AUTUMN ANTICIPATED

I made the matching paper leaf cutout  to match the pumpkin!  I think they will be a pretty addition to the Fall decorations I put out on September first. These are so simple to make which was a good project for my post-travel self!

Another way to relax and settle back in to home was to sit and weave!  The second towel is at the half way mark;  I'm torn between spending a few hours to finish it today or to slow down and enjoy it for several more days!

If I do slow down the weaving, I will be spending time sewing these together for another top to add to the quilting frame queue!

RETURN TRIP

The day spent traveling home was again uneventful;  

what a pleasant surprise!

Coming into Florida is a beautiful sight.

 

I managed a lot of knitting again!

The clouds greeted me with such beauty 

as the road took me home.

HOME TOWN SIGHTS

A bit of history where my parents' live on the Oswego River 

by Lock #1.  They have spiffed things up a ton 

since I was a teenager here.  Nice to see.

These gates are raised and lowered depending on the complicated water levels both up and down the river.

The birds gather here for the plentiful fish for both man and fowl.

There were many clumps of wild grapes which looked so pretty near the water's edge.

I am heading home today.  Enough said about goodbyes.

 

THE REST OF THE STORY

I used reverse crochet to make an edging for the afghan after adding two more rows.  It now measures 42" x 48" of scrap yarn.  

And we even sorted through 4 large totes of yarn to keep only the truly useful skeins and have the new closet shelves organized!  

I'm glad I used quite a bit of yarn, too!

Recently CityMouseQuilter posted her lemon shortbread cookies 

and she was kind enough to share her recipe with me. 

 I didn't roll out my cookie dough but rather made small balls of dough to bake them. Let me tell you that of the 20 cookies that were made, only one is left!  They were that good!!!  

Thank you for sharing the recipe and sharing the lemony goodness!

 

AN IDEA IS BORN

This is my niece;  she is a diy-er like me!  We overhauled a closet upstairs to make it a more usable space! 

First, we removed the steel clothes rod.

Then we installed the cut lumber for the shelves, painted them 

and attached the brackets for holding them in place.  

After a bit of paint for touching up installation scuffs, we had a space that needs to be filled with yarn!

I am very close to the last rows but I think it needs a few more. 

Then I will work around the edge in half double crochet stitches 

and it is done!

Guess what we will be doing today!

 

CONTENTMENT

There are several very old maples in my parents' yard--

isn't it cool to lean on the huge trunk with me?!

Dad still likes to do small tasks- Macular Degeneration has made so many things impossible but he still finds contentment in the little things.  My heart swells with love.

I am so enjoying the blanket making; 

 I am making a dent in the pile I picked out for this scrap-buster.

In the evening, I knit a few rows on the sock 

I almost finished on the flight here.  I will finish this one but not start the second sock until I am on my way home!

 

A FAMILY CAMPFIRE

The Entrelac Tunisian Crochet blanket is coming along

 and I am enjoying the rhythm of the stitching!

A new rose was out in full bloom today and it smells delicious, too!!!!

We enjoyed a campfire last night; Mountain Pies and S'mores for dessert!  Just delicious!  My niece was there with her family---

it is great to be a Great Aunt!

 

A BEAUTIFUL DAY

This is the whole Hydrangea bush!  It is lush with blooms.

All of the Rose of Sharon are in bloom, too!  You can see here that they are related to the Hibiscus flowers.

The yard has several pinks and purples and also some white!

The crab apple tree is bursting with the little apples!

 

LOVING PARENTS

We are enjoying our time together.  Mom and I have projects with yarn and also cheerful cleaning out of areas like closets and attic space.  We've going through yarn bins and deciding which we will be using now for the blanket and some for hats which Mom donates to her church hats and mittens collection.  My sister stops up after work and we laugh and savor each other's company.  Yes, It is good to be here. Dad requires care but he still likes being outside for part of the day.  

I'm enjoying this endeavor immensely!  I make fewer mistakes though the edge triangles demand some focus!

