I'm still here, are you still there?

 Last week, I found this happy place -- so many pumpkins and squash and gourds!

I just let myself have at it -- it was like fabric shopping but I don't have to make anything out of them!

I can just sit and admire them!

Then we can eat them or feed them to my son's chickens!

Win, win!!

Fall happens so fast here and I don't want to miss my favorite parts of it.

So I've been indulging myself and staying outside as much as possible.  That means there hasn't been much stitching (saving that for the rainy days just around the corner).  I'm doing as much walking and  birding and puttering in the garden or knitting in the back garden as I can

On a good day, I can enjoy several of my past times simultaneously without leaving the yard!

This red-breasted nuthatch and it's sidekick spent most of a sunny afternoon "planting" sunflower seeds around my flower beds while I carried on knitting close at hand. 

(I couldn't get them to understand there are new seeds everyday so no need to hoard!?!)

I'm knitting Katie's Kep, the featured pattern for this year's virtual Shetland Wool Week, when another knitter's version on Instagram caught my eye -- it was a perfect interpretation of the landscape colors I'm seeing all around me.  

(Check out the hashtag #katieskep on Instagram for an eyeful.)

A creative spark flashed in my brain and suddenly I was snapping pictures on my walks to interpret in another version of the Kep (Shetland talk for cap).

(Note: walking into a pawpaw grove with the woman I raised to bird with me!)

Of course, I don't need another project.  

One of the discoveries I've made about myself during "isolation" (or perhaps just finally admitted) is that I have the attention span of a gnat!!

The result of this is a lot of UFO's.

However, if I have a specific reason to make something, I'm much more likely to finish.

So happily, my subconscious (love that part of my brain) figured out while I was poking through my yarn stash that I could make mini-Fair Isle mittens for the triplets using those color inspirations.

Creative inspiration + "need" = finished project . . . of course, I'll finish Katie's Kep first! 

Last week, at the end of a babysitting day with the triplets, their mom brought home their first set of wheels!! 

Smiles all around!!

He is a natural at steering and one of his sisters was as happy to push as he was to drive.

I must say I was feeling pretty glum when I started this, but that cup of coffee and "talking" with you has cheered me right up.  There was crummy news this morning (I need to have a tooth extracted) and wanted to cry all the way home -- it's not that awful in itself, but it's just one more thing?!?  

So when I got home, redirecting my energy and my mind was absolutely necessary.

And there you were, waiting for my return to this page.

So thanks for reading!

Think I'll head outside and deadhead some plants.

Hope you have strategies for lifting yourself out of the doldrums!!

Mary

January Stitching

I can't believe it's mid-January already!?!

I set a personal goal at the beginning of the month to "deal with 10 UFO's" -- that may or may not mean finishing of course!!

I have finished one pair of Christmas socks with a second pair moving in the right direction.

In an effort to transition from "plain" socks I grabbed several new "fancy" sock patterns during the #sockvent18 in December event on Instagram.  This charming Vanilla Spice pattern with the faux cable up the back of the leg caught my eye and is an easy knit.

(Pattern is from Woolfield Studio and can be bought via Ravelry)

The yarn is a hand-dye sock yarn from Barnyard Knits (another Instagram discovery!!) -- Stormy Skies is the colorway -- so perfect for Northeast Ohio where we survive much of the winter season under these gray threatening skies.

I found a hexagon machine piecing project with lots of finished units ready to set together so that is happening while listening to Barbara Kingsolver's newest book, Unsheltered.

Have you started that book?  It's a hard read/listen, but so relevant - so I'm persisting.

I'll share the finished flimsy very soon though it may not get quilted before month's end.

I just set one "published" goal for January -- to finish my rainbow Nundle Dilly Bag -- it's English paper pieced, incorporates all the hexies basted during #100hexies100days blast in the fall on Instagram.  It took me quite a while to organize a layout I like, but that's done and the stitching is progressing slowly.

So four UFO's dealt with and probably time this month for a few more though I'm not sure there's time/energy for six (unless it involves ditching them)?!?

