FOR THE NON-HAT-WEARERS!

I know, I make so many hats but I hate to wear them--only in a blizzard will you find me wearing one since I got glasses--20+ years ago! lol  So when I saw the pattern to make earwarmers on the Sentro knitting machine, I thought I should try it.  I had some leftover handspun yarn-some of the same yarn I had made the scarf from which I thought would feel nice and coordinate with the scarf!  It was a breeze to make \and I will be making a lot more of these in the weeks to come! 

 (We keep getting the cold northern winds here

 and it has been in the high 30's again the last few mornings!)

See what it looks like on?  

I can fluff my hair on top of it

 and it doesn't make me cringeat the sight of it on my head! 

 This will be good to wear without ruining a hairdo

 as a beanie does to short hair! 

 (Don't pay attention to my serious expression--I took the pic before bedtime and I look like I need to go to sleep--which I did right afterwards! lol)

 

Today, I am off to a QOV sewing day-there are 16 of us who will be sewing  blocks, sewing together blocks and just plain enjoying working together!  (our group leader will be away on the 'real' QOV Sew Day so we scheduled it a bit early!)

RESTING

A Mother's Day gift!  Aren't they intereesting?!  Little pops of color and texture to delight my eyes!

Bill had to help me move these cement planters but we removed the dead topiary and placed some Dipladenia in each with a bit of decorative grass in the background!  

And I finished the back to the sweater, Marisol, and began the sideways knitting on the left side.  The yarn is at the neck opening!  A very interesting design and yarn!

(the title means I am resting in all the handwork I love)

 

TUNISIAN KNIT STITCH

The new block is released and I have been able to join in! 

 Marsel and I found the Yarn 'o Go that matched my first blocks while in her Michael's store.  I can't find it anywhere near me

 since it is discontinued!

I also did some work at machine knitting for a change! 

 I am making the Marisol top again and just doing the center of the front and backs to expedite the project!

 

S U C C E S S....THAT'S THE WAY WE SPELL SUCCESS!

Hot off the seaming express, 

I present Brielle Boatneck Tee from Premier yarn. 

 AND it fits me this time!

This yarn is not by Premier but is some #1 yarn (fingering weight) that is a cotton which I purchased specifically for machine knitting.  Any yarn in a gauge of 24 sts and 32 rows over 4" will work, though.  I'm so glad I persevered in converting this hand knitting pattern for one I could do on the machine!

 

IT'S A WRAP

The binding has been sewn on both quilts; 

 I will be washing and drying them and adding another

 I've already made to send out the box to the Quilts for Kids.

The stitches were picked up for the back and front;  

I've even knit the ribbing on the front 

and at least picked up stitches on the back.  

I'm thinking of adding length to the back for a split hem 

which is always easier to wear to be kind to a thick middle! lol 

 I hope to even have the seams sewn up today!

 

TOWN & COUNTRY

I did indeed get a lot of knitting done while at the doctor's yesterday and finished casting off when I came home.

I did use the gift certificate after the doctor's to pick out some fabrics for a new pattern which will become a new table runner soon!  Who needs a lollipop after being a good girl at the doctor's?!

After lunch, I helped Bill, who was finishing this shed, by packing up the golf cart with boxes from the garage and bringing them to him--he then filled the shelves inside.

I brought 6 cart loads of  junk treasure to him until I was done in more ways than one!

Seeing all of this floor was very encouraging to us!

How do I know it is Fall?  The giant grasshoppers appear!  These are 5" whoppers which I am unable to kill because they are so disgusting....Bill to the rescue!

Today, I will knit on the blue top and begin to work on the new runner!  Umm, after I put the binding on the two QFK's first.

 

A Winter Sweater

It's finished--but not a sweater I will be wearing soon! lol  

It fits well and will look good with jeans or a straight skirt.

The beige at the shoulders wasn't planned but adds tot he square neck.

The sweater seamed up easily; 

 I was concerned about matching the stripes 

but it wasn't difficult at all, much to my relief!

Even though the different skeins weren't exact in their coloring, 

they did cover a similar repeat 

that was able to give the appearance of matching stripes on the sides. 

 I am pleased with the look and can appreciate the benefit of a sweater-in-a-week!

Here's the next installment in the blog friends' watercolored photo!  

This one was posted pretty recently so maybe you will remember it! 

 Give a guess!

Yesterday's painting was of Spirit Lake in Colorado from the Wyoming Breezes blog!

 

I am Feeling Well!

The front and back was seamed at the shoulders 

so I could pick up stitches and knit the rib. 

 It was pretty easy to make a square neckline;  

I don't think I have done one before!

The second sleeve is finished and over the next few days, I will seam up the sweater!

I was able to cut up some more Hunter Star blocks;  

I found another bit of fabric that closely matches the other that I used up

 so I can make at least a lap-sized quilt.

