this and that

Last weekend, we (Bob and I) made a little journey south.  We were hoping for a bit of warmer weather to counteract the unusually cold spring we are having, but the weather really didn't get much better.  After all, it's less than 200 miles, so we shouldn't expect to wear flip flops with our winter coats, right?!

We did get to attend a baby shower for my niece, Nora, hosted by 2 of her girlfriends.  It's Nora's first, and her mom's first grandbaby, so I really enjoyed catching up with them on how this baby-making is progressing!  Here's Nora, with her mom, Mary, and my mom, too.  This will be my mom's 6th great-grandchild and the 4th boy.

One of the shower decorations was this sign, and I love the verse on it!

Meanwhile, my own little grandson, Leo, is growing by leaps and bounds!  We went from the 20th percentile on growth curves at his 1 month checkup, to 50th percentile at 2 months!  I think he's determined to catch up with his big brothers, Ian and Jack.

I can't wait for Nora and Mary to get the chance to ooh and aah over their little guy's milestones!  Leo is starting to smile and interact in a real way, not just hopeful thinking!

I'm into baby-hat-knitting mode, and here's another one just finished!

And another cast on!

This yarn looks a lot like denim.  It's called Tenderfoot and comes from The Polka Dot Sheep out of Whitefish, MT.  The color is named Stillwater.  I've lost the name of the yarn used in that first hat, unfortunately.  I really should get better about keeping the names and care info with the yarn, but if the yarn sometimes needs to be wound into a ball or "cake", and then the label doesn't stay connected.

No sewing done here except to get the quilting and binding done on 2 quilts for classes at Bear Patch, that was on a deadline so I was very happy just to meet that deadline!  Especially since I was the one that set that deadline for all the class samples to be turned in!

Along with getting all the class samples ready for display, there is a lot of "backroom" work on the computer, which is what I have spent some time on the last few days.  If you want to see proof of my labors, just look through the class information for the store's website.  Click on any class, and you will get a full description plus details.  I'm glad that's all done for now, but I'm still looking for errors every time I look at it!  There are a lot of dates and times and requirements to include, and after awhile they are all swimming around in my head like a whirlpool!

Today, I'm swearing off computers and going outside while the sun is shining so I can pull some weeds!  Have a great day!

project report

Even though I haven't shown much proof here on the blog, I really have been continuously sewing and quilting and knitting behind the scenes.  It kind of goes in little bursts and doesn't feel like I get much traction on any one project when there are too many in the works.  But here's some updates!

This lacy scarf is a long overdue completion, using a very special yarn.  It's called Quiviuk and it was a gift from my son, Dan, as a souvenir from a trip to Alaska.  What a great son, on his business trip and he finds yarn for me!

This has had some starts and stops since I first posted about it in 2012.  Sometimes it's like that.  I was frustrated with the pattern I was working on then, and I unravelled it and tried a couple other patterns before landing on this one.  A simpler lace.  I knew I would make something lacy with it for a couple reasons.  It would stretch the little pack of yarn further, with the open stitches.  And it is so lightweight, it feels like a feather, and will be fine for a simple dress-up for a shirt or dress.  And won't be overly warm!  I love the way it turned out!

I don't actually remember where I found the directions for this stitch pattern, but it's pretty simple and therefore, easy to pick up and put down on short notice.  Here's the stitch pattern:

K4, (YO, K2tog, K2) repeat between () across the width of the scarf.

I cast on 28 or 32 stitches (can't remember which), it just has to be a multiple of 4.

Knit 2 rows at the beginning and before cast off.

 And another knit that I hope is quick:

A simple little baby hat that with a little luck will be done in time for a Saturday baby shower to go along with this blankie--

 My niece, Nora, and her husband, Shane, are expecting their first baby, a little boy.  I get to attend the shower on Saturday back in my hometown.  This blankie was made from a square of plush double-sided cuddly fabric.  The binding is about 1" wide, and is sewn on by machine.  If you have ever tried to hand stitch a binding to plush stuff, you will understand why I chose to do this one by machine.  I think my mom sewed the binding for this when we were at a retreat last fall, before I even knew about this little baby coming our way!  It's good to plan ahead!

And a fresh finish!  The binding is done on my Mini Rings quilt and it's in the bag ready to go to Bear Patch.  It will be offered as a class this summer and on display at the store soon.

So that's all for now, folks!

And let's all sing Happy Birthday to my little sis, Jan, today!

not a lot of knitting

Knitting has not been at the forefront of my fiber life lately, but last weekend I did pick up a project that has been in the works since winter sometime.  

