Emotional Support Fiber Animals

 Are you caught up in the emotional chicken craze?  Nope not me!  So many of my friends are going goofy over that knitted or crocheted chicken!  My friend has a group of knitters flocking to this!   Have you seen it? 

This designer has sold a ton of this pattern—guess she knew someone needed an emotional fiber animal.  There are many you tube videos on “how to”to work up this pattern as well.  If you need this fowl in your life, go for it! 

Me? I’d rather enjoy my fiber animals. 

My support lamb has been sitting by my loom for years.  Just a little touch of her woolly locks and I’m good.

Basket full of bears!  Yes!  All created from handspun fiber! 

This “chocolate” bear named Godiva!  He’s handspun brown and white cotton

Little snuggly bear is knitted from my handspun naturally dyed wool leftovers from an afghan

Octopus was for a conference theme one year—things you find in an ocean

My pin cushion is a sleeping sheep, woven with hand spun wool

My first emotional support animal was this spirit animal 

Support fiber animals leaning on each other for added reinforcement in times of happiness and sadness.  

Do you need that “bear”ing in your life?!!

I love my “emotional” support fiber animals!!

cheese whiz

Decided it was time to prepare the freezer for summer.  The freezer is overstocked--not necessary with good stuff either!  When something in the frig starts to go bad, into the freezer it goes.  Then comes the day, when there is time to sort through that freezer stuff, you can find all sorts of  possible eatables'! 

 Put on your gloves--you're going to need them--otherwise, it's cold cold hands and you're trying to warm those little mittens up every few minutes.  Or the darn freezer alarm goes off--buzz, buzz, buzz--and if you leave that door open too long and don't heed the warmings, the power shuts off and bam! darkness--can't find a thing then! 

On a recent boring day (yes, in my book, it's a boring chore to sort out the freezer), the gloves are pulled on, counter space was cleared,  ready to dig into that vast mass of what??  Who knows what was thrown into that dark conveniet space?  Pull out bits of bags--wth is that?  There are bits of chopped something; closer inspection, it's green onions--well, that makes sense.  

This is the day I could use that--

next out--plastic wrapped small bits of  white/and yellow cheese; chopped cooked bacon, bread of all kinds--hamburger/hotdog buns, keto, white, brown bread, rolls, biscuits, etc.  must be dried out by now.

An idea formed in my pea brain--I'll make pimento cheese spread!  Yes, what a clever idea!  I have those cheese bits, chopped green onions and bacon--oh, yea!  there is a small jar of pimentos in frig--surprised, it isn't in the freezer.  Dig some more to find frozen cream cheese!   

Shut the freezer door!  I"m done sorting! onto conquer pimento cheese

All the ingredients are gathered--just need some help grating the cheese--"oh honey!  Are you busy? "  he grates so much better than I.  

Mix, mix, mix--taste. add more of this, more of that--till it is just perfect!

Every true Southerner loves pimento cheese spread--if you are tired of of using it as spread, make grill cheese sandwiches or quesadillas,   Add to your eggs in the morning.  Or one of the many ways described here

That was a good way to clean out the refreezer!  Although, it didn't make a dent in freezer space!  I'll try again on another boring day!

'

Summer

 Yep!  It’s officially summer here in Texas!  I’m ready for another hot day! 

In this “Blessed Nana” is my iced tea

In last year’s Tour de Fleece is my iced coffee.  Speaking of TDF, the event begins June 29–gather your fiber, oil that wheel, be prepared to spin, spin, spin!!

It's peach season!!  Delicious peaches are on the menu every day.

For breakfast, there is biscuits slapped with peach jam and hot/spicy honey--both local.  Some good eating!

Italian Grinder Sliders--that website has other easy summer dishes.

Any recipe that I find on Instagram easy to prepare is on my list for dinners.

We celebrated our friend's birthday with this pecan peach cake with bourbon icing, topped with sugared pecans!!  Served along side was peach ice cream!!  DELISH!

We attend cowboy church in Luckenbach on Sundays and this past Sunday was a special day as our great grandson and his parents attended.  This church was our prayer warriors for little JD--they visited to thank everyone for their uplifted blessing.  JD was quite the hit with the congregation; the pastor even had a message on "miracles"--that is JD for sure.

Hondo Crouch is the founder of the Luckenbach as we know today!

Our little JD visited the gift shop to purchase a special Willie shirt--in the earlier years of Luckenbach, Willie Nelson had his July 4th concert there.  As his popularity grew so did the crowds, the picnic was moved to different location.

Want something to sew this summer?  Here you go...................

