Rare Things

Here in NE Florida we are already noticing the reduction in hours of sunlight as time marches toward Autumn. This happens to be my favorite time of year. I thoroughly love the heat and being outdoors in it. I've tried to snap one of my hummers but they're too skittish. Instead found this beauty on one of my giant red pentas.

 Working on a shawl from a free pattern, Maluka, using wonderful Happy Fuzzy Corriedale. That's all I can post from my iPad!

Balance

Balance...a subject that's been on my heart quite a lot lately. Too much to do, not enough time, too much hate in this world, not enough love. This life is so short and so many are hurting. I count my many blessings and try to help share some love...which this summer resulted in these, 15 pairs of teeny socks for the 'afghans for Afghans' baby shower. Check out their website; it's a worthy cause.

And a few hats.  Peace, friends.

Happy 4th!

Best wished for a Happy 4th of July!
Here's an older finish that needs to be capital-F finished into a pillow, and my current project...making baby socks and hats for the Afghan for Afghans 2014 baby shower campaign. It seems that blogger fights me at every turn so I'm very limited on what I can post. Is it because I'm using an iPad? Anyway...enjoy your freedom!! Hooray!

June? Wait! What?!

Wow, where has the time gone? I think quite a few of us are asking that question! I am happy to have a finish that will be going to the framer. It's Baby Celebration by Just Nan, made for my great-niece Rebekah Rose in Texas, born on my birthday last year!

Rebekah Rose

Here's a surprise shot of my cat Maizie aka Teenie Weenie, because that's what she was when I found her. She's more like tubby wubby now and just the sweetest thing. I had never seen her leap up on anything til this week and up she went, onto an armoire.

Garden Gate

A framed finish! Shepherd's Bush Garden Gate, triple matted; 1 of my 2014 Challenge pieces.  And another wee SB using mats from the kit.

A Colorful Easter!

Happy Easter Friends!  I am wishing I had a camera with a powerful lens instead of just my little iPad, because I have a yard full of colorful, but somewhat shy, visitors. Much to my surprise I am entertaining 3 male painted buntings and 4 indigo buntings among my usual bunch of woodpeckers, cardinals, titmice, wrens, Carolina thrashers, chickadees, house finches, blue jays and doves.  And another fly-in...a blue grosbeak popped in to check out the party. And the bluebirds appear to finally be nesting. And a pair of catbirds is back!  It's like Cirque de Soleil out there!!  The buntings are just the brightest colors...like parrots!

Yesterday I started a baby sweater for a coworker's daughter who just learned she will be having a boy this fall.  Last Sunday I started a cotton vest for myself:

Haven't done any stitching to speak of but did crochet a dozen cotton starfish wash clothes for favors.  It's been a super busy month, what with answering a summons for federal jury duty (not selected), long hours at work, recuperating from a nasty dog bite to the face, and lots of April birthdays, including my own.  Here are some treasured gifts from friends:

Knitting mouse!

Fiberphile Cashmere!

Lucci Olivia - luxurious!

Even with 3 days of no sunshine and lots of rain it is a wonderful Easter day...for what it represents to Christians, and to celebrate friendships and families.  I will leave you with a darling Assisi style bunny stitched by a friend in my guild:

Thanks for stopping by!

Por Luciana Delgado

Progress on Luciana...a project NOT on my 2014 Challenge List, but whose colors and design spoke to me:

A Few Finishes

Name tag for wearing to EGA meetings, from double running class taught by our talented JoyceAnne. 28-count linen banding from Inspired Needle, silk by Vicky Clayton gifted by DF Mel.

Dragonfly Socks, free pattern by Jocelyn Sertich available on Ravelry; Pink Lemonade yarn from a retired indie dyer.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Short and sweet:

I thought it was Spring?!?

Seems like the weather teased us into thinking Spring was around the corner last week, but now it's back to cold! Understanding that cold is relative..but in NE Florida temps in the 30s and no sun is not right! Not for me! Some of my flowering shrubs are blooming so prettily, and the wild violets are everywhere like little fairies.

Here's a fun little project using a ball of cotton yarn and a cute free pattern from Deja Jetmir (Starfish Washcloth) on Ravelry. You can add a fizzy bath ball or scented soap in the middle and tie it up with twine or ribbon for a nice gift.

 Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Presidents' Day!

Do people say that? It's happy for me because my company observes the holiday. A 3-day weekend and a full moon combine to bring out the clean-and-organize urge. I managed to finish a couple of long-awaiting knitting projects. Embarrassed to say that the only thing lacking on the mitts was a single thumb...about 10 rows of 14 stitches, how lame was that? Done! And a newborn sized baby sweater for a sweet girl who's now a toddler, so it will go to her cousin this fall. Just needs 2 buttons.
Back to the vacuum cleaner!

Susan Rambo Is In The House!

So pleased to have Susan home from the framers. She currently resides in the great room and is looking quite settled against the tomato red wall. I chose a simple frame with simulated wormy looking texture to the wood. When the framer brought her out from the back of the shop, I must admit I gasped a little! She really looked like a piece from grandma's attic.  I've even warmed up (a little bit) to the unusual mallard duck in the center, while the 2 zombie squirrels remain my favorites.

Tea & Teacups

My supply of Candy Cane tea by Celestial Seasonings is almost gone. It's a great night to enjoy a mug of  tea as our weather in Northeast Florida is rainy and chilly. Here is a snap of the newest project, a Tanta shawlette in Claudia Hand Paints Tea Cup colorway. It's my swap for a friend who is graciously creating some punch needle that I knew I would never finish! And yes, those are my sheep pj's, and faithful 4-legged lap warmer, Curtis Willis (all tuckered out from chasing his bird-on-a-stick)!

It Lasted 30 Days!

Scratch one New New Year's Resolution off the list...the one about not buying any new yarn!!! I had to pop into my LYS, KnitWitz, with a technique question and uh oh...a wonderful selection of new yarn in exactly the colors I have been in the mood for. Pink! Red! Magenta! Oh, and a Scottish Lichen I could not resist!  I blame it entirely on St. Valentine!

Inching Along

A few rows a day on the second sock! Here's my trusty helper...

Have a great weekend!

Just Like Potato Chips

Can't eat just one?! All of my coworkers, who claim to be non-knitters, have been asking for me to make those scarves that are sort of self-ruffling. Not my favorite kind of knitting but I'm glad to see their smiling faces when they get their new scarves. Here are the most recent:

Por Luciana Delgada

So exciting! I received my supplies for the Luciana Delgado stitchalong. Yummy Gloriana silks. I already have a favorite color: Aubergine. And 36-ct Vintage Examplar.

A Pair of Socks...Sort Of

Is it a pair of socks if there are 2? Trick question, because these are finished single socks, but their future mates have just been started. Glad you can't see my Kitchener efforts on the toes.

Freezing in Florida

Hi Friends, hoping everyone is staying warm. Isn't this a great time to stay in and knit, stitch, read, catch up on blogs, etc. It's been fun reading so many year-end and new year blogs, reading about the traditions, recipes, goals and resolutions, finishes, gifts and new starts!

As I was sorting through stash and lining up projects for my EGA chapter's 2014 Stitching Challenge,  I decided to remove the contents of 2 Shepherds Bush kits (Roma's Garden and Cranberry Pinafore). Which leads me to this question...is it harmful to the linen fabrics to remain folded inside kits for years? As I was pressing the linen from these kits, I was concerned that there were fold marks.  Maybe it's my imagination.  How do you handle?

Making a little progress on current pair of socks:

And on one of my Challenge pieces, Christmas Thoughts Sampler by The Drawn Thread: