Week 32 of 2026

This week I finished knitting a little scarf -

The pattern is Leaf Fall by Nicola Diggins.

 I knit it with handspun yarn, a merino/silk blend that I dyed before spinning. I had used the yarn for another scarf years ago and never wore it, so I took it apart to use the yarn again.

It was quite curled before blocking.

After blocking it lays flat.

It was an easy, fun knit, and the pattern was very clear.

Today was the end of the second part of Tour de Fleece (Tour de Fleece Femmes), and I finished spinning the sock yarn I started in the first part of TdF, and I spun some more wool on the Indianhead spinner this week.

Photos from Around -

Molly runs around the pool with a ball in her mouth every time we go swimming (she has worn quite the path!). She gets so excited when we get our swimsuits out. When she was a puppy, and we swam in the pond, she ran around that too (she doesn't like to go in water, and is not a swimmer).

This piece of rebar in the garden makes a good scratching spot for Miss Maggie.

GingerSnap! discovered that he can catch sparrows that zip through the little door in the chicken coop (he has startled a hen or two also, but doesn't bother them).

There are lots of Black Swallowtail caterpillars in the garden (as well as some chrysalises).

A Tiger Swallowtail butterfly visited the garden yesterday.

Dust bath time for some of the chickens.

We harvested some honey this week.

All the best!♥︎

Week 31 of 2026

This week I sewed a skirt -

It matches the top I made last week. This is some fabric I was given too, maybe a linen or a linen blend.

It is a Lutterloh pattern - #94 from supplement 341/Summer 2026.

I did add pockets (it has to have pockets!).

Photos from Around -

Curious chickens coming to visit.

The friendliest chicken, Greta, disappeared in June. We don't know what happened to her and it still breaks my heart.

Miss Maggie keeping an eye on some chickens (she doesn't like to get too close).

GingerSnap! found a cool spot in the shade on a very hot day.

All the best!♥︎

Week 30 of 2026

This week I made a few things -

I sewed a woven t-shirt with some fabric I was given (maybe a viscose linen blend).

I modified the Sydney Designer Dress by Style Arc pattern for the top. It is the top, bodice/sleeves section elongated to make a t-shirt. I added an elastic at the bottom, along with a little "tie" on the side. I have made this top a couple of times before, and find it nice to wear.

Finished weaving some tea towels. I had put a simple, bright warp on the loom for the summer - the easiest kind of weaving for summer time.

Tour de Fleece wrapped up today (Tour de Fleece Femmes is the first week in August, so I will spin more then). I spun every day for three weeks and this is the results - enough for a sweater (grey skeins) and a pair of socks (red skein), as well as the start of more sock yarn. Also the first skein spun on the Indian Head wheel - I wanted to see if the yarn would be useable as a single (not plied), and I think it will be (it is the brown skein).

Photos from Around -

Molly happy to go for a walk.

My gardening companion GingerSnap!.

Miss Maggie joined us on a walk.

We have had just the right amount of rain so far this summer, and the gardens are doing so well.

My son took some drone photos for me.

The front of the house.

Perennial beds in the back yard - the Lillies are in full bloom.

Vegetable garden.

The roof is doing well, and with all the storms recently we are glad that we replaced it in the spring.

All the best!♥︎

Week 29 of 2026

This week I finished sewing a few sports bras (lets be honest - lounging around the house bras) -

A couple for myself and one for my Mom.

It is from the same Lutterloh pattern I made in May (link to that post). 

Lutterloh supplement #338, pattern #37.

For Tour de Fleece this week I started spinning some sock yarn (these are the first two bobbins of what will be three).

Photos from Around - 

Some pets.

The bees swarmed at the beginning of the week, but we managed to catch them.

All the best!♥︎

Week 28 of 2026

Tour de Fleece (an annual spinning event) started this week (this is usually when I do most of my spinning for the year) -

This week I finished spinning fibre that I washed, combed, blended and spun a bit last year. The majority of the fibre is local wool in natural white and brown, along with some Angora and cashmere, as well as bits of dyed handspun and sparkle blended in for interest. I have another finished skein from last year, and it should be enough for a sweater (almost 500g total).

I was recently given an Indian head flyer and bobbin. We found an inexpensive treadle base, and used a salvaged piece of wood for the table top, to complete the spinning wheel (just in time for Tour de Fleece).

It has been a fun challenge to learn to spin on it. I am spinning some fibre that a friend in Australia gave me when I first learned to spin (she recently passed away and this is a nice reminder of her).

An Indian head spinner (also called Cowichan or Salish spinning wheel) is used to create bulky yarn, which is new for me.

Photos from Around -

Nap time

Hi

All the best!♥︎

Week 27 of 2026

Did a few little sewing projects this week -

This little table runner is made from hexagons that I have been hand sewing for a while (an English Paper Piecing project).

It is about 10" x 31".

It is for the top of an old curio cabinet in my sewing room (not much is visible).

This is a kicker toy for the cats (really GingerSnap! is the one that likes to kick).

The pattern is from the Bernina website (link to tutorial). I used a clean chip bag for the "crinkle", stuffed it with wool waste, from cleaning and combing a fleece for spinning, and some catnip.

They don't tend to play with toys in the summer, I guess since they spend so much time outside, but this should be good for them in the winter.

Photos from Around - 

We had so much rain at the beginning of the week.

By the end of the week the garden was almost dry.

So far this has been the summer of ticks! I have never seen so many - I have definitely got over my fear of them. Some days I find more than I have ever had all my previous years combined.

The pets all have preventative medicine.

Molly is trying to get out of the rain under a tree.

We are hoping the chickens are eating lots of ticks when they are out and about.

Here are a couple enjoying the sunshine.

All the best!♥︎