Today in My Life... March 24, 2024

 

I woke up this morning around 2:30 am and for whatever reason could not get back to sleep .. so I got up and moved to my recliner and tried to sleep there for a while.  Both dogs decided to join me so I had no trouble staying warm...however, moving around was a bit stilted... if you get my drift..lol  

Finally I decided to give up the ghost and just get up.  Put the Navy Beans (as my grandmother called them) in water to soak to be cooked for supper tonight, put out bacon to be thawing for breakfast and plopped back down in the other recliner to see if it would be better.  It wasn't.  

So here I am at 5:17 writing for the first time in at least a month.  

We've had rain during the week and thankful is not even a big enough word for what we feel about that.  I've heard all my life the saying "March winds, April rains"... well there was very little wind and finally a little rain, but everyone is sure hoping that April will bring rains and lots of them.  However, we are under a wind advisory beginning tonight for strong winds up to 50 mph into tomorrow noon.  We may get some of those March winds yet.  We'll see.

The rain has brought some of the back yard into bloom.  Love that.  The redbud is bursting out all over and the japonica has already set all the blooms for the lovely cherries that will make jam this year.  Been here 7 years and just learned last year that these beauties are good to eat.  Who knew! 

I took the dogs out around 3am and the neighbor's dogs across the alley were in a massive uproar about something.  No idea what about, but they seemed to settle down within a few minutes. The only sounds heard.  One of the things I love about this time of the day is the peace...quiet...ability to just drift off into thoughts of whatever comes along. 

Have been a little under the weather during this past month... off and on.  Running a slight fever every night for no obvious reason at all... I like to blame it on the 2 teeth I had to have prepped for crowns last week but not sure that's what it was.  Between that and the teeth, it's been a month of doing whatever can be done in a chair.. lol 

I cut up my short nightgown and used it as a pattern to make me a new one.  Had a left over piece of a sheet I had cut up for a project, so I used it and some pretty lace to put together a new one.  The poor old one was on it's last leg!  This one turned out pretty good... if you don't look too closely...lol 

An old friend from Sherman, (Hi Amber!) sent me a message to tell me she was finally getting that spinning wheel she's been wanting for about 10 years.  So HAPPY FOR HER! And she's doing great!  Sent me pics of her yarn.. Started my spinning bug back and I've been happily chugging out my Blue Faced Leicester over the last week or so.  

When it came time to dye it I found that I had 2 cherry Kool Aid packets and one strawberry... sooo... guess what color I got to choose.. lol  But it came out good.  275 yards of 2 ply and about 100 yards of 3 ply (Navajo plied).  No plans yet for a finished product, but we'll see what comes along. 

Been doing some "mindless" knitting with some 2ply handspun that I've had for a while.  It will probably turn into a scarf or a head/ear covering like I made a couple of months ago.  This feels really good so I may end up keeping this for myself.. lol  

Still reading the same series of books by Pedro Urvi.  Can't for the life of me figure out why I'm even reading them..lol  They are definitely written for kids still in school, but somehow got sucked in and can't seem to stop.  Book 11 now... whew... must change!  

And now the time is 6:10 am and I can legally turn on the coffee pot... YAYYYY   I do enjoy a Dr. Pepper every now and then but this one to stave off the coffee addiction is not working.. just sayin'...  :)

I looked at the calendar and so far there is nothing on it for this week except the groomer for dogs.. and hair appointment.  Those two I enjoy.. others not so much.. :)  I have some things I need to get into the mail and the prep for that will take at least a day, but that is the only planning so far for the week.  

I hope you have a wonderful day...full of laughs, friends, hugs.  If you don't get smiles, give one.  :)  

Why Am I Up?

 It's 3:45am.. why am I up?  This has become a trend in the last couple of weeks.  As the old saying goes "Up before breakfast!".  

I still have quite a bit of the black and white yarn I've been using, so I started another scarf.  Not quite the same pattern is showing up as I go along, but still showing the the same geometrics.  I have to say I am enjoying getting back into knitting. 

However, I'm not sure I'm up for the "frogging" that will be taking place as soon as I wake up enough to not totally mess up this scarf and have to start over.  I have NO IDEA how I managed to mess up 4 rows without noticing the screw up! 

