South Bay Shawlette

It feels so good to wrap up some of these old WIPs.   Here is a shawl I started a few months back.  I first saw it on Pinterest and followed it to this blog.  I loved how she made it out of a gray DK or worsted? yarn.  If you go on Ravelry, most are made from a fingering, lace, or sock weight.  I just had to copy it!

I crocheted 25 rows with a K hook, using a Tahki wool/cotton blend called Coast.  The pattern called for a final edge of trim, which I didn't add,  just left off on a scalloped row.  However,  I did finish the top neck edge with a row of sc.

I like this one worn Bandit style.  It's got just enough cotton in the fiber to keep me from overheating.    I've tried, and unless it's a lacy type pattern, I just can't wrap myself in pure wool this close to my face.  Must have air.  I bet if I lived on the east coast or back in Canada, I would change my tune, since its so much colder there.

Now since I finished something old, does that mean I can start something new?????

I know. Silly question.

This is going to be a scrap quilt.  I lost the pattern years ago, but thankfully I had given a copy to my mom.  It is a really fun pattern, which requires 3 and 3.5" in squares cut in lights and darks.   You can use your oldest, ugliest material, and it will still turn out great!  In fact I recommend throwing those uglies in there!!
 I will post pictures and the pattern as I go along, in case you are interested in making one.
See you after the weekend : )

I smell pumpkin

Yes, Fall is officially here!  The decorations are coming out of the attic, the nights are cooler, and there is pumpkin flavored everything at Starbucks. 

 That brings us to the winner of the fall give away...........










Phillipa of Wendy Room Creations!!!! You have requested the fabric fat quarters.  Congratulations!
I hope you see this post, as I have no email to contact you.  Please send me your address and I will get your prize off to you right away.
Thank you all for joining in.  There were some great comments about why you love fall, and I agree with all of them!

This week I am planning an 18th birthday party for my son, and finishing up some VERY OLD projects.  I pulled this quilt from the back of the cupboard and started quilting.(I think I have tried to get this done for fall two years in a row.)

And I dragged out this basket of wool grannies which will be turned into a very pretty blanket.

In between, there is more quilt as you go patchwork being made.

Thank you all for stopping by today.   I'm off to refill my coffee cup and go visit all of your lovely blogs!!! 

big birthday scarf and a give away

I really wanted to finish this scarf before my birthday.  I mentioned in a previous post about how much I loved this yarn, which I bought as a birthday present to myself (do you do that too?)
So last night I weaved in the ends and wrapped myself up. Happy Birthday to me!

I don't know why I'm smiling.  It was 85 degrees and I was sweating.  Let's get serious.

 I used 3 balls of madelinetosh DK in glazed pecan, with a G hook.  56 rows were crocheted from the starting chain, then end off, go back to the starting chain and crochet 56 rows in the opposite direction. It measures 11.5"x73".   This is a seriously BIG scarf. 

The brooch is a birthday present from my daughter (Banana Republic. On sale now).  I really like the fall colors in this yarn.   I know a lot of people enjoy the change from summer to fall, there are so many things to love about it.  So I am having a Fall/Birthday giveaway.  Leave a comment and tell me what you love about Fall, and you can chose either a ball of Noro wool in fall colors.....

OR, 4 fat quarters in fall colors....

I will send anywhere, just make sure there is an email where I can get in touch with you if you win.
The give away will be open until midnight on Sept. 22, which is the first day of fall here in the Western Hemisphere. Good Luck!

I have forgotten to mention that Laura, from Love the Bluebird had passed on the Sunshine Award to me last week.  Thank you Laura!!!  She has a great blog that is well worth a visit, (her photography is amazing, and check out that gorgeous blue ripple she is making!), so go give her some bloggy love!

Cheers!

Random notes from the sewing room

Fresh new bobbins waiting to be filled.

Old sewing machine needles ready to be tossed out.  It was a very good year.

A fish swallowing (crochet) hooks.

Wise Craft CAL, joining of the squares now in progress.

Playing around with big hexies.  It's just not speaking to me.  I need to add or subtract.
 Something.  Not sure yet. Why am I writing in short chopped sentences?

  New(to me) magnetic needle keeper from The Workroom.  Now I don't have to yell "everyone freeze!" when I'm sewing and lose my needle on the couch.

Wishing you all a happy weekend!!!!

Falling Nuts

Do you know how I know fall is coming?  Nuts start dropping.  Hey I don't make this stuff up. 

