Livin' La Needle Loca

Happy Halloween! This is my Facebook cover for today -- a quick and dirty creation using a photo, Fireworks to strip out the background of said photo, and Ribbet to create the background and layer on the stripped-down photo to the background image. Not too bad... Monday and Tuesday got away from me, so no posts until now. It's almost open enrollment time at work, which means a lot of prep work for me. Between updating forms, creating fillable PDFs, uploading everything to the website, and updating the intranet web pages, I've been really busy. Things will get back to normal in a few days. I managed to finish plying CSI Examiner's Gloves [ Ravelry ] over the weekend. No photos of it yet.  That's two items I need to photograph! WIPs Roll Call Worked On: Charred Teal Shawl (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Still working on color 5 in Section 3. Secret Project About 75% done on the first component. In the Queue Renaissance Mermaid (cross stitch) Shimmering Advan...

...last one of October! While I was busy crafting last weekend, The Husband went to our local nursery and bought a few plants. We now have a rule that before he can plant anything,  I need to take a photo of it and a photo of its label. That way I might have a hope of figuring out what it is when I see it in the garden. Sometimes this works great, other times it's still hard to figure out what it is. This time around, I managed to get some pretty good shots of the plants before they went into the ground. There are a few others where the photo is useful for identification, but not good enough to upload. This is Tecoma "Sparky" Cuphea hybrid "Starfire" Mexican oregano and Purple Top Verbena: Up this weekend: After the normal chores and errands are done, I need to spend some quality time in the studio. Firs and foremost, I want to make a big dent in the secret project. I want to get most of it done because I need to search for some pre-m...

...and an updated look at my quilt in progress. While I didn't technically work on the quilt last week, I do see it every time I walk into my studio. There are some obvious changes that I need to make, but I don't want to touch it just yet. I know that once I get started rearranging squares, I won't be able to stop for at least a couple of hours! I still haven't taken photos of the Arizona handspun [ Ravelry ]. However, I did manage to get a quick photo of the CSI Examiner's Gloves handspun [ Ravelry ]: I practiced my two-ply technique on Arizona, so I'm back to chain-plying on this one. WIPs Roll Call Worked On: Charred Teal Shawl (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Working on color 5 in Section 3. CSI Examiner's Gloves (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Finished the singles and started chain-plying. Secret Project Purchased materials and started working on the project. In the Queue Renaissance Mermaid (cross stitch) Shimmering Advancing Point Twill Wrap (w...

...and the weekend report. First off, I'm happy to report that there were no plumbing issues over the weekend. Yay! I went through a couple more boxes from storage and created 2 bacnker's boxes full of recycling. I sent two boxes back to storage after a brief look-see. They contain the Daughter's materials from her PhD program and I'm not sure what to keep and what not to. I need to check with her. The Husband exchanged them for some older boxes, so those are next on my list. On Saturday, I made a trip to JoAnn's to buy some of the components for the secret project. I started working on it on Sunday. I worked on St. Charles (needlepoint) for a little bit. I'm finding that the current fill-in stitch is a little boring, but it does look nice when the section is completed. It's just slow-going. While I was doing the laundry, I plied the Arizona handspun [ Ravelry ]. I need to take photos of the completed yarn. I also started plying CSI Examiner's Gl...

...and keeping my fingers crossed that we don't have any more plumbing surprises in store for us! Here are some more photos from PIQF. I finally finished processing them all. This quilt made me smile - Luci and Desi Llama This quilt made me sad (and mad) - Justice 2018: And this one was my favorite - In the Old Way: These photos and more in my PIQF 2018 Flickr album. Up this weekend: All the chores I didn't get to last weekend because of our plumbing issue. I also have some additional boxes to go through. I've been filling up the paper side of the recyling bin for the last few weeks. And we're stockpiling a bunch of things for Goodwill. It feels good to get rid of things we don't need or don't want anymore! I have a secret project I'd like to start this weekend. I need to do a little research first, but that won't take very long.  Looking forward to getting it started! .

