Category: Unraveled Wednesday / Knit & Read

Crochet! · Quilting · Unraveled Wednesday / Knit & Read

Unraveled Wednesday

Vicki6 Comments

I’m joining Kat & the Unravelers for Unraveled Wednesday!

I had my 6-week check-in with my doctor on Monday and new x-rays of my titanium & ceramic hip! I had a few concerns — last week was rough in a few different ways & for a few different reasons (some self-inflicted… over-exertion anyone?) — but everything is normal/resolving. I’m still recovering & getting used to this huge physical change! And everything is so much better overall. I stand straight & walk with so much more ease. My “graduation” appointment is in another six weeks! I also had PT on Monday, and we’ve added just a few more sessions into September, and then I’ll be finished with that. Monday was an “assessment day,” and really great to see how much improvement has been made since the last.

So… the Unraveled part of the program. I haven’t knit a stitch in six weeks, but there’s a Farfalle Cardigan calling to me! Since I knit in the Shetland/Supported Needle style, most often using the crook of my hip to hold the right-hand needle (as opposed to a knitting sheath or knitting belt — though I have & have used both), the main hold up is physical as I can’t yet cross my legs! A few more weeks…

CROCHET:

So crocheting continues.

Thirty-nine! At least 40 since the photo was taken. They measure about 4.25″ square right now (unblocked) & it will soon be time to really do some calculations. I’m still working through some small leftovers but have pulled out reinforcements.

QUILTING:

In another testament to overall recovery & improvement, I spent quite a bit of time over my long weekend doing some cleaning/cleaning out/organizing — including in The Little Working Museum (aka, my workroom/office/studio), and that was with the goal of getting back to work on my quilt.

Those voids are where I fussy-cut the pansies from this “Big Blooms” fabric for some of the sampler squares. I cut up the rest yesterday to make the “goose” rectangles (along with some other prints) and then started to cut the “sky” squares. They’ll get sewn together & trimmed to make a large border of “flying geese.”

It’s going to be a crazy one — and I hope it works! These are the “sky” fabrics — there’s a lot of cutting to do.

I’m happy to be back at it. And I hope my quilt mathing is correct.

READING:

Continuing to read the Letters of a Woman Homesteader by Elinore Pruitt Stewart, and enjoying it quite a lot! I’ve also started listening to Brandi Carlile’s memoir, Broken Horses, which I’ve had on my radar for quite a while… and now her concert is on the horizon!

Crochet! · Unraveled Wednesday / Knit & Read

Unraveled Wednesday: Granny-ing

Vicki13 Comments

I’m joining Kat & the Unravelers for Unraveled Wednesday!

But first… this little nugget popped up in the family chat last night:

You can’t make this stuff up!!

CROCHET:

I’ve continued using up my Felted Tweed leftovers to make granny squares. Turns out, I’m not doing double crochets, as I thought, and they’re not half double crochets, either — they’re something in between. I relied on memory and, given that my crochet prowess is quite limited, I should have gone for a refresher. By the time I realized that there was an error, I was quite a few squares in. They’re fine, they look like granny squares, they’re not going to fall apart, they’re maybe a little smaller than they “should” be…

It’s now an “exclusive” design… and that’s how it’s gonna be!

There’s a growing stack of squares on my side table. I knocked out at least one more since I took that photo yesterday, so I’m up to 33.

I’m still not quite sure what they’re going to be, though a garment is what I’ve had in mind all along — a vest or a cardigan. JETHRO — or a riff thereof — is a strong contender, especially since we’ve been watching a lot of NCIS: Origins (IYKYK).

READING:

I’ve had Letters of a Woman Homesteader by Elinore Pruitt Stewart on my nightstand for a while and picked it up last night. I actually slept all night in my own bed last night for the first time in over a month (not sure if that’s permanent yet), so it was right at hand. On the couch, I’ve been making my way through the few copies of Quiltfolk that I have, the articles are informative but concise and there are lots of photos. The nighttime “reading” light at the couch isn’t that great, so it was a better choice than the dense text of a book.

Unraveled Wednesday / Knit & Read

Unraveled Wednesday

Vicki7 Comments

I’m jumping back in, joining Kat & the Unravelers for Unraveled Wednesday!

I haven’t done any knitting in weeks, except for the “knitting together” of tissue & bone that constitutes healing from hip replacement surgery! It’s been both easier & harder than imagined… it’s my first major surgery of any kind, so all new territory.

The quick & dirty facts on that:

  • July 7th: Surgery & home the same day
  • July 9th: First PT (whoa)
  • July 13th: Second PT – kicked the walker to the curb
  • July 15th: Third PT
  • July 17th: Fourth PT (seems like so many more)
  • July 20th: Has it only been two weeks?? And also feels like six months?? Follow-up w/surgeon – dressing removed, incision looks good (even though it feels really weird). I’m a “fast healer” & ahead of schedule on all fronts (YAY)!

I have PT scheduled out through August, and I’m cleared to start slowly easing back to work. I can drive as soon as I’m finished with the narcotics (I only have three left & only take one an hour before PT… so that means early next week). I can navigate a flight of stairs (carefully), and have wheeled the grocery cart around the store a few times — one can only take so many turns around the house, y’know?

I’m still sleeping on the couch (upgrade from the recliner), using the “ice machine” all night w/only occasional ice during the day as needed. I think I’ll be finished with that soon, and then I’ll try sleeping in bed again (my back is starting a little revolt against the couch). I’ve been pretty diligent about PT exercises at home + walking (with a cane, though I’ve been known to misplace it… so doing OK, I guess).