As soon as I finish one block, I lay out the pieces for another.

The star is pieced by making triangle units, 

which are joined to make four squares,

 then halves and then you have a block!

Last night as I was knitting on the slip stitch yoke sweater,

 Lena climbed up on my lap, tunneled up the sweater and settled in for a nap!  

Bill thought it was nice of me to knit that for her! lol

And finally, I painted a postcard inspired from a pic on Sarah's blog!  

The photo was black and white so I imagined the colors! 

  Heron on the Gulf,

 5 x 7" postcard in watercolor

 

Disconnected!

I had phone service early in the day yesterday but no internet! 

 And then there was NO phone-no texts, no calls--very silent and isolating! 

 Even more than usual! 

 So what did I do?  

I made the last of the Mystical Lanterns...now to find enough of black fingering weight yarn

 to make the half motifs for the top and bottom and to crochet them all together! 

 I think it will go well.

These are building right up-I even found some similar background 

so I can make enough to have a lap quilt for these Autumn Hunter Stars!

I even made the sleeve without a hitch! 

 I have all of my notes so the second one will go smoothly, too!

The red apple worked out differently than I anticipated but is okay, too. 

 I am recognizing where I want to be and mostly I caa get there! 

 (the orange tape is holding the postcard down on the painting surface to help control the way paper warps when wet;  I remove it when it is dried!)

(I'm glad to say the internet and my phone are now working as of 4 a.m.!)

Facing the Giant

I used the new yarn and finished the back of my newest sweater by making it on the knitting machine! 

 I haven't touched it in months and thought I needed to get over the losing streak! 

 Today broke the curse and the knitting went off without a hitch! 

 Even considering this is a hand knitting pattern without a schematic

 I was able to get gauge on the second try and the numbers all just worked smoothly! 

 The 2 x 2 ribbing took an hour to reform the stitches and the rest of the back took another hour-

and I didn't walk away crying!

This is what my front yard looks like so many evenings--the only problem is my inability to capture the oranges and pinks with the phone camera!  At least you can see the 'glow' all over the foliage out front!

And this is a fail--the Granny Smith Apple didn't turn out correctly--

I just wanted to show you that fails happen

 and with this medium it is only a piece of paper so I toss it! 

 I will try again tomorrow!  

                    I have some new paints and I love the way they are so much more saturated a color!                                      This is (was) another 5" x 7" postcard.

 

Masks and Sleeves

 Some more masks for family members.

 Added to the pile and ready now to mail out.

 I did some knitting on the SK280, the standard knitting machine;  

made for finer yarns-this blue is a cotton/acrylic fingering weight yarn.

I knit the rib in a 3 x 1 and then loaded it on the machine before knitting the rest of the sleeve.

The body of the sleeve took only a few minutes more than it took me to knit the 1 1/4" of rib!

And now that the second rib it finished,

I will be making the second sleeve first thing today!

Work on Two Fronts

 I pieced several rows of the apple core in the morning yesterday.

It didn't exhaust me to work at this!

 After lunch, I played at making different swatches at my knitting machine

until I had achieved the look I envisioned

for the beginning of my own yarn bombing!

This will be stitched to the lower part of my mailbox post.

I can't wait to work on the next section today!

Thank you, Isolated Creativity, for the inspiration!

Curl up with Comfort!

 The borders were sewn on the charming tumbler lap quilt!

I do like it with the grey at the top, too.

I will load it up on the frame and quilt it this week.

On Saturday, I did machine knit this blanket-Lena approves!

It is 48' x 56", made from Red Heart gradient yarn called Graffiti yarn.

It has folded hems on the top and bottom

and I-cord trim on the sides to help battle the curl of stockinette.  

This is the best way to power through an afghan!

It will go to a friend who is chilly while sitting in church!

Just the thing to warm her legs.

Today, I will work on some more pet beds while at quilting group.

What the World Needs Now...

First, happy valentine's day!

I can't decide if I like the quilt this way up 

or the other-wait and see which way you will like it. 

I found some fabric for the border of the tumbler block.

They will be cut and attached in no time.!

And the second sleeve it knit and now , Let the seaming begin!

(As soon as we're back from another doctor appointment

and errands while in town!)

A Trip with Brunny the Bunny

 I managed to stuff the bunny on the way to visit the boys yesterday!

It wasn't too bad to take the little bits of stuffing and poking them in with the chopstick!

I was on a roll and even sewed each of the limbs in their right spots.

His ears look weird here, but it is just the view of the unblocked ears! lol

 It was a beautiful day outside and so warm,

 there was a haze that blurred the view of Jacksonville!

 The sun setting on the St Johns was beautiful as always!

(Hmmm, this would be a good subject for painting!)

 Today, I will be making the second sleeve for the sweater pile.

This is the beginning of the 2" of 1 x 1 rib. 

It has a good rhythm to reform the knit stitches into purl ones.