Livin' La Needle Loca

 ...and I'm getting into the rhythm of it. TdF, 7/6: I finished the singles for Flahriduh Zen [ Ravelry ], a merino-bamboo-silk from Lisa Souza: TdF, 7/7: Rather than ply the singles for Flahriduh Zen, I spun the singles for Grapevine 2 [ Ravelry ], a merino braid from The Yarn Wench. This makes the 3rd set of singles that I have ready to ply: Flahriduh Zen, Grapevine 2, and Peacock Zen [ Ravelry ]. I'll swap to the plying head and ply them one after the other. And maybe follow them by an art yarn. I'm trying not to swap between the regular and plying heads too often because it's a pain and it slows me down. 😉

 ...first day of the Tour! As I have in previous Tours, I started with an art yarn. This is Pumpkin Spice [ Ravelry ]: and the close-up: Specs: Started and finished 7/5/2025 Falkland (4.4 oz.) from The Yarn Wench 45.8 yds. 3-ply, Bulky weight Plied with purple variegated thread and Blue Heron Rayon Metallic 88/12 (copper)  I had time, so I also plied the Falkland singles that I spun last week. This is Japan [ Ravelry ]: and the close-up: Specs: Started 6/18/2025 Finished 7/5/2025 Falkland (4.1 oz) from the Yarn Wench 112.5 yds., chain-plied; 9 WPI 

 ...on Independence Day 2025. Our garden path in the morning sun: Ageratum in the courtyard: Coneflowers: and a pink dahlia in our backyard:

 ...and a finished object! I hoped to finish this for June, but I had to swap out a couple of colors because they wouldn't show up on the linenband. The color of the linenband was too dark and the original color choices were kind of bland. Fortunately, I was able to find some brighter versions of floss. I wish I had done that with the hat, but it is what it is. This is August 1997 Hat-of-the-Month: Specs: Started 6/23/2025 Finished 7/1/2025 Chart from Fanci That; Buttons from Just My Imagination  WIPs Roll Call Worked On: Flahridah Handspun (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Started 6/28  Mom's cookbook (cooking) Finished adding mom's recipes into the app; working on the order of the recipes. Peacock Zen Handspun (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Finished the singles; ready for plying No Work This Week: California Red Poppy Handspun (spinning) [ Ravelry ]   Japan Handspun (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Look Through My Window quilt for me (qu...

 ...I missed last week, oops. :) I'm enjoying all of the color in our backyard. The plumbago is going strong: The pink dahlias are starting to bloom: As are the canna lilies: The sunflowers are popping up: and the vervain appears here and there. The cats love watching the lizards sun themselves by the bedroom window in the morning. It's real kitty TV our there!

 ...and a finished object. This is Happy Bluebird, another mini cross stitch piece from Just Nan: Specs: Happy Bluebird mini Started 5/24/2025 Finished 6/23/2025 Chart and charm from Just Nan WIPs Roll Call Worked On: August 1997 Hat-of-the-Month (cross stitch) Started 6/23/2025 Japan Handspun (spinning) [ Ravelry ]  Started 6/18; finished singles Look Through My Window quilt for me (quilting) Did a little block rearranging Mom's cookbook (cooking) Added 20 more recipes to the app. I'm down to the last 2 recipes - the most complex of her recipes. Peacock Zen Handspun (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Started 6/22/2025; working on singles No Work This Week: California Red Poppy Handspun (spinning) [ Ravelry ]   Sky Lanterns Shawl (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Website (other)  Ready for Finishing: Finishing work for some old crewel pictures (sewing) Happy Pumpkin needleroll (cross stitch...