Color Me Rainy Gray!

The first blooms of the season have opened!  

 Don't worry, the plants are all protected tucked up next to the house so that TS Eta won't steal any plants!

It is pouring out and the wind is gusty but it doesn't look like it will be a damaging storm for us!

I finished the last quilt on the frame and even added its binding. 

 I have to wash/dry so full reveal tomorrow.

But look!  I have the fabrics picked out for a quilt to piece; 

 I will be using the Accuquilt to cut out a  Hunter Star quilt in these fabrics--the top choice is the backing fabric.  

And fingerless mitt #1 is a done deal! 

 I didn't have too many hurdles in converting the pattern

 from sport weight to fingering weight numbers!  

 

A Smorgasbord

I slept well and no more spasms in my back 

so I was much more mobile yesterday! 

 So grateful. 

 I began the day cleaning out the bird feeders of their 'seed-soup'  because the sun was shining;  

within 10 minutes of finishing, 

Hurricane Eta did this again! 

 Sigh.

I noticed that the Cornstalk Dracaena is blooming again! 

 The flowers are actually closed up during the day 

and very open at night when it releases its incredible aroma! 

 Moths love it, too!  

I began the last finished top from that big pile a few months ago. 

 When this one is finished,

 I will look forward to piecing some new tops in Christmas colors

for the donation pile!

I am using a pantograph for this quilt 

in a large Baptist Fan continuous line design.

I also did a little bit of work on the lathe-

I turned the 2 x 2' block of wood into-

this so that today I will be able to turn it into two more bells!  

I'm using a different kind of wood 

so I am hoping for a better quality of wood for finishing 

but that it will still have an interesting grain! 

 The thrill of the wood hunt!

I didn't get to work too long (which was probably good) 

because another band of rain/wind came through

 and you can see when I work with the garage door open for the light, 

I am also in the splatter zone from the rain! lol

Indoors again, I worked on a new pair 

of fingerless mitts for my daughter, 

this yarn is from the discontinued line of SilverSpun fingering weight from the Feel Good Yarn Co but I found this skein online 

from the Jimmy Bean company.

And I worked on the second sock-I am increasing for the gusset 

and in a few rows, I will begin to turn the heel. 

 It was nice to be home and putting my hands to all 

of the creative outlets that make my heart sing!

 

Just For You-

 I spent the day sitting in the car, waiting rooms and doctor's offices but the good news is I didn't fracture my lumbar vertebrates ;  the inconvenient news is that I did sprain my lower back (which aggravates the arthritis there! ha!) and the sprain has resulted in a lot of swelling which makes standing, sitting, laying down and moving a bit miserable!  The doctor did administer a cortisone shot and gave me some meds to fight the inflammation and to help me to sleep (muscle relaxer).  I feel like a new person!  Pain is such a rough companion!

So I don't have anything to add to this post but this instruction for the little lace insert on my socks!  Feel free to download it and use it for a bit of embellishment that doesn't take a lot of thought!

Pretty Lace Insert for Socks 

Toe-up or down, this little insert will work for you! I set the lace 5 stitches from one edge of the top of the foot; the insert is worked over 4 stitches only-very manageable! 

Round 1-yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog 

Round 2-knit

 Round 3-k1, yo, k2tog, k1 

Round 4-knit 

Be sure and set the insert on the opposite edge of the top of the foot for the second sock! You can wear the socks with the insert up from the baby toe or wear it centered over the big toe! 

CHART: 

KKKK ROW 4 

K/OK ROW 3

KKKK ROW 2

 / O/O ROW 1

 (K=knit stitch, /=knit 2 together,o=yarn over)

Plowing On!

It turn out beautifully after the wash and dry!  

The quilt is a very comfortable size and pleasing colors/prints! 

 Nice to see it done, right Mom?!

See what I mean about the prints?! 

 The quilting lines worked out really well in its simplicity;  

the perfect pairing with the quilt.  

I tried to show the texture here!

One sock down and one the way to the second! 

 And I remembered to reverse the lace insert, too!

Here's to a great week!

 

A New Escape!

Finally the hunt is over 

and I don't have to talk about abstract numbers anymore!!!! 

 This is my new car-even though I don't like 'crossovers' 

I'm going to drive one now. 

 I hope to fall in love with it.

While Bill was kicking tires, 

I applied binding to the four-patch quilt. 

 I will have the final reveal after washing/drying for you on Monday.

I kept up the pace and loaded the last quilt in the queue! 

 I will have to freehand this one since it has three dimensional places in the center of the bow-tie blocks. 

 It's loaded and ready for me to work on it on Monday, also.

I did do the little bell project on the lathe! 

 It is shaped from a large dowel;

 and has really cool grain lines.

  I need to make about ten more 

before I will work the steps intuitively

 because nothing about it is natural at this point! 

 I can see I need to work on sanding a bit more.

  I will get there and this was encouraging! 

