Tour de Fleece Update!

 I’m excited about my spinning progress during TDF!  I’ve enjoyed watching the race, even remember racers names—and that’s unusual for me!  I love the scenery!  It is the best way to travel parts of Europe off the beaten path without leaving your spinning wheel and easy chair!  Do you find yourself treadling faster when there is breakaway or a sprint to the finish?  Oh, look at me using racing lingo!

I have a handful of this brown cotton batch.

All my bobbins are full!  I know--shouldn't be that way.  I've been lazy about winding off the bobbins and now that I need to ply--that job will need to be done

Here are my two bobbins on my lazy kate (why is it called lazy kate?)  I love this kate as it was made by a good friend and gifted to me--always good memories when I load her up!

plying is easy job and I like seeing a balanced yarn!

Bobbin is full!  Only one problem-- no empty bobbin!  Winding is the next task to free up an empty bobbin. 

no bobbin is empty!  At least I add one of these bobbins to the wheel and spin the rest of my brown cotton batch

Only about one yard left of that braid!  I like to spin with a long draw, putting the twist needed.  Do you use the long draw method?  Long draw is usually used with walking wheel.

So, now my brown cotton bobbins have been plied, I switch to my green cotton—another short staple fiber.  I grew this cotton and was happy to find someone who could put the fiber into sliver form after it was hand carded. 

It's Definitely Summer!!

 This summer has been exhausting!  Temperatures and humidity have you staying indoors or hurrying from AC car to AC store!  and even then you can break out into a sweat!  What do we expect?  It is SUMMER!

What to do on these summer days?  Books, movies, baking are my favorite past times--I've found way too many books to indulge in -- thank goodness, there are cheaper ways to read and listen then purchasing.  I did join Libby and got a free online library card--thought I'd never enjoy a library again!  so far, I've been able to enjoy audio books from Libby--"Horse" by Geraldine Brooks 

is my latest.  Many on the standby or wait list--So, I also assign to Scribd app--or then there is many free podcasts--there is never enough time to take up all those I've saved!  

Always enjoyed Lisa See works--this is the first of series of murders in China--We'll hope it's as good and informative as her other novels

This book has a good following--I'm sure you've seen the news on this author--one who had no one wanting to buy his book until someone posted a photo of him and his challenge to sell his book--now, he is top of the list!  Really grabbed me from the first page! 

Definitely a challenge--a mystery that is historical--the pages are not in order.  I thought this might be fun to do with hubby during these hot summer days--you can forget that!  He's too busy with his computer games--I'll chung along by myself!

We have spent hours at the Children's hospital visiting our five month old great grandson--he has many obstacles to overcome--but, let me tell you, this fellow is always smiling no matter what he has tests he has endured; messing about by nurses and doctors; surgeries he has encountered.

He is loved by many and has captured the heart of those throughout the world--he will remain in hospital until his intestines are reconnected and feeds can be begun again.  What a joy he is to the hospital personnel and those who have become his heart felt friends.

In the love of children, we went to the movies to see "Sound of Freedom"!  This movie tugs at your heart strings and brings awareness to child salvery.  How could we let this happen?  If you haven't seen the movie--go and be enlightened!

The afternoons can be spent working in the quilt room--cutting fabric for blocks, sewing on binding, and

Then there is this—sew along with Fort Worth Fabric Studio!  Begins July 24

and once the table is organized, too many other projects are found and then it's a squirrel moment!!

How's your summer??

Well! I’ll Be!

I thought my summer would be smooth sailing—no deadlines, no new quilt blocks beginning—was I wrong!!

I’m trying to finish up orphan block tops, keeping up to date in couple BOMs

These blocks have been sitting aside—until I found this setting!  The 16 squares were made so it took a little more time to add the corners and then the borders.  Really like the looks of this finish

My long arm quilting friend accomplished this!  I forgot to get a photo while on machine—she free hand quilted butterflies, which look so happy flitting around her blocks 

Every July Quiltville (Bonnie Hunter)adds a special leader/ender challenge.  The above quilt top was a leader/ender challenge (although not one of Bonnie's)  Just think every time you start to or stop to sew, you could be making a block!

