A Little Yarn On The Side

Originally, we had planned to have no one over at all during the weekend and just rest/relax/work on hobbies.  I had been exercising quite a bit last week and my back was fairly sore, so it was a good plan--though, of course, like all good plans, it didn't really work out.  The friend we play music with the most was in town, so we ended up having him over for dinner and music Saturday, which meant much of Saturday was spent cleaning.  The house needed it, but a far cry from the original plan. We had a marvelous time, but it pushed my back over-the-edge, and the planned sewing became crafts-one-can-do-while-laying-on-a-heating pad.  So, I finished the latest color work ornament, and even got it stuffed and I think it is one of my favorites so far.  I think I've been over-stuffing these, so I tried a little less stuffing in this one and after a little poking and prodding, it's more of an actual sphere than most.  This is project 31 for the year, whic...

The mohair shawl is done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It's done!!!!!!!  And running through the house waving a big knitted shawl over my head doesn't, oddly enough, hurt my hip.....

Er...the edging.  For now, at least. It's still a peach fuzzy blob looking spectacularly like it did in this picture, but tonight I completed the very last repeat EVERRRRRRR and am now onto the 18 rows of edging.  I'm on row 3 and we're just not thinking about the upcoming grafting of mohair episode coming up........................

I am down to the last repeat on the mohair shawl, and it's possible I could even be on the border by now, but I just can't take any more fuzz!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Setting aside the wonderful idea of a big, 1100-yard monster lace project being finished, I just could face the mohair today.  So, in my moments available for crafting, I worked on the pillowcases, which, while sporting a wee bit of cat hair by now, are really mostly fuzz-free.  Because I found these in a bag a few years ago and don't actually remember when I bought them (two sets of them, by the way), there's a great feeling of satisfaction in working on these.  Stash is something one has and doesn't use, but when one does make things one has, one has just planned ahead.  Way, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay ahead..... In two weeks we are hosting a game night, and since we have been on SUCH a party-hosting hiatus, I decided to do a bit of decorating for this one, and today braved the glue gun for ...

Only 59 more rows--and a mohair grafting episode that is just NOT going to be pretty--and the peachy mohair abyss Lace Dream shawl will be done!!!!!!  In just under 2 years.  Hope no one has been scorched by the burning crafting speed over here..................

And it's Friday.  I'm hoping for a bit of crafting, but I'm braving Costco this morning, and it is HIGH GARDENING time here but without my ordinary strength or stamina, so I've made a goal to transfer 5 plants every day, so crafting will have to be after all of that.  The good news is, of course, that after all that, I'll need some crafting time to rest.  :)  Wednesday I walked down to our gym, lifted weights, then walked home--a little over a 3 mile walk.  Yesterday I walked for 3 1/2 miles.  Today I am taking it a bit easier as this is the first time I've managed two long walks in 2 days and the best way to take the fun right out of a new milestone is to spend the next 3 days in bed.  I'm getting my old energy level back but not always with the energy or strength to match.  Yesterday I would have napped all afternoon if I could take naps.  Instead, I finished the 15th rep on Lace Dream, though this is really the only way I am tracking ...

While I might be a bit distracted by spring and getting more active, the Lace Dream shawl   has been getting attention when I have time, and I have just over three 32-row repeats and a 40-row edging to finish and this baby is done!!!!!!!!!!!!  Oh, and grafting 115 stitches in mohair, but I'm trying not to think about that part.........

It's been a really busy week, so there has been little time for crafting and even less time for blogging, but I am taking today off and Theo and I are embroidering napkins:  though in all honesty, things go faster the less "help" I receive.  Still, we progress.  I had previously embroidered blue roses on a stack of purchased white napkins for us to use, but they wrinkle like crazy and a few now have stains.  These are not great napkins, but they are 100% polyester, will stand up to washing, and the designs make these reversible.  And, they're a finished project.  Nope, not getting at all desperate...... The pajamas did get finished, and I think I'm just a wee bit tired of flannel right now.  I have a few more embroidery projects in mind for the day, though my optimism while loading the embroidery card might be a bit excessive for one day of crafting.  Especially since, I found some poplin in the stash that will make a grea...

Not that it's normal by any stretch of the imagination, but we've had two days over 80 in the past week, and it's awfully hard to stay inside on days like that--even when I'm tired.  Theo still manages to find crafting time, though he seems a bit disgusted by my lack of dedication:   I have managed to finish the pajama pants, and  the top is getting sleeves today.  It's been a busy week.  I've been exercising a lot, we went to a party Saturday and hosted the New Recipe Dinner club on Sunday, and by yesterday my hip was worn out.  Part of the day was spent drugged and sleeping, but I did manage a little work on the pillowcase: which feels like it's moving along quickly as long as I don't think about the fact that there are TWO pillowcases in a set.  The big WIP-winner is:  the Lace Dream shawl.  There are 19 32-row pattern repeats for this shawl, and yesterday I completed one entire set, leaving me with only 6 left to finis...

As of today, I haven't bought yarn in 18 months!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I wish I could say there was a noticeable difference, but during those 18 months I've only used up 41 balls of yarn, but at least they didn't get replaced.  That's the big thing.  All that progress could have easily been wiped out with only one rather moderate purchase.  Scary! April finished sort of weakly, but I still ended with: 17 yards of fabric used 637 yards of yarn used 2 balls of yarn used 7 projects finished And........(drum roll please)..........yesterday I tried the breast stroke at the gym and I am not sore today!!!!!  Several months ago, I was told I probably wouldn't be able to do it, but I talked with the physical therapist last week and she gave me permission to try this month--no more than two laps--to see how I did.  I waited until this week because we went to see "Wicked" with my mother on Sunday and I wanted to be mobile for that, so yesterday was the big day....