Family Heirlooms Tell Stories

Another family heirloom I couldn't part with.  Once again, like the Mader Doily, I wish I knew for certain who in the family made this and how old it is.  I don't have any memories of being with a relative and seeing them stitching beyond my Mother and I know she didn't make this, or the Mader Doily.  

It's pretty, 2 shades of blue, which I hope shows up against my gray comforter.  I don't have blue in my house, so it really doesn't go with anything, but I remember blue china, whose?  Unknown.  Once upon a time, Mom said she was going to put stickers on the back of the family china pieces with names, but sadly she never did.  There were 2 or 3 of these plates around the large living room bay window.  Dishes from several generations ago.  Some were decorative pieces and some were what was left from someone's china set.

Thought I had a picture looking at the bay window, but this is all I could find.  You can see how large the window is with shelves all around.  This is after we purged for the house staging.  But these blue dishes were on one of the shelves.  Looked great with the blue wall behind it. Would so love to know the stories of whom and where for the dishes, the doily, and cross stitch table cloth.

Haven't started a new series, now that I'm done with McLeod's Daughters, but did watch this movie the other night.

It was a good "chick" flick, and perfect for a night when I was here solo, as hubby was out of town on business.  Did you watch it?  Did you like it?  I did not read the book it references...50 Shades of, not my cup of tea, I'm sure.

One of the boutiques I was able to make from the large bunches of flowers my Darling Daughter sent me for Mothers Day.   I love the white and green!!  The light from the window didn't make for the best picture.  I have a boutique on the mantle in the living room, and a smaller one in the bedroom on my dresser.  Truly gorgeous.  AND my Darling Daughter flew in Sat night to spend Mothers Day with me.  She made a fantastic brunch for me.  Was a very short visit, but still very precious.  Thank you!  Love her to pieces.

Making progress, but had hoped to have this shawl finished by now.  It's grown 2 more pattern repeats which is 2 more points, thus 20 rows.  Probably 3 more to go.  Looks like I may be able to get at least one more section where the dark gray/black yarn will appear, which I like.  I like the contrast.

Cute idea for someone you want to gift yarn to.  Though I'm not sure how you keep the second tier of yarn attached.  Thoughts????

McLeod's Daughters, Knitting, and Alex Ryan

The shawl/scarf grows!  Once again this looks more blue than gray in the photo, but it's not blue.  I do like the many hues of gray, something I think will go with almost anything in someone's wardrobe.  My friend wears lots of white blouses so I think this will be quite pretty with a white dressy blouse.  I'm currently at 20 points.  The pattern says you might get 25 points, so not much left...5 more repeats and each repeat is 10 rows.  I got 24 points when I made my pink green one

I really like this pattern, and have several others that are similar in shape etc.  This pattern does it's increases with kfb (knit front back), and many of the other patterns do yo (yarn overs), or something with a backward purl and slipping?  Trying to decide if I will make the next one using this same pattern or try one of the other patterns out.  Thoughts?  One is the Hitchiker, a pattern some of you may be familiar with.  My next one will be Buckeye Colors.

Or perhaps I should say a dressed up version of Buckeye Colors.  This is basically sock yarn it says with the needle suggestion of a 4.  The previous yarn needle suggestion was a 6, but the pattern calls for an 8 which worked out well, so am debating whether to continue with an 8 for this or scale down a bit.  My other debate is a bit less  yardage, but the lady at the yarn shop said I really didn't need to buy a 2nd skein for the pattern.  Soooooooo, when they don't talk you into buying more...just saying it should work, I didn't buy a 2nd skein.  Thoughts???

Alex Ryan (Aaron Jeffery), and Claire McLeod (Lisa Chappell) has such chemistry on the show McLeod's Daughters it felt real.  He was my favorite character on the show, and he was the one who almost made the duration.  The series ran for 8 years!  That's huge for a series.  It first aired in 2001 and had 224 episodes.  WOW.  There were lots of characters that did several seasons, but Alex...was there almost throughout.  

Alex Ryan and Tess Silverman (Bridie Carter)

Alex Ryan and Stevie Hall (Simmone Jade MacKinnon) had pretty strong chemistry also, but maybe a little less than he did with Claire, though Stevie was on the show longer and might be my 2nd most favorite character.

Look at that smile, and those arm muscles ladies!  Wowzer.  

 And Alex Ryan and Regan....Regan (Zoe Naylor) who also appeared on the series, McLeods Daughters for several seasons are married in real life!  

So, if you like cowboys, horses, pretty scenery, life on the farm/ranch, like to hear Australian accents, like good looking men like Alex Ryan (though my favorite, there were plenty of others), good on you, mate.  Watch the series, all 8 years worth on Amazon Prime.  Don't stuff it up, like I almost did and stop watching.  Though I think the show will appeal more to women than men, don't be a nob...men could get into it too.

AND.....Alex and Regan weren't the only real life couple on the show.  For awhile Jodi Fountain McLeod and Marcus Turner (Rachael Carpani and Matt Passmore) were an item.

In search of what series to watch next...any recommendations for folks who liked McLeod's Daughters? 

More Knitting and Family Heirlooms

 As you can see, making good headway on my latest shawl.  However, in the picture it looks like shades of blue, when in fact it's shades of gray and even when I tried to edit the picture, couldn't get the color right.  Why does that happen?  As I look back at the previous post where this was barely started, it also looked more blue than gray.  I've not had to rip out and start over as I did when I made the pink-green one, so am pleased it's going much quicker.  I really love the shape of the shawl and plan to make several more, so stay tuned.  Just about half way in this picture, though took it two days ago, so am further along.

