tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82454303215716369312024-03-05T01:29:28.710-05:00A Sweet ThreadA Journey Through Flour, Butter, Sugar, Yarn, Thread and Pet HairMaggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16308570073032398834noreply@blogger.comBlogger241125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8245430321571636931.post-83513558412849105132023-11-12T09:01:00.001-05:002023-11-12T09:01:15.530-05:00Knitting for Beau<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs2WAUT4sSAQC4caLovfQgg1HkamaC9aRkVVHp4U8VDyg-33Sb51oR961UKRmVFBJNDPexTqvB3TKvcjR3PMS5kVgOfwFmz8BXE7mZeSz5POlDTHivYRWD4ZdNtm_XYbn8mfp-LE-ynSMKRImHHlugSKnadDcdwu3RncRVQS3uXwV7DztGx0e4W2KdT8o/s4032/IMG_3983.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs2WAUT4sSAQC4caLovfQgg1HkamaC9aRkVVHp4U8VDyg-33Sb51oR961UKRmVFBJNDPexTqvB3TKvcjR3PMS5kVgOfwFmz8BXE7mZeSz5POlDTHivYRWD4ZdNtm_XYbn8mfp-LE-ynSMKRImHHlugSKnadDcdwu3RncRVQS3uXwV7DztGx0e4W2KdT8o/s320/IMG_3983.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: arial;">Since becoming a Grandma, I have been knitting whenever I get the chance, and when you look at the recipient, you understand why. This guy is adorable! But it also means lots of things for me and for others are on the back burner. Far back. Like, where are they, even? But baby sweaters are faster, and they're usually fun. This sweater, the Baby Gansey from One-skein Wonders for Babies, was delightful. And now he can finally wear it!</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimnE4lTsjH9m6pT8rnqpHlNVcUqUQv7MB3jgMo8TmZHu-oOIbl2Z7shlrPtlkHYnxjd5FBa-bg2NzYd8a4fo06M-xanDskDJNwZRRNprT64uvBNrWhGtSFAQKfqeDH-I14AMGW0Y6QnqqCSz-XrXrwynxoEO7-tdjXtnJ9UVrEVJ8lmvE3PUbRCwqxSSI/s4032/IMG_3960.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimnE4lTsjH9m6pT8rnqpHlNVcUqUQv7MB3jgMo8TmZHu-oOIbl2Z7shlrPtlkHYnxjd5FBa-bg2NzYd8a4fo06M-xanDskDJNwZRRNprT64uvBNrWhGtSFAQKfqeDH-I14AMGW0Y6QnqqCSz-XrXrwynxoEO7-tdjXtnJ9UVrEVJ8lmvE3PUbRCwqxSSI/s320/IMG_3960.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">The bunny was fun to knit, too. And I loved knitting the sweater for the bunny. The sad tale here is that the dogs found the bunny a couple of weeks ago, and, well, the bunny lost its head. The sweater is still intact, so I've started another bunny, same yarn but with a thread of mohair knitted with it, so the bunny will be fluffier. </span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQL_-yCmQh0YZTb7ydBgh1JJxbuSD3hyphenhyphen_wq3UV_KmE9Fw9PcAzkvfa0qdeUa4MvJ9fQky3iRKnDQBerMl3g13tKY0B_632vUG-eH64xVB1bWNPtQCYlmGaG4ACM16djd5JAakzLubB7bAEhv1lN4sk5eLJjXOAZJHnTqpgpGgSh8YG4iyRbwfEDJUIJs4/s4032/IMG_0035.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQL_-yCmQh0YZTb7ydBgh1JJxbuSD3hyphenhyphen_wq3UV_KmE9Fw9PcAzkvfa0qdeUa4MvJ9fQky3iRKnDQBerMl3g13tKY0B_632vUG-eH64xVB1bWNPtQCYlmGaG4ACM16djd5JAakzLubB7bAEhv1lN4sk5eLJjXOAZJHnTqpgpGgSh8YG4iyRbwfEDJUIJs4/s320/IMG_0035.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"> I've been working on the new bunny this week, and I've made good progress. One more arm, the tail and its legs, and it'll be in a box with Beau's Christmas socks and a warm hat. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> One of the reasons the bunny isn't done yet is that I've been asked to lead the Virtual Virginia book club, sponsored by the library I work part-time for. The authors are from Virginia, or the book is about Virginia. The book this month is <u>Ladies of Liberty</u> by Cokie Roberts. It's about the women who shaped the beginning of the country, especially First Ladies like Abigail Adams, Dolley Madison and Louisa Adams, wife of John Qunicy Adams. It's very interesting, though I found Roberts' lack of chronological order in the beginning of the book disconcerting. The book club meeting is this Tuesday, November 14 at 6:30, so if you're interested--it's via Zoom--go to http//:library.chesterfield.gov to sign up. </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF11BAUI_iV8cCFXHRcq21GejwLpB57nFU2103xV4qbD2FccYk_QS1uCBylPcSmONnGm9YGhQGhNURHEirYX8iqmUhyphenhyphenlqjJPOsTC-IcBgqH-lvqGFwETCzDBo_pZyvfkmZgflt88667sPkity9Z5rHzOR9oxw4hN-G3HLVAxq-i0tXEqleTLITy4Z8lh4/s4032/IMG_3469.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF11BAUI_iV8cCFXHRcq21GejwLpB57nFU2103xV4qbD2FccYk_QS1uCBylPcSmONnGm9YGhQGhNURHEirYX8iqmUhyphenhyphenlqjJPOsTC-IcBgqH-lvqGFwETCzDBo_pZyvfkmZgflt88667sPkity9Z5rHzOR9oxw4hN-G3HLVAxq-i0tXEqleTLITy4Z8lh4/w240-h320/IMG_3469.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> This past month zoomed past. Beau and his family visited in mid-October, and we went to the pumpkin patch west of town, celebrated an early Thanksgiving and had a lovely visit. I'll be going to Nashville in January to visit them, probably bringing lots more knitted stuff, for the whole family.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> Today is sewing day, though, with two white blouses cut out, and lots of wool suiting being selected for jackets. More on that later.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> Enjoy fall while it lasts!</span><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZobuS7r1H3B3lOMDhGaLEq7792aYBY_kKCNNalDDOxF0br9C5PlrL3Z9JcFIpVF3kivZ7uYgi73J03LepWwYQjLOSOdhemHxiV8mZ1yTqy7pJB9RHa5ZqRyxVpQwfDhPL1HPvegoxayPLt8pmZeJCVNlhKYDqdOli9ioZJNr6u8cqB5cViTqORXtvh0U/s4032/IMG_3451.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOIjAmIqYaRQxtKC7lIoprQvQ0Ilr7TdkBxtE-s-2-tMATUheXZ-x1SQgZJx9j5rE_mIxkEYXgy35I4jKoFsU1KPgsEoj1yvJ5LrQ2GerHFCqMXHpws311oLn7BQ0dWVTXH5pC81nXmyKo5b2KEFD_3W9NO0PIUba4lPoG4qRndRjqD81HZ0JlkURNDZE/s4032/IMG_3228.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div><p></p><br /><br /></div>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16308570073032398834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8245430321571636931.post-45537757540987604162023-09-14T16:07:00.002-04:002023-09-14T16:08:16.461-04:00Knitting Critters and Other Things<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">One thing I'm finding out about retirement is that it's important to set daily goals. It's silly that I'm finding this out now, a year later, especially when I think back to my working days and my beloved prep lists. I loved writing them, and I especially loved crossing each task done as it was completed.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Well, today my list was: vacuum, fold the laundry, finish the frog. Okay, the laundry is still not folded, but here's the frog:</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Rbf7zZz4iVqP5t0zpfymPnVL3IfZj4W4-HanyWst9QN0igHA6df1OOHCsci8yl-z9Y44n40wCVYJx10CsfqYNSeqXai9t4OJYnhd6iynwSzYoioUWQzsjprdPff3bMgU3-klaXOb2j8SzyGOr6nUENSipMwkBuz1PIlYl2p6QOMehK7XgTnnZJLcpYw/s2448/IMG_0047.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="2448" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Rbf7zZz4iVqP5t0zpfymPnVL3IfZj4W4-HanyWst9QN0igHA6df1OOHCsci8yl-z9Y44n40wCVYJx10CsfqYNSeqXai9t4OJYnhd6iynwSzYoioUWQzsjprdPff3bMgU3-klaXOb2j8SzyGOr6nUENSipMwkBuz1PIlYl2p6QOMehK7XgTnnZJLcpYw/s320/IMG_0047.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">He's very cute, but I must say, I will not make another. So fiddly! There are other frog patterns out there, and I will find another, but I'm glad I made it. I've been following the designer, Claire Garland on Instagram, dotpebble_knits, for a long time, and love to see what clothes and little videos she's made with her frogs. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ_MT0WLXRGMO9tp3QjK4huANo5-C3mlXpmXj2sI5DZ-f_XS4LVYPCEk7A2XaLqB9FZjdMIksVEYhAmG76sQsO5FQJMZd8kx0CVQt47KjKLgKocWFPRhUIUyYJNOyreMAgbgOSuOvxl3X1rvwhOA56aBJvIugnw0HvCtK91Zc9z34cCtGmVGhA2ymwZdU/s4032/IMG_3363.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ_MT0WLXRGMO9tp3QjK4huANo5-C3mlXpmXj2sI5DZ-f_XS4LVYPCEk7A2XaLqB9FZjdMIksVEYhAmG76sQsO5FQJMZd8kx0CVQt47KjKLgKocWFPRhUIUyYJNOyreMAgbgOSuOvxl3X1rvwhOA56aBJvIugnw0HvCtK91Zc9z34cCtGmVGhA2ymwZdU/s320/IMG_3363.jpeg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I've also made one of Susan B. Anderson's adorable animals, Christopher Bunny. Now, this one was fun. It's knit in pieces that are connected as you go. Knit the head with stitches made to be the bases of the ears, then pick up for the body, with stitches indicating where to pick up for the arms and the legs. It went fast and was fun to do. The sweater pattern that comes with the bunny looked too small, so I made up my own pattern. The pants are currently in progress, and I am following the pattern for those. They're striped! </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMf30bGph1IDWKsqvX9aqiADIHLgz3AVU6VaJBsU-WWTyVOsI15Za7neZVNNiVCDmjSGfirojdBTQnO795rB1tFnqPq_ZXt0RW54dw7HRiv768apB2yqWhdR0HnnVTiiZGWgmezvuTyDBm4FRNS-ycjhxXWq1zStlIsLY-_4jjq64evcVPxa8y8EWUADg/s4032/IMG_3361.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMf30bGph1IDWKsqvX9aqiADIHLgz3AVU6VaJBsU-WWTyVOsI15Za7neZVNNiVCDmjSGfirojdBTQnO795rB1tFnqPq_ZXt0RW54dw7HRiv768apB2yqWhdR0HnnVTiiZGWgmezvuTyDBm4FRNS-ycjhxXWq1zStlIsLY-_4jjq64evcVPxa8y8EWUADg/w150-h200/IMG_3361.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">And how about that tail? I even knitted it out of some Angora in my stash, so it's a real bunny tail. It makes me giggle when I see it. And everyone I've shown it to has to touch it. </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix1GYgjZiH4GweXniQUet_-OeAzMCo0TLGeBMUBnIzd3fSw5lx9A5hkw3U03vwdGt_ek2yC_yTV-QGUsCOZEszItCrXDzvCVh7aFy7apLxYqj4BXij5PN74tyJ5p9J86LBy-XwlfyQ_8FuK-UYadCLSJwI7LtzlR_bhO7y7SeYiaq8cqQLQav-Jf2-Pzo/s4032/IMG_3219.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix1GYgjZiH4GweXniQUet_-OeAzMCo0TLGeBMUBnIzd3fSw5lx9A5hkw3U03vwdGt_ek2yC_yTV-QGUsCOZEszItCrXDzvCVh7aFy7apLxYqj4BXij5PN74tyJ5p9J86LBy-XwlfyQ_8FuK-UYadCLSJwI7LtzlR_bhO7y7SeYiaq8cqQLQav-Jf2-Pzo/s320/IMG_3219.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />And here is the handsome Beau, all decked out in his Garter Baby Kimono, a pattern by Joji Locatelli. I have to say that I didn't enjoy knitting this, but I sure did love the yarn. It's hand-dyed by a local dyer, Storied Fiber Arts from the collection named after local landmarks. This one is named Arther Ashe Boulevard. It's red to burgundy, and just lovely. It is a shame that the pattern said this was size six months, and you can see that 11-week-old Beau is about to burst out of it. And he's not a big baby! Although, incredibly handsome!</span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVgrGsTv5AmHFuviQkXw91qu2wgz6hwio7g8uES-1osnm-xu9smWCrHGLuJr2RAi1RHOLaHJSYXb8W7_bHBDnUQUe2xU7fZdfLlM3cuAEGpmHXQqZl-ztOAqV4qxYwzsDrNdWm3ZA8UjYSwL8KW7McLluLp1HMeYZwBkGcRsAExNRH7Vud-Y3p2alhWmk/s4032/IMG_3390.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVgrGsTv5AmHFuviQkXw91qu2wgz6hwio7g8uES-1osnm-xu9smWCrHGLuJr2RAi1RHOLaHJSYXb8W7_bHBDnUQUe2xU7fZdfLlM3cuAEGpmHXQqZl-ztOAqV4qxYwzsDrNdWm3ZA8UjYSwL8KW7McLluLp1HMeYZwBkGcRsAExNRH7Vud-Y3p2alhWmk/s320/IMG_3390.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />Last week, I showed you a sweater made with the blue from the failed heart afghan. This is made with the gray. I made it in size 12 months, so I'm hoping it does better than the red one. It looks big to me! I just need to sew the buttons on, but I think I'll wait to give it to Beau when they come to visit next month. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Time to get back to those striped pants for that bunny! Have a great week!</span></p>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16308570073032398834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8245430321571636931.post-51971484747471215362023-09-07T14:37:00.002-04:002023-09-07T14:37:35.016-04:00Still Here<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhScxro3NMu41ZMbzhpmPHWITERsw363o3uJDvajbVitYHQoR4SBf9mPgCFQHAdleBclYohWgTMVzy6ewhrOtvAryWyPyY7kgO7r1m6bCuNIkmg3DYVBvwgZWTI2-3-Mj6uZCBl_YUjHv4LtJ1TL38aDziZmtgJdp0DmvQKsQFcbgi6lVMQEfb5Zwf2Erk/s1600/IMG_0488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhScxro3NMu41ZMbzhpmPHWITERsw363o3uJDvajbVitYHQoR4SBf9mPgCFQHAdleBclYohWgTMVzy6ewhrOtvAryWyPyY7kgO7r1m6bCuNIkmg3DYVBvwgZWTI2-3-Mj6uZCBl_YUjHv4LtJ1TL38aDziZmtgJdp0DmvQKsQFcbgi6lVMQEfb5Zwf2Erk/s320/IMG_0488.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Every time I think I should put something in the blog, I realize that my number one fan of the blog is gone. LouAnn won't comment, and she was the only one who ever did! She passed away far too soon, certainly too quickly for me to get to Knoxville to say goodbye, but she did call me, and it meant more than I can say. We had a date to celebrate our July birthdays, so some other friends went with me to the Tomato Head, and we toasted her life with our shared Monkey Bread. LouAnn always had Monkey Bread as an appetizer when she had brunch at the Tomato Head.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">And now, when I have a new weaving plan, or want to show her the bling treatment the new quilt is getting, I just pause and think about her. I don't believe in heaven or hell or afterlife, but I know that LouAnn made the world a much nicer, sparklier, happier place for having been in it. I can imagine her light traveling around us and through us.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">And now I can't believe that I can't find any pictures of LouAnn! We had many road trips and birthday dinners, but no pictures of us together. Well, if you're reading this, chances are you knew her and will miss her as much as I do.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNcFo4K4b4oExoMbkoveUnN02WFE8m5vQhmkMK46o0_TbghKmQ8XXIg56x3zBzO9VchgewZzNtRxYEd5N1dWk_-37ZIqvktotUB9bllzIwKBLcW5AHvihsa65Zh9zh6Mj5jx-c4KqQtjgGNChkPE1pAoFcsrZQr0Uts5Wj1GAcWLEC-nzzyJ99kxPcczE/s2048/IMG_1699.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNcFo4K4b4oExoMbkoveUnN02WFE8m5vQhmkMK46o0_TbghKmQ8XXIg56x3zBzO9VchgewZzNtRxYEd5N1dWk_-37ZIqvktotUB9bllzIwKBLcW5AHvihsa65Zh9zh6Mj5jx-c4KqQtjgGNChkPE1pAoFcsrZQr0Uts5Wj1GAcWLEC-nzzyJ99kxPcczE/s320/IMG_1699.jpeg" width="240" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWIf374ZZGV2usCQX7J3rw944HHTwo8jzvEOizPmGMzOcPZtX3rIebHPcfGGbwknq0-41TLSkK2rIW52VXbAwVj7yyhq44YqvyaZ6liUwvczjjluLX2ZlVRa9mEVu0AaqwIWInyeQlrwQ_ratLx7Eq1F0b1sEtP-BPxF4VHxEvSm_-z5e5EqZXKZxsiZ8/s4032/IMG_3094.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWIf374ZZGV2usCQX7J3rw944HHTwo8jzvEOizPmGMzOcPZtX3rIebHPcfGGbwknq0-41TLSkK2rIW52VXbAwVj7yyhq44YqvyaZ6liUwvczjjluLX2ZlVRa9mEVu0AaqwIWInyeQlrwQ_ratLx7Eq1F0b1sEtP-BPxF4VHxEvSm_-z5e5EqZXKZxsiZ8/w300-h400/IMG_3094.jpeg" width="300" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I have been very busy, though, and do want to share some things with the outer world. First of all, my grandchild has arrived, two months ago. Beauregard Basil Davidson is the most beautiful baby ever, I must say. I've only spent a few days, very early on, and can't wait to see him again, probably next month when his adults bring him in October. He will be very warm, though, since I've made him five sweaters, so far. It does get cold in Nashville, but I do need to slow it down a little!</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhobr2-5A4n-VxVKcwvjNZnKvfjYStKp_Wtd1GYWpabq1oUdYwWLrKLdvEK2vje1IW8ImcMB3x9wrywvmDlFefGkmtoXzKfULNeKAg9wI_tgcXCt9baQ3n4Wzz3s-ELp267-QqRYN1bRQoBGMHAUPYHnVXFJrbN_h5ZNDKZw-vm7OlS18ou1Prcm9rLXkQ/s4032/IMG_3288.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhobr2-5A4n-VxVKcwvjNZnKvfjYStKp_Wtd1GYWpabq1oUdYwWLrKLdvEK2vje1IW8ImcMB3x9wrywvmDlFefGkmtoXzKfULNeKAg9wI_tgcXCt9baQ3n4Wzz3s-ELp267-QqRYN1bRQoBGMHAUPYHnVXFJrbN_h5ZNDKZw-vm7OlS18ou1Prcm9rLXkQ/s320/IMG_3288.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Remember the heart afghan? Well, I'm afraid it reconfirmed what I already knew. I am not a crocheter. In fact, I really don't like it at all. So I took that lovely yarn and made this Baby Gansey from the blue. If you embiggen the picture, you'll see space ship and astronaut buttons that I bought at Bliss yarns in Nashville. I loved knitting this sweater! You start at the back hem and knit over the top, separating for the fronts, the pick up and knit the sleeves. I made another one in a lovely green tweed, but didn't count my stitches on the second sleeve. I couldn't redo it because I didn't have enough yarn. Sad story. I've also made another cardigan from the gray, but haven't put buttons on it yet. Gotta save something for next time!</span><p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ1c2TOpvP6_KCwKXuJtf_N7nEFDRWo4D9mlJksdn7vSsuF9s562azQf0da2v40kZyoDPt9BlHxpvVsRz_l5ngPZEJ6yX2kMoEFcrDj3GvNgXYyJQe0-9cDI7EyKCArxM_EpxTVMg6D8UFkWIbk8lyPVbt28GXW0ARymtvz0_R8JTw4nrzuaJLT5igiZ4/s4032/IMG_3276.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ1c2TOpvP6_KCwKXuJtf_N7nEFDRWo4D9mlJksdn7vSsuF9s562azQf0da2v40kZyoDPt9BlHxpvVsRz_l5ngPZEJ6yX2kMoEFcrDj3GvNgXYyJQe0-9cDI7EyKCArxM_EpxTVMg6D8UFkWIbk8lyPVbt28GXW0ARymtvz0_R8JTw4nrzuaJLT5igiZ4/s320/IMG_3276.jpeg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;">I've also taken a class in Mini-Art Quilts from Jennifer A. </span><a href="https://www.jenniferannreis.com/9v0aadpabm0wlcytgptjs3cydz8f2c">://www.jenniferannreis.com/9v0aadpabm0wlcytgptjs3cydz8f2c</a></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It was a free class at the library, and it was so fun! She had piles of scraps of fabric to choose from, and I chose the couple in the left corner. She taught us how to make yoyo flowers, which I'd never done, so those went in. When I got it home, I couldn't stop. I have a very large collection of beads, and beaded the vines, added the flower beads and then appliquéd some batik flowers. The crocheted flowers (I make an exception in my dislike of crochet to make flowers) to mimic the flowers in the bride's hands. Then I "quilted" the background with groups of three beads, the way Jennifer taught us. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I had so much fun doing that, I started looking at the quilt that's on my blog's masthead. Well, I'm quilting and beading and happy as can be! I haven't quilted since I got my first loom, and it came back so naturally. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCwRtlb6lOYJL-7Z7XjY-jRsCpx1wma6ZicIYpHNYiSqQfbbKu80p4vrTH0I2keb7EfLHgnR7K3H2_3osfstEO-IoJMaCR3iEweMZ9vv4pUGbShBcLMouAAwhkUC5dpXcR52fTuugi79gnYEhU3zSvFzYHqhuHCP1ZZgqG0QTB3s4qtF0j0cXUY76u8w8/s2048/67E8E419-D8E7-4A9E-B184-F815EC4868D3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCwRtlb6lOYJL-7Z7XjY-jRsCpx1wma6ZicIYpHNYiSqQfbbKu80p4vrTH0I2keb7EfLHgnR7K3H2_3osfstEO-IoJMaCR3iEweMZ9vv4pUGbShBcLMouAAwhkUC5dpXcR52fTuugi79gnYEhU3zSvFzYHqhuHCP1ZZgqG0QTB3s4qtF0j0cXUY76u8w8/w400-h400/67E8E419-D8E7-4A9E-B184-F815EC4868D3.jpeg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I can't quite photograph it to do it justice. And Purl has been sleeping on it when I'm not home, so don't mind the cat hair. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I take my second cup of coffee to the studio every morning and just quilt and bead for an hour. So peaceful and so satisfying!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">And of course I'm thinking, what's next? I can quilt the two tops I have waiting, as soon as I finish this one. One needs backing, and one is huge, but I'm really feeling it! I can't wait!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I've got some fig jam waiting to be jarred. I'll send this out into the universe, and imagine what LouAnn would comment.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Be well!<br /><br /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16308570073032398834noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8245430321571636931.post-65659303047534659942023-04-23T13:18:00.001-04:002023-04-23T13:18:34.044-04:00Welcome, Spring!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fJqA0Aa_FAl9CtRzX66ATS5YzttZapDSa3aMQoII9tUn-0TSLOs6Mn3GufnPvS_8Inn7ZPOgvhUdMzIvPekZDDkvqiksbqYvNZEObEaxuJmyhbWw8qRTfVHYVY1SqCe_cvAYNlAGt8wyyLUGKIHEk1sq93xEIFUr8CliJMuw9UKURfh3RYcmeW4N/s2048/CE733DC6-3584-45CF-93CE-A519B7FB9E33.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fJqA0Aa_FAl9CtRzX66ATS5YzttZapDSa3aMQoII9tUn-0TSLOs6Mn3GufnPvS_8Inn7ZPOgvhUdMzIvPekZDDkvqiksbqYvNZEObEaxuJmyhbWw8qRTfVHYVY1SqCe_cvAYNlAGt8wyyLUGKIHEk1sq93xEIFUr8CliJMuw9UKURfh3RYcmeW4N/w640-h640/CE733DC6-3584-45CF-93CE-A519B7FB9E33.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <span style="font-family: arial;">I love spring in the southeast. And I love hard-working perennials, some of which you see here from around the yard. Later today, when the sun is a bit higher, I'll finish the front flower bed and the herb garden. I tried a little while ago, and the soil was just too cold for my hands.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> So I'm cutting out two more pairs of the Worker's Trousers from the Modern Sewing Company, and then two of the Classic Shirt pattern. No photos yet, but I finished the fuchsia blouse from the adapted 1991 pattern. I'll make it again, but a little shorter and take in the enthusiastic dolman sleeves a little. I did get a nice compliment on the blouse at work yesterday, and I do like it, but that's the reason I sew: to modify things to my taste and my </span>body.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPgLMxbrdgVP7BuE4jul31ftqMaVhvfyx8ViTJvJXHW9MRUJanWsT3_bWs4sypJycBmYSwT8O5FhV5lvGPqo1RGBNFDJqG2kS28TyrihOMiT5WfsGhN92mMle8Pl3aBpoo9iodw47u5egys-BQZjby6ezD4e9cGh3ILHiHSxYuF0jbVbmNVnTtNnqO/s4032/IMG_3077.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPgLMxbrdgVP7BuE4jul31ftqMaVhvfyx8ViTJvJXHW9MRUJanWsT3_bWs4sypJycBmYSwT8O5FhV5lvGPqo1RGBNFDJqG2kS28TyrihOMiT5WfsGhN92mMle8Pl3aBpoo9iodw47u5egys-BQZjby6ezD4e9cGh3ILHiHSxYuF0jbVbmNVnTtNnqO/s320/IMG_3077.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"> I thought I'd finished the green Baby Gansey sweater this week, with a few yards to spare, was so excited, sewed it up and stepped back to admire it, only to see that I probably <i>should </i>have counted the stitches I picked up on the left sleeve after I finished the right one. Now, I have to rip them both out, re-knit them both, and finish the last inch or so in another yarn, a lovely alpaca blend that matches the color exactly. Always good to have a plan B, especially when one is too lazy to count pick-up stitches. A wise man once said, "If you didn't have time to do it the first time, why did you make it so you'd have to do it a second?" Or something like that. It's more toddler size than infant size, anyway, so I do have time. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> I didn't finish the afghan with hearts yet, and can I make a confession? I do not like to crochet., The only reason I'm going to persevere is that I love the hearts, and I don't think knitting it would have the same effect. The surrounding crochet stitches necessary to make the square are far too hole-y, and I really don't like them. I don't like the motion of crochet, and I have a lot of trouble following the pattern. Enough whining! But I will finish it. I do love the yarn, and I think it will be lovely. A friend suggested I put it aside for now, and give it as a Valentine's gift, a lovely idea. I might, but I doubt I'll leave it simmering that long.</span><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8vSGiZq8dsMk_8IvkBB_MlcBSEBlju5hSq_grSwE41Tf5GpZNJZYqkkY5b5nMcLB1XUY4--UL-7VqY-7QOKV7nw9jBTFtiyLbgwju0iXBLq74AnyUpxWCpm1f5X8RaGjQL3PJd0hCdDIVhXr_zWaZu_2_RcqzlFH-gvjdFcSApbwWGqwKA8HeulHg/s4032/IMG_3040.