...moving some projects in and out or rotation. I renamed the Purple Hat to Baroque Hat [ Ravelry ] to reflect the color name of the yarn. I'm knitting an extra-long ribbing cuff so it can be folded up or down. I'm having a lot of trouble keeping my focus on this project. I think I'm just bored with hats! WIPs Roll Call Worked On: Arizona handspun (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Finished spinning the singles; waiting to ply. Baroque Hat (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Working on the ribbing. CSI Examiner's Gloves (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Spun about 3/4ths of the singles St. Charles (needlepoint) Still working on the central medallion In the Queue Renaissance Mermaid (cross stitch) Shimmering Advancing Point Twill Wrap (weaving) Works In Progress, Did Not Work On This Week: Charred Teal Shawl (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Finishing work for some old crewel pictures (sewing)  Look Through My Window quilt for me (quilting) Mother of Dragons shawl (knitting) [ Ravelry ] ...

...and the weekend report. I have missed the last two Pacific International Quilt Festivals because we were on vacation. I've been going to the festival for many years, so I sort of missed going (but not enough to reschedule our vacation!). With me only working half days on Fridays, it seemed like a good idea to go to the festival on Friday instead of fighting the crowds and traffic on Saturday or Sunday. Good choice! Traffic was reasonable in both directions and I was able to find parking without a problem. My main reason for going was to see the quilts. There were many wonderful quilts and I took photos of several. I'm busy processing the photos and uploading them to Flickr in my PIQF 2018 album. My friend Randa entered a quilt that got 3rd place for Visual Impact in the New Quilts of Northern California category. It's pretty cool: Many ocean-themed quilts and ecological-themed quilts caught my eye, including "Water is Life, So Why Are We Doing This"...

...and my weekend starts in a couple of hours. Yay! Other than the finished objects I posted earlier in the week, I haven't taken any garden or sky photos this week. I did take photos of a long-completed project that I am getting ready to mail to my sister-in-law. I started cross stitching in 1981. I started with cross stitch kits that came package with Aida fabric, as many beginners do. My first project was a baby bib for a newborn niece. I branched out to pattern books and choosing my own supplies soon after, still using Aida fabric. I finally took the plunge and tried a linen project in 1992. I wanted to make a special birthday gift for my mother-in-law to celebrate her Irish heritage. I found the perfect sampler chart for it. This is the Irish Blessings sampler - my first linen project and my first over-one-thread project. and a closer look: Specs: Started 01/1992 Completed 06/1992 Chart: Very Victorian Shamrock Sampler by Sampler House 32-count linen; DMC...

...and I probably should have held back one of the projects that I posted yesterday so this post could have photos. Oops... Waiting for the remaining tencel for my new weaving project is a pain. I really want to weave...or maybe it's just start-itis!  At any rate, I'll have to make do with what's in process. WIPs Roll Call Worked On: Arizona handspun (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Spun about 2/3rds of the 4 ounce bump. Purple Hat (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Working on the ribbing. In the Queue Renaissance Mermaid (cross stitch) Shimmering Advancing Point Twill Wrap (weaving) Works In Progress, Did Not Work On This Week: Charred Teal Shawl (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Finishing work for some old crewel pictures (sewing)  Look Through My Window quilt for me (quilting) Mother of Dragons shawl (knitting) [ Ravelry ] St. Charles (needlepoint) Valley of the Heart's Delight sampler design (cross stitch) UFOs/Hibernation: Be My Baby for My Baby (knitting) [ Ravelry ] B...

...and some finished objects! I finally took some photos of the latest, completed handspun. This is Grandma's Kitchen handspun [ Ravelry ]: and the close-up: Specs: Started 9/21/18 Finished 9/29/18 Merino-Bamboo-Silk (4.0 oz) from Greenwood Fiberworks 195.4 yds. chain-ply, 12 WPI I finally completed the finishing work for 3 Christmas ornaments. The biggest hold-up was that I had to make cording and sewing on said cording is very fiddly.  Here are the 3 completed ornaments. All are from Just CrossStitch ornament issues. Just Nan 2002 Shepherd's Bush 2003 Shepherd's Bush 2004 I also finished stitching the Love You Punkin' pillow (cross stitch): Specs: Started 9/30/18 Finished 10/6/18 Kit from Pine Mountain Designs; left off the ribbon bow I spent a lot of time going through storage boxes. We managed to get through 6 more bankers boxes. The Husband says he can now see the back wall of the storage unit, which we haven't see...

