Bomb Girls, Knitting Cardiac Collage, Jeweled Lines and Butterflies

LOVED this show.  Two seasons were available on Amazon Prime.  Lots of romance, history of WWII, with strong emphasis on the importance of Women and despite all they did, how they still didn’t get the respect or the pay they deserved.  People, both male and female somehow still thought they needed to cook all the meals, do all the cleaning, paint their nails and look pretty.  Looking pretty and finding a man...and goodness don't let anyone know you have a brain.  Young women should watch this show to have an understanding of how the role of women in the workforce has changed.


I was disappointed when it ended after two seasons...was a bit up in the air it seemed to me.  You can certainly see how Rosy The Riveter came to be.

Years ago at Christmas.  My older brother holding a cross Stitch Butterfly I made him.  As a kid he had quite a collection of butterflies and was very knowledgeable about them.  I also made the frame...or perhaps it's more accurate to say I put it together as one of those do it yourself places.

This yarn still looks the same.....in that it has not been casted onto any needles.  I have sorted patterns and believe I've found one I can use this yarn for to make a shawl.  But, am a bit nervous as it says it takes 400 yards and that's exactly what I have according to the label.  Not having extra makes me nervous, cause who's gage is perfect!  I may purchase something to go with it to do some minimal stripping just to give me a sense of comfort.

Jeweled Lines is almost done, but I don't have a picture to show you.  I'm in the very last section, but it's now on the back burner for a couple of weeks, as I needed a project that could be mobile, and it's far too big to big mobile.  So..you get a break from looking at the same thing over and over for awhile.  LOL

Cardiac Collage is mobile and so am working on it.  Posting from a borrowed computer as I was having trouble with my ipad and so can't show you a picture yet of this project either.  Hopefully soon.

Unknitting, Poppies, Pride and Prejudice...A Cardiac Collage

Jeweled lines is growing!  About 57 inches long here.  It looks really narrow because it's doubled over in my effort to keep it on the needles.  However, after taking the picture 2 days ago, I realized the wee bit (3 rows) of gray you see closest to you at the bottom........is the wrong color!  Argh.  Was watching tv with hubby and quickly looked at the other end to determine what color came next , it should have been blue....the turquoise I've been so worried about having enough of.  Dang it.  So, will need to unravel and add the turquoise.  I've never used a life line on an afghan, sure wish I had.  Have 220 life stitches off the needle to unravel, then trying to get them all back on without losing any or twisting them.  So, hunted for how to do one after the fact.  Saw several video's showing how to do it with purl, but not with garter.  Found one really short video with no audio that merely pointed with needles to the spaces between the ridges.  I have another 60 inch same needle and cord so used that instead of a darning needle and picked up the right leg of the V by pulling the rows apart.  Took FOREVER!  But, it did work.  I only lost one stitch which I was able to fix.  Will take another picture when the turquoise troubled section is done so we'll know about the yarn, being sufficient or not.  No way this will be matched.  I've already tried, have had it too long.

Isn't this beautiful?  Spotted this on Facebook the other day, my friend again who posts such nice art.  The photo is by Andrea Reinman.  Just thought it worth a share.

If you can get past Jennifer Ehle's mother's voice...which isn't easy I highly recommend this classic.  Quite good, but oh her voice.  Some gorgeous scenery.  This was one of those classic I never read when it was on the school reading list.  I was good at reading the first, middle and last chapter of mandatory books.  lol

This is..........waiting.  Waiting to be something.  This wasn't a planned project.  But I had a bag with these needles and bits of yarn which I grabbed at the end of last week when I needed to take my husband to the ER.  After about 6 hours in the ER he was admitted.  Needless to say, I was glad I had something with me for all that sitting time in the ER and hospital the subsequent day while he had testing.  It will be an abstract pieces parts afghan.  What should I call it?  Hospital Ghan, Waiting Yarn, Cardiac Collage.........hubby was there for a cardiac event. He's currently doing well, just needs follow up appointment and perhaps better med management.  I'm feeling the Cardiac Collage I think?  What say you?