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8vSGiZq8dsMk_8IvkBB_MlcBSEBlju5hSq_grSwE41Tf5GpZNJZYqkkY5b5nMcLB1XUY4--UL-7VqY-7QOKV7nw9jBTFtiyLbgwju0iXBLq74AnyUpxWCpm1f5X8RaGjQL3PJd0hCdDIVhXr_zWaZu_2_RcqzlFH-gvjdFcSApbwWGqwKA8HeulHg/w240-h248/IMG_3040.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span> The baby shower was nice, and I had a lovely visit with Matt and Rachel-Kate. One morning, I walked around Radnor Lake State Park, and saw Blue Herons building their nexts and tending their babies, and saw a pair of Bald Eagles doing the same. </span><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span> I'm having a lot of trouble with Blogger right now, trying to load the pictures, so I hope you enjoy what I'm able to add. Moving the photos around in this platform is so frustrating! </span><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /><br /><br /><span><br /></span></span></span></p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVUeEy_lJb4CK4iHdd3F8CBiPW6tWPvlxC-QK47Uh2qEdPi9WxV4nDFW69HL0ve_olcFkd6pt1pMgJXnVwcS2MliVXHWYUDPBmEJCyfcucF3tFGNQmmAjwJIP-jx6DTwkIRLjxnKYYV-b_OF0H5G5WOEAH1SUkSpRnCt0segyevyfWExuvN2fX4XSr/s4032/IMG_3042.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVUeEy_lJb4CK4iHdd3F8CBiPW6tWPvlxC-QK47Uh2qEdPi9WxV4nDFW69HL0ve_olcFkd6pt1pMgJXnVwcS2MliVXHWYUDPBmEJCyfcucF3tFGNQmmAjwJIP-jx6DTwkIRLjxnKYYV-b_OF0H5G5WOEAH1SUkSpRnCt0segyevyfWExuvN2fX4XSr/w300-h400/IMG_3042.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue Herons nesting</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> </span><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='61' height='51' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyZ5oJbUhvfL2XOwf3rK4aOn7-M8ysFCA3Cg-XFmt8AtDiyRi2p73z8dvjhL9aKzxsOkNWKogYVvnEsrRig8A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyLP93aW4wJ-6QH1DSEbfRKkkhAv67vu8x4T2CYYKxu6RYw2ACapAYMrfjlgMty5d7Hm0hIeqkXertqNzvX1Ok_ou8B1JGeyYrUZM1zgbsTNvBaE_1eGzkTyGQQf3q3hTUVdv2MckN4rF1FxyfW3xTIWKYR8NkP35dIQD5tFZwYuVaYfbUwTBrss0/s4032/IMG_3050.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyLP93aW4wJ-6QH1DSEbfRKkkhAv67vu8x4T2CYYKxu6RYw2ACapAYMrfjlgMty5d7Hm0hIeqkXertqNzvX1Ok_ou8B1JGeyYrUZM1zgbsTNvBaE_1eGzkTyGQQf3q3hTUVdv2MckN4rF1FxyfW3xTIWKYR8NkP35dIQD5tFZwYuVaYfbUwTBrss0/w150-h200/IMG_3050.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Rachel-Kate is modeling the finally-finished Baby Surprise jacket. The real surprise is that I finished it. I've clearly made a mistake, since the edges are supposed to be square, but it is finished and she likes it, which is what's important. I do love the multi-colored car seat blanket. It's bright and cheerful. When it falls down between the car seats, they'll be able to find it!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzs78ByIKabJGSnqlUXWA5WXcJh5e5LLl02S9n6YmkRp9wqSFspOE8puWnWzMSUKoV941-gpXuYThyzctaa3cgZM8E7zwoqjTQkHelb-30eVfe9pjKXqQxjUbOwP2ewkWR0duQUFPr1v5wrcfJxlQsvGmMlb3Y495RExrJCO31Bh6j7upUUVsAJUm/s4032/IMG_3049.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzs78ByIKabJGSnqlUXWA5WXcJh5e5LLl02S9n6YmkRp9wqSFspOE8puWnWzMSUKoV941-gpXuYThyzctaa3cgZM8E7zwoqjTQkHelb-30eVfe9pjKXqQxjUbOwP2ewkWR0duQUFPr1v5wrcfJxlQsvGmMlb3Y495RExrJCO31Bh6j7upUUVsAJUm/w150-h200/IMG_3049.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm going to give up trying to add more photos for now, and go walk Wiley on this gorgeous spring morning. I hope you're able to enjoy it, too!<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16308570073032398834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8245430321571636931.post-9818363152243327782023-03-16T07:28:00.000-04:002023-03-16T07:28:27.277-04:00Playing Hooky<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">Shhh! Don't tell on me, but I took a week off work to recuperate from a surgery that isn't going to happen after all. I fell off the ladder when I was painting the ceiling, thinking I only hurt my foot--not badly, just OW!--and two days later, my ribs felt sore. I went to the doctor and she said Gall Bladder! I had an ultrasound, and they said, yeah, gall bladder. So I scheduled things, asked for a week off and then the surgeon said no, nothing wrong. Carry on. So I am. Today, a truckload of mulch is coming, Weft is going to the vet for his annual check-up, and in between will be fibery fun.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvnKiycmxC5y0eM8zX0XifZQtZ2o4fvAULkQKUY08rOmyQKIywjMxIW5VtWDRFIzEBd5wgQF3nnHLpos-K72vGKpiFLnNeCNSuIulhhDdNdwpo4WksXrQIjpiNYMUHr9Sr8dk8CudN5Rfurc1AIs4m_oUINCJ-xdwo0krP8FVZnNobzof3MqHx_UXu/s4032/70051961718__9862AC8B-9F15-43CB-965F-A9B1146324F9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvnKiycmxC5y0eM8zX0XifZQtZ2o4fvAULkQKUY08rOmyQKIywjMxIW5VtWDRFIzEBd5wgQF3nnHLpos-K72vGKpiFLnNeCNSuIulhhDdNdwpo4WksXrQIjpiNYMUHr9Sr8dk8CudN5Rfurc1AIs4m_oUINCJ-xdwo0krP8FVZnNobzof3MqHx_UXu/w150-h200/70051961718__9862AC8B-9F15-43CB-965F-A9B1146324F9.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">First of all is some secret crocheting. Yes, you read that correctly: crocheting. I'd love to show you, but I can only show you a snippet. I'm trying to get something done in time for the baby shower on April 1, and I doubt I can, but that won't stop me from trying. </span><p></p><p><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Secondly, I ordered two new PDF patterns to be printed this morning. There's the Classic Shirt by Modern Sewing Company and the Town Bag by Grainline Studios (http://grainlinestudio.com). The Town Bag is a knitting bag, but I think will do well for an everyday bag, too. I want to try it in denim, and I have some upholstery fabric from Mom's stash I want to try, too, with some leather or suede trim, also from her stash.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs7SXlyGR6DMfpSUO3PItFRlPjGSjMNzSHswcaLmIQigA5HEZMMj6fEguFfcSXBteskJ8OWz41vxIpT-I-TfthYUc_-0LXshnOewXVfJh4VQAVOp_cBsBnXhxlIK9bh80JXAQXbobZae_Q5em4R0yt5ZJ_YZVltYWwD8EaET6Ck9c0A8W-d-DeSzU5/s4032/IMG_2994.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs7SXlyGR6DMfpSUO3PItFRlPjGSjMNzSHswcaLmIQigA5HEZMMj6fEguFfcSXBteskJ8OWz41vxIpT-I-TfthYUc_-0LXshnOewXVfJh4VQAVOp_cBsBnXhxlIK9bh80JXAQXbobZae_Q5em4R0yt5ZJ_YZVltYWwD8EaET6Ck9c0A8W-d-DeSzU5/s320/IMG_2994.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">And finally, some more Worker's Trousers from MSC in a plaid fabric from way back that I've been carrying around for decades. But check out the fabric I've used for the binding and the pocket lining!</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWqx2eJ82g7_F97ogqwPs6wYXXENgZdYKPMk1-Q27bKgmsDSJHENRVj6q6CC29MT1032ynDuZ-EGfZrbHY3-we9brclZluQr6CBenCAZTqLHJ8YdNqLYddYNFY-Jpr8QPntrhQ4R9YWKKr5OUdqTJ8jk4gf45CY7hOpfcL_29O7XBd0uhnJzVlEDRW/s4032/IMG_2993.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWqx2eJ82g7_F97ogqwPs6wYXXENgZdYKPMk1-Q27bKgmsDSJHENRVj6q6CC29MT1032ynDuZ-EGfZrbHY3-we9brclZluQr6CBenCAZTqLHJ8YdNqLYddYNFY-Jpr8QPntrhQ4R9YWKKr5OUdqTJ8jk4gf45CY7hOpfcL_29O7XBd0uhnJzVlEDRW/s320/IMG_2993.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">And I put a single-welt pocket in the back instead of the pattern's large patch pockets. It took me at least five tries to get this pocket right. There was cursing. But it ended up nicely in the end. And yes, there is a lot of cat hair on these pants. Every time I set them down, someone laid on them. It'll come out in the wash. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I still need to topstitch the waistband and hem them. Up next for this pattern is some 97% cotton-3% spandex denim in off white. I'll make them slightly longer, single-welt pockets on both sides, and I'm on the look-out for some sexy lining fabric.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYakOCEw8aYgkzynOnnyOTTu0J51SD1zSizjhufkeiHXK3VyWNWa3uQ1KECvv5RwYH_ClXi5lcHTIHz17zrraOS4jrxir3V8TDfkCU_oe_6YAaCTm2-Xd6xGxlL0NvbGx1nWrUHri9-Qaza_vZU1-MgDDmqktK9CkRaUX-SSzgZS_tZB_UWFmfe6pY/s4032/IMG_2985.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYakOCEw8aYgkzynOnnyOTTu0J51SD1zSizjhufkeiHXK3VyWNWa3uQ1KECvv5RwYH_ClXi5lcHTIHz17zrraOS4jrxir3V8TDfkCU_oe_6YAaCTm2-Xd6xGxlL0NvbGx1nWrUHri9-Qaza_vZU1-MgDDmqktK9CkRaUX-SSzgZS_tZB_UWFmfe6pY/s320/IMG_2985.jpeg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />Tuesday was Pi day, 3.14, so I made two: the apple crumble--my favorite!--on top was for my fiber group that meets every Tuesday, and the bottom one was pecan for my sister. It turned out to be the best pecan pie I've ever made! It wasn't so cloyingly sweet as most, certainly not as much as the recipe I used to use in my professional days. I adapted it from a recipe on the New York Times Cooking app. The crust recipe is from the American Heritage Cookbook, my family's all-time favorite cookbook.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">PECAN PIE</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Crust:<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">In a stand mixer with paddle, combine:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">1 teaspoon kosher salt</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">1/3 cup shortening</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">1/3 cup cold butter, cubed</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Mix until the butter and shortening are in small pieces, about the size of small peas.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Pour in slowly with the mixer running:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">ice cold water, about 5-6 tablespoons</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Mix just until the dough starts to come together. Remove from mixer and with a few quick strokes, form into a ball and flatten to about 1 inch thick. Wrap in parchment paper and chill for at least an hour. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">On a floured table, roll dough to about 1/8" thick and drape carefully into a 9 inch pie pan. Flute edges and place in the freezer while you make the filling.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Filling:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Combine in a bowl:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">1/2 cup butter</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">1/2 cup brown sugar</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">1/2 cup light corn syrup</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">1 teaspoon kosher salt</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cream well, then add:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">2 teaspoons vanilla extract</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">1 cup whole eggs (4-6, depending on the size of your eggs)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Add the eggs slowly, scraping down the bowl after each addition.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Par-bake pie shell for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Pour into par-baked shell:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">2 cups pecan pieces</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Pour filling into shell over pecans. Now, here you can get fancy and place pecan halves on top in a pattern. But it always breaks my heart when you cut into it, and the pecan halves push into the pie. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Bake at 350 for about 35-45 minutes, or until custard is set. Let cool before cutting and serving.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16308570073032398834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8245430321571636931.post-62849288418229904522023-03-01T10:08:00.003-05:002023-03-01T10:09:56.633-05:00Sewing Room Wednesday<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy_wqEXXx9nSdz3FqhrruRLZ_v0RsPjsAXMwmBGrBOQJA3RgXOCkz1yOkACVYER7fC78UqTLYk3NMx2imJGplwcvkBcSxgY7IhoQzRH0AOeo9HbTaJ81ZJnZ9aNDO_Ji7Ig9mxVnPD7-l30pCRNOb4CGdARXg39nPcswmsajy4ZlzgnVH2kT_6oaC5/s4032/IMG_2961.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy_wqEXXx9nSdz3FqhrruRLZ_v0RsPjsAXMwmBGrBOQJA3RgXOCkz1yOkACVYER7fC78UqTLYk3NMx2imJGplwcvkBcSxgY7IhoQzRH0AOeo9HbTaJ81ZJnZ9aNDO_Ji7Ig9mxVnPD7-l30pCRNOb4CGdARXg39nPcswmsajy4ZlzgnVH2kT_6oaC5/s320/IMG_2961.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: arial;">The Sewcation continues apace. I haven't really even paused, except to work, more than I want to. I have had single days off for the last two weeks, and it continues through the next week, but I persevere! I have fallen deeply in love with my Bernina 730 Record. I thought it needed its lower belt replaced, but when I pulled it out of its box, it was fine. I'm still discovering how to use it, still figuring out things like buttonholes and its reverse serging stitch. But I love the way it smells! Has anyone else noticed the way an old manual machine smells? It's kind of a lovely old oil smell. And maybe that's weird, but I do love it.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvzP2aabn1eYFumQLJV8sK0HNcsD0JHSCVAx4LhEqp8N4FVF6o-avmdrURFGN7o9gOjVXJqRRWjucmT6nxcTPnCNz7Rjk2FLLOvFnl0wU1uIeg_A6PK8nfoXhLi8Nmglp70lzuGgXcmLtE5Sn2o-460BDIkaunKx7LwAwRrDmxfg8zbLZynlx_SQtD/s4032/IMG_2960.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvzP2aabn1eYFumQLJV8sK0HNcsD0JHSCVAx4LhEqp8N4FVF6o-avmdrURFGN7o9gOjVXJqRRWjucmT6nxcTPnCNz7Rjk2FLLOvFnl0wU1uIeg_A6PK8nfoXhLi8Nmglp70lzuGgXcmLtE5Sn2o-460BDIkaunKx7LwAwRrDmxfg8zbLZynlx_SQtD/s320/IMG_2960.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">And with the Record, I can have two projects going at once. The Virtuosa 150 is smooth and slick, and I know just what buttons to push when I need something done. It doesn't smell like anything, but I know it'll do what it's asked.<br />Right now, the Record is working on a springtime dress, a light, lovely cotton print I bought about 5 years ago.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKX3nzX7tQGOuns7VzBKIp3kGrVLh9NDxG7nVZfnPP4Pt3UNbQ_hLI3WmhYGCWkrUEvHoppaVoZUF6h8dIjMjRO1IDsyKnFBST0mFs5MTPQpF5ZJSzcXZBETEVVU6oxlEnjpR0zbGRwqlNkuKmyU1vvpRK2ctIaTFq5cTIsQfWq0MmJmS7sGiZZZso/s4032/IMG_2971.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKX3nzX7tQGOuns7VzBKIp3kGrVLh9NDxG7nVZfnPP4Pt3UNbQ_hLI3WmhYGCWkrUEvHoppaVoZUF6h8dIjMjRO1IDsyKnFBST0mFs5MTPQpF5ZJSzcXZBETEVVU6oxlEnjpR0zbGRwqlNkuKmyU1vvpRK2ctIaTFq5cTIsQfWq0MmJmS7sGiZZZso/w240-h320/IMG_2971.jpeg" width="240" /></a></span><span style="font-family: arial;">And the Virtuosa is about to start a new pair of pants. I just finished a pair of Worker Trousers from The Modern Sewing Company. I learned how to do a button fly, and at long last, made a pair of pants that fit me. I quit a long time ago trying to make pants that fit me, especially when you can get a pair of pants ready-made for less than you pay for fabric to make a pair. But I really like the style of these pants, and am very glad I kept at it, even though it took three weeks!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2sRXvNMOiSj_TZUgQhUgR70DglG0T1SBWJUE5aiZ8KWATptdLhRQVee3btPEbVUN5uRTL2YqyuaTvvwfJsE3SyyPtOlDzL1ZGxUcJANDXoP2biI8LeVe6IxJmokqhlJ1dhhL5l5Iuzsm6wzhPbbQrdR40zylatSFBOk2marHoVC8RzYIyQQmEZui/s4032/IMG_2970.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2sRXvNMOiSj_TZUgQhUgR70DglG0T1SBWJUE5aiZ8KWATptdLhRQVee3btPEbVUN5uRTL2YqyuaTvvwfJsE3SyyPtOlDzL1ZGxUcJANDXoP2biI8LeVe6IxJmokqhlJ1dhhL5l5Iuzsm6wzhPbbQrdR40zylatSFBOk2marHoVC8RzYIyQQmEZui/w150-h200/IMG_2970.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I'll wear them today with the finished flannel shirt that I talked about last post. I've already worn it once, but it looks so perfect with these pants, I can't resist. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLj8TEED3nEVWs6i8MCzNgZdgNHAOrPUy3N14O6U_Zi41_J055tpPBwfZpwIvmvf5gEBBHPujOO0lD0-YNrlXV7p3Lqp3wRgNXnASCLLzS5q9yx-_Xiq-hjCQRIpbabMI2Qncs45DLyD5C3fcrSHUXMadCz8N_Hq3XcT5AnEcHmwr3qEpsRc4Ao_mW/s4032/IMG_2965.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLj8TEED3nEVWs6i8MCzNgZdgNHAOrPUy3N14O6U_Zi41_J055tpPBwfZpwIvmvf5gEBBHPujOO0lD0-YNrlXV7p3Lqp3wRgNXnASCLLzS5q9yx-_Xiq-hjCQRIpbabMI2Qncs45DLyD5C3fcrSHUXMadCz8N_Hq3XcT5AnEcHmwr3qEpsRc4Ao_mW/s320/IMG_2965.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiua8VylrGYXUn7wHp7GlAUGuX5Qr6tuassjb92MS5GTppAFGPiYycl0WyTiiHpRxloggxDlBlK2IVcMzHLRM6JCJkkaIqKMY89wL1xEZoyjpmbh7hoxJhM6sWECYpnCYdCOYTxnagRvxYyDBRMSwvwxvbWM3upPeSGXx77zamquluRFVnq41CWxGtz/s4032/IMG_2968.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiua8VylrGYXUn7wHp7GlAUGuX5Qr6tuassjb92MS5GTppAFGPiYycl0WyTiiHpRxloggxDlBlK2IVcMzHLRM6JCJkkaIqKMY89wL1xEZoyjpmbh7hoxJhM6sWECYpnCYdCOYTxnagRvxYyDBRMSwvwxvbWM3upPeSGXx77zamquluRFVnq41CWxGtz/w150-h200/IMG_2968.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p>A blast from the past is a skirt I had languishing in the bottom of a box, and I was worried about finishing it, since I was positive it wouldn't fit. Well, I tried it on before I hand-picked the zipper in place, and it did fit! I hand-picked the zipper with beads so it shows, and liked it so much, I beaded the kick pleat top. It's very fancy, so I'm not sure when I'll wear it, but it goes perfectly with a knit cardigan I also finished last week.</span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju0eKzbYvW1JWgveLcIBJbk-YQP75AuVWn4ffFvCyeavuCkQD7QMCFaHWLT-PekqGQt3odWPHaxWQmU_e4ea_IPWFAW6V6abkdjRuXa-oDbMMbG1-EgbSJzGvCgO3SDVkq2vtdcKo1bXCDwnmQkakvJdr-cgLW4cyK2McLWPeaKK_dWzhA7yOzVXZS/s4032/IMG_2969.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju0eKzbYvW1JWgveLcIBJbk-YQP75AuVWn4ffFvCyeavuCkQD7QMCFaHWLT-PekqGQt3odWPHaxWQmU_e4ea_IPWFAW6V6abkdjRuXa-oDbMMbG1-EgbSJzGvCgO3SDVkq2vtdcKo1bXCDwnmQkakvJdr-cgLW4cyK2McLWPeaKK_dWzhA7yOzVXZS/w150-h200/IMG_2969.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I've been knitting, too, mostly at work when I'm answering phone calls, but nothing new to show yet. And the weaving studio at the other end of the house stands sadly neglected. I'm having the realization that I'm sure many retired people have, that all that time I thought I'd have is still not enough. </span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifizbbcuUo_hG0IA3lEZyzTWRTe_rv1TjoNSkNJn3i5LNbDrr5vG8124DUP2hIIQ9AlnIZTdNx-_aazzYAYmsCKAP8jWXOq8mj84hgeER_MrLXI0Pc6z1Zu44KQI8yzZ5dMTyFUz3sxM-3OdsXS5eiZ2jGHOy6XTxgg1GHd94HBldB9g1aMR9piyL_/s2048/505D74D9-60F3-4F9B-BD08-1BCC0B33CA5D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifizbbcuUo_hG0IA3lEZyzTWRTe_rv1TjoNSkNJn3i5LNbDrr5vG8124DUP2hIIQ9AlnIZTdNx-_aazzYAYmsCKAP8jWXOq8mj84hgeER_MrLXI0Pc6z1Zu44KQI8yzZ5dMTyFUz3sxM-3OdsXS5eiZ2jGHOy6XTxgg1GHd94HBldB9g1aMR9piyL_/s320/505D74D9-60F3-4F9B-BD08-1BCC0B33CA5D.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />Let me leave you with this: my gorgeous camellias finally in bloom. They're right outside my bedroom window, so I admire them twice daily while I brush my teeth. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Back to the sewing room!<br /><br /><br /></span><p></p></div>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16308570073032398834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8245430321571636931.post-79217619170096047132023-01-29T08:05:00.008-05:002023-01-29T08:06:44.670-05:00Sewcation 2023<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">I need some new clothes, clothes that fit this body that I now inhabit, so every day off I've had for the last two weeks has been spent in the sewing room. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0gGzRFsyRpvHAauCxj-xF3PGR24t5iozv0df4Ggs0poWE9_aohAXcrFUz5F9yFbPuv2BEhTj5L0PPbeuH-BbTRvKTMzIn9REYXx3bE-CxooQLWRVuMYaYddCZOmD8tQR7eu0kgm3Xot-gvguZogkNGfb8HA53qA96lh6a1sfScS9-KuxsPg8vbwA/s4032/IMG_2896.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0gGzRFsyRpvHAauCxj-xF3PGR24t5iozv0df4Ggs0poWE9_aohAXcrFUz5F9yFbPuv2BEhTj5L0PPbeuH-BbTRvKTMzIn9REYXx3bE-CxooQLWRVuMYaYddCZOmD8tQR7eu0kgm3Xot-gvguZogkNGfb8HA53qA96lh6a1sfScS9-KuxsPg8vbwA/s320/IMG_2896.jpeg" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I started with a winter coat I almost finished over 5 years ago, hemming and hand stitching and cutting the collar down to size. I hung it up when I was done, and saw that my hemming had caused the front to bunch up. I took out what I thought was causing it, but it still bounces up. I'll need to take out a lot more stitching, and I wasn't interested in going backwards, only forward!</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG8wE_MYeKFrstUt5HR7ARC2qfcSYLjZyRmbjqSQgu9ihcJLjWoLNDmdHz_K1BVLpeZbXFTk45j2QLvDbZK-1KNjvf5hJSArqaDs55_olBTKDB5BI6FNsT5tZs9499UID4Da-z_Zz83w7hmcPrJx9MH0-y_1Rxzz-Rwbo3ma7c78vvJcYxMySOLKOl/s3024/HipstamaticPhoto-696684270.683875.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG8wE_MYeKFrstUt5HR7ARC2qfcSYLjZyRmbjqSQgu9ihcJLjWoLNDmdHz_K1BVLpeZbXFTk45j2QLvDbZK-1KNjvf5hJSArqaDs55_olBTKDB5BI6FNsT5tZs9499UID4Da-z_Zz83w7hmcPrJx9MH0-y_1Rxzz-Rwbo3ma7c78vvJcYxMySOLKOl/s320/HipstamaticPhoto-696684270.683875.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">So I pulled out a denim jacket I cut out over four years ago, and worked on it. I finished it this morning, and will wear it to work tomorrow. It took me a week just to find the right buttons, and I think these work pretty well. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjolvwx7DeVasvVK2Ic_lLu5ni8ll2hYHb5yqMgqDv3odE1sf_bnhvDbbV7uwmhv7HYG7AekLsqc1ubp42qfy78a52TCA84MmGmBq2wPUIVHG--rgKtxsXOmuzYsDyV6MGYtqZ3a0fEnqRmvxTNq2m_xJBy6oKpS2R_SiFCNNn4uWuLnsw3-5Wqi5bH/s3024/HipstamaticPhoto-696684850.887296.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjolvwx7DeVasvVK2Ic_lLu5ni8ll2hYHb5yqMgqDv3odE1sf_bnhvDbbV7uwmhv7HYG7AekLsqc1ubp42qfy78a52TCA84MmGmBq2wPUIVHG--rgKtxsXOmuzYsDyV6MGYtqZ3a0fEnqRmvxTNq2m_xJBy6oKpS2R_SiFCNNn4uWuLnsw3-5Wqi5bH/s320/HipstamaticPhoto-696684850.887296.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><span style="font-family: arial;">When I was looking for the buttons, I found some sweet flannel prints at JoAnn's, somewhere I never buy fabric, due to past experience, but this was too cute, and too cheap. It was $2.99 a yard, and I may regret it if it rips or falls apart, but it's cheaper than muslin to try out some pattern alterations on an old favorite shirt from the "90's. I've added to gathers to the top to make it go over my hips and waist. Updates will be posted!</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzp8pJzfp_w_OUmitGaHaD8gqYJbp5eH7Yr584BEy4R93eIQlswwIH2LOkk1WnIQWB2dUfB6oa5_ZX_W6N83eFk1awWjQCxD0oL8J2Wjzff5958JcViI7DCJAeLIKJWf8DbboRohf_Fcp0QrcsP8_Zy7EQ7_pJj8fSjxTk1xHUkSHNtrhbntxS3HlE/s3024/HipstamaticPhoto-696684828.721800.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzp8pJzfp_w_OUmitGaHaD8gqYJbp5eH7Yr584BEy4R93eIQlswwIH2LOkk1WnIQWB2dUfB6oa5_ZX_W6N83eFk1awWjQCxD0oL8J2Wjzff5958JcViI7DCJAeLIKJWf8DbboRohf_Fcp0QrcsP8_Zy7EQ7_pJj8fSjxTk1xHUkSHNtrhbntxS3HlE/s320/HipstamaticPhoto-696684828.721800.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">And there will be more. I'm making a nightshirt out of a piece of flannel from Mom's stash, which needed more fabric from the JoAnn's flannel sale. That's next into the sewing machine.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> The gray will be a dress, and the fuchsia will be a blouse TBD. I also got a new pattern from The Modern Sewing Company for some pants. I bought a PDF, and sent the file to a company in California that prints them on wide paper. It's called the Pattern Printing Company, and they did a great job. I'll be buying more PDF patterns now, since I know they can do it well and cheaply. I could never see myself printing on my little home printer, then taping together 50 sheets to get the pattern in its entirety. </span><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span> I've been knitting, too, mostly at work or in the evenings or when I reach a particularly problematic problem in the sewing room, but no progress to show you.