Scarf, etc

 I did a pair of Marilee Rockley's earrings, from Tatting with Beads Jewelry. The pair from the cover. This time I used size 20 thread, Lizbeth, with kinda black beads. There's a hint of green in the size 6 beads.

Black is really hard to photograph well

 I also used some size 10 black crochet cotton to tat a new tab for my tote bag key ring. The tab, nylon strap, frayed to strings. It was holding on, but felt borderline.

 

I also went to a 3D printer and vacu-form workshop. Because of time and equipment constraints, we ended up using the premade forms, half-hearts. People could choose whether to make a heart candle or heart soap. I have a lot of candles so I decided to make soap. But I added so many flowers, I couldn't get the 2 halves together. Instead I have 2 half hearts.

I tried again to make a vinyl sticker of the drop spindle. But cheap vinyl was cheap. 

My pocket scarf is finished though, pattern by Loomahat. Mine is a little shorter, cause I'm a little shorter. I ran out of yarn as I was working on the 2nd pocket section. Luckily I had another skein (cause I looked for the 1st one and couldn't find more) that coordinates well enough that the 15 or so yards I used it not visibly clashing. 

 

Just in time for more cold weather. 2 weeks ago: snow. Last week: sunny and highs in the 70s. This morning, frost.

But we heard thunder on Thursday so we may get snow by March 9th. There's an old saw about thunder in winter means snow within 10 days. There's meteorological science to back it up. You get a thunderstorm in winter when a cold dry front hits a warm moist front. Then vice versa, can mean snow.

Back to Work

I went back to work on Monday. I took transit (bus). I was a little worried because they're only accepting 10 riders at a time. So far, the most people on 1 ride have been 5, including the driver.

I'm adjusting to wearing a mask most of the day and I now have a spare mask in a desk drawer, just in case.

I finished Tonya's fingerless mitts and almost finished Alisa's. It's a very quick pattern in bulky yarn. They're not fancy but warm and cute.

This discussion about knitting kind of baffles me. I can see about being a little unsure about yarn substitutions, especially when just starting out and reluctant to spend lots of money on supplies. I've had some bloopers when trying out yarns different than called for (see my dice bag nee sock), but I've also had some great success (see my sorbet shawl).

I got four letters (replies) in the mail this week. I've written responses to 2 of them and put 1 in the mail. I used some old note cards I found in the thrift shop. They're one-piece cardstock that fold over and closed with a matching seal/sticker.

I downloaded an app for my phone (I have a phone that can handle apps! Wow!) called Seek. It identifies plants, animals, and insects. You take a picture and it tries to get to species. Some plants have stalled at dicots. But I did spot an eastern cottontail and a muscadine vine. It's a little slow to process (no instant gratification, sadly) but I've been looking for something like this for years. Literally.

The Goulet pen I ordered is nice but I need to use it more to really get a feel for it.

But I did write a poem. I originally wrote the poem back in December but I like how I wrote this out in ink. The title is "I'm Not Poor" & I wrote it out on blank pages from a pocket calendar.

Students come back starting tomorrow. Hopefully, this week the plexiglass for over my counter will be installed. It's a measure of safety for me, as a barrier between me and visitors.

I pinned out the coronavirus doily and I think I'm ready to start round 5. I just need to load my shuttles. I think I'll use Elderberry Jam for the next round.

And in case it's not clear, BLACK LIVES MATTER
Support LGTBQ+
Close ICE
Defund police (leave them with the crime fighting, not social services, etc).

It's Cooler this Week

It's not cool; just cooler. And it finally stopped raining.

Went to see Mom. We had a nice lunch and then I had to rush home to try and beat the rain (I failed). I cannot seem to find a floor lamp for her. I did find some beige socks (she can't stand white socks with brown loafers) and some other things she wanted.

Sunday, CD and I ran errands. And we went to see  Guardians of the Galaxy, vol 2. It was entertaining. I don't think it passed the Bechdel test, but there was at least one conversation between two women, not involving a man in their lives.

 I delivered the bouquets I made for Kathy. She seemed to like them. Yay! I didn't tell her I included 21 instead of 20.

I  started another ice drop. It's going to be...colorful. I did work on the red linen thread bracelet but my hands really need to be dry for that.

CD's mom gave me a box of old tatting thread.

The power cord for my tablet that I use overnight isn't working very well. I'm lucky to get a few percent points of battery charges (like 14% to 18% is good). I think the part that actually plugs into the outlet is dead.