We have 4 almond trees on our property which were planted by the previous owners.  I rarely go out to see them, because they are toward the back of the property and there is nothing much going on out there, although I'm pretty sure the coyotes have dens in the blackberry thickets (this creeps me out).  I don't spray, water, prune or fertilize these trees at all.  Yet every spring they produce beautiful pink blossoms, and every September the nuts are abundant.  Mother nature, just doing her thing.

I walked out with my parents this past weekend to pick.  The grass was dry and crunchy under our feet.  Big beef cattle on the other side of the fence eyed us for a moment, figured out we didn't have any food for them, then went back to their grazing.  My mom kept a lookout for snakes.  I'm sure we made enough noise to scare off any snakes within two hundred miles, but you never know. 
So, about the picking.......

Almonds actually have two hulls.  The outer is soft and slightly fuzzy.  This splits as it ripens, to reveal the hard shell underneath. 

Once you remove them from the outer hull, they need to dry in the sun for about two days.  You can tell when they're ready, because if you shake them, they rattle inside the shell.

At this point you can store your nuts in a paper bag.  They will keep (I'm told) for a few years.  I don't know about that.  I had thought that the oils in them would go rancid.  So I looked it up.   But that's what the Internet says, so it must be true.  We usually eat them before that happens anyway.
So here is something I make with my nuts. 

Almond power bars.  No sugar, no grains.  Healthy and yummy.  It must be yummy, because there is chocolate on top!  You can find the recipe here.  Some of the ingredients you will need are: almonds, almond butter, coconut oil, shredded coconut, honey and maple syrup.
Don't forget the bar of dark chocolate.  These are very filling, and they also freeze well.  I had some with a glass of iced tea for a delicious snack.  Let me know if you try them, I'd like to hear what you think.
Now I can't have a post without something crafty thrown in.   I got a new fat quarter bundle of Amy Butler "Cameo", to which I added some of my own stash. 

Play time!!!!!!


Linking up to Tuesday@the table.

Quilts and Pecan Love

I started this quilt in May.  Sheesh.  It's finally done.  I did some free motion quilting in the blocks, nothing fancy, just trying to get the feel for it.  It's now on The Bed.

The binding held up fine in the wash, nothing came apart, thank goodness.  If you remember,  I sewed it down by machine on the front of the quilt, turned it to the back and sewed it down by hand with a pink Perle cotton.  It was kind of hard to pull through the layers.  My fingers are still throbbing.  But I like the look, and will probably do it again.

Well it's still hotter than blazes here, but the nights are cooler.  September is my birthday month and the beginning of fall (I love fall) so I'm a bit giddy at the moment.  I have been coveting a yarn from Madeline tosh for a couple of years now in the color "Glazed Pecan".  I can't get it out of my mind.  Every time I run across something made from it, I WANT IT BADLY.  I see pecans in the grocery store, I think of the yarn.  I know, get over it already and buy some.  So I did.  A birthday present for me.  Here we go.

I started the Claudia scarf found on Ravelry and here.  I ordered 3 skeins in DK and am using a G hook.  It's delicious.  Everything I dreamed.  I want to marry it. 

In this pattern it even looks like pecans!

What a Week

Daughter number two is now moved back in, and I don't mind saying I'm exhausted.  There are still boxes stacked up here and there, and my garage is a disaster.  It's like trying to put 10 pounds of mud in a five pound bag.  NOBODY better be moving again anytime soon.

My chickens have gone to the great hen house in the sky.  While we were away helping the daughter move, a neighbor's dog got through the fence and had my chickens for lunch. So much for letting your chickens "free range".   I came home in time to see him trotting off with my little white Leghorn in his mouth.
 I'm still not over it.

My sewing machine is back at the shop for repairs.  Something about a bobbin fetcher.  Really?  Did they make that up?  Just when I was enjoying free motion quilting too!  Thank goodness I have a backup machine.

We bought a new car.  This is a good thing,  and I love my new Acura, but why is the process so stressful?   It took hours to process the paperwork, and negotiate prices, test drive, blah blah blah.  Someone needs to come up with a better procedure for buying a car.  Also being married to a man who likes to read every line of a contact and change the way it is written, doesn't exactly say "pleasant buying experience."

Daughter number one came for a visit this weekend and left with our cat.  He likes her, and her house is a more quiet, calm environment, than the circus I live in, so he will probably love it.  Besides the coyotes have been coming closer to the house lately, and in the daylight hours.  I fear for small pets.
So my cat is gone. 
I'm still not over it.

I could go on, but I think I need to insert a picture or two before you all nod off.

Half granny shawl, using Noro sock yarn and an h hook.  I used almost two skeins.  There are so many of these on Ravelry, I had to make one out of this yarn to see what all the fuss was about.

Now I want to make another one.  I'm still not over it.