Pin Cushion

I found this counted cross stitch from long ago. I mean - like the late '80's. Wonder what was I going to make out of it?

I don't remember, but this is what it is now. At last, it's out of the drawer and being enjoyed. You can never have too many pin cushions.

A Simple Pleasure

This picture makes me happy. I found it while thumbing through an old stack of knitting magazines. It seems like this sort of simple pleasure isn't enjoyed as often now.

I think maybe every generation harkens back to the previous generation, thinking 'those days' must've been so much calmer, slower, less hectic. But while that generation was living those years, they probably didn't feel calm. There were wars and rumors of wars...

This morning I took pictures of current works in progress with my (digital) camera. I wanted to download them to my computer, resize them with my graphics software and post them to my blog, so that my virtual friends could see them. But the memory card reader wouldn't plug in, the computer couldn't recognize it. I rebooted my computer. I tried to unplug and replug the card reader. That's when the soft metal connecting pins inside the adapter bent. The card reader was toast. 

So I moved to Plan B and got the cable that goes to my camera and tried to download the images using the on board software. My computer couldn't recognize the camera. I thought maybe the camera - being about six years old - was out dated for my Windows 7 operating system. So I went to the Canon site and downloaded the picture browser updates; installed those, of which there were six. The computer *still* couldn't see the camera. From there I got the original camera installation CD and installed the picture browser program, then reinstalled the updates... Still nothing.

This morning my husband shopped online for a new card reader. For 19.99 free shipping, no tax, it's worth it. 

Back to the pictures above. That's why I like knitting. I sit down with two sticks and some yarn... no additional tools needed - no software to install or updates to download. 

Simple.

Curved Piecing

Our guild offers monthly Skills Day workshops free to members. I recently took the curved piecing class. It wasn't hard, it just took time.

I finished it at home, learning what I was doing right and what I needed to do better. Maybe now I can get back to that Winding Ways UFO!

Off Set or Straight Set?

This red wall hanging is so RED! On the one hand I love working on it, on the other it's so bright and high contrast, I don't know if I like it. I don't know if it's going to be too much when it's done, but I can't stop working with the charming vintage reds and piecing the blocks. Is this a UFO in the making??

The larger blocks are pieced from four Split Sixteen patch blocks. These blocks can be laid out different ways. I don't know which one I like better.

So I asked DS2, who was an art major and is now working in graphic design. He thought about it a long time before he said, "What about adding another color to tone it down? That's a lot of red."

We'll see how this turns out in the end.

Free Light Show

We sat out in the backyard after dark and watched the meteor shower. After the heat of the day it was a comfortable 76 degrees. How wonderful to watch the sky darken and the stars come out. Eventually we could see the Milky Way directly overhead. We saw so many 'shooting stars' we lost count. It was fun to be talking along when all of a sudden one of us would cry out, "There's one!" Even though many of them lasted long enough to call the other's attention to it, I never remembered to make a wish.

Here's a link to the schedule if you don't happen to be in Northern California. Admission is free!

Hot August

This is in the shade. The small print says it 'feels' like 100, but really? Anything over 98 is just plain HOT! I'm hanging out in the living room where the AC is. Now that I'm finally starting to feel better, there's a lot going on in the sewing room these days, but it's not too cool in there just now.

I did finish a baby quilt. 

 

Seeing Red...

... but in a good way.

 Cascade yarn for my Derica cardigan

Binding on a baby quilt for my nephew and his wife's new son:
Logan Wade Roberts, born 7-30-12

A woven heart block for a quilt friend. Her 45 yo husband is scheduled for

 a triple bypass and will be recovering for several weeks. She asked the guild 

ladies if we'd be willing to make heart blocks so she can give him a special quilt.

The start of another cotton market bag

 

Red, Red, Red

Seems like red is the color to use at my house lately!

 

Here are the yarns for the next market bag, tomato red and vine green.

Here's the inspiration: CMarch31 on Ravelry. Love it!

Knitted Market Bag

We've been using canvas grocery totes at our house for several years. So when I saw this pattern for a market bag on Ravelry it seemed natural to make one. You can never have to many totes and bags. I keep a few in my car so I can skip the plastic bags at the check out.

Lion Brand 100% Cotton 

The base knit from a closed circular cast on on four dpn's

It stretches a LOT!

The strap is knit in garter stitch and stretches too. I think I'll line it with the same colored fabric for strength. I can't wait to start another one!

Get Your Red On.

I was going through the scrap box for something entirely unrelated to red and my eye fell on a stack of vintage red calicoes. They called my name and I started a quilt.

So this is for my quilt friend(s) who tease me that my quilts are always blue-green and never red.

I don't NEED to be starting another quilt. Yikes! I'm up to my elbows in the wedding quilt, but when inspiration strikes, what's a girl to do?

I've decided it can be my leader-ender project while I sew blocks for the wedding quilt.

I didn't choose this quilt, it definitely chose me. But I think it might make a nice Christmas wall hanging.

Redwork

After all the dinners, festivities and celebratory brunches it's hard to come home to the old routine. It reminds me of a quote by Anne Shirley of Green Gables - Anne with an 'e' - "I'm positively certain this will spoil everyday life forever..." I agree Anne.

So I've been putting my feet up, going through the pictures on the laptop a little at a time and trying to recharge. Handwork seemed like a good companion. You can find the free pattern here. The Cal King quilt for the newlyweds is well under way but of course I can't show pictures just yet. Stay tuned...

Mr and Mrs

The ceremony was beautiful and the reception went by much, much to quickly. I'm glad I have the pictures to remember the day. My husband took 300+ photos and we haven't seen the professional ones yet, so here is just a sample. Best wishes to the happy couple!

Best Wishes

 2000

 2007

2009

My youngest is getting married Saturday. Best wishes to my favorite #2 son. Love ya!

Felted Hot Pad

Every knitter ends up with remnants, little dribs and drabs left over from projects. That's bad enough; but I've started buying other people's remnants! I browsed the Senior Center Thrift store again and came home with a bag of worsted and bulky wool, perfect for felted hot pads.

I felted it in the washing machine in a zippered pillow case to catch the lint; on a hot, heavy duty setting for extra agitation, one complete cycle. It’s thick and still soft and works great!

Then I tried it with these yarns, but there was a lot of variation in yarn thickness. Sometimes I held two strands together, sometimes three.

I wasn't surprised when it felted unevenly, but I love the colors. Fun exploring fibers and felting.
 

And Now We Are One

We celebrated Evan's first birthday with a BBQ in the park.

 

Evan meets Rudy Bunny

Yaaaay, cake! - His cousin Katlyn thinks so too.