</span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD1paLB2vHqGiEcD9wMIGNQIgFXASsoe-ifsN4v1cHOL9tu4pNT20z4s8_iJx3-0BmZAd4evfc7NpWhzdNjCcRt-eWl4t5MP4ySDaUHfOl8Hjg67bJtSQhB2rWywO9-_xOSKV1d2Ts189d7TPBcLye5htRLkzoU3ZFcadh3bmSaMuVhkysfvUDR2bW/s2048/ADD00F18-FB72-4C2C-A848-588A0CDE3434.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD1paLB2vHqGiEcD9wMIGNQIgFXASsoe-ifsN4v1cHOL9tu4pNT20z4s8_iJx3-0BmZAd4evfc7NpWhzdNjCcRt-eWl4t5MP4ySDaUHfOl8Hjg67bJtSQhB2rWywO9-_xOSKV1d2Ts189d7TPBcLye5htRLkzoU3ZFcadh3bmSaMuVhkysfvUDR2bW/w400-h400/ADD00F18-FB72-4C2C-A848-588A0CDE3434.jpeg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><span>The orchids are starting to open. Here are the first four. </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span>Have a lovely end-of-January!</span></span></span></p>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16308570073032398834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8245430321571636931.post-12271470857345761352023-01-14T07:36:00.003-05:002023-01-14T07:45:36.000-05:00January<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLItqkDdApexnOdO0lzfEGw1rYK7zhfnvYirLSQJtlwn7EDr41D5JaWLBeqKEwNwQ-B15PwrGotiQYHoiYQ6XGqCaFPc249Gx0JSPp7kzStM-kS65QlRnmx30e8feGJMNv_6sLxh9OwIvEaOZBxnSzHFpr9pxhVoSOUyv_uTJcPgzVbunqU1C0ID1Y/s4032/IMG_2875.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLItqkDdApexnOdO0lzfEGw1rYK7zhfnvYirLSQJtlwn7EDr41D5JaWLBeqKEwNwQ-B15PwrGotiQYHoiYQ6XGqCaFPc249Gx0JSPp7kzStM-kS65QlRnmx30e8feGJMNv_6sLxh9OwIvEaOZBxnSzHFpr9pxhVoSOUyv_uTJcPgzVbunqU1C0ID1Y/w240-h320/IMG_2875.jpeg" width="240" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When I was four or five, my brother and I were sitting on a hillside near our house, watching the Tucson sky change colors as the sun set, talking about when we would be grown ups. He said in the year 2000, he would be 45, and I would be 43. We thought about that for a while, watching a rabbit run from creosote bush to sage brush below us. Wow, that seemed like forever from then! To actually achieve that ancient age, in a new millennium! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> Well, that evening seems like forever ago, and here we are in 2023. I've just retired, and he's waiting for his wife to retire, so they can start new adventures. Where is my new adventure taking me? I have finally convinced my supervisor to schedule me only 20 hours a week, and I am filling the rest of the time with stuff I love doing. I pick two tasks a day that I don't want to do but must do, and spend the rest of the day doing what I want to do. Finally, I get to act retired!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdCse7dpxef5qz8WuJ6ubE3vmOlYO2JNEAERafGWQkNV7QpJjq996pzMy6SfCEkNpmtdhRQ5HQ9LjMelSkNS7B9-216-hP6Y3YRYqIdGWKHqk5DqCCzHabOaME7NNXkhL4LFKDWLGiZGcGsJTKXNSfbcOOXw4LOfNF1ncb6qHzjcF-rD77jmmPzxBh/s4032/69514139907__5DA337AA-11B3-4D17-B0D0-2FAE6D979DBC.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdCse7dpxef5qz8WuJ6ubE3vmOlYO2JNEAERafGWQkNV7QpJjq996pzMy6SfCEkNpmtdhRQ5HQ9LjMelSkNS7B9-216-hP6Y3YRYqIdGWKHqk5DqCCzHabOaME7NNXkhL4LFKDWLGiZGcGsJTKXNSfbcOOXw4LOfNF1ncb6qHzjcF-rD77jmmPzxBh/s320/69514139907__5DA337AA-11B3-4D17-B0D0-2FAE6D979DBC.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span> I've spent some time knitting outdoors on a lovely week of 70 degree afternoons, huddled inside knitting when it's too cold, even knitting at work! It's fun to knit teeny-tiny socks with all the leftover sock yarn I've accumulated through the years.</span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz-h5T7A-h-VNwc9zFs6B-jJl6Lgu-_RGdi6Rxa6tko9yWEJdlTcEM5SUWM-s14jMishnw9JTnwKqBd2wWN2a6Lft2uOfY3i6A_nw2KNeWTbu3V-nY326iMiyuMO6zg86jPZGmnO9MV6pk0mnoIGM6I4mVvPhNzv4AQOongJhU2r_3CTD-1gwN9ay2/s4032/69482412339__74FF7CBE-1DD7-490D-A566-494E4771C240.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz-h5T7A-h-VNwc9zFs6B-jJl6Lgu-_RGdi6Rxa6tko9yWEJdlTcEM5SUWM-s14jMishnw9JTnwKqBd2wWN2a6Lft2uOfY3i6A_nw2KNeWTbu3V-nY326iMiyuMO6zg86jPZGmnO9MV6pk0mnoIGM6I4mVvPhNzv4AQOongJhU2r_3CTD-1gwN9ay2/s320/69482412339__74FF7CBE-1DD7-490D-A566-494E4771C240.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div> But the best thing I've done in the past two weeks is finish the lovely sheep yoke sweater. Knitting baby sweaters is so fun, because they're so fast, even when I didn't pay enough attention to the increases in the yoke and had to start over again. I duplicate-stitched the faces and feet on the sheep, and laid the sweater on the table for a few days to admire and run my hand over when I was near. And then, I put the buttons on, with one vintage ceramic sheep button, and the others a sky blue-pink marbled type. I'm not sure about the non-sheep buttons yet, and I might need to go shopping for better buttons, but I do love this sweater!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIlXSDLPKoACb_HZ66JLPrmdYUE5Yf_VvGm8-ZEzyW6nqJqIr_HNYeAord95QkbTaAk8LUXuGEAN4enLXJaQwEEA5puy1lkgJq_luEAUMc_A-_C6r9sKZ2D0v1CppNjD6pAXtijeEmz_KBlX28uopFaHrHRCA_V3FZj36TX4QoYAM-KK-DcV1Fhvf9/s4032/IMG_2887.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIlXSDLPKoACb_HZ66JLPrmdYUE5Yf_VvGm8-ZEzyW6nqJqIr_HNYeAord95QkbTaAk8LUXuGEAN4enLXJaQwEEA5puy1lkgJq_luEAUMc_A-_C6r9sKZ2D0v1CppNjD6pAXtijeEmz_KBlX28uopFaHrHRCA_V3FZj36TX4QoYAM-KK-DcV1Fhvf9/w400-h300/IMG_2887.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /></span>I've started another sweater, too, a Gansey-inspired sweater from <u>One Skein Wonders for Babies.</u> No photos yet, because I'm not sure where I put it. My current projects are usually on the end table by my favorite chair in the living room, but this weekend, my sister and I are painting the living room. My sister says she doesn't think she's ever painted the living room, meaning it hasn't been painted in over 25 years. So there's priming first, and painting next. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span> <span> </span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span> <span> </span></span><br /></span></span></div></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqANg9mDhVWxwu72vQhFaXFkUwJUW1G9HsoG6Yr3egSgMD9qiS79lVfOmrRAgLGnN6j-8xbNSqKc2BY3VOoa8nzo8MBBaye3i5yd6JDCiHAfJsdP8NJZU2pkO4PqmIIef6jDpj5rz4gmH7An8dfamGHFZ0YghtChc7GteCeJ4moYuo1GfzPqcKdPeI/s4032/IMG_2889.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqANg9mDhVWxwu72vQhFaXFkUwJUW1G9HsoG6Yr3egSgMD9qiS79lVfOmrRAgLGnN6j-8xbNSqKc2BY3VOoa8nzo8MBBaye3i5yd6JDCiHAfJsdP8NJZU2pkO4PqmIIef6jDpj5rz4gmH7An8dfamGHFZ0YghtChc7GteCeJ4moYuo1GfzPqcKdPeI/w240-h320/IMG_2889.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial;">And this is the living room! Most of the projects were put in the studio, but a few are somewhere under all that plastic. It's going to look fresh and lovely when we're done, but that won't be until tomorrow. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">I'll find one project to take to the knitting guild meeting this morning, whichever I come across first, I suppose. And this afternoon, the room will get its second coat, a warm cream called Betsy's Linen, the color I've used all over the bedrooms and bathrooms already.</span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXhgFZmGzxC-IsJ4s0eJvEGGJmWQStuHunEZonDWNPyUWklwFYdmpS_3cs5gIKNGzjUUpfg3AP9XRF_p7pqMG-pZ7uQeCnjkW1N_8dzQXL4PinGqAukVZGtz1Jei16vpJ6QcF77gl3wk87mYF6xq0SySZufUfHG31NoJjURq0PJS7HcrYIqRPZwNsg/s4032/IMG_2888.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXhgFZmGzxC-IsJ4s0eJvEGGJmWQStuHunEZonDWNPyUWklwFYdmpS_3cs5gIKNGzjUUpfg3AP9XRF_p7pqMG-pZ7uQeCnjkW1N_8dzQXL4PinGqAukVZGtz1Jei16vpJ6QcF77gl3wk87mYF6xq0SySZufUfHG31NoJjURq0PJS7HcrYIqRPZwNsg/w150-h200/IMG_2888.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> I have also had time to take classes. I went to a Beginning Beading class at the library on </span>Thursday, and we made simple necklaces. It was a good group, really good teachers, and a lot of fun. I kept it simple, black and white, and it's not really something I'd usually wear, but I think it will spice up a black or gray turtleneck sometime this coming week. Then on the following week, I'm signed up for Basic Batik, something I've wanted to learn for a long time. Our library, Chesterfield County Library, has classes all the time, for all ages, and they're free! All the supplies are donated by Friends of the Library, so this necklace was free. Pretty awesome, I'd say. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> I haven't been cooking or baking at all since the holidays, but I'm thinking about making some bread today. My go-to bread recipe for at least the last 45 years has been based on the book, <u>The Tassajara Bread Book</u> by Edward Espe Brown. I tried to get enthusiastic about sourdough during its COVID heyday, but I just don't like it. I don't like being chained to a starter, feeding it, caring for it... I already have 4 pets! I don't need another one. So, I altered Mr. Brown's recipe, and it continues to evolve every time I make it.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Basic Bread </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">In a stand mixer bowl, stir together:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> 1 cup bread flour</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> 1 cup whole wheat flour</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> 1/2 teaspoon dry active yeast</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> 1/2 teaspoon sugar</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span> 1 1/2 cups warm water (105'-115' F)</span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a thin cotton towel and let rise for 3-4 hours.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Put the bowl on the mixer with the hook, and add:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> 1 cup whole wheat flour</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> 2 teaspoons kosher salt</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> 1 tablespoon molasses or golden cane sugar</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted butter</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Mix the dough with the hook until the dough pulls away from the bowl. You might need to add a little more bread flour, depending on the humidity that day.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> </span>Flour the countertop and place the dough on the flour. Knead for a few minutes until the dough is smooth. Place the dough in a buttered or oiled bowl that is at least twice the size of the ball of dough. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let rise in the warmest place in the kitchen until doubled in size, about 2-3 hours. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Form the dough into either a loaf for a loaf pan or a Boule--a round ball. Cover with that towel again and let rise until double, usually 1-1 1/2 hours, depending on the warmth of the room. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> </span>Preheat the oven to 400' F. Slash the loaf with a good sharp knife, about 1/4" into the dough.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Bake for about 30-35 minutes, until the bread is firm all around, medium brown in color and sounds hollow when thumped on the bottom. Although I have never successfully heard that hollow sound. Not on melons, either. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> </span>For the second stage of the recipe, you can substitute half the whole wheat flour with rye flour, old fashioned oats, semolina flour, anything you think might be delicious. You might need to add extra bread flour to make the dough come together, but just add a little at time, so the dough doesn't come out too dry.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> </span>Yes, this takes a long time! but the active work time is very little, and so worth the effort. You still have a slightly "sour" taste, without that pesky starter always asking for your time and flour. Have you ever watched Little House of Horrors? That's how I feel about sourdough starter. <br /></span><div><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p></div></div>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16308570073032398834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8245430321571636931.post-8631516457829492752022-12-24T09:35:00.007-05:002022-12-24T09:52:52.487-05:00Busy Work<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnLawg8vBvfzppU8iXLgu62rnd8mhDnRqs_ALEazPAIZgK6OB9HjjdURn_41hZxSr4mDRmmmfzFpgm0IfU5Lr0b_P-eUwrZwKy9DfCZsGrvI9eQp5ILeB2PdFZwbr9uoPWqIKoyMNjE_PFpJtHXTCvV0bZOq29f2SIjDiKW2HsattL5dKPidyFpQA2/s640/69291783460__ECA16D9F-E4DF-4C6F-B6F3-4BF62FAB6B04.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnLawg8vBvfzppU8iXLgu62rnd8mhDnRqs_ALEazPAIZgK6OB9HjjdURn_41hZxSr4mDRmmmfzFpgm0IfU5Lr0b_P-eUwrZwKy9DfCZsGrvI9eQp5ILeB2PdFZwbr9uoPWqIKoyMNjE_PFpJtHXTCvV0bZOq29f2SIjDiKW2HsattL5dKPidyFpQA2/w300-h400/69291783460__ECA16D9F-E4DF-4C6F-B6F3-4BF62FAB6B04.jpg" width="300" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: arial;">Merry Christmas, everyone!</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> It's bitterly cold here today, as it is in most of the eastern U.S., so I'm inside with my furry entourage. I'm finished with preparing for Christmas, boxes already received, local presents wrapped, and I'm trying to decide if I should make more cookies, and distribute them to my neighbors. Every time I go outside, the wind takes my breath away and I think staying inside all day is a great idea. I'd like to make the cookies, but I think I won't.</span><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span> My sister and I are having </span>birria, a Mexican chili-loaded stew, and I bought some fresh tortillas. I'll bring beer, limes and maybe some butter cookies. And I'll bring my stocking and grab hers, so we can meet in the morning for cinnamon rolls and presents. Then tomorrow night, we'll have prime rib, mashed potatoes, </span>broccoli raab and apple cider doughnut cake. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> This is why there are New Years' resolutions, right? So we can lose all the weight accumulated between Thanksgiving and New Years!</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1DvHNMSw9k4puJmZRRG_e107r-DfdNurDXive9vI9udLRDMZek7f8pit5_wfgVGnS5TQZPl8q-T23ZAvIbVdotty_c7m7xuQK7kw03H6V5I5YgXOt4-Ah8EodekUyXf7P_pBB2JmiiToLj3vom6ZWe-F07yVLlrfLS9MoEHq2aPWs12halXQmCWA/s640/IMG_2860.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1DvHNMSw9k4puJmZRRG_e107r-DfdNurDXive9vI9udLRDMZek7f8pit5_wfgVGnS5TQZPl8q-T23ZAvIbVdotty_c7m7xuQK7kw03H6V5I5YgXOt4-Ah8EodekUyXf7P_pBB2JmiiToLj3vom6ZWe-F07yVLlrfLS9MoEHq2aPWs12halXQmCWA/w150-h200/IMG_2860.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span> I finished everyone else's knitting yesterday, and finished one of my Christmas socks, but the other one will have to wait until next fall. And I was so excited that I'd finished all my gift knitting early, I cast on two projects yesterday. <br /> I think I can safely tell the world now that--drum roll, please!--I'm going to be a grandmother! So one of those projects is a sweater. It's an adorable cardigan, with a yoke of sheep across the top. I cast on, and knitted a few rows of the blue sky after the grey ribbed neck. The pattern is Sheep Yoke Baby Cardigan by Jennifer Little, and it's free on Ravelry. I must say that one thing I don't like is that she tells you to increase down the yoke, but not where, only indicating the rows, but warns not to make them in the same places or it will make it ugly. Maybe I don't knit top down enough to know when to increase without help, but then again, it's a free pattern, so I guess I can do some math. I prefer raglan sleeves, where I know when and where to increase!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMMmCNi-PnaQ6TDZsdeyhveAW4RX-sIBK2sRquVhIZ7ETowdOkigFFQVmQ7rIqgrzw-Yf1-Z2dndl2rk6E13e-flOin0gvYxmA7qQgYjz81NSlfn6EafZLXsS-7vil1hbZjafvYeFFXIS6wT4Po2Nm_1Z46lX7nETBW_YqmqRrFwB77f6apWAqM3qx/s640/IMG_2862.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMMmCNi-PnaQ6TDZsdeyhveAW4RX-sIBK2sRquVhIZ7ETowdOkigFFQVmQ7rIqgrzw-Yf1-Z2dndl2rk6E13e-flOin0gvYxmA7qQgYjz81NSlfn6EafZLXsS-7vil1hbZjafvYeFFXIS6wT4Po2Nm_1Z46lX7nETBW_YqmqRrFwB77f6apWAqM3qx/s320/IMG_2862.jpg" width="240" /></a></div></span>The other thing I cast on was socks for my son, the only one on my list who didn't get socks for Christmas (besides me, but that doesn't count), and appreciates my hand-knitted socks. I'm knitting the heels, toes and possible cuffs in a lovely wine-red, and knitting the bodies in a fun, quickly-changing blue-green-red-white hand-dyed yarn. I'm about an inch above the red toes this morning, but I had to stop knitting because my hands were aching. They're 2x2 rib, so I can take them to work to knit when I'm working the Info Line, so they should be done soon.</span></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span> Since I'm stuck inside today, I could do a few other things other than knitting. Like cleaning. No, it's Christmas Eve. Or sewing. Nah, don't feel like it. Or weaving? Maybe. Maybe I should wind some warps. Because when it gets warmer, which is supposed to happen by Tuesday, I really need to do some dyeing! </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span> One of the cookies I managed to get done this week for my co-workers was Biscotti, and I share a very simple recipe with you that you can make as fancy or plain as you like.</span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span> Well, whatever I decide to do, I will let you know next week. Have a wonderful holiday weekend!</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUk00N6qz_oFewmWU1kN0zdWhbwMMx5Zk4kqcUJpkyO2lIqP18MERT3Wzw4stDD1kSLS1NCocy4rQk-_0lmFKgo9R1zdTV1lvF9HPaUmY64ux0klJqziuz5vcbzy-jfoHYLiHf2zbJ3nfX4R8XUdTtq-lBGM6_heb6ce9mXBQrDfw9Yhi78ayh2FpI/s4032/IMG_2850.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj85HAz7DYK0J6RHZjFgkKfObZDAST_rwe84uMZNhD-Flf1Y73iYXcEp41je7-aSuiYyRnPOWzbqh0ehQLbn3Ut6YFU3YKxe7TCnKaK0hCmgaGYVs1VUMkK69cyqDSyOoNB_ReGtOtYPRQit0wjb1biFJ61w3qAx5gbWTco7WpRwnI1Jb1q69KIGpEM/s4032/IMG_2849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div></div><b>BISCOTTI</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>makes about 48</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnh5HmOCe4a9TPIeHTv_55GnXlCOV2YU1NnFa4o2nHY0CbnAW2IuuKEULQgxNu6GdweuOxLF3zo1Ic9wgFKwxtalbrOS8VWPhzvHXNrx1YPFMIDfAZJqvVV0VMCRahqwpP8HsyVcPT5H5jaj44fZ7slJ96Zn69hJR579ON9Q9nhE1yWqL64KNI7YDx/s320/Image-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="320" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnh5HmOCe4a9TPIeHTv_55GnXlCOV2YU1NnFa4o2nHY0CbnAW2IuuKEULQgxNu6GdweuOxLF3zo1Ic9wgFKwxtalbrOS8VWPhzvHXNrx1YPFMIDfAZJqvVV0VMCRahqwpP8HsyVcPT5H5jaj44fZ7slJ96Zn69hJR579ON9Q9nhE1yWqL64KNI7YDx/w200-h200/Image-1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>Cream together:</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span> 5 tablespoons butter</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span> 1/2 cup granulated sugar</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span> 1/2 cup brown sugar</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Add:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span> 2 eggs</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>Mix completely, then add:</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span> 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour</span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span> 1 teaspoon baking powder</span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><span> 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt</span><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><span><span> 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)</span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><span><span><span> 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)</span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> zest of one lemon or 1/2 an orange (optional)</span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Combine the above just until mixed, then add:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> 1 1/2 cups of chunky items, such as:</span><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span> <span> toasted hazelnuts and chocolate chips</span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><span> <span> toasted almonds and dried cherries</span></span><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><span><span><span> <span> toasted macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips</span></span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Use your imagination, but don't make them too chunky, or they'll be hard to form.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Divide dough into two equal parts and roll on a lightly floured table into tubes about 12 inches long. Place on a paper-lined sheet pan and pat lightly to flatten to about 3/4 to 1 inch thick. Bake at 350' F for about 20-22 minutes, or until firm.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Allow to cool to lukewarm, then slice on the diagonal, about 1/2 inch thick. Return to the paper-lined sheet pan and bake for about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Allow to cool completely before bagging or drizzling chocolate over them.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">These will keep for about a week, or in the freezer about a month.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p></div>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16308570073032398834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8245430321571636931.post-45557975203369642182022-12-07T06:45:00.001-05:002022-12-07T06:45:04.191-05:00Secret Knitting<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">This time of year, we all have secrets. Every time I think I should blog, I pause and think, about what? I can't show much I'm working on, in case someone sees something they'll be unwrapping at Christmas.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOSekyBlSXA5xgvIvj2o1CJs0bUovsKsozgkWVZ-xc8IyYDgs8JQJ3UUKjLUl0Z-dYDlppfjs4WFJmFM4hYsVH-eI6khrwSL_IEBDML3cMy2pdWne60NVaYCmEggZjrqdhciwwX6fcSB9pYgn9D-pTZwp04rHrydG1SPkQgoZNIaR6fIpk27j8toXt/s4032/IMG_2831.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOSekyBlSXA5xgvIvj2o1CJs0bUovsKsozgkWVZ-xc8IyYDgs8JQJ3UUKjLUl0Z-dYDlppfjs4WFJmFM4hYsVH-eI6khrwSL_IEBDML3cMy2pdWne60NVaYCmEggZjrqdhciwwX6fcSB9pYgn9D-pTZwp04rHrydG1SPkQgoZNIaR6fIpk27j8toXt/s320/IMG_2831.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> One thing I can show is the gingerbread replica of the library where I work.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It's going to be the library's holiday card! It now sits in front of the circulation desk, lit from inside and smelling wonderful. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3KgKbcsX6A3QQpFoe72k9pVe0zEktrUJ0h3A7QiUGoXKWowFghh50O2VvbLikB_FtiK_b7DEE9CcIwAJADedRBXXgMqPNZjAbCP8G8IM2QRMURLTqVKcyZkYt_OF0mUxa3e3J389IG5zB-e41RhG5Vs338J9xctgOrRxHtDyONv4hKSXn18Np8fVJ/s4032/IMG_2841.