 What to keep and what to part with?  This clock is not in working order, and I don't know how costly it would be to fix it.  I also don't know how long it's been since it did work.  I wonder if anyone in the family knows.  We're getting down to the wire for a tag sale at my Dad's place.  On one hand I feel like we should keep things, but then our already over full house would end up like my Dad's....too full of stuff to get rid of.  This clock apparently belonged to my Great Grandmother and Great Grandfather.  I think perhaps it was a wedding present; but ...maybe it will bring a good price at the tag sale?  It's something my folks have had for a long time, but I don't think they got it from Granny, I think one of her daughters had it for years, then my folks.  I don't know for certain.  But, you just can't keep everything, or all you would be doing is moving stuff from one house to another, compounding the quantity of stuff.

How does one take a picture without getting a reflection when glass is involved?  You saw this family doily in the previous post, but now I have if framed in a shadow box.  I hope my older brother likes it.  Think it will look nice on his mantel.  This might have been made by Granny (owner of above clock?), or one of her daughters, Great Aunt Irene who I know did some other stitch work.  Sure wish we knew whom.

Family Heirlooms, Knitting and Crocheting and Selling a Family Home

This antique filet crochet doily is a family piece.  I don't know who made it, or how old it is; as I've never seen it before.  When the brothers and I were cleaning out and organizing my Dad's house to prepare it for sale, we found this in a badly broken old frame.  If you click to enlarge the picture, you can see the stains.........both of age, and on the two edges that were touching the frame.  Believe it absorbed the stain from the frame.  I examined it carefully and could see no signs of instability and so decided I would chance washing it.  I washed in cold water, in light detergent in a laundry bag for fine linens to protect it.  It's now dried and looks more clean, but the stain is still present...just better.  I plan to find an appropriate sized shadow box frame for it.  The old frame isn't repairable and wasn't the right size to begin with, which is how the edges were all matted against the frame and some of the filet wasn't actually visible in the old frame.  What a find!  Just wish I had seen this before, when I could have asked my mother, or grandmother, or one of my great aunts who made it, where it came from, who's house it had belonged to.  Such a shame to have family pieces without knowing the story.

Finished my shawl!  Just need to weave in the ends.  Really wanted another section of the pretty green, but wasn't sure I had enough yarn left to continue the next repeat.  Each repeat was 10 rows, and at the end of the 10 rows you bind off 4 to give you the pointed edge.  I ended up with 24 points, pattern indicated you might get 25 from the cake of yarn.  Love the points edge...very pretty, and the scooped edge that will be the neck edge (you can see it if you click to enlarge picture...it's the top edge where you do the increases with kfb.  The right edge is the edge you bind off.  Debating whether or not I should try to crochet a little edge there...or whether it would look weird, even if I do have enough yarn to do that..........love your thoughts gang.

And so, I've started another one.  This one won't be as colorful...black, gray and white.  So far it's hard to see any shading in the colors.  If you remember, I had to rip out the pink and green one when I was close to half way through, and lost some yarn in the process.  Since, I now know the pattern that shouldn't happen, and presumably I should be able to get the 25 points?  Time will tell.  This one is for a friend who requested the black, gray and white.  

Coffee Latte is continuing to grow.  Am working on the dark brown section now that you see at the bottom of the picture.  Completed 2 more sections since the last picture and it now measures 38 (before blocking) inches in depth.  The previous large dark brown section is the middle point of the afghan.

Some of  you know I've been blogging less due to being super busy dealing with my Dad being in an assisted living center...and working on his house to prepare for sale.  This is his house, fingers and toes crossed...we have a contract.  Just waiting on the inspection now.  Will be a huge relief to get this taken care of.

Knitting and Yoga

Spotted this the other day on Facebook and thought it was too funny not to share.  I especially like downward facing cake, lol.  I'm not really even a big lover of cake, prefer pie...but it made me laugh.

Making headway with my shawl............the 2nd time through.  I was farther along than the previous picture shows when I realized I had a major error, I wasn't able to fix it, so totally un-knitted it and started over.  Currently I have 18 scallops for the edge, pattern says they will be about 25 when finished.  Wasn't happy about having to totally rip it out and start over; but I didn't put a marker for the right side in, which got my count off...my own fault.  The 2nd time I put the marker in.  Lesson learned.  LOL.  What I can't visualize is how my long un-scalloped edge is going to shape up.  Seems too long to only get 7 more scallops in..........time will tell I guess.

Haven't worked on this drop stitch lace shawl in awhile, but hope to in the next couple of days.  

Coffee Latte is now over half way.  The current section of variegated starts the 2nd half (at the top of the photo), with the dark brown section being the middle.

This is a series hubby and I are watching.  It's an interesting view of Atlantic City back in the day with crime bosses and Capone and I love the clothes of the period.

Been out of town a bit, and very busy with Dad at the Assisted Living Center, and preparing his house for sale.  Thus, the being behind with blogging.

Knitting a Shawl for Me, Myself, and I

Northern Lights Spiral Shawl.  Are you all shocked!!!  I’m working on something that’s not an afghan for a change...and it’s actually something for myself, not my charity, Bridge and Beyond.  I’m having fun with the colors changing on a whim.  Size 8 needles, and simply garter stitches with increases each row alternating between increasing at the front of the row vs the end of the row, a 10 row repeat and at the end of the 10th row you bind off 4.  Found it odd the pattern didn’t suggest what length to use.  I’ve purchased a long set while here, 47 inches and hope it’s going to be be long enough.

Been away from blogging a bit with working on things for my Dad and or his house, as we prepare it for sell.

Short. Post today, hope you’re all doing well.