A little rain….

 A little rain, a little sunshine and the daffodils burst into bloom!! The little round yellow flowers too                         (dandelions) spring is really here.  Sketches from three old sketchbooks and the current sketchbook.  My models are from the grocery store when they were available back in March. The flowers that opened all the way were beautiful but a lot were duds, the bud swelled then nothing.  I would love to pick a big bunch of daffodils but the neighbors might scowl if someone takes their happy little blooms.

Minki blankets

 

I made a couple minki blankets for the little grands because when the try to take a nap at grandma’s house….the bed isn’t right and the pillow doesn’t feel right and the little quilts don’t feel right either….so next time grandma will have blankets with minki on the back and I really hope they “feel right”. 

I just used some yardage that I had to make a ‘quilt back’ then laid it on the minki and folded the minki over the cotton then stitched it with the triple zigzag stitch.  After we read a pile of story books they can count the little animals and maybe fall asleep. Ha!! It’s a good plan. —Ann—

7 million stitches

Seven million…..7,000,273 stitches on my sweet 16 machine.  I bought it in January of 2013.  How many miles of thread would that be? How many spools of thread? Those would all be interesting numbers and bigger numbers than my brain can handle.  How many quilts have I quilted on it since 2013? That was a number I could find, I went through my blog and counted 135 quilts! Those are the quilts I pieced because I took pictures but I quilted a few for friends that I don’t have pictures of proof.
 By the time I finished the square in a square quilt my counter was 7,016,824 stitches.  The just swing an arc from point to point in the squares and stars.  Simple but effective free motion quilting.  —Ann—

Friendship stars

 

We got it together!  My girlfriend’s granddaughter was born early mom and baby are doing great. She went to help and stayed for a few weeks.  It didn’t take long at all to sew the triangles together then the fun of arranging them—random placement of the black prints or pair them up?  Pair them up! Mix the colors up but don’t put two of the same close together or the same blacks side by side. So many things to think about and so many ways to arrange things. We were just playing with blocks like when we were little.  I have had so much fun helping her put this together and she got more excited as each step progressed from strips to squares to 4 patches to triangles to friendship stars to blocks to a quilt top and then the borders. Tummy time will be fun time with these bright colors and black and white prints.  —Ann—

Pasque flower

 One day last week I looked through my old sketchbooks, I have a pile. This page sparked memories of the day I sketched the pasque flower. One of my PEO sisters had been out to the ranch and picked a bucket full of pasque flowers, we each took one home so I sketched it the next couple days. I think it was 2007.  Sadly so much native prairie has been tilled or over grazed that finding a pasque flower in the wild is a rare sight.  The top pic is a print I did 30 some years ago when I was doing a lot of calligraphy and trying to sell it at art/craft shows, I might have broke even on my printing costs. It is hand painted and I still have a stack of them.  We are having the same kind of weather as in 2007 I wonder where the pasque flowers are blooming. —Ann—

This stocking cap was finished in time to wear during the last snowstorm. Not that I went out during the storm. It is cozy warm with the white alpaca yarn in the brim. 

Stay warm—Ann—

Just one thing........

It was that kind of a day........a day I just needed to accomplish one thing........the blizzard warning dudded out in our area we were on the outside edge of the snowstorm, we got snow but not with the viciousness that was forecast.  I had a stomach bug but we don't need to go into any details--not polite conversation --I'm better now but certainely didn't do much for a few days other than read and knit a little then fall asleep.  Monday was a new day with fresh snow, I wasn't going anywhere so do something..........

 

This quilt has been lounging in the sewing room for more weeks than I care to admit the only thing left was the binding which was also lounging by the sewing machine.  I went downstairs to get to work before lunch and sat for a while I usually start by tidying up but my table was clear—when did that happen!?! Just one thing...... my jeans were laying there by the machine….fix those first. Then it was time for lunch. Back to the sewing room the one thing was done but I had the rest of the day…….finish the quilt…..the snow put me in a festive mood. I bought the plaid fabric for a skirt 30 some years ago. I think the quilt wears it better.—Ann—

A little knitting

Just a little knitting and coffee in my new favorite mug from darling daughter.  My little granddaughters were intrigued by the socks I was knitting for me……so the next time we went to see them I was knitting socks for their little feet. I used a cotton and bamboo yarn called Bamboo pop sock. It’s very soft and stretchy and machine wash and dry.

