SOFT AND SMOOTH

I couldn't wait to sample a bit of the newly carded wool by using my favorite drop spindle.  Since it had been a few years since I used the spindle, a lot of dropping occurred but soon enough I had it spinning and not slipping from my fingers!  

The Cotswold wool is spinning up beautifully! 

 I think I want to try and make a spindle whorl on the lathe.

The last row of weaving has taken place;  the shuttle won't get through any more so I stitched the last rows together so cutting can take place and today I will be hemming and then washing the towels!

 

STITCHING

Round and round now until the ribbing at the hem. 

 The sleeves only have some ribbing 

so this will be a very summery knit.

I am done with the edging and will work on 10" of the center pattern next before I repeat this much on the other side of the shawl.  

Off to the lab today for some blood work.  

Too much excitement.

 

IT'S ALL GOOD

While I was sitting in the dentist's chair, in between doing work on replacing my cap, I unraveled the shawl!  I left the beginning row-15".

And last night, I began working through the pattern once again!  

 

TRY IT AGAIN

 I have run out of yarn to finish this shawl

 (Delicate Shells Shawl by Yarnspirations). 

 It is also longer than it needs to be so I am going to rip it out....I know, I think I make most things twice but only have half as many completed items! Groan. 

80" long without blocking.  Since I am 66" tall, I would at most round up the shawl to 70" long so this is 10"-12" too long.

 I do like the pattern enough to give it another go. 

 The yarn isn't a thrill to work with but the drape and weight of the shawl is promising! Today, I have a dentist appointment so I will bring it along to rip out.  Here goes!

PIECEFUL SUNDAY

The piecing has begun!  It was off to a bit of a rough start but I soon got my mind wrapped around the differences between a 3" and 3 1/2" square....I at least have a bit of a plan for now! lol

Isn't this amazing?  

           The Passion fruit Vine is so alien yet glorious!

 

QUIET PURSUITS

If your grand daughter asks for a watercolor cell phone insert, then of course, it gets made! lol Those are dolphins dancing in the ocean--she is still in love all things dolphin, so I will include the love!

I made several pairs of dishcloths; 

 I'm still not tired of making this pattern pairs!

And I found this yarn while looking for some more dishcloth cotton!  There is enough for this summer T-shirt even though it is the pattern I just finished, the yarn is so different, it is like a new sweater all over again!  It is going much more confidently this time around!

 I hope to spend a bit of time in the studio today, 

putting a start to the Sea Traveler quilts.

 

A SWEATER IS OFF THE NEEDLES!!

A sweater finish! 

 The pattern is Derecho by Berroco, Size 5 needles, 

Lion Brand Shawl in a Ball yarn held together with Jubilee Yarn Minnesota Delightfully Fine Yarn. 

 I made several alterations to the pattern-mainly I changed the hem from a high low, rounded hem to a standard hem making the ribbing with the same needles as the body so that the ribbing wouldn't pull in at the hem.  I also made the sleeves a bit longer.  

A very good knit!

LOOKING FORWARD TO DIVING IN...

During quilt group, I began the work of cutting out two new quilts!  Things went well but since I am still trying to think through

 'the miserable headache that never ends', 

I read everything four times 

and checked and rechecked to avoid mistakes.!

  I am cutting out all of the pieces before I begin the piecing on these two quilts.  I don't always do that but since I am making two,

 I thought it would be a good idea to have them both cut out. 

 Do you have a preference for cutting out--everything at once 

or enough for a block at a time?

I also picked up some more jute cord to add to the leaves.  

These are the colors I want to add; 

 I will also vary the sizes of the leaves.  

I've picked out another branch 

to begin a more traditional wall hanging out of a thicker jute cord.  

 

WOOD ON WEDNESDAY

The Brown Birch branch has become a live edge bowl.  

The evidence of the many branches in this crotch piece makes some very interesting grain lines!

The papery bark sanded down to a lovely brown bark

 which is very attractive..

The bowl is 6" wide and 4 1/2" high. 

 I have the next project all picked out already!

 

FINALLY SOME PIECING PEACE

The top is completed and ready for some quilting!

The crazy pieced borders are completed and the next set of borders will be some red/white piano keys.

I did some wonky free-hand diagonal stitching on the cat table runner.  It was liberating to be inaccurate and just stitch.  (I can't find the foot that goes on my machine to do ruler work.  I've looked everywhere and so I just gave up and stitched!)

 

IT'S JUST AN UMBRELLA

Just remove the old umbrella and put up the new one, we thought.

We will be done in minutes....Since it was 100* out, a quick job was all we could manage.

BUT

 the base had to be removed and the new one arranged. 

