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!

 

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!

 

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!

 

THE END OF THE YEAR!

Nothing like finishing up the end of the year with a good finish.  I completed the 2022 Totally Tunisian Blanket from Jayda in Stitches.  I haven't blocked this yet, it is right off the needles but all of the threads are woven in and the border is complete!  It is 39" by 51" so a good nap blanket.

I just added rows of single crochet using up the leftover balls from this project and then ended with a row of reverse crochet so the curl is tamed along the edge.  It will get a good wash and dry and I will use it later today!  We don't stay up for the 'ball' to drop but I do want to wish you a happy new year and thank you for the friendly connection throughout this year!

 

PUTTING IT TOGETHER

Look, I managed to work on another project  and will continue to work on it today!  I have all 12 of the Tunisian Calendar Blocks crocheted together and will begin the border work next.

Lena helped me graft the ends of the cowl together 

and almost agreed to model it for me....

This is what our home has looked like for a week--Bill removed all of the blankets and frost cloths from the garden areas but I am sad to say that 5 nights below freezing did a number on everything.  I'm hoping the blankets will at least allow the plants to make a comeback!  The weather is improving and it will be 79*F tomorrow so hoping that will give the green a chance!

Many of the Camellias were burned brown 

but a few still flourish!

(I managed to walk out for these pics yesterday after breakfast and that was my highlight of activity for the day!) 

 

FACETS OF A DAY

Did you have one of these in your traditions?  It is a birch log adorned with hand rolled beeswax candles with sprigs of pine branch tips in the drilled holes in the log.  

The agave flower stalk has grown another foot now

 but mostly, it has been growing flower buds..

See what I mean? 

 I can't wait to see what it will look like!  

I reworked the Tunisian block with no probles this time.

  I am ready to lay them out and crochet all twelve blocks

 into a lap blanket!  

Another hat is off the machine-it needs a label but I lost my oomph to sew it on last night!  I will make another hat and put labels on both of them today!

The cats all take turns laying under the tree-they pace around the one who's turn it is--there hasn't been any ornaments knocked down but the tree skirt does get skidded about!

 

TOO FAST PACED!

On the road again! After church we headed out to enjoy another December birthday--it is wonderful to see the kids and make their day special!  On the way, I finished this month's block for Tunisian crochet.  As I smoothed it out on my lap, I realized there was a major goof in the middle--I had started across the row, gotten interrupted and came back across before finishing the row which made a 'short row increase' that is highly visible now-and the block isn't square!  It's ripped back and I will do it again; 

 it's a good thing it was a very enjoyable pattern! lol

I shifted to the socks I've been working on.

  Since they are man-socks they are taking longer 

but they are knit on #3 needles

 so it isn't labor intensive over just 60 stitches. 

 I do love the yarn and the results-

this is the second sock going up the leg so it won't be long now.

I was so tired when I got home last night, I forgot to blog. 

 The kitties were glad to see me and soon we were all slumbering!

Today, I will do a lot more resting and then drive only 2 minutes down the road for quilting group.  I have some binding to apply to that star quilt~

 

TOUCHING BASES AGAIN

I puttered in the wood shop of the garage;  I had to replace the bandsaw blade--what a job!  I had to ask for Bill's help because I needed muscle! lol  We got it done.  As long as I was there, I decided to play at the lathe.  A friend has asked for some decorative birdhousses shaped like acorns to hang in his tree.  I had fun making this one but on the next, I will tweak the size.  This one is 5" long.  I have some eye hooks somewhere in this house but I couldn't find them anywhere!  Grrrr.  As soon as I find some or buy some more, I can't seal the wood ( I will hang it and paint it with spray polyurethane.)  It was very enjoyable to spend a few hours at the lathe-it was cool out and that was perfect weather for garage play!

In the house, I finished this month's Tunisian crocheted block.  Isn't it pretty?  This stitch is a lace pattern, obviously.  

Yesterday was blustery and only a bit of rain but things are supposed to change today.  I supported this flower shoot to the agave plant.  This is so exciting to see it growing BUT it is also a bit of a worry because the mother plant dies after flowering to make room for the baby plants growing around her.  It is a beautiful plant from my brother and I don't want it to die!  Nature in a nutshell, right?!  The stalk will reach about 20' tall--it is only 5' right now.  As long as the hurricane doesn't knock it down, it will have another few months to reach maturity.  Pretty cool.