I've also drawn up a list of questions/problems for my husband's family genealogy effort.

If you have caught that interest, you know what a time eater it can be!!

Last week, I took advantage of a sunny day to drive east to the county of his ancestors to search out cemeteries and answers at the library.

Hardly anyone in my family fought in the Civil War, but several of Doug's ancestors did and it's an honor to find the "veteran's star" in the cemetery and to stand where his family stood as they mourned a century ago.

One of my unsolved mysteries is the result of a family that lived in Pennsylvania but many of the documents I'm finding that pertain to them are from Ohio.  Finally, I found this map from 1870 that explains everything!

They lived in Pennsylvania, but just barely, and the nearest town was 1 mile to the west -- in Ohio.

Their farm is the second farm from the Ohio Pennsylvania border - P. Franklin, 50 acres.

Thank goodness, people save stuff like this and then share it to historical collections!!

Now I know how to proceed and hopefully, answers I want will appear.

Of course, I know myself very well so I did allow myself to start "just" one new project!

And limiting myself to ONE is so hard -- there are so many exciting possibilities for new projects in January, isn't there?

I settled on an English paper piecing "block of the month" designed and led by @lemonshark via Instagram and her website.  It's one block a month (two in January) and they are good size!

The patterns are free on her website and she has lots of useful EPP tips!

Each of my blocks will begin with a large print by Kaffe Fassett from my hoard.

Once I made all the fabric decisions, I cut everything and organized a tray to keep it all together.

 I added letters to label and identify the pieces including right side and left side pieces, before I cut the pattern sheets apart.  I labeled the overall drawing of the block to match -- that small step has saved so much mental energy!!

After thinking about the assembly order I decided on two units of four pieces as the simplest approach though as with many English paper piecing designs there is more than one way to do this.

Here are the last two finished units ready to set into the block.

Later today, I'll stitch them into place! 

The finished tile is 18" across from point to point and they will be appliqued onto a background.  I'm going to wait until I have three or four tiles finished as I think it will be easier to decide on the background squares size at that point.

The rest of my day will be stitching and knitting -- UFO's beware!!

Mary

That does it for July!

And here comes August!

I'm just back from a teaching trip to the Baltimore, Maryland area.  

I delivered my favorite lecture -- UFQ Assault Tactics on Thursday morning and then taught an all-day workshop Saturday with 12 participants who worked their way through a large scrappy string pieced 8-pointed star.

It's always fun to see these blocks -- this rainbow one is unique

And Maria, the workshop organizer, banged out a total of 48 diamonds for a 6 block quilt!  She wouldn't quit string piecing until her pile of strips was exhausted!!

I spent Friday exploring the Eastern Shore of Maryland along the Chesapeake Bay -- okay, I went birding.  No new birds, but there were lots of butterflies to distract me including this teasing red-spotted purple.  It stayed in the brush so I just keep clicking the camera hoping for at least one good shot!

I had a nice walk in the shade of a "tunnel" of Osage Orange trees down an old lane to a deserted ferry landing.  I was interested to see the color of the wood of a freshly cut fallen tree. A unique yellow-orange.

The path led out to the edge of the bay and I puttered around at the water's edge for a while watching osprey and eagles fish and enjoying the peace and quiet.

It was a hot day but the light at the end of the tunnel kept me moving back towards my car where a cold tea was waiting!!

I finished knitting my #beekeepercardigan on the trip.  Since it was a stash of yarn I inherited from my mother, I ran out so did a search for more yarn only to discover not only is the yarn discontinued, but the company that made it is gone, too.  Even a search for re-sellers failed.

So I punted with a very, very close substitute and did all the ribbed bands using it.  It's a slightly darker shade of ecru but it's looks okay to me since it's consistently used throughout the sweater.

I did the scary "first time ever" blocking by myself last evening!!!  It looks yellow because the tub is in the basement -- poor lighting. 

Fortunately, Marie, the designer has a good tutorial on her blog and after reading it several times, I forged ahead.  

Currently its spread out on the front porch drying -- seems okay, but I won't relax until it's completely dry and I can lift it up.