This pattern, Technicolor Scarf, and the yarn (sorry, I can't find the yarn label to tell you what it is, but the pattern recommends Liberty Wool by Classic Elite Yarns) were gifted to me.  By someone who also likes knitting, and knows that I do!  It's a fun present to open with pattern and yarn together.  It's made from 2 colors of yarn, in my project, one is lime green and the other is that purplish-green-blue mix that you see in the lower half of the picture.

The scarf is made with something called a Brioche stitch.  I've linked to a video about it.  Not sure where that name came from, but it has nothing to do with brioche bread.  Maybe because it leaves me hungry for more?  Each row I do makes me want to do the next one?!

Anyway, it's not a difficult pattern to do, just a rectangular scarf.  And the yarn looks and feels great, all soft and cushy.  The stitch pattern repeats over a set of 4 rows, and ends up making a nice reversible-looking scarf.  The stitches are basic:  knit, purl, yarn over and slip.  The yarn seems heavier than worsted weight but not as much as bulky.  I'm no pro at knitting, so some of these yarn variations in size and weight leave me wondering.

The only problem I have encountered with it is correcting mistakes.  Yes, I make mistakes!  Even though I always think I'm doing it right, I sometimes miss something and don't find it until the following row.  This project has 224 stitches in a row.  I have had to "unknit" more than once because unlike some other stitch patterns, this one is a bugger for me to repair as I go.  I get the yarn overs crisscrossed with slips and knits and purls, and it makes a mess.  Carefully removing 224 stitches takes some thought!

Here's an ugly tangled mistake that I thought looked OK on the reverse side.
Not so much.

Last weekend, I knit this while riding in the car to go to Nisswa to visit some friends at their lake home.  It's about 2 1/2 hours away.  On the straight parts I can easily knit without getting nauseous!  But it's not always the best positioning in the seat, a bit cramped, so it's easy to slip up on the pattern.  I now find myself at a mistake that I tried to fix, but it's not a good fix.  So there's some unknitting to do again before I can move on.  It probably didn't help that I also did some of this while we were playing 500 out on the deck at 9PM as it was getting dark!  I think that's where the mistake was made!

So I will have to set aside some time to focus on this in a few days.  Right now I am engrossed with a new quilt pattern that is on a deadline to be done soon, so knitting is on the way back burner!  Someday I will have a finished project to show you!

souvenirs with special meaning

One of our little side trips during vacation in Montana was to the Glacier Round House Pottery shop in the country near Columbia Falls.  We were there almost 2 years ago and liked their style, so this year we brought a few more pieces of Montana back to Minnesota!  Nice people designing and crafting their goods in a beautiful big yurt.  Actually 2 yurts, I think 1 is their residence.  I remembered that we had a common bond of Gustavus Adolphus College, too, so you know they are good people!

My souvenirs from Glacier Round House Pottery--
serving bowl, 2 glasses/mugs and a drip coffee maker complete
 with a cloth reusable filter.

 I used the drip coffee maker with cloth filter this morning, since I was making coffee for 1, and it worked just peachy!

Are you wondering what I've actually been doing for fabric fun lately?  Well, I did manage to visit 3 quilt shops and 2 yarn shops on the trip, so some fiber found its way into my suitcase along with the pottery!  But aside from that, I have spent a few evenings finishing up the blocks and assembly for this:

It was started last January on retreat and it took a bit to pull it together.  It's all paper pieced so ranks high on the list of putziness, but that's the best way to achieve these triangles and shapes without losing my mind!  Here's the pattern, available at Bear Patch--

 I used a gray "shot cloth" for my background fabric.  It gives a real nice finished look, but I have to admit I didn't like working with it so much because it ravels so easily.  But it turned out well in the end, so that's a good thing!

During downtime on our flight or while taking it easy instead of hiking, I had a simple little knitting project along.  The pattern is Sarah's Fingerless Gloves, free on Ravelry.  The yarn was Adriafil from Knitcol, an Italian company.  It's washable wool in a DK weight which is slightly heavier than sock yarn.  I finished them back at home and now they are drying after a bubble bath.

