Finished a rug

Closeup of the rug still on the loom.

Here's the finished rug,made a mistake on this one. Serged some of the rags with the seams straight across and the lumpy seams came through on the back of the rug. Have since learned from Rugtalk that they should be done on a diagonal, and will have to give that a try soon. It still looks very pretty on my floor in front of the back door. We go through quite a few rugs this time of year between mud and snowy boots it's always good to have another one. Of course the tension was perfect and there isn't any bowing at the hems, which usually happens with my rugs!

Our oldest daughter and grandson are moving back home for awhile, so am working on relocating my craft room. It's good to go through things, though. Do I need this? Do I have room to keep this? Do I really want this?

Earflap hats

This one is for our 17 month old grandson. Wasn't quick enough with the camera to get a picture of him wearing it, he doesn't like hats, or mittens...


Another one, made from my hand spun, hand dyed wool yarn. You can see the yarn a few posts ago. Actually both of them. Click here for a link to the pattern.

Blue sweater

Finished two skeins of the blue handspun and had to try it out. Ended up right on gauge for the swatch, so cast on this afternoon for the sweater!

Rug finished

Finished today, it measures 27 x 68. Now to cut apart the strips and wind on the shuttles for the next one...

Weaving again

This is a rug made from polyester pants. Another for the sewing group, they aren't meeting anymore, but there are still materials left here to finish up so there will be three more after this one.

I have committed to being in three craft shows between now and Nov. 23rd, so if you don't see many posts, you know why....

Some fall photos

Blanket flower
Shell cosmos
Cosmos
Brockway Mt. overlook
Brockway Mt. overlook

Roving photos

Here it is, back from the fiber mill! It ended up weighing 2.6 pounds, and there is plenty there for a sweater. Thought it would look heathered, due to the dark and light colors, but it is all blended uniformly.
Here is some spun up, it is very soft, and spins so nice! Not many lumps, or vegetable matter in there, I am really happy with it, and would recommend the mill to anyone, they did a great job. Can't wait to see how it looks plied, hoping to get the right gauge....

finshed the hand painted yarn hat

Am happy with the way this yarn knits up, can't wait to see what the red/orange does.
My roving is done, can't wait to see how it turned out! Will pick it up on Wed, then post photos.

Seamless Baby sweater finished

Finally finished, really like the looks of the ladybug buttons, with the yellow yarn.

Fiber mill update

The blue roving should be ready in a week! They said it felt like there was dye residue in it, so there was a possibility it would need another washing. Can't believe they can get it done so fast, I was thinking maybe a few weeks at the least. Click here for a link to the sweater coat I will be making with the yarn, when it's finished.

Grandson, wool dying and knitting

Was glad to get this photo of Matthew, showing most of his teeth. He usually closes his mouth and pulls away when you try to look, so this is a rare one!

This is a Seamless Yoked Baby Sweater, using some of the leftovers from Matthew's baby afghan. Bernat Softee Baby in yellow. Very soft and light. Click on the name of the sweater to get the pattern.

Commercially spun yarn dyed at Joyce's yesterday. Used Country Classics I think in Spring Violet, Kiwi and a turquoise. Will have to check on the last one. The top two skeins are Naturespun, and the bottom skein is Paton's classic. The Naturespun exhausted every bit of the dye, and the Paton's only had a trace of green left. Used 1/4 teaspoon of dye to about half cup of water, and syringes to apply.

Handspun corriedale in Gaywal Candy Apple and Tomato.
These are some baby booties I have been working on. Acrylic yarns, and the pattern is here.

Ready for the fiber mill

This is the Corriedale wool I have been working on for a few weeks. Dyed, then picked to be sent out to the Stonehedge fiber mill. There are two 13 gallon kitchen bags full, hope it's at least a pound. The plan is to spin it, then knit a sweater coat out of the yarn. Can't wait to see the finished roving, and get started spinning. This will be my first large project that starts with raw wool. Will find a link to the pattern somewhere and show you the sweater,soon.

Random events lately

Here is Matthew in the pool, his mother finally got him to try the floatie I bought for him! Wish it was still warm enough to go in there!

Our daughter's dog Noel, and Jimi.

My new serger and some rag strips sewn on it. My Mom found it with a free sign on it at a garage sale! It just needed some old thread pulled out of the bottom, rethreading, and I blew out a ton of dust and lint and it's good to go so far.

Ready for trimming and winding on the shuttles. There are two batches here, t shirts, and some cotton yardage.

Here is some wool I dyed at Joyce's house. Am working on dying more wool in an indigo color for a sweatercoat for me! Will post some photos of it next time, it is still drying.

Fair Entries

Here are my entries for 2010: Trellis sweater, fulled mittens, two skeins of handspun, snowflower hat made from handspun,and a blueberry cake that didn't make it back home due to the heat! The plate is a silver plate award in the needlecraft division ( the most blue ribbons ).

FO and some flowers

Here is another baby pullover finished on the trip. Ran out of the blue, so ended up buying a skein of Red Heart in a shade named Bananaberry for the collar.

Morning glories
Here are the unruly plants today, I like the wildness of it. Will do this again,although the cosmos were supposed to be taller, and support some of it.
Cleome, given to me by a co-worker.

Vacation

We recently went camping in Minnesota for a week. Here are Paul Bunyon and Babe, in Bemidji MN.
Waterfalls in Gooseberry State Park
This is a restored steam engine they take out four weekends a year. I will put a link for more information about it soon.
This isn't the coach we rode in! It was for the very elite, and they had a charter group in it that day we were there. We were lucky to ride in the coach they used for a scene when filming the movie Iron Will, though.

Now what?

Finished this yesterday at Joyce's camp. Wonderful spot, swimming, spinning, fiber discussions, good food and wonderful company. Next on the needles are felted mittens for me.

Trip to Dairy Queen

Here is Matthew with his first cone. He knew right away what to do with it and had no trouble finishing the whole thing.

Sunday morning blog catch-up

Here is the progress on the second Trellis sweater. Tried the sleeve in the round on double points, but didn't enjoy working on it that way. Had trouble with yarn and sts catching on the dp needles, and difficulty reading the chart. Kept making mistakes, as the chart reads back and forth, reversing the sts every other row instead of knitting in the round and doing the same thing. So, decided to take it out and do the sleeves flat and sew the seams. Was glad I tried that method, but sometimes you have to do what's enjoyable so the project will get done in a timely manner.


This is an update on the flower bed with the new perennials. See a few posts ago for some earlier photos of it. We have had an amazing summer here, lots of sun and rain, warm temperatures, even some warm nights!


These are the salvia, had no idea they would get so big so fast. They might have to be moved, they are crowded, in with the asiatic lilies.

This is a mystery plant, it was supposed to be a gallardia ( blanket flower) but it doesn't look like one. Any ideas? Don't think it's a weed. Will probably email the person I got it from, and will post her answer if I hear back from her.


The tomato plant is very tall, but just noticed the top doesn't look very well. Something snipped the blossoms off, I am guessing a deer.


The morning glories are sprawling all over here, will start training them around the tree trunk. There are sweet peas in there too, to the right of the photo. Also transplanted some of the cosmos seedlings.

This really needs some color, have some red impatiens and pale pink begonias to plant when I have a minute...A better shot of the cosmos, also.


A pink astilbe, it probably needs relocating, also. It is getting crowded by the hydrangea.