Wow! It has been over a month since my last post. So much has happened in the world since then. Just 2 days after my last post, we decided to shelter in place. Hubby’s work suggested that people who can work from home, do so. The next week our state issued a stay at home order. Today is day 42. Home is my happy place, but I can’t say that it has been totally easy. There are some days that just get away from me without getting much done. I have so many things to do that sometimes I don’t know what to do and I do nothing. But I am trying to get something done everyday. Today, is my blog post 🙂 So I have pulled my pictures to share with you what I have been up to this last month. I actually have a couple of finishes! First, remember the black and white photo I shared of a project I had started last month?
Well, it is a baby blanket. The yarn is AJHC Wools in color Aether. It is so gorgeous and I knew it was the perfect color for a friend who was expecting a little boy.
The pattern is Simple Eyelet Baby Blanket by LeeLee Knits and is available on Ravelry. I really enjoyed working on this blanket. The pattern was nice and simple, but elegant looking.
Sadly, my friend lost her baby. My heart aches for her and her husband. I cannot even imagine what they are going through. I finished the blanket. It still needs to be blocked. Then I will tuck it away for now.
I also finished Aquamarina this last week and she turned out so beautiful and sparkly!
I am thrilled with how she turned out. She is my first Bella Filipina finish and I can honestly say she will not be my last. The fabric is 16ct Aida, a one of a kind from Fantasy Dyed Fabrics and is really is the perfect fabric for her.
So far I have not pulled another cross stitch out to work on, but I am really itching to. Instead, I have been knitting in the evenings on a cowl project I had started last September. The Wilma Cowl.
It is a project I picked up last September during a Shop Hop. The pattern is from a book and the yarn is Heritage from Cascade Yarns in colorway #502. It is supposed to have chevron pattern all around, but they really are not showing up well in this yarn, even though it is the yarn called for. When I stretch it I can see it somewhat, but for the most part it just looks like random knitting. The yarn is soft and the color is perfect for fall, so I will continue on with it in between working on this project:
Yeah, it is the Wingspan. And if I wasn’t turning gray from the Corona Virus, I would be from this project. I pulled it out and put in my second lifeline right away. Knitted 4 or 5 rows and had to rip back to the lifeline. Picked up the stitches and knit the rows back in. Now I am up to Section D, another transition section. So I add another lifeline. I hold my breath the entire row and UGH! I have 2 stitches left over. So I rip out to the lifeline and boy were they a bear to pick back up this time! Finally got them back on the needle and knitted the row again. Perfect. Thank heavens for Lifelines. But for now, the project is in a time out! I wanted to knit a couple of rows everyday so I can get this finished, but it is too stressful some days. So I will wait until later this week to take it out of time out. I thought I had been working on this project for 2 years, but turns out that I started in June 2019, so it hasn’t even been a year. Just maybe I can get it done before the year is up 😉 But then again…maybe not. There is a newproject start in my near future! More about that in a minute…
I have also pulled out my sewing machine and have been making masks for family and friends. I made 25 until I ran out of elastic. I received a small shipment of elastic on Thursday, so I need to get back to sewing to fill some more orders I have received. I will sew again until I run out of elastic and wait for my original shipment to arrive, hopefully soon. It is a little something I can do to help out during this pandemic.
Since I last posted, I have received my March and April project bags from CleverGirl Designs. They are so cute!
I love the knitting on the March bag on the left. And the April bag has such cheery colors!
This is the back side of both bags. March on the left with little kitties to go with the yarn balls. Fun, vintage typewriters on the back of the April bag. I love them both and have yet to fill them with a future cross stitch project. But don’t worry. I have a gazillion projects to choose from 😉 They won’t be empty for too long. I have really enjoyed getting these happy mail packages every month, especially now during stay at home.