...and I'm ready for the weekend! Still no photos from the garden, so you get more photos that I took over the summer. These are all from neighbors' yards. Cape Mallow: Oleander: Ragwort: Purple daisies: Up this weekend: We will continue to reduce the amount of stuff we have in storage. We've made a good dent so far. With free dump weekends for the next two weeks, we're motivated to get rid of things that can't be recycled or donated. I'm currently wending my way through a large Rubbermaid container full of The Daughter's elementary school papers. They've been stored for way too many years since she's now 40! I'm keeping a selected few items, some of which will be scanned and then recycled. I hope to start the next mermaid this weekend, but we'll see if I have enough motivation to do so! .

...I meant to take a photo of the latest finished object, but totally spaced. I've been having a lot of fun going through 30+-year-old financial records. Among all of the old bills and tax returns, I've found a few gems like thank you notes from my ex's family, early photos of The Daughter, and assessment and tax notices for the house. Most everything ends up in shred or recycling, but I hung on to a few old things. The Husband has me on a roll, so I hope he brings home another box or 2 to go through before the weekend. WIPs Roll Call Worked On: Finishing work for Christmas ornaments Machine sewed two ornaments: Shepherd's Bush and Just Nan. Need to hand sew the opening, make cording, and attach it to each. Look Through My Window quilt for me (quilting) Started arranging the squares and hit a speed bump when I realized that date order wasn't going to work. Need to rethink this. Love You Punkin pillow kit (cross stitch) Stitched the "You" and wor...

...lots of reading; some crafts. Finished: 9/3 Rosewood Wrap (weaving) [ Ravelry ] 9/7 4-shaft Weaving Sampler [ Ravelry ]  9/8 Carnival handspun (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Camel-Silk (4 oz.) from Greenwood Fiberworks 204.7 yds. chain-ply; 15 WPI 9/16 Bountiful handspun (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Merino-Stellina top (4.0 oz) from Greenwood Fiberarts 184.3 yds, 2-ply; 11 WPI  9/21 Stormy Weather hat (knitting) [ Ravelry ] 9/29 Grandma's Kitchen handspun (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Merino-tencel (4 oz.) from Greenwood Fiberworks 195.4 yds. chain-ply; 12 WPI Books: Doomsday Magic, Linsey Hall Leverage in Death, JD Robb Night and Silence, Seanan McGuire What Have You Done, Matthew Farrell Overtaken, KF Breene Court of Shadows, CN Crawford Court of Darkness, CN Crawford Say You're Sorry, Melinda Leigh Her Last Goodbye, Melinda Leigh Bones Don't Lie, Melinda Leigh What I've Done, Melinda Leigh The Lemon Orchard, Luanne Rice  Outcast: Spellslingers Academy, Annabel...

...and the weekend report. Most of the 8/2 tencel I ordered for my new weaving project has arrived. There is one color on back-order - the amethyst, of course - meaning that I need to wait until it arrives to begin the project. That could take at least 2 weeks, if not longer. No one seems to have the color in stock, so I need to be patient!   I need to take photos of the tencel that I did receive - it is gorgeous and will make a lovely wrap!   I started working on the arrangement of the squares for the attic windows quilt. It quickly became apparent that arranging them by approximate date is not going to work. Some of the squares representing my childhood have almost the same background color. Grouping them together doesn't work. I need to think on this.   I machine-stitched two Christmas ornaments together. I stuffed them and need to hand-sew the openings closed. Then I need to make cording and attach it around each ornament. They are getting closer to done!   ...