KNITTING AND RE-KNITTING!

Early on Saturday, I knit the yoke and sleeves of this new sweater idea.  It is a hand knitting pattern that I am converting to a machine knitting project.  Something was bugging me about it and after doing something else, I came back to it and realized I forgot 40 rows at each sleeve end--I had to rip it all out and started again!  It went a lot faster the second time! lol

The ends have waste yarn which I removed and picked up the stitches so I could add the ribbing by hand.

(did you notice the little hole on the center bottom of the knitting?  I did;  it is a dropped stitch that is now mended 

and 99% invisible, I am glad to say!)

 The ribbing is finished and I have picked up the neck stitches and started knitting it in the round for a rolled edging.  When I finish that , this morning I will be placing the front on the knitting machine to then knit and then the back of the sweater. 

 The seaming will be a nice relaxing project for this afternoon! 

 Here's hoping there isn't any more re-knitting!

MULTIPLES

The fourth square grapefruit bowl is finished! 

 No, I am not bored making another one! 

 The wood cuts beautifully and the grain is always a pleasant surprise each step of the process!

The grain and colorings are beautiful, I must admit!

The newest bowl is a smidge taller than the others

 but they are all about 5 1/2" square and 3" tall.

The last block of this month's 6 blocks are now finished, too. 

 I think I am finally getting a handle on the mosaic stitch in crochet!

And I had fun with two more postcards--

an orca whale and a dolphin.

 

A SWEET JOB

The Bay trees are in bloom and they smell delicious; 

 a light fruity smell that is very sweet and pleasant! 

 Bill picks them and I put them in a little vase.

I put the binding on and have another finish on the quilting front!  On tO the the Jar Collection quilt next.

I cut out the fabric I bought last week 

so that a new top can be sewn. 

 Fall is here when we wear short sleeves

 instead of tank tops! lol

 

SOME YARN AND WATER

The matching Sister sweaters are completed and blocked!  I enjoyed this knitting very much!  

DK yarn on #6 needles;  size 6 and 2 sweaters.

This is what the mystery project was from last week!  I had to wait until the poof pom-pom arrived to show it finished! 

 I made some mitts to go with the hat-

will fit 'tween sized kid would be my goal!

I enjoyed this wet on wet negative space experiment! 

 Painted on a postcard to be sent right out to a friend.

 

JUST AT THE FRAME

Just look at this beauty! 

 I admire it every time I move through the kitchen.

Being home yesterday meant that I was able to finish the quilting on this cheerful quilt.  I will get to the binding today so it will be completely complete!

Then I loaded up the next quilt which I have to determine a design plan for it.  Sometimes it has to sit a while before I can start to stitch on the new palette!

The mail had a package from Quilts for Kids which contains two new kits to turn into quilts!  I am up to the challenge.  New quilter, Mary, also ordered two kits so we will tackle these together!

 

CAR TIME!

We ended up running some errands unexpectedly yesterday and so I did some crochet--I have these 6 rows done on all three of the new blocks.  I think I liked making one block at a time instead of doing each of the rows like this but now I know!  

And the new skein of yarn came earlier than I thought

 so I can finish the little girls' sweater! 

 Now I have some knitting to enjoy again!  

 

STAND AND STITCH

The mountain fun quilt is done! 

 It is very masculine and will make a happy lap quilt for someone.

The fabrics are fun and interesting.

I immediately set up the next quilt on the frame!  

This one is going to be quilted with these meandering dragonflies!  

 On the yarny front, I made a dishcloth 

(and will make another and another

 until the yarn comes for the girl's sweater!) 

and completed the third block for this month.  

Today, I am going to start a new block!

LABORS

The quilt is loaded and on its way to being quilted.

I am using a pattern with this triangle shape that looks like a campfire or a branding iron

...well, I'm using it anyway on this camping, woodsy quilt! 

 I'm hoping to finish this one today then load and finish another!

 

SOCKS ON SUNDAY

One pair of socks now completed!  These are knit with KnitPicks Vancouver Hawthorne Multi sock yarn

 on 2.5mm needles over 64 stitches.  

Here is the hall that I painted on Friday--it has a 9' ceiling 

hence the workout on the step stool! lol

And here is something I haven't done in a long time! 

 Machine knitting on my LK-150.

I'm following a pattern on YouTube. 

 Hope to finish it on Monday to show you what this is!

WRAPPING UP LOOSE ENDS

The Country Woods quilt has been sewn back together--I am pleased with both the size and the arrangement this time!  Now it is   41"  x  50" and a bit more interesting!

This is what it looked liked before I upgraded it!  Small and plain!

 I bought the rest of the paint I needed to finish the hall from the dining room to my studio, so I also painted yesterday!  It was too gloomy to take a picture by the time I finished (it rained all day!) so I will get one today for tomorrow's post.

 But I also did a bit of this during rest times!  I need to make one more of this block for this month's installment and 3 more of a new block!  I do find I have to look at what I am doing more with crochet than with knitting which forces me to listen more than watch yet sometimes, you have to look up to see what is going on! A bit challenging but fun to conquer a more complicated stitch!

EXCURSION

Here is the finished quilt that my friend, Mary, made!  She completed every step herself and I am so proud of her!

I asked her to pose for posterity!  66" x 77" 

 Mary went with me to drive me to my arthritis doctor's appointment -

...and then we had fun by stopping at the fabric store!  I mostly bought fabric for backings for the three finished tops but a pattern and some fat quarters were added for fun!

She dropped me off just in time to batten my hatches 

before a very furious T-storm hit!

This is where Lena spends her time while it is LOUD outside!

And to end my day, I learned how to crochet a new block 

for the Casablanca Afghan!

A SECOND LOOK OR MAYBE A THIRD

I wasn't happy with the look of the country quilt I had made

 so I rotary-cutter-ripped the border off .  

See the cat in the window asking to come in?  

She refuses to use the cat door and will stare at me forever!

And added a few more! 

 I haven't sewn them back on 

but that will happen later today, I hope.

I played at the lathe a bit and 

finished the third square grapefruit wood bowl!

They are similar in size-the new one is the one on the left.

I has the spalting and coloring of the other bowls 

and even has a knot--all bonuses as far as I am concerned!  

 

A BIT BEHIND

When I have several days in a row that are go-go-go, I stall!  I've enjoyed a home day yesterday and will have another one today that will help recharge my batteries!  I work at the lathe yesterday-yes, another square bowl but they are a joy to make and I need several to give to all of my kids and some grands, too!

Even though it is still in the 90's and very humid, there are signs of Fall and I cling to their encouragement that weather will let up eventually!  The red ginger cones are popping up and they are so pretty!  

The magnolia cones are also growing very reddish and their seeds are maturing;

and if you look closely, you can see some here that will soon pop out of the cone to the ground and it will make the squirrels very happy!

And I have been knitting--I ran out of yarn--I sure read the instructions wrong!  But the next skein is on  its way and I will get to work on the second sock while I wait!