Sunday, September 30, 2012

WIPocalypse

 I worked on most of my projects this month.  Amish Star almost has another star finished.
 Autumn Angel is in the process of doing the backstitching and then on to adding beads.
 I finished Butterfly Fairy Day.
 In the Garden I am past the half way point.
And I started knitting my son's scarf.  I am actually enjoying knitting.  It is very relaxing.  So not a bad month.  I am going to revamp my rotation for the next few months.  My son has drivers training 2 nights a week, 3 hrs a night for 5 weeks.  So one night I will knit and one night I will work on Amish Star.  Then the other days of the week I will work on whatever project is up in my rotation.  I am going to wait on starting any new projects until after my daughter's wedding in January. 

Sunday, September 23, 2012

 My son asked me for an orange and blue knitted scarf.  I haven't knitted since Junior High.  These are the colors he selected.  My sister gave me a refresher course in knitting.   She is right handed and I am left handed which had been a problem when I learned the first time from my Mom.  As I was knitting and then purling my sister commented that I was doing it right handed.  I can do certain things right handed - like bowling but usually I do everything left handed.  She suggested I try it left handed and see if it was more comfortable.  It was!  I am going to do a practice swatch before starting on this yarn.  Of course my son is eager for this to be finished.  So many projects and so little time.  I may be rotating between knitting and making christmas ornaments as I am running out of time.
 Thursday and Friday I spent with my sister hiking at Turkey Run State Park.  We try to go every year.  Last year we opted out as we both had other things going on.  It is alot of climbing up stairs, ladders, over rocks.  My calves are still sore.  We wore our backpacks loaded with 20lb of stuff to see if we would be able to hike carrying that much weight.  Next year we hike the Grand Canyon in July (we are only a little bit crazy) and we need to be able to carry the weight.  We will actually be hiking the Grand Canyon twice - once from the North Rim and then from the South Rim.  Hope I will be able to walk afterwards.
And this week I was working on In the Garden.  I had hoped to get this butterfly finished but ran out of time.  I think my Christmas Ornaments are up next in my rotation.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

A Finish and TUSAL

 I finally finished Butterfly Fairy Day   I started this on on 11/13/09 and finished it up Friday night 9/14/12.  This was my first time stitching a large project on evenweave. I did get off a stitch somewhere in the beginning but by the end of the project I was having no problem stitching on this fabric. I have the fabric for the companion piece - Butterfly Fairy Night.  I am not sure I am going to add it to my rotation right away.  I might wait awhile and see if any of my other projects jump ahead of it.
 It is time for TUSAL again.  Here are my orts.  Most of the new threads are from backstitching Butterfly Fairy Day and Autumn Angel which is also in the home stretch.
I have moved on to the next project in my rotation - In the Garden.  But just couldn't get into it last night.  Hope to have more stitchy motivation today.

Weather was perfect yesterday.  I had a cookout at my Dad's house for my family.  A good time was had by all.  This week I will spend two days with my sister hiking at Turkey Run State Park, our annual trip together.  So I need to spend some extra time at work getting things done.  Hoping the beautiful weather will last.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

 I worked on Autumn Angel by Joan Elliott for 2 weeks.  The first week I didn't get much done so I decided to keep it out for another week.  There is alot of backstitching which I am about halfway done with.  There is also 400 beads that need attached.  I have never put that many beads on one project.  I like the look of her without the beads and I am tempted to leave them off.
A few weeks ago one of the agents I work with sent me these beautiful flowers.  The tall green flowers on the sides really smelled good.  I googled them and they are Hills of Irish (hope I got that right).

Wedding planning is still going on.  We need to meet with the bakery about a cake and set an appointment with the decorator for the reception hall.  Still searching for a photographer.  Time is just flying by and I am starting to feel the pressure of not enough time to get it all done.  My wedding was very small and simple (and cheap).  My mom handled all of the details as she enjoyed that type of thing.  Wish she were still here as I would turn this over to her.  I think I got behind with the wedding planning as I was working thru my divorce.  Now that it is final I can turn all of my energy to the wedding plans.  It was kinda hard at times meeting with the divorce attorney in the morning and then checking out reception halls in the afternoon.  I want my daughter to have her chance at happiness so I try not to let my opinions of marriage color my enthusiasm for her special day.