WIP Wednesday May 31, 2023

 I'm currently working on a hat.

It's a mosaic pattern with little cables. It has been decades since I did anything in Mosaic stitch. It's fairly easy to do by itself, but throw in some cables and it's quite a bit more complicated. It took me awhile to understand how everything worked. I have to say, I'm luvin' it!

I have 2 finished projects all done. Just trying to find a convenient time to take the photos. The layette set is done, and oh my gosh, I love it. It's so cheerful! Can't wait for you to see it.

Last weekend we spent Sunday helping Dan get his yard and house in good order. As a family, everyone took on a chore both outside and inside to clean up because in a couple weeks is the Memorial Get Together for Sue. 

I took on the job of cleaning the two bathrooms because they were really bad. I mean, REALLY bad. I was, and still am, appalled how dirty the toilets were. It made me actually gag! Took most of the afternoon, but I got them squeaky clean. Everything looked brand new. Took me all the next day to recover. 

I've never mentioned I'm a professional at bathroom cleaning. When I was a kid my mom cleaned houses for people (Some wealthy and even a famous one or two). 

During the summer, when school was out, she took me with her. She taught me how to clean bathrooms and that was my part of the job. I also vacuumed. She paid me too, which provided money for yarn, and record albums from Tower Records.

Now there's a memory.

 

Tower Records was so awesome! I had to ride the Metro bus from Federal Way to downtown Seattle. I got off at Pike place. (Yes, near the famous market.) I would ride the Monorail from there to the Seattle center, where the famous Space Needle is. Then walk a couple blocks to the store. It was always worth the walk. Those were such wonderful excursions. I feel sorry for young people not being able to go to Tower Records.

Well, this has turned into a stream of consciousness. I think I will stop here.

I finished the last black back stitch on the bicycle project. I have a few spokes in shades of grey, and a couple cross stitches that I missed. All of the framing materials I ordered have finally arrived. Getting so close to being done.

Live long and prosper. \\//

Striped Coralroot

 On Saturday, the  20th, my daughter took our dog for a walk on the Parkarosa, which means she walked around our property on the trails my husband made a long time ago. She came home very excited. She'd found a new wildflower growing along the trail. We've walked that trail hundreds and hundreds of times, so we know when something new pops up. When spring starts, one of the first things we do is walk the trails looking for specific wildflowers. The first one we look for is Buttercups, because they're usually the first to bloom, sometime in late March to mid April.

Anyway, she was very excited and took pictures of it with her phone. Upon seeing these pictures, I got even more excited because it looked like an orchid, which are very rare on our property. We looked it up on Google and sure enough. It's an orchid! She then took me to where it was. Dang! One of them was actually in the middle of the trail. I've taken pictures.

This is a Striped Coralroot Orchid.

Definitely something we've not had before. Probably sprouted from a seed that dropped off an animal walking by, or maybe a bird flying over This is a close up of an individual flower.

Isn't it gorgeous? The flowers are very small. Maybe half an inch across. There were 5 plants total. 

You might notice the little yellow powder grains on it. That is pine pollen. The air is thick with it right now. Everything outside is covered in pollen. This happens every year, but it is especially thick this year.

We've had a couple weeks of record breaking heat. We're talking 80's and 90's! It's very unusual to be that hot in May. I admit I was enjoying the deck more than usual. Today, though, it is much cooler. Stayed in the mid to upper 50's. It felt good to cool off. It will be like this for the next few days. I'm hoping for a bit of rain to wash all the pollen off everything. So far, none is in the forecast.

That's all for today. Talk at ya later.

Live long and prosper. \\//

Ombre Hat For KnitWits

 I had finished the blanket for the layette and wanted to start something new right away, but wasn't quite ready to start the next layette set, so I dug in the patterns and decided to knit this hat.

Pattern: Quick Ombré Hat by Emily Dormier

Size: Child

Yarn: American Thread Company Dawn Sayelle (Discontinued)
Content: 100% Dupont Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Bluebell

Yarn: Unknown acrylic
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: White

Needles: Circular size 8

Started: April 26, 2023
Finished: April 29, 20223

Comments: This is a fun knit. It knits up very quickly and the stitch pattern is a lot easier than it looks. It would be a great pattern for a beginner in stranded knitting to make. I knit the child size, but it comes in sizes from infant to men's.

Here is the top.

And the other side.

I plan to make more of these for KnitWits. It's a free pattern on Ravelry, if you are interested.

