Knitting Socks...and Wearing Them Out

I knit my first pair of socks five or six years ago.

Today this pair wore out. They were probably the third pair I made--and my only all violet pair.  I'll have to check my stash for more violet yarn.

I think this was one of two pair I made with Tofutsies yarn.  I do have more skeins of Tofutsies, but, clearly, I'm going to have to reinforce the toes next time.  Wondering what other knitters use to reinforce toes [and heels?].

If I hadn't just placed an order with Knit Picks,  I'd be sorely tempted to order even more  yarn.

I don't know if it's worth the effort to try to re-knit these toes with left over yarn.

Undoubtedly, part of the reason these wore out so quickly was because when I first began knitting socks, I knew nothing about negative ease.

Ah, well.

Happy quiltmaking...and knitting...and merry making....

On the Needles--and Shocking Weather

My cobalt blue scarf went from this ...

to this....

It became clear that it was just too wide--and it looked like I might run out of yarn, so I ripped it out, cast on half as many stitches, and started over.

I've also done some test swatches from some knitting worsted that, hopefully, will become my own legwarmers.  Haven't decided on a pattern yet.  (I added just a few stitches to the sweater that will not be done by Christmas.)


The news here, as in much of the rest of the country, has been the weather.  (I do realize I sound like an old farmer.)

Last week I picked up this new shovel.  Pricey, perhaps, but oh, my, does it ever take the work out of shovelling.

I also had to pick up new boots--so these must be in honor of my dad and grandpa too.  Great tread, warmer than the ones they wore, and, best of all, there's no manure in sight!

 The clerk who sold me the shovel warned me that snow can get very heavy and that it's a big shovel.  I assured him that I can choose how much snow to put it in at once.  Yesterday I shoveled my driveway and that of a couple of neighbor ladies--several times.  There is no way I could have done that without an ergonomic shovel--and I love the double handles.

I watched the temperature plummet last night--it was 0.9 F when I went to bed; it was -9 when I went out to shovel and warm the car this morning.  I went a little over ten miles, called work, and came back home.  Later today I learned that the overnight low was -17%.  I don't much like it when our little town sets records--or, in this case, has the lowest a.m. temperature in the state.  The trade-off was that the trees were gorgeous--and it appears it was all hoar frost rather than ice--but I didn't take any pictures.--Too preoccupied with not freezing and with staying safe.  How long 'til spring?

I'm going to try to link to Judy L's On the Needles linky for this week.

Happy quiltmaking,...

Baking Fruit Pies

When I was a kid growing up on the farm, near El Paso, Illinois [not TX], it often fell to me to make the pies.

 In fact, it's safe to say that in our family, we ate more pies than cakes.  Without a doubt my grandfather and dad preferred pie to just about any other dessert, with the possible exception of ice cream.

I remember making pies several times years ago and then not bothering to do that very often because the crust, which I always considered the most work, was returned to me with just the filling eaten.  I've made a few pumpkin pies since then, but that's about it.  And frankly, as long as there were little kids in the house, I usually just baked the pumpkin custard and skipped the crust!

Sweet Teen came home a couple of weeks ago and announced that the FFA alumni were having a pie auction as  a fundraiser to benefit a local family that has experienced recent tragedy, and as an officer in the high school FFA chapter, she needed to bake a pie.  So we baked two.

We peeled lots and lots of Granny Smith apples, and the pie at the top is Sweet Teen's very first apple pie [with streusel topping].  It brought $50 at auction.

 This is the one that I expected to bring more.  It's an apple cranberry pie with an almond or hazelnut streusel topping (sorry, I've forgotten which we used).  You can see that she also made this crust a lot prettier.  It only brought it $35.  Of course, that's a lot more than any pie I've ever made!

With the leftover apples and cranberries, I made a little artisan pie and baked it in the DeMarle "hat." (I did try to secure a link to the DeMarle at Home catalog page, but was totally frustrated by trying to get it for you.  Probably something about their website not playing nicely with my browser.)  I did learn that you can buy DeMarle at Home from amazon.com--but you don't want to do that because you'll have to pay a lot more than getting the products from a representative.  (Joining the DeMarle at Home family of representatives is something I plan to do when my life changes somewhat--a great way to meet people, socialize, provide a needed product and service in a fun way, and even make some money!)

I'm thinking I'll be making more little pies since a full size pie in our current household is likely to end up in the garbage before the last piece makes it to our stomachs--not because we don't like it, but because a full size pie is just too big for us to eat in a timely manner.

