Knitting Continues on Cardiac Collage, Vote !!

I'm a bit delayed in posting the next stage of this knitted afghan, Cardiac Collage.  It's named (for those who may not have been to this blog before), Cardiac Collage, because I started it while sitting in the ER while my husband was having a cardiac event.  The first square made is the middle top.  You can see each square is different in what colors are used, how many colors were used, as well as how big each section is.  Truly no pattern...much like an unpredictable cardiac event.  Since this photograph was taken, the 9th and final square has been started.  As I'm working on it, am trying to decide what color I want to use to edge and join the squares with........AND whether I want to stitch them together, or crochet them together.  Leaning towards blue...the medium blue you see in the middle square bottom row closest to you.

Yesterday by way of my absentee ballot.  I like voting from home, where I'm not rushed, can double and triple check myself and look up issues and people on anything I'm not sure about.  Did you know?

• You might be able to track your vote? Through on line registration in your county.  I was able to see the date my absentee application was accepted, the date the ballot was mailed out, in a few days I should see the date my ballot was received, followed by the date my ballot was accepted
• PLEASE remember if you have any trouble when you try to vote with your name, being listed, address etc.  Ask for a provisional ballot.  They must be law give you one.  Don't leave without voting.
  
  I was surprised to learn this a few days ago.  Time is getting tight; but please check what the situation is where you live and vote.  It's important, even if not a Presidential Election.  Many people have sacrificed for us to have the privileged of voting.  Don't shirk your responsibility.

For my cross stitch friends.  This counted cross stitch was a Christmas gift for older brothers wife many many years ago.  Just came across a picture of it.  It's so appropriate for her, she loves kids, her's and others.

**Hey did you notice, I added a game for you in my right sidebar.  Try your hand at Sudoku

Cardiac Collage, Toilet Paper Advent Calendar and Christmas Quilt

Cardiac Collage is coming along.  I played with placement today, thus the delay in getting my post typed.  8 squares/rectangles done, 9th one started.  Need to think a bit more about color now, as I'm out of some of the colors, and am still wanting to spread the color.  There's so much give to the squares, I'm currently thinking 9 squares will do it by the time I get them edged and attached and then a border of somekind.

More ideas of what you can do with your toilet paper rolls.  I think the advent calendar idea is pretty cute.  You could paint each roll, or cover with paper (construction paper or wrapping paper), to make it less brown and dull.  Cut cardboard to fit the ends.  Glue one then fill with trinkets, gum,candy etc, attach the top so it can be easily removed.......I won't be doing this, have no little ones at home or grands...but I think a pretty cute idea.  What say you?

One of the Christmas Quilts I've made.  This one for my younger brother's wife.  She has a huge Christmas Village she puts up every year so thought this fabric was perfect.  I am not a "real" quilter..I mean I don't do special cuts or traditional designs or have a special machine etc.  I just find fabric I like, tear or cut pieces and stitch them together.  Then quilt by going around the designs.  She puts this quilt out every year.  I think Christmas is at her house this year...from memory anyway.

Cardiac Collage Afghan, Peruzzi Leather Purse, and Toilet Paper Rolls for Halloween

Cardiac Collage got a vacation while I was tarveling recently in Italy.  But, there is now the beginnings of the 7th square so it's coming a long.  Whether it will end up being a 9 square or 12 square ghan remains to be seen.  My current plan is to make 9...see how I like it and whether adding more to the existing squares or adding more squares is the way to go.  Since this is without a pattern....it truly evolves.  Once completed it will be donated through my charity, Bridge and Beyond to benefit the Homeless.

What's a trip without souvenirs?  Not sure I'm able to answer that question.  I'm a person who dislikes buying purses.  They either all look the same, are too big, too heavy, or too expensive...or don't have good pockets or something.  For years, I had stopped buying leather or pretend leather purses due to the weight on my shoulders and got "into" Vera Bradley's cloth purses.  But, while the prints are fun....they almost always clash with what you're wearing.  AND the particular style I liked they stopped making.  Florence, Italy is known for fine leather goods, hand crafted, durable, fashionable etc.  Guccio Gucci was a Florentine.  Even in antiquity, leather making was a big thing in Florence.  In part, because of the Arno River.  Tanning leather was a messy job, and a smelly job.  Lots of water was necessary in the process of doing the work and in cleaning up afterwards.  Peruzzi has been making fine leather goods in Florence since 1948.  I love this purse, it's not heavy on my shoulders, it's not large or small..a good inbetween size.  The strap is very adjustable to be a cross body or over the shoulder.  Italy has been the #1 country on my bucket list, so was pretty excited to travel there.  Been blogging about it with lots of pictures on my travel blog.  Traveling Suitcase.  Come travel virtually with me.

