BEING HOME!

New socks are on the needles! Another Static skein called Cabot Cove.  So very relaxing to knit after a day of errands!  The good news, I picked up my sewing machine from the repair shop!  And best yet, I get to stay home today and catch up on some idea!

INCENTIVE

The first dish towel has been hemmed, washed and dried and it is nice.  The middle bugs me and will make the second one worth the re-threading even though it is not going very smoothly!

It shrunk from 18" wide to 16 1/2" and lengthwise from 27" to 26".

The sunset was beautiful last night!  Beauty is good for the soul.

 

WARPED

I finished the first towel with its 'design element' in the very center and decided I had enough length on the warp to cut this one off so I could fix the mis-threading in the center.

And as it goes, I corrected the middle 20 threads and then had to begin re-threading the whole left side of the towel to make the pattern right.  It's a good lesson in perfection! lol  

I am relaxing (well, trying to) through the work with only 20 threads at a time.  Easy, right?!

 

SWEET STRIPES!

A bit of knitting happened yesterday while I was at the doctor's. 

 (I love this flamingo wall art in the waiting room!)

On the way home, I was able to complete that leg ribbing

 and cast off!  Knit picks Hanley Static yarn, 64 sts, 2.5mm needles.

 

IDEAS REALIZED

Yup, this is giving an outlet that has been needing expression for months--to work with wood more! I painted some scraps of 2 x 6's, cut out some lettering and added a bit of twine and a starfish!

Isn't it pretty?!  

I'm still whipping up some amigurumi stingrays--

nice and quick projects.

I forgot to post this finished idea of felt succulents to go in this pot that I can't get anything to grow in but now I don't have to--it's attractive now without any watering! lol

 

GOODNESS ABOUNDS

I caught up with the 'needs binding' pile!  

These three are all washed, dried now and in the donation pile!

The next quilt is on the frame but I have to wait a few days to begin quilting this one, though.

The fabrics all have glow-in-the-dark highlights and a friend has some glow-in-the-dark thread which will be perfect for this one!!!

I hung up the newest wall art-right where we can see it first thing when we walk into the house!

Yes, a very good accomplishment. The first of many, I guarantee it!

 

WOOD WORKS FOR ME!

The Brown Birch wooden vase is completed 

and holding a pretty spray of carnations!

Then I moved on to some other wooden projects that have been percolating in my brain!

It was fun to do a bit of paint pouring on this board.

Once it had been sanded to reveal the under colors, I applied the lettering I had cut out on the Cricut.

There is a hanger on the back and now it is ready to grace a wall.  (The phrase is from our recent Bible study of the same name.)     3 1/2" x 18"

Next up was this larger wall plaque I made from pallets wood a long time ago and could never commit to finishing. (18' x 10 1/2")

 This was a major reason for getting the Cricut--so I could have professional lettering on signage!  I painted this with diluted acrylic paint and again, when dry, I sanded it to reveal the lightly spray-painted base of white below.  The only thing I wish I had done was to seal it with lacquer before I put the lettering on but I was so anxious to get going with the words, I forgot!  

Next time because the next project is already drafted!

 

FUNNY FELINE FRIDAY

LapCat horns in on LapTop, every time. 

 It's like a magnet for her! Somehow, I end up with my laptop at an awkward angle next to me so she can curl up on my lap instead! 

 I am trained well.

Lena just likes to sit at the foot of the bed 

and play with the stuffies!

And then she is down for the count!

On the fiber front, I am glad to report I can sit down and WEAVE whenever I have a few minutes and it is wonderful.

Also,  I worked out a balanced count for the pattern to have Log Cabin squares like it is supposed to have!  

 

WEAVING NEUTRALS

Finally I am at the weaving stage!!!!  

I can see I need to work out a few trial and errors to even out my 1" blocks that should happen for this log cabin weaving pattern. 

(20 warp threads (up and down threads) do NOT equal 20 weft threads (back and forth threads)  

But that will happen ; it is just so nice to be able to weave 

after all of the other steps that had to happen first!

We lost some more pool screen sections during Debby but gratefully, our local business was able to send these men out

 right away so we don't fill up with butterflies, dragonflies, 

wasps and bees this time!

I have some fun fabric on the design wall, 

in case I run out of anything to do!

 

WOOD ON WEDNESDAY

I have a new vase on the lathe out of brown birch wood. 

 Today, I will be drilling out the center for the flower stems.

Bill and I did some rearranging and cleaning in my wood shop.  We found a new shelf that was much larger and stronger and restacked the wood I've chosen for future projects. 

 I do like to work in a neatened area!

We took an unexpected trip to St Augustine because my fancy sewing machine needed a part so I have my portable machine in its place until I get mine back next week!  I'm thankful for the back-up machine because I would have withdrawals otherwise! lol

We had this glorious sunset last night and about five minutes later, it poured!  Debby had to take one last swipe at us!

 

AND LIFE GOES ON

What do you do when the storm rages outside?  You quilt, 

play on the design wall, load a new quilt,

make some watercolor cards on the Cricut

 (more on that tomorrow),

crochet another penguin

and knit away on your sock!

Today, the butterflies are back out and the birds are demanding their feeders be cleaned out and refilled and I am happy to oblige!  Now to clean up the yard of all of the palm boughs and Spanish moss on the driveway and ground!  We are grateful to come through it unscathed!

 

WHEN DEBBY VISITS

Bands all day of rain but gratefully not the wind we usually experience with this kind of storm!  The rain will be adding up all day as it continues bringing wet tidings from the Gulf!

At least we have power!  I tackled the binding situation and finished 2 table runners and 1 quilt in the center; they are even washed and dried!  I hope to finish the quilt that is now loaded on the frame and not give in to having it empty because there are still 4  more tops waiting for me! 

 

A SOCK FOR SUNDAY

It's been a while since I have posted a sock on my needles; 

 this is yarn of Static .   It is such a joy to knit socks!

 

HANGING BY A THREAD

360 Threads to be exact!  Just doing an inch at a time 

(20 threads per inch), I have taken quite a bit of time

 but it is all threaded and double checked for accuracy.

Now, unfortunately, I have to wait until a delivery

 on next Tuesday to be able to thread the reed 

because I needed a different one to make the numbers work out! 

 I have plenty of other things to fill my time between now and then!

 

CRITTER SIGHTINGS

My waking view--I could feel Lena's stare! 

 Only 6:52 am and breakfast might not happen, you know!

Nyki says that breakfast seems like a good idea!

He's about 9-10" long and very soft and adorable.  

The sewing is easy with the plush yarn, contrary to my concerns. 

 I have ordered some more of this yarn (Premier Parfait) in more colors because I am enjoying being able to make this seaside menagerie!

 

INCH BY INCH

The Green Gingham top is stitched together. 

 Another top to add to the quilting frame waiting list!

I began the threading on the new towels;  5 inches of threads in an hour.  That means I have three more hours of threading left! Sigh.  The good news is that it is working pretty smoothly even if slowly.

The first row at the frame was all I could muster yesterday 

but I do like the way it is going to look!