Cowl for Virginia for Virginia

When I was visiting Mom in July, she gave me a mohair/silk cardigan to reclaim. I didn't finish while I was there, so I brought it home. When it was done, she said she didn't know what to do with it, so I decided to make another Cowl for Virginia for her, to replace the one she lost. I'd originally created the pattern for her, so it only seems right that she have one of these cowls. She's coming in December for her 90th birthday, so I can surprise her with it then. Cool!

Once I got the right gauge for this lightweight yarn, it was a quick knit. I hope she likes it.

Tom Sauce

My tomatoes were so slow in ripening this year, I almost despaired of getting enough to sauce. Last year I was elbow deep in fresh slicers, sauce, paste and chutney in August. Ahh well... such is gardening.

This is the way it really looks.

This is the magazine picture. *grin*

I didn't bother canning, sometimes it's more work than it's worth.

Mama's Got a Brand New Bag

Okay, so I hijacked the title from James Brown...

I've been carrying my knitting around in a boring book bag for months. I decided it was time for something a little classier.

Last year I got a short stack of upholstery samples from the free table at guild. It was time to pull them out and DO something with them.

Once the bag was made, I got the idea to add leather purse handles from a fiber friend who put some on her felted bag. It dressed it up a lot!

I finished the bag a month ago, but the handles had to come on a slow boat from China, literally. Five weeks after I placed the order, I was able to finish my bag. Woot! No more cotton canvas for me.

Tomato Harvest

It was going to rain, so time to harvest what was left on the tomato vines. Clockwise: tomatillos, Amish paste tomatoes, mixed heirloom slicers, Cherokee Purple and Midnight Beauty.

Today I made fresh packed salsa. Amish paste tomatoes, onion, tomatillos, cilantro, Serrano peppers, lime juice and salt.

 

Tomorrow I'll probably sauce the rest of the Amish paste and slicers, then chop the others and store them in the freezer for soups and stews. Love a good tomato!

Autumn Brings the Stag

We live in a redwood forest in Northern California. We see deer in our yard daily, morning and evening. But in the autumn we see the stag.

I was washing dishes at the sink and this was my view out the kitchen window. He just stood there and looked at me, so close I could see the whiskers on his nose twitch. No fear.

Ramie Cotton Hand Towel

I started this last summer as an alternative to the sock wool on size two, it seems to help hand fatigue if I vary fibers and needle sizes. So I tell myself.

The yarn was reclaimed from a thrifted vest, which I attempted to over dye with food coloring.

Right now it's waiting for me, while I work on the socks.