Autumn Preparations

Autumn will be here any minute, so it is time to start nesting, finish summer projects and insulate the house for the coming of autumn and then winter. Er... or something. I even picked up a golden-red chrystanthemum at the home store this morning for a spot of color in the garden. It is the season where I long to know how to can things. I want to be able to say 'oh yes, I put up some nectarines and apple butter this weekend'. In the meantime....The 9-Patch and White quilt has been dusted off and the top is pieced! I love the white sashing. If I had any more squares (or a queen bed), I would make it wider now that I have a queen bedframe, but twin size is nice too. No two patches are the same, but they are arranged randomly. A bit of organized chaos. A close up: My corners are getting much more square. The backing will be navy with little white stars, and I think I will use ties for this quilt instead of hand-quilting it. I can't think of a quilting pattern that would complement it and please me, and I have dozens of colors of DMC cotton floss that I think will work for ties that coordinate with each of the color families. Maybe a vine pattern along the white sashing if I get the urge to hand quilt it after all ... although the thread would show on the reverse. Uh oh. Apparently I took too long of a break from weaving to sew the quilt this afternoon... I have squatters. Gussie is in the upstairs apartment and Tubby - errr Tuppy - is downstairs. Want one?

Equilibrium

Thank you for your kind words about my spinning! I also saw that Pat V, Diane, and Josephine won a passel of ribbons for their fine knitting - I will try to email the pictures to Linda at Knit N Stitch... or stop in and show you!

Sunday we were demonstrating spinning and weaving at the Millard Sheets Gallery at the LA County fair. I brought a bag of malamute brushings and went to town. The result was a couple of skeins of soft fluffy yarn with a nice halo. One skein went back to the dog-owner today for examination and the other is safely locked away from the cats. I am back on track in quilting class and did my homework this morning, then set the machine aside. Fritti lost no time in getting snuggled up in the corner. I have to iron the strips, attach them to the blocks, add the edging, find some stuffing, add the back and it will be done. 3 sessions, perhaps.

Tonight is weaving class - I should be able to cut off my fabric tonight or next week. I suppose I should start thinking about my next project. Maybe some scarves out of the angora I spun this spring? Or learning the 'overshot' technique and working on a blanket? I use my class time to experiment and learn new things, and my home weaving time to do things I already know how to do.

Random Tuesday

Well, I am officially out from under my rock. Martha joined me (and Dozer) on our little hike, I went to quilting class, I made a yarn delivery, and now it is WOW:30. I even picked up my meds and will get back on schedule. Cat food is purchased, I remembered to shop for my 2009 dayplanner (they were sold out), and today is free coffee day at the coffeeshop.

It was especially nice to share my walk with a friend. The weather was beautiful, Dozer was on his best behavior and the time just sped by. No exciting wildlife sightings, but I did finally find my house off in the distance (well, the brown/green smudge of the trees over the house).

Knitting on That Scottish Stole is still progressing, albeit slowly. I am done with the first repeat of the last section. It feels good to make progress and it will feel great to have a finished object!

My homework for quilting is to assemble and attach the first portion of the binding. I will have to call the recipient and tell her to get that ticker-tape parade ready. Then I can work on the next section of my own quilt, and on Thursday it will be time to join The Ladies at The Church.

Eye Candy Wednesday

The halloween socks are done! Cherry Tree Hill yarn in the colorway "African Grey". Which is, of course, a myster becasue african greys are grey and red birds. I still love the colorway with the black, orange, pink and purple stripes. Very sunset-ty.The Fair Isle mittens I made in December. They actually match the hat I made the week before, which was absent at photo-shoot time. They are nice and cuddly, but it has been far, far too warm to wear them since they were completed. The yarn came from the stash, it was bought with a gift certificate *and* was 70% off, and there is plenty left for matching socks. The gray yarn really looks blue now that they are done.Here is the fancy pants little crow basket that I received for a holiday present from my aunt and uncle in Washington. Not pictured are the cookies that came with it :) This is the third year running I have received a gift with a crow and stars and I must say I truly love all of them.

Here is the 9 patch quilt with white sashing that I have been working off and on this year. When it is done it will be 6 squares by 9 squares. I have run out of white, so it is on hold for the time being.

So I have been keeping busy as you can see. I finished the second third of That Scottish Shawl last night and picked up the stitches for the other side. It was a little challenging but I am well on my way now. I read ahead to the instructions for the knitted on border and started to get a cramp, so I will leave that until the time is right. I have been knitting-monogamous to that project and I have learned two things: if you knit it, it will grow; and geez, these things take a long time!

Movin' Right Along

This is the second day running that Dozer and I have gone up Mt. Rubidoux. We have been moseying and enjoying ourselves, and today I sat on a comfy rock and just stared at nothing. It is super windy again today, but warm instead of the icy chill of yesterday. It was so nice to hear nothing but the wind rushing through the trees and various windchimes. Voices, car noise, everything was whipped away.

