Day Two of Rabbit Holes

I'm into sewing, knitting and cross stitching, although the stitching took a back burner after bifocals came into my life. I have a small stash of fabric and a when knitting came along project bags took on a new look and place in my life.

When I was stitching I really enjoyed vinyl mesh bags, most of my projects are still in those bags. A new design was popping up for qsnaps and projects that has stitching incorporated into the bag. I haven't made one of those yet but those are on my radar.

This is my latest creation. Fell in love with the Fringe Supply Co. Field Bag and l really like the size and canvas fabric so much that I own two. I decided to surf Etsy and see if others were making similar bags. Many many bags popped up and after getting a feel for the bag size and construction I pulled out what little home decor fabric I had and made the bag. I have another bag cut out and after test driving this one I'll make any necessary tweaks and make the second bag.

I also make bags with matching DPN needle minders and notions bags. I may have shown these before. My sweet sister keeps asking how many bags do I need? But I like to change them up frequently.

My favorite style is a wedge bag and I have material for several more. It fits several skeins of yarn, a project, and notions pouch. I am also addicted to purchasing them from The Fat Squirrel, Amy Beth's bags are really nice. The construction is top notch and I love her fabric choices. There is a retreat coming up and she will be vending. I'm going to have a hard time not purchasing more. Ordered the retreat bag already.  :)

I made and use this bag all the time. 

Several other bag makers will be at the retreat market and I've been saving my purchase $$ for a bag from Hopkin's Studio. I want to see her bags in person, they are a little more expensive and she has so many fabrics I can't choose which is just right. 

So many bags, so little time to make and use them all!

Five Year Anniversary Post

Five short years ago I was headed to Alaska on a mission trip. It was a fantastic trip and I enjoyed every minute. I was just telling sister last night that I'd like to go back and spend time traveling to Denali.

This blog has become a place to share my stitching, quilting and knitting. Occasionally I share a few sentiments. Over the past year I have turned the news off for 85% or more of my media time. I typically watch it for the weather and then turn it off. The news media in my opinion is extreme drama and exaggeration. When I see videos from social media presented as news, I'm totally unimpressed and I devalue that news show credibility.

That said I can't help but hear the news and the horrible things that have happened in the world the past weeks. I'm saddened at the loss of lives and destruction that has taken place. I have nothing wise or helpful to say. My thought is I'm blessed to know where my help comes from and to have a relationship with My Savior Jesus.

My sister says I use that phrase too much "blessed or bless it" and I do use it a lot. I do know the meaning of being blessed and I mean it sincerely. I've had frequent prayer time with the Lord and it is our private code. He understands what I mean.

So I'll close this post that was started as a celebration and took a turn to more somber sentiments by saying:
     Have a blessed day!

End of the Year Review

I can't believe it's been over six months since my last post.

As the title says, I'm going to do a review and it's all about knitting today. This was a year of firsts for me. Being fairly new to knitting that isn't hard to do but I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone. I started the year with a lace cowl and when I gave it to sister I knew I was making progress. She commented on how nice it was and I know she loves anything I make but she's also honest about what things look like.

The next really big first was my first pair of completed socks. I finished those in February and they are wearable. I reworked a heel over the summer and I'm still not happy with the fit but again they are wearable and I will wear them if we ever have cold weather. Today's temperature is 70+. I had started and ripped out several socks before completing the first pair. This included a successfully made diagonal lace sock that took months before I decided to create its mate. The mate still isn't finished.

I entered Stash Dash 2015 and it was the first time I've pushed myself to knit so many projects. I did knit 3000 meters from the beginning of summer break to the start of school. I did my first side to side shawlette - Saroyan and my first applied edging on Piper's Journey.

I completed my first lace shawl - Pebble Beach and I love it!!! I started a second shawl as apart of a mystery knit along. But school was wearing me out and I needed to have an alert brain to knit the second one - Summertide.

I knit my first colorwork at the end of November - beginning of December. I finished my first ever sweater - 5 Hour Sweater. It did take more than 5 hours. I followed it up with a Newborn Vertebrae that went so fast I didn't have time to make a project page while working on it. I knit it in 4 days, really more like two. I started it Christmas Eve and finished it early on the 28th.

I'm going to spend the next few days reading and giving my hands a rest from knitting. I hope to post again tomorrow about my year of Bible challenges and for the most part failings. More on that tomorrow.

New Year

2015 has rolled in and I remembered to write about it! Last year's blogging effort was a fail. I didn't do well journaling my days. I realize once again that I'm not a good journal keeper.

Four months have flown by since my last post. This school year has sped by and in a lot of ways I'm glad. I really enjoy my eighth grade classes. The others, not so much! But I'm determined it will be a good year.

