Livin' La Needle Loca

...and a finished object. I finished the Milky Way Wrap [ Ravelry ]. I'm happy it's done because it was a pain to weave. I hope the next weaving project goes smoother. Specs: Started 3/30/2020 Finished 7/29/2020 Warp: Destination Yarns Space Collection minis, BMFA Short Circuit Sparkly, and some leftover sparkly yarns Weft: Star Dust in Black from Greenwood Fiberworks 17” wide, 58” long; 12 epi/12 ppi The garden is in an in-between state. Not a lot is blooming at the moment, but the succulents seem to be happy. These are planted in a container near our front door: Project-wise, I'm also in an in-between state. Cross stitch: I haven't picked the next small cross stitch project and only have the mermaid in rotation. Needlepoint: I managed to resurrect Tucson Twilight (needlepoint) yesterday and I'm much happier with the new colors I selected. Quilting: I'm waiting for fabric for the Day of...

...with a side of Finished Object. Monday is the day I video chat with my knitting peeps. Usually I work on a knitting project because it requires fewer things to have handy while I'm on the chat. However, Monday's headache lingered most of the day and I just didn't feel like knitting. I hit my cross stitch kit stash and found a simple project to work on. It was easy to work on and I did about 2/3 of the stitching during the chat. I finished it yesterday afternoon. Yay! This is Tie On October, an 8x8"  pillow sham intended: Specs: Started 7/27/2020 Completed 7/28/2020 Kit from Pine Mountain Designs I finished the masks that I started last week. I didn't mail them because I'm waiting for the address. They are ready to go when I get it. I finished the weaving portion of the Milky Way Wrap [ Ravelry ]. I washed it and let it hang to dry. Today, I'll finish the fringe and declare it done. WIPs Ro...

...I woke up with a headache. I decided to take a walk anyway, hoping that being outside would help the headache. While I loved the walk, the headache persists. 3 hours later and It still lingers. Today's mission is to finish the latest batch of masks. I want to mail them tomorrow. This batch is in two sizes because I don't know which size will fit the recipient best. I'm going to request that they donate the masks that don't fit to someone who could use them.  I'm continuing to work on the mermaid - I'm now rounding the curve on her tail. I'm swapping her out with the weaving in process, as I'd like to get that off the loom so I can work on something else. I'm not reading as much right now. I've been working on a complex 1000-piece puzzle in the evenings and my eyes are too tired to read before going to sleep! .

...and for me it's my studio. I've been working on so many different projects since I retired in December. Between that and Shelter in Place, I've spent most of my days in there. It had become seriously messy. Yesterday, I spent the day putting things away and dusting.  It still needs a good vacuuming, but I need to get started on some more masks so it will have to wait for a bit. Here is the view from the entrance. I'm using my big loom as a display for my completed quilt tops and my pi shawls. This is the view from the back of the room. I've used the beams as a gallery for my small completed cross stitch and needlepoint projects. Except for the really hot days, I uncover the skylight to bring in more light. My chair area is where I spin and do needlework. Both chairs are covered with quilts for the summer. It's just too hot to sit on microfiber! My quilt-in-process is up on the quilt wall. New with retir...

...better late than never! Finished: 6/3 Tiny Garden scissor fob (cross stitch) 6/11 Finishing work - 6 (sewing) 6/22 Tiny Garden needle roll (cross stitch) 6/25 Mallard handspun (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Merino-Camel-Silk (4 0z.) from Greenwood Fiberworks 193.75 yds, 12 WPI 6/27 Rainbow Sherbet handspun (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Merino (4.5 oz.) in Gypsy’s Soul 2 from the Yarn Wench 122.9 yds. 3-ply, 8 WPI 6/28 Peacock Feather handspun (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Falkland top (4.1 oz.) from The Yarn Wench Plied with Coats & Clark Polyester thread in teal and Superior Threads Metallics in gold 133.3 yds. 3-ply; 9 WPI 6/29 Iris Bouquet (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Falkland top (4.1 oz.) from The Yarn Wench One: 100.00 yds. 2-ply; 6 WPI Single plied with Waikiki in Painted Iris from Crystal Palace Yarns Two: 10.4 yds. 2-ply; 6 WPI Books Coconut Cake Murder, Joanne Fluke The Wives, Tarryn Fisher Cross Her Heart, Melinda Leigh Wicked Hour, Chloe Neill Clas...

...getting back to normal operations, like doing the June recap post. (Oops!) I made another set of masks as requested by a friend. She lives in Arizona and wanted the duckbill masks because they are a bit cooler, plus she wanted them in blues and greend. I've been working on the Renaissance Mermaid most consistently. It's starting to look tail-like: I've also been placing with the placement of  the Day of the Dead quilt squares. (No photo) I want to get back to a more regular rotation of projects. Let's see how well I do! WIPs Roll Call Worked On: Day of the Dead quilt (quilting) Cut two more feature fabrics and played with the arrangement of the squares. Marionberry Shawl [ Ravelry ] Working on section 4. This is my go-to project for my Monday knitting group Hang-out. Renaissance Mermaid (cross stitch) Still working on the tai...

