Tag: Wingspan Shawl

Still At Home, Still Crafting
Bella Filipina Designs · cross stitch · Cross Stitch Patterns · Elegant Ladies · Knitted Shawl · Knitting · Mermaids · Project Bags · Storage · storage bags · WIP

Still At Home, Still Crafting

My Time Stitching12 Comments

It’s been almost 4 months at home during this Pandemic.  I am sad, frustrated, depressed, angry and lost.  I am sad for all of those that have been sick with this virus and for those that have lost loved ones.  I am frustrated and depressed because I can’t go out and do the things I used to do or go to the places I used to go.  And I am angry because the numbers of cases are going up again and hospitals are reaching capacity in some states.  I cry watching the news, wishing I could magically make everything ok.  And I have periods where I just don’t want to do anything.  My husband is going back to work tomorrow, and I am really sad about this.  I will miss him being home and I worry about him being in a place where the risk goes up.  So I turn to my crafting to take my mind off of things.  So, what exactly have I been up to?

First, I want to talk about a product that I purchased on-line a month or so ago from a yarn shop.  I saw this product last summer at a fiber fest, but chose to spend my money on yarn at the time.  But it has been in the back of my mind as a great organizational piece.  How do you store your circular needles?  This is what I decided to use:

circular needle holder

Sorry about the poor photo.  It was the best I could get while it was empty.  It is hand made by Wonderfully Made and I thought it was a great idea.  So as soon as it arrived, I started pulling my needles out of their original packages and threading them onto the holder.

circular needle holder with needles 1

Now I am not so sure.  Now I will have to put the needles in a needle gauge to find the size I want (which was included with this holder)  and will have to measure to see how long they are.  And I always forget if I am supposed to measure from tip to tip or just the cable.  I think it was easier to flip through the packages in my accordion needle holder to find what I wanted.  It looks nice and I love the concept.  Maybe in time I will forget all of the packages.  What do you think?

In my last post, I forgot to post my May project bag.  It took 19 days to get to me by mail and from a driving distance of about 20 minutes.  It really took the scenic route.

May project bag

This is the front.  I love the pink and yellow watercolor top of this one.  And the striped border looks awesome with the Spring colors.

back of May project bag

Here is the back.  Just look at all of those pink boots!  So fun and totally a surprise.  And since then, I have received the June bag.  It arrived in record time, getting to me in a day.

June Project bag

I was over the moon when I received this one.  It is now my favorite 😉

back of June project bag

And here is the back.  SO SWEET!  Kristine knows me well.  And she does an awesome job with all of her project bags.  Different shapes and styles for everything you want to store.  She is Clevergirl Designs and you can find her on intsagram.  Oh, and this bag is already filled with a project  gifted to me from a very sweet friend.

june project bag filled

I can’t wait to start stitching this beauty.  I still need to find a fabric.  So for now, I am still stitching on Lady Mirabilia and here is how she looks this morning.

Lady Mirabilia progress 1

She is getting there.  She has been a joy to stitch and I find myself relaxing while stitching on her.  Unlike my knitting project…

wingspan progress 5

I pulled out the Wingspan yesterday and knitted 3 rows and was so done.  This pattern is not hard, just requires my complete attention and I feel like I hold my breath and really tense up during every row.  Ugh!  But it is my only knitting project on needles right now and I really would love to get it finished.  A few rows every day 😉  So far,  I am very proud of myself that I have not started anything new.  Still trying to get WIP’s finished.

I spent last weekend getting some of this and that done.  And I crossed 2 bigger projects off of my to do list.  I finally redid all of my cross stitch files.  They were still mostly in boxes from when we remodeled the basement.  They all wouldn’t fit in the 2 filing drawers I had planned, so they went into the old file cabinet and with a few more files added.

cross stitch files

It took 2 1/2 drawers, but they are like I want them.  And all patterns are filed.  Woo Hoo!

I also reorganized most of my yarn.  I put a lot of it in the 2 file drawers that would not hold all of my cross stitch files. the top drawer is all AJHC Wools yarn.  Just love her yarn.  The 2nd drawer is mostly 2 skein project yarns.  It will be fun to rummage through the drawers when I want to start a new project.

yarn files

My ottoman is also home to some pretty yarn,  Mostly one skeiners.

