MY NOD TO SPORTS

 I had an idea to use two colors to make a sports fans' dishcloth!  This will work for either the FL Gators or the Syracuse Univ Orange, the team we cheered on when living near there!  There are a bit more ends to weave in but it is worth it;  I think this is rather fun!

SOCKS ON SUNDAY

The second sock seemed to fly off the needles! 

 The stripes make the knitting go faster, I think! lol

Stats:  KnitPicks Static in Evergreen Terrace, size 2 needles,

 over 64 stitches, toe-up with a 3 x 1 rib on the leg.

 

PROJECT PLANS

The blocks are sewn together and I played with several border ideas and these are the three I will add.

I also played with some setting for the latest FatQuarterClub fabric.  I started out with smaller squares but so many of the fabrics will be shown off better with larger blocks so I am going with a 9 patch of 4" blocks.

And I made the binding for this quilt and then ran out of gas!

LOCKED AND LOADED!

 A new top is loaded on the frame and I did two rows of a panto, at least.  The local QOV needed a panel quilt so this prompted me to get going!  This top has been finished for a long time but my frame time has been absent!  I need to stop procrastinating!  

I hope to make some good progress today 

while Bill is off playing golf with a friend!

STARS AND STRIPES

All of the blocks are finished 

so now I will stitch them together and decide on a  border! 

 I have several different choices which I will audition today.

 

ONE OF MANY

It took way longer than it should have done

 but sometimes there are unavoidable obstacles! lol  

But it is finished and trimmed and ready for a binding. 

 I have added it to the growing pile of unfinished quilts and tops!  Eventually, I will knock it down to nothing!  I feel it coming. 

Today, I am meeting a few other quilters for lunch.  

It will be great to catch up on how they are 

and what they have been doing!

 

ANOTHER YOKE

I drew a chart to blend the two sweaters by Jennifer Shiels Toland called Sea Haven and Seashore Stroll.  It went very smoothly!  I love a chart that includes, stitches, increase rows and stitch counts so I added that info myself!  I am ready now to separate for the sleeves/body.  I will be making the sleeves before I move on to the body because it was so much easier to make the sleeves without the added bulk of the body!

I tried to show you my successful German short rows this time-- but Lena photo-bombed it!

This is the first time that I had the stitches completely disappear and not stand out as goofs!

 

BOTTLED UP!

It started me up again--I saw someone carrying a blue bottle of Sparkling Water!  Would you save that for me when it's empty?  Sure no problem--and so I received two bottles when I saw them a week later!  (The glass is still wet in this photo.)

I smashed it in a heavy clear bag to get the size pieces I like.  I haven't done any Tumbling in a year but glass is easy and only takes a week!  And this is how it ended up--the light blue glass at the bottom of the strainer;  the glass at the top are odd bits of glass I added to make it a full barrel. The glass is completely dry here for its final frosty beauty!  How cool is that?!

When I break the glass bottles, I try to save the  bottoms intact; it doesn't always happen but it's great when it does because they make great wind chimes!  I also try to save the neck and this one turned out perfectly!  The turquoise glass at the top is a piece I found in our yard--after heavy rains, we often find pieces of glass that have worked their way up to the surface once again!  (we have found many garbage pits buried here, which was a very common way to dispose of 'trash'!) 

PROGRESSING

I sewed the outer two borders on this year’s All FL Shop Hop Quilt; now it’s added to the ‘get a backing’ pile!

 

I loaded this quilt onto the frame but when I added the top layers, I realized the backing was too narrow!  I took it all off so I could add a strip to widen the backing!

Thankfully, I had some fabric in the stash that met this need!

And then I did a row to anchor it in place! This will be a priority to complete today!

DIAMONDS!

I loaded up the this table runner and then trimmed it up;  

I couldn't find right fabric for the binding, unfortunately.

Look at that texture and it hasn't even been washed yet!

 

A NEW CAST ON!

I have been patiently waiting for the new yarn to come so I can knit another short sleeved sweater.  Unfortunately, as I gave it a good read, I realized that the new pattern on the right is written for fingering weight yarn and not DK like I ordered!!!

The new yarn arrived and I had to casts on right away! 

 What an exciting package to open!

I decided that because the sweater on the left fits so well,

 I am not going to mind knitting it again. 

 I think when I have a morning brain, (I wrote this last night) 

I will figure out how to use the yoke charts of the new sweater with the original pattern's numbers.  If I get too frustrated,

 I will just knit the original and be glad to do so!!!  

 

STARTING WITH SOME SEWING!

I jumped the gun and made my own borders to go with The Ribbon QAL that Alycia is offering!  I had only a little of each of the red and white fabric left so I went with this!  I will look forward to Wednesday's post to see what I missed! lol

I am working hard to get the last blocks made for this quilt--only 4 more blocks to go!!

 

A SOCK TO SHOW

Since I have been a bit slower lately, I had plenty of sock knitting time and the first sock is finished.