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3KgKbcsX6A3QQpFoe72k9pVe0zEktrUJ0h3A7QiUGoXKWowFghh50O2VvbLikB_FtiK_b7DEE9CcIwAJADedRBXXgMqPNZjAbCP8G8IM2QRMURLTqVKcyZkYt_OF0mUxa3e3J389IG5zB-e41RhG5Vs338J9xctgOrRxHtDyONv4hKSXn18Np8fVJ/s320/IMG_2841.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I can also show you my Christmas socks! I started them yesterday, and have just finished the cuff this morning. It's the Gingerbread color way from West Yorkshire Spinners. It's browner than I thought it would be (hello? gingerbread!), but I like the self-striping it's got going on. I think they'll just be all stockinette to show off the stripes, and to keep it simple while I answer the Info-Line at the library.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><span><br /><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOZ40prnRjZFK1DGNVbZCpyzuXs2sP7-wFNftnivDztz8A_Vq_thLIf0DVjtkM4LzsjKqYaUoTAfvzQ22ZJyCNLE-LIjWm7WHU2uc0CfJKNBMcjoUtuBXnYrlywMGuWIMZYw9SEbBxmydnHihgwPDc00CvuuRnBA7Ge1XmXdOBNGqKHgDFCEl5Ns__/s1800/IMG_2815.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOZ40prnRjZFK1DGNVbZCpyzuXs2sP7-wFNftnivDztz8A_Vq_thLIf0DVjtkM4LzsjKqYaUoTAfvzQ22ZJyCNLE-LIjWm7WHU2uc0CfJKNBMcjoUtuBXnYrlywMGuWIMZYw9SEbBxmydnHihgwPDc00CvuuRnBA7Ge1XmXdOBNGqKHgDFCEl5Ns__/s320/IMG_2815.jpeg" width="256" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br />And my early Christmas present was a daughter-in-law! Rachel-Kate and Matt eloped in New York City two weeks ago. Aren't they gorgeous? Of course they are! </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">They're back in Nashville now, working hard to get their Christmas orders filled.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdWzIUC0_rGiNrhFD8E4jVg0btFQcjyDuA9_llcZ9VsraJtU8jEDy_1So-L4hhaQKRSqD5BFgWVVQ6xbvNsi6Z5qGyejVixzonhZVIG1k0osEUxa-j0_jkafaMWU2I_hwlr8ZWLu8kaheHumtCkfjPcNRlezPilhsNn2Uy51p3WB3eI0QRz_LbJHEw/s4032/IMG_2814.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdWzIUC0_rGiNrhFD8E4jVg0btFQcjyDuA9_llcZ9VsraJtU8jEDy_1So-L4hhaQKRSqD5BFgWVVQ6xbvNsi6Z5qGyejVixzonhZVIG1k0osEUxa-j0_jkafaMWU2I_hwlr8ZWLu8kaheHumtCkfjPcNRlezPilhsNn2Uy51p3WB3eI0QRz_LbJHEw/s320/IMG_2814.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">And this year, I did something I never thought I'd do: I bought an artificial Christmas tree. It's much bigger than the normal Norfolk pines I usually have, so I needed more ornaments. Lots of angels, stars and hearts, with new beaded icicles and white lights cover the tree, sitting in the front window. It's so cheerful to come home to, all lit up, on these short, dark days. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Behind the scenes, there is a lot of crafting I can't show you, but I'm sure you understand! Happy holiday season!</span></p>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16308570073032398834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8245430321571636931.post-65553306537847734082022-10-18T10:06:00.001-04:002022-10-18T10:10:14.819-04:00Apple Scone Kind of Day<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiM1SBr6Z40ytfCwPdgywJzP31YLrnhTdv1JCWaa_KMh5oFLtDOHiLu11lEvdwkUvxVAxYB_uzJvjE9OV08sfdDjV_44UbhNJ7Eyc64lkeldaWKkLnuZIpSorn3FRN40sjrotRWwZH0tM5-lC8jppfdGp0EN8Xg4fS895TWateCBxjw0IT21AERE9h/s640/scones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiM1SBr6Z40ytfCwPdgywJzP31YLrnhTdv1JCWaa_KMh5oFLtDOHiLu11lEvdwkUvxVAxYB_uzJvjE9OV08sfdDjV_44UbhNJ7Eyc64lkeldaWKkLnuZIpSorn3FRN40sjrotRWwZH0tM5-lC8jppfdGp0EN8Xg4fS895TWateCBxjw0IT21AERE9h/s320/scones.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span> </span> <span style="font-family: arial;">It's the first fall-feeling day of the month, and it felt like a baked good needed making. I bought some apples for just plain eating last week, and since I still haven't, they needed to be dealt with. And pecans were on sale this week. Now my house smells like fall, and my stomach is growling.</span><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> I haven't tried them yet because they're too hot, but I will soon, with some good Vermont butter and a glass of milk. They got me thinking about taking my blog down a new path, or maybe a side-trip once in a while. Since I don't bake for a living anymore, and most likely never again will, I want to put some recipes, and some baking ideas, out into the universe.</span><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span> It's interesting to look back on one's life from this stage, different from other previous stages. It seems to me at this point that there are segments of my life. There are the usual stages, common to most: childhood, teenage-hood, motherhood, marriage (very brief, in my case). But there are larger chunks: Working at the Outdoor store, going to France, being a Pastry Chef. But now, what? The last few years, I've been taking jobs I can find, just </span>whatever came along. And then, I decided to get back to what I love: pastry and baking. I took a job in a bake shop at a country club, and I thought, ah, this is it! I can do what I love again!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span> Unfortunately, it was not in a place I loved, or with people I could love, making things that I would never love. I walked out of that job with no notice, something I've never done, and I slammed the door very firmly on baking for a living. It's what propelled me to retire so quickly, without regret. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span> </span>But I will always be a baker. I will find joy in making food that makes people happy for the rest of my life, as long as I can stand at the counter near the oven, filling my kitchen with warm smells, digging my hands into dough. Baking might be thought of as sustenance, but really, it's only here to bring people joy.</span><br /></span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGc1FGzkTu0BIkCQDQTJqAxUaBTs4PrR0ZHaLZEzzm8afXoyQWFxVxi476fSoP6nUcxqkwbUs1Scd7BeGFwysSdsL8-nQGcaFzxicc6ayU9drsdndvJ0N60ixHW9Rn_SwQEcofHR5z5mEwRCmKuZYEA32mCgmoin5PGbZLsAjygBLQy2GBM0lTk58C/s640/pink%20scarf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGc1FGzkTu0BIkCQDQTJqAxUaBTs4PrR0ZHaLZEzzm8afXoyQWFxVxi476fSoP6nUcxqkwbUs1Scd7BeGFwysSdsL8-nQGcaFzxicc6ayU9drsdndvJ0N60ixHW9Rn_SwQEcofHR5z5mEwRCmKuZYEA32mCgmoin5PGbZLsAjygBLQy2GBM0lTk58C/s320/pink%20scarf.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span> </span>There have been other "making" episodes this week, though. For example, I finally, after three weeks of ignoring the studio, fixed the problem with the rayon-linen warp, and set out to finish the warp. Alas, I ran out of weft before I ran out of warp! The weft is that lovely pink silk, paired with some pink embroidery cotton, and I have none left of either. So, I wove a tabby hem, and have started hem-stitching it with deep pink beads.</span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> I'm going to tie a new warp onto this one, to continue using this threading, since I'm still madly in love with the pattern. </span><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><br /></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqUzk1NIbLB_iHNCeRnjyM-erblGgBExHBg47ZPZUTIoI-NCaSQgFIhzmUcb4fcxgmcyB2ThGxU2gUj_H2Bw386xGowm6jrTb5D7Ms8iOytkIhHQvipcn5YoQVkUuGqYpFSTXM3ZibQqqtsWafBVLrGbqX4UbQI7yCYJtcAmH5HTpS67930Oggg7Np/s640/quilt%20box.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqUzk1NIbLB_iHNCeRnjyM-erblGgBExHBg47ZPZUTIoI-NCaSQgFIhzmUcb4fcxgmcyB2ThGxU2gUj_H2Bw386xGowm6jrTb5D7Ms8iOytkIhHQvipcn5YoQVkUuGqYpFSTXM3ZibQqqtsWafBVLrGbqX4UbQI7yCYJtcAmH5HTpS67930Oggg7Np/s320/quilt%20box.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span>There's also been a lot of progress on the Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt. I'll just show you a preview, because this box in itself is just full of joy. I have 38 flowers done, and need 68, so I'm cruising along. I need a lot more green fabric, and I need about 3 more half yards of flower fabric. And of course, I'm already planning the next one, in which I hope to dye all the fabric. Ooooh! That's going to be fun!</span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /><br /><span><br /></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRuVWIERRfcIInWNHoyJt4tK3YOjJxaLqvvR1Z9mVsV6FTGuakveHJex5QcD89PTe-MLjAyzekwXJa0MmWWIRVOCFy98FQqxltdiLW-EB7wAPgZUugtZhgk4cVsq2jeC89vYrRE5gxEEnPjTOO1phk75jyTGeC2eOvItNaNiUq3Fg94dqsO23P_gAE/s640/hallo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRuVWIERRfcIInWNHoyJt4tK3YOjJxaLqvvR1Z9mVsV6FTGuakveHJex5QcD89PTe-MLjAyzekwXJa0MmWWIRVOCFy98FQqxltdiLW-EB7wAPgZUugtZhgk4cVsq2jeC89vYrRE5gxEEnPjTOO1phk75jyTGeC2eOvItNaNiUq3Fg94dqsO23P_gAE/w150-h200/hallo.jpg" width="150" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I have Halloween off this year, for the first time in three years, so I am ready for the trick-or-treaters! Have a wonderful fall week! And enjoy these scones in your own kitchen!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">APPLE-PECAN SCONES</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Mix together in a stand-mixer bowl, using the paddle:</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>3 cups all-purpose unbleached flour</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>1/2 cup granulated sugar</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>1 tablespoon baking powder</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>1/2 teaspoon baking soda</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>1 teaspoon kosher salt</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2 teaspoons ground cinnamon</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>1 teaspoon ground ginger</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>1/4 teaspoon ground cloves</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>zest of one lemon</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Add, mixing until the texture of coarse cornmeal:</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>3/4 cup cold butter cubed in 1/2” cubes</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Add, mixing <b><i>just until incorporated:</i></b></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2 medium tart apples, cored and cubed in 1/2” cubes</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>1/2 cup toasted pecan pieces</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>1 cup full-fat yogurt, or sour cream, or heavy cream</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>juice of one lemon</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Flour the countertop generously, and dump the dough onto the countertop. With your hands, push the dough together into a rectangle, about 1/2” thick, about 9” by 12”. Cut into twelve squares, then cut the squares across to make triangles. Place about 1 inch apart on a papered sheet pan or Sil-Pat lined sheet pan. Brush the tops with heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake at 350 for about 23-25 minutes, or until firm and golden brown. </span></p><div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><span><span><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><br /></span></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span> </span><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span> </span><br /></span></span></p>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16308570073032398834noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8245430321571636931.post-69576601293952529332022-09-22T13:11:00.002-04:002022-09-22T13:11:57.937-04:00Making Repairs<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCGdss28UFY8029s00ZzA3-oJzKWWHHvnEoZxL2x2ImuypvrzM0-_689NOtFCkdmZl_7kHYcXc1yv8qM5xmH4DAL2x1UqS7vklg1AFqdARCuJD7qSvRhu7WGP4MXFH9x8FB31sX9X8967EJ_9KS4449StiY3RQieg4p1EwyzQmFASFfewuzGjibaVf/s640/Image-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCGdss28UFY8029s00ZzA3-oJzKWWHHvnEoZxL2x2ImuypvrzM0-_689NOtFCkdmZl_7kHYcXc1yv8qM5xmH4DAL2x1UqS7vklg1AFqdARCuJD7qSvRhu7WGP4MXFH9x8FB31sX9X8967EJ_9KS4449StiY3RQieg4p1EwyzQmFASFfewuzGjibaVf/s320/Image-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">This week has been full of knitting. I've worked a lot more than I thought I would be, so knitting filled in the time between nicely. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">A few years ago, I made the gray boyfriend sweater, and I followed the directions faithfully, even though I noticed the model had her sleeves rolled up very thickly. I've worn the sweater the last two winters, but really hated the sleeves. They were way too long and way too wide. I felt like I had a muffler pushed up on my arms! And they never wanted to stay rolled up. I want to wear this sweater this winter, so I decided to see about fixing the sleeves. I couldn't remember if they were knitted in the round, which would have been easier to fix, or flat, which would mean unsewing them completely and re-knitting them. Naturally, it was the latter. I started taking the seams apart yesterday, and have one most of the way unsewn from the armscye. I'll work on it some more this afternoon. Once I have them both apart, I'll wind the yarn into balls and re-knit the sleeves, with a more reasonably sized cuff and a narrower lower arm. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3GkZvxAucuHsoDuoCh2J4NlMae1nHWAgFgwAytzDJOS-D5iVGtdKrgkFMRccI-JY4hVKtNnJLrjDCStfxPafOYGn6s-lQ0dUxnIGYDJ9MPJ0Z4jxdJocMiQgvpJBfyetwl9Vkkijl9caw5azwrkgaS2Bb6F_4-RCwxr6zTy0ogje_ZXWObqsBog_A/s640/IMG_2720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3GkZvxAucuHsoDuoCh2J4NlMae1nHWAgFgwAytzDJOS-D5iVGtdKrgkFMRccI-JY4hVKtNnJLrjDCStfxPafOYGn6s-lQ0dUxnIGYDJ9MPJ0Z4jxdJocMiQgvpJBfyetwl9Vkkijl9caw5azwrkgaS2Bb6F_4-RCwxr6zTy0ogje_ZXWObqsBog_A/s320/IMG_2720.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I keep having a lot of trouble keeping the narrow band of honeycomb on the Oban straight, and only on the right side of the cables! I don't know why, but I keep getting it out of sequence, and have spent a lot of time pulling down columns of stitches to get it right again. I did it three times yesterday before I got it right, and even now, it doesn't look right. Of all the twists and turns in this sweater, that one little column is giving me a very hard time, while the rest is just fine. Even looking at this picture makes me see the wonkiness, but I am forging on. If someone else sees the imperfections, well, good for them! It will be on the back while I'm wearing it, and I won't see it. I am, though, being extra careful going forward. I do love the way this sweater is coming along otherwise.<br /></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcMrhk9T0v_HRDfYwPWlxmrACQM28nLBibKTILYfTABZ4I0cMIVDaurX2Li_QqnsrY9h37uq1vw3bzLpRE81XR6vK2CVR4zyd5t8tX-Zh73BVyWP7NByKu2RpH_lpVrI45W8u-1t5YLm_nTYFlhspwlBv1fnB7zoqAILfgTUH0rbuuvbMm8VQlUMH5/s640/IMG_2719.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcMrhk9T0v_HRDfYwPWlxmrACQM28nLBibKTILYfTABZ4I0cMIVDaurX2Li_QqnsrY9h37uq1vw3bzLpRE81XR6vK2CVR4zyd5t8tX-Zh73BVyWP7NByKu2RpH_lpVrI45W8u-1t5YLm_nTYFlhspwlBv1fnB7zoqAILfgTUH0rbuuvbMm8VQlUMH5/s320/IMG_2719.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">My other WIP is a pair of socks, with a pattern I made up from two stitches from <u>The New Knitting Stitch Dictionary</u>, by Lesley Stanfield. It's super fun to browse through, and I was looking for some lace to go with this pretty striped yarn. It's hard to see, and I should probably have flipped the picture the other way, but there's a daisy and a rosebud going up the foot. It's fussy, though, and I did spend quite a long time ripping out the lace and starting over from the toe yesterday. I'm knitting two on a magic loop, so I can make stuff up as I go along, but the mistake was glaring. I'm past the first pattern repeat, and am getting it memorized, so I should have the heel turned soon. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It's almost October, which means Christmas knitting is in full swing, so these might be for someone out there. Pretend to be surprised!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9hD1GzgUu1SCoWJjtiXgDfAX8RdPH-hERLOiIVk1mMwhPWohCtLtGB83p5cGL3OZF9gOXH4yWKgN031GD7Yd03Km5EDGguhnnDutJh7I7xH_jlNe_06MrHiOpE_QKR1iYzgpM009yNW-Ki_vDSQJ-peTf8BaidQzLSe6H08beVSMygS_p3JZ9yI8M/s640/IMG_2708.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9hD1GzgUu1SCoWJjtiXgDfAX8RdPH-hERLOiIVk1mMwhPWohCtLtGB83p5cGL3OZF9gOXH4yWKgN031GD7Yd03Km5EDGguhnnDutJh7I7xH_jlNe_06MrHiOpE_QKR1iYzgpM009yNW-Ki_vDSQJ-peTf8BaidQzLSe6H08beVSMygS_p3JZ9yI8M/s320/IMG_2708.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">I did make some progress on the Grandmother's Flower Garden last weekend, and put some together with the green to see how it looked. I really like it, but I'm going to need a lot more green fabric before I can start to put it all together. At last count, I have 26 flowers, enough cut out for 32, and I need 68. That's 4 1/2 more yards of fabric for the flowers, and heck of a lot more green. I think I need 600 or so green hexagons, maybe 12 yards? </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Even with all that work staring at me, I'm still planning the next, maybe pastels? The bread timer is beeping, so I've go to go make the loaves. Happy fiber-y pursuits!<br /><br /></span></p>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16308570073032398834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8245430321571636931.post-26918330906193362142022-09-12T11:06:00.002-04:002022-09-12T11:06:56.396-04:00A Full Week<p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLWSOBcCzdl1tRlEXJSjw7zdan7fIaXD3EEDgiiNDVdBo2uYG8V6tyF8mDzNAV0SSeRR3K5WozPG6MYCbqTofvZ0wXpvyTRx9BPj2HiRpo07GRPDYBkr5R_gw_rctmRu1-052TVcEjlIIeVqo0buwSgrPIc7zYntquTII0Bxfy3BSqrbsz6oYEEalh/s640/IMG_2702.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLWSOBcCzdl1tRlEXJSjw7zdan7fIaXD3EEDgiiNDVdBo2uYG8V6tyF8mDzNAV0SSeRR3K5WozPG6MYCbqTofvZ0wXpvyTRx9BPj2HiRpo07GRPDYBkr5R_gw_rctmRu1-052TVcEjlIIeVqo0buwSgrPIc7zYntquTII0Bxfy3BSqrbsz6oYEEalh/w150-h200/IMG_2702.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The table to the left</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;">This past week has been full of things I wanted to do and other things that I wasn't so sure about. Which is why I'm a little late writing. About a month ago, I was offered a part-time job working as a Library Assistant at the local library, 20 hours a week, and I was happy to get it. Until I realized how much that cuts into my happy time of doing whatever I want to, as has been my life since mid-June. I needed to get out of the house, and I could use the extra money, and it has taken my a while to really sink into the joys of retirement. But I had, deeply. Last week was orientation, 20 hours of sitting in classrooms, learning library and County dos and don'ts. Boring and time-consuming, and all I could think was, "I wish I could be knitting through this!" </span><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJSOlLmqq3hYVBYhHSTDFAxVry0BE9RP7AaLVtAkbr5MeyKWAAE7nCPHY-aWmSY2LuAyXR3TukGcHRmKpbajylbXCMX6DFphhUTojIHFkQKk07G3kacCuMUoyQbzl9ui2HCNEccF1tsFNYU2B_8hKoCJCyL3DWHhEZQZx05fgpIDrgw9zzXWw2RlEc/s2016/IMG_2700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJSOlLmqq3hYVBYhHSTDFAxVry0BE9RP7AaLVtAkbr5MeyKWAAE7nCPHY-aWmSY2LuAyXR3TukGcHRmKpbajylbXCMX6DFphhUTojIHFkQKk07G3kacCuMUoyQbzl9ui2HCNEccF1tsFNYU2B_8hKoCJCyL3DWHhEZQZx05fgpIDrgw9zzXWw2RlEc/w150-h200/IMG_2700.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The table to the right</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span>I have been piecing that Grandmother's Flower Garden, knitting my cabled sweater, trying over and over again to knit the very beginning of a lace shawl, and recently, beading.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAkty-vk8VY8YsIl2oYqUFoNIu_H7t16e_3E86TTVwmVvr2kSadICwBnwDhFA9Hn30-pyiTs8MMoB8R1naqJUVrZBIgdUcpxiZBMRaQ8xQMlmbuqlMP69NXIHR_s9MIlzdXrSg-Z5AX2v7RKFNVGdRJ59g4-tvjCr_kh7G6oLy3fPF5Oe7Fwpy8EbR/s2016/IMG_2694.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAkty-vk8VY8YsIl2oYqUFoNIu_H7t16e_3E86TTVwmVvr2kSadICwBnwDhFA9Hn30-pyiTs8MMoB8R1naqJUVrZBIgdUcpxiZBMRaQ8xQMlmbuqlMP69NXIHR_s9MIlzdXrSg-Z5AX2v7RKFNVGdRJ59g4-tvjCr_kh7G6oLy3fPF5Oe7Fwpy8EbR/w150-h200/IMG_2694.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>Over the years of beading the hemstitching of scarves, I've accumulated a lot of beads, and what are they doing but taking up shelf space? And a few weeks ago, my sister lost her newly beloved beaded bracelet. I had very similar beads in my bead box, so I made her one for her birthday (which is today), and then thought, maybe I should make her another? And that led to another, a wrap beaded bracelet with all clear beads. I really should have taken a picture! While I was making the last one, I was sort of watching a YouTube video on bead weaving. I didn't realize that she was actually teaching Peyote stitch and calling it bead weaving, something I've wanted to learn for a long time. So I stopped beading and started watching.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf6cTT4j3feygMaX9e-RXXVO-Rr90RkplFdlRnjYxkYL9lla4osuwPS03O3_ZWpMiceiy9Xui9RRK_UWbx3n0XkxFaJQ6xw_NQ_IWG8YrrQI0qGb60qzFQW2WQPE-2eGPoEtfDSUV1BRRJd9giFIaZI8bkunEgWwFQXZ7Ae6bLJfhM8S2uugNcPsYo/s640/IMG_2701.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf6cTT4j3feygMaX9e-RXXVO-Rr90RkplFdlRnjYxkYL9lla4osuwPS03O3_ZWpMiceiy9Xui9RRK_UWbx3n0XkxFaJQ6xw_NQ_IWG8YrrQI0qGb60qzFQW2WQPE-2eGPoEtfDSUV1BRRJd9giFIaZI8bkunEgWwFQXZ7Ae6bLJfhM8S2uugNcPsYo/s320/IMG_2701.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">And now I am obsessed. I practiced Peyote all Saturday, and most of Sunday, until I had to make her birthday cupcakes, until my hand was sore and my shoulder was painful. It's taking a long time to be happy with the results, but I will persevere. I have <i>a lot</i> of beads.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOOzNGPCxQN_s9JDjQd0Uuu8Jg5ExF2yoikWxyo_vbPAoayFzXVerYsRzGMde9sJ3vcqg89bFpL6Va0J-Z6AUDBLg_FZz1UJ6RtUZwDHGX8ALkRLa5lgn4bS0akqjS8YLR1mxIOkPpy2FQ3CWF5EkziKTgcVBn09r-Egk3iNYDdqK5r-11faNqoCfy/s1544/IMG_2692.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1544" data-original-width="1158" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOOzNGPCxQN_s9JDjQd0Uuu8Jg5ExF2yoikWxyo_vbPAoayFzXVerYsRzGMde9sJ3vcqg89bFpL6Va0J-Z6AUDBLg_FZz1UJ6RtUZwDHGX8ALkRLa5lgn4bS0akqjS8YLR1mxIOkPpy2FQ3CWF5EkziKTgcVBn09r-Egk3iNYDdqK5r-11faNqoCfy/w150-h200/IMG_2692.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I haven't been weaving at all, but when I'm not beading, I have been working diligently on my sweater. I'm at 13 inches from the bottom, and need 16.5" before I separate for the sleeves. It strikes me as funny, though, as much as I was in the mood to make a serious sweater, that it's getting too hot to hold as I knit! 88 degrees with 100% humidity is not sweater knitting weather, not with heavy wool.<br /><br />My new job starts in earnest today, but not until later this afternoon. As long as Purl is watching over me, I'll go get back at the beading and piecing. Have a fibrous week!