AND, yet another idea for you with re-using, re-purposing, and re-cycling your toilet paper rolls.  Just in time for Halloween.  Isn't this a cleaver idea!  Those of you with your children at home ought to get a kick out of this.

Recycling, Fire Starters and Your Lint

Hello Readers!  I've been away on a marvelous trip to Italy for a couple of weeks and so, haven't been blogging.  I'll be jumping back in, but do have some catch up around here to do.  Took me close to an hour earlier today to open and sort the mail.  Am always amazed how much mail you get...even if you've got bills set up for automatic payment and do things on line.  Once I got done with that, I had several inches of paper to put in the re-cycle bin.

The picture above is yet another idea of ways to recycle your paper toilet paper rolls.  You're suppose to collect your lint from the dryer, and stuff the lint into the roll (tightly).  One set of directions says to melt wax and pour in while the roll is standing up.  Wait for it to cool, and flip over and pour wax into the other side.  Again let it cool and store in a zip lock bag.  The gentleman who has video's out there telling you this, says they'll burn about 20 minutes...that's certainly enough time to get a fire going inside or out in your fireplace and or while camping.
**Also found a video from a woman who didn't add the wax (assume her's wouldn't burn as long).  She the wrap the rolls with newspaper (a way to recycle it as well), and using twistie's that she had plenty of wrap the two ends.

There's been no more knitting since the last post, so no new pictures to show you there.

Recently read this book on my Kindle while aboard the plane making my way to and from Italy.  Read part on the way over and finished on the way back.  Everytime I thought it would be a story of human triumph......Bothersome because it's a true story.  I can't decide if I liked it...I don't generally like things that are bothersome and unresolved.  I'm trying to decide if I'll read the 2nd book called Amelia's Destiny.

I'll be updating my travel blog soon with information, pictures etc from my recent two week trip to Italy.  Swing by for a visit, Traveling Suitcase

Cardiac Collage, Toilet Paper Rolls, and Island at War

Cardiac Collage a few days ago, when I thought I would get around to writing a post and didn't.  Bottom left square needed, as you can see a couple of inches on the top to fit and then the block above it needed ends tucked and some additional knitting on the outside edge.

Here it is more recently.  Took this photo last night before bed...and the colors are a tad off cause it wasn't very light in the room, and I tried to adjust in the photo software.  Bottom left block completed with the couple of inches it needed to fit.  And now you more clearly see how much is needed for the outside edge on the upper left square.  Plus I turned the top left square and think the colors are better that way to balance out the lights and darks.

Island at War, a very interesting series I highly recommend.  It touches on England's failure to recognize the importance of the geographic location of The Channel Island's leading up to War.  It deals with occupation by the enemy, The Germans on this small island community and how differently families copped.  It deals with the problems of being the occupying enemy.  What's the saying, all's fair in love and war.........maybe not in reality.

The Island was fictional in the series, called St. Gregory; but the stories are real, a combination of stories from Jersey and Guernsey Islands.  The filming took place largely on The Isle of Mann.

You may recognize the lady above as one of the primary characters from Downton Abbey...and Jammie from Outlander, though in a much smaller roll.

And here is a colorful idea for re-pursing toilet paper rolls.  Not sure how easy it is to cut the slices you need to turn a toilet paper roll into a lantern.  Not sure I think this is one of the better ideas, but I guess if you were decorating for a childs party it might be cute?  I think these are colorful, just not sure how easy it is to accomplish and whether it's worth the time to paint them, or cover with paper?  What do you all think?

Pasta, Poppers, Toilet Paper Roll, and Cardiac Collage

I love lite pasta dishes.  I love that you don't need lots of ingredients, and that you can do almost a one pan meal in about 15-20 minutes.  Onion, mushrooms sauteed, add fresh cut up tomatoes (these are homegrown from our neighborhood market), a handful or two of mix salad greens...lightly stir, add al dente pasta ( I like the very lite angle hair for summer).  Blend, add olive oil if it seems to dry (though usually the tomatoes provide enough liquid or almost enough.  Season with fresh grown pepper and Italian cheese of choose.  

