Livin' La Needle Loca

...I've been hopping from project to project this week. I've been trying to decide whether to start another quilt top or some other project. To help me think, I started another handspun. Spinning helps me think and is very calming. This is Jamaica [ Ravelry ], a Falkland top from the Yarn Wench. I'm still waiting for my elastic order from the beginning of the month. In desperation, I ordered more from a different source. Hopefully one of my orders will appear soon! WIPs Roll Call Worked On: Jamaica handspun (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Nearly done spinning the singles Malachite (needlepoint) Started the central medallion Milky Way [ Ravelry ] About a third of the weaving complete Peacock Majesty by Just Nan (cross stitch) Resurrected from the UFO pile. Finished row 8 Saratoga Calypso Shawl (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Working on the last 10 rows Works In Progress, Did Not Work On This Week: Be My Baby for My Baby (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Earthdancer (cross stitch) ...

...it feels good to finish something! First the eye candy. Our Meyer lemon tree has lots of fruit and is busily setting blossoms for the next batch of fruit. Our climbing vines are blooming. This is plumbago: Bower vine: and lavender trumpet vine. More tulips have bloomed, too: Here's the Mermaid handspun  [ Ravelry ] that I finished earlier in the week. and the close-up: Specs: Started 4/9/2020 Completed 4/22/2020 BFL-Silk (4.7 oz.) by Wonderland Dyeworks 252 yds. 2-ply; 11 WPI I finished the Ocean Waves handspun [ Ravelry ] today. and the close-up: Specs: Started 4/2/2020 Completed 4/24/2020 Wool (225 grams) by Northern Lights 152.5 yds. chain-ply, 8 WPI I also finished the last batch of masks. I'm now out of elastic, so any other masks that I make will be with ties. I hope I don't need to make more any time soon - I'd rather work on my own stuff. .

...blog and run. I’m back in mask-making mode for a couple of days - another friend has requested masks. I’ll post a photo when they’re done. I finished the Mermaid handspun  [ Ravelry ] and need to take photos tomorrow. WIPs Roll Call Worked On: Masks (sewing) Cut out 4 more masks.  Ocean Waves handspun (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Started to ply.  Pure Comfort Cardigan (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Still working on first sleeve. Saratoga Calypso Shawl (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Still working on the last loop section. Works In Progress, Did Not Work On This Week: Be My Baby for My Baby (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Earthdancer (cross stitch) Finishing work for some old crewel pictures (sewing) Look Through My Window quilt for me (quilting)  Malachite (needlepoint)  Milky Way [ Ravelry ]  Valley of the Heart's Delight sampler design (cross stitch) UFOs/Hibernation: Bear Paw pottery (needlepoint) Christmas sweater ornament (knitting) Estrella Marina Shawl...

...and I still haven't done a recap of March. Oh, well. I finished the quilt top that I started last week. This is Deco Royale: Specs: Started 4/14/2020 Finished 4/17/2020 Pattern: Straitlaced by Mary Hubka Fabric: Purple and Teal Sweet Treat from Pincushion Boutique; border fabric from my stash I finished another round of face masks for a friend and her family. I mailed them yesterday. Did a little knitting on the sweater and shawl. The Husband did another grocery run and brought home a bunch of chicken and beef. We divided them up into meal sizes, vacuum sealed them, and froze most of packets. We're set for the next couple of weeks, protein-wise. Tomorrow we're going to try to make sourdough pizza dough and make some sourdough buns for the pack of hot dogs. That should be fun! .

...Boy, that week went fast! There are a few things blooming in the garden. Since the Husband can't frequent nurseries under Shelter in Place, there aren't any new plants to photograph. There are flowers on the strawberry plants: The nasturtiums are going wild: The sunflowers are starting to open: the violas are enjoying the weather: And the columbines are blooming: Up this weekend: I will finish the quilt top I'm working on. I still haven't named it. I have some singles to ply that I should try to finish this month. Also, a friend has requested masks for her daughter and family. I have a bunch already cut out, so it shouldn't take me too long to finish those. .

