nice to have things organized after you get over dreading the job!

FRATERNAL TWINS

I managed to make two tops  40 x 48")

from the 3 yards of batiks I was gifted.

The one on the left has to be sewn together but it is mostly done!

It's been a long time since I've worked in the studio!

I've finally gotten some stamina back

 and with the right meds, I am able to think again!

You don't appreciate what you have until you lose it!

 

A SWEATER ON SUNDAY

The cropped cardigan is finished but not blocked yet!  

        When the last of the family left and we all took naps!  
 

SHARING CREATIVITY

                             We enjoyed some paint-pouring time together!

              I like this medium more every time I do it! 

               (Matthew's on the left, mine on the right)

We sure made a mess but it was worth it so see these results!

(the boys' work)

A PERFECT THANKSGIVING!

The kids loved their turkeys 

and in record time had the candy gone!

After dinner, clean-up and some target practice with some firearms, the ladies settled down for some crafting time!  We mixed our glob of acrylic paint with some backing soda and then applied it to some odds and ends of vases to  make the glass look like pottery!  It was very relaxing!

Just before evening settled, we explored for the annual finding of the Indian Pipe fungi! We were not disappointed!

(I am late in posting this because I have a new laptop, a Chromebook, and I cannot for the life of me get my IPhone and the laptop to communicate so all of my photos are stuck out of reach!  I finally gave up and went to bed last night and this morning, really gave up and did it on the old laptop! lol)

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU!

As we gather around our table today for a Thanksgiving feast, know that you will be included in my list of things for which I am grateful for throughout the year!

I know you are aware of having the same lot # for your projects but even so, it is no guarantee it will result in two identical skeins!

Case in point--look how different these two dishcloths are even tho each skein was marked as the same dye lot!  I'm not going make a sweater where it would matter but I did find it interesting!  If you haven't tried the new Crafter's Secret cotton from Hobby Lobby, I would recommend it because it has a wonderful hand for cotton yarn!  It is soft yet firm and because it is made with 4 strands of different colors, it sure gives a depth to the knitted/crocheted fabric!  I am using the four of these I have made for hot pads for our dinner today and then will used them for dishcloths during clean-up!

 

TURKEY BELLIES

 For the grands on Thanksgiving! 

FLOWERS AND FABRIC

My cactus are all beginning to bloom ; 

 this one is the first again and now I know why!

  
Here is a chart to help you decide which cactus you have!!!

  This one has always been the earliest to bloom

 but it blooms all December, too, so I never thought about it being a different kind!!  I just love them no matter when they bloom!

There are still lots of Fall colors on the porch, though--

mums and this thunbergia for two.

I sewed the second bowl cozy--the same fabric on one side----

and different on the inside!  One for Bill and one for me!

 

SNOW!?!

So a blog friend  sent me a challenge   an idea since I have been enjoying crochet lately;  some gorgeous snowflakes that are pretty intricate.  It is made with a small hook and sock yarn. 

 I used some of the rabbit yarn from KnitPicks

 that was just a leftover ball.

I had many false starts until I figured out what the new stitches were all about.  I was pretty proud of myself until I got that sinking feeing---it was supposed to be six-sided!!!! 

Of course, I had to make another one so I could end on a successful note!  This isn't blocked; I'm wondering if it will make a difference so I will try that today.

I will be making some more of these today also! 

 Just right for holding a bowl of hot soup or chile!

A LITTLE OF THIS AND THAT

I do still work on the rocks but it is only for a few minutes each week as I change the grit and water out for the next weeks spin!  The large green rock at the top is green jasper from Washington State and the rocks at the bottom of the pan are from

 the left-over pieces that line the bottom of my shower! 

 Mostly jasper and quarts with a few pieces of basalt!

It is fun to work with the rocks still!

I have the family of gingerbread men all stitched-I will go after church and buy some candy canes so they are ready

 to hand out/mail out to my grands!

Look at this guy!  I will make a few to give to the four grands

 that will be here for Thanksgiving! 

 The slot will have some mini-candies tucked it!

 

SLIPPERS!

Another idea for slippers;  single crochet a square, seam up the heel, divide the other end in thirds and gather 2/3 and fold the other 1/3 up at an angle and stitch in place.  The pom-poms are not only decorative but also help close up the top of the slippers!   I wear a size 8 shoe and through trial and error, I figured out I needed only 32 stitches for length and 32 rows to wrap around my foot to give you a starting place. 

 I used a #4 Worsted weight yarn and an H hook.  

Bill managed to do the cement!!!! 

 It poured again until mid-day but he caught a few hours of dry-ish weather and got it done!  In a few days, it will be dry enough for me to paint it.  Once I get the two coats on and dried, we can put down the patio rug (which matches the other side with the sectional) and arrange the table on this side of the lanai!

  Now all we need is some sunshine to enjoy it all again!  

 

A FABRIC FINISH!

Look at this!  A real finished object in the studio! I put the binding on yesterday and even washed/dried it, too!

It has beautiful texture from the Baptist Fan pantograph pattern I which I used to quilt it. 

And then I managed to sew the borders onto this top. 

 I do not have a backing for it so it is stalled for a bit.

Bill did work on this area-he dug out the soil and stones but I didn't sit and watch him because it rained every half hour but I waved every once in a while! lol

The rain collected and dripped through the pool screen all day.  At least we didn't get battered with the high winds that the coast received a few hours south of us.  

And Nyki has been so helpful as I crochet the gingerbread ornaments!  I feel the same way about a skein of yarn! 

ONE STITCH AT A TIME!

 The doctor appointment went well and we are hoping to have the headache on the run.  How many of you know where your trigeminal nerve is?  It's a funny thing about nerves--you want them to do their thing without letting you know they are there, right??!   I did have a good amount of time to do some knitting;  I finished one half of the main body from sleeve to center back and have begun on the other half.  It is going smoothly which is a very good thing!

If the rain lets up for long enough, I will be sitting and watching Bill work his magic with filling the other 'garden' area with cement.  We will see!

RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY...

Isn't it interesting that there is a variety between the first two dishcloths and this skein for the third one?

 It does look good in the current favorite pattern. 

Yesterday morning , not only did I lock myself out of the house which was an adventure all its own , I opened the bottom cupboard instead of the top one (where I wanted to get the eyeglass cleaner) and when I did, some china fell out right into the cat's dry food which exploded out to cover a ten foot area! 

So not only did I clean up the mess, I organized the dishes so they wouldn't be a booby trap again any time soon! 

BEING UP AND ABOUT

I  have decided that the headache is with me for the now so I have to be up and start to be active again no matter what. It is hard to be up because I have no stamina but I need to be up to build up stamina.  It's hard no matter what! So I tackled the studio and finished quilting this one which was already on the frame.  I even cut 7 strips to make the binding.

I dug out this old project (Elmgrove) that I finished  at the beginning of this year and it ended up being way too big!  It's been in the naughty bucket and so when I needed to sit down, 

I began deconstructing it!

It took about an hour;  the yarn was a bit 'sticky' to unravel 

but I persevered!

And I even cast on a new sweater!  I am making  a side to side sweater that I have made before, Nera, 

and it will drape nicely in this yarn.  The last sweater was in cotton yarn and it a quite a bit thicker.