I was knitting this last night while we were watching the making of Band Of Brothers and I guess I became more interested in the show than in what I was doing.  I have to say that Band Of Brothers  is one of the most moving series I have ever seen and I will see it many more times since we liked it so well we bought it. 

I had a call yesterday from grandson Jeff.  What a joy that guy is.. lol  He is expecting his first child and he said the baby will be born via section on August 9th.  I can hardly wait and I'm sure his wife is even more ready than I am.  :)  

The moon this morning is awesome.  I went out to try to capture it on camera and it just wouldn't work for me for some reason.  I believe I could sit outside and watch the moon for hours on nights like this.  It's huge and beautifully clear.

Temps for the last few days have been horrible.  Triple digits around 107° every day and we've had poor workmen out working in it fixing the soffits and eaves of our house.  I feel for anyone having to work outside in this heat.  Weather says we're in for a cold front the end of the week.. only around 104° .. not much of a cold front if you ask me.. 

It's now 4:30am and I've had one cup of coffee, the dogs are sleeping on their beds in here with me, I can hear the oxygen concentrator buzzing and it seems the whole world is sleeping quietly.  What a blessing it is to be safe in our home, cool and comfortable, with the ones we love.  Every now and then I am a bit overwhelmed with the ocean of blessings that we have had bestowed upon us.  

Enjoy your day, hug your loved ones... 

Today in My Life .. September 25, 2016

Today is:  Sunday, September 25, 2016  

I got up this morning:  under protest.  When I finally looked at the clock it was straight up and down 6am and I thought.. "Oh well....sigh" and considered the wonders of a cup of coffee.

I am hearing:  rain.  I must have really slept last night since it rained all night.  The thunder is still rolling a bit occasionally and I have to say.. I love it.  Memories... I am about 4 years old.. in the wagon bed behind my Mom and Dad with 2 horses hitched to the wagon.  The road we are on is an old dirt road in Coal County, Oklahoma.  My dad is standing and holding the reins easily.. funny how I never consider that he should be so proficient with horses.  Mom is sitting on the wagon seat and my brother Larry is standing in back beside me.   I am fascinated with the bumpy ride...horses and wagons are a new and exciting thing.. as are most things when you're 4 years old.  :)  We have left the Hockett (pronounced Hoe-kett) place and are on our way to the Eubanks Place where my grandparents lived.   And the thunder rolled and a cool breeze rolled softly over us.  "Daddy.. what was that?"   "Somebody's potato wagon rolled over in Heaven"  he said....

I look out the window: and see it continues to rain just enough that it looks like fog as I see the headlights of cars coming around the curve in the road.  My sweet potato vines in the flower bed soak up the moisture like sponges and have grown to completely cover all the shrubs ... looks like the flower bed has been covered with kudzu.

I am thinking:  how wonderful it will be to have a visit from grandson Dustin and his lovely new wife next weekend. 

I am thankful for:  photographs and memories... facebook and old friends... 

I am reading:  again... Inspector of the Dead by David Morrell... who is one of my favorite authors.  This particular book is the second using Thomas de Quincey and his daughter Emily as the protagonists.  Wonderful books..  David Morrell's first book was .. ta da.. First Blood and it later became the Sylvester Stallone movie by the same name.   

When I first read The Opium Eater .. the 1st Thomas de Quincey book.. I had no idea that he was indeed a real person who was addicted to opium and was indeed a genius. 

Plans for the week:  would be great... but we all know that I am seldom one to follow plans anyway.  :)  There will be a great deal of picking up and putting away, cleaning, cooking and baking.  However... it's any one's guess in what order.. :)

Creatively:  I have been working on a shawl using the pattern called Old Shale .. Some people call this pattern Feather and Fan, but actually Feather and Fan is a totally different one.  Anyway.. whatever it's called, I love the look of this pattern and the feel of the finished product.  

Today will be a busy day with much to do, but I'm hoping for a little down time to paint this afternoon. 