<br /><br /></span><br /> <p></p></div>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16308570073032398834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8245430321571636931.post-58030991979186408642022-08-30T15:49:00.000-04:002022-08-30T15:49:03.975-04:00Love/Hate Warp<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtac0pcjAtSXfSd9Gys6zEq_cDSlkcuRsu6CzmvdnSX_J82q0EFogNqaO5Nsr-Ud1MMONC4vtDYiv15QZ4rIfu4wnq13iuTfpPp2vgzpwn6pGnqzHEQiCxxbt1jbFfV4X4Oaly9z5gF5NzVYSqK8QtOz_MI1669MQ4yCYV9Rq4bJp7dN69awSLvqNd/s640/IMG_2682.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtac0pcjAtSXfSd9Gys6zEq_cDSlkcuRsu6CzmvdnSX_J82q0EFogNqaO5Nsr-Ud1MMONC4vtDYiv15QZ4rIfu4wnq13iuTfpPp2vgzpwn6pGnqzHEQiCxxbt1jbFfV4X4Oaly9z5gF5NzVYSqK8QtOz_MI1669MQ4yCYV9Rq4bJp7dN69awSLvqNd/s320/IMG_2682.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">A couple of posts ago, I showed you the draft for the hot pink warp. It's a twill gamp from Carole Strickler's book, and the color makes me very happy. I am, in fact, in love with it. The original warp was not wide enough for what I wanted, only 96 threads, so I added to it on each side with a solid pink. The original warp is hand-dyed carpet warp, so the threads I added are also carpet warp, same brand, theoretically the same thickness. But as I weave along, it has become obvious that the added warp threads are thinner, enough to make a visible difference in tension. Which is really pissing me off. But I have told myself this afternoon that it doesn't matter; these are washcloths. I will be using them in the shower each day, washing them after each use. They will be bright and pretty, and there will be a whole bunch of them, and if they're not perfect, it doesn't matter. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It really irritates me, though, as I weave along, that the sides are tighter than the center, and I feel like I've wasted this gorgeously colored warp. On the other hand, this warp has been in my stash for at least 15 years, doing nothing but collecting cat hair and dust, and it's at least being used up. I will just have to dye another beautiful, cheerful, love-inducing warp soon, and make it into something gorgeous. Until then, this warp will be pounded into wash cloths as fast as I can weave.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgay_fkOYDZ8oEe_OXglfLlLP-UVf3YZOi7DoNFKV-MDJfFUY-wkTh_jhh953q2YrJRep7ZIFNjycL89Rr0npRXCVJ6lDiNW7Bry1qLrZi20bdRlgYBBjBdcizWdKiQqOAm0nmh1eS7DJbI3mqHO2qzoDhareg5GlsScVXAH2or7qSBHqJRzWCeoolf/s640/IMG_2665.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgay_fkOYDZ8oEe_OXglfLlLP-UVf3YZOi7DoNFKV-MDJfFUY-wkTh_jhh953q2YrJRep7ZIFNjycL89Rr0npRXCVJ6lDiNW7Bry1qLrZi20bdRlgYBBjBdcizWdKiQqOAm0nmh1eS7DJbI3mqHO2qzoDhareg5GlsScVXAH2or7qSBHqJRzWCeoolf/s320/IMG_2665.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Recently, I've started attending two fiber groups, one at a local yarn store and one at the nearby library. I knit at the yarn store, and am really enjoying knitting in public again, meeting like-minded people. The library group is a "fiber group," meaning there are beaders, crocheters, quilters and other fibery pursuits. The first time I went, a woman who was also there for the first time was quilting, finishing a quilt by hand that she started many years ago. We started talking about quilting, and I got a hankering for doing some of my own. The quilt that is currently on my bed, and has been for the last few summers, is a Grandmother's Flower Garden that my grandmother made in 1988, using unbleached muslin for the background, and Hawaiian shirt scraps for the flowers. My cousin owned a Hawaiian shirt company in Honolulu, and had sent her a box of scraps. The way she made it is unusual, though. You can see I started one the traditional way, cutting out hexagons, hemming them and sewing them together, but when I looked at Grandma's, I could see that she didn't make it that way. She cut out circles, pressed them around a hexagon template, whipped the ends together in the back, then joined the hexagons with tiny whip stitches. I had to take one apart to find out her method, because the only GFG's there are on the internet are the hemmed hexagons, some pieced, some appliqued onto the background. </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj02cKJK1PeeuAY256Pc-cD355dshmHtvgtFG-6KEDPX7wjbJEfAymmsOme9zxXBFjSiB2YWFYyjfuZggDJDbgA60H0qwNCP-Ks-wLpyX1hCm-XmUHakgmcOqPqNwUqdXwCM_ef5rG5aFgBj75hMh_q6yrli2pgX95G8JSPDVkWVTGBPY4p5UKIfVRB/s640/IMG_2666.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj02cKJK1PeeuAY256Pc-cD355dshmHtvgtFG-6KEDPX7wjbJEfAymmsOme9zxXBFjSiB2YWFYyjfuZggDJDbgA60H0qwNCP-Ks-wLpyX1hCm-XmUHakgmcOqPqNwUqdXwCM_ef5rG5aFgBj75hMh_q6yrli2pgX95G8JSPDVkWVTGBPY4p5UKIfVRB/w150-h200/IMG_2666.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">What I like best about Grandma's is that it's not quilted. I use it in the summer because it's light and rarely too hot to use through the night. I have a ton of scraps left from the quilt at the top of my blog, the sunburst, so I started with that fabric. Then, because the yarn store is next door to a quilt shop (what???), I bought some more fabric. I need a lot more of the greens to go around the flowers, because I want this quilt to look like my front flower garden, chaotic and cheerful. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I have 11 flowers done, after a little more than a week, so this will take some time, but I am really enjoying it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_QpRil5qlEaf9oqmsZz5jddd7mk2ODaNqvkaIts0HxJ2gd8kyUATvoHcDjD10p96yKpu_3xsqelaG_hYVF9hcD2jeInzyBWHfv0Sk7o_66sy5OnwxV4CDfNWe3jMgOsGC75WNEFX7XzGwS_3c9XDjGkioOk2E5o_xNrWJ1GfI-e56dq80eQBM52W/s640/IMG_2683.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_QpRil5qlEaf9oqmsZz5jddd7mk2ODaNqvkaIts0HxJ2gd8kyUATvoHcDjD10p96yKpu_3xsqelaG_hYVF9hcD2jeInzyBWHfv0Sk7o_66sy5OnwxV4CDfNWe3jMgOsGC75WNEFX7XzGwS_3c9XDjGkioOk2E5o_xNrWJ1GfI-e56dq80eQBM52W/s320/IMG_2683.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm so glad I took this aerial view of the finished pieces, because I was feeling a little anxious about the idea. When people see it, they say things like, "Oh! That's interesting!" Or, "That's very bright!" No one says they like it, or that it's pretty. Well, I like it. I even have some ideas for future GFG's, such as I think that once you whip the backs together, you could butt them against each other and faggot stitch them together, so it doesn't all have to be hand stitched. Because to be honest, that's kind of painful to do for any length of time. I might even do a pastel version!</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial;">As for the knitting, I've finished the body of the Ranunculus, but I'm not happy with it yet. And then there's the sleeves. I haven't decided how long to make them, so it's on pause. I have been chugging along on the Oban, though. I noticed this afternoon that I twisted one of the cables the wrong way, and will have to drop down and turn it the other way, probably tomorrow when I'm fresh and have a few brain cells to rub together. </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9A2xOKgWFR4jrnAZC7AazkCjl21WSjmLuo7CLpFJxXgo3jEQFEC_4ZjP3kDpWFHxjzsdfaqa4i6nqEV0nSZnY7UthGfJvk3oONvrKxCtHZVsM4SzoKGoDWleSzuh1OdpKCHIka_48L4UrD6_yWqTBGZDuYLg6Yi4cvgzCscnOVWOjMBT0ceqGrD2f/s640/IMG_2684.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9A2xOKgWFR4jrnAZC7AazkCjl21WSjmLuo7CLpFJxXgo3jEQFEC_4ZjP3kDpWFHxjzsdfaqa4i6nqEV0nSZnY7UthGfJvk3oONvrKxCtHZVsM4SzoKGoDWleSzuh1OdpKCHIka_48L4UrD6_yWqTBGZDuYLg6Yi4cvgzCscnOVWOjMBT0ceqGrD2f/w320-h240/IMG_2684.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I've also wound the rest of that yarn into skeins to dye them barn red, but it's so hot here right now, I want to wait until it gets below 80. And I have all those warps wound that I made for the scuttled coverlet project, colors selected already for space-dying. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Have a fibery week!<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><br /></p>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16308570073032398834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8245430321571636931.post-62239878432959827482022-08-19T14:10:00.001-04:002022-08-19T14:13:31.165-04:00Summer Knitting<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">This week, I have been avoiding the studio. I still work occasionally on the lovely silk-weft, rayon-linen warp on Jenny, but I have--oh, this is embarassing--FIVE threading errors on the hot pink warp. Out of 143 threads! So, I'm ignoring it. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwkvyoktZuoqGbykcz-PjfqApaWmR-sU-I4VfdVUai_mORlRkgU7XPUOw_0M3kUqiOp4CvY4kdFWWEqs7GaASIiX7ppanAFBS7bDjhcoHO0_czFUClgSStSlhJ0ENUeBqluUZ9sRCadXC3QN0FY2FMzhq82e577X080d3_MIB3HVXOAFa_vHWuU3oQ/s640/IMG_2655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwkvyoktZuoqGbykcz-PjfqApaWmR-sU-I4VfdVUai_mORlRkgU7XPUOw_0M3kUqiOp4CvY4kdFWWEqs7GaASIiX7ppanAFBS7bDjhcoHO0_czFUClgSStSlhJ0ENUeBqluUZ9sRCadXC3QN0FY2FMzhq82e577X080d3_MIB3HVXOAFa_vHWuU3oQ/w320-h240/IMG_2655.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Instead, I've been knitting like a woman possessed. To the left is the Ranunculus I wrote about last week. I'm getting anxious about matching the sleeves, so I'm about to start one of them after I write here, and knit it from the leftovers of the first ball. I'll have to wait until I get to the same color sequence on ball 2 to knit the other. But you never know with variegated yarn!</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1LDpzkNZrGwYhY3vwm0CBZ-1p3QtlHoQpTBNe8TxZ1R_ZXIG7W9AAp-_hQR3GkKeQ2E3NvD9kFFLTSARpbj8p7Y7TdeTE6VfAww7e4xlJbhzCHrp4MFdgRPTCgJR66fiwQV2M4ykb1Ib3h6IPdxbZiyNHwQjczSvsn9mSHLLapb_PRm1whh3T0zD/s640/IMG_2649%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1LDpzkNZrGwYhY3vwm0CBZ-1p3QtlHoQpTBNe8TxZ1R_ZXIG7W9AAp-_hQR3GkKeQ2E3NvD9kFFLTSARpbj8p7Y7TdeTE6VfAww7e4xlJbhzCHrp4MFdgRPTCgJR66fiwQV2M4ykb1Ib3h6IPdxbZiyNHwQjczSvsn9mSHLLapb_PRm1whh3T0zD/w150-h200/IMG_2649%20(1).jpg" width="150" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">The other project I've been working on is the shawl made from the cashmere I bought during the East Tennessee Yarn Crawl of 2014. I started this shawl last summer to knit while I was at lunch while I worked at Lowe's. They give an hour lunch, and that was just too long for me! I had to knit! I put the shawl away for a few months, and found it when I wondered what was in a cute knitting bag. It took me two days just to knit the perimeter lace, but I persevered, and here it is!</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRx8aQLdhRvKZZ-DQZWv-JqAzqxhyONi9oZav9u9oXQ0gWP3O2aq3NAeSgj7-DiKVApb6D-hmFk9-AbxkLxB1D9qBJuhaMpYif8Bwc30b4ZCAXZzZ2vT1NKoPz7fpg219SVQQeyykwMFwDtycqrSq0zUCEr5MlJUHgKJpCbg3_5wFSX8MIKjbXLWHh/s640/IMG_2644.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRx8aQLdhRvKZZ-DQZWv-JqAzqxhyONi9oZav9u9oXQ0gWP3O2aq3NAeSgj7-DiKVApb6D-hmFk9-AbxkLxB1D9qBJuhaMpYif8Bwc30b4ZCAXZzZ2vT1NKoPz7fpg219SVQQeyykwMFwDtycqrSq0zUCEr5MlJUHgKJpCbg3_5wFSX8MIKjbXLWHh/w200-h150/IMG_2644.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">It's been steam blocked by now, and is lovely, though it's a bit smaller than I'd like. It does have a wonderful drape.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaIJR4GVu334T7tM3g3FzASmybWz-3_AkgOBTusSBwDUQbQaHsdJ6fX7YBba6f2kR245UcNWW9o4YbXEIlEy63Y5kqCNyixITc7Y5Uu_tdZqe7-zuLTj8Qm5hs6yHlsR9ILbdN5jO-90afTqFXDBChal6TIV27-EA256qBpIvmSIDywNyZKpuoJf11/s640/IMG_2650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="640" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaIJR4GVu334T7tM3g3FzASmybWz-3_AkgOBTusSBwDUQbQaHsdJ6fX7YBba6f2kR245UcNWW9o4YbXEIlEy63Y5kqCNyixITc7Y5Uu_tdZqe7-zuLTj8Qm5hs6yHlsR9ILbdN5jO-90afTqFXDBChal6TIV27-EA256qBpIvmSIDywNyZKpuoJf11/w200-h124/IMG_2650.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br />When that was finished, well, you know what that means. One project done, another must take its place, right? I wanted to start a sweater I'd had in my Ravelry library for over a year, Oban by Baby Cocktails. It's what she calls a "Grandpa" sweater, big and cozy with pockets. I found some yarn in my stash from a long time ago, two fat cones of it, and it looks like wool, definitely worsted weight. But when I started to wind it into cakes, I thought it was ugly, kind of poop color, if you know what I mean. I wound the first cake of yarn onto the warping board to make a skein so I could dye it, but by the time I did that, I thought it wasn't so ugly. In fact, I think it would look great knitted into all those cables. So I wound some more cakes, and wound some more skeins, because there's plenty for two sweaters, one dyed and one plain. </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5HkWTA-b-BCpta049vvRFyQ3IUmgpg3FpYtWUth93owxOWDudKZLrGE09eocFkiqBOgQMJx8DV4sgq5w-GxvLyscbiiQgm1oAXhHPEWUXq8OcDgLFpHGT3AQTnNHqGaV4HOao99yRls1ZiU2ZjgL8z8-7oJjM1S3Z0GMvFyNLgRb28RBPJBD1i5D8/s640/IMG_2651.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5HkWTA-b-BCpta049vvRFyQ3IUmgpg3FpYtWUth93owxOWDudKZLrGE09eocFkiqBOgQMJx8DV4sgq5w-GxvLyscbiiQgm1oAXhHPEWUXq8OcDgLFpHGT3AQTnNHqGaV4HOao99yRls1ZiU2ZjgL8z8-7oJjM1S3Z0GMvFyNLgRb28RBPJBD1i5D8/w200-h150/IMG_2651.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">And I sat myself down to knit. The pockets are supposed to be knitted first, she says because you can use them as your swatch gauge. And I'm glad I did, because the recommended needle size, US 7, is too small. I knit the next one with a US 8, and it was much better. I knit the second one, and began to read through the pattern. The set-up row calls for 12 stitch markers! Holy cow! That's a lot of stitch markers! This past Sunday, I needed three stitch markers, and decided to make some, and I was hooked. Playing with beads is fun! And I have a lot of odd beads, and some silver wire. I made a few more than I needed last night, and started the set-up row this morning. Just those first two rows took more than an hour and a half! <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I've left it there for now. I've knitted a little too much the last few days, and my hands need a rest. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I will get back to the studio, maybe Sunday when it's supposed to rain all day. Whatever I do, I'll let you know next week. <br /><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBRgRwwuK7rQsfuE_oP95HS_5EhGbExIfWbOwSY4e24vOKxL-NCZG7fOPPuXcxC9F6UIKqh3BgLnF0aIDmKOsQf-zmM8jZgKAmv_DN9aAtXK1OuOWJdAZXooEU_jgabxXU6kDgCb9t64nzZNkBv5I5p8SuCgIlfhTMQ2le9DswQ9Rngd1dnqEu3gmk/s640/IMG_2653.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBRgRwwuK7rQsfuE_oP95HS_5EhGbExIfWbOwSY4e24vOKxL-NCZG7fOPPuXcxC9F6UIKqh3BgLnF0aIDmKOsQf-zmM8jZgKAmv_DN9aAtXK1OuOWJdAZXooEU_jgabxXU6kDgCb9t64nzZNkBv5I5p8SuCgIlfhTMQ2le9DswQ9Rngd1dnqEu3gmk/s320/IMG_2653.jpg" width="320" /></a></p>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16308570073032398834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8245430321571636931.post-41238185295340157332022-08-12T11:07:00.001-04:002022-08-30T15:10:29.010-04:00Birthday Month and Beyond<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQto-zUR6H9T6cFzFBEbt5HpzkqiimFE41A6sK6i70_A98mpS7m5Lhpod0UuSwRju6aTDgw8bp_ikLQkzk55SXPXbAKf1smJyvgx40CSfpWOIkGBl144AA77N0u5Up7q7uE6ZcUkxYR4krBLYCiL6m-0iK8skELdQbl23E-7_rwSsodkQwx9ernkCm/s1239/washcloth%20revised.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="1239" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQto-zUR6H9T6cFzFBEbt5HpzkqiimFE41A6sK6i70_A98mpS7m5Lhpod0UuSwRju6aTDgw8bp_ikLQkzk55SXPXbAKf1smJyvgx40CSfpWOIkGBl144AA77N0u5Up7q7uE6ZcUkxYR4krBLYCiL6m-0iK8skELdQbl23E-7_rwSsodkQwx9ernkCm/w400-h300/washcloth%20revised.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I've written before about the dishcloth knit-a-long with Modern Daily Knitting, and I've made 3 1/2 by now. The other day, I was folding laundry, and realized I needed some washcloths, too. I went to the studio, looking for cotton yarn to use, and saw a warp I'd hand-dyed ages ago on a Tuesday Weavers' dye day, this hot pink...thing that was all carpet warp and not wide enough for anything. Except maybe washcloths!</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHlkXD3JNg99zvIh63hJNiHUN5W5Ds7YbeiqbM6IqSZsUtPCJ5o70qZRcM5U1XM7PHthq41Jv_JT5mHxHIQRIe1e2FbqS5X_EV9vo4-FwocINrh-iqdDvO43cTpWFB0_PBY8rDMXEUOeTMeMcxNbQyvjPYYHP3CtUnS9SNM88EnNUklhfwMtP5kwsw/s640/IMG_2633.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHlkXD3JNg99zvIh63hJNiHUN5W5Ds7YbeiqbM6IqSZsUtPCJ5o70qZRcM5U1XM7PHthq41Jv_JT5mHxHIQRIe1e2FbqS5X_EV9vo4-FwocINrh-iqdDvO43cTpWFB0_PBY8rDMXEUOeTMeMcxNbQyvjPYYHP3CtUnS9SNM88EnNUklhfwMtP5kwsw/s320/IMG_2633.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">And Tootsie the 8-shaft was the first naked loom, so I pulled out Carole Strickler's book, knowing I wanted some kind of fancy twill. I found one of the gamps done by the Boulder "Octagang" Group on pages 84-85, and modified it to use 120 ends, which is what I thought the warp had, but when I found out it only had 95 (95?), I added 12 more on either side of a solid pink, and then realized it was actually 24 on each side. So I added more repeats. Too much coffee? Not enough?<br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9UFNfIrVfFLD2ZFc9EAI9kOaFgHXT7mD1ZWdj1AOgpauRo_nveLNeh_Oym6myveIdnR3Tstm2UlnOI8VI0j7GVaxVU4MGxyFgU58AFJEvsawfCmJGaRZn3dhntFh5d2QxhXVInE9JkcG6wVuNPDEKgP49D8bteca1ERbfiRN_tqQhBhmAgtKnZ-zM/s640/68083478419__03D3C210-DD05-4E2B-A7F1-AE4CCCE61D3E.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9UFNfIrVfFLD2ZFc9EAI9kOaFgHXT7mD1ZWdj1AOgpauRo_nveLNeh_Oym6myveIdnR3Tstm2UlnOI8VI0j7GVaxVU4MGxyFgU58AFJEvsawfCmJGaRZn3dhntFh5d2QxhXVInE9JkcG6wVuNPDEKgP49D8bteca1ERbfiRN_tqQhBhmAgtKnZ-zM/w200-h150/68083478419__03D3C210-DD05-4E2B-A7F1-AE4CCCE61D3E.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;">It's almost threaded and will be pulled through </span><span style="font-family: arial;">using the trapeze. Actual weaving will probably begin this afternoon.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">And since I have missed posting a blog two Fridays in a row, I have a lot of catching up to do! Friday the 29th, I flew to Nashville to spend my birthday with my son and his girlfriend. The first night, Matt made pizza, actually eight pizzas! He has a neat pizza oven on the back deck, and he makes his dough from scratch the day before to ferment nicely. We had peach and feta, potato and olive, there was a sausage-y one, um, and there was beer, so I have forgotten the rest, but they were all delicious.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The next day was my birthday, but they had to work, so I borrowed a car and went in search of pastry, fabric and yarn. If you're ever in Nashville, stop of Dozen, a bakery <a href="https://www.dozen-nashville.com/" target="_blank">https://www.dozen-nashville.com/</a> . Everything looks delicious, but I just got an almond croissant and a latte. I ate the croissant--bad idea!--while driving to Textile, <a href="http://www.textilefabricstore.com/" target="_blank">http://www.textilefabricstore.com/</a>. I brushed all the flakes of pastry off my outfit, and checked the mirror for leftovers on my chin before I went in. The last time I was there, it was in a much bigger location, and I bought way too much. They've down-sized, and I simply could not find anything I wanted! I was very sad, because it was my birthday and I like to buy fabric on my birthday. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMtx-v-O7akNhDoi_bVREK5QkteCbpUYlMw0UMlJFGEzDKSkRrkhpz6xrAGNxhkR3D9XA3PZOXGjsIS1owhhSkg7pWlQj51dOS47GPobCAnqggJ6Qjv9e1hGGqTJP5yZmifcBJCJgHXIfvpl6mWuU7v2UktkMo6gutgdHQq1yTXPOi_OgdP0cJUDQo/s640/IMG_2597.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMtx-v-O7akNhDoi_bVREK5QkteCbpUYlMw0UMlJFGEzDKSkRrkhpz6xrAGNxhkR3D9XA3PZOXGjsIS1owhhSkg7pWlQj51dOS47GPobCAnqggJ6Qjv9e1hGGqTJP5yZmifcBJCJgHXIfvpl6mWuU7v2UktkMo6gutgdHQq1yTXPOi_OgdP0cJUDQo/s320/IMG_2597.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">So, I headed to Haus of Yarn. <a href="https://www.hausofyarn.com/" target="_blank">https://www.hausofyarn.com/</a> Aaaahhh... yarn stores. If only there were as many fabric stores as there are yarn stores, what a fabulous world this would be. I was looking for yarn for a new sweater, worsted weight for <u>Dijon Foret</u>, by Carol Sunday. I saw it on a podcast I just started watching, Green Bean Podcast. Watch it! She's so calm and sweet! And I love her dog, Jack. Anyway, I found the yarn, a lovely Alpaca blend in an extremely wearable denim color. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I also bought a skein of some Malabrigo in an amazing purple-blue-navy combo, but they only had one skein. And what's under that skein? Some funky-weird shoes they had sitting around that they convinced me to take.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7e36jhHe2IIeI2pFvljI0M804am4f8QkW5WaXTfrm3WrzaJWCJZ8CVHJr3VGovJcVeSd5SjqGeAYRH7yQQwzrn0bvoLyHXW2YAM4SJsECrgSCiiyZtrFGXlLphl04WIx-OjKlSMnuErOsG452vn57JKvIGCvv3n3uvVPcRdNOi-f9Ye-2hKA1eexM/s640/IMG_2589.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7e36jhHe2IIeI2pFvljI0M804am4f8QkW5WaXTfrm3WrzaJWCJZ8CVHJr3VGovJcVeSd5SjqGeAYRH7yQQwzrn0bvoLyHXW2YAM4SJsECrgSCiiyZtrFGXlLphl04WIx-OjKlSMnuErOsG452vn57JKvIGCvv3n3uvVPcRdNOi-f9Ye-2hKA1eexM/s320/IMG_2589.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I brought lunch to Matt and Rachel-Kate to their new studio, <a href="https://www.rangerstitch.com/">https://www.rangerstitch.com/</a>.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">They do custom embroidery, and are always very busy. It's a pretty amazing business, and you should really follow the link to see what kind of stuff they do! Yes, I am a proud parent.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">They took a break for lunch, then went back to work, while I went home to knit and rest. Nashville traffic is nerve-wracking.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpz2R6p1MCSF-PU9KYfpN94QbCc6n1Vp5Xvszt0DtPBKaVQkr5MFUAvQzrF3Up2Iz1meXRe2kN3gHerqnhJnByw6ByPU3zLkl87xbJYrfkl0S43AUWxJT-X2KiQjqagbBwpsQ0RZmuVzikpxUPdUJjPkibdf4Fkj8xqqgVEIisc7xZEhIe-nbVys0Z/s640/IMG_2582.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpz2R6p1MCSF-PU9KYfpN94QbCc6n1Vp5Xvszt0DtPBKaVQkr5MFUAvQzrF3Up2Iz1meXRe2kN3gHerqnhJnByw6ByPU3zLkl87xbJYrfkl0S43AUWxJT-X2KiQjqagbBwpsQ0RZmuVzikpxUPdUJjPkibdf4Fkj8xqqgVEIisc7xZEhIe-nbVys0Z/s320/IMG_2582.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indian buffet in the parking lot</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;">That night, I made my birthday cake from a box mix! Yes! But it was one of those new Dolly Parton mixes and it was very nice. Matt made pork roast and polenta, and we had a lovely evening. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The next day, we hit the road. First, we had Indian food from a store that only has its bakery open on Saturdays and Sundays. So delicious! Then we hit the Latin farmers' market for cups of fruit. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvRIz0XuHgPSjDiqrixgRiQYsb6OiRSGT8gSHfWXSjjQYQ5kN1udiK371b9bLr--4zynl9ZCvZUf6bNXfW7jU1WAazQXRUxiC8NvcpliK8bz_MYfeq2rRQKSJaVxjDD9d8vx9XGRz4HiViQB_Ouknp2xoLNE4luo3J3q3aKuNXoXQJc9e57lE4CQk0/s640/IMG_2579.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvRIz0XuHgPSjDiqrixgRiQYsb6OiRSGT8gSHfWXSjjQYQ5kN1udiK371b9bLr--4zynl9ZCvZUf6bNXfW7jU1WAazQXRUxiC8NvcpliK8bz_MYfeq2rRQKSJaVxjDD9d8vx9XGRz4HiViQB_Ouknp2xoLNE4luo3J3q3aKuNXoXQJc9e57lE4CQk0/w150-h200/IMG_2579.