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.