 I wanted this to be an ornament for the Christmas tree 

so I needed an eye hook for the top-

I didn't have one but I did find a tiny one of these 

I bent into an eye shape so I could say it is finished!

And I spotted this beauty on the way out to the mail box! 

 What amazing color in this hibiscus!

Another Top to Bind!

This top is off the quilting frame--it is larger than my usual lap quilts of 40 x 52" since it measures 50 x 65"--a good 'curl up on the couch' quilt!

The quilting looks very different than my usual work, also, 

but it will be interesting to see how it washes and dries! 

 I will be applying the binding today.  

(I'm hoping for a better day in the studio because everything broke, dropped, spilled , etc, yesterday!)

I want to make a bell ornament on the lathe today--

I have been drawing a few examples to help me 

when I actually start to work today!

The sock went well and I enjoyed a lot of knitting time while in the recliner-sometimes it's the best spot in the house!

 

There and Back Again

I added the binding onto this quilt in the morning yesterday. 

 I really enjoyed making two of these tops 

and now they are two striking quilts! 

 A good feeling to see them both completed!

I used a pantograph from Willow Leaf Studio called Birds and Blooms.

And then at lunch time Bill asked if he could take me out to lunch 

and then to 'see' some cars to find

 what I liked and didn't like! 

 I ended up knitting this much....

car shopping is not my favorite thing 

because of all the time it takes 

and still you come home with nothing. 

 At least I have a good start on the new sock. 

 It is Muse sock yarn with just a little bit of a open work up the side.

We saw this on the way home 

and I thought it was a funny sight to see the rainbow 

over the golden arches!

One and Done

I finished quilting the second QAL and laid it to the side while I loaded the next top on the frame, when I went to trim it and apply the binding--someone had made themselves at home!

Instead I added the borders onto the last of the pile of tops I had lined up.  Lena was still asleep on the quilt so I began to work at the frame instead.

 

I am working on the top of all of those 4 1/2" squares 

my Mom gave me. 

 Last time I ordered a pantograph from Willow Leaf Studio 

they included a free one -

which is not one I would've chosen but after giving it a try--

I really like it!

It gives a clean line to the quilt; 

 very different than my usual choices and nice to try it out!

 

The saga of the three pairs of Christmas socks is complete! 

 Made of Cascade Yarns in Heritage Prints sock yarn color no. 60. 

 Lg pair over 64 sts, 8yo socks knit over 56 sts 

and the 5yo socks over 48 sts 

All were knit on number 2.5mm needles, toe-up with a gusset heel.

Returned

I had to rip out the sock and extend the spot where I needed to begin the gusset because the sock was too short for the pattern I have,

but I nailed it the second time!  

Now to begin the second and move on confidently 

using the notes from the first one!

Just because watercolor subject--I do love a good dead tree!

And look who's home again! 

 Nice to have the king on his throne!  

(He has been working in New Orleans 

restoring electricity to the city after the last hurricane.  I'm hoping Eta fizzles out for all of our sakes!)

 

Not Thwarted ; Re-Directed!

I had planned on playing with the lathe again today 

but I need to change the head chuck

 and I couldn't loosen it-no matter what I tried!   

So, after railing against my inability to move it, 

I went into the studio and did some quilting! 

 I added the binding to the pinwheels 

and then tossed it in the washer/dryer.

And then it was time to add another one onto the frame--

I almost finished it but ran out of standing stamina so that was that! 

 I did get the binding done so I can put it on today

 as soon as I finish up the last 20 minutes of quilting.

Sock number one is almost finished 

for the last little pair of Christmas socks. 

 I'm glad I did the larger sizes first 

because this one seemed to fly off the needles!

Watercolor is still going to be an almost daily event--

even without Inktober to spur me on! 

 I enjoy the drawing part 

and then adding a bit of color a layer at a time. 

 It is fun to walk by and add some more.

  It is getting easier to know when I'm done with each one, too!  

I would like to sit by this lake today....

 

The Middle Pair

 Granddaughter's socks...I've  made mama's pair 

and now I need to make the littlest grand daughter's socks 

and the trio will be completed!  

I almost matched these perfectly...

I ended up being two rows off. 

 I can live with that and so will she!

The field north of us a few miles has been cut for hay again!

The look is a good sign of Fall to me even though

the farms cut hay about 5 times at least which means it is cut in the Spring, the Summer, the Fall and the Winter! lol

Here's to a good day for all of you!

B's and Blooms!

The little camphor  bowl is finished--

It has a light and darker side 

due to the grain swooping through the wood!  

The bowl is  3" tall and 3 1/2" wide. 

 A sweet little bowl for candy, I think!

 Look what is blooming!  

The white Camellia bush is always the first of the bushes to bloom. 

 I like this blossom shape-it is just right!  

And another Confederate rose is showing off it's beauty!  

They only last for one day;  

so you have to appreciate them while you can!

Too bad we can't remember that towards everything around us...