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?!

TNT

 Monday afternoon I worked on this quilt with the community ladies.
I am still making the blocks but couldn't wait to put some up on the design wall to see how it looks!

And the pillowcase is coming along;
I only have a few flowers left and then the ribbon and bow!
I already have the next pillowcase set ready-
and a table runner is being mailed to my Mom to finish up!
What's on your needle?

Unwilling Model!

 I made this dog sweater for my neighbor, Millie's, new pup;

a little dachshund that is very little!

While I was trying to set this up on my dresser, Nyki kept swiping things on the floor.

So I put her to work-she stood there frozen in shock long enough for a picture!

No, she didn't like it!

But I enjoyed the knit!

A very fast one for me-one evening and it was done!

I am going to try to figure out how to do it on the knitting machine, flat instead of in the round.

I hope it fits the dog--if so, I will post a pic of her in her new outfit!

Borders and Racing Stripes!

 I really dug deeply and found some vintage fabric in my stash for the borders on the corrected quilt.

I know it is vintage easily by the print and most importantly, the width-36"!

It matches perfectly, at any rate.

I'm building up quite a pile of quilts that need backings!

I need to plan a run to the fabric store soon!

And then I tried an idea one of the ladies at quilting group used to make a t-shirt fit better;

she added racing stripes down the side seams!

This is an easy fix to add width to a great shirt so it lays better-everywhere!

(open side seams, add the 2 1/2" strips to the sides-making sure the hem is opened 

and that you keep the sides even at the top and bottom so your fabric won't pull cattywampus.  

I used my serger for easy seaming but she just used a zig zag. so either will work.

  It pressed flat and lays great!)

What a better fit--I had bought them in the size I always buy....and they were way too form-fitting.

It irked me because they should've fit.  

Well, now they do!

A Triumph!

 I've stopped trying to go ahead of the lessons and did what I was supposed to do for the week!

Yup, this is a knit sampler of Tuck stitches on the knitting machine!

I have turned the picture on its side, but it is hanging down like a scarf on the design board!

I knit with KnitPicks Stroll and used 1 1/2 skeins of fingering weight yarn.

 Starting from the top, here are some close-ups.

 These are knit using the punch card on the knitting machine to tell it which needles to pull

out of work and when to put them back for these very textural stitches!

 Like the knitters of old who kept samples of their stitches so they could use them again and again,

I will keep this hanging in my sewing room for a reference!

 The stitches use the technique of piling up stitches on needles and then knitting them up on every

second, third or fourth pass of the carriage so you have height or texture built up on the purl side of the knitting.

 Very fun to do, I only had a few mistakes in the beginning with following the steps for establishing

the pattern by pushing the wrong levers/buttons but by the tenth sample, I knew what I was doing!

There is something said for repetition!

This one is my favorite and I think you will be seeing it used on a sweater yoke in the near future!

 Most of the patterns look better on the purl side 

but some of them look really good on the knit side, too!

What a good idea to make a sampler, don't you agree?!

Not Exactly Confetti

 Lena hardly twitched an ear when I had a hole punch blow its contents!

I didn't empty the little cup when I should've and so it emptied itself!

 I was punching out this design....

 onto the punch card mylar when this happened!

She is so used to me bumping her with yarn and knitting needles,

 she hardly pays any attention

but this little episode really pushed the envelope! lol

Laugh with Me!

 Lesson One with the lace carriage on my knitting machine didn't go well.

My teacher said, "No, lace weight yarn isn't the best choice because it could break."

I used it because I thought it would be so pretty in lace with this yarn.....

It broke.  

At least it broke right in the beginning!

So I doubled the yarn and it didn't break but it also didn't make the holes it should have made.

You can see where they should've been.

I don't know exactly why but by then I had used up my 2 hours of knitting time.

Yup, it takes a long time to mess up!

 LOL

Works in Progress

 I enjoyed going to the local quilting group the other day;

I added borders to the simple charm quilt I started two weeks ago.