So, this leads me to the very near future project I mentioned earlier. If you are a knitter, you probably have heard about Casapinka’s new shawl pattern that is out this weekend. This weekend was supposed to be National LYS day and she designed a pattern for the shops to give for FREE when purchasing the yarn for the shawl. This is the Breathe and Hope shawl:
I fell in love with this as soon as I saw it in my email!! I love the colors and the pattern. She is not telling us the yarn used, so that we can shop at the yarn shops. I do hope that someday she reveals the yarn used, as it definitely deserves recognition. The day before this photo arrived in my email, I had purchased a special bag and matching yarn from Tippy Tree Yarns. The spring bag made by Knit 2 Together, has a matching skein of yarn dyed by Tippy Tree Yarns. I contacted her after receiving the email from Casapinka asking if she had a solid color to match the yarn. She did and I ordered it and it should arrive this week. It is a dark coral and I think it will be perfect with the yarn I just received yesterday.
I am so excited for a new start this week. I know I shouldn’t, but the Breathe and Hope shawl is perfect for this situation we are all in.
So, that is what I have been up to. How are you spending your days while sheltering in place? Do you have any new projects started? Finish anything during our quarantine? I’d love to hear about it! And as always, be safe and stay healthy.
My Time Stitching 
That’s a LOT of updates, Ginny! 😉 Glad you’re keeping safe and busy.
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I know, right? Anita, I think I may be sheltering in place for a bit too long and longing for conversation, LOL I should have warned you guys ahead of time, but I didn’t expect it to go on that long and I even forgot to talk about something I had planned on. So, it will be for my next post. I hope you are doing well and finding things to keep you busy, too. Be safe and stay healthy.
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I love to hear from you, and I’m looking forward to your next post. It’s inspiring to see arty people depend on art to help them through these times.
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You have been busy! I’m so sorry for your dear one who lost their sweet baby, I will add them to my prayer list. The blanket is just beautiful. Your mermaid is stunning, you did a fantastic job. I have a few projects in time out too, so frustrating when you have frog and redo multiple times! I purchased yarn for that shall yesterday, I’m so excited to start it when it arrives, like you I didn’t need to start anything new but who could resist! I’m impatiently waiting for a few yarn deliveries as my sister ask me to make her hubby a blanket for father’s day.
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Thank you for the prayers for my friend. And thank you for your sweet comments about my projects. I do hope that your projects start behaving so that they can come out of their time out. It is very frustrating having to frog on a project. The Breathe and Hope shawl is definitely one we need right now to get us through everything we are going through. It will be refreshing to start something new, and cheer us when we need a lift. I have a feeling there will be Breathe and Hope shawls popping up all around the world! It will be wonderful. I hope your yarn deliveries arrive soo so that you can get started on your new projects. Be safe and stay healthy.
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So sorry to heat about the baby, the blanket is beautiful.
Aquamarina is gorgeous! And that fabric!
Pretty knitting projects, & that shawl will be beautiful.
I have also made masks for family & friends.
I FFo’d a lot of stitched projects, & am still trying to finish WIPS
I too, have so many projects that it’s hard to pic, so, like you, I do nothing!
Take care & stay safe.
Marilyn
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Thank you for your comments, Marilyn. Johanna, from Fantasy Dyed Fabrics, did a great job on my fabric for Aquamarina. It is perfect.
I don’t think that we are the only ones that have days where we do nothing. It really is an adjustment. I am really trying to do something every day and it is getting a little easier. One thing at a time and one project at a time even for a little bit. Be safe and stay healthy.
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Those projects are amazing! The mermaid is gorgeous! I also got an email for a KAL for the beautiful shawl…would love to get on board but for some reason I’ve never finished a shawl knit-along. I stick to more instant-gratification knits like hats and dish cloths 🤫. Anyway, your projects are so inspiring!!
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Thank you, Jennyskip. I love the mermaid, too and can’t to get her framed, some day, when this pandemic is over and I can find a new framer.