...and I did more than I thought I would. First, let's finish the daily reports. Tour de Fleece, 7/17: I finished spinning the Fields of Flowers yak-silk [ Ravelry ] singles: Tour de Fleece, 7/18: I plied Fields of Flowers yak-silk [ Ravelry ]: and the close-up: Specs: Started 7/8/2020 Finished 7/18/2020 4.0 Yak-silk from Greenwood Fiberworks 143.8 yds. chain-plied, 14 WPI Tour de Fleece, 7/19: For my final spin, I pulled a BFL-silk from the stash and plied it with metallic thread and Eros II in greens. This is Forest Brook [ Ravelry : and the close-up: Specs: Started and finished 7/19/2020 4.9 oz. BFL-silk from Wonderland Dyeworks Plied with Eros II in 3263 from Plymouth Yarn and Sulky Metallic Thread in jade-purple 60.4 yds., bulky weight Tour de Fleece, Finale collage: 1,100 yds. spun; 122.9 yds. plied for a handspun I started before the Tour. ...

...as much as I enjoy spinning, I'm glad the Tour ends tomorrow! We have a few things blooming the yard. This is an Omega Skyrocket aster: purple-top vervain: Asiatic lily: and peach snapdragons: Tour de Fleece, 7/15: As my final art yarn for the Tour, I spun a wool-silk blend from an unknown dyer and plied it with a ladder yarn. This is Snowdrops [ Ravelry ]: and the close-up: Specs: Started and finished 7/15/2020 3.7 oz. Falkland  from an unknown dyer Plied with Eros II yarn from Plymouth Yarn 68.75 yds., Bulky weight Tour de Fleece, 7/16: I swapped back to the Fields of Flowers yak-silk [ Ravelry ] that I started at mom's. I transferred the existing single to my wheel and began spinning the rest on the wheel. I think I might be able to finish by the end of tomorrow if I don't work on anything else. .

...still concentrating on spinning. Tour de Fleece, 7/13: Continuing with spinning from the stash, here's another Falkland. This is Violet Corsage [ Ravelry ]: and the close up: Specs: Started and finished 7/13/2020 3.9 oz. Falkland from the Yarn Wench Plied with Berroco Glacé in color 2422 and and unknown novelty yarn 37.5 yds., Bulky weight Tour de Fleece, 7/14: Today's handspun uses both a Falkland top and a Sari Ribbon yarn from The Yarn Wench. This is Forget-Me-Not [ Ravelry ]: and the close up: Specs: Started and finished 7/14/2020 4.0 oz. Falkland in Forgetmenot 2 from the Yarn Wench Plied with Silk Sari Ribbon in Teal and Lilac from The Yarn Wench 39.6 yds., Super-bulky weight WIPs Roll Call Worked On: Day of the Dead quilt (quilting) Found another feature fabric and cut out two more squares. Face masks I had another requests for mask...

...after the visit to Mom's, I'm a little behind. Tour de Fleece, 7/8: I drove to Mom's in the morning. While I caught up with Mom, I started spinning Fields of Flowers [ Ravelry ]. This yak-silk is very soft and I found it difficult to spin on the spindle I took. I think this spindle is too heavy fro the fiber. I'll finish it on the wheel when I get home. Tour de Fleece, 7/9: It was Mom's birthday, so I took a planned rest day. We enjoyed celebrating with Mom today...lots of good food and great talks. Tour de Fleece, 7/10: I spent most of the day helping Mom with some paperwork. No spinning for me, so I took my second rest day. Tour de Fleece, 7/11: I drove home from Mom's. When I got home, I started the laundry and spun another art yarn.  This is Mahogany Peacock [ Ravelry ]: and the close up: Specs: Started and finished 7/11/2020 Falk...

...a Tour de Fleece finish and some in progress. Tour de Fleece, 7/7: I spun Herbal [ Ravelry ]: and the close-up: Specs: Herbal handspun Started and finished 7/7/2020 Falkland (4.2 oz.) from The Yarn Wench Plied with an unidentified tape yarn in my stash 37.5 yds., Super bulky weight  = I haven't  spent a lot of time of many of my other WIPs, but I have been on a Halloween scissor fob, Ghosts Gather: I've spent a little time on the Day of the Dead quilt and I've made myself some more masks using a breathable mask pattern. WIPs Roll Call Worked On: Day of the Dead quilt (quilting) Cut out additional feature fabric squares. Ghosts Gather Scissor Fob Working on the back of the fob. Breathable face masks 5th mask in progress Works In Progress, Did Not Work On This Week: By the Sea need...

...I'm playing a little catch-up. Tour de Fleece, 7/3: I continued to spin the singles for Mourning Dove's Cousin [ Ravelry ]. Tour de Fleece, 7/4: I plied Mourning Dove's Cousin [ Ravelry ]: and the close up: Specs: Started 6/30/2020 Finished 7/4/2020 4.0 oz. Merino-Silk from The Yarn Wench 218.75 yds., 13 WPI Tour de Fleece, 7/5: I spun Dovesong [ Ravelry ]: and the close up: Specs: Started and finished 7/5/2020 Falkland (4.2 oz.) from The Yarn Wench Plied with Bernat Satin Sport yarn in Meadow 50 yds., Bulky weight Tour de Fleece, 7/6: I spun Cherry Peacock [ Ravelry ]: and the close up: Specs: Started and finished 7/6/2020 Falkland (4.2 oz.) from The Yarn Wench Plied with Moda Dea Cheri in Teal 62.5 yds., Super bulky weight .

...first the eye candy. New to the garden this year is a Tufted Evening Primrose: and Blue Ensign Morning Glory: The foxgloves are back: and the seaside daisies are blooming again. Tour de Fleece, Day 5, 7/1: My spinning was limited as we decided to take a quick trip to the beach. It was the first time that I've been outside the 1-mile radius around my house since March 13th. When we returned, I spent a little time spinning more of Mourning Dove's Cousin [ Ravelry ]. Tour de Fleece, Day 6, 7/2: I continued to spin Mourning Dove's Cousin [ Ravelry ]. .