Have a wonderful day today... Smile, laugh and hug all your family and buddies today.. :)

Phlubliefitttzzz... :(

I have another blog.  It's called Fabric Follies Two and on it I have put up some free crochet and knit patterns for anyone who would like to use them.  But... I did NOT plan on Lion Brand taking them and calling them their own!  When they took the scarf pattern I sent them an email... this time I won't bother.  These patterns are the most popular on my blog and are listed as mine on Ravelry.  I'm not sure why I am so upset about this, but I am!







On a happier note, I have a new scarf pattern that I put together for one of my sons.  It's a combination pattern scarf using ribbing, long cable and short cable.  It's made from I Love This Yarn from Hobby Lobby.  It is 100% wool and knits up really well. It should be toasty this coming winter.. :)

The weather here has cooled.. and that's a good thing.  However, I am still having those "personal vacations in the tropics" causing rivers of sweat to cascade from my being every time I walk across the room.  My sweet DH has started wearing long sleeve shirts while I, for the first time, spend most of my time in shorts.. phew  I suppose if it keeps up much longer I will have to make a trip to the Dr. to see what's up with the hormones .. :(

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
― H. Jackson Brown Jr.

Have a great day.. :)

The Garden, The Shawl, and Lunch

I think the garden is almost finished for the year.  The okra is still going strong but is putting on very little okra.  However, I did get enough to cook up the other day...

We're only about 3 days away from Daylight Savings Time ending.  That means cold weather is near.  And look what my sweet DD knitted for me.  :)

This is the softest, warmest and most adorable shawl I've ever had.  It will stay on my office chair where I sit right under the air conditioner vent in the summer and just in front of a window in the winter.  Thank you, Paula.  It's perfect.

Had lunch with my buddy Pat B. yesterday.  I stuffed myself with 1/2 order Roast Turkey Fuji Apple Salad and  1/2 Chicken Salad Sandwich.  Oh My Goodness!  Top that off with Sweet Tea and a Cobblestone goodie.. and needless to say, I had to bring the Cobblestone home... Very nice visit and catch up time since Pat has been gone for a while visiting her sweet daughter and family with the  newborn grandson.

It evidently rained again last night.  I opened the front curtains and blinds this morning for Sam and there was a shiny sheen on the road, the drive and the grass.  We so need all this rain, but am getting a little tired of the gray days... and the fact that Sam has to be carried out to do his business since he cannot possibly get his feet wet.. :/

Looking forward to working on The Big Blue Quilt today.  The only thing I got done on it yesterday was to rip out the parts that I had sewn in wrong.. :(   Perhaps I can get the body of it finished today and decide on a border and binding..

Hope you have a wonderful day.  Sing a little, smile a lot.. :)

Today in My Life ... Sunday, June 24, 2012

Today is:  Sunday, June 24, 2012

I got up this morning:  at 5:45.  Awake as if the sleep had been really good.  Pushed the button on the coffee pot, opened the blinds, turned on the computers, run my hand across the counters thinking how fortunate I am...

I look out my window:  and realize that I really need to dead head my roses and get my mint and lemon verbena planted!  As in .. TODAY!  

I am thinking:  that the bandages in my groin from the cardiac cath and the tape burns will have to come off today or they'll drive me nuts... ;o)  I'm allergic to the tape they used and it left a huge seeping burn area.. ;o(   However... it's dry now and time for the bandage to come off.....!!  ;o)

I am thankful for:  the fact that the cardiac cath shows only a 30% blockage of the stent.  Very happy result!  ;o)

Plans for the rest of the week:  include finishing several of the project I've started and put aside.  I am determined to NOT start anything new until these are finished... (hmmm... wonder if that will hold true..lol)  But I will try...

The third CESI injection will be Friday.  That will be the last for this series.  I just wish I had known about these earlier in my life....

Creatively:  there hasn't been much happening.  I have been doing some mindless knitting in the evening and come up with some cute hand towels for my bathroom.  I love them.  They feel much better on my face than the terry cloth towels. 

And a "Thanks, Pat!" goes out to my buddy for bringing me a huge plastic bag of this wonderful cotton yarn.  Plans are to use it on my rigid heddle loom and make some small blankets.. but if I don't hurry up and finish some things I have started, it will end up being knit up into small things I can make in the evenings... lol

Happy thought:  that will continue to make my happy all week.  Two of my sons called this weekend and I think I have not laughed so hard in months!  What a joy! 

