Sunday, August 31, 2014

Slowly Moving Along

IMG_3694I have moved this charity quilt to the frame where it is resting, waiting for me to make the backing.  I can’t remember if I told you the name I have chosen, it is “Nothing is All Black and White.”





























IMG_3695I started on the backing but made some mistakes.  Here is where I sewed two pieces of fabric to one piece, not planned: I had done one full seam and half of the second when I noticed there were the two fabrics stuck together.  So I started to unsew the seam and then saw that I had done the same thing with the preceding seam.  It was then that I decided that I was feeling somewhat frustrated and needed to stop what I was doing and spend some time peacefully knitting.










xxThis is my plan for the backing.  Each row will be 20” and the colored pieces will be randomly placed.



























Happy HalloweenI did get one finish for August.  This little wall hanging was made last year but I didn’t get around to binding it until this last week.  I have a table runner that also needs binding but I seem to have run out of black fabric.  Oh, my, I guess I need to go fabric shopping.  Embarrassed smile  Oh, I got this pattern from Rhonda at Ravelly1.





Tomorrow I will do some unsewing, resewing, and sewing to hopefully get my charity quilt up on the frame.  I really feel like doing some quilting.  But for sewing/quilting breaks I will be knitting: I am almost done with the back of my new sweater.  I hope to be on to one front piece by the time we meet again on Friday.


Meanwhile I am linking with Patchwork Times and I hope you have a great week.  Gari

Friday, August 29, 2014

Knitting My Life Away

back is coming alongI am growing more and more excited about this sweater.  I am only about 10” in on the first piece but I am loving the texture as well as the lavender heather yarn.  I am enjoying this so much that I have abandoned my brown sweater (lots of mistakes) and now plan to rip it out and start over, later.  I really don’t mind since I am enjoying the act of knitting so much.








wrong sideAnd don’t you love the “wrong side” of this piece?  I am trying to figure out how to use it on the right side, maybe as a band on the sleeves.  I am thinking that I can knit both sleeves at the same time and thus there is a better chance they will be the same length.  Smile with tongue out









almost to the heelsI haven’t neglected my gray socks: I am almost ready to do the heels.  Once I have that done I will go ahead and get the bright yarn for the next pair cuz I only do short legs and cuffs so these will be done quickly.  Or I may just get more needles and start the others right away.  I would like to have socks going both in the house and the studio.






I got the results from the MRI and let me share one line I was “amused” by:  “There is diffuse disc desiccation and facet joint DJD compatible with age.”  That was really unnecessary, I think.  And I didn’t know what DJD means (will find out next week).  But the gist is that I have a pinched nerve due to disc bulges.  Now I just have to find out which of the several possibilities we can do to relieve me of this problem.  After that we will tackle the second of the three body breaking down problems that I have.  Sometimes it’s no fun getting old.  Shifty

Have a great Labor Day weekend.  We are celebrating being retired from paid labor while still able to labor in the fields for our Lord.   Gari

Linking with Patchwork Times.  

Friday, August 22, 2014

Knitting again

coming alongWhen I last left you I had stopped knitting in fear that knitting had caused the pain I was experiencing in my arm.  I gave it a lot of thought and decided it was a pinched nerve (disc problem in my neck).  This past Wednesday I visited my doctor, who had never seen me before because I really don’t like going to doctors) and, after hearing all my symptoms, he agreed with my diagnosis.  He gave me some medication that has alleviated my pain and this morning I got to experience an MRI.  Lying perfectly still for 39 min is almost an impossibility for me but I made it and now await a discussion with said doctor about what my options are.

Anyway, above is the sweater I am back working on.  All I have to do is knit and pearl many more rows to get it to the length I want.  It is pretty easy knitting and allows me to watch old romantic comedies on TCM.






 So today I started a new cardigan sweater.  I love this bulky weight yarn that is a purple heather (cant remember the maker but will post that later).  I am only just on the 3rd row so you can see I have a way to go.  I also am going to need a row counter because this sweater is not like the one above, I will be knitting the back, two fronts and two sleeves and I really want the pieces to match.  Who me?








homemade yarn holderI did want to share the yarn holder I “made.”  I bought some fruit at the grocery store and it came in this plastic container.  As I looked at the container it was just a little bigger than the ball of yarn I was going to be using,  Today I poked a hole in the lid and sanded it smooth.  Look how it feeds out: pretty cool, huh?  I actually have two of them but the other is not in use ……. yet.








love my toe up socksThe above two sweaters are my studio knitting projects.  In the house I work on my toe up socks.  These are going to be very industrial, for warmth.  But even if they are not beautiful, I have such fun knitting toe up socks that I am going to look for some really bright yarn for my next sock project. 








