Re knit and re knit and re knit……….

 

It’s finally finished and I might love it this time. I knit this yarn last summer into a sweater  https://straythreads-straythreads.blogspot.com/2025/05/off-needles.html that always felt 2 sizes too big so rip and rewind which took less than an hour. The pattern I’m using this time is Poppy by Petite Knits. I changed the hems from ribbing to garter stitch because ribbing stretches out with this Remix yarn and doesn’t pull back in until it’s washed so the garter stitch is a better finish.  The same with the neck I did a stockinette rolled hem. I ripped this so long ago maybe March that I have forgotten how many times I ripped, my swatch was right on gauge but my stitches really relaxed as I got going……too big…..start over then on the shoulder seam……one side was tighter than the other…..rip again.  Finally I got it right —-pull that increase stitch extra long.  I only re knit one sleeve twice no problems on the second. Now to throw it in the washer and dryer it should come out perfect!  About the yarns I have knit several sweaters with the remix light—they are my summer sweatshirts. The tweed it yourself yarn combination was from a Danish knitter I follow on facebook I can’t understand a word she says but her yarn combinations speak for themselves. Fabulous!!

Washed and dried and shrank to almost perfect. If I knit this pattern again I will make the arm scythe shorter. Happy summer and strawberries —Ann—

Another flimsy

 A third hummingbird quilt top sewn sometimes I cut way too many pieces for one quilt but I just cut one 6 inch strip of each fabric and i like variety in the colors and prints……..so three quilt tops later I’ve almost used all the pieces.  This one I used just one background fabric it sewed together much faster and I could turn the segments just for fun.  Now to find backing fabrics and pin them on the frame to baste.  Backing is my least favorite part of quilting.  —Ann—

More watercolors

 

Reminiscing over trip to Ireland in 2024 and now those paintings in the sketchbook are finished. Amazing what consistent practice can do, hubby was off fishing so I had a watercolor week while he was gone.  I should have cropped all those pics but then they are saved as panoramic and they take up more space.  I need to delete pics again.  Hopefully a week of watercolor got me in “the habit” so I will continue.  It was really just playing with paint —Ann—

Watercolor

 

It has been hot here 94 and humid……a good day to go downstairs and play with the watercolors.  I’m making progress on my sketchbook I started in Ireland.  The paintings are not in chronological order I go through my photos and decide I’ll try painting this today as my skills and confidence grow I might go back and try a scene that I thought was too complicated.  Sometimes I use the Waterlogue app to turn a photo into a watercolor and work from both as I paint, the app simplifies the photo.  Having fun with the watercolors and maybe sewing a few quilt blocks as the paintings dries.  —Ann—

A Bit of wisdom and a flimsy

 

Same fabrics different grouping of the background fabrics.

It’s amazing how fast a quilt top comes together when I put a concentrated effort into it.  Like just sitting down to sew for a bit.  And getting the needle threaded, that seems to get more challenging as I get older.  I realized something today that makes threading the needle so much easier. There is that groove in the needle facing you as you sit at the machine……if I aim for the groove with my freshly cut thread (no long fibers from breaking the thread) get the thread in the groove then slide it toward the eye and change the angle of the thread from diagonal to more horizontal the threads slides right into the eye!  Easy peasy more easy peasy than the needle threader! Happy threading —Ann —