Slow Stitching on Sunday, Progress, Watching Charles Dickens and More

It's growing! Jeweled Lines is growing.  This photo was taken a few days (when I thought I would sit down and write a blog post), it was just a hair short of 52 inches at the time, with one row of the turquoise section started.  Got it stretched out as well as I can without having stitches fall off the needles, so it doesn't look very even in the picture, but truly it is.  Mine concern at this point is whether or not I have enough turquoise to finish the current section and complete the last section....It's going to be close I fear.  Once again the problem with quesstimation and no pattern, but when working with yarn you have on hand and or yarn that's been donated...........well.  You play through and hope for the best.  This ghan will be donated through my charity blog, Bridge and Beyond.
Join us for Slow Stitching Sunday

For my blog friends who cross stitch, a project from long ago.  So long ago, this was a photograph, not a digital picture, lol.  Two quilted placemates basically sewn together to make an apron with a cross stitch area.  This was a Christmas Gift for my Mom.  Over the years the picture has faded...tried to brighten it after scanning, but it's still not a good photo.  Wish I had done more of design.  With today's eyes, it's rather plain.  I wonder whether or not my Dad still has this somewhere in the house.  I should ask him.

This was posted on Facebook as a teaser a few weeks ago when my friends across the pond were anxiously awaiting the next session.  We here in the US...are still waiting.  Just thought it was comical, so thought I'd share.

LOVED this yarn.  Sooooooo soft.  When my Darling Daughter was home for a visit, we naturally went yarn shopping.  She purchased 5 different types of yarn, all at 50% off.  I wasn't as lucky.  This is one of two hanks I purchased, mine were only 15% off.  This is 400 yards of hand dyed fingering weight.  It suggest a needle size of 1............what was I thinking!!!  Loved the colors, and softness, but now am in search of something to make with it that maybe I can use a size 3 for.  

This is yet another of my English viewing while knitting and icing my foot.  This was a very short mini series.  Little Dorrit is a Charles Dickens story that takes place between 1855-1857.  The story of being born and raised in Marshalsea Prison, a debtors prison.  As many of Dickens theme, it's full of many emotions;  but shows a good deal of the dark side......the hard times that people endured.  Central figure is the same as Queen Elizabeth in The Crown, Claire Foy...who was also in Upstairs Downstairs, as the very colorful and not very nice sister.  I do recommend this short series.

I don't often post political things on this blog, but felt this was very appropriate given current events.  This Holocaust Memorial by Marie Uchytilova remembers 82 children who were taken from Lidice to Cheimno, an Extermination Camp in July of 1942.  The fact there are large number of people led by extreme groups who say The Holocaust is fake news, never happened.......makes me sick to my stomach.
**Longer than normal post, catching up since it's been a bit since my last post.

Knitting my Way Through British TV

Finished this series a few days ago.  It premiered back in 2016 and was a remake  of an earlier The Durrell's.  Took me some time to get into this series, but am glad I played through.  It takes place in Corfu and was re-titled for release in United States as The Durrells oin Corfu.    

The scenery alone is a reason to watch this.  A good deal of the series was in fact filmed there on the beautiful Greek Island.  I found it sometimes funny, sometimes sad, sometimes dysfunctional.  I wanted the Mother to knock some sense into her very self absorbed kids......but, I did not know while watching, this was in fact based on a series of books (My Family and Other Animals, Birds Beats & Relatives, and The Garden of the Gods by Gerald Durrell.  This series is based on a real family who did indeed live on the island for 4 years.  The island had no electricity.  They left the island due to troubles when the war broke out.  I learned a bit more about the real family, but won't spoil it by saying more.

Watch the series, or read the books and then watch.  Gerry, whom I did not like at all in the series, became a well known naturalist and zoologists.  So, I guess he eventually grew up...and maybe took a bath.