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">That night was fancy night out, when we ate at Locust, a modern restaurant <a href="https://www.locustnashville.com/" target="_blank">https://www.locustnashville.com/</a>. Everything was delicious. Yes, we ate a lot that day.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizJyIZaJSV1WlHFL2wpNVOC2NzG1eVL37NDc-4aCaIGPBma3OXjgNldLYZvNeLQysLqPLUI36c9o88C3sG9mJVLJdZFCCJl12ZN7zrmTW6KxeABpN0Rkh8jh--AbHhsu4o56qTxa7xYqa3mHlZoggy7_UR_okzpVEfbCry7JO360fvCE8faY2obSLe/s640/IMG_2586.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizJyIZaJSV1WlHFL2wpNVOC2NzG1eVL37NDc-4aCaIGPBma3OXjgNldLYZvNeLQysLqPLUI36c9o88C3sG9mJVLJdZFCCJl12ZN7zrmTW6KxeABpN0Rkh8jh--AbHhsu4o56qTxa7xYqa3mHlZoggy7_UR_okzpVEfbCry7JO360fvCE8faY2obSLe/s320/IMG_2586.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">So the next day, we had cake for breakfast, had burgers for lunch, and oh! Look what was next to the burger place! A bead store! Check out this aisle in the bead store. Holy mole! It was amazing.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">That was followed by a pick-your-own peach orchard, but they couldn't let us pick. We had to buy what they'd picked earlier in the day. Which was fine, because it was hot that day. And the peaches were perfect.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">And that night, because there was still room, Matt made fried chicken. So good! He made an appetizer of cherry tomatoes and chilies from his garden, with flat bread, and some herbed olives...and then he made a peach tart.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">So even though I'd lost about 8 pounds since retiring, it's all come back on board. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXFEm-3UvVfY5RBizVekUw9_A4gG1DiXKSZX_d_HK_S_sPSSR2t2k_abT_HxVcyuJjNJUkEN3ABlSMXY5BqNUoyMkkStY7Wf7Vhw5X_gipNJWY8vvvXWaQ5FnrJO-zYMgA48UsRKM7m53YnhVhmfNNbvez3HYtV11uxEhh9kqpxhN9Wj5OTC_Xbb0B/s640/IMG_2605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXFEm-3UvVfY5RBizVekUw9_A4gG1DiXKSZX_d_HK_S_sPSSR2t2k_abT_HxVcyuJjNJUkEN3ABlSMXY5BqNUoyMkkStY7Wf7Vhw5X_gipNJWY8vvvXWaQ5FnrJO-zYMgA48UsRKM7m53YnhVhmfNNbvez3HYtV11uxEhh9kqpxhN9Wj5OTC_Xbb0B/w150-h200/IMG_2605.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4zkmncTFsFWZKnan1Dz7C5ILNSn0Q7CnBQhsIxfs6M3Dj90c-_A9ButkwC416kwoNi-Z3cel4XbjhYyunfUZ7bJ2yLEtk9HQx7Z0gQJX-k-Sx-sC9DEWx6fD_6Uo9OtIPkPZN9s7K5oNPX6lErU-grDFfwWcOzdOMdW04iX23J1Z20gUlVy_v1B7t/s640/IMG_2631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4zkmncTFsFWZKnan1Dz7C5ILNSn0Q7CnBQhsIxfs6M3Dj90c-_A9ButkwC416kwoNi-Z3cel4XbjhYyunfUZ7bJ2yLEtk9HQx7Z0gQJX-k-Sx-sC9DEWx6fD_6Uo9OtIPkPZN9s7K5oNPX6lErU-grDFfwWcOzdOMdW04iX23J1Z20gUlVy_v1B7t/w150-h200/IMG_2631.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">But I've also finished some socks and a sweater! You'll recognize the plain vanilla sweater, now finished and blocked and buttoned, though I do want to replace the top button with a special button that I can't find right now. It can wait until October, I think. And the socks were my travelling project that kept me company to and from Nashville and the times I wasn't eating. </span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh86S21YJiwZ6qGdsM26CjaSt_WOviZCEV-H_79--Li0h-8OppuIGJSat--C_jqockhvoC1wJnw4stTU44AcLS9JWOR_K6sU4_m6jDLdlHic55lOkcwFHWcEVVFUvwol_Nfux2hmPt6KEULEwfsqHv6YwXozbMZUJl5kN8F32tz4ue6xfhNgNBV-RD/s640/IMG_2609.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh86S21YJiwZ6qGdsM26CjaSt_WOviZCEV-H_79--Li0h-8OppuIGJSat--C_jqockhvoC1wJnw4stTU44AcLS9JWOR_K6sU4_m6jDLdlHic55lOkcwFHWcEVVFUvwol_Nfux2hmPt6KEULEwfsqHv6YwXozbMZUJl5kN8F32tz4ue6xfhNgNBV-RD/s320/IMG_2609.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Well, if you're still with me, you deserve some cute, courtesy of Huck in a box. I've got to go get back to that hot pink warp. Talk to you next week!</span><br /><p><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16308570073032398834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8245430321571636931.post-55460425695800947932022-07-22T09:43:00.000-04:002022-07-22T09:43:45.985-04:00My Obsessions for the Week<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5etGT0_0glNrdFS8d-GEvp_D-fj2kKl4P72m1aOP8bbujiYIZOXMzyxFQe75UzjS1roeS44MGhsv6_7EN5wFsd9c6xyrjccw1hk2CRF4MuzcKeWjqYFiPcJy0hAF0OvJA8DIF4qONrbhwLCKKJ1G3NH_nBxTT4BrpEGzYPjtQzZeEYtWDwGesBAV/s2016/IMG_2549.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5etGT0_0glNrdFS8d-GEvp_D-fj2kKl4P72m1aOP8bbujiYIZOXMzyxFQe75UzjS1roeS44MGhsv6_7EN5wFsd9c6xyrjccw1hk2CRF4MuzcKeWjqYFiPcJy0hAF0OvJA8DIF4qONrbhwLCKKJ1G3NH_nBxTT4BrpEGzYPjtQzZeEYtWDwGesBAV/s320/IMG_2549.jpg" width="240" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: arial;">Just as in the rest of the country, we're having a heatwave this week. It's supposed to 95 today, and the humidity is currently 100%, so Wiley and I have walked early, and I'll be in the studio most of the day, unless I'm in the living room knitting.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Last week, I talked about the aborted bedspread and its sampler. Below is what the alternative threading looks like, and may I say, I am in love! The warp is that rayon-linen, of course, and the weft is one thread of very fine pink silk with a thread of pink DMC cotton embroidery floss. It's just one of those patterns that takes my breath away every time I walk in the studio. I beaded it with three different colors of pink seed beads. The treadling is intense! And one sequence only makes one inch of fabric. It's going to take a while, but that's okay, because I love it!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglubMzH_6KTp_IY2XadtPY228C99b-4kW8tUHW2a6nKAgrV1YHMz-NdoPE1Hxti5Ihlxs2UhojWHpZyjlBApcDyc00YRuYmeAiGe2B2c7QUKXHE2kBGOz_4k8imTMOT6gU-Kv-6wDl-Q_YQEh1Fo4tn57A0rkdO6zg8FadyaXs2OZPGeDZyFeMBAAK/s640/95EC986F-BB9F-44E3-8996-912DC0189DED.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglubMzH_6KTp_IY2XadtPY228C99b-4kW8tUHW2a6nKAgrV1YHMz-NdoPE1Hxti5Ihlxs2UhojWHpZyjlBApcDyc00YRuYmeAiGe2B2c7QUKXHE2kBGOz_4k8imTMOT6gU-Kv-6wDl-Q_YQEh1Fo4tn57A0rkdO6zg8FadyaXs2OZPGeDZyFeMBAAK/s320/95EC986F-BB9F-44E3-8996-912DC0189DED.JPG" width="256" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm thinking about using this pattern for at least one bunch of the warps I wound for the bedspread to make some more scarves, at least one with this same weft. I think this one's going to be mine, though. After I wove this much, I made a mistake, did one little section twice, and it shows, and is too far down to unweave. And this particular warp is only 3 yards long, minus what I cut off as mistakes. When I run my hand over the woven parts, it's so silky and lovely! We'll call that mistake a Design Element. Maybe I can remember to do it again at the other end of the scarf.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijIUp8oG5GQ2yLaZSyLekPzlMMwO5VLZkzf-0l51JdrpA9jS_uBh1xJXpW7jPFKO_ODwfu-27ft95oim0HKAofblpta48bOBUfxSHyCCck7dtErjJnnBwf3YzyOrSlQra1keRg8Bqq-SyXC_mF2nOEa7pxewKnfhGZ0aAZLX8JjObjbXVr3ir5iLDk/s640/IMG_2547.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijIUp8oG5GQ2yLaZSyLekPzlMMwO5VLZkzf-0l51JdrpA9jS_uBh1xJXpW7jPFKO_ODwfu-27ft95oim0HKAofblpta48bOBUfxSHyCCck7dtErjJnnBwf3YzyOrSlQra1keRg8Bqq-SyXC_mF2nOEa7pxewKnfhGZ0aAZLX8JjObjbXVr3ir5iLDk/s320/IMG_2547.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I've also been weaving on the blue and lavender warp, finishing one scarf, changing the tie-up because the first scarf had a line going horizontally every time I lifted shaft 8, and I didn't care for it. But when I changed it, the treadling sequence caused a vertical strip of floats. So I put in a short sequence of tabby to separate each motif. I like it better, though the original goal of dogwood blossoms still isn't showing. I mean, it <i>sort of</i> looks like dogwood blossoms. But not really. That's okay! Maybe I'll tweak the third scarf on this warp again and see what happens.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEuNz04a4-i2LUmwVcMnOLao80lVkyk0QT2RYytzQPz0ySdDYqon3_K_5xjOrUmYr82W5B0zu9kCUpUsdI08-PWy2rFEeGgmIZxOTJgs3Lp02nV_grpmfBkK7e6RarC7zB9mGiOdTOBcP44mdzaxXvDjthVXD9RbtGo4p2d7vFC0bH8lU-Fdn8l4AL/s640/IMG_2551.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEuNz04a4-i2LUmwVcMnOLao80lVkyk0QT2RYytzQPz0ySdDYqon3_K_5xjOrUmYr82W5B0zu9kCUpUsdI08-PWy2rFEeGgmIZxOTJgs3Lp02nV_grpmfBkK7e6RarC7zB9mGiOdTOBcP44mdzaxXvDjthVXD9RbtGo4p2d7vFC0bH8lU-Fdn8l4AL/s320/IMG_2551.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">The sweater is coming along, only 5 more decreases to go on the second sleeve. Then, I'll knit the button band and collar in one piece. It's super easy, but knitting with this cotton is hard on my hands, because it doesn't stretch. I'm looking forward to finishing it! And then, I get to start a new sweater, right? That's the deal, isn't it? I finish a sweater, and get to start a new one.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">There's one sweater I keep seeing on Instagram and on knitting vlogs: Ranunculus. <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ranunculus-3" target="_blank">https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ranunculus-3</a><br /><br /> It's everywhere! So when I went to the Tuesday knitting group at the local yarn store, and was admiring the sample they have on display, two of my fellow knitters bought yarn to make themselves one. We all agreed it needs to be longer, because none of us is waif-like, and I think the short sleeves would look better on my than the cap sleeves. </span></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQzaxgp232X0qwM_Y2vYNQfC1bVqWjO1211xvvfBz2GWoaMvOwPB5-HXxnMfMUEol_yYI2flB8siJr5D_MUCgA9fRgLjUYYwN5kwsoqtsX3tBNU_PTw1Ui3M_Z1-rLpcrgDJ2QoUhKk-Y4MIl3OMh_vET0xN4OsBsdzS_4rljKJt3oZw2lLL4kpaVm/s640/IMG_2555.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; font-family: arial; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQzaxgp232X0qwM_Y2vYNQfC1bVqWjO1211xvvfBz2GWoaMvOwPB5-HXxnMfMUEol_yYI2flB8siJr5D_MUCgA9fRgLjUYYwN5kwsoqtsX3tBNU_PTw1Ui3M_Z1-rLpcrgDJ2QoUhKk-Y4MIl3OMh_vET0xN4OsBsdzS_4rljKJt3oZw2lLL4kpaVm/s320/IMG_2555.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;">I swatched two different yarns, one an alpaca-acrylic (what???) that I loved for its squishiness and halo, and one a yarn Mom bought several years ago, cotton, wool and acrylic. The pink alpaca was too sleazy, if you know what I mean, so halfway through, I added a 20/2 thread of alpaca-tencel. That gave it some structure and would work better. But I think the lower swatch will be the winner. It's teamed up with a very fine thread of tan lambs' wool because I was having trouble getting a good stitch gauge. The swatch is kind of homely now, but the yarn is variegated from this brown to a lovely salmon to cream. Both will work, and a lot of people have knit more than one of this sweater. We'll see how the brown one comes out before I start the pink. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaR41Vy5HtsDEfLZTO2dChWJv2slD4dGBcwTacghxJd2-SusYi9EJ7ITHK_BZEs2e0mIPIDY62QhRk-Yqu5QJRmzoioc7Rc7slRgZGBUf54NMdf-SjCUMk7yicDlzigXfjtshmaEEfc-SjojAjyWafcWLtypSU1uOjYBA8KOE_gQgo4ZFFed1Ag-xS/s640/IMG_2563%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaR41Vy5HtsDEfLZTO2dChWJv2slD4dGBcwTacghxJd2-SusYi9EJ7ITHK_BZEs2e0mIPIDY62QhRk-Yqu5QJRmzoioc7Rc7slRgZGBUf54NMdf-SjCUMk7yicDlzigXfjtshmaEEfc-SjojAjyWafcWLtypSU1uOjYBA8KOE_gQgo4ZFFed1Ag-xS/s320/IMG_2563%20(1).jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">And because someday, it will be below 90 degrees, I finished a pair of mittens, knit from some leftover of Mom's, I believe what she knitted a vest for Liz from.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUMjnMmmDbtJjCWBZ_TKqxW4zkW1QnaVxwKT040plykSaOz9wUX4Jw2UGbUvomqzQOzBlRurl-hvNMIaBQd5RVHsiOEZUwEFBw8WlBoxc7d5QIN3iFSMs6kUE_kzRIzpfbAgFgUUCqDzf2JBGRzfvzJnz2gC-x7BcpyB3z_Fd7lUkzEugbL9QIqzm/s640/IMG_2554%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUMjnMmmDbtJjCWBZ_TKqxW4zkW1QnaVxwKT040plykSaOz9wUX4Jw2UGbUvomqzQOzBlRurl-hvNMIaBQd5RVHsiOEZUwEFBw8WlBoxc7d5QIN3iFSMs6kUE_kzRIzpfbAgFgUUCqDzf2JBGRzfvzJnz2gC-x7BcpyB3z_Fd7lUkzEugbL9QIqzm/w200-h150/IMG_2554%20(1).jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">As if that wasn't enough, I also joined in a challenge from Modern Daily Knitting, <a href="https://www.moderndailyknitting.com/" target="_blank">https://www.moderndailyknitting.com/</a>. They've got a dishcloth challenge going on, and they've also been talking a lot about brioche knitting, something I've been curious about. I grabbed some scrap Maysville carpet warp, and got brioche-ing! The dishcloth on the left is one-color brioche. There is a great video on YouTube from Purls Soho, if you want to learn. The first one came out all right, so I tried two-color brioche. Weeeelll... not so easy! As you can see, I got confused at one point as to which color went next, but the weird thing is that it righted itself on the next sequence! It's a mystery. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_2X-I4mrxgR6ewMR4kVZCJdJTJOvjTNc90zqRw3HybH4xmJ0OsPGTb3ZiL1hhnEqNmhJCKV0TBDTI5iaOC_xbwl_GriB4CWu3LGxUmE6BvuXjbRNUw2hz-WQ8WNIlZmJAmLEzL0dqy72fUN39IW_59jhPh7xABQmUwEXBKHTyApZcSGn7lIenS0Q/s640/IMG_2553.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_2X-I4mrxgR6ewMR4kVZCJdJTJOvjTNc90zqRw3HybH4xmJ0OsPGTb3ZiL1hhnEqNmhJCKV0TBDTI5iaOC_xbwl_GriB4CWu3LGxUmE6BvuXjbRNUw2hz-WQ8WNIlZmJAmLEzL0dqy72fUN39IW_59jhPh7xABQmUwEXBKHTyApZcSGn7lIenS0Q/w150-h200/IMG_2553.jpg" width="150" /></a></div></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I couldn't have a beer or talk to other people when I was working on the two-color one. My next brioche project will be a beanie from the Fruity Knitting podcast's pattern. Stay tuned.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCN4gLtOWNcipo6Oi2SbQ_YRWbDvem9hBqTMVXRDwASvapuV9GLHSSPCntytLJrwlOe1VWnXiRY6xSFAMm2Ppdj7-NstGS0n3OLK53MxNUMq7RgpZxOuTzGPLF0s6wHfL_we_rT7n-eSWgunowzpmM1yxPdZM6h4k3ZR8dj59fA5yz60Agv5MTmUOr/s640/IMG_2543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCN4gLtOWNcipo6Oi2SbQ_YRWbDvem9hBqTMVXRDwASvapuV9GLHSSPCntytLJrwlOe1VWnXiRY6xSFAMm2Ppdj7-NstGS0n3OLK53MxNUMq7RgpZxOuTzGPLF0s6wHfL_we_rT7n-eSWgunowzpmM1yxPdZM6h4k3ZR8dj59fA5yz60Agv5MTmUOr/s320/IMG_2543.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">And then, I made focaccia, with cherry tomatoes and shishito peppers from the garden, with lots of garlic. It made my house smell like heaven! And it was tasty.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUD0pleqX9uX7btlLppYo2lE_t0pyd62IEF_KBILBunAlmVo9oYDnw6_d0YtpeipJuUjz4MulQ4yfL6QzqDNXydySF49Y89sihf4HgZfhfZ5D6657M6n1-MgWepJVBrBtRlGJyiwTLOid27lbyYODXWnVyzKlRzJ4NGrrapchgRwoTy89ehEVjr5KD/s640/IMG_2538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUD0pleqX9uX7btlLppYo2lE_t0pyd62IEF_KBILBunAlmVo9oYDnw6_d0YtpeipJuUjz4MulQ4yfL6QzqDNXydySF49Y89sihf4HgZfhfZ5D6657M6n1-MgWepJVBrBtRlGJyiwTLOid27lbyYODXWnVyzKlRzJ4NGrrapchgRwoTy89ehEVjr5KD/s320/IMG_2538.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Last week was cool and delightful, so I got outside and did some pruning. I got a little...carried away. A follower on Instagram who does topiary said that if I keep trimming the lines, it will get better, but I think my sister is hoping it doesn't. She said, "I guess it's like hair: It'll grow back." Little does she know... The other side looks like Grumpy Cat, and isn't ready for his close-up. Wait for it.</span><p></p><p><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If next week is cooler, I'll do some more topiary, but for now, I'll stick with my inside obsessions. Have a great week!<br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><p></p><p><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16308570073032398834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8245430321571636931.post-42053673517245206162022-07-14T08:00:00.001-04:002022-07-14T08:00:27.415-04:00Changing My Mind<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OX5VpDKW8xpzdh8U583LniS9vUuiJ4pySIy7GWpNZnOEenVU9QQEYjlJwREIKYUHsJtKiId5EuX5lX_Qgou-oiX3sLCn-ASix6jFWtp0xbrgZJSyh-Ox-4qBfSJmyxvQAM7pITwE9xfkfUl-zM9RWvXpeVI4bFq7opWBSrw6vyiwaJf11oUtAUhG/s640/IMG_2526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OX5VpDKW8xpzdh8U583LniS9vUuiJ4pySIy7GWpNZnOEenVU9QQEYjlJwREIKYUHsJtKiId5EuX5lX_Qgou-oiX3sLCn-ASix6jFWtp0xbrgZJSyh-Ox-4qBfSJmyxvQAM7pITwE9xfkfUl-zM9RWvXpeVI4bFq7opWBSrw6vyiwaJf11oUtAUhG/w400-h300/IMG_2526.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the front flower bed being flowery</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;">When my nephew was very young, three, I think, we were visiting his family, and as the adults chatted, he was making some art. Suddenly, he cried out, "Where are my scissors? I can't change my mind without my scissors!" Of course, we all laughed, but I surely needed my scissors to change my mind on the sample for the bedspread. I cut off what I'd made, with the very complicated threading on the Bronson and Spot Lace, first of all because there was a threading error, and secondly, there would have been a lot more of them if I'd stuck with that pattern for the bedspread, over 840 threads.</span></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihIpBjvp8WGl_ckj5gIPSEmcWO9BUZyazSn8TPOmnLURjSaUy0fwen9BHaVTjyLYEbXIJKQTz1-paEUqilKeJJBdVezOpm1vP5N9PByrVztXcdmcbhMcEZ95ptDMEVS9jAHFv5g2rXhwPS_HX5BQxxanrL87t1zwWxHwgrvWX8ZuKfbc2GdrCN6I_r/s1494/tan%20scarf%202.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="909" data-original-width="1494" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihIpBjvp8WGl_ckj5gIPSEmcWO9BUZyazSn8TPOmnLURjSaUy0fwen9BHaVTjyLYEbXIJKQTz1-paEUqilKeJJBdVezOpm1vP5N9PByrVztXcdmcbhMcEZ95ptDMEVS9jAHFv5g2rXhwPS_HX5BQxxanrL87t1zwWxHwgrvWX8ZuKfbc2GdrCN6I_r/w400-h244/tan%20scarf%202.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><br /><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The bedspread is on the back burner for now, because I need different warp than the rayon-linen to make it successful. The sample warp will be a scarf, because I hate to waste anything. Above is an enlarged pattern from a picture I had on my phone. I can't remember where I found it, but when I was scrolling through photos this morning, it caught my eye. I think I had Googled Crackle Weave. <br /><br />I put in a border, and am just about to go re-thread the sample warp, after I walk the dog. Should I bead it? I just noticed that the border isn't symmetrical. Gotta fix that first. And then decide if I want to bead the hemstitching.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I love that such a complicated design can come from four shafts. I remember my buddy LouAnn saying once that she would be happy to weave on a four shaft loom for the rest of her life and never run out of new things to weave. This proves her right. I like using eight shafts, even six, but my "desert island" loom would be Jenny, my four-shaft Artisat. We could live happily ever after, provided the desert island had a yarn store.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikSqQQ_krEjD077Iph5akuf_zEtu3t9j_rzewPvlB8gaFyrRUdvCySG88hOFJVtzG2wa6WhEWt7LQuB1FN-h95tgDALCrI_a46G4WvHB3D6YFFmCt8HzQZc0pduRKBRRf9k42ovxteV5EO3A36cT7az5siueaqHaOLXxDgkXdVQb6-Ofg_zkzxwgIy/s640/IMG_2507.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikSqQQ_krEjD077Iph5akuf_zEtu3t9j_rzewPvlB8gaFyrRUdvCySG88hOFJVtzG2wa6WhEWt7LQuB1FN-h95tgDALCrI_a46G4WvHB3D6YFFmCt8HzQZc0pduRKBRRf9k42ovxteV5EO3A36cT7az5siueaqHaOLXxDgkXdVQb6-Ofg_zkzxwgIy/s320/IMG_2507.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Last week, I finished this blouse. It's a Merchant & Mills pattern, the Dress Shirt, which I've made several times before. This time, I embroidered a little clutch of apple blossoms on the yoke, and the fabric was dyed last fall. I modified the pattern, making it short enough for a tunic, rather than the original below the knee length. I've worn it already, and love it, though I do hope the fabric softens up a little. It's cotton-hemp that I bought from Dharma Trading.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiibpLPa77PNgfb88J97Hx6L2LPB5oVVKvEfUA1oPMDBkgsdHQMimJhqSXfoJINT68zdNVUZnBee4VHrm4oNnPe9GzAHeUYHni0dzOn1Akre8Pm8GkOMjGXRMtnotIlj_EfIJzkvl0lksBibvSSRnhy-_mbkqzMthGpY7AtUu0_EKF8lO3Uy7ha0uOe/s640/IMG_2527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiibpLPa77PNgfb88J97Hx6L2LPB5oVVKvEfUA1oPMDBkgsdHQMimJhqSXfoJINT68zdNVUZnBee4VHrm4oNnPe9GzAHeUYHni0dzOn1Akre8Pm8GkOMjGXRMtnotIlj_EfIJzkvl0lksBibvSSRnhy-_mbkqzMthGpY7AtUu0_EKF8lO3Uy7ha0uOe/s320/IMG_2527.jpg" width="240" /></a></div></span><p></p><p></p><span style="font-family: arial;">Next sewing project up is this blouse from Folkwear patterns, the Croatian Shirt. It has about 4 million tucks in it, and they're topped in the front by a placket. This blouse is large, very large, which makes it a few miles of solid teal fabric. Unlike the above blouse, with its variations in dye pattern (because I didn't stir it enough), this piece of fabric came out mostly solid. So I thought it needed a break from the teal somewhere. I spent most of yesterday doing bead embroidery on the placket while I was watching videos on YouTube of how to embroider with beads. It's amazing what you can learn from YouTube!</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I need to hem the placket along the chalk lines, but first I have to start making those tucks!<br /></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4yCbfJOtdmSD0zOK216z5fYv2Yi2hFkxMQ2mM3qCdGF-ydNJbjbYOvLkQ9_9PLop8_CcZu-9GL4W6U8GCf0YMm1MHzEycVZP2x3le6qF2ho2aZRGmbrjp_y48cYJU4A3HM1HGNm3eeGJy_EDWfHVNXSajnrqmx-lfng803ThN66OxLO0odXktyn-k/s640/IMG_2528.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="303" data-original-width="640" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4yCbfJOtdmSD0zOK216z5fYv2Yi2hFkxMQ2mM3qCdGF-ydNJbjbYOvLkQ9_9PLop8_CcZu-9GL4W6U8GCf0YMm1MHzEycVZP2x3le6qF2ho2aZRGmbrjp_y48cYJU4A3HM1HGNm3eeGJy_EDWfHVNXSajnrqmx-lfng803ThN66OxLO0odXktyn-k/s320/IMG_2528.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnCceOVE0BVC1X8CddLwtkWA7N-sgrHB46xcfXUwGBrounjFJ42dbVAzGz07cGrKaoXFZ5KUyOALXyBhi88P-9o_X9Pr3lrT-F2f4Xdxlq4auWdN_oWsNbzp7HifY_SWibOo7vfptdKmfBiud3gSIY52dhKDktMn7m4f7lq6CRWoj-riuqsjuXSNxv/s640/67943981375__E807EB9B-E630-426C-AF22-75CFB6161464.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnCceOVE0BVC1X8CddLwtkWA7N-sgrHB46xcfXUwGBrounjFJ42dbVAzGz07cGrKaoXFZ5KUyOALXyBhi88P-9o_X9Pr3lrT-F2f4Xdxlq4auWdN_oWsNbzp7HifY_SWibOo7vfptdKmfBiud3gSIY52dhKDktMn7m4f7lq6CRWoj-riuqsjuXSNxv/w150-h200/67943981375__E807EB9B-E630-426C-AF22-75CFB6161464.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>My garden is doing all right, but I think I crowded the plants too much. One thing is certain: I have gotten some bizarre tomatoes! Below and to the left are two, or several that grew too close together and wrapped themselves around the stem. The one below is ripe, although it was green inside, and it was delicious, but had to be cut up into chunks. I think the one to the left needs a couple more days on the window sill. Not a candidate for a tomato sandwich, but it'll make a dandy salad.