Here's the knit cat I made. I finished knitting an icord for the tail. I haven't attached it yet.

assorted photos

more coloring

Aftermath (Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival) - picture heavy

Autumn Breeze and I had our date night Tuesday and we decided what to do for our trip. She's been the recipient of some culls and purges recently so she wasn't looking for much. Still, it's a good idea to get an idea of trends, etc.

it's a caterpillar, very fuzzy

Thursday, the Deadlands GM revealed he thinks we're coming to the end of the game. He's not certain how many sessions, somewhere between 2 and 20. The question, what to play next? At this point, he's torn between Dresden Files and Blue Rose. Dresden Files is a Fate game and thanks to the Shadows of the Century game I ran, SR is familiar with it. Blue Rose is a new (to us) system, but it's romantic fantasy (think Mercedes Lackey or Diane Duane or Tamora Pearce).

coloring at lunch

Friday morning, I packed up my clothes, etc. I grabbed my sock loom and a skein of yarn, my Loom Knitting Primer, some tatting supplies, and some coloring pages (in case I had some time to do so). One of my friends called as I was packing and put me half hour behind. Autumn Breeze was running behind, too but we were on the road in a fairly timely manner.

We took secondary highways so it was a scenic trip. I was missing sleep so I took a nap part of the way. And I found out my yarn was the wrong size for the loom, so no knitting. The primer is really good though. Autumn Breeze had given me some red linen thread so I tatted a heart for her. She wants a bracelet from the same thread.

we stopped at a roadside produce store

Saturday, we had breakfast at the hotel and then off to the festival. I had my Ravelry pin but didn't see any names I recognized. It's a big festival after all.
This is where we parked on Saturday.

We were really close the drive/road farthest from the gate.

More scenes from the Festival

his shawl is FAB, he's working on the pattern

There were so many lovely handknits, hand crochets, and woven garments.

shorn alpaca

so cute

French bunnies

sheep!

He has horns

not sure of the breed, but cute

unshorn alpaca

Here are a few purchases; the dk yarn (wool/cotton blend) to use with my sock loom.We ended up spending most of Saturday (in the cold and wet) at the auction. She bought 4 looms, and this is one is with a 2-liter bottle for size comparison. Mom said she wanted to buy something for me, so I got this tunic.

On the way we saw this car. I think it's been in an accident.

And today, this arrived. Yay!

Month of Letters and other matters

Heh, found this and out of curiosity, filled it out. There is one that I shouldn't have on there, I only dipped into that state while traveling. There's a couple more I've been to but I don't remember so I didn't count them.

visited 22 states (44%)
Create your own visited map of The United States or Like this? try: Caerfai Chemical Simulation

Someone decided that February is a month of letters. Every postal day, mail something; a letter,  a card, a package. In February, there are 24 mailing days (no Sundays & 1 Federal Holiday). Some friends on a forum decided to have a list of people who wanted to receive (&/or send) letters. So far, I have written 5 letters to them and two letters to family. I have received one letter, a reply from my first one.

I still haven't set up my Etsy page. I'm stressing a little about my store policy and stuff like that. Plus, I want 2-3 really good pictures of my bracelets.

I finished a scarf and sent it off (part of a Pay It Forward challenge). The recipient likes it and said it's quite timely considering the current weather. I have 4 more things to make. One person wants a face scrub. I've been waiting until we've had colder weather to make & send it. I'll see if I can over night it. I may send the ingredients separately, for her to mix, to avoid expiration problems.

My sock is progressing. The heel looks good and I'm working on the ankle. I went ahead and took off the scrap thread used to start the toe. Thank you, tiny, sharp, Gingher scissors. That's the heel, there.

I don't have a picture (because it's not blocked) but I finished my tatted chicken. Here it is, close to finished.

And just because, here's a sky picture.

The timing chain on my car had slipped, although not broken, so I got it replaced last week. Yikes, that's expensive. I also got some other, needed, work done. Now it's showing signs of wanting a new battery. Greedy thing.

We played Pathfinder all weekend. We played one of those sanctioned modules on Saturday and it was hard. We had 2 paladins, an inquisitor and an oracle. Did you see arcane? Healer? Rogue? No? We went through some cure light wound wand charges. Lucky for one thing, we were dealing with fatigue but one of the paladins had the 'gets rid of fatigue' mercy so he dealt with it.

Our Sunday 3.5 got cancelled so we played Pathfinder instead. It ran a little late and we missed the 1st half of the Superbowl. I didn't really care, since, as they say, 'I don't have a dog in that fight.' Although I am going to have to go see what commercials I missed.

Friday, I went to see Red Tails with a friend (John J). It was a good movie, although if you don't enjoy war movies you won't enjoy this one. I found out the next evening that another friend had worked with a Tuskegee airman. Apparently there had been a show about them about the time the two were working together and this fellow would provide commentary. "This guy? Oh, he was pretty nice. That one? Complete womanizer. The other one? What an @$$hole." and so on. Red Tails is more fictionalized.

This weekend, I'm going to see my mother. It means I miss a great sale at the local game store. But c'est la vie.