Monthly Archives: January 2014

2014
01/15

Category:
quilts

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PRETTY IN PINK

P1000523 53 pink quilt best

“Pretty in Pink” is a pattern I tested for the Quilt Pattern Magazine, which is an on-line magazine.   It is a great quilt for learning to miter and  I love the way it turned out.   It is 53.5″ square and yes, it does have the artist’s signature.

I loved putting the signature on with the embroidery machine because one would have to destroy the binding to get it off.   However there are permanent markers one could use.   I would suggest that you test the one you would use before using it.   And when you test, be sure to wash the piece as well to know that it won’t ruin the quilt later.

P1000522 pink quilt labeled

2014
01/14

Category:
Life

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Patience Builder

Today my plan was to do some embroidery.   I may yet, but in the meantime, I had a lesson in patience.    It went this way:   Yesterday, my keyboard had several letters that would not type, noticeable the “h” and “k.   Now the “k” I might be able to get around, but do you realize how many words have an “h”.    So I popped some of the letters off the board to remove an incredible amount of dust and possibly food crumbs, put the keys back on and I was in business for the rest of yesterday.     Today, however, the keyboard refused to give me several of the letters I wanted.    So I gave up trying to fix it and went to Office Depot.  By now, I have used up the morning.

I brought the dogs into the house as they are real escape artist – at least until we can get the pasture fence repaired.   Then I went to the store, bought the new keyboard and came home.   Unfortunately, dogs had been let out of the house and Lacey zoomed out of the gate right behind my coming in.   So I retrieved her and went to plug in my new keyboard.   Guess what!    The “h” didn’t work.   Back to the store and had them check it.   It worked just fine for them.    Home again, I used a different USB port and YEAH!

P1000532 new keyboard

2014
01/13

Category:
Life
Shopping

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Fiber Feeding

P1000517  feed

A good deal of time can be spent acquiring good food so that the fiber coming off the animals has quality.    We use organically grown feeds when our pasture is not adequate which is about 4.5  months of the year.   Our pasture starts returning in March.

Half of this feed is for chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys (no, I don’t use them for fiber, but hey, they are excellent at bug control.  And did you know that ducks are also great at worm control. The alpacas goat and sheep get the other half.   Then Sunday I’ll get the feed for the angora rabbits.

2014
01/13

Category:
Life

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GREAT PYRS

The Pyrenees love to be combed and compete for the attention.    This time of year, the combings give rough and thin hair,  so I don’t save them.  The undercoat in the spring is wonderfully soft.   My plan is to spin some of this past year’s fiber later this month.   I think I’ll spin it alone and then decide whether to ply with another fiber.

P1000526 dogs wanting groomP1000524 dog groom comb

2014
01/12

Category:
quilt labeling

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Labeling quilts and such

Here is the finished BQ Ocean quilt!

Sometimes I add just my name and date on the bindingP1000518 BQ ocean quilt completed

name with date embroidered before sewing binding on

name with date embroidered before sewing binding on

 

But if I know who will receive this quilt before the binding goes on, this is the label type that I use

P1000519 label on Bill's shakespear quilt

This went on my husband’s quilt

P1000520 bill's quilt

The “and such” is to make all of you who sometimes have to back track know that you are not alone.    After doing another 2″ on the socks, I pulled it all out to redo the part where I messed up when my mind was not fully engaged.

2014
01/09

Category:
Uncategorized

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BQ FINISHED

P1000511 finished fish BQ

I started this quilt for my mother-in-law a few years ago, but she passed before I got it quilted, so it went into a ufo pile where it lived until  just before Christmas, when I finally quilted it.  Then it went back to wait until now.  Today I squared it up and put the binding on.   It is finished! Tomorrow it will get washed and laid out to dry so the binding will be straight.

This is called the BQ pattern and I love it for large pieces that I don’t want to cut up.

Now I’ll go work on supper and then knit for awhile on the socks.

2014
01/08

Category:
Knitting

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New Year socks

P1000509 yarn for flecked socksI decided on “sock it to me” yarn, color:puzzle, by Elann Co.   It is a superwash wool with 25% nylon so they will be able to go through the regular laundry.   I really enjoy my all wool socks, but it is nice to have a few pair of these for around the farm.   I’m wearing out the first pairs I made about 10 years ago, so need to make 3 or 4 pair to replace them.

P1000508 denim white flecked sock toes

Here are the started socks.  I am working both socks at the same time on two needles.  That way, when I’m done, they are both the same size. and ready to be worn.

2014
01/07

Category:
Uncategorized

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Winter rain

I love winter rain because it is better than frozen.   I don’t have to break ice for the livestock, the bunnies can use their water bottles and my hands don’t freeze when caring for them.    The freezing days we do have give me  sympathy for the Midwest folks with all the low temperatures they are enduring..  The temperature here today was up to 45 and will stay in this area all week, with nighttime temps in the lowest 40s.   With livestock, rain often times equals mud, which is one of the reasons these sheep wear coats..

P1000507 muddy livestock at feeder

In the sewing room, I started  binding my BQ quilt and worked on my Celtic Solstice blocks, which in photos have not been pressed or trimmed.

P1000504 BH  Celtic solstice block 1P1000505 BH Celtic block 2

I think I learned the toe up cast on for the socks.   At least I was finally – after several attempts – able to get both socks on the needles and started.  Here is the pattern I’m workingP1000503 NY sock instructions

2014
01/06

Category:
Uncategorized

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A Challenging day

I started the day with my trusty seam ripper.  It seems that some days that little piece is overworked.

For more fun, this little lady, Lacey, is going out of heat and there is quite a commotion at times.

Lacey

Here is her friend, Beau. P1000485

 In addition to that, look at these boys.  How did they all get on the wrong side of the fence?

P1000500 alpacas in garden 2

I still don’t know.  However they spent the day chewing weeds in the garden.  I’m really glad the beds were covered with straw as they didn’t bother that and I still have beets and garlic out there plus the strawberries they ignored.   Days bring their challenges, but I love my mini farm and its tenants.   Challenges are designed to strengthen a person (or wear them down).

 I have much for which to be thankful.

2014
01/05

Category:
Uncategorized

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A BIT OF THIS AND THAT

Today is a beautiful sunny day, but froze last night,   which means bunnies need water dishes instead of bottles   The dogs must think spring is coming as we will be expecting Great Pyrenees pups in about 9 weeks.  It also means fence repair as they have been getting out of different pastures.

Happily for the last two days I’ve reached the 10,000 step mark on the fitbit and looks like I will again today.

As for the blogging,  this is a real process!.   One that has consumed to much of the last  days.   So for now, we’ll move on to projects.  Eventually you will find a button to see yarn in and yarn out as well as the same for fabric.  For now I’ll send you over to Judy’s blog where you can see what others are doing in those departments.  And soon I will put up a list of BOMS that I’m following, though it seems I get myself on overload there as well.

Fortunately the ufos are all in the quilt list.   January’s  goals are here.

Today I am working on Bonnie Hunter’s Celtic Solstice quilt top in a baby size.

I’m also trying to learn a cast on for toe up socks.

I’d love to hear how your are doing with your goals.  Are you working ufos,  leaning new techniques or ?