Hope your summer is fun and adventurous!

Lucet

Who knows what you'll find in the lost closet of fibers?  Only the shadow knows!

-I found this handy little tool that has been hibernating for years.  Pulled it out to do some work and forgot how to use this!

I'm a beginner learner again!

Luckily the instructions were still attached

And the ribbon I was using to make the braid was still ready to use

It's a lovely wood-=smooth and elegant>  Luckily, there are plenty of directions and videos available on You tube and other sites.  Didn't have that convenience 30 years ago.

What is a lucet , you ask?  

A lucet is a tool used in cordmaking or braiding which is believed to date back to the Viking and Medieval periods, when it was used to create cords that were used on clothing, or to hang items from the belt. Lucet cord is square, strong, and slightly springy

The Lucet was found in European Archaeological records in medieval times when the Vikings used them to make cord and rope for ships.

How  old is the Lucet?

It is not necessary to have a fancy elegant wood lucet--you can use a plain old 

dinner fork==maybe a plastic one that only has two prongs

Go for the 'fork'!  Have fun making braid; teaching youngsters this art;

reconstructing history!  

 

Quilting We Go

Many hands and many hearts is sponsoring their annual block drive--if you like to use stash to build blocks for worthy causes, consider this one. The block is to be fall colors, titled 

Two Step tutorial 

The blocks will be assembled to make charity compassion quilts 

If this is something you're interested in, check out their website--Quilting is more fun than housework

I need to spend some time gathering my tops to quilt.  Since we don't have the use of long arm machines at our local quilt shop anymore, I"m learning new ways to accomplish quilting on my tops.  I did finish one quilt via domestic sewing machine; now, I have this one ready to hand quilt--I ordered a stencil for open areas.

  It's been years since I hand quilted--looking forward to that in my spare time.

I have several loose blocks that have no top idea so those I'm quilting by machine individually and decide how to arrange them once quilted. 

Once I've cut backing and batting, the blocks are layered and then the blocks are ready to be quilted by machine.  Using stitch in ditch method, it didn't take long to quilt the block.

I have a stack of 10" blocks.  sandwich as usual and stitch.  On these, I did stitch in the ditch for a few; then got bored and did an elongated zip zap stitch across the block--

coming up--how I sew them together.

 

Sorting

During the past month, I've been sorting--it has been slides!  !Old slides!  Ones that we have not looked at for many moons--who gets out their projector and bring the family together to have a showing?  Not us!  Besides I think family members wouldn't care to view these old things now--but, but, it could be a howling good time!  To see the old cars, old houses, old clothing, and tons of scenery!  I remember a couple of times, at viewings, I wanted to walk away in the dark.  Once, we had friends who toured New Zealand and wanted us to see their slides--oh Joy!  It was an agonizing two hours!

Another time, at a conference, one leader had a 'ton' of slides on baskets!  Gee whiz!  We begged for bathroom intermission and promptly slipped out of the building--! 

So, I will not torture family or friends!

We have some slides on carousel--many carousels!!  As I pulled out the boxes and boxes, I thought to myself, this is going to be a long tedious job.  Then, hubby says out of the blue--"I'm pretty sure I uploaded those to our cloud" !  Really??!!  Why did you keep all those boxes then?

he gave me a weird answer--thought you'd want them in the future!  Just mo!ve on!

When we moved mother out of her house into assisted living, she had boxes of these slides

She had a projector for her slide trays and we have projector for our carousels--what to do with them?

Then there were other boxes of slides

and sheets of slides

Do you have any idea how long it takes to figure out what we have. 

I did find that some of these sheets of slides are photos of my work that was submitted to galleries.

in those days, you need to submit several slides of your work--marking on the slides right side up with an arrow.  Description was to be written with your name, title of piece, method of medium.

That was fun for me to walk though those days of art works submittance and rejects.

slides of my work for commercial places and religious pieces donated to churches. 

The other day our granddaughter came to visit with our great grandson.  She saw the reminders of carousels and trays sitting on tables—“what are these?  What do you do with them?”  She had so many questions!  I realized that she never had anything in her life like slides.  Her parents had a movie camera to catalog her life.  I wanted to dig out the projectors right then; alas, we didn’t have time—we’ll need to set up a slide night—maybe, they won’t be too bored after all! She ask if she could take a sleeve of slides of her as a baby to show her hubby. 

Outter boxes for the inner boxes

I decided to donate the carousels and trays to charity organizations.  I have no idea if anyone uses these anymore--I'm trying to find a way to 'recycle some of the slides'  especially ones of the kids as they were small.  Maybe, they would like to see those--maybe, not.