As usual I couldn’t get them to stand or sit together for a picture. They are very independent little girls.

—Ann—

On the needles

 Just a new stocking cap on the needles. I found the pattern Churchill Avenue at the lys by a local knitter and is available on ravelry. I’m using an alpaca yarn called Tinkerbelle named for a pretty white alpaca.  The producer names all of her yarns after the animal who grew the fleece. Alpaca yarn is soft and silky, no itchy ears under this stocking cap when it is finished. The blue and yellow yarn is by Yarn Love from Simply Sock yarn company I bought 2 skeins one for the cowl and the second because it was blue and yellow and I can never stash enough blue and yellow yarn. My math skills were not such that I could get the colors to pool on a stocking cap so I’m knitting this stocking cap and should have enough yarn for mittens too. The snow comes and goes the cold wind blows.  Ann

Reading list #1 2024

1. After Anne by Logan Steiner about Lucy Maud Montgomery writing Ann of Green Gables interesting, she had some problems with depression and her husband also suffered from depression.
2. Open Carry by Marc Cameron similar to C.J. Box and William Kent Krueger books. US Marshall in Alaska parts of the story were pretty far fetched and a lot of current pop culture influences like reality television set in Alaska and “Grumpy’s” rules too similar to Gibb’s rules in NCIS. Don’t know if I will read any more of the series.
3. Tricksters Point by William Kent Krueger #12 in the series more twists more turns more surprises.
4. The Art Collector’s Daughter by Derville Murphy WW 2 France and Ireland the young daughter of an art gallery owner is sent to Ireland to live with a school chum. As an adult she is finally given a framed sketch sent by her father, it contained a hidden letter saying he sent his favorite painting to her…..what happened to the paintings? Murder, mystery, betrayal, plot twists and more.
5. Tamarack County William Kent Krueger book #13 another exciting story. I started it Sunday afternoon and was going to try to finish it before I went to bed but I kept nodding off and would jerk awake as the book slipped from my hands then start the page again. I convinced myself to give up and go to bed because I wouldn’t remember the ending the next day.
6. Ann of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery 
7. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
8. The Flight of the Falcon a lesser known work by Daphne DuMaurier
9. Freydis by Gunhild Haugnes takes place in Greenland 1000 years ago real characters of Eirik the Red, father or Leif Eirikson, and Eirik’s daughter Freydis. Norse paganism, family struggles, coming to terms with the past.
10. Mockingbird Summer by Lynda Rutledge small town in Texas 1964. Turmoil of 1964 through the eyes of a 13 year old girl. Very good.
11. The Beekeeper’s War by Deborah Carr England WWI and WW2 secrets and friendship.
12. The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal for book club family conflict, overcoming problems, seizing opportunities, and brewing beer.
13. Windigo Island by William Kent Krueger #14 of the series trafficking young Native American girls in Duluth harbor and oil fields of North Dakota 
14. Remme A Dog, Her Boy and Their Girls by me.  Last summer when I was finishing my son’s photo books I had the crazy idea to write a children’s book about him and his dog. I gave it to him for his birthday in February.

Time to start a new list. March is here the snow is gone again. I feel like it’s still a long way to spring. I guess I’ll start a new book………Ann

Corner stars

I thought you might like to see how I added the corner triangles to make the stars.

I cut the triangles using the "tri rec" ruler on 2 1/2 inch strips all facing up otherwise I would have had a right and a left triangle and my stars would have been turning both directions or have points going in odd directions.  I'm a creature of habit and need repetition and order so everything fits together in the end.