TUNISIAN CROCHET ENTRELAC PROJECT

Mom likes a good scrap yarn project so we are making lap robes in this 'new-to-us' entrelac stitching in Tunisian crochet.  It was not too long before we figured it out and we are having fun picking out colors!  Mine is on the top, Mom's on the bottom in pink and golden yellow--she has more done since I took the pic.  She always complains I go too fast--cuz I do!  My sister and brother in law came up for a visit last night and I kept working but Mom had to stop so she could join in the conversation and laughter!

During the day and in between rain bouts, we picked up some branches.  We stopped to admire my parents' huge hydrangea bush (tree) and it is so heavy with blooms some of the branches are hanging way down under their weight!  This bloom is about 12" long

while there are lots more of these smaller ones that are only 5" in size.  They smell so good!

 

TRAVEL DAY

I spent yesterday flying from JAX to DET to SYR;  

as far as travel goes, it went so smoothly this time! 

 Another visit to my parents is what is needed for both of us!  

A change of pace in a place of love.

 

EIGHT TIMES THE CHARM!

AND AFTER MANY, MANY HOURS OF INTENSE LABOR....I finally had all the bugs worked out of the log cabin threading for towel # 2!

 I thought I had it figured out so many times but when I would give it another going over, I would find another area of error!  

I think I will just tie on the next colors to make another set of these towels now that it is corrected!!!!  I love the pattern and the rhythm of weaving it so I will continue the pleasure with new colors when this one is done!

(In the photo, the first 1 14" is the hem allowance;  I have three sets of squares completed above that!  I love the size of the first towel so I know how long to make this one--one less thing to think about!)

AT THE FRAME

It needs binding but it is off the frame 

and that is an accomplishment!  I couldn't use the glow-in-the-dark thread because it wasn't made for quilting which I found out after the thread broke too often to make it usable in just the first 6"! 

 I used a variable thread in the colors of the quilt which I had in the stash and it worked up nicely!

I bought a cute mushroom panto from Urban Threads which is just the look I wanted for this quilt!

 

CRICUT CREATIONS

Pretty paper for the outside of a new card...

And a cut-out of thanks on the inside!!!  Isn't that just so cool?! 

 I am having fun learning how to use this machine!

I also had a fascination with this creation.  It is very dimensional-

---it is a pumpkin stained-glass project.  

It is 11 1/2" square.  I will find a frame for it.

I love following Jennifer Maker for all kinds of ideas and skills!

 

BEING HOME!

New socks are on the needles! Another Static skein called Cabot Cove.  So very relaxing to knit after a day of errands!  The good news, I picked up my sewing machine from the repair shop!  And best yet, I get to stay home today and catch up on some idea!

INCENTIVE

The first dish towel has been hemmed, washed and dried and it is nice.  The middle bugs me and will make the second one worth the re-threading even though it is not going very smoothly!

It shrunk from 18" wide to 16 1/2" and lengthwise from 27" to 26".

The sunset was beautiful last night!  Beauty is good for the soul.

 

WARPED

I finished the first towel with its 'design element' in the very center and decided I had enough length on the warp to cut this one off so I could fix the mis-threading in the center.

And as it goes, I corrected the middle 20 threads and then had to begin re-threading the whole left side of the towel to make the pattern right.  It's a good lesson in perfection! lol  

I am relaxing (well, trying to) through the work with only 20 threads at a time.  Easy, right?!

 

SWEET STRIPES!

A bit of knitting happened yesterday while I was at the doctor's. 

 (I love this flamingo wall art in the waiting room!)

On the way home, I was able to complete that leg ribbing

 and cast off!  Knit picks Hanley Static yarn, 64 sts, 2.5mm needles.

 

IDEAS REALIZED

Yup, this is giving an outlet that has been needing expression for months--to work with wood more! I painted some scraps of 2 x 6's, cut out some lettering and added a bit of twine and a starfish!

Isn't it pretty?!  

I'm still whipping up some amigurumi stingrays--

nice and quick projects.

I forgot to post this finished idea of felt succulents to go in this pot that I can't get anything to grow in but now I don't have to--it's attractive now without any watering! lol