Yarn storage

So that is what I have been up to.  Trying to keep myself a little busy and away from the tv, except to watch Vampire Diaries.  How are you spending your time these days?

 

 

Summertime Stitching
cross stitch · Knitted Shawl · Knitting · mystery sampler · Nora Corbett · Sampler · Uncategorized

Summertime Stitching

My Time Stitching21 Comments

Hello my friends!  The summer is getting away from me and I know it’s been a little while since I last posted.  Our basement has come along nicely.  The waterproofing is done, the construction is done, it has been painted and carpeted, finally.  It is furnished with a couple of chairs and tv.  Office furniture has been put together and the computer and printer set up and files in the filing cabinets.  Mostly my cross stitch patterns, but some files, too, LOL.  Book shelves have been put together and books on the shelves.  They were filled pretty quickly with both hubby’s and my book collection.  And my Scrapbook cabinets have been brought down and filled with the scrapbooks.  The only thing left to do is get the doors sanded as they don’t fit now with the carpeting, and go through all the bins and boxes in the garage and bring down what we want stored in the storage room.  That will be a slow process as it has been so hot in the garage, and up and down 3 floors is taking a toll on my knees.  But it will get done.

I have been stitching whenever I get a chance.  Mostly evenings and when I am not so tired.  So I will share what I have worked on the last month or so.

Wherefore art thou progress 3

Nora Corbett’s Wherefore Art Thou came out for a little bit and I got quite a bit done on her.  Hopefully the next time I pull her out I will get her finished.  I am stitching her on 16ct Aida, a one of a kind from Fantasy Dyed Fabrics.  I am using all hand dyed threads on this one.

wingspan progress

I haven’t worked on this one in a few weeks, but so far so good on this one.  It is the famous WingSpan Shawl by Kyle Vey.  There are about 45-50 rows on my needles, even though it does not look like it.  I have finished row 24-1 and am looking forward to getting back to this one.  I am knitting this one for someone and maybe I will get it done before X-mas, LOL.    I have ordered yarn from Blue Brick to make one for myself, and hopefully I can get through this pattern without any problems and want to do it again for me.  The yarn I am using on this one is Mirasol’s Qulla in Moonlight colorway.  This pattern is available on Ravelry if you want to give it a go.

mermaids garden mkal

A couple of weeks ago I joined the Mermaid’s Garden MKAL from Softyarn Designs.  At first I thought my knitting was too loose.  I was getting gauge, but it just seemed off for me.  Not sure why, as it is a mystery and  I really didn’t know how it was supposed to look.  So after about the 5th start, I decided to keep going and busted butt to get caught up this week.  I am LOVING this shawl!  I’ve learned some new stitches with this one like Sea Urchins, Little Sea Shells and stitches that look like mermaid scales.

close up of mermaid shawl 2

I can’t wait for Clue #4 to come out tomorrow, and then the final Clue #5 next week.  So there is still time to get in on this one.  It is available on Ravelry. The yarn I am using is Mermaid’s Ass from A Whimsical Wood Yarn Co.  How appropriate, right?  I also purchased some yarn from AJHC Wools in DK in Tawaret colorway to make this one again.  It is a mauve color with some blue/purples specks throughout, but more of a solid color.

2019 Mystery sampler progress

I added the June section (lower left corner) to the 2019 Mystery Sampler from Linen and Threads.  I am stitching this on 16ct Graceful Gray from Wichelt and using DMC 3810 and Gloriana thread in Rainforest.

sunflower pillow progress 2

And in between all the projects, I have worked on the pillow.  I don’t want to show all of my progress because I want it to be a surprise for the recipient.  This one goes slow, with so much confetti stitching.  But it is really growing on me and I am liking the colors right now.  So bright and cheery.

I have also put a tiny few stitches into a new afghan project, but there really isn’t much to show on that one, so I will share when I have more to show.  I have also tried my hand at Tunisian Crochet, but not having a lot of luck with it.  As with all of my crochet, my edges are wonky and I still struggle with where to insert my hook.  I have 2 more classes left, so I’ll see what I can absorb and if it will finally click with me. My teacher, Jen, says I can do it, so I keep trying.  Wish me luck!