Marie Greene of Olive Knits is the designer and I love her approach to knitting a sweater -- no seams!!  You can find her patterns and blog HERE!

No sooner had I finished the sweater knitting than I cast on for a mystery scarf knit along -- it's on Ravelry -- the Crown Wools MKAL and the designer is Casapinka.  Since I'm using an assortment of sock yarn leftovers, it isn't really like starting a new project -- it's more like cleaning up the yarn box!?!

It's a six week project and I'm a little behind but I'll catch up by the end of this week! 

Most of the Monarch caterpillars we have became chrysalis while I was away.

I counted 54 -- next week should be fun releasing all of them!!

One more short trip for a family reunion this weekend and I can get back into the studio!!

I miss working at my machine every day!!

Hope your August gets off on the right foot!!

Mary

Summer Distractions!!

High summer is upon us here in Northeast Ohio!

It's a season of color, happy little discoveries, and comfortable memories.

These little blue flowers (I'm told it's a weed) grew alongside the back porch of my first childhood home and ever since I discovered them in my current home's garden, I allow them to grow where ever they appear just because they make me smile.

Suddenly on the 5th of July, I discovered Monarch butterflies were leaving eggs all over my backyard plot of milkweed so the new rearing enclosure that was a Christmas gift had to be quickly assembled!

Now my mornings begin with cleaning the enclosure, reviewing everyone's progress, and bringing in fresh food.  With close to 70 caterpillars at various stages and a few new finds almost everyday, it's a good hour or more of pleasant work.   I can't determine if all these eggs are the work of one female or several, but for about 5 days, every time I was outside, there was a Monarch in my yard -- such constant presence is new for me.  The females can lay 400 eggs and I'm pretty sure she did!!

Now at the 15 day point, I'm seeing a few new chrysalis every day and should be releasing butterflies by the end of July.   

These likely won't be the generation that makes the big migration to Mexico, but they will parent that generation so I'm excited to be able to release so many!  If you live in the area and would like to stop by and see all this in person, let me know!

Then there was the big "we got married" picnic that my son and his wife threw!!  Both families worked together to set up tents, mow the pasture, organize tables and coolers and lights.  My son (in the hat) and his "dude buds" smoked a whole hog, a local farm-to-table caterer did the sides . . . . 

. . . . . and I rounded up a load of flowers and a bevy of nieces to make the table bouquets!

In between all this enjoyment of summer outside, I got caught up in a knitting project!?! 

I discovered Marie Greene of Olive Knits this past winter -- her sweater designs are primarily knit top down and seamless -- my kind of knitting!!  She challenged anyone who was game to a 4 day sweater knit-along beginning July 1 with a new pattern, The Beekeeper's Cardigan.  During a tidy-up of my knitting supplies in mid-June, I re-discovered a bag of my mother's yarn -- enough for a sweater?  

I swatched to test my gauge and get a feel for the design.

You know where I'm going with this, don't you?

I did not finish in 4 days (but some gals did!?!) but if you follow my Instagam feed (@hueymary), you've seen progress photos.   This was the end of the two week knit-along -- I was at 44 hours at this point.  Today, I'm finishing the second sleeve and then will start the final ribbing bands. 

 It's been a delightful knit and I'm so pleased with the results.

I'll share a bit more about when I finish later this month!

I'm staying on my machine quilting schedule for the most part -- make steady progress every day -- though keeping tabs on this pot of "bush" cucumbers (they are now embracing the huge tomato plant in the adjacent pot) has been distracting.  It's behaving like a zucchini, hiding the fruit just under a leaf so that in spite of twice a day inspections, suddenly there's an almost too big fruit down there??

Then something has to be done with them -- refrigerator pickles this afternoon!

The black currants HAD to be harvested today -- I just have one bush so never enough to do anything significant.  This year, I'm going to try drying them like raisins -- should be either enough for a batch of scones (yum) or I'll use them for flavoring tea!