My online friend Judy of Apron Strings and Other Ties That Bind   has been doing some really pretty embroidery for her crazy quilt squares.  Among other things.. ;o)  Take a look and say hello.  ;o)



 

This Day In My Life.... September 8, 2011

Today is: Thursday...  September 8, 2011

I got up this morning:  wondering why in the world I spent half the night dreaming about spinning cotton...!!  Could it be the Akha and Tahkli lessons (wonderful, by the way) that  Pat and I took at Apple Leef Farm?  If you ever have a chance you should absolutely stop by and visit with Leef and Les.  Look around the shop.. you'll be glad you did.

This is the Akha and Indian punis that I just love.  This has become my go-to project for taking with me almost everywhere I go.

As I look out my windows:  I am loving this respite from 2 months of upper 90s but mostly 100-111° days.  It's 63° out there right now and we are loving life..;o)  Grass fires all over the state have taken their toll, including several smaller ones around here. (One burned 1,000 acres .. another burned 3,000 acres).  I suppose this is not much when you consider that the fire around Bastrop, TX  killed 2 people, burned nearly 800 homes and blackened 45 square miles (33,000 acres).  NOAA says that in some areas of Texas it would take 20 inches of rain in one day to stop the drought.  ;o(  Surely this Long Hot Summer will end soon.

I am thinking:  that I have an almost free week coming up next week.  A very good time to get some arranging done around the house.  I'm thinking that would be a good thing.. ;o)

One thing I've learned over the past week:  is that if you keep a pad and pencil at hand beside you're chair when you're trying an original knitting pattern.... it's really easy to write it down row by row as you are doing it... instead of trying to go back and figure out what you did when you decide the pattern is one you want to keep... duh  ;o)

This is the pattern that taught me ..lol  These are wristlets that go with the Old Shale scarf I knitted.  The free pattern for these wristlets will be on Fabric Follies Two in a day or two.

Creatively:  this last month has been one of overwhelming thought processes...lol  A Tahkli, Akha, and Charkha class, a Card Weaving class, and an Intermediate Spinning Class all in one month..  wow... a lot to absorb.. ;o)   But fun.. thanks to Leef Bloomenstiel at Apple Leef Farm.   No more classes for a while.  Must spend some time practicing the 1/2 of what was taught that I actually remember.. lol  Thank goodness Leef gives lots of good handouts!   And nothing makes these more fun than going with a friend.. Thanks, Pat.

Things I am thankful for:  my sweet DH who supports all of my interests and never says a word.. ;o)  Except to really enjoy it with me... I love you, honey.

Plans for the rest of the week:  do NOT include more classes.. ;o)  Must get some things done around the house.  Sooo looking forward to visits from special friends this fall. ;o)

I'm hungry.. ;o)  Time to get around and fix some breakfast.  And... speakin' of... I'll put up my try at making granola in a couple of days.. turns out really good..;o)

Have a wonderful day... and don't forget that hugs will make you live longer...!!  ;o)

Today is:  Wednesday,  January 12, 2011

I got up this morning:  with a runny nose, raspy voice and feeling like I've been run over by a truck.  Have been taking NyQuil at night for the last couple of nights trying to nip this in the bud, but looks like it's going to take it's own good time leaving.. ;o(

As I look out my window:  I see the snow has stayed in it's perfect blanket of white across the yard.  Not even any footprints from birds or squirrels.  This is the third day for this snow and the weather forecasters are telling us the temps will remain below freezing for at least one more day... maybe more.  Temperature this morning was 19° when DH looked. (Yukkk... my coffee's cold!)  When I stepped out the front door the sunrise almost took my breath away!  Pictures just don't do it justice.

I am hearing:  just the ringing in my ears and the sound of the keyboard as I type.  It seems this blanket of snow subdues everything.

I am thinking:  that building a house and moving must surely be meant for younger people.

I am thankful for:  new found friends... ;o)

The one thing I learned during the past week:  is that my sweet DH will worry himself to death in an effort not to hurt any one's feelings even when he knows what is best. 

Creatively:  I finished the gloves that I started early last week.  The Red River Fiber Guild decided last week to do a Knit-A-Long using the pattern shown here.  I'm using the same hand spun merino that I used in the mittens and size 6 needles. 