CROCHET:

As established, there’s been no knitting… there’s been not much of anything until just the past few days. It seems easier to wield a hook & work on something small, so after days of thinking about doing it, I finally pulled out a crochet hook & all my Felted Tweed — just the leftovers for now — to make some granny squares.

This was the start… it wasn’t quite the size I’m after for the project that this might become. It’s a very loose plan at the moment… barely even “a plan,” really.

So, I made it bigger, then made a second, and a third is underway. I’m pulling random yarn balls from a basket & depositing them into another when finished, so there aren’t any repeat colors (yet). They’re all from either the Temp Blanket project, or from the Brandon Mably workshop that I did in Nashville last fall.

READING:

I read a couple of books! I’d finished John of John just before surgery, then didn’t read much for a couple of days, but I had The Giver of Stars handy. Ali had given me the book at Christmas, and it seemed like it might be the perfect “recovery read.” And it was!

I’m woefully behind on blog reading, but hope to start catching up soon!! I miss you!

Quilting · Unraveled Wednesday / Knit & Read

Unraveled Wednesday: Summer Launch

Vicki7 Comments

I had a wonderfully long weekend with just the right amount of busy-ness, socializing, and rest.

A woman and two young girls lying in bed, smiling and posing for a selfie among pillows.

Taking a quick nap w/the girls… though I’m the only one who actually napped.

The weather was pretty great, too.

Close-up of a s'more featuring a broken piece of Hershey's chocolate and graham crackers, with a blurred background.

Ann, Brian & Addie came up for a quick visit Sunday-Monday, Ali & fam were in/out a few times, we made some yummy food, and had fun making s’mores.

I’m joining Kat & the Unravelers for Unraveled Wednesday!

KNITTING:

I’m closing in on the back of Farfalle!

A knitted fabric in brown with colorful geometric patterns, laid out on a table.

I’m continuing the motif all the way up the back, though the designer has that stopping at some point and continuing with just the mosaic garter stitch. I have plenty of the Noro yarn… and I like how it looks. Two fronts shall soon(-ish) commence!

READING:

John of John for as long as I can keep my eyes open every night. I think I’m also going to start listening to it.

QUILTING:

I found some clear stacking drawer units & spent some time folding & organizing my fabric stash. I really need to see things, so this works for me!

Stacked clear storage boxes containing various colorful fabric pieces organized by pattern and color.
A clear storage container filled with neatly folded pieces of colorful fabric, displaying various patterns including polka dots, stripes, and floral designs.

The two drawers on top are all fat quarters, with just a few fat eighths & a couple of larger cuts. The middle drawer (with all the dots lined up on the left) is all Kaffe Fassett/Collective, and the top drawer is everything else I’ve collected over the years. There’s an old Craftsy kit occupying the bottom drawer right now (including a jelly roll & a thread collection), but that will likely find another spot as I think all my larger cuts of fabric (mostly Kaffe) will get folded & stored in there. I’m trying to make some room for actual sewing!!

I got together last night with The Tuesday Quilters — everyone in last winter’s sampler class has been itching to get together & work on a new project! I know, I know… there’s still a long way to go on my original project, but I’m really glad I went! One of the women in the group was 2.5 weeks out from hip replacement & doing great — using a cane, off of the hard drugs & even driving. It really made me feel good to see that.

We chose a project, will meet once a month instead of weekly (so it’ll be a little less hectic), and we’ll learn a few new things (hello, curves & strip piecing). Though I love & am tempted by all the colorful fabrics in that middle drawer, I think I might swing the other way for the new project… all those black & white fabrics, perhaps with a bit of red. And I’ll probably stick to “throw” size rather than going off the deep end again. haha.

Unraveled Wednesday / Knit & Read

Unraveled Wednesday: Snail’s Pace

Vicki8 Comments

I’m joining Kat & the Unravelers for Unraveled Wednesday!

KNITTING:

There’s been a lot going on around here, y’know? A bathroom remodel, birthdays, a couple weeks of dog sitting, “longer” days… sometimes (quite often, actually) we don’t sit down for supper until 8! So, I’ve been knitting, but it’s slow…

A partially knitted project on a white table, featuring a maroon background with colorful patterns resembling plants or flowers. There are two yarn balls, one maroon and one multi-colored, beside the knitting.

I didn’t measure, but I’d say I’m a bit past half-way on the back of my Farfalle Cardigan . That big Noro egg is deflating but I don’t think I’ll be cracking the second until I’m working the fronts — there’ll likely be quite a bit left over.

A cozy chair adorned with a colorful, knitted blanket featuring square patterns, accompanied by a textured purple throw. In the foreground, a partially completed knitting project is displayed with yarn and tools.

I don’t knit in the Garden Room very often — Knitting HQ is at my chair in the living room — but it’s a great spot for photos (and morning coffee/meetings/chats/word games).

QUILTING

I’ve looked at it a few times, gathered fabric, played around in Excel with border ideas. So far, the borders seem to compete too much with the blocks. I’ve considered adding more blocks instead to get the desired size, but I feel that would throw things off in a way that I don’t think I could live with, so I’m back to the borders & trying to simplify! Wish me luck.

READING:

Last night, I finished The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey. It took a month, but it’s a well known fact that I read at a snail’s pace… haha.

I was delighted to learn this morning that my copy of John of John is on its way!! That’ll be up next, and I cannot wait.