I had to add cornersstones because the fabric was older than I thought-

it only measured 40" wide and that is including the selvedges! 

 I had a math problem then so one of the ladies in the group

had this great idea! 

 Nice to have a rescue!

 And I stitched this second charm quilt, also.

Except when I smoothed it onto the design wall when I came home,

I noted a row I seamed wrong-do you see it?!

I will rip out the row and sew it right today!

I must have stitched that row wrong while having a good laugh!

I so enjoy the company of like-minded (quilt) women!

I also played with a few scraps to do a quilt block I have wanted to do for a long time.

It utilizes jelly rolls and a light neutral--I like 'weaving' with fabric!

Teeny Needle Tuesday

I am still working my way through my pillowcase for Mom.

How very relaxing it is!  

This vintage needle case is assisting my stitching.

How nice to have the connection to previous generations as I work with the needle today.

The supplies inside now, are still what is needed to save that "Stitch in Time" !

Starting Fresh-Leave the Old Behind

 

 I reworked this little child's mittens so they match-imagine that!

Now I need to know out a bunch of pairs for the donation box!

I finished the second dishcloth to give away--the skein is gone and that is good!

Now I will work some in dark brown for Fall, too.

I worked the edge like I do on the sock scrap blanket==I slip the first stitch as if to purl 

and then bring the yarn to the back to work the rest of the row in garter; 

 this smooths the outside stitches.

Why?  Just because I could!

Still Slow After Travelling

I decided to keep adding to my sock yarn scraps blanket;

the top 5 squares were knit with the last 5 pairs of socks I have made.

This blanket is my Sunday afternoon nap comfort!

Oh, and I knit another dishcloth.  

I've enough of the skein to make the second one soon;

I like to keep one and pass one on to a friend!

(Travel has sucked the remnants of my energy right out of me.

I hope to start the week with better reserves tomorrow

after doing precious little for two days!)

FlitExpert, that's me!

 I eased into my role at home;
I finished the second garter lace dishcloth.

 I sorted a jelly roll from my Mom;
I'm not sure what pattern I will sew with it yet.
Several ideas are percolating, one of which I have wanted to do for some time
 but I need some yardage of white to make it work.

These orphan crocheted blocks were given a good press and I will use them for little doilies;
my grandmother made these particular ones!  I used her own #9 steel hook to weave in ends!

I hope to tackle some lace on the knitting machine today-here's to patience and progress!

Safely Home

 I had a long day of travel yesterday

which meant I had a long time to finish the leg of the second sock!

 By the time we arrived in the car at the parking lot, 

the moon was up and so were the temperatures!

(we almost had a lost bag but it was only in an unusual place....

(heart beat was sped up for a few!)

 But I had a pair of socks by the time I had landed.

The sock yarn was done well because the two socks are an exact match!  Yay!

These are size 8-9 ladies socks with a long leg.

Comfort Sock Yarn by Berroco, 1 skein

Size 2.5mm needles

A great non-wool yarn to use for socks!

Flight Knitting

 I'm heading back to Florida today.

I hope to get a lot of knitting done on the second sock.

I have already turned the heel and am ready to begin the k3, p1 rib for the leg.

It should keep my mind off leaving loved ones behind

 and looking forward to my loved ones ahead.

Organizing 100 years ago

 This beautiful piece of ladies' furniture was my grandmother's.

 I lovingly polished it today to bring out the luster in the wood-

if you were this old, you would be thirsty, too!

 Look at the details on this top!  

 She kept her latest quilting projects inside;  she loved to sew them by hand.

I use plastic bins but this one sure does outclass them by a mile!

See the littlest bit of yellows and orange--this is in the poplar tree by my sister's home, 

right next door. 

 I think these are a relative of the aspens out west!

Teeny Needle Tuesday

Just out of the hoop-not even pressed yet, 

this mermaid has been completed 

and is ready to join her sisters. 

 (back on my design wall at home!)

I am so glad I slipped her into the activity bag 

and brought her along for the trip;  

it is very relaxing to stitch with a different kind of needle!