Memories at My Fingertips..........

Memories--ah, memories!  Those treasured times, places, people, sight you can recall--
I have so many t-shirts that hold memories as well--places I've visited, workshops I've attended--

I decided to use those Tee-shirts to make my memory quilt!  As I cut each one into 12" pieces,
the memories flooded back--all my t-shirts are from weaving or spinning events.  I may not have
the item I produced in the workshop anymore, but I have the shirt--the shirt was proudly worn to
boast "I was here!"

One of my dear friends loves to make t-shirt quilts and she'll search and search for the perfect
fabric to use that makes the quilt pop--but, I was lazy--just get those squares together, get them
quilted, and sit back to enjoy the memories.

Here they are!  together and quilted with a cool sheep pattern--

which is hard to see 

Maybe, you attended some of these events

Spinning conferences--or wool conferences--

some had really neat shirts

This is my backing

Don't you just love the border?!! 

Here comes the memories............

Agatha June Mystery

Another Poirot mystery- Sheila Webb, a Stenographer,

is instructed to let herself into 19 Wilbraham Crescent and finds

the body of a dead man sprawled on the living room floor.

Poirot on the case finding time was a factor--Sheila remembers

hearing a cuckoo clock strike three O'clock--

the other four clocks in the living room 

show the time as 4:13 and only one of these

clocks belonged to the owner!

Mystery indeed!  And another mystery--what to knit for

this interesting tale?

When I typed in "Clocks" to Ravelry pattern section,

five pages of patterns appeared--that didn't help with

the decision--

patterns for socks, potholders, shawls, mitts, actual clocks,

scarves, and the list goes on and on--just like a clock--

I finally settled on a hat--

The Time Thief Watch Hat designed by

 Antoinette Buchanan

This pattern reminded me of the hats I've done in the past

using up all my small bits of yarn--

it's a go! 

I had the yarn left overs from various projects--one was the FLG

I posted about few days ago.  The hat has been begun--I knitted

along as I watched the story unfold on Acorn--I know I cheated--

I didn't read the book--sure do enjoy watching though as I knit!

Don't Freak Out.............!

Please don't freak out on me!  This post is meant to be

educational and debunk any myths you might have

about rattlesnakes....

Recently, we were fortunate to hear from professional

rattlesnake wranglers from Sweetwater, Texas--

the home of the rattlesnake round-up every year.

They brought along their 'snake pit' and the floor was

covered with 25 or so rattlers--these are Western variety.  The guys

in the pit were walking amongst the snakes without any strikes on

their boots--of course, they were wearing heavy leather

boots!  

A rattler can live up to 25 years or longer in captivity--in the

wild not so long as they are prey to predators--

Rattlers will not warn you by their shaking their rattlers --strike first

and then rattle!  Each rattle on the tail is developed after they

have eaten a big prey (mouse, rat, rabbit, etc.) They shed their

skin and add a rattle

There are 8 different species in Texas.  This one is diamond back

western.  The snakes can climb trees, hide and swim ponds.

There are over 150 snakes that are not venomous.

Snakes are sexed by the number of rings on their tail.

Snakes are born live--not from eggs--and up to 25 or

more babies can be born.  The younger the snake

the more venomous they are. And they will strike

more often than an older snake.

The fangs are 3/4 to 1 inch long.  The fang will break

off when they get an animal but the fang will grown back within

a few hours.

The venom is 'milked' from the fangs and used for

anti-venom vaccine.  If you do not receive treatment

within a few hours of a bite, you could face death!

Acadian Brown Cotton

Cotonjaune from Sharon Gordon Donnan on Vimeo.

June 2015 on this blog there was other information regarding Acadian Brown Cotton--

Recently, this video was shared on Gist Yarn podcast--oh, so many fond memories!  Love these ladies and their heritage--My Acadian friends were sharing from their hearts and  hands--I learned many techniques--how to gin brown cotton by hand, how to card to make a rolag, spinning off the point, plying and most important--how they used this fine delicate short staple cotton.

If you interested and want more information, look for their educational video on Acadian Brown Cotton website.  I enjoy viewing the video over and over as I watch many of my Friends share their heritage with the fiber world.

"Happy Little Things"

Jacquelynn Stevens  is offering

"Happy Little Things" FREE block of the month

Sew Along!

If it's based on Stars I'm so in--I know I said no more quilt tops--

but this is lending to maybe a small wall hanging or

table runner.  Looks like fun stitching.  

The above sample shows applique, that is optional--

why not do embroidery or just piecing--

Visit her website to sign up for this Block of the month,

which runs from August through December--I know!  it

seems early, but by signing up, the information comes to you

in an email--I've signed up already so I won't forget when

August rolls around!

The Hands Have It!

I've been knitting on these FLG (fingerless gloves)

for weeks--I started out with brown yarn and finished one

glove--ugh!  hated it!  Couldn't see the pattern and it looked

just plain dull--so I picked up this yarn to begin again!

I loved knitting the pattern!  It was just so addictive--I

didn't want to quit--I finished the right hand glove and then

got side tracked for a few days--when I tried on the glove it

was too small for my hand--I used the wrong size needle

and didn't cast on enough stitches for my large hand--oh bummer!

This is the palm--isn't it cool looking?!  just love the 

design--"Phytomitts" by Michele Pelletier--you can

find it on Ravelry--it was FLG knit along a month or so ago.

close up of the palm--I didn't take a photo of the thumb--

but there is a leaf on the thumb tip too!

My friend, Sandy, has a small hand--so she was 

gifted the right hand glove .I didn't have the left

 finished that day but completed the pattern

And mailed the left glove to Sandy!  I hope she

enjoys wearing these.  Of course, the gloves are two

different colors--I like to do something different....

Sandy will have to live with it!!

Weavers' Exchange

Since it's summer and no regular meetings are scheduled for our

weavers' study group, periodically, there will be a gathering

at a local coffee shop.  If possible, members attend to

discuss their activities, weaving successes or failure

or just plans for weaving.

We met recently and I was happy that I was in town

and able to attend.  This was a chance to hear about

the state conference that was held at the end of May.

From the organization of the state conference, eight weavers

joined a exchange of handwoven napkins--the warp was the

same color and size 16/2--weft was the individual's color choice--

your pattern choice--just had to be twill.  The above napkins

are Marian C--and she brought them to share.

So glad she did too!  

There were eight different patterns with

Marian's color choice of blue--others chose

black, taupe, green, beige, etc

The idea is to weave your pattern with the other weft choices--

when finished you have a different napkin from each

member of the exchange in your color

These were all so charming!

Almost too pretty to use as napkins--

Everyone that attended the coffee had their favorite 

design--me, I liked them all

Looking at these towels, I could almost name the weaver who

did the design--so familiar is their work.

Years ago, our weavers' group was studying overshot and

we did the same type of exchange--using same warp--size and color,

we chose our color, drafted our design, and wove each other's

color in our design--by the time you are finished--there

was a nice set of eight placements.

Great study and exchange.