As the Fur Flies

 

The Mister is holding his annual crab thing with the family today. I usually spend days cleaning and getting ready but he wanted to play golf with SIL on Tuesday. That could only happen if I went up with him and wrangled the Grands so Daughter, who is on vacation this week, could get some things done. The problem is that I put my back out of whack again that day so I'm back on the ice packs and heating pad. He had to step up and follow my directions to get things done which never goes well. The fur was flying and it wasn't all cat hair. 

He's always been of the opinion that you shouldn't have to clean anything when company is coming so it was a hard sell to get him going but he finally did. Every nook and cranny got a good going over. I paid him for all his hard work by ordering in Mexican. It would have been a good deal if the restaurant had remembered to include the tortillas for our fajitas. It meant a mad dash for him back to the place to pick them up in the middle of a terrific thunderstorm. What a day. For his sake, I hope today goes better. 

Better

 

Much better. The quiet colors in the top are better suited to this nondescript apricot fabric. The bright yellow won't go to waste. It'll be the backing for the Color Wash top. 

I don't think it would be possible to be too bright with this one. It's going to be crazy.

Friday Fluff: Vuelta Week 1

 

How it started.

How it ended. This was that snarly, compacted fiber that I had to abandon on the drop spindles during the TdF and finish on the wheel. I wanted to chain ply it to get a thicker yarn but it kept breaking so it's a 2 ply. What's to become of it, I have no idea. 

Up next is this Shaniko fiber I picked up at the MDSW. 

I don't seem to be able to find much time while the Vuelta is on in the morning to just sit and knit but I did get back into the blue again this week on the Unicorn Barf Pi Shawl. 

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I did finish the Wonky Thermal Mitts this week but haven't woven in the ends. I did run out of the first ball and was very happy that the second ball was as equally wonky. They may look crazy but they will be warm.

Puttering Around

 

The Mister went to play golf the other day so I spent the day catching up with things in the sewing room. I've had an assembly line going for the Color Wash Quilt but hadn't gotten too far.

I also started another coaster using the punch needle. I've gotten a lot of use out of the ones I've finished this summer. It seems like I'm always hauling around a sweaty glass of something.

My tiny punch needle project is nearing its finish. I think these little veggies are just darling. I honestly didn't think I'd enjoy working on something so small but I do because it's so darn cute. And finally after a devastating 24 hour news cycle....

Me. And you?

Wednesday WIPs

 

Chestnut's has a body! 

I added one more peerie from the chart that will be joined at the shoulders and then cut away for the neck. 

Now it's time to start the sleeves and I've got the big idea to knit them both at the same time like I do socks. I bought another 16 inch size 3 needle to be able to do this. Needles have gotten very expensive but I suppose everything has.

I also needed more wool for those sleeves and was HORRIFIED to learn that Knit Picks has discontinued some of the colors I needed.

Thankfully my yarn hoarding habit came to the rescue. Several of the very old kits I have stacked up in my stash closet include those colors. I'll be cannibalizing them soon. And always remember.....

Amen.

TNT: Loose Ends

 

I finished the kitty's blanket this week and should have finished putting the tassels on its cushion but I got sidetracked by a pin cushion. 

I finished the fourth block on the needlepoint project but I have to take it off the frame and stretch it out before I can do anymore. It's come loose which is making it hard to work on. 

This will be this week's block. I was shocked to find there are only two more to go after that. Then it's on to all the connecting doo dads which will take some time. 

To do that I'm going to need my smaller hoop which is now occupied with this small runner. I've been making an effort to get it finished but it's not nearly as much fun to work on as the Patchwork so it's been languishing in the sewing room for years.

Dear Jane is starting to look like something. I have to open the middle of the seams on the lattices to slide in the triangles and then sew the two layers back down. Fiddly but doable which is a surprise and a relief. 

Doing a Happy Dance

There's weaving on the loom. Finally. It's been a long time coming.

It's a refreshingly easy sequence of steps to achieve this lovely texture. Whew. I have high hopes. 

Speaking of texture, look at the lovely loaves Betty turned out this weekend. It's been a great summer for sourdough. I hope she's able to keep this up once it cools down.