Plans for the rest of the week:   Trying to clear out a lot of the redundant things we have collected over the years so there won't be so much to move... or to find a place for since we are scaling down.  So far we have totally trashed both bedrooms and filled the dining room table with tons of dishes to be given away.... didn't know we had so much stuff "stuffed" in the cabinets..lol

I am now taking my cup of cold coffee... refilling it with "hot" coffee and heading to my chair with my Harry Potter book, my Puffs, and my blanket to spend the day trying to throw this off so I can attend the meeting tomorrow of RRFA group... sigh

Have a wonderful day.. ;o)

Today in My Life... November 30, 2009

Today: November 30, 2009

I got up this morning: very early. It's still cold, but if I turn up the heat it bothers my sweet DH and he gets in a frightful mood... lol And besides..if it were very cold I would just put on socks and dig out that wonderful huge shawl that I love to wear in the winter. It's going to be a lovely, clear day today, but am already missing all the green leaves on the trees...

I am hearing: him move around, turn on the faucet and click down the hall. ;o)

The current book is: Four Blind Mice by James Patterson. I'm not sure I can finish it this time around (already read it at 3 times...) Seem to be needing to try some other genre than the murder mystery... just can't find anything that will hold my attention..sigh

Creating: I have done several things since the last time I posted... The quilt is finished.

This is my very first bedsized quilt. It is a queen and I found it not difficult at all. But then it was an easy one..lol But now I have the confidence to continue on to one that is more difficult.

Another of the small pastels that I do in the evenings...

Knitted two scarves from my handspun Merino. Both used Yarn Harlot's One Row Scarf Pattern...

The other scarf is exactly the same knitting pattern, but is a deeper burgundy than this one. Love this pattern.. simple, pretty and warm. Drapes well...

I found a free pattern on Ravelry for a men's cowl that I wanted to do for one of my sons who feels he wouldn't use a scarf very much, so I did it. I used my handspun Merino lamb..... It's my first try at doing cables and found they were not nearly the ogre stitch I thought they would be. Finished it, bound off, wove in loose ends and found that in at least 2 places I had dropped stitches off the ends of the double point needles that I used... Terribly disappointed. I tried to pick them up with crochet hooks and succeeded in one place, but cannot seem to succeed in the other one. This may get frogged and redone with another set of needles. Anyway, the small needles that were called for in the pattern seem to be too small for this yarn... the cowl is very stiff and if it shrinks at all will be too small for him... hmmm

Family news: Daughter Bev and her husband Kent were here for a couple of days over the holiday. Kent had to pop in just overnight due to work schedule, but was terrific to get to see them.

My diet: took a couple of days off while they were here. I made some luscious cranberry/orange relish and canned it... Could eat my weight in that stuff...lol

May have to buy more cranberries and make enough to last all year... ;o)

The coming of daughter and son in law was all the excuse I needed to make banana bread.. ;o) Made a large loaf and then 4 small loaves.

Yum... Yum...

Have to add in here that I have lost 30 pounds, so felt that perhaps it would be ok to backslide for a day or two. Am truly happy about the loss and will have no problem getting back to business...lol However..that is said with a serious caveat... this is once a year holiday season with fruit cake and eggnog..lol.. and I will have both before this is over... ;o)

Looking forward to: Christmas... ;o) Will be putting up my tree this year after not putting it up last year. The holidays just are not the holidays without some kind of decoration and that makes it all too depressing.... instead of happy....

Just a thought: Be faithful to that which exists nowhere but in yourself - and thus make yourself indispensable. ... Andrew Gide

Of Checkers, Knit and Linen

It's been raining again this week. I have given up on ever getting the little house fixed... The contractor called Monday morning and said it would not be good if they dug foundation holes and then they filled with water so we are once again on hold.... Just hope the little house knows to hold on... no pun intended... lol

We've been working in the shop and since I finished the floor inkle loom (which I finally got warped last night...pics tomorrow) I have had nothing to do...so I decided to make a checker board and checkers. This is the day before yesterday's pic. I have actually got the grid marked and the dark squares painted, but I think they will need a couple more than the 3 coats I have already put on them. The "king" side of the checkers has rosebuds painted on them... as in The War of the Roses. While the colors in this war were red and white roses, I used red and blue because..well...the white roses would not show up on the yellow. This should be finished by the end of the week.

