Singles into Doubles

There have been a few days of cold weather when you don't 

want to leave your house or do any outside chores--

sooooo, I've turned to my spinning wheel to ply all

those single yarns I had on the bobbin.

I'm happy to have some natural brown cotton, yellow dyed cotton.

wools to ply--

can't you imagine how long these fibers have been resting

in singles--a looooong time!

A nice feel for this two ply yarn--

Two more bobbins waiting to be plied--

I like doing it from same ball--inside and outside yarn

that way I end up with all the fiber into plies.

A Few Things on My Mind

I hate doing laundry!  There!  I got it out!  What I hate worse-- folding the clothes!  Did you ever notice when you put something in the washer that is turned right side out, the washer somehow, turns it 'wrong' side out!  But, if you put the item in the washer wrong side out, it doesn't turn it
to the right side!! Why is that?  I'm befuddled on that point!  And why oh why--do socks go missing?!! Never to be seen again!!  It's best to pin those socks together to keep them as pairs or buy nothing but one color and size, so you can have a bin of missing socks without mates!

Why is it when I have a project to work on, and it's been sometime since I picked it up--you can't find the project!  Now, why is that?  I have just a couple of embroidery pieces left to do--I left it alone for several weeks--okay, I confess, several months--then I can't find the project.  I thought I put it in a project bag along with all the threads, needles and hoop--ALAS--I can't find it!!  I look and look--all over the house; in the cabinet in the sewing room, in the craft baskets, in the drawers upstairs and downstairs--just looking and looking--it's driving me crazy!! Where is that project?

FINALLY--I find the project, but can't find the hoop!  The project was in the bottom of a bin that contained other projects. (Now, if I can remember what other projects are in that bin when I'm searching for them)
 For me, It's hard to do hand embroidery without a hoop-- again, we begin the search all over the house--you'd think it would be all together--which idiot (ME) didn't keep it together.  Giving up I order another set--

Yay!  I can now begin to work on those pieces!

But, guess what?  As soon as I receive these in the mail---

the other one turns up--right in the basket by my comfy chair!!

WHAT!!  Can you believe?!!  Who put it there!!??

I'm working on Snowman Alphabet series--now, if I can just find the rest of the embroidered

snowmen--I'll be all set to put them together!  Wish me luck!

Our Melty Friends

Aren't these the cutest snowpeople you have ever seen?

I've been working on these folks for several weeks during the month of  October/November--

you can find the patterns through FatCat Patterns--they are called "Flakey Friends"

They have been so much fun to assemble and dress--

I'm sorry I didn't begin this QAL sooner--such adorable snowmen with their individually 

designed hats.

Scrappy Hats will finish at 57"x 67"--a real stash buster

and skill builder--

This snowman top is free from Patchwork Posse

It finishes at 50" x 50"--this will be quick and simple

to sew; based on 5" squares and half square triangles.

Jacquelynne Steves has gathered 24 fun snowmen patterns for us

to try--

Salute to our Vets!

Veterans Day, originally celebrated as Armistice Day, was first issued on November 11, 1919 by President Woodrow Wilson a year after the end of World War I. The purpose of Armistice day was to honor the fallen soldiers of The Great War for their sacrifice and bravery. 7 years later in 1926, Congress adopted a resolution requesting President Coolidge issue annual proclamations on November 11, making Armistice Day a legal holiday.

 

In 1945, World War II veteran Raymond Weeks had the idea to expand Armistice Day to celebrate all veterans rather than just the ones who died in World War I. He led a delegation to General Dwight Eisenhower, who was all for the idea. Weeks then conducted the first Veterans Day celebration in 1945 in Alabama and every year until his death in 1985. In 1982, he was honored by President Reagan with the Presidential Citizenship Medal. Weeks was also named the “Father of Veterans Day” by Elizabeth Dole.

 

Ed Rees, the U.S. Representative from Emporia, Kansas, presented a bill establishing the holiday through to congress. Eisenhower, who was now President and also from Kansas, signed the bill into law on May 26, 1954, 8 and a half years after Raymond Weeks held the first Veteran’s Day. A few weeks later, June 1, Congress amended the bill replacing “Armistice” with “Veterans.” The National Veterans Award was also created in 1954, first received by Congressman Rees for his support in making Veterans Day a federal holiday. Though the holiday is currently and was originally celebrated on November 11, the day was moved to the fourth Monday of October in 1971 due to the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. However, only 7 years later in 1978, it was moved back to November 11. 

DE-Constructed Turkey......................