Yes, I've continued to knit on with Jeweled Lines and it is growing.  Finished the turquoise section, added the small gray section and have started the large Amethyst section.  We're at about 46 inches thus far.  The olive green section is next.  Hope to get to that point for the next blog post.  This afghan like 99% of those I make will be donated through my blog, Bridge and Beyond, which is dedicated to helping homeless.  I'm needing to start another project so I have something small enough to tote with me.  This is getting to large and heavy to carry around and work on anywhere but in my chair in the living room.

Progress on the foot went backward for about 2 wks, but I believe we're on the upswing again.

Continuing to work on finding lost classmates for my 50th class reunion.

And to leave you all with a bit of smile........a laugh for the day.  Spotted this the other day on Facebook and thought it too good to not share.

Oh Deer, Where are my Classmates, we Have Yarns to Share!

--I'm participating in Slow Stitch Sunday, please come join us.
Jeweled Lines is growing, but it seems to be at a slow point right now for me.  It's 43 ish inches.  I'm a bit over half way through the largest turquoise section and next up will be a small gray strip followed by the amethyst.  I've not been knitting quite as much as I've begun working hard at finding lost classmates.

My high school class reunion for 50 years (egads how did I get that old) is next year.  I'm the person that finds people and maintains the database.  It's a job.  With those who've passed on (surprising how many), those that have moved, women who divorced and therefore have a different name etc.  Anyway, because of that, I've been on the computer more and therefore knitting less.

This is a most unusual view from our windows this am.  Seriously you can see we do not live in the country or a wooded area.  We are in a very developed, long standing neighborhood.  These two Deer (one has a reasonable size rack, and the other has one starting), spend a good amount of time cruising around in our yard, (non fenced), then hopped the fence behind us where the blue house is, then came back and jumped the chain length fence to our neighbor to the right of us.  In front of blue house is a major road...one of the most major in our community that connects 2 neighborhoods and 2 freeways.  They need to get across that road to get to safety.  About 1/4 of a mile on the other side of said road and to the right is a golf course......perhaps that's where they came from?  Down the busy road or any of our roads on this side takes them to the river in about a mile.......but then have to cross a 4 lane extremely highway to get to the river. 

Last week I shared a cross stitch I made years ago (scroll back to previous post), so today I thought I'd share one of the quilts I made a good number of years ago.  I do do other stitching besides knitting and crocheting.......just not as much.  I have some lovely blog ladies visiting who do really intricate cross stitch and or make very involved quilts...with real quilting patterns.  I'm a dabbler.  But, this quilt was fun as it's made from flannel nightgowns.  In my younger years we had a group of friends who skiied every year and we  woman would have "team" nightgowns for lounging around at the end of the day.  Nothing warmer or more comfy than a flannel nightgown after skiing in the cold all day.  So, this quilt was made for a very good friend from those nightgowns with cross stitched squares that have memories from our various trips.  I had planned to make one for the other lady in the group and myself........somehow, that never happened.

Happy Anniversary, Walking by Public Art, Jeweled Lines Afghan

Tomorrow this lady celebrates 46 years of marriage to this guy. (so young back in the day)

Pictures fade over time, and maybe we do too, lol.  My mother made my Wedding Dress, it's dotted swiss, and hubby wore a suit he'd just gotten back from the cleaners.  We got married outside in The Park of Roses.  We'll celebrate tonight by having a nice meal here at the house of steak, potatoes, and wine after cocktail hour with our favorite Martini's and Shrimp Cocktail.

Jeweled Lines continues to grown.  It's over the half way point now and measures about 34 inches.  I'm about half way through the dark green and next will be fun bright turquoise section.  Had an oophs and had to unknit about 13 rows, as I ran out of the dark green.That was a smaller skein than expected.  It's a skein I've had for eons, so no way was I going to be able to match it 100%.  Found something as close as possible at the store and since it's not right next to the other green section...it will get the job done.
**This is week 2 for me participating in Slow Sunday Stitching.  Had hope to find some pictures of some of my cross stitch projects (beyond the one in the last post), but haven't had time to look through old photo albums for pictures to share with some of you ladies who do cross stitch.  I do have a few quilt photo's I know I can share as time goes on.

