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.

 

A Day Off

When I have several (5 ) days in a row of goings, I tend to find myself at zero on the zip dial;  that is where I find myself today.  I will load up a quilt (I bought several quilt backings when out one of those days) to the frame and call it good.

I also bought this little decorative bird house.  I want to use the measurements so I can make my own from some of the pallet wood Bill got for me.  I love to build things.  Today, I will make up the blueprints for it.  My hands are hurting so badly, I am even taking a break from knitting and that rarely happens!  A day off is just what I need!

 

Factory Work!

 The PRE-FELTED birdhouse is completed along with 60" of I-cord for hanging from tree.

I need a round balloon for the felting--the designer recommends putting the balloon 

inside to control the size.  I will let you know how it goes!

 I was a quilting machine myself today--I got a lot done and still have the binding to go on this one.

 And half of this one on the frame needs stitching.

 These three are washed and dried.

The bunny is going into the donation pile, too. 

 We are collecting little stuffed animals, etc, to go into a little bag which will accompany the quilt.

(when all of the quilts are done, I will give a little quilt show of all of them!)

 Lena has become a constant vocalizer and what does she want?

Why to be brushed!

What do you think of this face;  purr-fect rapture, right?!

Three Goals

 At quilting group on Monday, I finished my tumbler block kids' top and brought home three more top from others which I will quilt asap.  We are going to hit our goal of 25-30 quilts with a bit of focus!

I want to finish the quilt on the frame and knock off a couple of these today, too!

 I also want to make the new hat challenge for the month--a two sided hat of fingering weight yarn.

I will be playing with this new line from Hobby Lobby-they feel so soft!

If I just sit down long enough, I can knit this on the machine in an hour, I'm sure!

And I am at the half way mark on the bird house--

I forgot how large you must make the item you want to felt! 

 I'm getting there--I need to hurry up 

because the wrens are making their many nest beginnings in all of the plants on the front porch! 

 I want this to hang out them for them to nest in!

I know the red shouldered hawks are very vocal and active in the yard. 

He likes watching us almost as much as we watch him!

For the Birds!

What a beautiful moon-rising last night.  

I found out why time is going to fast--that moon was rising so fast, 

I could see it moving!

 A new project for the hand knitting needles--

I caked the skein and cast right on to these #13 needles!

I am making one of the felted bird houses

from this free pattern.

I will be tossing the knitted sphere into the washer several times.

(you inflate a balloon into the knitting so that it will felt in the right shape!

Clever.

This will be a quick project, 

I plan on making more than one.

The day was perfect to wear the sweater to quilting group!

I was so comfortable in the sweater and it didn't grow or become uncomfortable!

I love it!

New Neighbors?

 Neighbor Millie gifted me this bird house. 

  It is a General Store in all of its roadside glory!

 It really is very complex and interesting to admire--heavy, too,
 so it will withstand weathering.

 But this side is the clincher--it advertises Handmade Quilts!

 I couldn't wait to hand it out front in the Cassia Tree!

I would love it if it attracts a bird family but even empty, 

it is a great addition to the front garden!

 In the studio, I cut the strips for the sashing for the sampler quilt.

Soon I will have a top to quilt on the frame!

And to prove I really finished this sweater;
it has buttons and has even been washed and dried!

It is a size 3-6 months infant sweater.  

I have two new projects ready to hit the machine needles next!