Live long and prosper. \\//

Layette Set #58 For KnitWits

 First one for the year, 58th one total. Another layette set is done. It's actually been a year since the last set was made. Didn't seem like it was that long ago. Another gal in KnitWits made a whole bunch of layette sets last year, so we filled our order number rather quickly. I admit, I enjoyed being able to knit something else for KnitWits. Now it's back to layette sets.

Cardigan

Pattern: Super Natural Stripes by Fawn Pea

Size: 3-6 months

Yarn: Caron Knit and Crochet Yarn (Discontinued)

Content: 100% Dupont Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Baby Yellow

Yarn: American Thread Company Dawn Sayelle (Discontinued)
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Bluebell

Yarn: KnitPicks Mighty Stitch
Content: 80% Acrylic/20% Washable wool, worsted weight
Color: White

Needles: Circular size 8

Started: March 20, 2023

Finished: April 3, 20223

Comments: It's been awhile since I've knit this pattern. It's one of my favorites. I wanted to use a ducky button but I could not find one around here, so I settled for a plain blue one that was in the stash.

I like the combination of colors. A soft yellow looks so pretty with that blue.

Hat

Pattern: My own pattern.

Size: 3-6 months

Yarn: Caron Knit and Crochet Yarn (Discontinued)

Content: 100% Dupont Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Baby Yellow

Yarn: American Thread Company Dawn Sayelle (Discontinued)
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Bluebell

Yarn: KnitPicks Mighty Stitch
Content: 80% Acrylic/20% Washable wool, worsted weight
Color: White

Needles: Circular size 8

Started: April 4, 2023

Finished: April 11, 20223

Comments: Same old hat I usually make. Had to find my notes though cuz it had been so long since I've made it I couldn't remember how many to cast on.

Booties

Pattern: Seamless Garter Tassel Booties by Karen Strauss

Size: 3-6 months

Yarn: Caron Knit and Crochet Yarn (Discontinued)

Content: 100% Dupont Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Baby Yellow

Yarn: American Thread Company Dawn Sayelle (Discontinued)
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Bluebell

Yarn: KnitPicks Mighty Stitch
Content: 80% Acrylic/20% Washable wool, worsted weight
Color: White

Needles: Circular size 8

Started: April 14, 2023

Finished: April 20, 20223

Comments: I have been using this pattern for almost all my booties, except I've modified it every single time. This is the first time I've knit it exactly as written. Kind of cute with the little tassels!

Blanket

Pattern: The usual Shell stitch.
Size: 30 by 36 inches

Yarn: Big Twist from Joann's

Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Pale Yellow

Yarn: American Thread Company Dawn Sayelle (Discontinued)
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Bluebell

Yarn: KnitPicks Mighty Stitch
Content: 80% Acrylic/20% Washable wool, worsted weight
Color: White

Hook: Size G

Started: April 27, 2023

Finished: April 28, 20223

Comments: It took me awhile to realize what the ducks are wearing in this print. A towel and slippers is the answer, and they are holding a rubber ducky.

Well, the daughters birthday came and went last week and I don't have the bicycle project done. I ran into a problem with the back stitching. There is a fairly large amount of long straight lines, like for the spokes on the wheels, and along the edge of the frame, and I didn't know how to stitch them. The pattern says nothing, except to use 1 strand of black thread. I consulted with my fellow cross stitchers in one of the Facebook groups. I don't want to just do long stitches because they're too long. They need to be anchored in some way. I got several answers, but I'm going to try doing a long stitch and couching it every inch or so first to see how I like it.

I ordered a frame, mat, and backboard for framing but it hasn't come yet. Hasn't even shipped yet. Normally I get my orders from Framesbymail.com within just a few days so I'm wondering what is going on. I guess I'll have to email them.

Our weather the last few days has been INCREDIBLE! We've had sunshine, blue sky, and warm temperatures. Our snow is pretty much gone and the trees and bushes are budding out. It got up over 80F yesterday! I spent a good deal of time out on the deck the whole weekend. I knitted, and cross stitched, and read, and watched the newly arrived hummingbirds enjoying the food I put out for them. 

I recently got a new library card and I'm reading a novel by a couple of my favorite authors, W. Michael and Kathleen O'Neil Gear. The book is titled Lightning Shell. It's historical fiction, taking place during prehistoric time featuring ancient Native Americans in what is now the state of Louisiana. It's been an entertaining book so far. I'm enjoying it so much.

That's the news for now.

Live long and prosper. \\//