SOMETHING NEW AND BLUE!

I have wanted a brad nailer for several years; in fact, back when I crawled on my hands and knees for weeks drilling pilot holes and hammering finishing nails into the baseboards in my whole house!!!

There were a few spots that were not quite completed and today, I filled in some of those gaps--the ones behind big pieces of furniture and this corner.

I had to pull the bookcases  out from the wall to fill in the baseboard behind them, too.

 I still have 3 major ones to attack but one is off the list and this tool is a life-saver! This is a souvenir of the grand-dog's visit. 

I will save it for another day--I am not going to ruin the piece by trying to remove it from the wall--I am going to use wood putty!

(I still have to crawl around on my knees, though!  UGH!)

When I was totally undone from walking back and forth to the chop saw in the garage and into the house over and over again, I sought comfort by piecing the batik blocks into a sweet little rail fence quilt top!  I even spent some time at the frame and the last QOV is more than half done, too!

Today I am headed to a new Rheumatologist's appointment;  

Mary will go with me and we will do our usual shopping and lunch also.  I don't know why, but I am feeling nervous about this appt! 

Just take a deep breath and pray on the exhale... 

 

WEAVING NEUTRALS

Finally I am at the weaving stage!!!!  

I can see I need to work out a few trial and errors to even out my 1" blocks that should happen for this log cabin weaving pattern. 

(20 warp threads (up and down threads) do NOT equal 20 weft threads (back and forth threads)  

But that will happen ; it is just so nice to be able to weave 

after all of the other steps that had to happen first!

We lost some more pool screen sections during Debby but gratefully, our local business was able to send these men out

 right away so we don't fill up with butterflies, dragonflies, 

wasps and bees this time!

I have some fun fabric on the design wall, 

in case I run out of anything to do!

 

DRAGON SCALES!

The feather quilting is completed and the quilt is off the frame and trimmed.  If the hurricane holds off for a few more days, I will be able to get the binding on and this one will be done!

I tackled the job of reloading the Dragon quilt and promptly  loaded the new pantograph upside down---AGAIN---but I saw it before I did any stitching this time!  Yikes!  I like the way the new 'scales' are more complex and do not leave such large areas blank like I had with the one I drew.  It's a good thing mine was so simple because it was a bear to rip out-even with the help of my daughter!!!!  I'd rather not have to do that again!  I found I could be upright for  almost an hour before I got shaky--I see glimmers of my better self!

While I was readying the bedrooms and doing laundry and cleaning (in case we have company during the hurricane), Bill was working on securing the solar panels on the roof, filling fuel cans for the generator and putting things away outside so they will not become missiles.  

I did a bit of knitting towards the end of the day yesterday, I think I can eke out one more kids' had out of the last skein of DK yarn!  I like the narrow stripes the best!  I will keep that in mind for future hats!
 

Tweaking the Remodel!

 I have the shorty sock for Marsel....but the great idea for the heel area needs to go back to the drawing board.  The very reason the slip 1, knit 1 on alternating rows is used on the back of the heel is that it draws in and wears well.

 I forgot about the drawing in part......

also the rows on the stockinette front are longer than the slip stitch bottom areas;  strike two!

 And so because it draws in more and is shorter on the bottom, it affected the usual lengths I make for my daughter's socks.  I could stretch it to make it fit but it was not a great fit for me and so I know it is a reject for hers.

That's alright;  I will slowing increase stitches on the bottom needle so that will cover the drawing in.

I will be knitting with two circular needles so the slip 1, knit 1 area will be knit on number 3 needles and not the number 2 of the top.  

 I will also be knitting it a bit longer than usual before I begin the heel decreases so I know it will work.   I am leaving this sock as is for now and have already cast on and knit half of the foot-I'm that excited to try out my new ideas!

 We made good progress on the kitchen but discovered the water that had ruined the flooring in the first time, still sat under the padding.  The fan wasn't enough help so......

 we had to slice open the padding and pull it out so dry and completely dry the old floor, too.

The cupboards on the back wall were not there when we first laid the flooring so they were added ON TOP of the flooring-the men figured out how to work around that and today-

 the floor is finished, the stove and little cupboard restored and Bill even gave the louvred pantry doors a coat of paint!  

The tall cupboard is back next to the fridge but there is even a bit of surgery to do to that, also but it isn't for today!

Stars and Striped

 The Cardinal Quilt was off the frame and I needed to load up another quick one and lighten the to-do pile!

This quilt was on and off the frame in a flash because I used a simple stipple pantograph!

 The binding is finished and it should be completed in no time!

While I was working in the Studio, Bill was painting that sheetrock and giving it some color to match.  The wall turned out great but the ceiling is too new looking-it sure doesn't take many years to yellow a kitchen ceiling;  I need to burn something and make some smoke! lol 

 When I was ready to sew on the binding, I didn't like the red after all!

I will wait and get some grey when I go to the store on Thursday.

As much as I want this finished, I don't want to make it less than it can be just to complete it!

I want to gift this to my daughter (shhhh!  don't tell her!) and I want it just right!

I am also adding a scrap block using the same LeMoyne star Accuquilt die as the center block of each row of the RSC2017 quilt.  I had to dig in the basket to find some scraps to make the purple blocks!

I'm glad the trash wasn't emptied in there so I could! 

 And then I cut out pieces for the 8 blocks I will make in the color-of-the-month, Sea Greens!

During Tuesday's knitting, I started a pair of shorty socks for Marsel in the same yarn I used for mine;  one nice thing about making these is that I will be able to get two pair from one big ball!

Does anyone else use the cardboard form with stats for making socks?

I have a new idea to try with these but more tomorrow on that!

Fresh Start for the Week

 I wore them all day and they stayed put!  No slipped heel, no twisting-what a wonderful fit and surprise for me as I had a very low expectation for them!

I will be making more, just watch!

This morning Bill finished spackling and texturing the sheetrock so we can paint tomorrow! 

 We moved the cupboard away from the fridge (so he could work and so we could get a visual on my idea) but we aren't sure it is going to work for us........stay tuned.

If all goes according to plan, we will be ripping up the floor when we are done with the painting!

 I traced the outline for the snowflakes from one of the Accuquilt dies (ran a piece of cardboard through to get a stencil!) and then loaded up the cardinal wall hanging and got right to work!

It didn't take too long (1 1/2 hrs) to get it finished-very exciting!

I will bind it tomorrow in between the remodels! lol

This is what supper time looks like at our house.  We have two more cats but one isn't social and eats quite solitarily and the other won't touch canned food!  There are dishes of dry food throughout the house/garage  but these four are regulars for the canned food feast twice a day!

Lena likes being part of her posse!

Finishes and Feline!

 Shorty sock number one off the needles.

This style is still dubious to me but I am going to give it a try.

 The design wall is completed!

It is such a wonderful space calling for quilt blocks and ideas and incredible quilts to come!

 Each edge is wrapped and tucked so it is like a great big canvas waiting for me to fill it with color!

 Tools of my job this afternoon!

I Swiffered the floor under the frame where all the spray adhesive had fallen;  the good news is that it all came up easily!

 I placed the last projects that were up before the remodel and placed that back on the wall;  just right!

(One nice advantage now is that I can pin into the foam board which I couldn't do before.)

 I can sure appreciate the clean lines and years of creativity this wall will see!

 Lena helped and sniffed at each move as usual but all this work was very tiring...

in fact, it was just a matter of minutes and this little face was sound asleep!