Finishing touches

I finished my Blue Jean Saturday shawl quite a while ago, but I didn't get around to blocking it until today. I used a finer yarn than the pattern called for, so it's more of a neck wrap than a shawl. Still, I'm happy to have it finished and ready for wear!

I also finished the last four scrubbies for my grandson this morning. This pattern is Elongated Rib Check.

Basketweave

Basket Welt

and Basket Rib round out the set. I wanted to wash them so that they could use them right away. I knew washing was necessary, because the green dye from Aidan's set rubbed off on my bamboo needles. I'm sure the green will rub off as I knit with other yarns.

The scrubbies were still slightly damp when I took them out of the dryer. They should be ready for mailing tomorrow!

I did start a Doodle Ice Drop yesterday. I just didn't finish it, because I was focused on knitting scrubbies. This one is in size 20 Lizbeth #707, Sky Blue Dark. The shuttle is out of coconut shell and was made in the Philippines.

Today's Ice Drop is in size 20 Lizbeth #708, River Blue Medium. This shuttles is also from the Philippines and was made out of water buffalo horn with inlaid mother-of-pearl by Peter Cua.

It's time to make dinner. I wonder what I'll get up to tonight?

Friday already?

The week has flown by! Since Joanne and the kids decided to stay an extra week, we had to find time to go shopping for school supplies and school clothes, something I haven't done for years. Although it was a lot of fun, it was also exhausting!

We had great fun going and helping daughter Carol set up her classroom for the new school year. To brighten the classroom, Carol and Joanne stapled tablecloths to the folding wall. Carol also had posters made using pictures from her trip to Europe this summer. I almost wish I could take a class with her this year!

I finally finished Blue Jean Saturday today. Kara thought was beautiful and wanted to try it on.

I'll block it after everyone heads home. The pattern was so simple, but I let my mind wander a little too often and wound up making a ton of mistakes. I probably unknit and reknit a third of the shawlette. Now it's finished, except for the blocking, and I will have something pretty to wrap around my neck when the weather turns colder.

Tomorrow is Tollway Tatters, and I'm really looking forward to getting together with tatting friends. I already have my project for the day picked out. I hope I remember to take pictures!

Fumble fingers

Daughter Joanne and family had planned to return home on Saturday or Sunday, but they decided to stay for another week. Yay! I really enjoy having them around. I wish I could have all four of my daughters and all seven grandchildren here all summer long. Imagine the fun we could have!

My friend Margaret asked me to test tat her Taj Mahal Ice Drop pattern. I was eager to get started, and I did fine until the 4th round. I've done SCMRs before, and I've done split chains without any problem... until yesterday and today. I've lost count of how many times I've retro-tatted this segment. It took me at least five tries to get the SCMR right, and now I can't do a split chain for anything. It's not the directions; it's just me. My fingers and brain just aren't working together.

I decided that a change of pace must be in order. After all, a familiar pattern can be so relaxing. I decided to tat Eightsome Reel by Mary Koniorin Marilee Rockley's Lantana Citrus hand-dyed thread. You would think I had never read a pattern before. Honest to goodness, this little section took me a good hour to tat. I'm blaming the humidity!

My knitting is also moving along slowly. I am making progress with Blue Jean Saturday, but I've had to frog quite a few rows because of mistakes. Maybe I'm having trouble because we're in the dog days of summer. That seems to be as good an excuse as any!

I was bad!

Joanne, the kids, and I went up to visit daughter Alison today. We went to lunch, to the park, and to a yarn shop!

Did I need any more yarn? No! However, I fell in love with each of these, and I was even able to purchase a beautiful pattern for the three balls on the right. Oh, I was bad!

We arrived home just in time to make dinner. Afterwards, I got right to knitting. I have to finish up my current projects in order to work with my new yarns!

Tomorrow I think I'll start my new plan for the upcoming school year. Tat an Ice Drop in the morning, and take a knitting or crocheting project with me for when I'm supervising students. I really need to work through my stash if I want to keep shopping!

I thought I would tat all day...

...but I didn't. Instead, I spent most of the day reading Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan, a novel based on the true story of Italian Pino Lella at the end of World War II. Daughter Carol recommended the book, and I found it hard to put down!

I did finish a little over half of the next lace section of Blue Jean Saturday, and I managed to walk my 10,000 steps for the day.

I have some new threads to play with, but I just wasn't in the mood to wind shuttles today. Maybe I'll get granddaughter Sophia to help me tomorrow!

Takin' it easy

I've been a bit under the weather the past two days, so I've been taking it easy.

I finished a second Ice Drop out of Marilee Rockley's beautiful hand-dyed thread, Lake Effect. The shuttle is from Middy Clark of The Knotted Vine. I love working with beautiful threads and shuttles!

When Alison and the kids were visiting a couple of weeks ago, we watched Mister Roberts, a movie from the 60s that I loved. For the first time, In noticed in the credits that it was based on the novel of the same name. Just imagine, it took me more than 50 years to realize there was a book! Luckily, it was available on Amazon. Although the movie and the book are quite different, I thoroughly enjoyed them both!