I cut a paper triangle to help me place the fabric triangle at the correct angle so when I flip it over the square corner matches the square corner of the background.

Sew a quarter inch seam

One is horizontal the other is vertical sorta!

Flip and press then sew the blocks together

I did more than a couple practice blocks to get the triangle the right size and angle then  aha!! I thought use the Tri Rec ruler  Perfect!

And after I trimmed the log cabin blocks with the triangles to 7 1/2 inches not all those little triangles are the same size.  Imagine that. 

Some star points are shorter and some are longer and it doesn't bother me.

Happy sewing --Ann--

Log cabin

I could see a cardinal in the trees when I was drinking my morning coffee— a sign that I should get to work on these blocks. Later in the afternoon I could see the cardinal in the neighbors tree as I pressed the triangles  urging me to keep working on this quilt. Maybe it cast a spell as it all came together so fast when I sat at the sewing machine.  It needed a border but I didn’t have much in the stash to choose from and very limited yardage. But it’s a scrap quilt just about anything goes.  I had a Santa print and some Christmasy birds. I had to fussy cut the 4 1/4 x 7 1/2 strips for the borders because I didn’t want to cut the heads off the birds. Some are horizontal and some are vertical and I grouped them together so the borders have better unity. Random placement just looked messy. There is one border block that doesn’t have a bird…..it flew away or maybe it was the one outside my window. —Ann—

 

Spa day

 A finish Sunday evening!! It was a celebration after knitting each sleeve twice, one was too big start over and do it right. The second sleeve was too narrow just enough I could feel the difference on my arms, start over, re count my stitches in both sleeves at least a dozen times, keep knitting count stitches again and again, finally got it right at least they feel the same on my arms. Then to knit the ribbing on the neck three times I adjusted the stitches in the ribbing to extend the legs of the cables. Sometimes I like things to be symmetrical and it’s done!!

Stitch in the ends and give it a soak and rinse with hair conditioner a spin through the washer then lounge in the sun. I lounged with it and read in shirt sleeves, I hope I didn’t get sunburned.

The yarn is Tahki Donegal tweed wool homespun it was a bit stiff to knit but when I blocked my swatches it became soft and “bloomed” I had never experienced a yarn blooming like this yarn did.  When the fibers are spun into yarn they are stretched tight so the yarn felt hard almost for lack of a better way to describe it. When I soaked the swatch and sweater in shampoo the fibers relaxed as they soaked up the water and puffed up.  It feels totally different than what I knit. The hair conditioner softened it even more. You can see how the yarns changed on the left yarn off the ball the yarn on the right after the spa treatment.

Oh my how the weather changed from yesterday from 62 to 22 F with a strong northwest wind. My sweater is cozy warm and I did not get a sunburn.

The pattern is “Brookings” designed by Marie Green I knit short rows on the back before I started the ribbing to make the back a little longer. I have knit this pattern a couple times with different cable patterns. I like the way the pattern fits, I will probably knit it again someday.

Winter is not over, stay warm in wool —Ann— there are snowflakes in the air

Friendship Stars

We did some serious sewing the other day and got the blocks sewn together. It still needs borders but those will wait until she is back from visiting her daughter. The baby came early everyone is doing good.  I love the bright colors and the black and whites the baby will have lots to look at during tummy time.  —Ann—
 

Off the needles

It seems I’ve been working on these socks forever but when I only work on them with my morning coffee it takes awhile. I did the seed stitch every time I came to the red stretch of color and plain stockinette on the purple and navy. In the beginning there were about 20 stitches for each color strip by the time I get to the ribbing there were 10-12 stitches in each color. It was fun to see the colors pool and move from slanting to the left then to the right as the color segments became shorter. The yarn is from Schoppel wolle and I bought it several years ago so probably no longer available.  —Ann—
 

Sweet treats

 Sweet treats no calories, my dearest friend found some fabrics and yarn when she was on her trip. I think the fabrics will find their way into the eye spy quilts I have been working on for little granddaughters. And the yarn sigh…….socks, mittens, scarves, stocking caps so many ideas.  She even found the backing for the quilt I’m helping her make but that is for another post. Thank you dear friend.  Ann

