Progress On the Needles

Another couple of inches on the Meadow Flowers shawl

 A few stitches on the pink, white, and beige socks.

 And some sock yarn purchases.

Yes, I also purchased the bag they are sitting on.  It's some kind of crafting bag--but I bought it because I can use it when I need to haul around the school computer.

The drive home from work today was as hard as the drive in some of our snowstorms--but it was all liquid and vapor---lots of running liquid in the streets of Albuquerque, much less on this side of the  mountains.  (Of course, that's the case because the growing stuff out here could really use some moisture since it's been a horribly dry winter.  Actually, this is the second year of our very severe drought!)  Anyway, I'm skipping Knit-Night and just hunkering down.  I'm officially on spring break--despite the fact that it is officially not yet spring!  I'm hoping I accomplish lots!

I'm going to share this post on Judy's What's On the Needles?   
If you visit her linky party, you can see what some other knitters are making.
 


Happy quiltmaking.....and some happy knitting too,

On the Needles This Week

 The lovely shawl that reminds me of meadow flowers--and which I wish I had finished months ago...

 The socks from Mary's gifted painted yarn--yes, I wish these were finished too....

 And the moss pattern large scarf inspired by Connie over at Day at a Time....  I'm using sock yarn (Knit Picks 100% Peruvian Highland Wool), and am thinking I'd better order some more.  I cast on 120 stitches on size 7 or 8 needles (would have to check to be sure), but I could have gotten along fine with 100 stitches.  I was aiming for about 20 inches in width, but this is going to turn out wider--not a problem because of the style of coat I'm making it for.

Knit-Tea Night tonight at Mountainside UMC.

I'm linking to What's On the Needles at Judy's blog.

Happy quiltmaking, knitting, and whatever else you get to do today......

Quilting....Ooooops!

 Southwestern Sunrise, Sunset Quilt....
Ooops....and this is after I had already started frog stitching!

 This big fold was actually stitched in by several rows of cross hatching.
Time for a nice cup of green tea....

and more ripping...

I like to use those pretty Asian-style toothpicks to un-pick stitches.
Lots of unpicking, hopeful that I could work in the fullness.
Right now the quilt is on the ironing board having been steamed and smoothed less than successfully. I've sprayed this area and am hoping more fullness is taken up as it dries.  I was very careful when I basted so I have no idea how this much extra fullness accumulated in this section of the quilt, so I'm welcoming tips.

Karen Marchetti, one of my quilting heroes, recently showed a fold that happened in one of her quilts.  (She's a prize-winning long arm quilter based in Florida.) She did a fantastic job of fixing her four-inch fold.  I hope I can do as well fixing my six-inch fold, but I'm not sure.  (Of course, this may be why she is a successful, prize winning quilter on a long arm, and I'm just a busy mom quilting on an antique treadle machine!)

School is very busy, and I'm very tired by the time I get home, and I'm getting so little quilting done that the lack of progress makes me sad.--Of course, I could have gotten more done if I hadn't had to sit in Manzano Medical Clinic waiting almost 2.5 hours on Thursday for a ten minute appointment with the physiatrist!!!!! [A physiatrist is a rehab specialist.]  He says he can see that I'm still making progress in my brain healing [from the student assault last March], but when I'm struggling to remember names, feeling dizzy and/or nauseated, and longing for a good night's sleep minus the horrendous nightmares, I fail to see a lot of the progress he notes, so I certainly hope he can say the same when I see him again in two months.  I am very, very grateful that the headaches are so much less severe (since we never found a medication that dulled them).  Of course, I'm also very, very grateful that I'm now working at a wonderful, nurturing school that eliminates half my commuting time too!

Also, our Friday Knit-Tea Nights have begun and are a wonderful way to let down the stress of the work week and to fellowship with others.
I'm also missing reading blogs and commenting and posting my own blogs. I manage to squeeze in bits of times to read, even less for commenting (and confess I often just give up on commenting if I I have to go through that whole squiggly letters & illegible numbers verification process). If it takes longer to verify a short comment than to write the comment, it doesn't seem worth it.  If those of you who read my blog ever see that verification stuff appear on my blog for posts less than two weeks old, please let me know. (Sometimes blogger changes things without warning.)

Happy quiltmaking,.....