It looks like it's been a bit since I've done a WIP update. I've had something in mind, but keep backing out of doing it, so that's why ... Yes, I'm mysterious.
I've had the last few days off work and have been enjoying them. House stuff has been caught up so that means time for vegging out and watching Fr. Brown and working on my knit and cross stitch projects a bit.
When I'm not napping.
Just kidding, I don't nap that much.
In the last couple of weeks I've started a few new sock projects, a new cross stitch project and I've kitted up a few other projects, so to speak.
My handspun.
Definitely a work in progress, despite my finishing it up this past weekend. Last night I decided I'm going to use it to make a cardigan. Specifically, the Bly cardigan by Berroco yarns.
Photo is from Berroco's website.
I decided I wanted to make something on the more easy side. This seems perfect.
Picture this pile of squishyness in a cozy cardi.
I'll start this as soon as I get a few skeins wound up in to yarn cakes. Wish me luck!
First sock project is my Monkey socks by Cookie A.
Colorway: Tale as old as time, on the Fortitude base.
Needle size: U.S. 1, 2.5 mm
Made For: myself.
Yarn is a pleasure to work with.
Next up is a vanilla sock
Project Name: Vanilla sock Started: Nov. 13, 2023
Finished:
Yarn: Patons Kroy sock yarn
Colorway: Amythest stripes
Colors: dark purples.
Needle size: U.S. 1, 2.5 mm
Made For: myself.
I started this project up for the times where I want to knit, but don't want to think of a pattern repeat. You can see I've got a LOT done on this sock so far.
Up next is another Vanilla sock
Project Name: Vanilla sock Started: Nov. 18, 2023
Finished:
Yarn: Patons Kroy sock yarn
Colorway: Coastal stripes
Colors: variations of blue and some white or grey.
Needle size: U.S. 1, 2.5 mm
Made For: myself.
I started this sock on a 9 or 11 inch chiaogoo mini twist. I recently started watching the Knitting Traditions podcast on Youtube, and she mentioned making socks on the small circs and I thought I would give it another try. So far it hasn't been as tough as I remember.
Cross stitch ...
I started a new cross stitch project. A few weeks ago I saw Javagirl Stitches pop on with a new youtube video and an announcement of a new stitch-along and I fell in love with the Quilted Cross Stitch charts, despite my already having christmas charts to work on.
*sigh* I was SO enabled.
So I went to walmart and picked up some 18 count adia and dyed it myself. I wrote about it not long ago. It turned out so lovely.
Made For: Myself. I've decided I'm keeping it for myself. I told my husband that when it is done, I'm putting it on display year-round.
It looks like I have done a smidge of work on it.
Quilty stuff ...
I haven't done any actual sewing on the two quilts I've had going. I'm cutting fabric. If you are a quilter you know that cutting and prepping the fabric can take a good long time.
I feel like I've been working forever on cutting fabric for my Dancing Stars quilt. I really need to make a hashtag for this one.
I didn't look to see how many more fat quarter bundles I need to cut up. Feels like a hundred. It's probably four or five. Each bundle takes about an hour to cut. I've been working on a bundle at night while watching "The Mindy Project" or "Burn Notice."
Last night I decided to switch over and cut up some fabric for the sandpiper quilt.
I think I have four more squares to cut for on this quilt. Then I can start assembling.
I have a feeling January is when these two quilts are going to see a significant amount of love.
Future projects ...
I decided I'm going to make another Harvest cardigan. The last one I made I made using carons simply soft. That yarn, combined with my lack of knowing how to care for big handknits like this, cause the cardigan to stretch out. It looked awful.
I'm going to use acrylic again, but this time I'm using a hobby lobby yarn, and I won't be throwing it in the dryer.
I purchased this yarn about a year ago. I think it's going to look great.
This pretty yarn is going to be made in to something very soon, too. I saw a amigugrumi in a facebook group and decided I had yarn in stash that would be perfect for it.
It will be a gift for someone. Not saying who just yet.