New mystery for Christmas!  Holy Moley!  This will be nice to start and finish within a few weeks.

You can find the listing of supplies at Fat Quarter Shop.  A lot of kits are available to purchase and the pattern will be free once the mystery begins.  Recently there was free Halloween sew along--always fun--always easy and satisfying 

Yes!! This will be a perfect gift for our pastor and wife! Beginning Sunday, July 9! We will sew along with this study of the Fruit of the Spirit Quilt along.  You can find this quilt along on Instagram

This is the fabric listing--

 

So it begins!!

  Spinners!  Start those wheels—get to treadling!  What fiber will you begin with on this day?  I'm still working away on my cotton stash.  It looks smaller each time I pull out a sliver--

These have been plied--YAY!  Just need to wind off and the bobbins will be ready to use.  I don't usually set the twist in cotton--as these have been on the bobbin for some time, the twist will be set.

One is singles so I'll continue spinning on this bobbin. and then ply!  It's always a good feeling when you can fill a bobbin and empty it!

Working off and on with brown cotton—

Do you watch the race as you spin?  I usually record in order to speed up during the race when it isn’t interesting!  Another reason to record, I can spin any time during the day! 

Sundry Items

Beginning the month of the beginning of the end of 2023!  Does that make sense!??  Only 6 months till Christmas! YAY!  

Right now we are smack dab in the middle of HOT summer!

definitely summer!!  Temps have been in triple digits--no rain either!  Hopefully, the downward temps will make a comeback.

And here I am in July still working on the June dishcloth pattern!  Bummer!  It's an easy pattern so no excuses for not finishing!  The yarn is handspun brown cotton from my hands.  I planted, ginned, carded, spun the cotton and now will get to finishing up this neat pattern.  I like the name "energy bar"==I have the recipe, but haven't made it yet.  You can find the free pattern from The Kitchen Sink Shop

I'm knitting away on another Musselburgh hat by Ysolda Teague

It's just idiot knitting--easy to do without thinking of what you're doing!

I like using small bits of yarn to create this wearable hat--think this is the third or fourth one I've done; still haven't made a dent in my fiber stash!

I like making this type of hat!  So fun to pull yarns from the stash, cast on 80 or 88 stitches and knit.  This hat began with ribbing of K2,P2;  sometimes I just knit to give a rolled up brim.  I used two small balls of handspun alternating with a fancy yarn, which is mostly acrylic—like the look!! 

Okay--it's summer so his socks don't need to be finished for another three months!  I'm close on one--It looks big--he tried it on and it fit just perfectly!  Now, if I can get the other sock to match the first.  Usually, I knit both at the same time--but my brain got all twisted around and I just couldn't get it going the right direction to put two on the two circulars.  It's all good!  He'll have nice warm socks for the winter--IF it ever gets here!

 

Forgetting!!

On our road trip, we’re at our daughter’s house—we haven’t been there for several years.  It’s easy to forget what you create—I give freely so was happy to see so many fruits from my hands throughout her house. 

I’d forgotten about these quilts. And that’s the way it should be!

On the spare bed was this monster!  Several blocks made for a good cover. 

Some of these blocks were challenging to construct from my mind’s memory. 

Oh!! How I love this quilt!  Don’t remember making this—but, I know I did!  Memory comes back—it was a year long project from The Quilt Show.

Love the closeup! 

This one is recent—that I remember!  

Gee whiz! How could I forget this one??

And in her bathroom—I see this hand spun, hand woven cotton towel!  

Well, I’m happy someone is remembering my work!!