Not much knitting, but I did get out the sewing machine and work on quilt piecing last night while listening to weekend shows on NPR. I need to suck it up and go get more of the sashing material so I can finish it, which should only take a couple evenings' work. I also need to finish hand-quilting the little quilt before it gets any warmer at night!

I think I will spend some time later today raking the 800,000 leaves in the backyard. It would be nice to sit out there with the dogs and the bun and the sun. I have a simple life these days and don't wish for anything more. Yesterday's big accomplishment was making bread and having ice cream with raspberry preserves (highly recommended, by the way).

Home Again, Home Again

Well, we are all done jury-ing. We decided "not guilty" and told the defendant that we would be ticked off if we see her on "Cops" next week. The lesson here - do not be confrontational to your neighbors. If you must be, then install a cctv to watch the yard.

The ladies finished the quilt this morning; I will have to go to Julie's to see how it came out.

Not much to report today - maybe I will take the dogs for a long walk around sunset. It sure is nice and warm today.

Back in the World

Presenting the Tea Towels! They are all woven with a handspun weft, using 100% cotton. These are the final 4 and each one is unique. They are all preshrunk and measure around 8" x 30". $25 each or two for $45. Please email for availability to sleepingfox16 at yahoo dot com. Teapot not included :) White with Blue Twill Border

Pink Twill

Green Stripe

Blue Stripe.

Today I joined "The Ladies" at quiliting and we got Christie's quilt up and running. I need to learn how to do the actual quilting before I can help, but I did finish pinning my little "Elements" quilt together along the stitching lines so I can machine quilt it. I also found sashing and backing fabric for the two 9 patch quilts that are in progress.

I have been knitting along on the Halloween socks and am well into the leg of sock 1. All other knitting is still languishing, but I look at it affectionately. The Halloween socks have the advantage of being plain stockinette, which makes them good travel / therapist appointment knitting.

Spinning continues on the gray cormo. I have been using it to practice my long draw / semi woolen technique. Since the Millie has a delta orifice, I have to use one hand as the "point" of the spindle and the other does the drafting. It makes more sense when you see it. It is time to pluck Olive (the angora bunny) again. He finally looks like a properly fuzzy bun - no big mats or areas which are half grown next to areas which are plucked bare. I had better get on it before it gets any colder, so his winter coat can grow in.

Steve McQueen is still the chubbiest mouse in town. He knows that if he puts all 4 feet on my hand he gets taken out, and then we have a nice little snuggle. One day he got to run around in the bathtub.

That's all the news that is fit to print! I updated the schedule and the blogroll over in the sidebar. Be sure to check it out!

House Arrest

I got up yesterday at 7 to the sounds of a sledgehammer on concrete. The neighbor is having her walkway replaced. This is fine. The concrete truck blocking me in my driveway until 2 was not so fine. While I waited to leave the house I pieced a whole slew of 9 patches for my quilt (and discovered I need to buy more fabric for the sashing) and listened to many people rant on NPR. I really like piecing squares and sewing straight lines. It goes so much faster than spinning and weaving! In the afternoon, the other neighbor took her turn blocking my car in, so I had to walk to the yoga studio to run an errand. The dogs made the trip with me and enjoyed it thoroughly.

I am also re-sleying the loom for a dimity pattern (in white). I finished another tea towel and realized I was totally ready to see what was on the cloth beam. 9 towels were edged, washed, dried and readied for sale on Thursday. Two are already off to a new home (Scott, I held yours back, not to worry). As there is still warp on the loom and I received my new Handwoven the other day, I am rethreading /resleying for something new - a pattern with texture in the warp pattern. It is a pain in the ass (PIA) but I suppose it is good practice for something.

Las Vegas Faire was fun, but I always forget how much damn work it is to work for 30 hours in 3 days, plus the 10 hour drive. The parrow show guy has motivated me to play with the birds more, I didn't pick up anything or anybody contagious, and I earned about half my rent money for next month. Wheee!

Knitting is lacadaisical: the halloween socks are my waiting-for-the-train knitting; the stripey socks (which have gone through about 20 name changes) are for knitting in the shop; the Preppy scarf is ambling along; MS4 is still on clue 4 (although I did work on it last night); Mirepoix is still on hold due to the sleeve issue. I haven't started many new things, but am not finishing anything very fast.

All in all, things are quiet here at the homestead and I am not feeling sad or lonely.

Quiltin' Time

So I went to quilting last night, hat in hand, and was welcomed back into the fold. I sewed the border on the top piece (the last of the piecing), we cut the batting and the backing, I sewed all around, and then we magically turned it inside out. Congratulations! It's a quilt! I still have to blindstich the hole shut, iron the edges, and do the actual quilting (not piecing), but that should only take an evening. I feel very accomplished. Julie had pictures of quilts at the last quilt show, and showed off some of her new projects. I am all ready to start a new one - as soon as the other one is Really Finished and I have some pin money for more fabric.