That is all in my bag of tricks, friend. Tomorrow is the big turkey day. We are planning on smoking a turkey (so yummy). My son will be working. My hubby will be working on some projects he's been wanting to do for a while, and I'll likely be puttering in the kitchen and knitting when I'm not in the kitchen.
I've made some really nice progress with my crochet cardigan. I have all five pieces complete and am now working up the muster to seam the pieces together.
The back
The front pieces
The sleeves
I was rewatching one of the videos on the craftsy class, to see how to sew all the pieces together. The instructor shows a method that seems a bit more involved to me. I'm not looking forward to this part of the project.
And then ... I have to add ribbing on the edge, collar and wrists. That part looks way more complicated. Or, maybe my mind just couldn't wrap my mind around it because I wasn't trying to work the stitches while I was watching how to make them. If I was any other kind of crocheter (i.e. really lazy) I'd be tempted to leave the ribbing off, but then the cardigan wouldn't look complete.
This is what I have left for yarn. For the fronts and the sleeves, I used a fresh yarn ball. I figure I can use the leftovers for seaming everything together.
Yesterday I shared about my snowflake cross stitch. You can click here, if you missed it. Thank you to all who complimented my progress and my fancy new bling.
I sewed up one of the blocks I had in progress for my sandpiper quilt.
Today is the first day of summer and the weather has decided it needs to feel like summer. The temperature hit the upper 80s Fahrenheit today.
Speaking of the garden ... This weekend I finished planting seeds in the garden and I planted the flowers in containers. When I'm feeling better I'll make a video. No one wants to hear what I sound like right now.
Sunday, when my hubby and I were sitting out by the garden, I noticed a critter discovered my water fountain and was taking advantage of it.
Not exactly the wildlife I was expecting to enjoy my fountain. I had visions of birds coming to take baths in the top tier.
I've been meaning to sit down and write since Sunday. Things keep coming up and distracting me.
How on earth did it get to be mid-June? I feel like I've barely got anything done and the month is half-over. Oy!
I'm still trying to figure out this whole having a graduate at home. For those of you who have strong-willed freshly-graduated kids, you may understand what I'm currently dealing with. The whole wanting to be an adult, but still wanted to be a kid thing. I'm not gonna lie, it's been a struggle. I've read about this whole "dirtying-the-nest" thing, but reading about it doesn't fully prepare you.
Okay. ...
Last week I was on vacation. Which basically meant I didn't have to go to work. My hubby and I spent the week together, catching up on some things that needed doing.
We butchered the meat birds, re-stacked some wood that tipped over, and cut and make a new wood round.
... what else ... I don't remember. How sad is that. Mostly I was trying to decompress and relax when we weren't doing homesteady stuff. Yes, I did do some work in the garden. No, I still haven't recorded a video or taken many photos out there.
Wait, I take that back. I do have a few things to share with you.
Remember all the pepper plants I started back in February because i was so eager to get things started?
I have a big jim pepper, or two, growing. How fun is that?! I have never had peppers this early.
Yesterday morning, before work, I was out in the garden, weeding and marveling at how fast the weeds spring up, and I spotted this little fella on one of the milkweed plants.
I was excited to see this monarch caterpillar. I shared it in a Facebook group and people excitedly told me how to best care for it. Some people were lamenting how they haven't seen as many as they used to. Truthfully, I don't know if I'm up to caring for a caterpillar in the house. I don't usually see many birds over in that area of the yard. It's usually butterflies flitting around.
I mentioned the weeds. Well, the weeds has started coming in the garden and I want to knock those down before I take any other photos or videos.
One of the days we decided to take a walk through the back 20. It was nice to see all that green after the longest winter in recent memory.
Then we came across an area I don't frequent too often because it's kind of swampy.
We were tiptoeing on the moss, and trying to not get our feet wet when I said "Hey, look at that flower.
I've never seen a flower like this before.
I learned these are lady slippers orchids and they are not that common.
My hubby and I are in awe that there is a spot on our land that meets the requirements for these flowers.
My SIL came up for a short visit and we had a great time. She also brought her new puppy with her and he was adorable. He was so busy and wriggly that I didn't get any good photos of him in action.
