December Catch-Up

I finished making a few things recently -

This is the Night Shift by Andrea Mowry. Made from handspun targhee wool.

This was my knitting when we took a road trip down south this past month (lots more photos later in the post).

This is a Sophie Scarf by Petite Knit. Made from some of first handspun from years ago - I can't remember what it is but I know the fibre is from SweetGeorgia Yarns.

I finished weaving some more tea towels, from 8/2 cotton. The pattern is Ozark Quilter's Towels from the March/April 2018 issue of Handwoven magazine.

I cross stitched a few different pin cushions as a break from my big three year cross stitch project. These are all stuffed with crushed walnut shells (lizard litter from the pet store). The patterns are from BlackBird Designs, The Scarlet House, and With Thy Needle and Thread. Stitched on 37 and 40 count linen that I dyed, with floss that I also dyed (stitched one thread over two).

As I mentioned earlier we took a road trip down south (as a nice break from the cold) so lots of photos to share-

Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona

Sedona, Arizona

Hoover Dam, Nevada/Arizona

Montezuma Castle National Monument, Arizona

Shattuck Windmill Museum and Park, Oklahoma

Wichita, Kansas

Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium, Omaha, Nebraska.

I believe that was a female gorilla because she just walked around picking up all the pieces of paper.

We visited with family in Arizona and they have the cutest dog!

While there I saw a road runner for the first time, and there was a coyote too!!

Came home to cold temperatures and snow. So pretty!

All the best!♥︎

Year of Handspun Socks

I recently completed my challenge of dyeing the fibre, spinning the yarn, and knitting twelve pairs of socks in 2022 -

I learned a lot, tried new things, stepped out of my box, and had lots of fun.

I am really happy with the results, and have socks to last me a while.

More details can be found on my Ravelry page for the project.

I finished a couple of weaving projects (more tea towels - my favourite to weave)-

Both of these projects were stash busters. The above are made with cotton,

and these are with cottolin.

I used up all kinds of leftover yarn from different projects.

I have a long term cross stitch project on the go and recently joined up the border vine -

It is so nice when the ends join up!

The pattern is All Creatures Great and Small by Barbara Ana Designs.

My son and husband made a box (for the cat's bed)-

They used some old pine shelves from our last house, and a laser cutter to add the design.

The design is a free one from The Graphics Fairy.

Photos from Around-

Sunrise.

Another sunrise. This one with sundogs after a storm.

The curious one - Maggie comes out to inspect anything that goes on the floor.

Molly was so happy to have snow again - she loves to push her ball in the snow and then search for it.

All the best!♥︎

Catch Up

Canning season is finally wrapping up (just a few more things to make), so time for a catch up!

I finished a couple of pairs of socks-

#10 for 12 pairs of hanspun socks in 2022,

and #11. Both 2x2 ribbed socks.

My son made me a pair of sock blockers out of a piece of acrylic and the laser cutter.

I made a new pair of slippers - the pattern is the Wayfarer Shoes from Twig and Tale. Genius pattern, easy to sew (all the seams are enclosed), and really nice to wear. I made mine out of an old wool skirt that I felted, the lining is a bit of leftover quilting cotton, the sole is some moose hide with a some thick wool from an old coat for the lining. I did a bit of embroidery on the toe before sewing everything together. I have a few more pairs planned. My friend Raewyn makes the small version for her grandchildren and they are so cute!

I also made a charcuterie board for my Mom (she asked for one).

This is from a leftover thin piece of Russian Olive from when my son and I made a bench a couple of years ago. He used the laser cutter for the apple design in the corner.

I helped to roof the garage last month and loved the view of the gardens (the big cement square is the old cistern for the house water, now it collects rain water). Everything did so well this summer - we had enough rain and heat.

We had a great harvest from the vegetable garden!

We have never grown such big onions (the biggest were from seeds I had started in the house last March).

The Swiss chard was beautiful all summer (the freezer is full for winter smoothies).

Lots of produce was canned! Those shelves are 2 feet deep, and they are full - mainly tomato, and apple based products. I tried a few new things this year (caramelized onions, antipasto, apple ketchup...) that I was really happy with. For about 2 months something was canned or frozen just about every day (the freezer is full of different types of zucchini cakes). It is a lot of work, but so nice to have home made products all winter. I am sure that we eat something from the garden every day of the year (nice to remember when we are snowed in with -40 temperatures in the middle of January).

It will be nice to have time for other things now.

Photos from Around - 

That time of the year for stubble burning.

Lovely fall colours.

We went for a drive and saw this interesting old building/grain elevator(?) nearby.

A blog post isn't complete without pet pictures!

All the best!♥︎

Tour de Fleece Results and More

Tour de Fleece was last month and these are my results -

I spun everyday for 24 days. 

I spun 784g of fibre and ended up with 2,506m of yarn

I am currently knitting a Nightshift with some of the yarn.

I recently finished #9 of 12 handspun socks for the year.

I also finished knitting another Easy (my 4th - love these).

Photos from Around - 

The garden is doing well - canning and freezing season is well under way.

Honey is also flowing- we are up to 27 litres of honey so far and expecting one more harvest before settling the bees in for the winter.

Morning walk.

Fresh vegetables from the garden always impress me with their beauty.

Miss Maggie has her favourite spot (can you see the 'J' on her belly - I think she was destined to be my first pet).

She comes for walks - panting away in the heat.

She doesn't take any nonsense from her best friend.

She also didn't like when this little one came.

After watching our security camera footage we saw that a lady had shaken this little cutie from a box into the ditch along the highway behind our house. I had seen a car slowly drive up, turn around, and stop, then speed off. I assumed that they were lost and checking the map. When this one caused such a commotion for our pets I checked the camera (it has a better vantage point).

He was only slightly harmed by Miss Maggie, the dog is gentler - found him and laid down beside him until we came. He has since been taken to a shelter (cost me $100 - shelters are overrun after the pandemic), and he has been adopted. I hope life is better for him now. 

I already look after one cat that someone dropped off, and can't take them all in.

I don't know the people's circumstances, but I still can't believe they thought leaving this little cutie to fend for itself was the only option.

Miss Molly running in the tall grass yesterday morning.

All the best!♥︎