No!!  Not that kind of turkey--although later this month we will 

be deconstructing a smoked turkey--on the dinner table!

This kind....

Can you see the turkey in the photo--top, center left--that's the dreaded

pattern Autumn in America with all those paper pieced patterns--

My turkey took all day to sew--all those tiny pieces on paper--

tear off the paper--sew sections together--but, NO,

I've got the thing backwards!  Okay, must de-construct that darn

turkey to make it right--

Now, he's upright and can be added to other blocks--

I think he needs a waddle!

guess what?  I'm still working on those 56 4" leaf blocks that need to

surround the main section.  If I work hard and don't put this project

away to be lost--I could have this finished by Autumn 2020!

NOvember Agatha Read

 One, Two, Buckle My Shoe (1940) 

Hercule Poirot is deathly afraid of the dentist!  It took alot of courage for him

to bring himself to visit Dr. Morley's surgery for an appointment--

of course, hours later the dentist is dead!  How will Hercule

solve this one? 

What to knit with this month's book??

Socks--no less!  and I have a belfry of patterns to choose from--

But, I have the one I'm knitting for November KAL--I'm set for November!

Ever wonder about the poem--"One, Two Buckle My Shoe"?

“One, Two, Buckle My Shoe” or “1, 2 Buckle My Shoe” is a counting song dating back to late 18th century USA.

It was heard for the first time around 1780 somewhere around Wrentham, Massachusetts. However the first published version of this traditional nursery rhyme is found in London in a children songs book called “Songs for the Nursery” that appeared in 1805. A different version of the song appears in 1810 in Gammer Gurton’ Garland aka “Nursery Parnassus”.

The main purpose of the song is to teach kids how to count. Originally the song might describe a regular day of lace-makers who were traditional workers back in the 17th and 18th centuries: 1, 2, buckle my shoe would mean that the workers are getting ready to work; 3, 4 shut the door – the workers are now in their workshop; 5, 6, pick up stick – getting their tools (wooden sticks were tools used at the lance-making machine in the past); 7, 8, lay them straight – fixing the sticks; 9, 10, a big fat hen – one possibility is that is describing a kind of support for the lacework (more like a pillow), or simply it refers at the dinner time as the song continues with references at kitchen and plates.

The lyrics may have much literal interpretation; the truth is that the original meaning of traditional songs like this can be lost back in time, and only suppositions can be made about their real symbols.

“One, Two, Buckle My Shoe” Lyrics

Modern version

One, two,
Buckle my shoe;
Three, four,
Knock at the door;
Five, six,
Pick up sticks;
Seven, eight,
Lay them straight:
Nine, ten,
A big fat hen;
Eleven, twelve,
Dig and delve;
Thirteen, fourteen,
Maids a-courting;
Fifteen, sixteen,
Maids in the kitchen;
Seventeen, eighteen,
Maids a-waiting
Nineteen, twenty,
My plate’s empty

Thirteen, fourteen, draw the curtain,

Fifteen sixteen, the maid’s in the kitchen,
Seventeen, eighteen, she’s in waiting,
Nineteen, twenty, my stomach’s empty

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Warm Things..........................With A Little Mystery

This adventure is designed by Jennifer L Schmidt, Thetford Hill Designs

Of course, you can find this Free pattern KAL on her forum and

in the pattern section, begins November 4.

7 clues in 7 weeks--a total of 70 rounds--different textures and techniques

with easy repeats.

Yarn choices:  fair isle effect yarns, stripes, tonals or any fun skein

"Granny was poor, and made a little money by knitting mittens to sell at Christmas time. She knit all kinds of designs on her mittens and the children loved them. One year, The Store wrote to her that all they had was white yarn! What could she do? Granny cried, and then looked in her pantry. She found red peppermints, black licorice, brown chocolate, yellow lemon drops, and green candies. So she dyed her white yarn with candy that was added to water and was able to knit mittens for the children after all."

Poor Granny Glittens!  

But, what a wonderful knit along!  

Sorry, this began Nov 1--easy to catch up if you have HOT needles!

This is designed by Becky Greene and can be found in I Knit Mittens group--Free!

The November hat is designed by Streelymade Designs

"Flying Geese"

A simple colorwork hat pattern using a 10-stitch pattern repeat. Hat (with pom-pom) uses approx. 160 yards of MC, and 40 yards of CC. Given in one size: Adult S/M (approx. 21-inch circumference).

This pattern is so so so appropriate for me--I'm also sewing

flying geese!!  Why not make them in yarn as well.