The shawl is so gorgeous. I didn’t receive the email as a KAL, but directly from Casapinka. She created it for LYS day, so for free if you purchased yarn from a participating yarn shop. I say get the pattern and make it at your own pace. It is so gorgeous. I am still waiting for my second skein of yarn and can’t wait to start on it. Even though I shouldn’t because I have so many WIP’s that I am aiming to get finished this year. I have already finished 3 knitting projects and 2 cross stitch projects, so I think I deserve a new start 😉 Those smaller projects are definitely a must some times. Thank you for visiting my blog and leaving me such a sweet comment 🙂
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I’m sorry to hear about your friend’s baby. Bless her heart.
Lots of great things going in your creative world. You’ve done a great job on your projects. Aquamarina is a real beauty.
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Thank you, E.C. My friend is coping and trying to find her way to move on without her little one. I saw her yesterday and she requested that I still make a blanket for her. So I gave her the baby blanket and I hope she can find a little bit of comfort from it.
I am still trying to get some crafting time in everyday, and so far it has been working out ok 🙂
Take care and be safe.
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All of your projects are looking lovely! I’m sorry to hear about your friend losing her baby. I can’t imagine going through that on top of everything else going on right now. I’m glad that you’ve got some good crafty coping skills to help you get through. The Breathe and Hope shawl is gorgeous — I hope she shares her yarn choices too! Good to see you’re keeping busy. Stay safe!
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Thank you, Hannah. I am keeping busy and still trying to get through all of my WIP’s. I am anxious to start the Breathe and Hope shawl, and still deciding if I should or pick up another WIP…decisions, decisions. You stay safe as well.
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Lovely projects Ginny and I adore your eye for colour! Keep safe and sound. Much love C xxx
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Thank you, Christine. We are staying as safe as we can.
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Ginny is amazing how you can scrape time to do all this in a few weeks! I’m in awe of your craft and commitment. I can’t wait to see what you come up next.
I have four kids, so I can imagine your friend’s sorrow at the lost of her baby. Praying God will give her the strength to cope.
In another note, my state has started to reopen businesses, but people (me included) are concerned about the lack of a plan in place to avoid a wider spread of this virus. I’m a teacher at high school, so at least I don’t have to go back to work because our district closed for the remainder of the year, but I’m worried about the others that have to return to work not feeling safe yet.
Take care…
Yokasta
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Thank you, Yokasta. My kids are grown and out on their own now. So I have lots of time to do all of my crafts. And I am so very thankful for all of my hobbies during this time of lock down. We are still mostly under stay at home orders where I am. I am not ready to go out yet, either. I pray that you and your family remain safe and healthy.
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Oh wow you have done so much! As always your finished stitched piece is amazing, hopefully now you are stitching again. My stitching has been on and off. Sadly though reading blog posts and making post has been off my list of things to do for the last two months. Which just makes me sad as I was really hoping this year I could post more. But writing has just be blank for me right now. Hoping I can make a new post soon.
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Thank you for your sweet comments, Ivyjade234. Aquamarina is now framed and hanging on the wall in my dining room. In the spot that seems to be where every thing hangs when it first comes home. Then I use that space to rotate pieces. I pretty much have run out of wall space.
Don’t be so hard on yourself about how things have gone this year. It really is a different kind of year and adjusting is hard. I haven’t posted that much in the last 6 months. We just do what we can, when we can and when we feel like it. Maybe a small post would be a good start. Even if just to let everyone know what it has been like for you this year. Sometimes it is good just to put it out there in the universe. (((Hugs)))
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It is always so nice when we can get something framed and get to hang it up on our walls. I feel like this year more then anything it is nice to get finishes and get something new on the walls. Yes this year has been hard to make posts but I do agree with you that making a post on just how life is going is a great idea. I should try something like that. I have always been the type of person were writing things down and talking about what is going on in my life to be really helpful also it’s always cool to look back and see what you were doing and how you were feeling years ago. Hope stitching and life is still good and many hugs back to you.
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