ONWARD INTO THE WEEK!

I am glad to say the Christmas play went well--I very easily played the 'Grandma' and enjoyed interacting with the children at church!  I made these two dishcloths-a good accomplishment between naps yesterday! lol  

Today, I will be going to quilting to finish the binding on the purple quilt and will begin to attach the borders to the clamshell quilt.

Ready or not, the week before Christmas begins!

 

SOCKS ON SUNDAY!

This pair of man socks are completed but for the life of me,

 I can't find my man-sized sock blockers so you see the socks here in all of their saggy, baggy glory! lol

Premier Wool Select Jacquard Sock yarn in the Stormy colorway,  this is a 75/25 % wool yarn. I used #3 needles for a very lightweight pair of socks. 

 

ACHIEVING CALM

This rescue orchid I bought last Januare is flourishing and even blooming again already!  The first time it had only 4 blooms and this time 6 will be the results BUT it has a second  and third stem with buds, maybe 7 more on them!   Dee, should I cut off the other stems or wait and see what happens?

These flowers are quite large --about 3" across!

 They are a deep salmon color!

As soon as I completed the quilting on this little lap quilt, Lena claimed it.  (Once the quilt is finished , meaning washed and dried, I do not let her lay on the quilts!) 

 I have the binding cut and will sew it on today.

I did a free motion series of water-ish lines over this one.

Throughout the day, I wataercolored these free to download tags.  (tidbits-cami.com)

There are two more hats in the donation pile! 

 (tagged and pom-pommed even!)

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

Bill and I headed out pretty early to install the shelf frames with bolts and toggles.  There were a few wrinkles (like the wall being double thick so the bolts and toggles 

I already had were TOO short!)

Nothing like working in tight spaces but how exciting it was to see all of my measurements worked perfectly!  (Phew!)

The little shelves were hardest to put up because there wasn't enough room for both of us to hold, keep level and then use the drill!  It's a growing adventure! (The two shelves I need to make and install go to the right of this cupboard.)

The larger shelves were for the space over the freezer.  We laughed because we remembered to open the freezer door (the top) to make sure it wasn't going to hit the shelf! lol

We cleared off the top of the refridgerator--a very satisfying project.  While it was a LOT of work, it looks good and I am glad I did it.  I told Bill we only have two more shelves to install.  He says he isn't available for installation!  Ha!  I will schedule me in!

Today is an easy at home day--I will sew, work at the lathe and rest a lot after the work yesterday!

 

INSTALLATION DAY!

A new quilt is on the frame-it is the last of the small quilts I've made earlier this year.  As soon as this one is done, the QOV on the design wall will go on the frame!

After loading the quilt, there were more shelves to be made!  Now four are finished and we will head to church to install them today.  Bill is going along for the muscle! lol

While I was waiting for different coats of stain or polyurethane to dry, I decided to play on the lathe! 

 This is a new bowl from a chunk of Magnolia! 

 The grain is amazing!  

I have the outside done and the inside will be hollowed out next. 

 Probably not happening today.

These potholders were made by my sister-in-law many years ago.  Tunisian crochet with cross stitch to add the design.  I wash them and lay them flat to dry and they look brand new every year!  Isn't is nice to put out old favorites each year for Christmas decorations:?!

 

FACETS OF A DAY

Did you have one of these in your traditions?  It is a birch log adorned with hand rolled beeswax candles with sprigs of pine branch tips in the drilled holes in the log.  

The agave flower stalk has grown another foot now

 but mostly, it has been growing flower buds..

See what I mean? 

 I can't wait to see what it will look like!  

I reworked the Tunisian block with no probles this time.

  I am ready to lay them out and crochet all twelve blocks

 into a lap blanket!  

Another hat is off the machine-it needs a label but I lost my oomph to sew it on last night!  I will make another hat and put labels on both of them today!

The cats all take turns laying under the tree-they pace around the one who's turn it is--there hasn't been any ornaments knocked down but the tree skirt does get skidded about!

 

LUMBER and LIMBER!

Yesterday, in the afternoon, I tackled cutting the lumber for a small floating shelf.  I did this one all on my own (except for ripping the 8' piece cuz I needed two people for that!) 

and because I had already made one with this plan, 

it went much smoother this time.  (and quicker!)

I have my notes-much like I make when I am 'building' a quilt!  

I put a cheat sheet right on the table saw!

Just like I use when I use the rotary cutter!

And then cut my pieces.

  I am still using Bill's reclaimed lumber so the next step 

is an hour of sanding which I will tackle today. 

 The shelf box is glued and nailed already--

but the inner frame support is only glued and today it will be dry enough to predrill to screw together.

The shelf I made last week is completed-stained,

 buffed and polished!