I've also started a new pair of fingerless gloves.  This is a pattern and wool yarn from the Polka Dot Sheep from Knit 'n Needle Yarn Shoppe in Whitefish, MT.  The shop is the home of Polka Dot Sheep goods.  I bought a yarn called Tenderfoot, in the Stillwater color.  It's 80% wool and 20% nylon in a fingering weight.  Would be great for socks, that nylon helps the wool last longer.  I learned early on that pure wool yarn looks and feels great, but doesn't last as long as the nylon blends when being walked upon all day!  I had great help from the woman working in the shop with figuring out what would work best for me.  They are very helpful by phone or online, as well.  This turned out to be my Mother's Day gift from Dan because he had gone to the shop and purchased a gift certificate for me.  Thanks!

I loved the chance to visit one of my most favorite quilts at Dan's!  I even got to sleep beneath it!  This is a New York Beauty quilt by Jan Stone, sewn in 2000-2001 for Dan's high school graduation gift.  He has taken very good care of it!  I just looked up the pattern so I could link it for you.  It's out of print but available on Amazon for a mere $196!  Guess I'll be hanging onto my copy!

call me huckleberry hound

Yesterday Dan and Lauren took us up the gondola on Whitefish Mountain and showed us how to find and pick huckleberries.  These are a local delicacy, and folks get sort of territorial about the berry patches in the wild.  We did not witness any berry wars!  We just wandered around the mountainside a bit and didn't have to look far to find some bushes.  These berries are a little small, they do develop larger when given the right growing conditions.  We were picking them simply to eat, not collecting a bunch like a few other people we saw.  When we arrived in Whitefish last Sunday night, we were treated to a fresh huckleberry galette (sort of a rustic pie) that was delicious.  Now that I have seen how hard it is to gather any significant number of berries without eating them, I am so impressed that Dan and Lauren shared their berries with us in a pie!

Today has been spent on the road, after forcing ourselves to reluctantly leave the kids and Whitefish behind.  We did so many fun things, and have some left to do next time!

We drove east across the middle of Montana, with rain most of the way.  There had been significant rains in some areas, with lots of water in ditches, etc.

Even covering the road that we had to drive through!  There was a police-type person there who told us it was safe to drive slowly on the left side of the road, which Bob did while I pictured the car floating out to the prairie!  

I have had a chance to do some hand stitching on these wool applique samples for a future class for Bear Patch.  I did most of the preparation before leaving home.  I finished up the cornucopia that I had begun back at home.  Then today I got almost all of the candy cane done.  And tonight in our hotel I did the pressing to fuse the snowman all together so he is ready for stitching tomorrow.  I can stitch without motion sickness when the road is pretty smooth and straight, as it is in a big chunk of eastern MT as well as the rest of North Dakota that we will cover tomorrow.

patterns from Buttermilk Basin

 Before leaving Whitefish, I did make stops at a couple of shops for more "souvenirs"--

first, at Whitefish Quilts.

I found some odds and ends, patterns by local designers, a bit of fabric, etc.  I always like to find things that I won't find easily back home in Minnesota, and I really scored at this shop!  Some fabric lines that we don't have at Bear Patch, a sweet little ruler that will always remind me where I got it, some applique designs from an Alaskan woman with blueberries and lupines, both appropriate for MN, too!  The woman working (sorry, I didn't get her name) was very good at answering my questions and giving suggestions.

Then I hopped over about 3 blocks to Knit 'n Needle.  Their online presence is Polka Dot Sheep, selling both their own patterns and now their own yarn, too.  I liberated 2 skeins of yarn and one little pattern to bring home with me!  Jill was working there and was so friendly and helpful.

I think that pretty much covers the yarn and fabric shopping portion of this trip!  I did even get a little bit of sew time because I took my machine (Viking) out for Dan to experiment with.  He's interested in making some tote bags so we had a little sewing lesson.  If only I could have stayed longer, I could have taken him through the construction of a whole bag.  Instead, I left him some instructions and spare fabric to practice on.  I'm sure he can create something amazing!

a trip to the mountains

It's vacation time, and the livin' is easy!  We have spent this week enjoying the beauty in and around Glacier National Park, but more importantly, spending time with Dan and Lauren.  We have done so many fun things, and we were lucky that Thursday they could both take a day off from work.  Even though the day looked pretty dark and cloudy to start out, we did end up with a beautifully sunny day.  Our lunch was eaten on the shore of Flathead Lake, watching a few boaters drift across.

And the day would not be complete without a few stops just for me!  This beautiful muted colored yarn was purchased at Camas Creek Yarn on Main Street in Kalispell.  The shop is in a beautiful old building and they have renovated the upstairs into accommodations.  They have become known for the licensed products they create for colleges--hats, scarves, etc. with the school colors and name.  The yarn is by Raven Ridge, a local spinner/dyer.  You can see her interesting colorways on her website, all derived from the colors in nature.  If you scroll down a ways on her website, you will see the whole story of the process of dying the wool.