This merino 3ply languished for a while in my stash. I just could not come up with anything new to make with it so I made another scarf, 57 inches long. It turned out really well and I love it.

This is the linen single that I took off the spinning wheel so I could spin the lemon Romney. I don't know how much there is, but there is still this much to be spun. The smallest heddle I have for my loom is 12 epi and I'm not sure that is small enough, but then it would make a light and airy fabric... hmmm Or...there is such thing as linsey-woolsey... a linen warp with a wool weft. hmmmm...

Tuesday...07/28/2009

A couple of days ago I was trying out the idea of free motion quilting on my machine and used a couple of small pieces of scrap that I had lying around. It took a bit to catch on, but I finally did and finished quilting the whole thing. It seemed such a waste to just throw it away, so I decided to make a book cover with it. I dutifully came inside and got a book, measured carefully, sewed it up and... voila'! ... it's too small... deep sigh

Not to be outdone by a measuring stick...



The book cover will now become a dpn knitting needle roll... VOILA' ! .... Of course, there is a little to be done. The divider seams for the different dpn sets have to sewn and another ribbon will be added on the other side so it will close properly.
There is another piece of this in my workroom that will be made into a book form with pages to hold my circulars. That idea just popped up, so we'll see how that works out... ;o)

The truth is that I have been wanting to make one of these for a while. I have been slowly gaining dpn and circular knitting needle sets for a while now and have had to continually hunt in my little case to find the sets that I need. So this is a good thing...



We finished the window film on the master bedroom yesterday...which also has lots of window space on the west and south sides of the house. After all the climbing to reach the tops of the windows and bending to do the cutting, I was ready for a sit down...

So...after supper I finished the spinning of the bamboo batts that I bought a year or so ago. There were two batts, but one was of a color that seemed more mud than anything else and I really did not like it when it was spun. I pulled as much of the brightly colored bamboo fiber out of it as I could (it was a wool/bamboo mix) and spun it in with the other batt. Getting the single onto the knitty noddy was as far as I got last night. It will be double plied, but that will have to wait until this evening.

It rained some yesterday and when I went out to take some pics of the flowers in the back yard it was very much like a really bad sauna. It is supposed to rain again today and tomorrow... and that's good as long as I am putting up the window film. (It keeps the windows from being too hot and the film holds better)

As for the pictures...


The trumpet vine is outdoing itself this year. It makes a perfect rounded top to the 10 foot tall stump we left of tree that died during the drought three years ago. It's a wonderful draw for the hummingbirds that swarm around it during the day.













The crepe myrtle is not as showy this year as it was last year, but it is still one of my favorite plants.


"All the abundance you want is already here. You just have to tune it in." ...

Everyday Wisdom by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

Lightening, Recall and Dishcloths

We were doing up the dishes from supper last night when we heard a popping noise and then very loud thunder... This has just been the year for it... It knocked my computer offline, but not his and we never found anything else besides the fact that the garage light was on. All this and we only had a 30% chance of rain yesterday... ;o)

The water once again was almost inside the front door, so we looked a lot closer and realized that when we had the flowerbeds put in this last year the edging was placed just about 1/2 inch higher than the front porch. The water no longer could drain off the porch... so now we have had standing water almost inside the house this year every time it rains more than 1/2 inch. DH pulled the edging up a bit and the water immediately started draining off the porch... That's what we need.. !!! Another fix-it!!! ;o)

We got a notice in the mail last week that the new Chevy Colorado pickup DH bought earlier this year has a recall on it already. Some computer module. When he called the dealer it seems that they did not have any of that part in stock, so we had to wait until today to take it in for repair.

When GM announced that they were closing so many of their dealerships we kept our fingers crossed until we got word that ours was not one of them... phew!

I just cannot keep my hands off the knitting needles... sigh It's an addiction... I wish someone had warned me...lol I seem to have become really "into" knitted wash cloths, dish rags, dish towels... whatever you want to call them. I love the way the cotton knits up and how it feels and drapes. I may have to knit me a cotton sweater or vest or something... I think I've become "titched"... as the hillbillies say...lol ( "a little touched in the head..." )

EZ Pi Shawl,Card Weaving, Rigid Heddle and Shuttle...

