A few finishes cross stitch, books, dish rags.

This small counted cross stitch, Winter Basket by Lizzie Kate was stitched during December and finished in January and now it needs to get framed.  Hopefully I can get to that this week.   A blog I follow, Priscilla who is an incredible stitcher/finisher, designer, decorator, gardener, etc. and mentioned her way of framing several of her larger cross stitch pieces, thinking of giving it a try. 




I've also have been knitting a bit. Finished a red dishrag in honor of Valentine's Day and then promptly started a variegated green blues with the new to me design of Farrow Row Dish Rag.

FARROW ROW DISH RAG:

Used Size 7 needles cast on 40 stitches using Sugar and Cream yarn.

First 6 rows for the border KNIT.
Alternate the following 2 rows until you reach the length desired Less the last 6 border knit rows at the other end.
Row 1:
knit 4 (border edge ), *knit 2, pearl 1, * repeat making sure you knit the last 4 stitches (border edge).
Row 2:
Knit 4 (border edge), *Pearl 1, knit 2, *repeat until the last 4 to knit for border edge.

When get the length you want, KNIT the last 6 rows then bind off and tie in ends.

It's such an easy pattern to do and takes no thought so you can pick it up and do anywhere.




With my READING I've been trying to read a minimum of 2 books a month.  I've exceeded this minimum and am thrilled. So far this year I've read:

The Nest by Cynthia D'Arix Sweeney.....Liked ❤❤❤ BCS (Book Club Selection)

Sisters of Heart and Snow by Margaret Dilloway.........Really liked ❤❤❤❤ BCS

Zero Day by David Baldacci. ......Loved this ❤❤❤❤❤ both genre(John Puller with terrorism threats to Nat'l security)/author

The Absolute True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie  BCS ........Okay read ❤❤(it's a middle grade level book, many issues reminded me of The Round House by Louise Erdrich ❤❤❤❤ a much more appropriate level read and one I enjoyed!)

Dropping Acid: The Reflux Diet Cookbook Cure is currently being read.......Interesting so far!

I'm saving a box of books to share with Mom when I see her.  She's a voracious reader too. I started defacing the inside cover of the books with my initils, that way both Mom and I'll  know we're "Done with it" and we can give them away to let others enjoy. That should help in my trend of downsizing slowly.  Getting rid of a Book here, a ball of yarn there, another project finished and bites the dust pattern givem away or sold, etc..... it's all good!

Counting 1,2, etc..

Many things have been going on around here.  So I thought they could could be shared with counting them off.

First, we have one of these:

 PGS#3 came home from school and asked, "Meme, can I color my hair red?"
"Sure!" I said.  Out came the hair chalk colors.  There wasn't any red so he improvised.  Isn't he darling with rainbow colored hair?  smile......I had to leave since I had a meeting in town and found pink all over the bathroom when I got home.  I guess his sister did hers too as well as dusting the bathroom I should add.  And here I had just cleaned the bathroom thoroughly that morning.

Then after errands in town on another day I had one of these:

YUM!   A Caribbean martini.
The bartender gave me the recipe and I'd be happy to share if you're interested.

Then I got 2 of these finished, Mom's favorite dishrag pattern.  Love that orange variegated one.

When I saw the post Myra over at Busy Hands shared with her idea of finishing the edges of design boards with duct tape. It's  a spin off of Lori Holt's design boards which you can see here.   Eureka I thought! That would be just the ticket to make mine since I had hubby cut some boards about 6 weeks ago.  Not to mention that this family has had a fondness through out the years with duct tape (but that is a whole other story for another time).

I have the boards all cut, the light grey checked flannel in, glue with glue gun and now off to see what our duct tape selection is.   I may have to purchase some leopard print aqua duct tape for mine.  8- )

I actually had this aqua duct tape on hand so was able to make 7 design boards.

 2 at 10"x 20" 

2 at 15"x 20" 

3 at 20"x 20"  

The last size seems huge, but I have a quilt on my to do someday list that has many pieces and I think that size will work best for auditioning those pieces.

Then for sewing I did get my machines home from the spa.  Both are as good as new again.  Good thing too since my son asked if I'd sew on 36 of these:

Phew!!  Those took forevah and since I used the free arm on the sewing machine the height difference bothered my back quite a bit.  Had to rest after a couple on patches so I could stretch out and relax then resume shortly thereafter.   (I know he appreciates it but I'm so glad they are done!  It took several days to get all of them done with all the other things clamoring for my attention around here.)

And this doesn't count all the weeds I've been pulling and the planting that's been going on!  That's why I've been a such non-blogger lately.    Hopefully I'll be back sooner to share some other stuff.