Knitting is going well. I've spent Christmas break finishing WIPs before I allow myself to start on new projects with my Christmas gifts. Quilting has stopped while my machine is in the shop. It is ready to be picked up and I plan on making a few project bags as soon as my machine returns.

The pets are good although Asher gave me a scare during mid terms. He ate 20 inches of elastic ribbon and the result was extreme vomiting, dehydration and kidney failure. Thankfully, we have a fabulous vet who got him rehydrated which stopped the kidney failure. He passed the ribbon the evening he came home. It took almost a week before he got his bounce back. Still shaking my head over the entire situation.

I leave this post with a few pictures of projects and pets.
Stitch Markers
Fingerless Mittens
Baby Hat for Jaxon
Project Bags
Socks with a slightly bent needle, don't know how that happened.
Multnomah Shawl
One IV owie
Sister's Christmas Tree shirt
PomPom Hat minus the pompom to match my mittens
Lovely scarf that almost doubled when I blocked it!

Journal - Feb 2

Today the groundhog saw his shadow. More winter for us??

Typical Sunday with church and  a little grocery shopping. Watching movies for the afternoon.

Saturday Feb 1

Did the laundry and lots of reading. Watched a few John Wayne movies. :)

Texted with sister about her hat remake. Hope to finish it Monday. May have to mail it to her so that she can wear it while it's still cold. We really need to see one another face to face more often!!

Friday Jan 31

School and worked the ball game gate.

November Thanksfulness

Two year ago, I tried to post a daily thankful post. I decided this year to post on a weekly basis.

For my first thankful post, I'm really thankful for family. I'm awed and humbled to have a heavenly Father who loves me no matter what I do, say or don't do. I'm beyond thankful for the many blessings He's given me. The most special blessing being my earthly family.

I had two loving parents, who I miss terribly. But they instilled in me a love of family, friends, and travel. I love being with a group of friends, doing nothing more than enjoying each others company. I'm planning on doing just that tonight.

I also love my family. I have a sweet sister and brother-in-law. I don't get to spend enough time with them and we have to set dates to get together. But rearranging the calendar is nothing in order to be with them and again, it's the simplest of times. Just hanging out is a pleasure, being in one another's presence is enough for me and I truly enjoy time with them. I LOVE my baby sister!

Travel seems to be so much of my life, dad traveled all over the world for his job and even today, I think nothing of jumping in the car and taking a 4 hour drive to visit or see something and then come back home that same day! I also love longer trips and I'll leave you with a couple of photos of my summer trip to Maine.

Still Stinky

I'm hoping to do better this summer. I have lots of plans for the summer.

I have friends having babies so I'm quilting and sewing in anticipation of their arrival. This quilt is finally getting finished. I have a few more rows to trim and put together. Sister and I went on a mini road trip and I found great fabric for the border.

Betty Burger - YUM

While on our trip, we stopped in Bowling Green and had lunch at Double Dogz. I love using the UrbanSpoon app to find new places to eat or visit. This review didn't let us down.

I have been watching lots of softball. Our team made it through the state tournament and placed 2nd in the Class A division. So very proud of their hard work and sportsmanship.


I've been reading and will post my first book review later today.

Even had time to clean the porch and plant some flowers!

Day Three and Four

I did shoot on the appropriate days, I was so mad at myself I didn't post last night. More about that later.

Day Three - favorite shoes



Yes, I love Crocs and I had these on yesterday when I worked on the porch.

Day Four - Mother Nature Father Creator



I rarely have two lilies blooming at once. They don't last long and a third is poking its bud out of the water.

Back to being mad, I took a quick knitting lesson a couple of weeks ago. I finished the two face/spa/dish cloths and got very ambitious and started a scarf. I told my sister it was a shame I had expensive tastes no matter what my hobby. She said buy cheap.

I went to a local yarn shop, LYS, and was looking for a heavy yarn to start a scarf. Every skein I picked up was $20+. Because this is my first scarf, I know better than to spend $25 on a skein that will only be worn because its a gift and not because it is a pretty handmade scarf.

But I found a gorgeous silk in a my favorite colorway and decided the first scarf, with all it's flaws should be for me. I bought needles and proceeded to have almost 3.5 feet of scarf knitted when I realized I had some how turned the scarf and was now knitting the wrong side.

I unraveled six to eight inches of scarf last night. Luckily I figured out where to stop and put my needles in correctly. (that part wasn't taught in my class) Today I'm reknitting those unraveled inches, I'm on the phone with sis and Puff decides the shiny needles need to be played with. She's still giving me the innocent look. It took forever to get the needles and stitches in the right spot. I'm still not sure I have the stitches lined up correctly.