...yeah, I missed a couple of days and I still haven't done a recap.  I try to do most of my computer stuff in the mornings and sometimes I just run out of morning! I've been trying to cycle through several projects, but some days none of them appeal to me. That's when start-itis kicks in. Yesterday, it won. I started a quilt that uses fabric and a pattern that I purchased at PIQF 2014. Here's the photo that I posted then with my purchase. Here's yesterday's progress on the quilt: I haven't named it yet - for now, it's New Quilt. WIPs Roll Call Worked On: Masks (sewing) Prepped another 5 masks and mailed to my niece. Mermaid handspun (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Ready to ply. Milky Way [ Ravelry ] Wove approx. 5 inches New quilt (quilting) Started 4/14/2020 Ocean Waves handspun (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Ready to ply. Pure Comfort Cardigan (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Working on first sleeve. Saratoga Calypso Shawl (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Still ...

...yeah, I still haven't done a recap. I've been focused on making the face masks for the last week. Part of the time was testing different patterns. Once I settles on the ones I liked sewing, I made a bunch. I mailed out the following masks to 5 people this morning. We kept several for ourselves. This morning on my way back from the Post Office, I saw this camellia in the walk-through between two housing developments. I also saw these pink flowers... ...these blue asters... ...and these candytufts. I've already fed the sourdough starter and prepped some for the next loaf of bread that I'll start tomorrow. Today I plan on concentrating on my own projects and let the masks sit for a day. I have two knitting projects in process as well as some spinning

...a little late because I spent the day in Mask Central. I finished masks for a friend, my mom, my sister, my aunt, and the Daughter. I also made additional masks for the Husband and me.  They are all washed and dried and ready to get mailed out. I’m planning on taking photos of them before I mail them out. WIPs Roll Call Worked On: Masks (sewing) Need to write instructions and take photos before mailing Pure Comfort Cardigan (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Finished first pocket and started first sleeve Saratoga Calypso Shawl (knitting) [ Ravelry ]  Works In Progress, Did Not Work On This Week: Be My Baby for My Baby (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Earthdancer (cross stitch) Finishing work for some old crewel pictures (sewing) Look Through My Window quilt for me (quilting)  Malachite (needlepoint)  Milky Way [ Ravelry ]  Valley of the Heart's Delight sampler design (cross stitch) UFOs/Hibernation: Bear Paw pottery (needlepoint) Christmas sweater ornament ...

...and it's mask central around here. I started writing my Eye Candy Friday post last week on my iPad and then discovered that I didn't know how to get the Flickr URL information that I need to link photos to the post. Oh, well... I had some requests from family members for masks, plus I need to make some for us. Not that I'm going anywhere other than outside, but the Husband is the one doing our shopping. He needs a couple of masks for that. I haven't taken any photos yet. I've been taking photos of sunrises everyday since I started sheltering in place. Here's today's sunrise: I need to do a recap for March. I'll get to it eventually. .

...Happy April! Yesterday, I finally figured out the best way to assemble the face mask I was trying to make and finished it. Specs: Started 3/30/2020 Finished 3/31/2020 Fabrics from the stash Pattern for N95 mask cover I finished the ribbing for the Pure Comfort Cardigan [ Ravelry ] pockets and started knitting one of the pocket liners. I finished warping the Milky Way [ Ravelry ] project and I'm ready to start weaving. WIPs Roll Call Worked On: Milky Way [ Ravelry ] Ready to weave. Pure Comfort Cardigan (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Working on the first pocket liner Works In Progress, Did Not Work On This Week: Be My Baby for My Baby (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Earthdancer (cross stitch) Finishing work for some old crewel pictures (sewing) Look Through My Window quilt for me (quilting)  Malachite (needlepoint)  Saratoga Calypso Shawl (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Valley of the Heart's Delight sampler design (cross stitch) UFOs/Hibernation: Bear Paw pott...