There was another stop in Kalispell at Glacier Quilts.  This is a great source for fabric, they have an extensive collection.  More batiks than I have ever seen in one place!  And they offer a lot of the picture panel prints that can be worked into a quilt or wallhanging.  I listened in as 2 of their staff assisted a woman pick just the right fabrics to coordinate with an American flag picture.  They were really helpful to the customer.  I walked the aisles of the quilting cotton, but what ended up going home with me were some squares of hand dyed wool to be used in some future project.  The colors were great.

We have only one day left of our visit in Whitefish, so I better get off this computer and enjoy it!

Fiber field trip

An outing to Spooner today to Thimbles
Quilt Shop!

And yesterday found us in at Busy Bobbin in Rice Lake. 

I took a moment to snap this example of some of the gorgeous fall foliage. 

Time to walk over to the yarn shop, Northwinds Fiber and Book. Trying to resist being pulled into the bakery on my way past. What a fortunate combo, fabric, yarn, books and bakery all in a row!

a cool breeze

A very welcome change in our weather brought back the pleasure of open windows!  I do like to be able to enjoy the outdoor sounds, the birds calling, the leaves rustling, the trucks on the highway 1 mile away!  At least there is no hum of the A/C!

We did have the hum of a blender a couple of days ago.  We wanted to make some frozen fruit drinks with our new Zoku cups--

This picture makes it look much bigger than it really is, those are a child's hands there.  And I think they used the same photography technique that I use when getting pictures of the fish we catch, extending the fish out to the camera to make it seem appropriate for a big fish tale.

Anyway, Debbie introduced me to this fun kitchen accessory and I spotted a booth at the State Fair and couldn't wait to get my own!  I asked the booth guy for 2 of them, one to give to Brita and one to keep.  And as a surprise, since I was the first customer of the day and so enthusiastic about Zoku, he gave me another cup for free!

Back at the ranch, I unearthed my old blender to whirl up some fresh fruit to use in our slushie, and it was a sorry sight.  

That was 1975.

It was a wedding gift, avocado green Osterizer, front panel peeling off, rubber gasket as stiff as cardboard!  The motor was really straining to get moving when I turned it on, but it did slowly get the job done and the slushies were a success!  But we decided we could qualify for an upgrade, so now we are the proud owners of a shiny new blender!  This one should last us until se are done needing a blender!

This is 2013.

 I have been trying to kick the feeling of lassitude that has been plaguing me lately, not feeling like I have accomplished much, and then I remember why I don't care if my projects are reaching completion.  This little guy--

He just soaks up the world and everything in it, and spending time with him is a reward of its own!  Just look at the way he can slurp up a pasta noodle!  Have you ever seen anything so wonderful?!  He just passed the 18 month mark, another milestone reached.  By the end of this meal, during which he devoured his linguine, there was pasta and garlic and olive oil all over him and his surroundings.  A great way to experience a meal!

I wanted to share a couple things that I have finished (or nearly)--
Here's a little baby quilt that I put together from a bundle of sports themed fabrics that I had collected.  I used a tumbler ruler from Creative Grids.  I used the ruler before for a class that I taught at Bear Patch on a much larger scale.  This little one was much quicker, and the size was dictated by the amount of that blue fabric that I had on hand!  It has a little black and white striped binding that still needs to be hand stitched in place.

 I tried to put in quite a few different sports, this has basketball, golf, soccer, football and baseball represented.

 This doesn't have a recipient yet, but will be ready for some sweet little guy.

I did a spell of handwork putting together this little clamshell piece using English Paper Piecing techniques.  These are 2" pieces, measured from side-to-side.  I started it 2 years ago when I attended Quilt Market in Houston and took a class from Sue Daley to learn how to do it.

I used this nice little acrylic template to help cut the shapes that I glue-basted to paper pieces, then hand stitched row upon row.

And, I did a real easy knitting project, too!  This slouchy hat, which was really hard to get a good picture of without a head handy!  I think you get the idea, but the picture of the guy on the cover of the pattern booklet shows it off much better.  Notice the title, Celebrity Slouchy Beanies, which must mean that this is hip and cool, right?!

I used this really nice yarn, which was a pleasure to work with but has only one drawback--it's not machine washable!  I think this one has been claimed by Bob, so I can make sure it doesn't get tossed in the wash accidentally!