Tonight I made some soap for our show this weekend and did some more applying. Good Lisa. Now I can go home and watch "24" with no guilt. And my little herd of hedgehogs (soaps) is growing.

Knitting is coming along - the Tuscany sock #2 is 55% done or so, and it knits up fast. The Dahlia sock #2 has the leg stitches picked up and the leg pattern begun. The Swamp sock #1 has the heel decreases done, but I have to pick up and work the increases. Whew. I am riding this finishing wave as far as it will take me.

I still keep my tatting close to me, perhaps that will be my lunch project for tomorrow. I also need to get the treadles tied up on the counterbalance loom and get that going. And finish setting up my pillow for the lace workshop this weekend.

I better get moving!

And Now For Something Completely Different...

The quilt-in-progress. You can see the gray fabric for the backing off the side.

Some of the guinea pigs who need homes. How many can I sign you up for? There are 3 girls and one boy (the brown one in the center).

The body of the Petal sweater. This was taken before the arms were done.

The arm of Mandy's sweater. Both arms are done and the body is started.

Hidden Talents

I decided to cook this weekend. I spent $20 on groceries and no money at all on eating out. There was T-day cooking: roasted acorn squash, cheesey mashed neeps (turnips), pumpkin bread and cranberry sauce. There was regular eating cooking: scrambled eggs with swiss chard and mushrooms, teriyaki beef, rice, swiss chard and beets one night and salad with seasoned chicken the next. I tried to make potato pancakes out of the mashed turnips, but only got a mess, so I added an egg and called it Turnip Scramble. It could use some sausage, though. It is really fun to cook - I like the domestic feeling. I really like the fact that I get dishes done while things are simmering / baking / sizzling. I have no one to cook for, and that brings me down, but I smash the feeling back into my internal Box of Denial and move on.

I got some knitting done! I disciplined myself and cast on for the body of Mandy's birthday sweater (very overdue). I am translating the pattern for knitting in the round, and have my fingers crossed that the design will come out even. Body, sewing up, neckline. I can do this. Easy Peasy.

I also let myself work on Petal - finishing the body and casting on for the first sleeve. I would work the sleeves at the same time, except that I did not wind the yarn into balls. I am working from the skein, which is draped over a couple of S hooks on the bookcase. It is a fine arrangement for one skein, but I shudder to think what would happen if I were switching from one sleeve to the other and the ends got all twisted up. Bleh. While I finally invested in a ball winder, I was hoping to get a swift from Mr. Fixit for Christmas, and therefore did not get one myself. I guess it is back on the list of things to reward myself with.

I did NOT start any brand new projects, which is good. I also did NOT buy (or inherit) any yarn at the yarn store when I visited on Friday. I did find the yarn for the theoretical rug in the cabinet at home, so that is one hurdle down on that project. Next comes figuring out how much yardage I have and how much warp I need. I worked a little bit on the strap that has been on my inkle loom for... well, I am not exactly sure. Several years, I think. I like beating the weaving into place - it is a good stress release :)

The blue scarf is on hold until I can dig out the other ball of blue yarn, as I have finished ball #1. Hooray for the halfway point! I need to put it back at the top of the priority list and try to get it done before I leave for vacation on Saturday.

I did not work on my quilting homework, although I thought of it often, but I did watch several quilting shows on PBS this weekend. I also managed to watch a disc of "House, MD", one of "Love, Hina", watched some movies on the telly, and re-read all of "Angels and Demons" by Dan Brown (of "Da Vinci Code" fame). I even found my missing (and severely overdue) library book, so maybe I can power through that this week too. Maybe when I am knitting on the blue scarf!

Sew Easy

I had a great time at quilting last night. I got all the strips sewn together and the border started last night. My machine is back from the repair shop and runs like a champ. I even got to wind a bobbin last night - so easy! This machine was the top-of-the-line when it was new (1975) and does just what I need it to. We are the same age, so I feel a certain affinity for it besides.

The quilt top is looking great and I procured batting and a piece of fabric for the backing this weekend. There is plenty of material left for a pillow case. I am amazed how quickly this has come together (so far) and really enjoy a 2 hour break from being sad about all the stuff that has been going on lately.

Tonight is lace knitting night and progress on Icarus will continue. My lunchtime knitting absolutely positively will be Mandy's sweater. It is getting colder here (intermittently) and I don't want her to freeze!

Netflix watching has been thin on the ground. I watched "Little Fish" with Cate Blanchett and Hugo Weaving this weekend and have no idea why I queued it. I moved some anime ("Love Hina") to the top of my queue yesterday in an attempt to find some comedy. I have a very somber queue! Funny (not insipid) movie recommendations are very welcome right about now.

