Tourists

Saturday we went to the annual Crappie (perch) Festival in Crescent City.  It is always fun to walk around the booths for 'deals' and for fresh veggies.  We got adventuresome after our tour of the main square and went to a new Bistro.  

We sat outside in the sunshine and had a great lunch.  

The walk down to Crescent Lake put a nice finishing touch on our day!

I have completed one sock in the Snowflower pattern from the latest issue of Interweave Knits.  I saved the pattern for the leg only and it worked out perfectly.  I learned a new cable stitch since I have never cabled with two cable needles but it was easy after the first few awkward attempts!

Knitting and Sewing

 Today, Mom and I took an online class for two-colored double knitting.  It felt good to stretch our knitting muscles and we had a lot of laughs along the way!  The first good laugh when we realized the computer didn't have speakers and we had to try to lip read the class!  Once we wiped the tears away, I had the bright idea of listening to the class from my Kindle while we watched on the bigger screen-it took just  a bit of coordination to get the two devices in sync!  Just how it goes for us!

After a few false starts and several outright mistakes.......the lightbulb went on and we managed to knit our learning swatches! 

  Both of us finished out little squares tonight as homework.   This is one side of my work;

  and this is the other.  The next project will be a headband/ear warmers for our double knitting in the round!  Alone this would have been hard-together it was great fun!

 After lunch, we put away the knitting and got out the sewing equipment to make a knitting tote for Mom.  Since they will be flying home, they didn't bring as many supplies as usual with them.  Mom stocked up on supplies when she got here but one of the projects we wanted to make was a bag to hold and transport her knitting projects.

 We managed to find all the fabric we needed in my stash!  The tote is about 11" x 13" x 6" and double interefaced not quilted.

 We put pockets on the inside for  chocolates , knitting gadgets.  Over all, we had a wonderful day together!

It clouded up this afternoon to end our 80"s streak and sprinkled a bit so Dad came in and did some reading while we were sewing.  See his new recliner?  Just right for a rest between projects!

Projects, Catching up and Christmas!

 It has been a while since I blogged.....I had to get over the flu and dehydration complications and then prepare for company!  It all came together just fine.
Bill has been taking down the Camphor tree in the front yard limb by limb.

 I did some last minute sewing for our late Christmas plans.

 When Marsel and family got here, we planned a quilt sewing day.  We sure kicked it into gear and got the top finished in no time using the multi-generational assembly line!

 David and Bill played with branches and limbs while the girls did the sewing.

 I also worked in between things on my January installment of the FiberBinderClub.  This is Gotland sheep wool; the same kind that was used for the cloaks in Lord of the Rings.

 I combed the fiber and have it ready to spin but that isn't going to happen right away!  It will wait.

 After all the blocks were sewn together, we watched Marsel work at their layout.

 Once the blocks were arranged satisfactorily, they were sewn together and the appliques added.

 We didn't waste any time getting it right on the frame for quilting.

 Matthew and Ashley and Will arrived Saturday but Caleb, Cassandra and Ella had to cancel due to sickness!  Can you say disappointed?!

 Will was a good sport about all the cuddling!

 The afternoon was delightful and treasured by one and all .

 David and Uncle Mattie raced the Hot Wheels.  I love that the kids still love imagination-powered toys best.

 Great Grandpa put a fussy Will right to sleep one afternoon .....he still has the touch!

 Bill's winter garden is growing well though he did have to fence it in because of marauding deer!
The peas and beans are wiped out because of them.

 The two hard frosts we had killed the outer branches of the banana tree but Bill learned this trick of loading a pile of mulch up half of the tree (a ten footer) to keep the frost from killing the core.

 Well, it worked and we are very excited to see the banana bloom and baby bananas growing!

 The bloom is around 15" long and the bananas are only 4" right now.  Can't wait to see if they make it to maturity!  The weather has been pure Florida in the 80's every day so we are hoping it stays this way!

 After Matthew and Ashley went home, we had one more day to sew and get the quilt done-we did it!  Marsel was able to deliver the quilt to Will on her way home.

After my company had to go home, Bill and I went with Dad and Mom to Daytona to pick up their  new recliners.  They bought two like this-no more sunken seats and trying to get the pillows stacked just right for comfort!  We even went out to dinner together so had a wonderful ending to a  very full week.

Today, Mom and I put away all the Christmas decorations and I cleaned the house-all ready now for the New Year to begin........I am just a little behind date-wise but ready to move ahead into 2013!

Two Good Things!

I loaded my knitting needles with the first sock of the year!  (Thanks, Sharon, it is some of your yarn!)

And my parents arrived for the winter!!!!  No, they didn't come in separate cars, my brother and sister-in-law drove them down to their place first and then both couples had their own cars tonight!
It is a long hard two-day drive but it is over now and they are going to fly home in the Spring which is a change for them but a good change which made for some lighted loads on the way down!
It is good to have your comfort zone tested!  Dad and Mom did great with the changes and rose to the occasion!

It Happened Without Me

 On Monday I finished knitting this little hat for Ella, I had made one in the hospital that was just too small for her!  My fault for trying a new pattern under duress~  :'(

I folded up my birthday present of these batik fat quarters and arranged them in rainbow order!

And then late morning, the FLU hit; like a truck and I have been in bed since.  Yup, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day came and went without waiting for me.  A good point to remember for the new year ahead..........

Ella's Home Coming!

Ella came home yesterday; all wrapped up in her new entrelac blanket from Grandma...........

Spinning

 I spun some Suri Alpaca.  I teased all the long locks open by hand.

 And made a cloud of fiber which I then spun into yarn.  It wasn't the most fun I have had spinning and I was glad to get to the end of the sample, truth be told.

 To its credit, the yarn is very soft and shiny.

 I got a very pretty knitted sample which goes to prove that knitting covers a multitude of (spinning) sins!

I finished my Suri Sample page which marks the end of FiberBinderClub's 2012's spinning entries!

Ella's Arrival!

 Caleb and Cassandra are holding their daughter, Ella Coral........6 lbs 6oz, 20 1/2" , a blond fuzzy head and well, just perfect.

The only relationship that beats parenting........grand-parenting!

Post Christmas Post

 The Poinsettias and Christmas cactus are all doing their blooms right on time!

 I did my big Ta-Da moment with the entrelac blanket for Will and saw I had made a parachute instead of a blanket!   I had added an I-cord edging which looked good except it didn't lay flat!
Sometimes this go like this when you are knitting.  I just didn't notice it was too tight while it laid in my lap working on it.

 The only cure was to rip the I-cord out.  I do not want to work on this another two to three days to find a right balance for another I-cord so--it is finished!  Ta-Da!!!

It is soft, machine washable and will match his nursery!  (36" x 42")

 Now on to some quick projects on the needles-a pair of socks are calling me!

(Caleb and Cassandra are in the hospital now; they will begin inducing labor early tomorrow morning!  Can you say excited?!)

Merry Christmas!

I hope you have a blessed day!

Bill and I are sharing the first 'just the two of us' for Christmas morning since our first

Christmas after marrying in 1976!

Later this morning, we are driving up to Matthew and Ashley's to have lunch with them and 

to wish Will a happy first Christmas.

Waiting............Still

 We are all just hanging out and waiting for word that our newest grand daughter is coming into the world!

I am doing the usual Christmas preparations and made these key ring organizers for a few friends.  It is just big enough for some change, a license and credit card.

HB to Me!

Well, my grand daughter didn't make the arrival on my birthday but Caleb and Cassandra did meet us at Corky Bells for a great lunch !  It was a very tropical day in the 80's and a delicious breeze-couldn't ask for more!