Mission Accomplished

 

As promised, the plumbing guys were here by 7:30 yesterday morning to finish the job.

I had to laugh at them squeezing into the little shower to get it set up. The Mister was snoopervising.

How it started. The curtain hides an absolute horror of a beige fiberglass shower stall and all that wood cabinetry had pretty much turned to sawdust from the humidity. 

How it ended. We still have some caulking left to do, the molding to put down and the shelves and cabinets to put up but we're getting close. Two down and one to go. We told the plumbers we'd see them again next year when we tackle the last of the horrible bathrooms, the one downstairs. 

Bag Lady

 

I never understood this scene from Steele Magnolias until....

...I bought these. When we usually travel up to Daughter's for an overnight baby sitting gig I pack all my stuff in lots of different shopping bags which was a pain. Now I have all my personal stuff in the suitcase and all my crafty stuff in the top bag. Since we're going back every Tuesday-Wednesday for the next six weeks I don't even have to unpack it just add more clean clothes after I do the laundry. Silly me just had to go try and find a pair of somewhat matching floral Crocs. 

I wanted these but the $70 price tag put me off so instead....

...I settled for these that I found half price at Dick's Sporting Goods. They don't really match but they'll work until I can find ones that do.

Baby Talk

 

The Mister and I just spent two days doing a lot of this.

It wasn't all baby stuff. Toddler Grand had a box of new crafty things waiting for us to play with.

We made flowers and paper chains. 

There was even a fancy birdhouse to paint. 

It's always hard to say goodbye but we had company along the way. We had an almost 3 hour ride home thanks to Kendrick Lamar having a concert at Northwest Stadium last night and that rainbow stayed with us almost the whole way home. I've never seen one last that long or cover that much territory. 

Wednesday WIPs

 

One quiet morning last week I sat down to figure out the heel on the Cozy Quilt socks. It's a short row heel and my brain is not wired for short rows. I did manage to start getting something that looks like a heel but I'll have  to wait until it's done to pass judgement. We've been wrangling Grands since yesterday morning and should be on our way home tonight. I can guarantee I won't be picking this up to finish for a few days. I'm going to need some recovery time. 

Speaking of brain teasers, I finished another row on the entrelac dishcloth. The top triangles come next. Wish me luck.

My other projects don't look much different but I did start another pair of socks in anticipation of our long trek up to Daughter's house. They are another pair of Regias and they are on the same needle. Two on one needle seems to be my preferred method of travel knitting these days. Less to lose along the way. 

Tiny Needle Tuesday

 

My tiny needles were not very busy this week. I did get that last vertical row finished that I was working on. All I have left are two horizontal rows to do at the bottom and the border. This went fast. 

A slightly bigger needle managed to finish two more orange petals on Funky Flower. The more I do this, the more I like it. I'm starting to understand the needlepoint craze.

Dear Jane's block one of Row E is in the works. It's a curvy row and curves are not my favorite thing. I sometimes wonder what Jane would think if she knew how many crazed quilters would be cursing her name because of her diabolical blocks. 

And...if you haven't seen The Quilters on Netflix you're really missing something. It's a documentary about a group of convicts who create the most unbelievable quilts I've ever seen. I watched it on Father's Day and got all verklempt over it. My dad was a convict and he was a quilter. He would have loved this. If this was the type of thing he could have done when he was in the slammer, he might never have left. 

Shades of Gray

 

I ran out of the mixed grays I was using for Spiral Chicken's background so I've been ordering more grays from different online vendors hoping to get a variety. What I got were three bundles of the exact same gray and one that is black (?!). 

In desperation I got out my dye kit and some white wool I had in the stash.

I had two grays, Silver Gray and Gun Metal Gray and I tested them on some white strips. 

Silver Gray gave me what I think I needed so I dyed a bigger piece. Gun Metal was a bit too blue. I'm hoping when it dries it will work. I really would like to see the old chicken finished by fall. I've got a squirrel, a jack o'lantern and a turkey that need some attention too.

A Day at the Races

 

Little Grand couldn't wait to see the "big water". We left the big people in the parking lot sorting out strollers and headed down for a good look. 

We got there just as the racers were taking a break so we got a good look at the boats now with their heads on and their drums in place. 

The babies handled the heat better than I did. I took refuge in the pavilion that overlooked the water while the races were on. I had a snow cone to keep me company. 

We didn't stay long. We had crabs to pick up and food to grill.

While the big people were eating their crabs, teeny baby Grand, Toddler Grand and I played on the living room floor. Toddler Grand got a lesson in clowning. We're going to their house for an overnight sitting job on Tuesday so we'll be able to continue our game then. 