Progress?

Quilting progress: I turned in the sewing machine to the shop yesterday for a checkup. I should get it back next week. Last night I sewed (on the loaner) the first rail fence blocks together and then all the new strips together. Today I have to find / make / buy an ironing board and press all the seams and sew the strips to each other to make new blocks. This is coming together crazy-fast, but I imagine it will languish in the "pieced, not quilted" stage.

Spinning progress: I worked on plying some BFL singles two nights ago and will finish tonight at the Arts Walk demo. If I hustle and remember my niddy-noddy, I can measure out 200yd skeins and get them dyed for the So Cal Handweaver's event on Sunday. I also measured out 4oz rovings to dye, but have run out of cling wrap to wrap them in. I will add it to the list with the ironing board and cat litter. Imagine the look on the cashier's face! And maybe a little Cherry Garcia ice cream.

Soaping progress: I bagged up finished soap last night and watched some Law & Order. I miss working with soap. Spending time with Mr. Fixit took away from my soap duties, and while it is not the same as snuggly time, soap is comforting in its own way. I bagged up Lime, Pumpkin Spice and Vanilla, and will have autumn theme soaps and peppermint guest soaps for the weekend. That reminds me, I should inventory hedgehog soaps tonight! I am really looking forward to the soap shows this weekend. It will be good for me to see other crafty people and maybe get some spinning in if it gets slow.

Knitting progress: Well, I haven't picked up the needles on any of the three current projects since I got back from Maui, but I haven't started any new projects either. In fact, I have felt so sad this week that I can't even bring myself to buy comfort yarn! I don't know if that is good or bad, exactly.

Today is shrink day. I am not real excited. The cost is driving me crazy (!) and I am pretty sure I am going to need to go back on meds at some point, which requires a whole other shrink and then the cost of the meds. I really just want to give up on the whole thing and stay unhappy. I know how to handle unhappy. Or I like to think I do - there may be disagreement on that. For the last month or so I have been trying to stick to a new theory: "I am doing this because it is good for me", which applies to way more things than going to the shrink (like getting up, eating, not eating only cake, cleaning the bathroom, washing the car, and returning the library book that I forgot was due today), and I invoke when I know I need to do something and I just don't wanna because no one will see or no one will care.

I thought I was starting to feel better today, but I realize the tone of this little blog entry is pretty down. I am in a mental/emotional place where I have a really short fuse (really.short.) and no energy to talk to anyone more than twice in one day. So I have been snappish and sour and I know I should care but it is all I can do to put my clothes on and get in the car in the morning. And since I made it to work (on time thank you) I suppose I should get something done today. Sigh.

Mish Mash

I am title free at the moment. I will try to think of something brilliant before I hit "Publish". Yesterday I managed a 1/2 day off as my computer tanked and ALL my tasks require it. Today I have a computer and a smattering of programs, NO saved email and NO internet favorites. We shall not speak of the personal files I meant to back up. It makes me a little sick to think on it.

Las Vegas was great. There are *gasp* no pictures. Sorry kids. I sold clothes with a vengeance and drank lemonade like there was no tomorrow. There were many men in kilts and none of them turned my head (as well it should be) even as much as Mr. Fixit in a greasy jumpsuit, working on the van. I may have bought some jewelry and a woven throw with ravens on it (big surprise there) and I needed another pouch as I forgot my new one at home. Sigh. But basically I was too busy or exhausted to shop. This year they had the vendors on one side of the lake and the guilds on the other, and I really liked it that way. I would have liked to spend more than 2o minutes over there though.

This week has been filled with preparations for Hawaii (read: laundry) and angsting about my appoinment with the shrink today. Long story short, I did NOT want to go. But I did. I was not too happy there, but the dust has settled over the last couple hours and I am feeling much more chipper. I have "homework" which I feel silly about. I have also spent some quality time sleeping (alone, sadly), and visiting with the pets, who have missed me, and who I feel really badly about leaving for an entire week. We have been watching some Netflix and eating fast food in the evenings for our quality time.

Monday night was quilting class. I had homework there too, which I did last night. It was to sew (no thread) along the lines of an index card to practice my 1/4" seam and sewing in a straight line. I got to do some fun things like break and change the needle, change the presser foot and guide plate, go to the store and buy thread, set up my spool thread, and fiddle with the bobbin thread. But, try as I might, I just can't get the needle thread to pull up the loop of bobbin thread. I gave up after a while and it will just have to wait. I was bummed, as I really wanted to get some strips put together.

The Rum Runner socks continue (I am on the leg of sock #2), as do Mandy's sweater and SG1. If the gods are with me, there will be a new Booty Club box on the porch tonight. I could use some comfort yarn.