Poppers.......another idea of what to do with your empty toilet paper rolls.  Aren't they pretty!  Fill them with candy, trinkets for youngsters.  I also think you could wrap some gifts this way. Jewelry for example would work...maybe not all jewelry, but rings, some necklaces and bracelets, pendants.  Some hair accessories would work also, ribbons, barrettes, pony tail clips.

Sorry the pictures are out of order.  Here's the meal on the plate from the stove top view you saw in the first photo.

 Cardiac Collage continues to grow, both in the number of colors used, as well as in the number of squares, and the size of the squares/rectangles.  Below picture is quite crooked.  Squares aren't perfect, but they're not as crooked as they look in the bottom picture.  The square pictured on the bottom is the largest.  I like size of it, and will probably add a edge here and there to others blocks to make them close to the same size.  The two most recent colors added are:

The blue and the brown seen in the last square.  Can add a bit of those colors to already existing squares, but don't want that to always be the colors on the edge so won't add it to all.  Will start another couple of blocks with those colors.  The peach color is retired, all out of that, and close with the darkest purple and one of the greens, so need to mix these blocks up to have colors throughout.

Cardiac College, The Great Train Robbery...Toilet Paper Rolls Again

Cardiac Collage is growing.  Got 6 blocks, or parts there-off done.  Managed to tuck some ends after this photo was taken.  Surely don't want to wait til the end have a ton of them to do at one time.  The arrangement above isn't what it will be, I can see there's no orange in the 2nd row, so need to mix that up a bit, and there's no dark dark purple in the 2nd row either.  It's good to take pictures along the way to see, study the color combinations and balance there-off.  

Didn't find just a picture or poster of the move, but did find this video.  This is a two part story.  Part One is the story from the criminals side of things.  How they planned it, who was involved and their mind set.  Part 2 is the Scotland Yard perspective and how ...one by one, they got them.  Some arrests were pretty quick, others took a while.  This is a true story, so found the whole thing fascinating.  This is one hubby chose, he's not watched any of the others I've posted.... He likes more action stuff so this worked from his perspective.  I highly recommend this.

More, what to do with your toilet paper rolls.  I didn't find this particularly interesting or creative...after all we can make yarn balls without using the toilet paper rolls, or we can wind into cakes if we have winders...but, one thought came to mind with this method.  You could slide these over a paper towel dispenser (at leas the type with a rod), and your yarn would unwind nicely while you knit or crochet?  Perhaps I'll give it a try.

LOl....well, just thought this humorous ditty worth a share. 

Afghans, Shawls, Toilet Paper Rolls and Ladies in Lavender...Oh MY!

Cardiac Collage is coming along, it's growing both in numbers of pieces and size of the pieces.  You can see some irregularity in shapes due to some slightly different texture with the various yarns...one problem when you use bits and pieces.  But, I think when things are pieces together and playing off each other...then it get's laundered and blocked, it will be alright.  I'm enjoying the pieces parts, the mish mosh look to it.  The irregularity to it, speaks to cardiac events. (participating in Slow Sunday Stitch, see blog badge in right side bar--yippee, haven't been able to participate for several weeks, and just realized, thought the link is correct and the badge is correct, I've been referring to it as Slow Stitch Sunday...oophs)

I mentioned in my last post (please scroll back if you missed it), things you can use toilet paper rolls for.  Mentioned that I had saved several pictures of things that seemed like a good idea to me....but, could only find one (the bird seed thing in the last post).  YIPPEE in a totally unrelated file I stumbled onto some of the other pictures I thought I'd saved.  And, this is one of them.  Depending on where you live, this isn't one you can do much with now...but come next Spring.  Now I didn't read the article about this idea, but think...once you start the seeds you could plant the whole roll? Vs having to to try and remove the seedlings?  Thoughts??

Been awhile since I've posted about another enjoyable British series or movie.  Since I've been able to be a bit more active, less sitting and icing...equates to less watch my ipad.  That, and I was out of town for two weeks.  I had started watching this several week prior and just now got back to it.  Finished watching it last night.  Sweet sweet movie.  Very enjoyable, but than what's not to like with both Judi Dench and Maggie Smith!  Highly recommend this.

For my cross stitching friends.  A gift I made long ago for a shower gift.  Long enough ago, pre-digital, so this is a scan of a an picture, thus the quality is lacking.

