IT'S JUST AN UMBRELLA

Just remove the old umbrella and put up the new one, we thought.

We will be done in minutes....Since it was 100* out, a quick job was all we could manage.

BUT

 the base had to be removed and the new one arranged. 

We forgot about that.  And it came with new sandbags so it was wise to fill them, too. 

And the old table legs had rusted from the pool water being splashed on them for several years!  So we figured out the new angle for the shorter legs and Bill used a tool to cut off the bottom of the legs and we put the plastic plugs back in.

 ( I used my sewing skills to know how to trace the legs

 to make them all the same length!)

 

Once the legs were finished, we could move the chairs back in place!  Not bad for the 10 minute job to take 2 hours!

So grateful we have a pool so we could cool off-really cool off because heat exhaustion was a real possibility!

As always, it is worth it to have the job done.

And done right.

This new umbrella even has solar lights! 

 The cats also approved.

 

 

SOME SOCKS FOR SUNDAY

Yes, this pair of Helical socks is finished and what a joy to make them!!!  I have more than enough yarn to make a second pair even! And so I will.  The next pair will have aqua heels and toes just to change it up!

 

A KNOTTY DAY

I tried something new/old yesterday--a bit of macrame!  I need some more jute cord to make the other leaves to hang on this branch I found at least a decade ago.

 

A ton of snips and many knots took place 

and then I sprayed the leaf with starch and gave it a good press. Once dry, I could cut the leaf to shape. 

 It worked out well but I need more cord to make the other leaves! To be continued!

THE DAY STRETCHED OUT

The seal went in the door on the right so I ordered some privacy film and put it up first thing in the morning.  it looks prettier than the foggy window and echos the bamboo that grows in our yard!

It even looks pretty from the pool side, too. 

 A nice bonus.

Next, I headed to the garage to tackle a bowl from the Brown Birch my son cut down in his yard.  It was so nice to work with green or fresh wood (it isn't so hard!) for a change! 

 I have it sanded and a coat of sanding sealer

 on after I took this picture. 

 The weather changed from hot and humid to rain

so I headed back inside.

With a good rain storm outside, I put on Vera 

and did some knitting!  Lena gave me some added love!

 

TRELLIS

Now that ladder I posted yesterday is a trellis!  Each upright is just over 6" and it is 53" wide. We even planted the two wisteria even though it was so hot out I almost melted!  

After lunch, I finished the last few batts that make up half of the fleece I washed.  I'm going to spin these in their natural color and perhaps dye them after they are skeins and the other half of the fleece I will be dyeing before spinning.

 

JUST KEEP SMILING

I finished the two quilts at group yesterday;  it is so miserable to try and enjoy something, even something you love, when you have a pounding headache!  The meds from the doctor that knocked the headache right out of my life for the first time in years, will not be covered by my insurance.  So, I can try and get 'coupons' from the manufacturer or contest the refusal by the insurance (which is just a ton of busyness and paper work) or try something else!

  Which is what I did last night.  We will see how it goes. 

 The doctor and patient get so excited when there is a new medicine that works without side effects and the insurance won't cover it because it is new and costs them more!  I do NOT have any sympathy for them!  Sigh....

My lovely phalaenopsis is blooming again! 

 I love having one in my room because it cheers me up!

And Bill found this for me--a TALL wooden ladder that is going to be transformed into a trellis/archway for my Wisteria plants! 

 More to come!

 

SOME QUILTING FRAME TIME

Yesterday went a lot better!  I finished the girl's quilt at the frame and will give it binding today at quilt group.

I also wrapped up this one on the frame and it, too,

 will get a binding finished today, I hope!

I did load up the cat table runner but didn't get farther than that.

By then I was ready to sit so I put in some time at the loom; 

 I finished towel #2 and started the beginning of #3.

I need to think about what's next!

 

JUST ONE

 The great plans memo didn't get to my body. 

 I loaded one quilt and could only do a few rows 

before I had to go back to bed. 

 Yup, busy exacts a price from me!

A SWEATER ON SUNDAY

 

I am so grateful that I can knit when I have a down day or two!  The sweater is coming along quite well without any problems.  

I do like the yarn for this pullover!

(Derecho pattern by Berroco on #5 needles with Lion brand yarn Shawl in a Ball in the Soothing Blue colorway and a second strand of lace weight Bamboo/Tencel yarn in Cloudy Grey.)

GET QUILTING!

I gathered the deep pile of tops from the shelf to see exactly what needs to be quilted!  There are 4 quilts and 3 runners.