A few days ago this was a scene on my virtual walk through Seattle on Walking4Fun.  I loved it and thought it worth share.  Some public art is just fun.  This 17 foot Popsicle has been there since 2011, designed by Catherine Mayer.  I think walking or riding past this would simply make you smile.

So, the headway with the foot and walking has come to a bit of a halt.  Was doing fine, in fact think PT was about to release me, when I started with some new pain.  Cuboid Bone is the problem according to my therapist.  Quite sore, swollen and a bit bruised, making walking difficult again.  I can and do walk, but not a good gate like I was.  She's hoping the manual manipulation to put it back where it belongs will do the trick.  She says sometimes The Cuboid Bone Falls down......No dancing tonight for me as hubby and I celebrate our 46th.

The Afghan is Growing, so are The Wisteria

As you can see, Jeweled Lines continues to grow.  It now measures 33 x 58.  I'm over the half way point.  Somewhere in the middle of the widest amethyst section is the half way point.  So that section is completed and next wee green section is done and I'm about half way through the goldish section.  Then it will be back to the dark green, turquoise etc, making my back down in reverse order.

I've actually been knitting less, because I've become a bit more mobile.  Ever so slight.  I've actually started walking a wee little bit outside on days when I'm not in physical therapy.  I managed 6 blocks today.  Whew, hate to admit it; but am really feeling it.  Then did my exercises.  So, if you're following my Walking 4 Fun badge in the right sidebar you'll see I'm making progress..........slowly.  Currently walking a virtual trail in Seattle that has been fascinating.  Once finished with that trail (just a couple of hundred miles) I will head back to the very long Pacific Crest Trail where I've walked it seems forever.  Off and on, because everytime there's a more interesting trail I change, lol.

**Joining Kathy for Slow Sunday Stitching**

I really like Judi Dench, but am so far luke warm on this series.  I'm watching it.  But, unlike many on my previous list, I do not think about it when not watching it.  It seems very slow so far.  I'll play through awhile, because I don't have a whole of other choices right now on my to watch list....I'm not sure I would recommend it, but on the other I don't dislike it and plan to continue.  Just not with lots of enthusiasm I guess.

I am clueless about art, other than I know when I look at something whether or not I like it.  I like this!  I like the feel of it, I like the colors.  It's titled, Our Wisteria.  I like that as well because my parents backyard was focused around their Wisteria.  A friend of mine who loves art, and knows art often posts things on his facebook page and that's where I spotted this.  The painter is German born, Jean Mannheim.  She was born in Germany in 1963 and died in California in 1945.  Doing a google search, I think I like most of her work.  Just thought I'd share this and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Watching Lark Rise to Candleford, Knitting Jeweled Lines Afghan

Jeweled Lines is growing..added green, gold-ish, another small section of green and now back to amethyst.  The section of Amethyst I'm currently working on is the half way point.  This section will be larger than the other sections and then will do a repeat of what's been done so far.  Measures 27 inches at the moment.  10 Inches longer than the last photo.

A bit hard to see the newer sections in the first photo, as I stopped last night without being at the end of a row, so I couldn't lay it out very flat...thus the bunching.  Tried this sideways view and believe you can see the addition a bit better.  My debate as this point is whether to make the Amethyst section solid, or stop half way through and add another section of the turquoise and the amethyst.  Thoughts?  I was so worried about having enough yarn I added the dark green and gold-ish.  Eyeballing it now, I might have been ok with the amount of yarn I had...but you just don't know when you're winging it.

