Sunday, May 7, 2023
April...drought...brings new projects!
We need rain! It has been so long since we've had a good drenching rain here, which is not at all normal for this time of year for Missouri. We have 275 gal IBC totes to collect rain water, and they have barely been half-full since we hooked them up in February. It only takes an inch or two of rain to fill them, so we are really hurting for some moisture around here. A lot of my "free" time has been tending to the plants that we've been trying to start, planning the garden for this summer, planting perennials, weeding, and watering what we've already got. I love perennials! I love watching them burst through the soil, seeing the first signs of life for the year. Many plants (like creeping phlox) appear dead during the winter but just when I think it's not going to come back, every inch of it turns green, and then lilac with the beautiful flowers that last for a couple of weeks. It is truly magnificent to see it in full bloom.
Even though I've been very busy with the garden, I have managed to find time to complete some projects. I've got a pair of socks that are just about off the needles that I'll showcase next time, but I've got some fun neck jewelry for this month!
I finally finished my silk woven cowl! I've had this on the loom for a couple of months and watched a friend finish two projects in the time it took me to weave one, but I'm very pleased with how it turned out. I hem-stitched it on the loom on both ends, as well as zig-zag stitching with my sewing machine. Then I cut off the fringe, folded it over twice to bury the ends, and sewed both ends together. I don't love how that turned out, but until I get my sewing machine out again, it'll stay like that. I love that I can double it over, and the silk lays really nicely and it's not too bulky.
Next up is this gorgeous shawl that has been sitting in a bag for over two years. I had over 50 ends to weave in because of all the color changes, but it was so worth it! I LOVE these colors together!! The pattern was so much fun to knit, I enjoyed all the different sections. It was like knitting a sampler. The pattern is The Knights Who Say Knit on Ravelry and it was a mystery knit-a-long (MKAL). At the time, I was participating in 4 KAL's, and I really enjoyed each of them. I still have one shawl that needs ends woven and blocked, and the other is a little gnome that isn't quite finished yet. Those will hopefully be done by the end of May. The other KAL was a sweater, and it's going to be the last to be finished.
My little L'aig was trying to finger-knit a scarf over a long weekend using Bernat Blanket Alize. He does a row here and there, but isn't committed to it yet. I bought yarn for all 3 boys but he's the only one that seems interested so far.
My new knitting bestie, Sharon, is so crafty! She taught me how to sew these super-cute flat-bottomed drawstring bags, so I bought fabric for all the kids and my family for Christmas. She also taught me to use my needle-punch to finish this kit I bought myself for my birthday last year. I enjoy the craft, although I think I still need some practice. It's fun and a great way to use up scrap yarns! I helped her figure out how to warp her loom, so we are happy to share with each other.
Here are March's and April's homeless sets and potholder/dishcloths gift sets. Since we were gone at the beginning of March, this was practically all I worked on from the time we got home until mid-April. I was so ready to do anything else after 4 weeks of these things! I got to work on my socks that I mentioned and finish a couple of other WIP's at the end of April and I was thrilled before starting on May's sets. I'm about 3/4 of the way finished with May's Christmas gifts.
This was another WIP I started on the cruise and finished in April. I used yarn I bought in Colorado Springs and crocheted this beautiful reversible cowl. It's very warm and a little stiff. I love how the colors look together.
Last, but not least, is this adorable little purple guy my son bought on vacation. He asked me to finish it within a couple of days after arriving home, but it's amigurumi, and it hurt my hands. I was finally able to finish it about a month later, once I figured out how to do the finishing. I don't mind making all the tiny pieces, it's the sewing and finishing that either makes or breaks a cute stuffie. I think this one turned out pretty precious.
So that's been the last month and change! Hopefully next month I'll have a pair of socks, a shawl, a gnome, and maybe even a blocked cardigan to showcase. I don't really know what I'm going to be knitting in May, but I would like to warp my loom with some worsted acrylic, and making some very soft scarves with Homespun yarn. I need to re-sew my woven cowl and start cutting out bags for Christmas. We have a trip at the end of June, so I'll be starting another "vacation" project then, so I might just work on one of my blankets for May. Not that I want to be covered in wool all summer, but those are the next big things I need to complete to work through all my WIP's this year. I do have a colorwork scarf I can knit if I get tired of that, as well as a sock monkey and some other stuffie ideas. I might even make another stegosaurus in a bigger yarn for each of the big boys. I also bought supplies to make my own lye soap, cheesemaking, drop-spindle spinning, and natural dying. I need to try my hand at those before my busy fall kicks in. We'll see how I feel after this heat wave!
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