It's A Kaleidoscope!!

Holy Moly!  It's time to make something quick and easy--

I'm breaking out the small double pointed needles to whip out

some kitchen dishcloths to keep me clean!

I've not had my year long projects close at hand--I'm almost

going crazy without needles in my hands

Then I came across this! Knitpicks has a "ton" of free--

yes!  free! dishcloth patterns--

my stash baskets are overflowing with cotton yarns.

choosing the first pattern will be difficult--maybe, monthly theme--

like May Flowers--  Like the purple Bellflower of the bright yellow

Sunflower--there are 52 free patterns--one for each week of the year!

Anniversary!!

Today is our 57th Anniversary--can't believe we have been together this long--there are good days and bad days, but throughout those times, we have worked together to get everything sorted out.

The photo is at our 50th anniversary vow renewal!  It was something crazy we did!  and it was fun times with our family-- Graceland Wedding Chapel was the location with "Elvis" officiating!

So seven years later, we remember our day in Las Vegas and our celebration of our love of each other and our joy of God Almighty who guides us each and every day!

Book List

Books!  What would we do without books?

I'm ready with another stack of books to read--maybe, these

will last through the summer--

depends if we are home bound often

Noah Gordon had a smash hit with his book "The Physician"--

sorry that I didn't read it--will keep my eyes out for a copy on Paperback Swap

In the meantime, I'm readying "The Winemaker"--setting is late 1800's in Northern Spain--

and of course, wine making is involved!  

Jennifer Chiaverini's "The Sugar Camp Quilt" will be a light hearted read --

taking place during years leading up to Civil War in Creek's Crossing, Pennsylvania

Jennifer has written numerous books about quilting and quilters--this one was

found on PBS

Another PBS book is Shari Lapena's "The Couple Next Door"

described as nerve racking unraveling--we'll see!

Historical on the agenda:

"Hidden in Plain View"--this is the secret story of quilts and the

underground railroads--movies have been made about this route

for slaves seeking freedom--it's time to see how they achieve

their goals with the written word.

"Cotton" by Stephen Yafa---The biography of a revolutionary fiber!!

So much to learn about a fiber I like to spin and so many of us

use in our everyday life.

Now, these books have already been read and set off  for someone else

to enjoy--Another PBS find:  Mike Blakely--author, singer-songwriter

presents two novels in one volume--"The Snowy Range Gang" and

"Vendetta Gold"--both western settings.

A new author to me is Jeff Carson and the first in his series set

in Colorado small town, "Foreign Deceit" --from the first page

I was pulled into this drama--of course, it helps that I love anything

to do with Colorado.  I plan to order other books in this series with

his hero David Wolf

John Sanford--one of my go to authors--"Masked Prey"--love

the Prey series with characters you journey with through

their trials and tribulations

No matter where we are  or what we do, Books take us into

a world of  adventure, sadness, joy, happiness, a place

where we escape if just for an hour or two.

Happy reading!!

2020 Stitch Along

Calico Patch is hosting a summer stitch along--this shows wool but

there is no reason why it can't be with fabric as well.

Check out their website to see what it planned.

Begins June 1 and runs through August.

Here are the list of designers that will participate and when

 June 1 – 7             Calico Patch Designs                          calicopatchdesigns.com

     June 8 – 14           Blueberry Backroads                           blueberrybackroads.com

     June 15 – 21         My Red Door Designs                          myreddoordesigns.com

     June 22 – 28         Red Button Quilt Co                            redbuttonquiltco.com

     June 29 - July 5      Rusty Crow                                         rustycrow.com

     July 6 – 12            Linen Closet Designs                           facebook.com/LinenClosetDesigns

     July 13 – 19          the cottage rose-Pattern Originals      cottagerosequiltshop.com

     July 20 – 26          The Woolen Needle                             thewoolenneedle.com

     July 27 - Aug 2       Through The Needle’s Eye                   needleseyestories.com

     Aug 3 – 9             Traditional Primitives                          traditionalprimitives.com

     Aug 10 – 16          Yellow Creek Quilt Designs                   yellowcreekquiltdesigns.com

     Aug 17 – 23          Sew Cherished                                    sewcherished.com

     Aug 24 – 31          Calico Patch Designs                            calicopatchdesigns.com

It Was Right In Front of My Eyes!

Since my sewing machine is sick and in machine hospital, I finally decided to sit at the loom and finish what I began several months ago--warping!  I hate warping the loom!  Weaving is a pleasure--thinking of the next project is a pleasure!  Selecting yarns is a pleasure, winding the warp--well, not such a pleasure, but it's not like warping a loom!

Okay, gal--sit down, begin.............................all that needs to be done is tie on loose end to the end  through the reed--that can't be too hard, can it?  No not really!  The warp for the next project is already there---get to it!  Motivation speech in my head as I walked up the stairs to the studio---------------------there it is--so daunting a task! 

These will be colorful towels for someone--

That wasn't so hard, was it old gal?!  Just took you a little of pushing to get you up

the stairs into the studio--

Staring me in the face was the window to the outside world--right there--

right in front of my eyes--

The world of nature!  and what? is that? I see?

A bird nest!!  Momma Robin appeared in my frame--

you could never tell there was a nest in the Magnolia tree

until she flew up and sat on a branch and three hungry little

mouths reached up to take the food--it only took a few seconds:

 she was off again in search of food for her little ones.

I thought, sometimes, we miss the most important things in our lives

and most often those moments pop up right before our eyes!

The Secret of Chimneys

Audio here

Miss Marple investigates in this Agatha Christie murder mystery

" It introduces the characters of Superintendent Battle and Lady Eileen "Bundle" Brent. At the request of George Lomax, Lord Caterham reluctantly agrees to host a weekend party at his home, Chimneys. A murder occurs in the house, beginning a week of fast-paced events with police among the guests.

   The novel was well received at first publication, described as more than a murder mystery, as it is a treasure hunt. Later reviews found it a first class romp and one of the author's best early thrillers. The most recent review says the novel requires a hefty suspension of disbelief. The later reviewers note that descriptions of characters use the terminology of the times in which it was written, and might be considered racist decades later."

Diamond Mitts designed by Elaine Jones

I still have handspun yarn from the 'waves of hope" hat--

Casting on and watching...............or maybe, listening

Oh Woe Is Me-----

On top of all this virus stuff, wearing masks, washing your hands till they're raw, social distancing--I have NO sewing machine!!  So, Woe is Me!  

"This phrase means I am in trouble or I am struggling. People might say woe is me when they are going through hard times, when they are sad about something, or whenever obstacles befall them on the path of life. The phrase is archaic, and today it is mostly used ironically or in self-deprecation."

Am I really that bad off?  Not really!  There are many who have suffered more distress than I'll ever know--we think our personal situation is awful--when we can't do the things we like-

But, I do have other projects to pull out and finish.  Here is one that I"ll begin tonight as I listen to live streaming country music

Proximity Hat designed by Orange Smoothie is the winner for my

needles!  

I just finished plying this handspun wool/silk blend and it will make a nice hat--

think I'll need to do 4 ply for this hat; otherwise, it will fit a small head

and believe or not--I have a big fat head!

No more Woe is Me!