Summer Project 3!

 The 2nd Project I'm working on is embroidery on black linen.  Judy Coats Perez has been showing her beautiful embroidery work, which she refers to as "Mindful Stitching".  I ordered some black linen and thought I would make a scarf for my daughter's BD in September or Christmas if I can't finish in time!  

I got out some old quilting designs and started tracing on black linen (I washed the linen first).  These pictures are my practice piece!

I may keep this one for myself or give it to a friend...depends on if I every finish it.  I just wanted to play around with stitching and getting the feel of working with linen.

This is the piece I am making for my daughter's September BD (or for Christmas if I don't finish in September!).

I just can't get the background black fabric to show up black in a photo!!!  I've looked at different settings but I need to ask my photographer daughter how can I do that!  She doesn't know about this project and I know she doesn't read my blog...so I'm safe!  HA

Here is the finish area at one end of the scarf.  The scarf is around 13"x50".

This was another section I started but I wasn't happen with the stitching...so what to do!  Rip it out...I have to say it's easier to rip out knitting than embroidery work.

I'm using Pearle Cotton #5.  Judy uses 5 strand embroidery floss.  I just wasn't having the success or look with the floss so switched to Pearle cotton.

Whew!  This took awhile to clean up!  That tweezer and pick were a gift from my Q Florida Bud, Susan!  They sure came in handy on this ripping out project!!!  

Susan does the most beautiful workmanship when making her quilts.  You can see some of her work here and here.  I have posted her work on my blog over the years.  I do miss her too!!!

Colors of thread aren't appearing very pretty either.  Tons of stitching yet to do...but it is very pleasant to just sit and stitch.

As long as I don't have to rip out!

Happy with this piece now.  Whew!  Those threads are hard to rip out!

Here are some finished or almost finished add'l areas.

Back to project #1 or should it be #2 or stay with #3!  HA

Summer Project 2!

 Working on three different projects isn't easy...well, it is easy since I get bored easily so I like going from project to project.  HA

Honestly, I don't like projects hanging over my head and I know the 3 I am working on will get finished by Christmas at the latest...  

These are the hex's I am working on for the border on the Cyano Print fabric my friend, Bonnie sent me months ago!

When I have some free time, I work on the hex's.  I'm now working on sewing three rows together for the border.  I need 3 because half of the last row will be in the border.  I have two rows stitched...now to sew a third hex to each border.

This was the piece after I cut it up and added 1/8" strips.

I have to say making hex's is also "mindful" stitching...

I keep changing placement of hex's and deciding how to put this piece together!

Well, at least at this point, I am thinking of  hex's for the border...but ya all know me well enough to know that can change!  If I do change, then I'll have tons of hex's to sew together for a top!  HA

Time for me to go back to project #1 or is it project #3!

Summer Project 1!

 Our grandson, Nick, turns 21 in September!  Hard for me to believe but...for our grand daughter, Amber, I made her a 21st BD memory book.  So, it's now time for me to make Nick his 21st BD book!  Every year on each of Nick & Amber's BD, I would write a BD letter to them talking about what they or we did in the past year.  And, of course, I've saved lots of items/notes/papers for the past 21 years for Nick too.

This is a  link to the post I did on Amber's book I made.  It's filled with lots of notes, pictures and memorabilia I've saved.  I also gave her 21 BD letters I had written each year.  I don't think she's read hardly any of the BD letters...maybe she will when I'm gone!  HA

This is what my art table is filled with!  Fortunately, this is where I dye, paint, etc. fabric and works great so I can leave all the 'stuff' out!

It's been a lot of work going back to obtain pictures from 2003 thru 2024!  I've already had over 120 pictures printed at Walgreen's (with my 50% off coupon!  woohoo!).  I have small envelopes starting with 2003 and as I find papers/notes/pics I put them in their respective envelope(s)!  Easy, right!  Well, it is untill I find a picture that doesn't have a date on it!  Remember we are in the age of digital photos!  And because we copy from members of the family, the original date isn't always retained!  So it's taken time to go through every flash drive I have to find Nick's pictures!  HA

These are some of my notes I've written to verify dates and print outs of emails my son and DIL sent me on something Nick did through the years.  