When he was fast asleep he was usually out like a rockstar.
That face, though. He looked like a little teddy bear.
The chickens didn't know what to make of this creature and my young barred rock roo was on the alert and always trying to figure the puppy out.
Furby, when introduced to the puppy, was nonplussed. (I think I'm using that word correctly). She wasn't too impressed.
Yes, my Furby June is still around. She's three years old now. I can't imagine a time without her. She's given me a few health scares last year. She's getting close to middle age for a chicken, I suppose, and she's starting to slow down a bit. As much as a pampered house chicken can slow down.
Furby still loves watching Kimberly of the Fat Quarter Shop, but she doesn't caterwaul nearly as much if that channel isn't on. Furby stares out the window more now, and gets upset when she sees the other chickens in the front yard, or when they climb up on the front stoop and stare at her. One time she got so upset that she threw up. Apparently she doesn't want them on *her* lawn.
I took a video yesterday of the birds hanging out near the garden area, and Furby was over there, too. She wasn't really with the group, but she was kind of hanging near them.
I got some new glasses! I'm not used to taking selfies, and I feel so awkward taking photos of myself.
They are awesome! I can see! Well, I can always see, but now I can read smaller words more easily and it's not such a strain with the cheater-readers when I'm looking at the computer screen and bouncing back and forth between it and something I'm typing up for work. I've tried using them while I cross stitch and I think I still need the magnification of the cheater readers for seeing those small holes in the fabric.
What else ... Well, this is Wednesday, and I try to stick with the #WIP Wednesday.
I'm still plugging along on my February Month-to-Month. I'm so close to being done!
This one feels like a slog.
Why? Cause I'm pretty sure I've been working on it FOREVER. Now that I'm so close to the end I keep making errors and having to rip out.
Ugh!
Do you see the circled part in the photo?
I'm supposed to stitch some roses and fiddly bits in that area. I keep messing up.
See photo below. Seriously, how hard it is to stitch some roses and fiddly bits? It's usually at the start of where I started stitching that the error happens
Finally! Success! I got the roses done. All that is left is the fiddly bits.
Floss: Using called for Classic Colorworks fancy floss
Colors: Black, pink, red, teal, green
Needle Size: 26
Made For: Myself
This weekend I decided to download patternkeeper to an older kindle fire I have. It took a bit longer than I thought it would, but it was easier than I thought it would be, if that makes sense. The tutorials I was seeing were for newer kindles. I came across a website that explained which files I should use, based on the kindle model and with OS I was using.
Finally, on Sunday night, at 10:45 p.m., I successfully downloaded patternkeeper.
I haven't done too much with the app, yet. I'm kind of just messing around right now with importing charts and seeing how they play with the app.
I did import the snowflake chart I was working on and marked the stitches I've done. I think the app is going to help a LOT with this chart and another full-coverage chart I want to start very soon.
Oh! Before I wrap this blog entry up I wanted to share something really special!
My SIL is a bit crafty, like me, but her focus is on painting and drawing.
When she came up last week she surprised me with an early birthday gift.
Several months ago she asked my hubby for a photo of Furby.
This is what she made for me.
Isn't it wonderful?!
This is the photo she worked from. I took this of Furby March 2022.
The painting my SIL did is so bright and full of light. She did such a nice job. I'm still trying to settle on a spot in the house for it, so it can be seen a LOT. In the meantime, i've got it sitting in a spot where i can admire it when I'm sitting in my spot in the living room.
Let me start first by telling you about the Easter weekend the really nice weather we had.
We had nice weather! Ha!
The sun came out, the temperatures rose, and the snow started melting.
Easter dinner was lovely. We made a roast and a few sides.
it was cooked in one of my cast iron skillets.
I watched the first few episodes of "The Chosen." Now I know why some people are so smitten with it. It's a very interesting series, and I was bouncing back and forth watching it in the living room and in the kitchen.
My hubby and I spent a lot of time outside. Not that we could do much, other than sit in the sun. So much snow still!