Yesterday daughter Joanne sent me a picture of Kara. She's pretending she's typing on her computer just like Mommy!

Dave called me out to see the roses in bloom. They were just buds the other day when I last looked at the bush.

I accomplished two things today. I finished the second lace section of my Blue Jean Saturday shawl by Deby Lake, a free download on Ravelry.

I also finished reading Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World War II by Robert Matzen. I knew that Audrey Hepburn had been in the Netherlands during the German occupation, but I really had no idea what she and her family had been through. I will now pass this on to daughter Carol, who loves European history. We are a family of readers!

Ooh! Ahh!

I knew I liked this new hand-dyed thread from Marilee Rockley! "Lake Effect" looks great with this deep blue glass gem. I think I may try and see how many Doodle Ice Drops I can tat out of one skein of hand-dyed thread. With different colored centers, each will be unique!

I've finished the second garter stitch section of my Blue Jean Saturday shawl by Deby Lake. The pattern is so easy to follow, making it a very relaxing knitting project. I'm even dreaming about what I'll knit next!

Changing threads

I've grown weary of tatting with pink. I'm still carrying what's left of my ball of thread in my little roly-poly pouch in case I get inspired to tat with it again, but I'm definitely ready for a change!

Recently, my friend Marilee Rockley listed a new colorway called Lake Effect. I fell in love instantly! You know I couldn't stop with just one new thread! I'm guessing I wasn't the only one who fell in love with it, because I don't see it listed in her shop.

Yesterday I pulled out my little tabletop swift and wound the thread onto a Starlit shuttle. I love my little swift. It's perfect for my hand-dyed threads.

I like using the Starlit shuttle for hand-dyed threads, because it will all fit on one shuttle. I can then wind off what I need on to a smaller shuttle. The Starlit serves as my ball thread, and if I find I need a second shuttle, it's already attached!

Yesterday was low key for us. The weather was beautiful, with all the midwest storms passing to the north and south of our little farm. Dave spent most of the day outside improving the living quarters for the ducks and chickens, as well as cutting grass. My day was pretty mundane... grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning up. I did read quite a bit, finishing up The Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters.

I also worked on my Blue Jean Saturday shawl by Deby Lake. I've finished the first lace section, and I'm ready to move on to the second garter stitch section!

Enjoying the weather

It's warmed up quite a bit, but not to the point of being too warm for me. Yesterday was sunny and breezy, so I took advantage of the weather and enjoyed the day!

I played with another stitch count variation for my Pink Fudge pattern. On this one I kept all of the chain counts the same and just changed the two side rings of each cluster to a count of 4+4. It's okay, but I don't feel like I'm there yet. My beautiful shuttles are from Middy Clark of The Knotted Vine on Etsy. I feel a connection to Middy. I learned to tat from her grandmother's video!

I took the time to create a chart for my Blue Jean Saturday shawl by Deby Lake. I sometimes get myself confused remembering where I am in a pattern. While working on the My First Knit Sweater Knit-along, I picked up a tip from Marly Bird to create a chart to keep track of rows... what a brilliant idea! I've been using hash marks on a Post-It note for years, but this is so much easier!

Daughter Carol must have been taking some much needed down time yesterday. She sent another picture of her legs covered by her new waffle stitch afghan. Look who's snuggled up on her legs. I may have to crochet a small blanket for Sir William Wallace with the leftover yarn!

Granddaughter Eva's junior prom was this weekend. It's hard to believe she's old enough to attend prom. Where does the time go?

Catching up

I know it's been a long time between blog posts. Honestly, I just haven't felt like blogging. I've been engrossed in working on multiple projects, watching technique videos, reading, and subbing. There just aren't enough hours in the day!

I only tatted when I had free time at school this week, and that wasn't very often! This is the Pink Fudge pattern I'm playing with. I'm not sure this is the stitch count is what I'm looking for, so I'll keep playing. The shuttles are from Veronica of TattingShuttles on Etsy. I'm really drawn to Russian designs. I've probably been greatly influenced by my mom, who has a love of Russian and Chinese history and art.

The second block pattern for the Flora crochet-along from The Crochet Crowd came out on the 15th. Only two blocks were needed of this design. Mikey said this is the easiest of the blocks. It was very easy to crochet.

While doing a little craft organizing yesterday, I found a shawl that I had started years ago. I couldn't figure out where I was in the pattern. The notes were lost somewhere along the way. So, I unraveled the 4" on the needles and started a new pattern. This one is Blue Jean Saturday by Deby Lake, a free pattern download on Ravelry. So far, I'm really enjoying working with this super fine yarn!

I've made a little more progress on Caesious from Curls  by Hunter Hammersen. I'm almost near the end of my leftover ball of Mandala. This may be large enough for one of the little ones. If not, it's been good practice. I'm not sure if I'll ever make a full-sized version of this pattern. It's easy enough to follow, but I think it looks kind of boring.

Sir William Wallace Cademartori is enjoying daughter Carol's newly finished waffle stitch afghan.

This is the longest afghan I have ever made, just as Carol ordered. She wanted it long enough to tuck under her chin and over her toes. The afghan is longer than she is tall, and she loves it! What more could a mother ask for?