I also kept notes on little items or funny stories...for example: I bought Nick a model air plane and we were working on it.  It had very small decals and one of the decals dropped on the floor.  We couldn't find it.  Finally, Nick said "maybe it fell in one of your wrinkles, grandma"!  Out of the mouth of babes, right!

This is a picture of Nick when he was a toddler.  He loved taking Mandy for walks and pulling the wagon.  How I loved spending time with the grand kids!  I miss those days so much...

So, summer if busy with projects for sure!  

Cyano Print Project A Go Again!

 

My knitting has taken over my time so the Cyano Print project has been on the back burner for awhile.  Every so often, I would pick up a hex and sew some together....but that has been 10 min. here or 5 min. there!  HA  

This was the beautiful print my friend, Bonnie made and sent me!

I ended up adding 1/4" pieces of red fabric.  They aren't all attached in this picture.  You can see later they are!

I got the crazy idea I would make a border of red/blue hex's!  What was I thinking...but I'm sticking to it.

Yes, I have tons made...

These are some rows of hex's I have sewn together.  About 13 make up for a side.  I'll most likely have two rows or more?? of hex's for the border...or who knows what I'll end up with or what other project (stand by for that one!) will interfere and put this back on the 'back burner'!

Mother's Day 2024

 We had another wonderful Mother's Day brunch made by my daughter, Dawn!  She's a special lady and daughter and a great cook to boot!  

This was the menu and it was fabulous!

Dawn and Jeff gave me this beautiful Hydragena plant!  I have one Dawn gave me years and years ago, which I planted out front.  I think it gets too much sun during the day so this one I'm planting on the East side.  

I have another plant Darrin & Kris got me for Easter and it will be planted in the same area.

And NO I didn't get one picture....I wasn't feeling 100%..you'll see why later in this post.

Darrin and Kris got me one of those Digital Slideshow Photo Frames.  I loaded some pics to it already.  I'm keeping it in my sewing room so I can have the slideshow running while I sew!  I love it!

We did miss Bob...he had cataract surgery earlier in the week and was not comfortable moving around or trying to see.  His surgical eye is 20/20 but he has to wear some old glasses, which causes his eyes/mind confusion!  He did try the clear lens but that didn't work out so he's using an old pair of glasses from about 6 years ago.  The only ones that work for now.  He gets his 2nd eye done on the 22nd this month.  So fingers crossed he'll be a happy camper soon!

On another 'sick/health' note...I came down with a terrible allergy attack around the beginning of May.  I finally went to urgent care on the 5th.  UGH...AND I still have it....sinusitis/rhinitis/sneezing/runny nose.  I am so sick of this and I feel terrible...just wiped out.  Dr told me to take Allegra D for a month!  Then to switch to regular Allegra for the rest of the summer.  I also shared what I had with Bob for a few days.  He did get over this runny nose and sneezing after about 3 days.  Pollen is very high in our area...when will it snow!!!!

Agave Finished!

 Well, I didn't make Mother's Day but I finished my top in time for Memorial Day/Labor Day!  HA Honestly, Yumiko's patterns are wonderful to knit.  This is my 2nd top pattern from her and I'm looking forward to knitting another one.

The lace work shows up so well with a white tank top under it.  What I like about this pattern and Yumiko's other patterns are you can wear with a tank top or a turtle neck!  

I tried on a blue/white type necklace but I think the white necklace above looks so much nicer.

Too bad I can't get a good color of the yarn.  It's a blue, called pacific tone, but so much prettier in person.  The yarn has some purple in it along with the blue so gives a pretty sheen to it.

Color is better here...you can see some of the lace sleeve...better pic below.

The front has an extra large lace pattern on the bottom to give a little design separation.