(I'm thinking I probably bought that pretty red serving plate because it looked like a piece of fabric--because it certainly doesn't go with anything in our house--although it makes the pie look even more delicious.)

Happy quiltmaking....it would be a good idea to use a treadle to burn off a few of those pie calories!  Of course, I well working treadle takes almost no energy.

Goin' Dotty?...

These are among the many things I want to be working on.....a collections of dots and stripes begun for Sweet Teen a year or two ago (I really don't remember) with some new dotty fat quarters recently added.

Other than that, I have a whole bunch of projects I'd like to be working on--but the main project right now is getting more evaluations and diagnoses, or at least more accurate ones, for my injury.  March 8, 2012 is etched in my brain--even if I have a hard time hanging on to a few other little things!

This week included an MRI of my brain, which turned out to be a horrible experience leaving me in tears because of the sensory overload--as well as a whole lot more testing at more facilities. (Yesterday's excursion began at 7:00 a.m. and ended about 8:30 p.m.  In the course of the day I was assisted by and received loving gifts of care from a precious group of friends who got me where I needed to be when I needed to be there.) I'm thrilled that today I have only one evaluation--although it will involve, as do most, a round trip of over 60 miles!  At least it's just one appointment!

I so want to get in some quiltmaking time today--if for no other reason than that I've learned to spend quiltmaking time praying for the recipients, and in the praying, I, too, am blessed.

Happy quiltmaking, all!

Quilt Work in Progress

 Strips cut.

Just a teeny bit of the center stitched.

Sweet Teen sat down and made a list of as many behaviors as she can think of that have changed since I was kicked in the head.  Among many other things, she says I have a hard time staying focused and that I do things much more slowly.  Yes, I've noticed those, but I guess those behaviors are much more intense than I realized.  For years I've had to advocate for greater patience, more strategies, more time to complete tasks, and sometimes just waiting until the next day with general ed teachers who just don't understand the realities of traumatic brain injuries and how they can limit the productivity of students with TBI.  Now despite all that, I have to admit that my understanding was very limited too.  First hand experience is something we don't want, but I have to admit that it's certainly a growth experience. (And my injury is much less severe than those many of my students have had!)

Okay, now to get at least a little bit done before heading to the city.....
Although first I'm going to link to some other blogs so you can easily go see other people who are making more progress than I...

Esther's WIPs on Wednesdays
Connie at Quilting by the River
Lee's WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced


Do visit some of the very interesting blogs in their Linky Parties and leave comments for the quiltmakers.  I've found some absolutely wonderful, little known blogs that way.


Happy quiltmaking......

Home to Roost

This quilt has come back home.

 It's "Mrs. Lebo's Kitchen II" and was made in 2009 from one of the first charm packs I ever purchased. Below are photos that show a little bit of the quilting close up.

When I was injured at work a couple of weeks ago, my assistant reminded me to go home and lie under my prayer quilt.  She says she still uses the one she received, even when she is stressed and immediately feels the prayers and love that went into it. She was surprised to learn I didn't have one.  However, in all the years I've been working on prayer quilts, I've had no need for one.

When I went to the cupboard to get a dedicated quilt, this one was still available.  Now I have to say that there have been several times over the past couple of years when I have needed to give a prayer quilt to someone, and this one was not there.  We do encourage our pastor and others giving quilts to take several and let the person choose since at a time when illness or injury changes a life, it seems important to give people a chance to choose.  In any case, when I needed a quilt, this one was available, so it has come home to "roost."  I should say that the injuries I received led the orthopedist to put me on some restrictions for work, but those restrictions  had to do with weight limits.  It was the school principal who refused to allow me to work.  Sadly, I feel that decision translates to "not combat ready," and I really don't think that should be a requirement for teaching.  In the nearly 40 years I've been teaching, I've had only three to five students who were as dangerous as one we're dealing with now, and in all those previous situations the administration took action to keep us safe.

A couple of weeks ago our church had another commissioning service for new quilts.  When we do this, they are placed on the communion railing at the front of the church....

 and this time there were so many that they were also hung on the sound booth at the back of the sanctuary.

During the blessing the people of the church lay hands on the quilts as we pray.  I used to see numerous quilts that I'd worked on.  Now that we've had new sewers join the ministry (we started with just four of us, one of whom had never made quilts and is now expert), there are a lot more quilts from more people.

Below is the altar cloth several of us worked on.  This quilted cloth will be used each time we have a quilt dedication service. I thought I had some closeups of the quilting, but didn't find them.

So, while I'm not allowed to work, I hope to be accomplishing a lot of quilting since quilting and praying provide respite from the excess stress.

Happy quilting, all.....