An Ozark Adventure

Yesterday was a lovely warm day in the high 50s, unusual for January, so we decided to do a little exploring at the new Capes Creek Conservation Area. The first thing of interest that we saw on our way was this house with a life size bull on top of it’s roof. Most unusual!

The next thing of interest was this partial skeleton of a cow floating at the creek’s edge. Scared Mandy, our little dog, to death. She crouched down low  and backed away.

Since it was already after noon  we walked to a gravel bar for a picnic. This is not the prettiest creek we’ve ever seen but it wasn’t bad. Apparently it’s more appealing to fishermen.

After lunch we hiked about two miles along the creeks edge though briars and brambles. We exited onto a gravel road and while walking back to the car we found jonquils blooming!! I have never, ever seen them bloom in January.

Finally, arriving back at the car to return home, my lovely little Toyota Prius wouldn’t start. Dead as a door nail.

Down low in a creek bed, we couldn’t get cell phone service but a kind fisherman who was ready to go home gave us a ride to the nearest town, 10 miles away, where I could call my roadside service. After waiting 45 minutes a tow truck arrived, took us back to the car, loaded it up, and carried it and us the 73 miles back home.

Our trusty mechanic has just now called to report that the little 12 volt battery is dead and needs to be replaced. Unfortunately, it’s a very small size, made only by Toyota, and very expensive. The $$$$$ are adding up. All that money I’m saving on gas is being spent on spare parts! So much for a quiet little picnic on a quiet little creek.

Challenge #7-Music “A Nightingale Sings”

The latest Uncommon Threads challenge was Music. While at our retreat last fall,I played with some “birdie” fabric and lacy stuff that Merrilee brought, then put it away. How serendipitous! I pulled it out and created my challenge from what she gave me.

The dots are beads and the blue wings are hand embroidered with metallic thread. A real nightingale is just another brown bird, but with such a beautiful name I think it should be more colorful! My free hand machine quilting is getting better but still not what I want it to be.

The title, “A Nightingale Sings” is from the title of the song, “A Nightingale Sings in Barkley Square.” You should hear Nat King Cole sing it. Oh my! You can view the rest of the groups’ work here.

83 Napkins

83 Napkins

Talk about serendipity!! Yesterday I was cleaning out the laundry/storage room and found a laundry basket full of 83 napkins bought years ago at estate sales and yard sales. Don’t ask me why I bought so many; I don’t remember! There were 84 to be exact, but a mouse had chewed one up. I decided to wash and iron them and store them in a better place. While they were in the washing machine I entertained myself by surfing the web and found Paula Kovarik’s blog where she has been free hand quilting napkins for pillow tops. Wow! There’s a thought and her’s are beautiful. Then while the napkins were in the dryer and I was still surfing, I foundSewCalGal doing a 2012 Free Motion Quilting Challenge. Another thought – I could use the stained or worn napkins for learning and “perfecting” my free motion quilting. It’s turned out that ironing 83 napkins was very meditative. I had lots of thoughts about what I might do with those napkins. Maybe some small art quilts or dye them. I’ve learned that no fabric is too precious to cut up. 2012 is going to be full of fun stuff!

Happy New Year 2012-Resolutions and Scrap Quilts

Happy New Year to everyone. May it be happy, healthy, and prosperous.

I’m terrible at keeping New Year’s resolutions but I can think I can do it this year. I’m trying to clean up my fabric stash and throw out what I’m sure I’ll never use. When I see some pieces I say to myself, “What was I thinking?” What you see here is only about 1/2 of the stash. The resolution is to make three large to large-ish scrap quilts.

 One  quilt will be from blocks given to me by my old quilt group in Florida, The Cover Lovers. One year we gave each other quilt blocks for Christmas. At the time none of them seemed to go together. Maybe they still don’t but my challenge is to make it happen. I have a couple of ideas but I’m open to any suggestions. Seeing the blocks in a photograph I can already see that some rearranging needs to be done.

The other two quilts will also be scrap quilts. One for a blue person and the other for a hot pink person. The blue has begun.

Merry Christmas 2011

May your Holidays be merry and bright.

Two New Books

Just found two new books on making “simple” garments. It remains to be seen just how simple, but the designs are intriguing. Looking forward to trying a few.

I Am Cute Dresses by Sato Watanabe – 25 Simple Designs To Sew

Simple Modern Sewing by Shufu To Seikatsu Sha – 8 Basic Patterns to Create 25 Favorite Garments

four-new-chairs

There are four new chairs residing around the dinning table

Here you can see more detail

And here’s the back:

Don’t they make you feel good? The chairs were bought at a flea market kind of store, I stripped them, then painted them red but they needed more. I met Ann Marie Rausch and when I saw her fanciful furniture I knew her painting was the answer. You can see more of her work here.

In the background of the top picture you see a basket. That was made by Chris Schwartz, a local artist who lives on the other side of the lake. Beads in the center and beaded handles. The pot on the left was made by Sheldon Carey who taught at University of Kansas back in the ’60s. I’ve managed to keep it intact for all these years. Yay for Art. I live in a happy house.

Heading South

We’re fortunate to be in the migratory path of many birds and the monarch butterflies. About a week ago we looked out the living room slider onto the lake and saw some thing huge and white floating in the lake. We grabbed the camera with the telephoto lens and jumped in the car. When we go to the bridge we could tell that it was Snow Geese. What you see in this picture represents only about a fourth of the total number.

The picture is a little out of focus ’cause the lens is heavy and I forgot to grab the tripod but you get the idea.

Then today the Canadian Geese were flying over head, wave after wave of them. It’s a spectacular sight.

And this group came right over the house. They make such beautiful formations.

Scraps of yarn

Isn’t this a beautiful basket? I bought it in Sweden in 1972. What’s in it?

Small balls of left over yarn. What does one do with little balls of left over yarn? I’ve collected quite a few.

One makes yoga socks. Of course.

Here’s another pair in progress. Both are knitted at the same time so they will match, if that’s important. They are so easy. No heels or toes.

Ugly foot. Nice Sock!

UpDate -  Pam asked for the directions for making Yoga Socks. Here is my version:

Size:  Average

Materials:  1 -  50g  ball of sock yarn, set #3 double point needles

Instructions:  Cast on 56 sts, divide between three needles and join in round.

     Work  10 rows of knit 2, purl 2, for cuff

     Next round – knit every row until work  measures 4 inches from beginning

     Next round – increase 8 sts evenly around (knit 7, inc. 1, to end of round) Total – 64 sts.

      Work 5 rounds in (K1, P1) ribbing.

Shape heel opening:  next round:  cast off 36 sts. Rib to end of round.

      Cast on 36 sts loosely, Rejoin in rnd and rib to end of round.

      Work 5 rnds in (K1, P1) ribbing.

       Next rnd:   Knit, decrease 8 sts evenly around. Total 56 sts.

        Work in knitting every round until work measures 2 1/2 inches from end of last ribbing.

         Work 10 rnds in (K1, P1) ribbing. Cast off in ribbing.

Airy Ghost

I read lots of poetry on the internet looking for a name for this dandelion-apron wall quilt. “Airy Ghost” is what I came up with. Not totally happy with that but it will have to do until something better comes along.

I keep saying that I’m not going to make any more apron quilts, but I just got another idea this afternoon. sigh.

Airy Ghost is hanging in the latest Uncommon Threads exhibit at Hammons Hall for the performing Arts in Springfield, MO.