Off to the Races

 

They held the practice races Thursday night seeing how the weather might not have been too cooperative Friday night or this weekend for that matter. Thunderstorms are predicted on Saturday which may put a hitch in everyone's plans. We've ordered crabs so come what may, we've got a fun day planned. 

Fluffy Friday the 13th

 

I finished the last of the Barbie fluff this week. It's not much but it should be enough for the project I have in mind for the granny squares.

This one by Erica Arndt. You don't need that many squares. I think it will make a nice little project bag if I can figure out how to line it. 

Now that the Ladybug is empty I can start something new. I decided that the Peaches and Cream Chinook fiber is up next so I split the braid into 4 pieces.

It's actually labeled a Chinook tweed and now I can see why. Those bits of black fiber pop out and make an interesting texture.

Look who came down the driveway bright and early yesterday morning. The plumbing folks are not supposed to be here to finish the job until next Friday but he sent his helper to get the easy stuff done which was mainly getting the water running in there again.

And...that wasn't the only surprise that came down the driveway yesterday. A bloggy friend in Arizona is going through a big move and sent me some things she thought I might like to have. Barbie patterns? Cross Stitch magazines? Punch needle patterns? And so much more to look through. Thanks so much 57 Pumpkin, it was very kind of you to think of me!

After Thought

 

Before I could start that heel I had to do something about that kinky yarn the heel left behind. I made a makeshift niddy noddy from a plastic lid, sprayed the yarn down and let it dry overnight. 

I had a bad experience knitting from kinky yarn in the past and didn't want to repeat it. Anyone remember these? I bought three of these reels when they came out.

Knitting from the kinky yarn straight from the reel produced a horrific uneven tension that wouldn't block out. I've still got two of the reels and I'd have to pull all the yarn out and straighten it before I would even think of knitting from it. 

By afternoon that yarn was dry and ready to go so I had a sit down in front of another bleak movie from TCM. This time it was Carnival of Souls, one that I remember well from my midnight Chiller days when I was a kid. I've got that orange waste yarn where I want that afterthought heel to be. From here on, it'll be blind luck. Maybe it works. Maybe it doesn't but I won't know until I try.

Wednesday WIPs

 

I couldn't play nice with the pooling. I ripped out Miss Bab's heel and I'm going to try the afterthought. I've done it before on Christmas stockings but never on a sock. The Regias are getting their heels turned. 

I finished the leg of the Cozy Quilt sock so now I have to figure out the heel. The ski sweater has more lice on it. That's going to be such a slog. Repetitive pattern, big needles, woolly wool yarn. Oh, my. I'm tempted to put this away until cooler weather.

The entrelac dishcloth is coming along but I can't take my eyes off of it for a second. Every time I get interrupted I have to stop and think about what direction I'm supposed to be going in and what row I'm supposed to be on. It's a challenge.

And....the dragon boats are here! I get ridiculously excited when they show up on the beach. The races are this Saturday. I love the boats but hate the event because it's always so HOT. There may be rain this year and that would be fine with me. Wet I can do, hot I cannot. 

Tiny Needle Tuesday

 

Ta da......Row D is finished. I worked on the last two blocks at the bottom over the weekend so I could celebrate this small victory by laying the whole thing out today. Four rows. 52 blocks so far. 

It is a very small victory because now I get to start Row E. 

That means sorting out all the paper pieces. Jane has some real crazy ones on this row. I see a lot of modifying on my part. 

My other tiny needle has been busy working on the border for the Patchwork of the Crosses project. I think I have the sides figured out but I might have to get creative in the corners. 

And.....my new tiny rose has burst into bloom. The deer haven't found it-yet so I am going to enjoy those blossoms while I can. 

Mug Rugs

 

Now that it's cold drink season I'm always looking for something to sit my glass down on. I usually grab one of my dishcloths or one of The Mister's potholders but I saw this pattern on the Oxford needle punch site for a punched mug rug and thought I would give it a try. I had to transfer the pattern first. 

I have to trace it on tulle and then trace that onto the monk's cloth. I found my blocking boards held it all down really well while I worked. 

I've been practice punching with acrylic but this time I am going to try it with some Wool of the Andes in sport weight.

I did all that in the teeny tiny window I had open between grouting the tile and making dinner. We worked as a team on it. The Mister applies the grout and I go behind him and wipe off the excess with the big sponges. We don't usually work on Sundays but as I've mentioned quite a few times I am so over the construction clutter that is all over the house. When the clutter starts growing dust bunnies, you know the job has gone on for too long.