 

YARN FO'S

I made a few adjustments to the Polar Bear pattern and have instead a Teddy Bear!  Isn't he sweet?  Made with Red Heart Super Saver yarn.  I crocheted a bow tie for him in orange/blue yarn held together. (he is about 10" tall)

This little beanie is going to grace another little creature--stay tuned!

I treated myself to this little 20 needle machine.  I have a 25 year old Sentro one and it will not work with worsted weight yarn any more (never that it ever worked that great!)  I read the reviews on the newer ones and it hasn't improved through the years.  So, I splurged and it doesn't disappoint!  My other Sentro machines are dream machines so that is good! I needed to add to my machine fleet so I could more easily make things like legs, arms and ears for the bears and other smaller projects!

I also finished this month's block for Tunisian Crochet;  this one is done in seed stitch, Tunisian style.  A very relaxing block!  

 

BLOCKS

 

I 've finished the block for this month--it was a real favorite!  As soon as I laid it down, Lena had to smell, rub and try to hide under it!  I made another quilt block, I'm working on #3 sampler block and cleaning out corners.....it's good to be home!

(Mom update--she is off the oxygen, walking where ever she wants and even going up the stairs again!)

SEPTEMBER BLOCK

 It is a basket weave stitch for this month's block in our year of Tunisian blocks!  It is so enjoyable to work across the three rows of the pattern.  No false starts this month!  I think it would make another good pattern for dishcloths, too.

I got a clean bill of health for my eyes at the doctor's yesterday--no cataract surgery needed and no change in my vision.  Nice to have things working well after the first half of this year! 

BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN!

After watering plants and putting bird seed in the feeders, I played at the lathe!  It was good to play again;  I am turning a scrap of Maple log into a bowl.  It was hot and humid and I didn't last but an hour but I sure enjoyed doing instead of just watching!

I managed to add the crochet edging to the August block just in time because the new block comes out tomorrow!

I added several rows to the Dolphin quilt and will be able to finish it today!  

Swirls, hearts and seaweed for this quilt!  It is a very easy pattern to use!

Right after dinner the heat gave way to a major thunderstorm!  We lived up to being the Lightening Capitol of the World today!  There was hardly a few seconds between bolts and rumbles!  In fact, we knew one was really close and our neighbor called to say she lost power!  We had lost it and gained it right back over and over but hers was out for good.  After things calmed down, we went over and Bill * identified the problem;  her transformer blew a fuse!  The power company said they would be there by 9 or so!  I think the FPL crews were very busy last night!  

At the close of the day last night, I added another row to the Casablanca afghan!  I hope to add another few rows today while we drive into town to be issued new credit cards--our number has been stolen yet again!  The fraud department is a great service and within 10 minutes of the fraudulent purchases we were alerted and the purchases denied!  But it sure is inconvenient to have to head into town to be issued new cards!  Never boring!

 

AIR TIME!

Goodbyes have been said, and I am on my way home today.  This time with my parents have been precious;  Mom is on the mend and Dad has had a ton of help and both are ready to take on some independence again.  My sister is back to work and back to being the primary person of support to my parents (she lives next door!)  I have a long layover today so it is good that I knit--that green striped sock is going to be completed today!

I did manage to make my Tunisian block for August--

the contrast color was forgotten at home

 but I will edge it in short order this week.  

I am looking forward to seeing my guy, my home and my cats!

These last two weeks are tucked into my heart to treasure.

 

A FEW STITCHES

Mom and I are working on the Tunisian Block for this month. 

 It is fun to work on them together!

Yesterday, we had a wild and crazy storm roll in with strong winds, rain and hail!  You can see all of the leaves and sticks blown from the trees into the yard behind the birds!

  As soon as it settled down-the birds were right back at the feeders and getting the seed from the ground!  The birds here are beginning to flock here already.  I don't remember what these are (not the one in the front who is a mourning dove) but they were busy for a long time and then flew off together. 

 I saw no difference 'tween male or females

 to help me identify them.

The driving went well yesterday, too, because the traffic was very light and I didn't get lost!  It was a long day but we got home in time for lunch and a nap before my nieces and grandnieces came for a visit!

 

SPEEDING UP A BIT!

I  so enjoyed the block this month that it was done in no time!  Also, the steroids are kicking in big-time and the swelling and pain is going away--I can even type again with all of my fingers!  I blocked it when finished but I really had to stretch this one.

It didn't hold the height it needed but the stitch count is right so that is all that matters.  Now to wait a whole month for another block! lol