Oh, one other thing I got done--

lawn mowing!  Bob is not allowed on our riding mower until his back is better healed, so the task has fallen to me.  I did mow the lawn occasionally back when we first moved here, but it has been a job for the kids and Bob for a long time.  I had to have a little refresher on the proper mowing techniques, but now I am back on track.  Luckily, our lawn is far from pristine, I would call it more of a rustic style, which fits well with my style of mowing!  Let's just say I will be happy to have Bob back on the mower in the future!

randomly

Some assorted happenings to tell you about....

I started a new stocking cap that I hope will be big enough for Dan's head.  It's very much like a cap I made him a few years ago, but a different weight and brand of yarn, so I wasn't 100% sure of how many stitches to cast on.  At first, I thought I had totally miscalculated because it looked so small on the ribbing edge.  But as it has progressed, I'm more hopeful that it will, in fact, fit the intended head.  As long as he keeps his hair short!  It's very nice yarn to work with, a washable wool.  

A new fun find on the shelves at Trader Joe's!

Speculoos Cookie Butter--like they say in Wikipedia, it's a spreadable cookie.  SO GOOD!  Really good on toast.  I'm thinking a Speculoos/Nutella combo might be even better!  If you can find yourself some, give it a try.  It's sort of like a spice cookie flavor from a Belgian cookie specialty.  I researched it a little online, and noticed that sometimes it has to be rationed by the stores, which means I better go back and get some more!

Our favorite little guy has been working on his balance and has been brave enough to release the hand or object that supports his walking.  A small step for Ian, a giant leap for his parents!

We loved having him and his parents with us for a few days during our family fishing trip at Lake Winnibigoshish.  There were several "2nd cousins" (children of cousins) that were so good with little Ian.  These 2 below, Cade and Jorgen, were especially fun for Ian to watch.

Group hug!

Thanks, guys, for delighting little Ian with your smiles and play.  Cade, on the left, is from Memphis.  Jorgen is from Lincoln, NE.  I hope we get to see them again sometime soon.

updating

Several new things to report to you tonight. Just a potpourri of fun!

1. What I am reading--slowly.

2. A finished knitting project, another version of the already discussed 22.5 degree scarf, this time in Paton's Silk Bamboo color 85219. This took 3 balls on sz. 6 needles. It is very soft and drapey. This yarn was purchased at Joanne's, if you watch for it on sale it is very economical.

3. I have finished sewing the blocks for Civil War March from YellowCreek Quilt Designs, started back in January.

Now that I have all of the blocks made, I can begin putting them together in rows. They are set "on point", which in quilt speak means they are rotated 90 degrees off square. They are joined with triangles to make them into a square edged row. If that is as clear as mud, just stay tuned, I will post further pictures of the construction process.

4. I have reached the end of the fabric sorting and reorganizing, and amazingly, I have some empty spaces! Now if I can just keep it that way, it feels like I just took a cleansing breath. No, wait, that's childbirth I was thinking of!

5. New book that I am strangely fascinated with, trying to figure out if this is something I really want to take on, or whether it will just be another addition to the Library of Pam's Future Projects. The diagrams and instructions make it seem very detailed, and since I am seriously starting a new hand applique project, this may be relegated for another year.

But always good to have on-hand in case.

6. The new season of The Amazing Race started last Sunday, and I am worried. My all-time favorite racers, the cowboys, are back, and they are in trouble. At the end of the first episode, they were in last place and burning daylight. Good gravy, boys, it's time to saddle up! I think that they remind me of my college days at South Dakota State University. A very fun place with a cowboy subculture. A place where cattle lived next to the dorm and the big spring event was the rodeo. My most unforgettable character was Max, a fellow student, bull rider, and a great date! Go cowboys!

7. I saw this purse in a magazine, and realized that I must be missing the purse gene because there is no part of me that thinks that it is necessary or even OK to pay $3940 for something to carry around my dirty kleenex and crumbling altoids.

What are they thinking??!!

8. Instead of a new handbag, I splurged on more plastic shoeboxes to store my growing collection of squares and strips from my reprioritized fabric stash.

I get some kind of weird enjoyment out of admiring this collection and dreaming about making a pile of charity quilts from it.

9. I started a new scarf from this yummy yarn that was a Christmas gift from Debbie--

Mushishi from Plymouth Yarn, a wool and silk blend.

10. If you haven't used this soap before, you need to. I love it for everything I knit, it smells so fresh, not perfumey. There are several scents, this one is called Scent of Celebration.

This one's for you, Carol!