Tea party

 The little girls opened the bag together that hid their Dollie’s for Christmas. They peeked in and both said their own name when they saw them then said she has hair just like me. And they were promptly tossed aside for the toy digital cameras with a real sd card that do take pictures and the microphone with the music from a Disney movie. How toys have changed!! We are at the river this weekend to celebrate their daddy’s birthday. They brought their Dollie’s over for a tea party with teddy grahams (they were hard to find) a favorite snack from my children’s childhood.  I made that little teaset in 1965 when my mother was going through a ceramic phase. Then we built a fort out of quilts.  —Ann—

On the needles

 

Everything was going along so smoothly until I tried it on…..the sleeve was too wide almost the right length but I still needed to decrease 18 more stitches in the sleeve before the cuff. This yarn is too heavy for puffy sleeves so I ripped back to the red ribbon. It took less than 10 minutes to rip and rewind the yarn. Do some math start decreasing immediately instead of knitting 2 inches before the first decrease. Now I’m decreasing every 6th row instead of seventh. I’ve learned that knitting instructions are suggestions because I am probably not built the same as the designer.  The first time I knit this pattern the arm pit was too short for me— easy solution knit a few more rows before dividing for the sleeves. I always add length in the torso too. Experience is the best teacher. —Ann—

Tummy time quilt

 My girlfriend finished arranging the stars on the wall early last week. She was so excited, she has a good eye for color. She has always been a classy stylish dresser. Everything we learned from dress revue in 4-H has stuck with her. Next to practice that quarter inch seam………

and start sewing the 2 inch strips for the 4 patches….. Every step gets her more excited about the quilt. She has sewn about half of the half square triangles. We are both loving the results.

Working on this has been like bringing s little sunshine into the house.

Now she is off an a little trip and I took a tumble on the ice. No broken bones just sore joints and muscles lots of reading and knitting time for me so I don’t aggravate my elbow and shoulder more. I wish it would stay cold here. The snow melts from the roof drips on the sidewalk in the shade and promptly freezes. Boom I’m on the ground.  Slowly getting better.  —Ann—

A sunny day

 

A sunny day after a week of grey, damp,  gloomy days. This picture was taken after Christmas of the fresh snow then coated with freezing rain; looking across the Missouri River in north central South Dakota. Everywhere was sparkly like millions of tiny Christmas lights. Earlier this week was warm enough the snow was melting from the rooftops a symphony of dripping water followed by a gravelly swoosh and a whump as snow slid off the roof. I went for a walk everyone I greeted was so happy to be out, the sun felt so good on my jeans. Water meandered down the gutters, the snow has a nice crust on top now no more blowing snow. The landscape looks like a giant glazed donut.

Ann

OTN

 Progress on my sweater, the yarn is thicker and stiffer than I thought it would be but when I blocked the swatch it was much softer and when I soaked it again with hair conditioner it was really soft and cuddly.  The yarn is Tahki Donegal tweed homespun  100% wool. The color is teal but might have been called something different on the website.  I only have a few more rows before I start the bottom ribbing.  The weather has turned warm here the snow is melting there are bare spots in the yard but we still have February, March and April before the woolens get tucked away.

Some socks I have been knitting with my morning coffee. I love the way the colors are pooling. After I knit the toes I started a knit purl (seed stitch)pattern in the red stretch of dye and plain stockinette in the navy/purple section just for fun. Must have been influenced by the navy and gold cowl I finished in November.  The yarn is Schoppel wolle. It was loosely wound like a spool of thread. The first time I bought this yarn it was on a big cardboard spool but no longer then I jabbed a straight knitting needle through the cardboard and unwound it that way. With this I inserted an empty spool in the center of the yarn hen the straight knitting needle. The color section get shorter as the ball gets smaller. Stay warm —Ann—