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkNTZWzAYxcGr05KbsmBXCUUGo0aetbPtPv9ja3vUZZc8te6XsiFn0WMUw8Izgyc1-JjwQQBzRRnwdWZNqQyFZuBtvqdquM0GnLBITU7RLEXpDgsnP27bxQNYPJJr-IdH1zPKEcUd_ziA4CHCRIQ5WmrONApQVj8uTHjkMMQfTRH4vLDgFz5RVrGAp/s640/IMG_2521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkNTZWzAYxcGr05KbsmBXCUUGo0aetbPtPv9ja3vUZZc8te6XsiFn0WMUw8Izgyc1-JjwQQBzRRnwdWZNqQyFZuBtvqdquM0GnLBITU7RLEXpDgsnP27bxQNYPJJr-IdH1zPKEcUd_ziA4CHCRIQ5WmrONApQVj8uTHjkMMQfTRH4vLDgFz5RVrGAp/w240-h320/IMG_2521.jpg" width="240" /></a></div></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">My weaving buddies are all at Convergence in Knoxville this week, and I wish I was! But I hope they have a wonderful time, and I hope I can join them in two years at the next one, wherever that might be.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p></p></div>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16308570073032398834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8245430321571636931.post-25508517573276714712022-07-08T15:52:00.000-04:002022-07-08T15:52:17.274-04:00Sampling<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxru_H73Toy_CM-nMpIKLM86QjNAMZ4m7_mqmCTWhhV7ukZfPiHtBpFTJBlQash7eUUtRkbXlfvjbuJhfXxWplRUAiq1NMT0ArzjunxnJem18PDhNgQTfvfiiB3fmpfZ1PiAW7qysryJ2BIF1IdaSqyPAZzG8OutQ5FCfWFXX7qXC0vd-GVLUgvexY/s2016/IMG_2500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxru_H73Toy_CM-nMpIKLM86QjNAMZ4m7_mqmCTWhhV7ukZfPiHtBpFTJBlQash7eUUtRkbXlfvjbuJhfXxWplRUAiq1NMT0ArzjunxnJem18PDhNgQTfvfiiB3fmpfZ1PiAW7qysryJ2BIF1IdaSqyPAZzG8OutQ5FCfWFXX7qXC0vd-GVLUgvexY/w300-h400/IMG_2500.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">The fire warp scarves are washed and blocked. They're intense! And I love them. So now it's on to new things. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I finished winding the warp for the bedspread, all 840 ends. I chose a pattern from <u>Lace and Lacey Weaves</u>, by Mary E. Snyder, Project 59, Bronson and Spot Weaves. The threading for one repeat is 98 threads, and for a full pattern, it's 176. That would be 4 repeats.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8r1f20FqzuH6k7hVSiOcdTsCU7BwhemkL4KR2dyE774ESy1Jztn7jXHbFYClHgdLxSNK-ig5HnJqCUgJvsbXGxI4JSVFjyHYe4PWDmTyi3t4WvqHnYmCnvCC2joC3SWrNIdpSLBrKKaURyv3JlIJ54_BaEK6MlrLAeC3DfrZeHaIX_qEZ8GCabp3t/s640/IMG_2494.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8r1f20FqzuH6k7hVSiOcdTsCU7BwhemkL4KR2dyE774ESy1Jztn7jXHbFYClHgdLxSNK-ig5HnJqCUgJvsbXGxI4JSVFjyHYe4PWDmTyi3t4WvqHnYmCnvCC2joC3SWrNIdpSLBrKKaURyv3JlIJ54_BaEK6MlrLAeC3DfrZeHaIX_qEZ8GCabp3t/w150-h200/IMG_2494.jpg" width="150" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">To say that was daunting is understating it. I mean, look at all that warp! So I decided to sample it, something I never do. I wound another warp of 180 threads to allow for floating selvedges, 3 yards long. I can use it to trim pillow shams to match the bedspread. But I needed to find out which weft worked best.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I got the warp wound onto Jenny quickly, only to find a lot of threading errors, mostly in the tabby. I've left it alone for the day, and will fix the errors tomorrow morning when I'm fresh. But here's what I learned so far: That rayon-linen blend is very sticky, so winding on a warp of 10 yards and 840 threads onto the loom would be very difficult. It's also quite heavy, which would defeat the purpose of a summer bedspread. And I'm not in love with the color, something I would have to look at every day in the summer. If I dyed it, it would only be darker, though this yarn dyes lovely. I want a light bedspread, in color and weight.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Joo_DFwElK1lINNZgrXio_RvbfyruDnv3RmZOdhgpWPLbqdeth0TXlblRWv2lwO0jehJ5IqJg8prMLRGhU_thOzimUxoi1PSGb9HVW8geZF-lrc_OSoLAKEWud-s0O-fKv5h-tWBgUSdFEuAIzGrxtD9V-g0Cd-ZZTdq248KB29I_X0HzgoFdtRG/s640/IMG_2495.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Joo_DFwElK1lINNZgrXio_RvbfyruDnv3RmZOdhgpWPLbqdeth0TXlblRWv2lwO0jehJ5IqJg8prMLRGhU_thOzimUxoi1PSGb9HVW8geZF-lrc_OSoLAKEWud-s0O-fKv5h-tWBgUSdFEuAIzGrxtD9V-g0Cd-ZZTdq248KB29I_X0HzgoFdtRG/w150-h200/IMG_2495.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Also the pattern is very complicated. Several years ago, I tried to get a group together for a study group to figure out that book. We had a big turn-out for the first meeting--maybe because I was buying lunch?--but no one seemed interested in pursuing it. Which is a shame because that book seems like it could be so useful, but I just don't understand much of it. </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1d5PSmruwL1vWiqatZ19eOuB0LIa0vejswA_usKgLDwuyMg984UIaE1h3MG27KUNPSf_lkZNfwm7Bf9LPSvwU-CdoUJrlABBOkSL-tfY4JL7WAxIilL9TShlb5Er515h89byACR37IBg0JWnQIjjLKNT6SMkZbCz3nEuVRc7b1my1z7t_QeYxOHy-/s640/IMG_2496.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1d5PSmruwL1vWiqatZ19eOuB0LIa0vejswA_usKgLDwuyMg984UIaE1h3MG27KUNPSf_lkZNfwm7Bf9LPSvwU-CdoUJrlABBOkSL-tfY4JL7WAxIilL9TShlb5Er515h89byACR37IBg0JWnQIjjLKNT6SMkZbCz3nEuVRc7b1my1z7t_QeYxOHy-/s320/IMG_2496.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">This may not be the best picture, but can you see the tie-up? I know part of the problem is the weaving software I use, but I wonder why it's tied up that way? And there's no way that I can think of to add tabby to the selvedges. Plus, it's so complicated a threading, I just can't see doing it four times. I do love the pattern, so I'm going to fix the sampler warp, and finish it, probably use it to trim pillow shams, but I'm so glad I tried it first with one repeat. I'd be wasting a lot of time and yarn, otherwise.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I've decided to dye each group of the wound warp, which is two groups of 300 and one of 240, and weave them into scarves. Ten yards each should make four scarves each, so they will be different colors. That'll keep me busy!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">So, I've gone back to my original idea, which is to use Halcyon Yarn's Homestead Cotton, in white, maybe with pink weft, because I have a big cone of it, and it's pale enough to be neutral. I'll have to buy more white, and I was trying to avoid buying any yarn, but it's relatively inexpensive. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6XBkjBL4ryfPxu21vSNFW24hKDeb9d6x5CFaWeq6LWlj64mZe3S8g-A6wZL4kg2Dx7bhJWcKF42O_cHp3aF44gteS9woKBM0WarJZfBXtrQ_Pqo-rFlzEpn7JZw33vbtgNtmpq6a4_UEtm-9yWm3Xy7w16ZynoulHBiaxI24dzc5Hm4awKMGLnaQt/s640/IMG_2503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6XBkjBL4ryfPxu21vSNFW24hKDeb9d6x5CFaWeq6LWlj64mZe3S8g-A6wZL4kg2Dx7bhJWcKF42O_cHp3aF44gteS9woKBM0WarJZfBXtrQ_Pqo-rFlzEpn7JZw33vbtgNtmpq6a4_UEtm-9yWm3Xy7w16ZynoulHBiaxI24dzc5Hm4awKMGLnaQt/s320/IMG_2503.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I've fixed the threading error on the blue scarf, beaded the edge and begun weaving. The pattern is not what I expected at all. On the computer, it looked like Dogwood blossoms, but now as I weave, all I see are the horizontal lines. I kind of like it! It just looks very geometric. The thing about the way I make scarves is that when this one's done, I'll bead it and cut it off, then tie on the next. That gives me the opportunity to rethread, and I think I will figure out how to get rid of the horizontal line on treadle 8. I also have different blue-purple beads I want to try, and I want to have a row of Brooks Bouquet a few picks between the hemstitching and the beginning of the pattern. Picture to follow, of course!<br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">So far retirement for me has been weaving all day and knitting at night, fixing the car and pulling the occasional weeds from the garden. Wiley and I walk before the sun gets too high, and then he keeps an eye on me for the rest of the day. The tomatoes aren't ready yet, the squash keep giving and the cucumbers are trying to fruit. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUDomsGHLyW6v4UOvNV-g1e14FDn4bFKm1EaDM6gF_EfhG8Cq6iVwBP98UkTnycU7eh4wkRwgkTCDFD6A6gS0r1rrc8pVnHAVrmsEP9iv1SRvgSvRMjvKqS1-S0u29C7kaBRirdWV58FxuXMI4KqQ_h3LlzFVxV8IoLeDhJIAWKX-AgAGKbGdx9qD/s640/IMG_2489.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUDomsGHLyW6v4UOvNV-g1e14FDn4bFKm1EaDM6gF_EfhG8Cq6iVwBP98UkTnycU7eh4wkRwgkTCDFD6A6gS0r1rrc8pVnHAVrmsEP9iv1SRvgSvRMjvKqS1-S0u29C7kaBRirdWV58FxuXMI4KqQ_h3LlzFVxV8IoLeDhJIAWKX-AgAGKbGdx9qD/w300-h400/IMG_2489.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Last year, the hibiscus were huge and plentiful, but this is the only blossom I've had this year. June bugs are eating anything beautiful, so please enjoy this one now!</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCzZUyAj5GfMy7VMO6peLRUbpA04h1zPkR3xnLVgrsKcDf5PkXzGiffvMjLdpSmhA1eLjvhaIkW7hd_d9i8zxaZNL3vHQcr_OLkMBZXK7G4dFMN4ku3dvXcdq_dQrPcsJ93o45TDwI3-IedkvQluUAGQtsQtmbIryAnr7sbnUHSR5UzTpHK9We3-2d/s640/IMG_2498.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16308570073032398834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8245430321571636931.post-10007209950727275002022-07-02T12:03:00.005-04:002022-07-02T12:03:37.502-04:00Retirement<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqizSqFw0bxrSqMMaJBuvT88UG815sAQBH_JrU4vly-HQUEc6nLJVbd0zO-W5RYjsxEN48BSa2TIFkKC3bDNYOvsUAz7-bS-oHN4NlSoA8NVd8_w9y5gzRLZKiqup59ALWcWQrzqNU71ZxljZqGn38KwUrqteTkH_P9FNmtD2AiYO8TRc334CVyyQJ/s320/IMG_2482.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqizSqFw0bxrSqMMaJBuvT88UG815sAQBH_JrU4vly-HQUEc6nLJVbd0zO-W5RYjsxEN48BSa2TIFkKC3bDNYOvsUAz7-bS-oHN4NlSoA8NVd8_w9y5gzRLZKiqup59ALWcWQrzqNU71ZxljZqGn38KwUrqteTkH_P9FNmtD2AiYO8TRc334CVyyQJ/s1600/IMG_2482.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I have never been one of those people who plot and plan and count the days for my retirement. But my last job, one that I thought I could well for many years, turned out to be so awful, I had to walk out, something I've never done before. It was difficult to do, and once I had, I didn't know what to do with myself. Well, I turn 65 at the end of this month, and decided to just do it, stop working.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">And it feels weird, to be honest. I've been working since I was 19. I still, after three weeks, don't know what to do with myself most days. I start out in the studio, weaving or threading or twisting fringe, and once I can't sit at the loom one more minute, I move to the living room and knit. If I kept track of the hours I'm currently working, it would probably be more than 12 a day. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUoPHEQ7qaXRaAUV98VBx2xWFPDmsUlyShxrCkA2xBFLL9g2e0HPNDKtQrEaQ-q6Eik99vtTNifP6kCiYRFCea-G3OBAWh_N8PVCMCNR4xXDdr3Km96xFxskdfR-G5jVnSzRCEMWmGydF2idq6U5YI7Dk7-nt0tI11VTTq1dQwV3DiUh-fp4w72de3/s320/IMG_2483.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUoPHEQ7qaXRaAUV98VBx2xWFPDmsUlyShxrCkA2xBFLL9g2e0HPNDKtQrEaQ-q6Eik99vtTNifP6kCiYRFCea-G3OBAWh_N8PVCMCNR4xXDdr3Km96xFxskdfR-G5jVnSzRCEMWmGydF2idq6U5YI7Dk7-nt0tI11VTTq1dQwV3DiUh-fp4w72de3/s1600/IMG_2483.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm working on a shawl, above, that I've wanted to make for a long time. It's from <u>Knitted Lace From Estonia</u>, by Nancy Bush. It'll be the third shawl I've made from this book, if I can ever get past the fifth row. I keep ending up with too many stitches on the second half. The yarn was hand-dyed by Pam Howard, who gave it to me a couple of Christmases ago. It's just my colors, and feels good in my hands when I'm knitting it.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The next project was started a few months ago. I actually had an entire sweater knitted out of this cotton yarn, "Sommer Ella" by Lena Holme Samsoe. You can find the pattern on Ravelry. I made my sister one, altering the pattern to make it a cardigan, and then knitted myself a pullover. Unfortunately, it came out big enough to fit two of me, so I ripped it completely apart. I like the simplicity of this cardigan, one of Knitting Pure & Simple's patterns. I'm on the sleeves, as you see, but it's kind of hot to hold in my lap for long. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkq6D5olGh471r7cd508e4ODJA4nxJGldx51HQmhUa36rViKsifhJg39jZBpn0D0uUUjx9yTEDlbTHWHGuTx79U0wpbqeIaKbjm9yBoSeiCq38BMCrPuXLgBG9BSnhhWjgKAshMH5XYQQhbXQvcb_ArXYE7O5Pgw8awGjC8NfbVD1G4pbpWhNDD0j3/s320/IMG_2479.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkq6D5olGh471r7cd508e4ODJA4nxJGldx51HQmhUa36rViKsifhJg39jZBpn0D0uUUjx9yTEDlbTHWHGuTx79U0wpbqeIaKbjm9yBoSeiCq38BMCrPuXLgBG9BSnhhWjgKAshMH5XYQQhbXQvcb_ArXYE7O5Pgw8awGjC8NfbVD1G4pbpWhNDD0j3/s1600/IMG_2479.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">And these two shawls have the fringes I've been twisting. I finished weaving the second shawl this past week. twisted their fringes while binging on Downton Abbey, and now they're getting a bath. Clearly, I did not rinse all the dye from the warps or the wefts when I dyed them! They'll take a few more soaks before they can be dried. The pattern is gorgeous, and I'll post pictures next week.</span><p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhaQiWuLZO3TK5JALTHkk17AGvH3T7mr91Q04ZdGiOk7TP43r8sBdY9ja4vaCdT9_dqyGoVtYU9sxDqovNXTFvGT5kzD8M8-tdUoAqXew4PQwdnvqu2ANXX04gquUW6WuRJclg5CKJZDXfipdA2LaBn0q4vsGVxdSn1gBz4zjNbsHoNpR6klNLxS-6/s320/IMG_2476.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhaQiWuLZO3TK5JALTHkk17AGvH3T7mr91Q04ZdGiOk7TP43r8sBdY9ja4vaCdT9_dqyGoVtYU9sxDqovNXTFvGT5kzD8M8-tdUoAqXew4PQwdnvqu2ANXX04gquUW6WuRJclg5CKJZDXfipdA2LaBn0q4vsGVxdSn1gBz4zjNbsHoNpR6klNLxS-6/s1600/IMG_2476.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;">The next project, that lovely blue and lavender warp I threaded last week has a problem. You can't see it, and I didn't see it until I was half-way across it beading the hem-stitching, but I missed a sequence in the threading, <i style="font-weight: bold;">exactly</i> in the middle of the warp. I un-wove, cut the beads off, but still ended up needing to cut about 8 inches off to start over. I still haven't been able to sit down and re-thread it, though I have found the problem. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">So I have one naked loom and one with a re-threading issue that I can't face. Nothing left to do but knit! </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLMxPTuVD9-iySMFirgxY89goa-i6EOh4TUJjbeuDN40sJha4iXcwO1GnLqEiGkOsCfCF0kegA_qhEGgC4BMMLnZ34UoMgCzFjKvvbweS_bzWajHpOKXO-AbrECcfaC7r6Qz3U1XVeRP7TECsP8de3MWZ6IeDZqzuYimvgAu5pEG-vL5boILT6q2wc/s640/IMG_2468.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLMxPTuVD9-iySMFirgxY89goa-i6EOh4TUJjbeuDN40sJha4iXcwO1GnLqEiGkOsCfCF0kegA_qhEGgC4BMMLnZ34UoMgCzFjKvvbweS_bzWajHpOKXO-AbrECcfaC7r6Qz3U1XVeRP7TECsP8de3MWZ6IeDZqzuYimvgAu5pEG-vL5boILT6q2wc/s320/IMG_2468.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">The garden is going pretty well, except for a deer that keeps jumping the fence to munch on all the beans and the tender tops of the tomato plants. Check out these weird heirloom tomatoes! The seeds are from Italy, but I don't remember the variety. They won't be ripe for another couple of weeks, but I will report back.<br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It's getting hot outside, after a couple of days with cool breezes, so Weft is our example for today. Just find a cool spot and take a nap!</span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnsVxx3S4vpqSNSBn-sM_4lQe5ENp0xsrxxCbfaEO3rR5Eyo2CMZkNO_v1am5MTQ8nHe9maQF_Z0Bv4x5adS4jsKsBP9j7_qkcC-ZOjMzQTAKjkDHRqEMy_Kda8vxJnLWcmK2s5ne5U2pywgCEW5C6HG6lsI1daIpr-5sKRjFtLA1MhlJI6qJNwVFx/s640/IMG_2478.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnsVxx3S4vpqSNSBn-sM_4lQe5ENp0xsrxxCbfaEO3rR5Eyo2CMZkNO_v1am5MTQ8nHe9maQF_Z0Bv4x5adS4jsKsBP9j7_qkcC-ZOjMzQTAKjkDHRqEMy_Kda8vxJnLWcmK2s5ne5U2pywgCEW5C6HG6lsI1daIpr-5sKRjFtLA1MhlJI6qJNwVFx/s320/IMG_2478.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16308570073032398834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8245430321571636931.post-29429079680242512242022-06-26T13:41:00.001-04:002022-06-26T13:43:14.371-04:00All Week in the Studio<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOklyom6pqT-7eAJ_8I3twRCh1Jv1URNfIOHNErcMNixwMlg4zjhWV1P1cAJRXnZczC43juMXl5j8JmIO9TDDeOhm6Ypbm3Tf-v0VpnUMjFsjKLiw1FmOWzJTUfsAAlNEv1lLKIccqNz8qDGz_NsM5ZoTFtgI1CV-B0_FVTZbsYh50IqXPiWv1F_e9/s320/IMG_2464.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOklyom6pqT-7eAJ_8I3twRCh1Jv1URNfIOHNErcMNixwMlg4zjhWV1P1cAJRXnZczC43juMXl5j8JmIO9TDDeOhm6Ypbm3Tf-v0VpnUMjFsjKLiw1FmOWzJTUfsAAlNEv1lLKIccqNz8qDGz_NsM5ZoTFtgI1CV-B0_FVTZbsYh50IqXPiWv1F_e9/s1600/IMG_2464.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">The knots have appeared on the back of the fiery warp! I'm sad to see it go. I dyed it many years ago at a Tuesday Weavers dye day, and I've never again done something so vibrant. Most of my dyed warps are muted in blues or greens or purples. </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihQuJgIpcw6PTexDsCeTdxbge90DM7QZ5hSQe1qdlVhYxC0ZjCSQN-HebhtvtsXX68FP5E4IAurMQmC5zAQ10k0vpSlBB9mLmxsKLo2WV32NYuzD2xhZRx64jKg_91Tr5RJpfcMSeTb2f1jmKuK03TDthmgoYykaqnIFvt2NJQ98Al3asTHv_fLnph/s320/IMG_2463.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihQuJgIpcw6PTexDsCeTdxbge90DM7QZ5hSQe1qdlVhYxC0ZjCSQN-HebhtvtsXX68FP5E4IAurMQmC5zAQ10k0vpSlBB9mLmxsKLo2WV32NYuzD2xhZRx64jKg_91Tr5RJpfcMSeTb2f1jmKuK03TDthmgoYykaqnIFvt2NJQ98Al3asTHv_fLnph/s1600/IMG_2463.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">But plans are underway for the next new project. I'm weaving myself a coverlet! At first, it was going to be cotton, probably white, maybe pink and white, but I would have had to buy new yarn, and I didn't want to. Yesterday, I was weaving on the fiery warp and saw the rayon-linen blend sitting on the shelf. When am I ever going to use all that up? And I just found out last summer that it dyes very nicely. So, I started winding a 10-yard warp on the warping mill last night when I couldn't sit one more minute at the loom. It's a blah color, but it's neutral and slightly shiny, because of the rayon. Woven with itself as the weft, the drape is lovely, and I think it would work very well in a simple lace pattern, maybe Huck or Swedish, probably in blocks. If I dye it, I would probably go with teal or mallard from the Dharma Trading acid dyes. Or I'll just leave it as is!<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOtSthEgys8kD5k_NGoCSKoWderPg6ZsDlkK97FnlhAG02yN_slrvxxE6tyuvlcj6t9Wh2iuWgJC6WEosZ3UJhwJiknBouiGZNnuTHecCnTVCpCmy8MiNLVRvkvZwdfS3P7lhmxAOKtGtLM_E0YvsViEyUomJOMa9cmxHsJ73Lcerc_2AbhYTh8Y9g/s320/IMG_2465.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOtSthEgys8kD5k_NGoCSKoWderPg6ZsDlkK97FnlhAG02yN_slrvxxE6tyuvlcj6t9Wh2iuWgJC6WEosZ3UJhwJiknBouiGZNnuTHecCnTVCpCmy8MiNLVRvkvZwdfS3P7lhmxAOKtGtLM_E0YvsViEyUomJOMa9cmxHsJ73Lcerc_2AbhYTh8Y9g/w240-h320/IMG_2465.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjchWCVNz2YzxO_qQc0Q1rOh2PXOAcLwBQwj7AUuu3xyhBGd4IW1wT5fC4x48zs-h2LSraTZj5vfK1BkMecnKs8jqdUU7wIQZc8ThR1ZMeVX6UpTpXX86Ix1auReBqTz3YIukMS0W7CnGUxND7AZ3syzi0xIvGZtJ0lsOPnu6f2KqinAP59E2MZc0rY/s320/IMG_2466.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjchWCVNz2YzxO_qQc0Q1rOh2PXOAcLwBQwj7AUuu3xyhBGd4IW1wT5fC4x48zs-h2LSraTZj5vfK1BkMecnKs8jqdUU7wIQZc8ThR1ZMeVX6UpTpXX86Ix1auReBqTz3YIukMS0W7CnGUxND7AZ3syzi0xIvGZtJ0lsOPnu6f2KqinAP59E2MZc0rY/w191-h254/IMG_2466.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>Tootsie is naked since Liz's towels were finished in March, so last week I chose this blue and lavender warp that I dyed last fall. It's 320 threads, and I'll thread it 24 epi, also in lace. I tried first to figure out a lace pattern from Carole Strickler's book, but I just cannot seem to get my head around profile drafts! I understand the threading, but I don't understand the treadling. I tried to enter it into WeaveDesign, but it wasn't right. There were floats that were 10 to 14 threads long, and that's just not going to work. Also, it's not what was shown in the pattern. So I'll leave that problem for another day, and chose a pattern from Weaver's Best of Huck. In the picture on the inside cover of the book, this pattern looks like Dogwood blossoms, and I love it. Again, I put it into WeaveDesign, and have it hanging on the back of the loom, ready to go.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5gsSopZQTJd3n5iorcPRwr-zNknRRIYmhuTTyhKO1fKRTF3EYDG0-7A8wOGFOihp49eBmC_ke-zfix334Y8Zii0fLJ7r91eBJ88ESm5jgb5fSTvYQZyMuDAtzOouCjd-SxgXuvxCMko1Sq774pMyR2Voy3RgI0Qv9fLAfaBCNmj7lj7SSNuSopFHm/s320/IMG_2452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5gsSopZQTJd3n5iorcPRwr-zNknRRIYmhuTTyhKO1fKRTF3EYDG0-7A8wOGFOihp49eBmC_ke-zfix334Y8Zii0fLJ7r91eBJ88ESm5jgb5fSTvYQZyMuDAtzOouCjd-SxgXuvxCMko1Sq774pMyR2Voy3RgI0Qv9fLAfaBCNmj7lj7SSNuSopFHm/s1600/IMG_2452.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I used the trapeze to wind this warp on, and I am getting very proficient at it! It went on in an afternoon, with no cursing or tears. I lost the cross, but I'm not afraid. I have re-threaded the last two warps I've woven without a cross, and nothing bad happened. As you see, the threads are all held in the raddle, and I'll be threading back to front. The last few warps I've done have made me question a lot of the "have to" rules I learned when I was learning to weave, and as long as it all works in the end, I will bend or get rid of rules I don't need.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRYJhrGxwCZIbHyhsODj5xLZnUj83B9DpMUdCKvG8cGxI80RJMp7fQYCz8xyo5Iq-VGuAlRXdjz9UtjXdxoWEkKd_0ZChkxIdtN06FP8CqIsJNDl_PxJHF7j36lpCsE_Vp1FoKnbVvhYCehxMc1qW8eqx9iDrrvrGKQcg0puhcngYGqWfJ6YJl9Bcw/s320/IMG_2455.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRYJhrGxwCZIbHyhsODj5xLZnUj83B9DpMUdCKvG8cGxI80RJMp7fQYCz8xyo5Iq-VGuAlRXdjz9UtjXdxoWEkKd_0ZChkxIdtN06FP8CqIsJNDl_PxJHF7j36lpCsE_Vp1FoKnbVvhYCehxMc1qW8eqx9iDrrvrGKQcg0puhcngYGqWfJ6YJl9Bcw/s1600/IMG_2455.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />Besides, what can go wrong if I have two watch-cats keeping me safe? </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Happy weaving!<br /></span><br /> <br /></p>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16308570073032398834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8245430321571636931.post-50079940285495223632022-06-17T15:12:00.000-04:002022-06-17T15:12:35.053-04:00Almost Summer<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj_jtxJDi03pnE-pDvO8MOb8ZoVQ11jQIQpwNTaeRyoRjnHtmGSgRvxQDbQXB8FUZ-XTfvMzV3XmEpNYYg9h8XUK0nVYSC1v2FOqoU_8pJNzSwUu6cdNuCT3QEEeH-Gpr-cN9vRTZuM_ibbMn4_DA8ds_FdfMe9iDWTgsdidr9DD76iIKrZZ1H-Dji/s320/IMG_2438.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj_jtxJDi03pnE-pDvO8MOb8ZoVQ11jQIQpwNTaeRyoRjnHtmGSgRvxQDbQXB8FUZ-XTfvMzV3XmEpNYYg9h8XUK0nVYSC1v2FOqoU_8pJNzSwUu6cdNuCT3QEEeH-Gpr-cN9vRTZuM_ibbMn4_DA8ds_FdfMe9iDWTgsdidr9DD76iIKrZZ1H-Dji/w317-h400/IMG_2438.jpg" width="317" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">First tomatoes!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKdo0zcTg9wLGuc1bgKHq3QDHqxi0eZK5Uq1YYwaDxVx-eeMwlvB3Yz_98R71jiisRWcOucJp8JQZQ49I7HWElyZerQRfXNUVS2ns1khovlEHTWRjoVK2X9po8I2B6NKS04nXwZzqSzWxmYq0BXMpX-e3MD84Imb6ElBwTO_TrJqDbIM9pS5Qh1oFm/s320/IMG_1750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKdo0zcTg9wLGuc1bgKHq3QDHqxi0eZK5Uq1YYwaDxVx-eeMwlvB3Yz_98R71jiisRWcOucJp8JQZQ49I7HWElyZerQRfXNUVS2ns1khovlEHTWRjoVK2X9po8I2B6NKS04nXwZzqSzWxmYq0BXMpX-e3MD84Imb6ElBwTO_TrJqDbIM9pS5Qh1oFm/s1600/IMG_1750.