Lark Rise to Candleford.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE this series.  I'm currently in season 4 and highly recommend it.  Robert Timmons (2nd from right Brendan coyle was one of my favorite characters Mr. Bates in Downton Abbey.  And Mini (Ruby Bentall 2nd from left was Verity Poldark in the Poldark Series).   In my next blog post, believe I'll give some thought to ranking these series I've been watching while not very mobile due to my broken foot.  I know this series will be very close to the top, if not the top.

If you watched Call The Midwives you probably recognize Nurse Phyllis (Linda Basset) lower left.  I am enjoying her more in this role as Queenie.

I have officially been given the go ahead to say good bye to this Ortho Boot!  I've been several days now without it.  I drove the other day for the first time in months.  The bone itself really won't be totally healed for about 4 more months.  I can do pretty well indoors, but am to stay away from walking in yards, and un-even terrain.  AND, if I know I'm going to be doing substantial amounts of walking I should put the boot on.  Will be continuing with PT for another month twice a week, as we work to build some strength and range of motion.  I haven't yet gone for a walk, might try around the block today if hubby has time to go with me.  It's a process, but am indeed making headway.  Thanks for all the good wishes.

Jewel Lines Knitting as I Search for More British TV Series.

Jeweled Lines continues to grow.  I've added a couple more sections since the last photo.  Looks like the tape flipped over, but believe at this stage it measured 17 or 19 inches.  I will soon be adding a new color.  A different shade of green I found that's the same weight and type of yarn.  When added that will make the 5th color.

I started this series feeling very optimistic and excited, as it's  created by Julian Fellowes, the same Julian Fellowes who created Downton Abbey.  I started it, watched I think one episode and have NOT returned to it.  Perhaps it gets better?  I dislike the commentary that takes place with someone telling you how good it is.  Maybe I just wasn't in the right frame of mood when I started it?  It got mixed reviews.  Maybe I'll return to it after watching some others I have on my watch list on Amazon Prime and Netflix.

Have you watched it, and if so did you enjoy it?

This is my electric frothier.   Hubby purchased this for me after fixing my coffee for a few days right after I initially broke my foot.  I've been using a small hand held battery operated frothier, which he found annoying.  So, off to Bed, Bath and Beyond with a coupon he went.  This is really quite nice.  It heats and froths at the same time.  My hand held one only frothed.  So, initially I heated milk in the microwave and than frothed to put in my morning coffee.  It really does make the coffee special and is a lot cheaper than buying coffee out...at a coffee shop, which is something I never do.  Thank you hubby for upping my game.

Knitting and Watching and trying to eat Light

Jeweled Lines has grown to about double the size from when you last saw it last with the addition of the green and now back to the amethyst.  Thanks for the input on the names between this blog and my charity blog, Bridge and Beyond.  I like the suggested name of Jeweled Lines, better than the flip of it, which is what I had initially.  I'm still not quite sure if this will be enough yarn with adding the green; but as yet.........still can't get to the basement to look further at my stash, so will play through and see what happens.  Though I did do some steps today for the first time at therapy...so might be able to soon.

Watched this show, Tulip Fever on Netflix recently.  I can't say I would recommend it.  It was dark...dark in the way it was filmed (somewhat on purpose I suppose 1634 in Amsterdam), but also a bit dark in it's storyline.  It wasn't at all believeable, though the write ups discussed how this was a long awaited film from Harvey Weinstein.  That in fact, it took 17 years to come to the screen.  First it was released in Germany from what I read in 2017.  The right up portrayed how this was a historic event and was expected to be much bigger than it was...........but, doing a bit more research I see The Smithsonian says the primary story about Tulip Fever is in fact NOT true.  If you watch it, I'll be interested in hearing if you liked it.  Not all reviews were bad.  This wasn't a series, it was a movie.  So, you can watch it without committing much to do so.

Have been trying to eat light (this was lunch) since my level of activity is soooo much less than normal with the broken foot.  Though this past week, I've not done as well as above.