Tuesday, February 13, 2018

FEBRUARY 13, 2018














Today was nice outside, lots of sunshine and some warm air! When I asked Betty if she is ready for Spring and to make soup on the back porch in her kitchen, it was a very loud 'YES.' 
I love winter, I love hibernating in my house knitting and sewing, but we are feeling pent up with the little ones. I remember these feeling when my children were young, thinking, 'will Spring never arrive?' Kids like to be outside in the fresh air and sun, I like to have the  kids outside in fresh air and sunshine. But this year has been cold and dreary. With the flu raging in our county and the little ones having had one bad episode with the flu and RSV, (the baby spending a week in the hospital in December), I am not comfortable taking the kids out in public yet. That means no library, no downtown for fun at a great toy store and lunch out or fun gym time. We do bundle up for walks around the nieghborhood almost daily, though Betty is getting stir crazy. She was all smiles today stomping in puddles, picking up rocks, pointing at the big fluffy white clouds. I tell her soon, very soon we will be outside all the time.

I have been sewing! Made cute pants for the kids, my 10th pair! Love this pattern,  QUICK CHANGE TROUSERS-so easy!
Also finished the top of a quilt. Now comes the machine quilting, which I love but this one is slow going, I have time! My least favorite part-sandwiching the quilt for the actual quilting. I use an ancient folding table with clamps, then safety pinning the entire quilt. I machine quilt using a Juki machine, it's wide throat makes the maneuvering all that fabric, batting and backing fairly easy. 
Machine quilting definitely has a steep learning curve, but it all comes down to practice, practice, then more practice. I can do feathering (my favorite quilting pattern) now with good results. 
Just keep practicing.....

Here's to Spring, just around the corner!

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

2-7-2018 YARN ALONG





Hello YA friends! I love this day, checking out what fellow knitters and readers are doing in their lives. 
Well, being retired and having time, I continue to knit and quilt and what fun it is for me. Did you see the knitter and quilter ground hog cartoon? Both saw their shadow so its needles and peddles to the floor-6 more glorious weeks of knitting and quilting! 
Knitting with DALE Heilo yarn that was dug up (a deep yarn dive) from stash.
#2:  EZ Gurnsey sweater. I love this sweater but, am going oh sooo slow with it. It's so hard to trust my own numbers and yikes, this sweater will be cut with scissors (side seams). So if I screw this up all I will be able to salvage, will be maybe, two pairs of felted mittens.
#3: Finished overalls for Gus and they are a perfect fit that will take him all the past spring snows here in the Rockies. Used Quince&Co sport weight yarn.
The picture of Gus in car seat, well, those beautiful knits were done by Julie. They are well loved by Gus and Caitlin! Thank you Julie!

I haven't been reading much ;-[, but I have seen more movies in 4 weeks than I have ever seen in 4 years.
HOSTILES- great
DARKEST HOUR-very good
THE POST-great

Looking forward to visiting other YA knitter and readers today....

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