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>It's been over a year since I touched this page, and of course, a lot has happened. I'm on the precipice of deciding when to retire right now, and it looks better every day. I've spent the last two days in my studio, weaving on this vibrant warp that I dyed way back when I was one of the Tuesday Weavers, and have left in a box all that time, probably 10 years, at least. I just love it, but have to say that it's been a lot of trouble. I warped it on the trapeze with no problems, but then threaded it as Johann D...'s No. 32. This is in the Davison book as a Swedish Lace Weave, but it is all Barleycorn, in my opinion. It needs a selvedge, which I didn't add, and it's got huge vertical floats. I finished it, anyway, fixed its selvedge mistakes just yesterday and am okay with it. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMSJz3oOga131nvgzn-Eviz_H-UN73D8chcLNylsnaxfOOYGHJ9Sc2tDVPfYJaJycm9p3CKtHPc5yMHfObPG-IcoyznVt0eNxL4JsYFLjMQM69ab0CTNB0L_KF7o346bKdZww6pEzlRYtaXKtUm3_Mecr2uF0_Nq-2JgkT3oHqnbPYmatGFxMK4LxZ/s320/IMG_1763.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMSJz3oOga131nvgzn-Eviz_H-UN73D8chcLNylsnaxfOOYGHJ9Sc2tDVPfYJaJycm9p3CKtHPc5yMHfObPG-IcoyznVt0eNxL4JsYFLjMQM69ab0CTNB0L_KF7o346bKdZww6pEzlRYtaXKtUm3_Mecr2uF0_Nq-2JgkT3oHqnbPYmatGFxMK4LxZ/w200-h150/IMG_1763.jpg" width="200" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Afterwards, I rethreaded it as Mary Ann Ostrander pattern, an old favorite. I started weaving, was so excited, beaded the hemstitching, started weaving and then noticed at least five errors on the right side of the warp. Well, I left the studio after marking the errors and did not go back in there for a very long time. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ0KQgXxdl2E_HM3D5i1uY1T55f_7x7oQRO2mw5z2Cs4k8Kax_xmC8QGZbZklnsW1fhMzXbOxHTGWrflyQpke2mEC0vKM2_X_ER6-jUbBvIqG8C_rXpJFQi9O_s4Wa684TgXu9aKT-bGRmbxSCBUUcY2PWNot1ySsZY_AmQ02HrHkHOu1CIr3EyzHn/s320/6771BC72-051B-46FA-9C59-FE57C2B4BA45.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="256" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ0KQgXxdl2E_HM3D5i1uY1T55f_7x7oQRO2mw5z2Cs4k8Kax_xmC8QGZbZklnsW1fhMzXbOxHTGWrflyQpke2mEC0vKM2_X_ER6-jUbBvIqG8C_rXpJFQi9O_s4Wa684TgXu9aKT-bGRmbxSCBUUcY2PWNot1ySsZY_AmQ02HrHkHOu1CIr3EyzHn/s1600/6771BC72-051B-46FA-9C59-FE57C2B4BA45.JPG" width="256" /></a></div> Tootsie, the 8-shaft was busier in that time. My sister said she wanted kitchen towels, and that she likes red. Well, Mom left me a lot of red yarn, so I went through Carole Strickler's book and found this pattern. I've wanted to try Summer-Winter for a long time, and was really excited to see that this was a one-shuttle weave, after so much overshot. I loved weaving these towels, though they weren't ready for her birthday or for Christmas. I finished them in March, and gave them to her for no occasion. I even got one for myself, the first one woven. The set was too loose at first, so I had to tighten it up. I kept the loose one. <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIaAz0eO4MncKGa9dja2gd7_lx9I0rojLC9ktm2_7Kaxs9X6KcUlDY4jIeVBQ4FAP2SkM5YBP5sHJ3bkc0Rp1URshKEV0vi2J1sEyHiNoEwlhR7A1G78VivgIHw4fM-4IYvK5nRMrk8qOFK83y9LTax_FwYcxvML_5AG8QdTsN12YLJqgxQhVSisEi/s320/IMG_2442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIaAz0eO4MncKGa9dja2gd7_lx9I0rojLC9ktm2_7Kaxs9X6KcUlDY4jIeVBQ4FAP2SkM5YBP5sHJ3bkc0Rp1URshKEV0vi2J1sEyHiNoEwlhR7A1G78VivgIHw4fM-4IYvK5nRMrk8qOFK83y9LTax_FwYcxvML_5AG8QdTsN12YLJqgxQhVSisEi/s1600/IMG_2442.jpg" width="240" /></a></p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span>I did finally fix the mistakes, and on Monday, I started weaving the next shawl on the gorgeous warp. After carefully checking for mistakes, I beaded the hem and started weaving in earnest. I'm up to 43 inches at writing, and it will be my usual 108 inches long. It's fun to be weaving again! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span> I don't yet have plans for Tootsie's next project but I'm thinking about two hand-painted warps. Both are purple fading into blue, and I'll choose soon, especially if I go ahead and pull the retirement plug!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><span> In the meantime, I've been embroidering and knitting.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghggRohhG3Vdx8Wp2jFskPhBv4krE_T8G-FS3f9vmWTe_NgHq_NGd-z1YB7mHZWM3Y2n7dYArqqtBsoMm3VL7GEzMv-6GKAuucCv6MunMMp61l37Nwv4Ojy6MHf1u3yTVlxmdd4dfqH4bl5S-fjdTPiGONVTsSwhFqEcfXnBL7Lie8s80JtDP0_WJ8/s320/IMG_2277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghggRohhG3Vdx8Wp2jFskPhBv4krE_T8G-FS3f9vmWTe_NgHq_NGd-z1YB7mHZWM3Y2n7dYArqqtBsoMm3VL7GEzMv-6GKAuucCv6MunMMp61l37Nwv4Ojy6MHf1u3yTVlxmdd4dfqH4bl5S-fjdTPiGONVTsSwhFqEcfXnBL7Lie8s80JtDP0_WJ8/s1600/IMG_2277.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgve-EFMtzeFUoA1lezPoTsFdcXijSQFPOTEiV2yq3c29axyXRGkzEUl63sUsIyq3LUO-06kb_U2YRM9EcAFYJBGdHx7r4lYpokKxw4bYfkKwbiKVhO8hKdXqBbhdPYR9QCnH6vIVO49_lU0Ruggcdc19RL4cyCA_2XWLKkrfKSCYPI2F21jbIXqIKh/s320/IMG_2406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgve-EFMtzeFUoA1lezPoTsFdcXijSQFPOTEiV2yq3c29axyXRGkzEUl63sUsIyq3LUO-06kb_U2YRM9EcAFYJBGdHx7r4lYpokKxw4bYfkKwbiKVhO8hKdXqBbhdPYR9QCnH6vIVO49_lU0Ruggcdc19RL4cyCA_2XWLKkrfKSCYPI2F21jbIXqIKh/w240-h320/IMG_2406.jpg" width="240" /></a></div></span>I've made a lot of mittens this past winter, great for walking the dog in the cold. Even though I know how to make fingers on gloves now, fingerless gloves are best for giving treats and picking up... things when walking the dog!<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> This blouse is the Box Box pattern from Merchant and Mills, made in cotton poplin. I love the sleeves, but when I finished the daisies on the front, they looked like sunny side up eggs! I haven't worn it yet, but I will soon.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5jDnwX7IK3Xgls5m2PwxRRm9hmdKjiPLX0A3iZ4CdwhN9Q0dH1V1Xe_0LiYqbgAqImRhKZAsFa99y-rAj6p0f_lmX7PUI_z7vaM7jY59fIRFExCrtkK2YS1zXW3YytYDdJJ2dFzYiGAFA8LPOltewyZCBzIVMe7hb4S88QinAVHQAjS9KW5D5Zdy/s320/IMG_1712.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5jDnwX7IK3Xgls5m2PwxRRm9hmdKjiPLX0A3iZ4CdwhN9Q0dH1V1Xe_0LiYqbgAqImRhKZAsFa99y-rAj6p0f_lmX7PUI_z7vaM7jY59fIRFExCrtkK2YS1zXW3YytYDdJJ2dFzYiGAFA8LPOltewyZCBzIVMe7hb4S88QinAVHQAjS9KW5D5Zdy/w150-h200/IMG_1712.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>And in my last post, I talked about the brake on Tootsie. Dalton laser-cut this brake from 1/2" thick aluminum, and it fit perfectly. Now, I have complained on this blog about Tootsie, but now she is my loom, as you can see, and I will keep her, no matter what! The brake works like a charm.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs-8pjcRDQZ5uQwLN8DQZe3-qOh5yFWm9LoSBsSXJECIWfGBbqrEEUFZxoiJrLXtQF8DedYl8HxzTmbnzl8klGlQSYpwKtDvGhafgL9WFZ5DnkEihFHj3IchkJFqWCfuZxncC8pPqdVgBOxHP_we0r-7ZgOYCG3Hxnjls3uiYdoz5eVuUQBj5M-N1M/s320/IMG_2428.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs-8pjcRDQZ5uQwLN8DQZe3-qOh5yFWm9LoSBsSXJECIWfGBbqrEEUFZxoiJrLXtQF8DedYl8HxzTmbnzl8klGlQSYpwKtDvGhafgL9WFZ5DnkEihFHj3IchkJFqWCfuZxncC8pPqdVgBOxHP_we0r-7ZgOYCG3Hxnjls3uiYdoz5eVuUQBj5M-N1M/w300-h400/IMG_2428.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>I leave you with some baby pattypan squash. I've never grown them before, or eaten them, but the one in the picture changed that. It was ripe on Monday, and I pan-roasted it with some Shishito peppers and green beans for my dinner. The seeds were from Monticello! And it was delicious.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <br /><span><span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div></span></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p></p></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /> <p></p>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16308570073032398834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8245430321571636931.post-78684211686688388482021-03-06T09:50:00.002-05:002021-03-06T09:50:51.874-05:00Weaving Interrupted<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">I've been busy this past week and a half with what has seemed like the warp from hell. I was just beginning to thread it in the last blog. Well, because the warp had been wound so long ago, and had been hauled around, pulled out, put back in boxes for so many years, it was a mess. Some sections had lost the cross, some had slipped out of the choke ties... it was just ugly. But I persevered, and got it on the loom in five days, with only two broken threads. I made more mistakes threading than I care to relate, but got all of those fixed. I started weaving--so excited!--and then, the brake wouldn't hold. I took many pictures of the brake and sent it out into the universe asking if anyone knew where I could get parts for a 1978 Tools of the Trade. All the Google searches came up with other people moaning about the lack of brake parts. Uh-oh. I had an offer from Pam Howard, Master Weaver Extraordinaire, to ask her blacksmithing husband to make a new one. But a friend at work said he'd like to try. He's ordered a piece of aluminum and is going to try to cut it with some new-age kind of cutter he has. I hope it works, but I'm keeping Ron the Blacksmith in mind in case it doesn't.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCFq4mRIXj44C8ja_SkVG0WvgWptk3ueNcxHM9c9JHYeLAFdjFaLV2TuQJPuki9T_7ir_CdR2kTU953cBf9Gy-asN5OlBdM7LFk_aLTY13zJjAUBzlT0L3xbT27AyfWGIGdt4bci-c3U/s640/IMG_1690.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCFq4mRIXj44C8ja_SkVG0WvgWptk3ueNcxHM9c9JHYeLAFdjFaLV2TuQJPuki9T_7ir_CdR2kTU953cBf9Gy-asN5OlBdM7LFk_aLTY13zJjAUBzlT0L3xbT27AyfWGIGdt4bci-c3U/s320/IMG_1690.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The saddest part is the warp that has to wait for the new part. I'm glad the weft I chose works pretty well with it, and I've got beads picked out for making the hemstitching fancy, as I like to do, but I'm going to wait for that until I know the brake will work. I avoid looking at it, because I was SO excited about weaving the Huck Lace design, but it will need to wait.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYfPG1Ev9KVB5OjRtC4XbvMMo6saF2aCCOOmjHo5JoAF93xgGWWAhZtaJuyhf8uwr1vMcZoH4vVdIolydLVsayLp80Ziruj7XFactkCDo2jPR52flLVioLO7_rvscJhTvIIt5ZGYyzLTQ/s2016/IMG_1693.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYfPG1Ev9KVB5OjRtC4XbvMMo6saF2aCCOOmjHo5JoAF93xgGWWAhZtaJuyhf8uwr1vMcZoH4vVdIolydLVsayLp80Ziruj7XFactkCDo2jPR52flLVioLO7_rvscJhTvIIt5ZGYyzLTQ/s320/IMG_1693.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purl likes it!</td></tr></tbody></table>Meanwhile, I've been knitting to avoid the studio. I'm making a blanket from all the natural and nearly-natural bulky yarns my mom liked to collect. It's great tv-watching knitting, and just a nice break from anything complicated, plus less yarn for my heirs to get rid of when I'm gone. Does anyone else worry about that, what the heirs will do with all the yarn you just HAD to have and then did nothing with? It's a good thing I can't afford to buy new yarn right now, since I have my mom's stash and mine to plow through first!</span></p><p><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitbU4zsUA6-MyOwQ4SbB0qy44VNM4_cxa-P6m1uThVuYzY0LuAVDZ1Z2OXzaf6Vmdhjc5H1al5juPPHp1XhuNJfdGU_hgkF_JXVQXvuFiSd9MRI3zhhplCMfgXXlp5N3_x17Tyurt_QLk/s640/IMG_1688.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitbU4zsUA6-MyOwQ4SbB0qy44VNM4_cxa-P6m1uThVuYzY0LuAVDZ1Z2OXzaf6Vmdhjc5H1al5juPPHp1XhuNJfdGU_hgkF_JXVQXvuFiSd9MRI3zhhplCMfgXXlp5N3_x17Tyurt_QLk/w150-h200/IMG_1688.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Underside is pretty, too!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I have been weaving occasionally on the Ancient Rose scarf. I have to admit that I find it kind of boring! It's beautiful, but the pattern is short, and I have it memorized, so I'll weave a few repeats and wander off, looking for something more challenging. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifY4ExCKvhnBCn_RQUIXICfxU63AmYHRXgDo-_hPXbbnDLl7ZHkbOl-SeYwqmzrvfWP4Bc1BFdyTNd3NWdNfAFfcaSAptZshvrclyB3MD4E2-DPx8KdlgbXV6VQthR-oGWFqgHIib1zvM/s640/IMG_1689.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifY4ExCKvhnBCn_RQUIXICfxU63AmYHRXgDo-_hPXbbnDLl7ZHkbOl-SeYwqmzrvfWP4Bc1BFdyTNd3NWdNfAFfcaSAptZshvrclyB3MD4E2-DPx8KdlgbXV6VQthR-oGWFqgHIib1zvM/w150-h200/IMG_1689.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">It's warming up here, and I am making plans for the yard for this year. I want to build some raised beds near the back deck so the garden is closer to the kitchen, and to the garden hose, and I'd like to plant a couple of fruit trees. If Congress doesn't pass the stimulus bill, none of that will happen, though. I won't get started on that.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPGhyphenhyphenvMPiy3gADo1xOnI9XtK0ysLyjRAFlihmm2p4LzYchdqhpSA5tPz5RM2Agk7KdWfb1vkSsZc2hFNX7PBtGPpK1c7tyDzJI-XJI7UgNoPJ9zLcH3PdVpAhWZebbez-2xOYrFe8PD3Y/s640/IMG_1678.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPGhyphenhyphenvMPiy3gADo1xOnI9XtK0ysLyjRAFlihmm2p4LzYchdqhpSA5tPz5RM2Agk7KdWfb1vkSsZc2hFNX7PBtGPpK1c7tyDzJI-XJI7UgNoPJ9zLcH3PdVpAhWZebbez-2xOYrFe8PD3Y/s320/IMG_1678.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">But in the meantime, the orchids are going crazy! I've never seen such a thing! I've never grown orchids before, and have either inherited these from Mom or been given them. This white guy has 11 on one branch and 9 on the upper branch! And the Christmas cacti are trying to be Easter cacti again, which is fun. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Stay tuned to see if Dalton can duplicate my brake piece so I can get back to weaving on Tootsie! Have a good week!<br /></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16308570073032398834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8245430321571636931.post-58897248019242446042021-02-23T11:51:00.002-05:002021-02-23T11:51:41.421-05:00Momentary Spring<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkAKZ8lRQ3FUKt4zXvnzEz-CnpyDd8tULakmYD-b-FpeNcuZB6fvOH0Jw5TTEpktxuv1iEHQs2xLDjzEMH1TVUp_dwLohiE9sXqrVngvo7GmAE5-D25hAcIhcIR080Xqh1rRKYs_zdJwg/s320/IMG_1674.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkAKZ8lRQ3FUKt4zXvnzEz-CnpyDd8tULakmYD-b-FpeNcuZB6fvOH0Jw5TTEpktxuv1iEHQs2xLDjzEMH1TVUp_dwLohiE9sXqrVngvo7GmAE5-D25hAcIhcIR080Xqh1rRKYs_zdJwg/w320-h240/IMG_1674.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">It's a gorgeous day here in central Virginia, and Wiley and I will be out on a walk soon, but first, I thought I'd check in. I've been weaving a little obsessively when I get time. I've finished the mint green warp, with three shawls. One went as a gift, but the other two are going into my "inventory." Okay, they are actually all of my inventory. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9fz4fX6x4ZAO6xFyBVPKDa1WGe4Yy9dkjfUtjEqKTvW8-ZCed-R9fE5NerLsa1vbYZlRJ83jZmtbZPCowRiyCqPcM5Q8A2BavTeobWvY7zKjhygvLiGw4OXLBmw1axxe7SkLKrTzoWso/s320/63535013215__934B3B06-4FB9-4B2A-8700-59ACFD0848C7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9fz4fX6x4ZAO6xFyBVPKDa1WGe4Yy9dkjfUtjEqKTvW8-ZCed-R9fE5NerLsa1vbYZlRJ83jZmtbZPCowRiyCqPcM5Q8A2BavTeobWvY7zKjhygvLiGw4OXLBmw1axxe7SkLKrTzoWso/w150-h200/63535013215__934B3B06-4FB9-4B2A-8700-59ACFD0848C7.jpg" width="150" /></a></div> But I did finish the first Ancient Rose scarf, in the pink and green colorway, and have started a new one I think is delicious. The weft is some Egyptian cotton I bought in 2014 on the East Tennessee Yarn Crawl. I don't remember which store, but a couple of months later, I found another skein--again, no recollection where--in a different but equally yummy color way.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3qJ4YQzfttn5ArPcT0RfBMk7EAOKaeGrcwp78kUiYCa0Ajk2VdCsn6i2kXNXgbPLkknWg2gp1znsFMvBP81Dwi3AdPhwhr_RsRo2fxkbNnBxzVmObfQYRMTdw9s4ijMAVt87kJMLpGcs/s320/IMG_1666.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3qJ4YQzfttn5ArPcT0RfBMk7EAOKaeGrcwp78kUiYCa0Ajk2VdCsn6i2kXNXgbPLkknWg2gp1znsFMvBP81Dwi3AdPhwhr_RsRo2fxkbNnBxzVmObfQYRMTdw9s4ijMAVt87kJMLpGcs/w195-h200/IMG_1666.jpg" width="195" /></a></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrcp9JMj002LdlqgVHV2ffCryaSJBb-whfuzfS0hNJ9LMm5XkOBHziARbh-s_EbhAa2M7rurvZAltBwnQDR4b9yF3JkaLEHXAl4VAVEzchiNf7arcFV2ABUsPlmhPK-uKM2LRStmCijwQ/s320/IMG_1680.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrcp9JMj002LdlqgVHV2ffCryaSJBb-whfuzfS0hNJ9LMm5XkOBHziARbh-s_EbhAa2M7rurvZAltBwnQDR4b9yF3JkaLEHXAl4VAVEzchiNf7arcFV2ABUsPlmhPK-uKM2LRStmCijwQ/w240-h232/IMG_1680.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">And that brings me to my newest warp, 8-shaft Huck lace. I gave Tootsie a spa day, scrubbing her down with Murphy's wood soap, then a lavish coating of Harvey's Feed & Wax and a couple days of rest. I pulled out an old warp from at least 2016, maybe before, of a rayon-flax blend in a vey homely color. I impulse-bought that yarn from Smokey Mountain Spinnery because it was $15 a cone. I think the shop owner even tried to discourage me from buying both cones, but I was determined. I could always dye it! But I think the second skein of Egyptian cotton really goes well with it, and the drape of the yarn is lovely. </span><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfkBOActtTLGoaGeXLK0oJzSjn4g2uher630vJx-C71TL1l8x6fRzCy7Z27IVr68kUfbMzzYaX8h0se3JP_Ht0cG6BFFrMF2zLUvmVhx3m-AHPdK-MCIp0YjRwi1WzQ5QYawORJEkyXhM/s320/IMG_1677.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfkBOActtTLGoaGeXLK0oJzSjn4g2uher630vJx-C71TL1l8x6fRzCy7Z27IVr68kUfbMzzYaX8h0se3JP_Ht0cG6BFFrMF2zLUvmVhx3m-AHPdK-MCIp0YjRwi1WzQ5QYawORJEkyXhM/w320-h240/IMG_1677.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tootsie's spa day</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">My job is a little draining some days, and going into the studio whenever I can is so restoring. I put on music with no words, and Wiley settles in beside me, and I just get lost. I get frustrated sometimes, make mistakes sometimes, go for too long without standing up sometimes, but making things is so much more rewarding than what I do for money. I won't make weaving my job, won't fall for that "Do what you love and the money will follow" trap again, but If I could make enough money to buy more yarn or upgrade my equipment, or maybe just have the satisfaction of it, it would be worth it. I've saturated my family and friends with handmade things for the time being but not my urge to make more things, so it will be worth a try to see if I can make my hobby pay a little.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Wiley has fallen asleep behind my chair, so we'd better get outside. I hope spring has come to stay, but just in case, we're going to enjoy it today! </span></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><br /></p>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16308570073032398834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8245430321571636931.post-11159582538258517972021-02-05T08:10:00.003-05:002021-02-05T08:11:21.984-05:00Another Friday<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">It's a gloomy Friday morning so far, but it's supposed to be sunny and 55 later. In mid-winter, I'll take 55 and sunny! Wiley and I will go for a ride and a walk later, but this morning, I've been weaving. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhVis1q50rluN4iXtcStCwG5cYhvyq8UIK7RNHg27nGr-UCbKddJhICQbHgCAk1PJpjU2cpm1J6i-6-lpScVA0YLVQeGZBaddN7OrENRktI2S7Ij919wPDs8ukVheXeZ_OEtg0UvOgp7E/s320/bling.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhVis1q50rluN4iXtcStCwG5cYhvyq8UIK7RNHg27nGr-UCbKddJhICQbHgCAk1PJpjU2cpm1J6i-6-lpScVA0YLVQeGZBaddN7OrENRktI2S7Ij919wPDs8ukVheXeZ_OEtg0UvOgp7E/s0/bling.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">This past week, I finished the white and green towel warp. I've really enjoyed the "walking" treadling: 1-4, 4, 3-4, 3, 2-3, 2, 1-2, 1. But after 8 towels, I was ready for something new. I've had a box of hand-dyed pink and green bobbins following me around for at least the last ten years, and I love Ancient Rose from the Davison book, so I wound an 8-inch warp of white bamboo, and teamed the bobbins with some 20/2 tencel for the tabby weft. Of course I beaded the hem-stitching, but I tried once again to bead both sides. It went a little askew, and I'll have to fix it when the scarf is done. I'm not sure I'll do that again, or work to perfect the technique. It would sure be easier to bead one side then go back and bead the opposite side when the scarf is done. But I do like a challenge.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The Waldenweave shawl is progressing well. I'm at 60 inches, only 14 more to go. I'm thinking about a dye day next week to dye the alpaca-tencel and the tencel for the weft to make the pattern stand out more on the next shawl. There is some lilac in the warp that doesn't show up very well with the white and white of the weft right now. I have some lilac dye, so I'll have to see how that works with it. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Today, I'll also be cooking. I have granola, bread, tuna noodle casserole, making pasta and stewing some greens on my to-do list, so my lunches for work are well-stocked. I do love having "fresh" food for lunch at work! And my granola is so much better than store-bought! Why wasn't I making it before? The recipe I'm using is Molly O'Neill's, published in Saveur a couple of months ago: <a href="https://www.saveur.com/story/recipes/molly-oneills-longhouse-granola/" target="_blank">https://www.saveur.com/story/recipes/molly-oneills-longhouse-granola/</a> It's so good! But I would add this: Bake it at 275, NOT 350!!! 350 is just way too hot an oven to dry granola. Stir every 10-15 minutes, until the oats don't feel soggy anymore, then let it dry at room temperature until it feels cool. Store it in an air-tight container, and it will keep for at least two weeks. I've changed the fruit, added different nuts and seeds, used different syrups... It's all delicious!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkk9SUd04Py17i-W3BESfm6ZV7jfPnyfde69smRWSUUUe9uv1lYYrTOj2IXCYShZswBWUsyX4ueWMUPRwgqTNPT1eGl1o7yW9mhP7bFvAWCO2FebBZtCI4klb9pbO-vixj6UofN-nHy4Q/s320/smoke.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkk9SUd04Py17i-W3BESfm6ZV7jfPnyfde69smRWSUUUe9uv1lYYrTOj2IXCYShZswBWUsyX4ueWMUPRwgqTNPT1eGl1o7yW9mhP7bFvAWCO2FebBZtCI4klb9pbO-vixj6UofN-nHy4Q/s0/smoke.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Earlier this week, it snowed on Sunday and Tuesday, and I took time to smoke some meat while it was snowing fat, fluffy flakes. It turned out so well. If my freezer wasn't bursting already, I'd smoke some more!<br /><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm also doing my taxes, hoping to have enough of a return to build two raised bed gardens and maybe buy a little yarn. Fingers crossed!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4tzg0BxG5hSIsQavPL7RSpSiUDkhBWTkCqg3rzszKjICQsi5WqfrCV8UmKjduH9A7K5D2-ok5mUsKDU1LVQxDDjkuRTRTgrf94ig25Nh76K21nWIQKwORFNplonGupCvZH1jIzthRnjQ/s320/wiley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4tzg0BxG5hSIsQavPL7RSpSiUDkhBWTkCqg3rzszKjICQsi5WqfrCV8UmKjduH9A7K5D2-ok5mUsKDU1LVQxDDjkuRTRTgrf94ig25Nh76K21nWIQKwORFNplonGupCvZH1jIzthRnjQ/s0/wiley.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">But right now, Wiley wants to go for a ride. That boy loves riding in the car!</span><p></p>Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16308570073032398834noreply@blogger.com0