The back just has large lace patterns, which look so nice.  

This color isn't correct either but you get to see the lace pattern!

Hard to see but there are shades of purple along with blue in the yarn.  This is from Yumiko's web page.

So now to decide what pattern to do next...although, I have two projects to work out that are not knitting.  I'll be posting on them later this month.  

Back at it

 

Yep, my sister and I are back at knitting a project together again.  It's always fun to work with my sister.  What one of us doesn't "get" working a pattern, the other one has it all figured out.  Just seems the older we get, we're not so good at 'reading' instructions.  HA  Thank goodness to be able to bounce ideas off each other. 

We are both working in blue, although, my sister's is a pretty blue vs mine is more a demin blue. 

Picture are all out of order...this is showing the medium lace pattern we're working on.

Yarn color is deceiving in this picture.  The bottom pattern is slightly larger and is only at the bottom.  There are small lace patterns on the sleeves, otherwise, the body has about 5 or 6 medium lace patterns.

This is a linen yarn by Yumiko, who also created the pattern.  I completed her Whitecaps that I wore at Easter.  Her instructions are very clear and she offers tips and assistance on her FaceBook page.  First time I have used Linen and so far I like working with it.

all the pics are out of order and I'm too lazy to reorganize them  Sorry...anyway, To wrap the skeins in balls, I use this old thread storage container.  

I can stretch the doors open to hold the yarn for me to wind!  Works good  The blue does show up better in the photo above and in this one.

I choose the blue vs the white since I already made a cover top in white.  I think this pattern will show up nice with a white tank top under it (to show off the lace pattern) and wearing with white pants or even jeans.  Target date if 4th of July!  HA
Fingers Crossed

Easter 2024

Well, another amazing brunch put on my our DIL, Kris!  She and Darrin always entertain and do a wonderful job of it!  Darrin did make sausage patties, links and the best bacon on their blackstone outside...Dawn made mushroom quiche and her famous cinnamon scones!  Kris made everything else...so much food!  And she made enough for 16!  Her family all came so we had 16 for brunch and we all got to take home food!!!  For those on FB, you'll have already seen these pics....I have to include because this is my 'diary' that I print out yearly!  Something for me to look at when I'm in the nursing home!  

My lovely grand daughter, Amber!  What more can I say.  She was the reason I retired so I could watch her one day a week!  Which I did, along with watching her brother for almost 15 years!

My grandson, who doesn't always smile, but I do so love him anyway!  Just his thing...I believe they teased him so much when he was younger to "smile" that he now carries that on - not smiling.  I do have pics of him smiling.

And Braylon, his girlfriend, who is a doll.  They are so cute together.  And yes, he smiles with her a lot!

And my favorite Son-in Law, Jeff!  Always has a smile on his face!

check out the lamb cake Kris' mom made!  And his bunny tail is made of a Marshmallow.  And the lemon cake was delicious!!!  As was her chocolate cake!  

They were all so good!!  I purchased the cake from BobbieCakes here in Goodrich!  It was white chocolate cake with raspberry filling and buttercream frosting!  OMG...so good!

My son gave me the Hydrangea and Dawn got me the Muscari plant.  Once it is done blooming, I'll plant it in the fall!  A cool plant I've not had before!

 The dessert table was full!  3 cakes and a Easter cookies Kris made!

So hard to choose what to put on your plate first!

My babies!  My daughter is headed off to Italy and Scotland for 4 weeks!!!!  She is the traveler!  Loves it and with her being able to work from anywhere, she can still keep her clients up to date!

Darrin is a great cook as well...he did the meats for this brunch.  He always makes the main meat course for BBQ and dinners!  YUM!  They are both the best kids ever!

So glad to have kids close enough and Kris family to enjoy time with!!!!  Another wonderful time in the memory book!

Kris sets a beautiful table for 12!  We had 16 for brunch!  The young adults (4) sat at the high top table in the kitchen area, near all the food!