We also decided it was a good weekend to rewatch the original Star Wars movies that came out way back when. He's been listening to some audio books and was curious to see how the movies would be, now that he had some backstories. We enjoyed them a lot more than we thought we would.
While we were watching the movies I worked on some stitching of the cross stitch and knitting kind.
Project Name: Vanilla socks
Started: Jan. 7, 2023
Finished:
Designer/Source: My own pattern
Yarn: Patons Kroy sock yarn
Colorway: Mexicala stripes
Colors: oranges, red, purples and a smatter of blue and white
Required Amount: Two skeins of sock yarn. 100 grams
Needle/Hook Size: U.S. 1 (2.25 mm)
Gauge: beats me
Made For: Myself
Dye Lots: WL238520
I finished the first sock! And look at that healthy start on the second one! I don't have much more to say about it, other than "wee!"
Floss: Using called for Classic Colorworks fancy floss
Colors: Black, pink, red, teal, green
Needle Size: 26
Made For: Myself
I got some work done on the barn. It went slower than I would have liked. I was doing the details on the flowers and then had to keep recounting the stitches for the barn front.
Progress from last time.
As the weather warms up, the more energy I feel I have to do things, rather than being a lump. (Like I ever am a lump)
Speaking of the warming weather -- I'm so happy for it! The main downside is all the busted branches that are appearing as the snow goes away.
Weekend weather calls for rain. As long as the weather is decent I will probably be outside, doing clean up. And probably catching up on the seed starting that I need to do.
A few days ago I made a second garden vlog. I'm tweaking things just a bit. I'm starting to feel a tiny bit more comfortable talking. Can you tell?
Technically, could my little cornish cross chicks be considered a Work in Progress? I think so. On Saturday, or Sunday, I took this little video of them.
This past weekend I took the time to organize my youtube videos into playlists. It's a lot more tidy over there. Now if you want to watch Furby listening to music, you won't have to scroll through them all.
Speaking of Furby, she is loving this weather, too!
I brought her outside with me while I was playing over by the garden.
She was having a blast. Scratching in the soil, room to stretch her legs. Best of all -- sun!
Colors: white and rose colors with hints of green.
Required Amount: I purchased two skeins of each color
Needle/Hook Size: 5.5 mm / I/9
Gauge: beats me ; pattern calls for 13 dc x 6 rows = 4″ [10 cm]
Made For: Myself, maybe
Dye Lots: Will find that out later.
Crochet ... why do you hate my wrists so? The last part of part 4 was rough. I had double-crochet shells and there is so much wrist twisting. Is there a way to make shells where I'm not constantly twisting my wrists? Or is this a thing for everyone?
I am very pleased to say that I am done with part 4. 63 rows down, eight more rows to go!
When I started the section with the shells I discovered I was making more shells than what the row called for. It was about halfway through when the ruffling became noticeable, and I decided it was going to become a design element. No WAY was I going to rip it back.
Next is my vanilla socks.
Project Name: Vanilla socks
Started: Jan. 7, 2023
Finished:
Designer/Source: My own pattern
Yarn: Patons Kroy sock yarn
Colorway: Mexicala stripes
Colors: oranges, red, purples and a smatter of blue and white
Required Amount: Two skeins of sock yarn. 100 grams
Needle/Hook Size: U.S. 1 (2.25 mm)
Gauge: beats me
Made For: Myself
Dye Lots: WL238520
I haven't touched my sock in ages. In fact, I forgot what project bag it was in. It took me a while to track it down.
The project is now back in rotation. Maybe this one sock will be done by the end of the month?
Floss: Using called for Classic Colorworks fancy floss
Colors: Black, pink, red, teal, green
Needle Size: 26
Made For: Myself
I started out *so* strong with this chart. Then I lost steam with all that dark text. It didn't help that I wasn't going to finish by the end of February. I think the next Month to Month chart I'll do is the August one.
Made For: Myself. Maybe. I haven't decided yet if I want to give this away.
I have made a lot of progress on my snowflake. Then it hit me that this is *way* hard and I didn't have the headspace for it. I will love how it will look finished. Whenever I get it finished. So ... no progress on it since my last WIP post.