 

On The Road

 We're on the road to our brown headed Daughter's house in Colorado!  We haven't taken a road trip to this area for at least 8 or 9 years.  For us old folks, we take our time on the road,  spend the night along the way--always interesting to stop in a town you are unfamiliar with--finding a restaurant that has good food is on the top of the list!  Look for parking lot with the most cars/trucks.

 The drive can be long and tediously, especially through a city with clogged highways.  We love taking the back roads through the countryside; two lane roads, lonely at times with no vehicles coming or going.  Rolling down the windows to feel and smell the fresh air is a must.

Speed signs appear to slow you down as you enter the city limits of a small town--maybe population 200.  Many dilapidated buildings lie by the wayside and you wonder what type of employment is in this area.  

We don’t use a paper map any more.  We rely on the voice through the app on our phone to give us the correct direction.  Heaven forbid, you take a wrong turn—her voice(we have a female giver—never use a male voice!) is stern”make a you turn now!!”  Some days I want to pull out that paper map and find my own way—but, there is frustration of refolding that map the way it was.  

We do have a handy dandy book that points out historical sites—

We do not stop anymore since we have the book to reference! 

Years In The Making!

Perfectly!! Aged!! My friend says all fiber and textiles must be aged!  Actually, a good excuse if you haven’t finished a project for awhile.  

That’s what you can say about this piece—well aged.  In fact, years in the making.  Once, I took up this project again, it was a challenging goal to complete. Yes!  It must be finished!

The final touch—I had plenty of half square triangles ready, why not use to add another row?  Perfect!!

Looking good!!  That’s it!  I pronounce this quilt top ready for the long arm!! Ta-da!  After years waiting in the wings, this was tackled! 

And—another one, after being “aged” ended up with the complete treatment!!  

Wave the magic wand—accomplished!! Hearts galore!!

And talk about well aged!! This goes back to 2003!  I know to me it doesn’t sound that old—our granddaughter was 12–now she’s 31!  I had good intentions to make this quilt for her as she did all the coloring.  She loved to color and it a great job too.  The pieces were heat set by hot iron.  Now, I’m ready to piece it together. 

She helped me decide what part went with each body—the body parts were all separate and could be combined for any character.  It was fun to decide what head got what!

Well aged indeed. 

 

Whew!!

 For years I’ve been a member of paperback swap.  You post a book, you get a credit.  When someone wants your book, you pay the postage and mail the book.  I posted many many books, credits rolled up and up!  I didn’t order books for the longest time since I was using apps like Libby, Scribd, Kindle, Audible—it was time to look into my PBS account.  Referencing my Facebook reading groups for recommendations, I began to search PBS for authors that I’ve not read in order to use my last 11 credits.  Of course, I can post more books to receive more credits—I do have tons of books to offer!  For now, I want a clean slate.  

Here is my PBS pile to be added to my TBR list—oh, so many initials!! 

I’ve not read anything written by Charles Finch, Mark Pryor, Mark Schweitzer, P J Parrish or Laurie R King— this should be interesting summer!  I'm hoping that I can find an author that will lead me to a series of books with the same character.

Mysteries to fill my days as I sew quilt mysteries.

Let’s Sew!

 So let’s sew!! Some opportunities popped up for the summer!  Sew, on these hot humid days, pull out each clue, gather fabrics (of course, I’m using from the scrap bin) get the clues and sew!!   

Mystery books are my summer read (will post a list at a later date) as well as my mystery sewing projects! 

Halloween is sponsored by Fat Quarter Shoppe

This Sew along began June 6==there is plenty of time to catch up 

Finish this and have an interesting piece of Halloween art!

Twilight begins June 15 sponsored by Primitive Gathering 

Don't know why I'm drawn to this quilt along--such small pieces!

I've not even finished one for 2022!

Evergreen QAL begins July 4--what a way to begin Christmas in July!  Each Tuesday a new

clue will be revealed--sew for Christmas in July!!

Another fun mystery short project for the summer table!

Fort Worth Fabric Studio mystery begins June 26 and run for 4 weeks.  I’m just finishing the patriotic table runner