We forgot about that.  And it came with new sandbags so it was wise to fill them, too. 

And the old table legs had rusted from the pool water being splashed on them for several years!  So we figured out the new angle for the shorter legs and Bill used a tool to cut off the bottom of the legs and we put the plastic plugs back in.

 ( I used my sewing skills to know how to trace the legs

 to make them all the same length!)

 

Once the legs were finished, we could move the chairs back in place!  Not bad for the 10 minute job to take 2 hours!

So grateful we have a pool so we could cool off-really cool off because heat exhaustion was a real possibility!

As always, it is worth it to have the job done.

And done right.

This new umbrella even has solar lights! 

 The cats also approved.

 

 

SOME SOCKS FOR SUNDAY

Yes, this pair of Helical socks is finished and what a joy to make them!!!  I have more than enough yarn to make a second pair even! And so I will.  The next pair will have aqua heels and toes just to change it up!

 

A KNOTTY DAY

I tried something new/old yesterday--a bit of macrame!  I need some more jute cord to make the other leaves to hang on this branch I found at least a decade ago.

 

A ton of snips and many knots took place 

and then I sprayed the leaf with starch and gave it a good press. Once dry, I could cut the leaf to shape. 

 It worked out well but I need more cord to make the other leaves! To be continued!

THE DAY STRETCHED OUT

The seal went in the door on the right so I ordered some privacy film and put it up first thing in the morning.  it looks prettier than the foggy window and echos the bamboo that grows in our yard!

It even looks pretty from the pool side, too. 

 A nice bonus.

Next, I headed to the garage to tackle a bowl from the Brown Birch my son cut down in his yard.  It was so nice to work with green or fresh wood (it isn't so hard!) for a change! 

 I have it sanded and a coat of sanding sealer

 on after I took this picture. 

 The weather changed from hot and humid to rain

so I headed back inside.

With a good rain storm outside, I put on Vera 

and did some knitting!  Lena gave me some added love!

 

TRELLIS

Now that ladder I posted yesterday is a trellis!  Each upright is just over 6" and it is 53" wide. We even planted the two wisteria even though it was so hot out I almost melted!  

After lunch, I finished the last few batts that make up half of the fleece I washed.  I'm going to spin these in their natural color and perhaps dye them after they are skeins and the other half of the fleece I will be dyeing before spinning.

 

JUST KEEP SMILING

I finished the two quilts at group yesterday;  it is so miserable to try and enjoy something, even something you love, when you have a pounding headache!  The meds from the doctor that knocked the headache right out of my life for the first time in years, will not be covered by my insurance.  So, I can try and get 'coupons' from the manufacturer or contest the refusal by the insurance (which is just a ton of busyness and paper work) or try something else!

  Which is what I did last night.  We will see how it goes. 

 The doctor and patient get so excited when there is a new medicine that works without side effects and the insurance won't cover it because it is new and costs them more!  I do NOT have any sympathy for them!  Sigh....

My lovely phalaenopsis is blooming again! 

 I love having one in my room because it cheers me up!

And Bill found this for me--a TALL wooden ladder that is going to be transformed into a trellis/archway for my Wisteria plants! 

 More to come!

 

SOME QUILTING FRAME TIME

Yesterday went a lot better!  I finished the girl's quilt at the frame and will give it binding today at quilt group.

I also wrapped up this one on the frame and it, too,

 will get a binding finished today, I hope!

I did load up the cat table runner but didn't get farther than that.

By then I was ready to sit so I put in some time at the loom; 

 I finished towel #2 and started the beginning of #3.

I need to think about what's next!

 

JUST ONE

 The great plans memo didn't get to my body. 

 I loaded one quilt and could only do a few rows 

before I had to go back to bed. 

 Yup, busy exacts a price from me!

A SWEATER ON SUNDAY

 

I am so grateful that I can knit when I have a down day or two!  The sweater is coming along quite well without any problems.  

I do like the yarn for this pullover!

(Derecho pattern by Berroco on #5 needles with Lion brand yarn Shawl in a Ball in the Soothing Blue colorway and a second strand of lace weight Bamboo/Tencel yarn in Cloudy Grey.)

GET QUILTING!

I gathered the deep pile of tops from the shelf to see exactly what needs to be quilted!  There are 4 quilts and 3 runners.

I also have this QOV from our group to load up and quilt, too. 

 I have plenty to keep me busy over the next few days! 

 I hope to get the runners done today 

and then tackle the two QuiltsforKids done 

so I can mail them back, since they are time-sensitive.

In the meantime, I keep playing with the Cotswold wool; 

turning the washed fleece into fluffy batts.

Welcome June!