The drive to eliminate the invasive bindweed from this flower bed demands daily policing and on the morning tour four days ago, two cardinals flew out of the honeysuckle vine!  I looked more closely to see what bugs they have found on the vine -- they like big juicy bugs and can crack a beetle in a flash but no bugs!!  

They have built a nest!!

It's hard to see -- just a sloppy looking clump of grass and sticks right in the center of the picture that hopefully will last long enough to fledge their brood!

When I was out there working this morning, I was being watched!

The female has started to lay her eggs!!

According to Nests, Eggs, and Nestlings of North American Birds by Baicich and Harrison, she will lay from 2 to 5 eggs and begin incubating once the 3rd egg is laid (birds generally lay one egg a day).

Incubation takes 11 to 13 days!  

Can you see her?

So the next few weeks will be filled with lots of cardinal watching -- I've always wanted to discover a cardinal nest!!

FUN!!

While it's hard to be inside on the nice days, I am working on my "birth year" temperature quilt! 

 It just took an interesting turn, too . . . . . . all will be revealed soon!

 I'm keeping up with the #fussycuttingsewalong hexie project on Instagram.  I am currently piecing this large motif as the center of my masterplan for the 52 hexie flowers that will result from the group by the end of the year.  I've done some preliminary auditioning and feel (pretty) confident about the plan.

As soon as the center is finished, I'll share it here. 

If you don't see it, you know it didn't work after all!

I'm still waiting for ripe tomatoes and I hope this current season is providing you with lots of enjoyable moments, too!

Mary

NOTE:  I still am not getting comments e-mailed to me so I can't e-mail you a response but I do appreciate your comments and am reading them just the same!!  (Yes, I tried the fix several times and will keep trying.)

Distracted by Fair Isle

Last Friday, I attended a workshop at Knitting Temptations in Dublin, Ohio with Janine Bajus from California, a recognized authority on Fair Isle knitting and design.  I've been fascinated by Fair Isle design for many years -- proof?  I have owned Knitting Tams by Mary Rowe since it was published in 1989 (the best book written about designing and making Fair Isle tams according to Janine) and a large quantity of Shetland fingering wool. 

(Mary's book is out of print but you can find used copies HERE if interested.)

Two years - no, make that three years ago, I started knitting a massive shawl designed by Christel Seyfarth of Denmark (her website is HERE) in an effort to use all the fingering wool and thanks to Karen, the lovely owner of Knitting Temptations, I now have the information I need to clear the final hurdle to getting this finished!!

The interesting aspect of the workshop I attended -- Color Outside the Lines, Fair Isle Tam -- was the conversation about color and the fact that "value is more important than color" in organizing a Fair Isle design.  I wanted to jump up and shout "YES" -- exactly what I emphasize in my piecing workshops!!

We spent our "working" time laying out and knitting color swatches to understand our preferences and our options.  I finished one and a half in class and am continuing to experiment with ideas.

I'm cruising Ravelry and Pinterest looking at Fair Isle projects to help sort out my value preferences - that can be a bit challenging because color is always distracting me from my focus.

Just like my piecing, if I can sort out the value elements of a design, it helps me understand my personal preferences faster than making everything I see the is "pretty".

Understanding my personal preferences is the key to being satisfied with project results whether it be piecing or knitting!

I signed up for the workshop on an impulse and squashed it into my schedule!

What an excellent decision it was -- a mini vacation -- doing something that I've longed to try under the tutelage of an excellent teacher in delightful surroundings with lots of like minded gals!

Doesn't get much better than that.

I highly recommend Janine as a teacher and Knitting Temptations as a shop!

You can find Janine at the Feral Knitter HERE to check out her teaching schedule.

Knitting Temptations is on the north side of Columbus, Ohio in historic Dublin and their website is HERE.

Of course, I left the workshop with Janine's new book, The Joy of Color. It promises to be a good read and I'm looking forward to finding more connections with my piecing approach!

I've no idea how I'm going to squash knitting Fair Isle tams into my work time -- thank goodness, the garden is going to bed for the winter.  That's always the challenge isn't it -- how to make time for new ideas when you love everything you are doing right now!?!

Have a good week!!

Mary