I also have this QOV from our group to load up and quilt, too. 

 I have plenty to keep me busy over the next few days! 

 I hope to get the runners done today 

and then tackle the two QuiltsforKids done 

so I can mail them back, since they are time-sensitive.

In the meantime, I keep playing with the Cotswold wool; 

turning the washed fleece into fluffy batts.

Welcome June!

 

SWEET AROMAS

The Tree Crinum is flowering and the sweet aroma wafts for dozens of feet away!  It is lovely because it is right outside of the lanai and I can smell it while seated there.

The Plumeria is also in bloom and adds its delicious perfume to the whole pool area!  There are not too many flowers that smell delightful as well as look that way, too, in my yard!

 

CLEANING AND PLAYING

My daughter helped me rearrange the border so now I have an idea of what to do.  I will be putting the blue border on so that I can see how the actual dimensions work out!  

I finished up one towel and have begun the second one.  

Look what was on their car before they 

(daughter and family) left for home this morning! 

 A Katydid.

 

LOTS OF LOVE

We had a family gathering!!!  Three of my four children and their families came for a visit!  We ate, swam, laughed and caught up in person!  See my heart swell with contentment!  

(I am going to spin half of the fleece in natural and dye it after it is yarn and dye the other half after carding it since that will satisfy both wants/needs!!!  How diplomatic of me!)

WASHING WOOL

I've had a raw fleece that has needed my attention for a few years and I finally got to work on it!  I fill a large canning pan with hot water and some Dawn detergent and haul it out front in the sunshine to soak.  Since we are in a heat wave of high 90's for temperatures, I figured I might as well use it to my advantage since heat is what helps the fleece let go of the lanolin and dirt.

  I was pleased to see that after 5 or 6 pans full of water, 

the water ran clean when I rinsed it!

It didn't take long for the fleece to dry in that kind of heat either!  

This is the clean lock for this Cotswold wool.  

If you have any familiarity with Medieval times, 

 the wool of fame was this Cotswold breed.  

I was so excited to give it a try!

A few locks look like this with a bit of finger fluffing;  

it is a super soft wool;  an against-your-skin-soft wool!

I couldn't wait to card up a bit of a preview of the wool using my hand cards.  Today, I will haul the drum carder outside to give it a go and make some batts for spinning. 

 I am always torn because I want to get spinning but I also love to spin COLOR!!! But that means dyeing the wool. I will have to figure out if I want to add that step before I begin spinning! 

 We will see what I decide to do!

 

KNITTING

The first Helical striped sock is finished--the yarn is from Webs, their Valley Yarns Huntington in Arctic and Chocolate colors.  Perfection!

I also cast on a new sweater, this time a top-down t-shirt style one in this cotton yarn.  So far so good. (This is out of the yarn that I started a few months ago and bombed the sweater. 

 Both the yarn and the pattern are a hit with me this time!)

 

SEWN FOR SUNDAY

This pattern has been cut out and waiting for me for ages! 

I decided that I would finally get it completed! 

I will make it again using all the same fabric next time. 

 But this is very comfortable and very retro! 

Pattern

 

REACQUAINTED WITH MY STUDIO

I brought these blocks home leftover from a quilt Mom had made several years ago.  It will make a nice table topper for her. 

 I will be layering it and quilting it today along

 with a few other quick projects for the frame.

I also enjoyed some weaving since I have missed that quite a bit!  The color is off-it is actually a soft grey/aqua in the center

 but you will be seeing it again before I finish it! lol

I also thought it appropriate to work on the red/white/blue panel

 this weekend.  I like the first few sections but the next needs some work-it is too vague or pale compared to the other. 

 I will figure it out when I play around again today!  

TRAVEL HOME

Travel is hard but it's faster than going by car!!!  I didn't have too much drama traveling but there was a ton of turbulence! 

 I still managed to do a lot of knitting on the new sock!  

I am almost ready to begin the cuff in solid brown. 

 I really enjoyed using this Helical striping method!  

See you soon, Dad and Mom....

 

SAYING GOODBYE IS HARD TO DO...

We will miss each other so much but this has been a wonderful visit, even with the excitement of Dad's broken wrist.  I am so loved and laughter is our love language.  We both can look out at the moon and remember we are that close.

We will continue to send each other flower pictures.  Chives.

Iris in bloom. (It's also my Mom's name!)

We made four hats on the knitting machine.  

Mom donates them to her church for winter donations.

                                                    

And I almost finished the blanket lovey of a cat-he definitely needs eyes but it doesn't look as good as I hoped! lol