Still sorting as I type--it seems to be an never ending job just as viewing was!

 

Oh Such a Heel

 Nope!  Haven’t gotten to the short socks yet.  Wanted finish this pair first.  So, I’m knitting along and it’s time to turn the Heel.  My brain thinks. “This could be a good time to try a different heel instead of the one I’ve always knitted.  Let’s investigate—or this could be my way of procrastination!!  

Inside is always purl

Always knit heel flap—k1, s1 across

Then turn heel—

Neat huh? 

Here is where it gets messy.  How many heels are there??

According to Curls and Q 

This a short list!  Holy Moly!!

Cuff Down

1. French (aka Round Heel) – tutorial at KnitPicks
2. Dutch (aka Square Heel) – tutorial at KnitPicks
3. *Taffy/Welsh – In Finnish, includes other heels. Translate in Google.
4. Welsh Heel – In English
5. Band (aka German Strap Heel)
6. Handkerchief Heel (aka V Heel) –
7. Gusset Heel – For Dummies
8. Half Handkerchief
9. Fish Lips Kiss Heels – by SoxTherapist
10. Balbriggan – instructions at Liberty’s Yarn
11. Double-stitch Short Row – Tess Knits
12. Sherman Heel – Hipknitism
13. Fleegle Heel Video Link
14. Double Gusset Heel – Turtlegirl’s Bloggy Thing
15. Strong Heel – Aaron Clark’s Easier socks with the Strong Heel developed by Gerdine Crawford-Strong, pdf
16. OMG Heel – Megan Williams
17. German Short Row aka Boomerang Heel – Suzanne Bryan

Toe Up

1. French
2. Dutch
3. Round
4. Reverse Dutch
5. Heel Shaped common heel – part of the Vanilla Sock pattern
6. Eye of Partridge – part of the Vanilla Sock pattern
7. Gusset Heel – Toe Up – Maia Spins
8. Turkish Heel – Crystal Socklet Heel – Lynn DT Hershberger aka ColorJoy
9. Fish Lips Kiss Heels – by SoxTherapist
10. Fleegle Heel – also a cuff down version, Fleegle Heel video link
11. Seam Free Rounded Toe-up Sock – Lynn Ashton
12. Sherman – Cabezalana
13. Double Stitches Heel – No wrapping, Heidi Bears
14. OMG Heel – Megan Williams
15. Sling Heel – Staci Perry

How much time did I want to investigate different heels? Answer—NADA!  For this pair, I’m doing my style, which is called “French style”.  Next pair—maybe, I’ll try V style….back to knitting!

Ahh Summer!

Yes!  It is definitely June and officially Summer!  The calendar marks first day of summer as June 20–alas, summer is here now because it is HOT!!  

Spinning away!  In the cool!  Sometimes we take AC for granted —then we hit a hiccup— AC goes on the fritz, storm knocks out power, etc.  recently, our granddaughter’s area was hit by powerful winds, which took down many power lines.  When that happens you learn ways to keep your cool.  

For some of us remember the days of NO AC!  We didn’t know anything different—we used fans to bring in a breeze.  Life has changed and so have we. 

Ready to knit?  This pattern is 50% off—join in on this mystery. Christmas in July knitting!

Didn’t think I would jump on that band wagon—short socks!  Why knit short socks?  I haven’t the faintest idea.  I love knitting socks— regular length socks .  Then this trend of short socks kept popping up.  I'm thinking--

short socks wouldn't take so much time to complete 

Short socks wouldn't use as much yarn as regular pair 

So many cute patterns for these so called short socks

they could be worn with casual boots

But, wait a minute==I don't wear casual boots!  I like my sandals and you don't wear socks with sandals.  And we live in the South--I'd rather go barefoot than put on a sock in this hot weather!

Still 

I must investigate…..I even went as far as to purchase short circle needles!

I do love ChiaoGoo needles!! taking this needle out of packaging, I couldn't believe how small it was--will I be able to knit with this short needle to do short socks??  good question!

I continue on with investigation--I found two simple easy patterns for short socks 

One designed by Mara Catherine Bryner, Rose City Rollers

Cute, huh?

Another pattern designed by Larissa Gregorin, Short Heel Tab SockShort Heel Tab Sock

She even features some video tutorials to help with short rows

Short Sock pattern using German short row techique

I'll jump in on this and make at least ONE pair!  Just to satisfy my curiosity of short socks--stay tuned!

What else do I have to do this hot summer?