Headway, even if minimal with my drop stitch (elongated garter stitch) shawl.  You can see the two cakes of yarn are basically the same colors but different intensities or different levels of how vibrant the colors are.  I think it will be an interesting look.........at least I hope so, as the fiber was $$$$$.  It's super soft, fingering.  The lighter version is BAAH New York, (Island Sorbet) 400yards, (100% SW Merino) the darker version is Swanky Sock 378 yards (10% cashmere, 10% nylon and 80% superwash merino Magpie, a local in the Park City area from my understanding.  You can see the pattern beginning to show with small drops, than larger drops...light and dark.  You can also the dreaded needles I moan about in the last post, Loops and Threads.  See how the cord won't lay flat at all...

And more importantly look at the significant bump where the cords joins the needle.  Horrible things.  Happy to say it's knitted off those needles onto the wonderful ChiaoGoo.......what a difference.  No bump to work over and the cord does NOT coil.  Worth paying twice as much.  Note to self, that's a mistake you don't repeatl

Home Again with Yarn and Needles, Don't buy Cheap Needles!

Isn't this a cleaver idea?  Spotted this and some other ideas the other day for how to use/re-use toilet paper rolls.  I thought I'd saved about half of them, but when I went to look for them, they weren't in my files.  I tried doing this while out of town using my ipad...and always seem to have issues with stuff when I don't have my trusty computer.  It's simply rolled in peanut butter and then bird seed.  Tie it on a tree or slide it on a branch.  Birds don't need this right now, but come winter, might be nice.

This is a possible layout with blocks from my start with the Cardiac Collage AFghan.  You'll remember I started this sitting in the ER while hubby was having a Cardiac Event.  No real pattern....amounts of color and size vary.  I want it to be very sporadic looking.  I've got 2 other sections started, but they didn't make the picture....And, as time goes on this may not be the arrangement, but you get the idea.  The smaller squares (15.5 x 11.5 so far) were easier to tote on the plane on my recent vacation, as well as the sitting at the hospital.  Then I can put them together.

A wee start on a shawl with fingering weight yarn and size 4 needles.  I had the yarn with me, but didn't have the right size needles so bought some at Michaels....horrible things they are.  Loops and Threads.  They were cheap and the join from the needle to the cord is horrible.  I had to really coax the yarn/fiber across it with my finger nail.  Didn't get very far before I decided I really needed better needles.  This was my first attempt at elongated garter stitch (wrap and drop).  Hard to see in the picture but there are several rows of single wraps and drops and then 2 wraps and drops  to give it a light airy lacy feel and look.   Next picture will be after purchasing nicer needles and actually being able to knit comfortably.

Now home, and am once again working on Jeweled Lines, the last section so picture of completed ghan soon.

Added some notes about luggage and packing cubes on my travel blog, Traveling Suitcase, if you'd care to check it out.  Our trips was 2 weeks at Park City, Utah.  More to follow there.

Looking for Old Sweater Pattern,Knitting Cardiac Collage Afghan, Downloading Problems

 

Here's Cardiac Collage in it's early stages.  This was before adding other colors so things have grown quite a bit from this start.  But, this is the start from my hospital sitting, during a cardiac event my husband had.  Hopefully the next picture I will be able to show you more.  Having some ipad issues and so am using a shared computer and therefore not able to show you the new picture just yet.

This crochet sweater is one I made for my Mother YEARS ago.  I loved the pattern and wish I still had it.  It had great inset raglan sleeves and ribbed sweater bottom and sleeves.  The pattern was well written.  I don't know how I lost it, or I sorta think maybe I loaned it and never got it back.  It was made with sport yarn.  I've posted this once or twice through the years in hopes of someone recognizing the pattern.  I've searched antique patterns but haven't had any luck finding it.  From memory (almost 100% certain), the picture on the front of the pattern was a pretty mintish green or blue-green.  The pattern was I think a Leisure ARts Pattern.  One of those single leaflets that opened and had a pattern on the front and the back.

Not a great picture, used phone but was by a window so it's a bit light.  You can however see some progress with Cardiac Collage.  Since it was small it was/is portable and therefore has come to forefront.  I plan to make squares using up odds and ends and then piece them together.  The squares with have different numbers of colors, different amounts of shared colors.  Truly no symmetry to it.  Somehow, the lack of symmetry and predictable pattern seems fitting for cardiac collage (cardiac events are not at all symmetrical).

Haven't watched any good English TV of late, as hubby and I have been involved in other matters.  But, I do have a question for you.  Have tried to download movies and or tv series from my ipad using my Amazon Prime Membership so that I might watch something while on a couple of long plane rides.  I've googled and it appears I should be able to do that.  However, I do not see a download option.  Google tells me you can watch now, or download...any help on this would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks!

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.