Later this week it will be screwed to the wall in the church kitchen and ready for use!  I hope to have at least one more small one made to be hung also!  NO, I am not going into business-

this is definitely a one-off job!

When I got home from quilting group-I tossed the quilt down and headed for the rest room;  when I got back, Miss Lena was in full ownership!  (see, I did finish the binding!)  

But what she really wanted, 

was some of this! 

 She is totally addicted to being brushed!  

She practically bowls me over when I head to the studio

 so she can get there and beg for a good brushing! lol 

 I hope you are smiling now!

 

TOO FAST PACED!

On the road again! After church we headed out to enjoy another December birthday--it is wonderful to see the kids and make their day special!  On the way, I finished this month's block for Tunisian crochet.  As I smoothed it out on my lap, I realized there was a major goof in the middle--I had started across the row, gotten interrupted and came back across before finishing the row which made a 'short row increase' that is highly visible now-and the block isn't square!  It's ripped back and I will do it again; 

 it's a good thing it was a very enjoyable pattern! lol

I shifted to the socks I've been working on.

  Since they are man-socks they are taking longer 

but they are knit on #3 needles

 so it isn't labor intensive over just 60 stitches. 

 I do love the yarn and the results-

this is the second sock going up the leg so it won't be long now.

I was so tired when I got home last night, I forgot to blog. 

 The kitties were glad to see me and soon we were all slumbering!

Today, I will do a lot more resting and then drive only 2 minutes down the road for quilting group.  I have some binding to apply to that star quilt~

 

PENCIL HOLDER AND LITTLE BOX

Play practice went very well and then I shopped for as few minutes as I needed to get the things on my list and then I was home in time for a late lunch!  Afterwards, I only had enough energy to play at the lathe and then cleaned the house.

  I find cleaning very relaxing.  The laundry I put in this morning was folded and put away and then it was time for bed! 

 'Tis the season to be busy!

 

GOOD STUFF

Off the frame and ready for binding!  Finally!

The border pieces have been cut and arranged-now to sew them in place.  I have to so some work by figuring out the best way to get the seam allowance turned under to ready for applique--I have a plan!

I ripped out some hats I made on the flatbed knitting machine

 and were in the 'dud' pile. 

 They are much improved now as a double-layered brimmed hat!  

I have play practice (church program) first thing this morning

 and then I will tackle the binding and a few more hats!

 

GETTING THERE!

Ahhh, the piecing of the clamshells is completed and I am staging some border colors.  I will be appliquieing the top and bottom rows over the border but keeping the sides straight. 

 I'm not sure of the progression of color on the borders 

but I will make a decision and start piecing today.

Only two more rows needed on the star quilt 

so it will soon find itself bound, washed and dried!

And wood?  I finished the second bowl in a satin finish this time.

It turned out lovely for an old, dried piece of Maple wood! 

 The bowl is 8' across and 4" deep.

Here are the two halves of the log I split to be able to turn them on the lathe.  These will make a nice bowl on any table to hold fruit, yarn or ornaments!

 

A LITTLE LINE AND WASH

I played a bit with some line and wash ; 

 I like watching this guy on YouTube.

  This seemed like an easy intro 

since it's been a while since I played with this style. 

 This is a small, practice piece in preparation 

for the full size one I will try today.

And instead of using a fine tipped marker,

 I wanted to use 'real' ink with a calligraphy pen.

  It was very fun to play with the new tool!

I hope I still feel so relaxed after trying it later! 

 

LABOR OF THE SEASON!

I wrote my Christmas cards yesterday--my goodness that is a labor of love!  Since this Fall (Sep-Dec) is the healthiest I have been in years, I thought I could expend the energy to write them up!  As a reward, I knit a few hats and did some sock knitting.  

Do you still send out a bunch of cards?

 

TODAY IS A GIFT!

I do still find some time to do hand knitting!  Two pairs of fingerless mitts are completed;  and it is always a challenge to knit with black yarn! lol  These are knit with the pattern that mimics little leather gloves like bikers wear!

Yesterday I woke up and hit the road for all kinds of errands, then went to Quitling Group and then home, finally. 

 I was pretty tired.  

I did a little sanding on the two woodshop projects

 but have some finished projects today--

I get to stay home today!!!!

 

FLAT AND FORM!

I will take this with me to quilting group today. 

 I hopt to finish the inner clamshells 

and then I can figure out the borders!  

(I'm thinking of applique four the outside but no promises!)

I have been distracted from the studio because of this wood! 

 It works up beautifully and it looks great

 for something that came from a chunk of fire wood! 

 (it is a piece of 8:" Maple!)

Another chunk of the same is now on the lathe wating for me!  

I only have to hollow it out and apply some finish! 

 It's been wonderful to work at the lathe regularly again!