Playing with Threads

 After numerous attempts, I have worked the numbers for all of the different types of filet crochet used in this pattern--kind of like those math problems where you have to find all of the factors of a number! lol    (24 would have factors of 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, and 12 for example)

You have to use this kind of information when you are quilting, too, so all of the different geometric shapes must fit together in the same measurements! 

 ( a 12: square could be made of 6" or 4", 3" or 2"!)  

Practical math rocks!

 I added the gusset on the second sock, turned the heel and even started up the leg!  

I am sorry to say I haven't enjoyed making this sock because of the traveling stitches.

I am in the mood to knit a plain sock ---stay tuned;  I will have one on the needles soon!

 I also wasted a lot of time trying to make the linen stitch and while it was finally executed correctly but still didn't result in the look I was after.

I will have to give it a try with scraps--I thought of an idea

 to use up all of those scraps of dish cloth yarn!

'Look what Bill spotted at the pond/swamp out back!!!!

I can't wait to see them , too!

(Sandhill Cranes and child!  (new-it is very new!)

Catching It

  At the park the other day, not only enjoyed the beautiful time with family,

I also enjoyed the scenery!  

As I was looking at this view for a painting, along came a pelican.

 He was trawling along looking for lunch.

 He had great technique and caught several with his swift motions!

He guzzled them down and swam along looking to do it again and again!

And the sock is finished!  It fits well-note the toe-up gusset and heel;

this was the Boost to this pattern.  I will definitely try it with another pair of socks,

as soon as I finish the next sock!

Off to quilting group today,

I have some areas of quilting that have been languishing!

Time to remedy this situation!

Coats and Heads

 I knit another dog sweater-this one in the same yarn 

with smaller needles so the fabric was tighter.

I like the fabric better on this one, especially since I know that RedHeart 

softens so much after washing.  

(I changed from #8 needles to #6)

 And as soon as I finished this one, I started another.

Help!  

I might have a problem.

Why is this knit bringing such pleasure?

Truth-I don't even like dogs.

I do like a good knit though, 

and I will give the ones that don't fit Millie's dog, 

to the local shelter.

 Look at what I saw;

a committee of vultures!

They had dragged road kill to a safer place to savor their meal.

They let us get quite close and when we did, 

I found that they are not the turkey vultures at all!

I thought all of our vultures were turkey vultures but I was wrong.

Truth-there is also another species of vulture called black vultures.

See, no red heads but rather they are black; what an original name, right?!

You can also see the white tipped wing in the  previous photo.

We learned something new together!

Don't you just love that?!

Playing with Time

 I woke up to these guys right up next to the pool screen, cleaning up around the bird feeders!  By the time I tried to sneak out for a picture, they were on the run!

 I got to work on the quilt on the frame, it was a dense design so it did take long but it does work well with the colors/design so it was worth it!

 It rested a bit while I did some mending,

then I trimmed it up and put the binding on.

Even the back is colorful!

 I finished the Chroma socks (they look too dark here-it is light brown and coral with the teal)  Since they are hand wash and dry, I did some blocking so the cable shows and they start out right!

 I am making good progress on the mitts to match the Coronet cable hat.

 I did some experimenting with the green tea moisturizer since I wasn't happy with my first attempt.  It just was soup instead of a cream!   I melted it all again, added some beeswax and some cocoa butter and it is just right now-wow, does it make your skin feel moisturized!  I love it!

 I have some Romney/Targhee on the espinner!   This is an incredible fiber to spin-I will be buying more of this in the future!   I will be dyeing it after I spin it this time.  (I have an idea for the skein to be tri-colored.)

The dragonfly table runner is ready for the frame!

It's Friday Again!?!

 Sad news-this is the last pic of the chicks.......they are not with the parents anymore.  I feel very sad about the loss.  Speaking of loss, I have good news that the MS is not in my spine but the MRI did show a bulging disc in the middle of my back and that has to be dealt with before I can continue with the MS evaluation.  I will be going to Neurological Surgeons in the end of May for their 2 cents (or in today's market, $2000......)  I am learning to pace myself and to adjust the MS meds and the pain meds.  The doctor doubled the amount of meds I am taking during the day and it was... in the vernacular of the '60's--a bad trip!   I am finding that if I just space the single doses closer then I tolerate the pain better and can still retain some cognitive powers!
I tend to be silent with pain and lately there has been an extra dose of that-it just takes too much mental power to chat!  Please be patient with me while we work to make me a whole person again!

 Mornings are my best physical times-so I do some house work and then change it up with some fiber love-I do this standing up and that feels good-sitting is the worst!

 I also loaded up the table runner and got that quilted-also a standing up job!

 I even did a slightly modified binding on the machine so I didn't have to do the binding by hand which is my usual way since the hands are not as coordinated right now!  It turned out just fine!

 I also added borders to the Tumbler block quilt and got that loaded on the frame-I do a row or two and then move on to something else.  I look like a mouse in a maze darting from one thing to the next but it is the only way I can operate right now!  Mind you -this is a post about the whole week and not the usual one day for me!!!!

 I dug through my stash and found this group for the next lap quilt-I will be using the apple core die with the Accuquilt for the pattern.

The Vodka Gimlet sweater which was knit an inch beyond the waist is no more.....I totally lost the love;  I hated the waist pattern-yuck!  So it is history.   I found a new worsted weight yarn pattern from Cascade yarns......it is nice to have power over something!!!!

As the Week Unfolds

 The chicks are certainly growing and getting less fearful as they visit!   I enjoy seeing them each day!

 I was able to piece the new tumbling blocks.  I have found that my hands work very well on the well established motions like knitting-mostly muscle memory, but I am fumbly with the sewing when I have to make minute motions and pick up pins, etc.

 I am extra careful when working with the rotary cutter, that is for sure!  Now it this table runner is added to the quilting pile!

 Still enjoying looking out to these each morning!

 The Live Oak trees are in full seed pod explosion!  Can you say pollen?!!!

 Tonight Nyki lay in wait for some unsuspecting subject-she got Big Grey!

 She sprang out of the box so quickly, I didn't even have time to catch his retreat!  lol  She was very happy with herself.

The new spinning wheel accessory came in the mail today-it is called a Woolee Winder and removes the need to stop spinning to move the yarn build up on the bobbin-no more small hand motions required as this continuously feeds the single back and forth on the bobbin like a fishing reel!   Just one more way to keep me spinning even without the coordination of feet and hands!(I gave it a try tonight and found my hands spin just fine-another muscle memory motion for me, and it eliminates the need to treadle which is just plain uncomfortable right now!  I am spinning the bump of Indigo dyed Dor Galen here-very nice experience so far--now if I can just stay home long enough to give it a good go.....!)

Sitting Pretty!

 See the white orbs in the middle of this picture?

 Yeah, right in the middle-it is a Sandhill Crane nest with two eggs in it!

She is just to the left in the dry area of the swamp.  Both parents take turns on the nest and will sit for about 30 days until the two eggs hatch!   We have been feeding them corn in our back yard as usual but there is only one coming at a time, which is why we knew they were nesting!  I will keep you updated on the saga!