I'm just happy I picked a very forgiving open weave pattern. The next scarf is for sis, I hope she remembers she said go cheap. ;)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Staycation

I want to leave Tennessee for some place... don't know where, but I know I don't want to be here any more!!! I've got just a touch of cabin fever.  

Basically, I'm bored and have nothing to do. I spent the day doing some quilting. I just have to put those blocks into rows and hopefully I'll have a quilt top tomorrow. I've been working on this quilt since summer and my sister wants it now! LOL

Tomorrow, I plan on getting out of the house and having lunch with a friend. I also need to go and shop for some fabric to back this quilt. I won't let myself start another project until this one is finished. I have another tshirt quilt in rows and I really don't like making them. I have a third cut out, but I may break down and pay someone to make mine for me!!!! Something about the stretchy blocks just get to me. :)

Shouldn't complain, I have enjoyed having this break and I'm hoping for some snow so that I have a few more days off next month!!

Have a blessed day,

Tracy

Winter break

I'm so enjoying this break. I was ready to have time off. It is hard getting adjusted to new holiday schedules. Sister has this week off and we spent some time doing last minute shopping and having lunch.

I didn't think I'd miss going to Florida as much as I do. I miss going to Tallahassee and doing the day after Christmas shopping. I miss taking a day and going to sit on the beach and reading, just soaking in the ocean sounds. But most of all I miss mom and dad and that really says it all!

The kitties and I have been taking it easy, just hanging out. Today they had an adventure and investigated the garage. Had they not knocked things over, I'd never have caught them out there. Puff did come in wearing the evidence in her whiskers. That was all the excitement we could stand today. :)

Just a few more thankful posts

I have missed several days throughout the month. I still don't feel like I've gotten into the blogging habit. I'm trying be reflective and put my thoughts on line.

I think part of the problem is that I'm single and tend to live a solitary life. I don't make a lot of small talk and tend to talk to myself or the kitties. So I'm not used to put my thoughts "out there". I noticed today when sis and BIL were here that we didn't just fill the air to hear ourselves. :) Sis and I are quite comfortable spending a lot of time together, reading or vegging and not talking. Quiet is nice!

Today, I'm thankful for Bible study. I'm teaching an inductive bible study at church in January. I've been a student of inductive bible study for 20 years, I've trained at Precepts Ministry several times. I really love how much information I get from this type of study. But even more, I love how much more God teaches me about Himself through each study.  I am excited to be sharing inductive study methods with members of my church. It is the reason I'm at The River. I strongly felt God leading me there to disciple others in Bible Study. I'm thankful to use my gifts and talents in this area.

Have a blessed Monday!

Tracy

Thankful for Treasures

Today, my sweet sister and her hubby came and put in a new water heater for me. It is so nice having a new member of the family!

While he did all the hard work, Carm and I started going through mom's trunk of pictures. Something I haven't done and still have problems doing alone. But as we were going through pictures, Carm ran across a small plastic bag with some of dad's work ID's in it. When I opened it to take a look, there were three of dad's and then I found mine. Old high school ID's, college ID's, driver's licenses, hidden treasures I didn't know existed. 

I immediately teared up, Sis said "Don't" so I sucked it up! LOL But I'm so happy my mom saved these. I'm thinking a shadow box or something like that to put them in. I have a note mom wrote and dropped in the mail that says simply "I love you" I think I'll add it.

I am truly blessed!

November Thankful Posts

I'm such a horrible blogger. I only journal on mission trips and I don't know why I thought I'd be good at keeping up with a blog. They say that doing something for 21 days instills a habit and with that in mind I'm going to use this month's holiday to force myself to write once a day.

I've already missed day one. But that is ok. 

I'm thankful for family. My sister is one of the most important people in my life. I love her dearly and we don't get to spend a lot of time together because of work schedules and life styles. We are both busy women and we like it that way. But it does prevent us from getting together often.

Two weeks ago, sister decided to add to our family and she got married. Welcome Jay to the family! This is a picture of us on their wedding day. I won't post other pictures without their permission but I'm very happy for them.

After the wedding, I was able to visit with another sweet family member and her family. I love my cousin Sandi and just don't get to spend enough time with her and her sweet mom and daughter.

Many of our family members are spread far and wide. Closest blood relatives (mom did love genealogy) are in Indiana and one may be moving back to the Nashville area. But again, busy schedules keep us from seeing one another.

That is one reason I like technology. We can communicate without breaking the bank.  Tomorrow I'll post again. I already have a topic in mind!

Have a blessed day,

Tracy