So that is what I have been doing with my summer so far.  What fun projects are you working on?

And Just Like That It Is June
Crochet · Crocheted Wrap · cross stitch · Diamond Painting · Knitting · mystery sampler · Sampler · yarn

And Just Like That It Is June

My Time Stitching31 Comments

Hello, friends!  I can’t believe it is the start of Summer, unofficially.  Though today doesn’t feel like it as it is only 59 degrees.  But that’s ok.  So what have I been up to?

Well, I started this Willowy Wrap crochet pattern back on March 4.  I know, crochet??!!  The pattern is by JL Creations, the crochet expert at my LYS.  It was released on March 3 at the shop in conjunction with AJHC Wools.  I saw it at the shop that day and it was so beautiful and soft that I just had to try it.  So here is how my progress went:

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progress on willowy wrap

Just about finished!!  So excited!

wrap finished

Finished, just needs blocking.

wrap soaking

Just look at all of those luscious colors soaking in the water.

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I am so geeked at how straight my sides are!  This is the first project where my sides are not all wonky.  And look how straight that blocking is!  So proud of myself 🙂

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And here it is all finished! I am so excited to get this one finished.  It’s not perfect, but it looks pretty good to me.  The pattern is Willowy Wrap by JL Creations and the yarns are by AJHC Wools.

I was also able to get my Peacock Garden Mystery Sampler from Linen and Threads all caught up and started the June section. This is a FREE Mystery SAL and you can get the patterns on their website for this sampler and the previous 2 samplers.

peacock garden

I am stitching this on 16ct Graceful Gray from Wichelt.  Threads are Gloriana Silk in Rain Forest and DMC 3810.  I’m not loving this one as much as the previous 2 samplers put out by Linen and Threads, but I like it.  I am anxious to see what is going to be in the other blocks.

My basement is coming along.  Painting was done last week.  Carpet has been ordered. Then we can begin putting it all back together again and get our house back in order.  Between the front door and the path to the basement, all furniture has been moved to another room or shoved over and all of my pictures have been removed from the walls.  My diamond painting has been moved all over trying to keep it from being ruined.  So I thought it was time to get it framed.

butterfly diamond painting

This diamond painting was a gift from my best stitchy friend a couple of years ago.  The picture was taken from a photo I had taken in my front yard and had posted on Facebook.  She had it made onto the canvas.  It is now hanging in my dining room, which is just inside my front door.  It really brightens the room and I will treasure it always.

And I have started a new project.  Did you really think I wouldn’t have?  But it is not cross stitch.  It is a knitting project.  It is the famous Wingspan Shawl by Kyle Vey and is available on Ravelry.

Wingspan

I fell in love with this one as soon as I saw it.  I even ordered yarn from Blue Brick Yarns right away.  The dyer, I am sure, has been overwhelmed with orders, so it will be a bit before my yarn arrives.  In the meantime, I am knitting this one for someone else.  The yarn is Mirasol Qulla in Moonlight colorway.  It is more like a denim blue, and not the dark blue in the photo.  This one took me 2 days to finally get the first row done.  The pattern calls for “make1 left and make1 right throughout the first row, after the cast on!  I didn’t even know it was possible to “Make1” on the cast on row.  But a gal at my LYS pointed out that there is actually 2 threads in between stitches on my longtail cast on. Boy do I need new glasses!  So home I went, trying to cast on loose stitches, but not too loose that my stitches sag.  And struggling to get those Make1’s in and have the correct stitch count at the end.  My mind tends to wander after so many repeats, LOL.  After several attempts yesterday, I finally had my first row done to my satisfaction!  I even held my breath and did row 2!  Just skimming through the 17 pages of pattern is very intimidating and I have been a knitter for about 33 years. So, fingers crossed, wish me luck and send good vibes that I can get through this pattern.  And that I can get through it a 2nd time once my yarn arrives 😉

So that is what has been going on with me.  What fun things have you been up to lately?  I’d love to hear about them 🙂