IMG_1452I have been inspired by Teresa in Music City who showed these socks at Patchwork Times.  Aren’t they beautiful?
















So I guess that is all that has been going on my needles.  But I can tell you that I have enjoyed every stitch I have been able to return to.  And I do want to thank everyone who wished me well after I whined in my last post.  I did appreciate the concern: it made me feel better.

Have a wonderful weekend, I know I will.  Gari

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Design Wall Monday

B & W Race Looky, looky, I actually have something on the design wall besides the Owl blocks (which are just to the right of this charity quilt top.  I am calling it Nothing is all Black and White.  The colored bits are batiks cut at random sizes






















Race BindingI have the binding sewn, just need to press it.

















on the frameHowever that is going to have to wait as the frame has this baby quilt on it.  I am using Minkie, again, as the backing but this time I did not put batting between the top and the backing.  I am having some tension problems, I think because there is no batting to stabilize it, so it is taking a little longer than I planned.


















whootThis is how I  am quilting the plain blocks and then there are swirls in the owl blocks.















Another thing that has slowed down my quilting progress is that I think I have developed a pinched nerve that is negatively affecting my right arm.  I am pretty much all right when I am sitting but when I stand up I am experiencing pain and tingling like my arm is going to sleep.  And half of my thumb is asleep all the time.  So I am mostly knitting with just a little sewing until I see the Dr. on the 20th and start figuring out what is wrong and what can be done about it.  Meanwhile I have been learning how to live with ice bags which seems to help, until I stand up. 

I will, as always, be linking up with Patchwork Times.  Have a great week.  Gari

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Do I Need To Buy More Needles?

new projectWith my green socks completed I found that I wanted/needed to start another pair.  I think that I will always be knitting socks even as I wander into new knitting arenas    Anyway I am making gray socks this time.  There is a little color in there which I think will translate into a tweed-like fabric.  I think I will be able to start them tomorrow.





ever growingMy scarf is coming along.   I have been knitting on it for the last 30 minutes of my time in the studio.  I am not going very fast but of course we are not expecting winter to arrive any time soon.











down from the sleeve And I have added about 3” to this sweater.  It has been my studio knitting project but today I moved it into the house so maybe it will move along a little faster.












next sweaterAnd just to spur me on I am preparing for a new sweater project.  I have even sent for the yarn: this is a first.  I usually shop for yarn at the three yarn shops that are within 100 miles of home but I have trouble finding bulky yarn and/or colors I like.  So I have sent for a lavender heather bulky yarn.
And would you believe, I have even gotten some sewing and quilting done.

But now I’ve gotta go because I need to do my nightly knitting prior to bedtime.

I will be linking with On The Needles at Patchwork Times.   Gari

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Progress Happens

top
Once again my design wall only features my owls.  I now have the top of the quilt ready to put together.  I am not doing to do it until the rest of the blocks are ready but I am feeling like I am making progress.





and so it beginsEnough so that I decided it was time to start another quilt.  This will be my take on the jelly roll race.  The strips are black and white and are separated by various batik pieces.











first seam doneI got the very very long first seem done on Saturday but that’s as far as I got as we spent Sunday on the road.
This is probably going to be a charity quilt.  I don’t know how big it will be because the roll was hand made and I believe it had more than the usual number of strips.  Anyway, I should have this top sewn together this week and then it will be ready for quilting. 

That means that I also need to get quilting on the baby quilt that is currently waiting: the backing is already on the frame.  It begins to sound like I have a lot to do, doesn’t it?













funnyToday DH and I did a walk through an antique mall we like.  While there I saw this bench.  I immediately wished I had had it when my 45 year old daughter was a teen.  And then she could have used it when her daughter was a teen.  And now it could be passed down because said granddaughter is having a daughter later this year …….. we wish her luck.  Winking smile





I will be linking with Patchwork Times and What a Hoot.  And now I better get busy with all those projects I have lined up.  Gari