No.2 needles and Static yarn from KnitPicks

 

AND NOW IT'S A TOP

I pieced the whole quilt top and then decided it needed a border so I used the r/w/b already used in the quilt.  

I like to make my QOVs larger!  

I will piece the borders on Monday.

 

PLANS

I had a wonderful time with my brother and sister-in-law yesterday!  My brother has that special gift of making you laugh;  it was good medicine to visit with them!  On the way home, we say this cloud--It was upright-all by itself and not connected to the usual base that makes a cumulous nimbus cloud! I thoroughly enjoyed following it for a good while!

Something else I enjoyed-casting on a pair of socks!!! 

 It's been a long time since I have knit a pair!

I have plans to sew the QAL together today.

It's good to make plans.

 

PLANS

I was pretty much down all day.  I have the sneaking suspicion that all is not well with my iron count again...       

 I did finish out this painting of a hydrangea.   

 Today I have plans to go and visit my brother's new home (he's been there for a year!) and go out to lunch with he and his wife.  He invited us in January 

and then we went to Ethan's funeral instead.  

It's time to try again

it is the first of August for goodness sakes! 

 

A HARD JOB

I cleaned out the toy closet yesterday.  It was a very emotional day.  Ethan left his imprint on so many areas of my life....I am trying hard to remember the joys and laughter, not the loss.

There are only a few things left that were oldest sons which I will pack up and send to him!

All the rest went to the thrift store. 

 I was, and still am, emotionally spent.

 

WORKING IT OUT

I only have three more blocks to make for the QAL but....

I was concerned that I didn't have enough reds to finish the other quilt but by the skin of my teeth, I eked out just enough! 

 Only 6 more to go and now I can savor the piecing without worrying about being able to finish it!  

I'm also working on cleaning out the old toy closet--it takes a lot of physical and emotional energy!

 

PEACEFUL PIECING DAY

I thought I needed to make another block for this quilt--

I got sidetracked with Alycia's QAL!

The instructions for The Wave for Alycia uses strips but since I am making mine with scraps, I lay the squares on top 

of the white strip and stitch the 10 down.  

Two blocks worth of squares fit on one strip--

I just turn it around and add the next color.

I match up my pairs and the odd squares on the ends and in no time, I have two blocks finished!

I'm pleased with my progress! 

 Only two more blocks and I can begin to piece the rows!

 

CATCHING UP QAL!

I'm catching up on Alycia's Quilt-A-Long and am making good progress!  Another few days and I should be good to go!  

It sure helps to have all of the pieces cut so I can just stitch to my heart's content! Today is an at home day and besides my usual plans to spiff the house after taking the weekend off, I will be in the studio playing with this and the other R/W/B project I have on the design wall!

 

A SWEATER ON SUNDAY

I finished the second sweater from the pattern, Sea Haven, by JST Knitwear Designs this time in Drops Cotton Merino in the Uni Colour.  I've bought another pattern by this designer, Seashore Stroll, and will knit this in a rust color--I've already ordered the yarn!!!  I love a success story when knitting a sweater!

 

RED WHITE AND BLUES!

I'm a bit behind the QAL from Alycia Quilts but I am catching up!  I'm using scraps of navy for these blocks so I will be piecing them a bit differently from the instructions

 but I will get there in the end!

My blocks are growing!

I was quite pleased to make the stiped fabric all go the same way for the stars!  It's not as easy as it looks!

And in the evening I am still whipping off a dishcloth or two!

 

LOTSA PIECING!

This top is all together and now I need to purchase some flannel for the backing!  Hard to  picture cozying  up in front of the fireplace this Christmas under it while the heat wave has us in its grip! lol Jelly Roll Twist pattern,  60" x 70"  .

I cut out more pieces for another few blocks;  it's working out nicely to add one block a day at least.

Lena is still very suspicious of the house--she thinks the dog is lurking somewhere but she did go outside today and back in on her own when we got the afternoon storms roll through.  

 

A STORY

I will tell you a sad story with a happy ending--Lena, at the best of times, hates it when company comes to stay;  add to that if dogs are included, she will disappear for days but this time, she was gone for several days, I found her and tried to keep her in my room but she escaped only to be chased by the recent cute puppy!  That was the last straw for her and she has been gone for a week!  I couldn't bear to do anymore grieving so I tucked the fear deep down....tonight saw me walking the yard again calling and calling!  I have lost several cats here to predators and the sad part of that is the not knowing what happened for sure and not having a body to bury.  I was walking and crying and calling and praying that I would find her one way or the other so I would KNOW for sure and be able to stop looking for her everyday. 

 I was heading back to the house after an hour of this when I heard the littlest meow--I turned to listen in the direction I thought I heard her and sure enough, she was in Bill's tractor shelter!  I had taken food out with me and I lured her back to the house 

but she is sure there is a dog lurking to chase her again--I'm hoping she will  settle down soon for her sake!  

Thank you, God, for helping me find my sweet Lena!