Livin' La Needle Loca

 ...finding a balance between my stuff and my mom's stuff. The Mermaids of the Deep Blue Sea project is still getting the most play, I was happy to hear from from of my spinning friends who wanted to get together to craft - the first time since the pandemic started. We met yesterday and I started a new Yarn Wench bump on my Ashford Kiwi wheel. I used this as a trial run to travel with this wheel and it worked out very well! WIPs Roll Call Worked On: 1972 Handspun (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Finished the singles; ready to ply Hip to Be Square quilt (quilting) Started 8/28/2023; cut out squares Mermaids of the Deep Blue Sea (cross stitch) Working on the top-half of the second mermaid Mid Century Deco quilt (quilting) Started machine quilting the white portions of the blocks Spanish Lover Handspun (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Started 8/29/2023; working on singles No Work This Week: Illusion hexagons (knitting) [ Ravelry ]...

...we adopted them 8/29/2023 and we love them! Canela: Cassia:

 ...bouncing between my projects and mom's stuff. I transferred the 1972 Handspun [ Ravelry ] from the spindle (where I started it) to my Lendrum wheel. I spun the singles for a few hours WIPs Roll Call Worked On: 1972 Handspun (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Working on the singles Mermaids of the Deep Blue Sea (cross stitch) Working upside-down on the top half of the design, Mid Century Deco quilt (quilting) Finished machine quilting the teal portions of the blocks No Work This Week: Illusion hexagons (knitting) [ Ravelry ]   Jellies Socks (knitting) [ Ravelry ]  Look Through My Window quilt for me (quilting) Ocean Ripples Wrap (knitting) [ Ravelry ]  Singularity Shawl (knitting) [ Ravelry ]   Sky Lanterns Shawl (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Valley of the Heart's Delight sampler design (cross stitch) Ready for Finishing: Finishing work for ...

 ...finally finished something! This is Smoothie 2, the first handspun I created on my new Ashford Kiwi spinning wheel: < and the close-up: Specs: Started 7/27/2023 Finished 8/11/2023 Falkland (4.0 oz) from The Yarn Wench 122.9 yds, 11 WPI This is Cherry Blossom. It was intended to be the first handspun I created for Tour de Fleece 2023. That got derailed with everything going on with my mother. and the close-up: Specs: Started 7/16/2023 Finished 8/17/2023 Falkland (4.0 oz) from Greenwood Fiberworks 97.9 yds, 8 WPI On the eye candy front, our garden continues to bloom. This is evening primrose begonias and mallows:

 ...I spent most of July at mom's and didn't get much done in June either. Finished: 6/11 Good Day Sunshine (quilting) 6/25 Felt Llama (sewing) Books: A Perfect Wife Elle Gray A Time to Die, Elle Gray Betrayal of the Court, Heather G Harris Challenge of the Court, Heather G Harris The Chosen Girls, Elle Gray Claimed by Fate, Shannon Mayer Cranberry Bluff, Deborah Garner Devils Don’t Lie, Kim McDougall The First Death, Kendra Elliot The Girls in the Falls, Elle Gray Her Perfect Crime, Elle Gray The House on the Hill, Elle Gray Hunted by Fate, Shannon Mayer Knight’s War, Taylor Ashton White The Lost Girls, Elle Gray The Lost Sister, Elle Gray The Missing Girls, Elle Gray Missing in the Falls, Elle Gray The Missing Woman, Elle Gray New Girl in the Falls, Elle Gray The Modern Girl’s Guide to Magic, Linsey Hall Night at the Asylum, Elle Gray No More Lies, Elle Gray Revival of the Court, Heather G ...

 ...having trouble concentrating on my craft projects. Doing a lot more reading than anything else. I've mostly been working on the mermaids. I'm working upside-down to keep the completed half as clean as possible. I like working this way because I can concentrate on the stitches without worrying about what it looks like. Yeah, it's a little odd, but I've also been known to work jigsaw puzzles without looking at the finished photo or working from the backside. 😉 Here's what they look like today: WIPs Roll Call Worked On: Mermaids of the Deep Blue Sea (cross stitch) Working upside-down on the top half of the design, Smoothie Handspun (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Plied; need to skein. No Work This Week: Cherry Blossom Handspun (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Illusion hexagons (knitting) [ Ravelry ]   Jellies Socks (knitting) [ Ravelry ]  Look Through My Window quilt for me (quilting) Mid Century Deco quilt (quilting) Ocean Ripple...

 ...because I missed Eye Candy Friday yesterday. (oops!) Our garden is full of color! Most of our plants are in containers, making them easier to move. The Husband has been trying the rose bushes in different locations, trying to find places where they are the happiest. I think he's done it because they are all blooming like crazy. Frida Kahlo rose: Neil Diamond rose: He's also refreshed our petunias: and the pansies:

 ...slowing getting back to some semblance of normal. However, I am having a bit of an attention problem. I'm bouncing between projects, mom's stuff, and reading. I picked up the Sky Lanterns Shawl that I started in March. It requires a bit of concentration so I haven't made much progress. I manage to do one repeat and then move on to something else. The mermaids continue to grab most of my attention, mostly because it's been far too hot to work on the quilt. We'll see what grabs my attention for the next few days. WIPs Roll Call Worked On: Mermaids of the Deep Blue Sea (cross stitch) Working on the top half of the design, Jellies Socks (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Still working on the second pattern repeat on the cuffs.  Sky Lanterns Shawl (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Worked another repeat for the edging Smoothie Handspun (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Finishing spinning the singles; ready to ply. No Wor...

 ...still struggling to get back into my normal routine. The hollyhocks that we purchased at Annie's Annuals on Father's Day are finally blooming: When I was at mom's this last time, I found a sun catcher hanging by the pool. I brought it home and hung it in our cherry tree. I can see it from my bedroom window.

 ...trying to get back into a normal schedule. The mermaids were the easiest to pick up and work on. I have finished the tails and am now working on the torsos of the mermaids. WIPs Roll Call Worked On: Mermaids of the Deep Blue Sea (cross stitch) Working on the top half of the design, Jellies Socks (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Working on the second pattern repeat on the cuffs. Smoothie Handspun (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Started on my new Kiwi 3 spinning wheel No Work This Week: Cherry Blossom Handspun (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Illusion hexagons (knitting) [ Ravelry ]   Look Through My Window quilt for me (quilting) Mid Century Deco quilt (quilting) Ocean Ripples Wrap (knitting) [ Ravelry ]  Singularity Shawl (knitting) [ Ravelry ]   Sky Lanterns Shawl (knitting) [ Ravelry ]  Valley of the Heart's Delight sampler design (cross stitch) Ready for Finishing...