It's been a little difficult to blog for the last several days. Thank you to all who sent their good wishes... Time is moving quite slowly right now...

Do you remember all the knitting markers I made a while back... in several sizes? Well... I have finished the knitting on the EZ Pi Shawl and decided to take a picture of the reason one does not want to use markers like this in sizes way to big for the needles...lol This is the 4th one that I had to cut off. It seems that my fingers would fit inside the circle and I would end up knitting the marker right into the shawl. It would be great if that is what one intended to do... Make great bead embellishments...

I am now adding a crochet edging around it. I can't believe that I finished off with stockinette stitch... just like a rookie who doesn't know that the edge will roll unless something else is done on the edges... Oh well...

I've done a little card weaving and find that as I go along the pattern gets looser and looser... I think that must be because I was not using a wooden shuttle... so guess what I did...

I went out into the shop and made me a wooden shuttle... and a rigid heddle. My mind is having a bit of a problem concentrating so I was very surprised to see that the rigid heddle made a weft faced weave...duh.. I guess I was still in card weaving mode that produces a warp faced weave... But the heddle and shuttle worked just fine...lol I have been bitten by the woodworking bug...lol

I Know, Pattie...It's been almost a month!

I don't know what has been the problem, but it has been really difficult to blog the past couple of weeks. I think perhaps the loss of Vic bothered me more than I thought it would. It seems kind of strange when I think about it. We see the Rangers perhaps once a year..if we make it to the reunion that year. But they become almost family..almost instantly. Each has his/her own personality and each is quite different. But each still manages to hang onto a tiny piece of your heart. Anyway...

I am always happy to see the redbud tree in the backyard bloom. Spring is around the corner! We had some really lovely weather for a while, but the last few days have been cold and wet with the night temps in the mid to lower 30s. When I spoke to daughter Paula a couple of days ago she said it had begun to snow...wow... She lives just north of us a couple of hours. But then, a person soon learns that no matter how warm and sunny the weather turns this time of year....ya just don't plant flowers, seeds ..anything until after Easter. It has been known to snow and freeze on Easter Sunday.

I have finished this pair of socks. Now DH has 2 pair of sleep socks that he can switch off...and perhaps keep from wearing out so fast! ;o)

I am knitting another pair just like these that will fit me. They do come in handy on those cold nights when nothing I do seems to get my feet warm. Some of those rice bags to heat in the microwave and put at the foot of the bed as feet warmers are definitely on the "to do" list...

Hannah's quilt is finally ready for the quilting. Because of the embroidery I will have to quilt it by hand I think. My brain will not come up with anything that would look good on the machine...but then perhaps I just have not had enough experience with that..lol
It's funny... there are several quilting groups here in town, but nowhere can I find a quilting foot for my sewing machine. Not at Wal Mart, JoAnn's, Hobby Lobby... nowhere. Now I wonder why that is?

Here's a picture of another of the crazy quilts that were on display at the Red River Museum. What a treat that display was! These displays are changed about every six (6) months. I'm not sure if this display been changed or not, but if you are in the area it never hurts to stop by and see.....

Red River Historical Museum

301 S. Walnut Street

Sherman, TX

You will be pleasantly surprised!

Of Knits and Beads

About 3 years ago I found this at JoAnn's for $10. Since I was doing a lot of ribbon embroidery and crazy quilt embroidery at the time, it was a steal. I haven't been doing very much of that for a while... until a couple of days ago....

Did I tell you that my two Elizabeth Zimmerman Knitting books finally got here? Well, they did. And in following her pattern for knitting a hat I found that I needed knitting markers.. soooo.. voila '. I dug out the beads, made several wrong purchases at Hobby Lobby...followed by one right purchase at Hobby Lobby...and finally got it right. It took several days of trying one thing then another, but I finally have a wrist abacus I can use that really works and several sets of knitting markers. I love it... And it's good to finally have a good use for all those beads!

This is the cap that I am knitting for one of our sons. And these are the knitting markers that are my absolute favorites... ;o)