My First Plying

 Ok I have the first 3 plys done for Tour de Fleece 2024.  As you can tell by the 3 skeins of yarn the first plying attempt was not as good as the second or third.  I find that’s the great thing about being an artist, everything is not set in stone except marble sculptures.  

So instead of going from the top down on a shawl with my Tour de Fleece spinning, I have a new game plan.  The first skein of yarn will go into a one of a kind scarf for a child who utilizes the Flowing Well’s School District Clothing Bank. Since the yarn is way too bumpy to knit.  The yarn will add a unique texture to the scarf.  Nothing goes to waste.  Everything in art has a purpose.  

I will continue with my Tour de Fleece spin and come up with a game plan for the rest of the yarn.  The pictures below are pre snd post washing and thwacking.  

My Latest Charity Project

 This scarf is my latest charity project off my loom. It is made up entirely from my own hand spun yarn. I used bits and pieces which by themselves were much too small to make anything.  I really like how the colors blended so well.  I think it was a great stash busting project. 

This scarf is destined for the Flowing Wells School District Clothing Bank.  It is my hope that the child that receives this scarf will enjoy wearing it as much as I enjoyed creating this bespoke scarf. 

Day 3

 I have been knitting for 3 days now. Not more than an hour a day.  Just what am I going to do with the other 23 hours? Just kidding, I am starting more projects around the house that have been neglected. I am using U.S. size 11 knitting needles to make it easier on my hand.  I have some fabulously soft 100% cotton yarn that I am using.  This is the start of my holiday knitting for charity this year.  Yes, I knit all year long to make sure as many kids as possible get gifts. 

As you can see I am working on a broken rib pattern.  This is one of my favorites to knit.  It takes a little counting so it is not boring.  If you would like to knit along with me, just cast on in multiples of 4 plus 1 extra stitch at the end of the row.  Then it’s knit 2 Purl 2 across the row ending with a knit 1.  Repeat this row until you have the desired length or run out of yarn if length is not that important. Cast off in the pattern for a nicer looking finished piece.  Use the knitting needle sized for your yarn. If you are a loose knitter go down one needle size. If you are a tight knitter go up one needle size.

If you knit this scarf for Operation Gratitude it should be 4 to 6 inches wide and be 48 to 50 inches long.  It should be made of nice washable yarn.  If you do use super wash wool, please label its wool content. Also include a small card say that you made this for them and appreciate their service.  You can get the mailing address off the web.  

Yes this is really 3 days of knitting for me. I am starting off really slow.  Really, really slowly. It should take about 7 to 10 days to finish.  I am using knitting as part of my physical therapy for my hand.  This scarf is going to the Flowing Wells SD Clothing Bank. 

Happy 2023

 I would like to start out by saying that I have not bought any new crafting supplies this year.  Today would have been a perfect day for on line shopping. I was having  a bad body day because of my stupid flare up.  I am not the biggest fan of arthritis.  I usually shop to make myself feel better.  No shopping was done. 

Instead I napped. Did two 20 minute cleaning sessions. I also found the time to work on three different projects. I did not complete anything. If I have the energy tomorrow, I will warp a loom for a scarf so that I don’t have to figure out where to store the yarn, this might involve more than 1 scarf.  I always have bags of hand made items for children that leave the house every so often.  I just love the Flowing Wells School District Clothing Bank. They find homes for everything that I make. 

Use more stuff up is going to be my motto for the year.  Also as I complete more projects, if I am not in love with the project bag it will be filled with yarn and given to other knitters at our monthly Old Pueblo Knitting Guild meetings.  If you live or visit Southern Arizona, this would be a great reason to join.  

Another One Bites the Dust

Today’s first finished project is a scarf for the Old Pueblo Knitting Guild Navajo Project. It is knit with 2 strands held together. 1 novelty yarn in black with 1 strand of super wash wool in green. This is the last for this series because I am thankfully out of the novelty yarn. The empty shopping tote will be used for another project, it is from one of my favorite clothing designers Bryn Walker.  

You many notice a second picture.  This beanie is another Old Pueblo Knitting Guild charity project. This one is a cotton hat going to the Flowing Wells School District Clothing Bank. Since I consider hats like M &M’s I have already started another cotton hat. My 2 hat bags will never be empty because I am always knitting hats.  It is my mindless knitting for car rides.  

Visible progress

 Today I made visible progress. I finished my first hat for 2021. This is the first finished knitting project I have completed in 3 1/2 months. My knitting is going very slowly it took me four days to finish this hat. I am happy to say even though my Knitting progress is slower, I am knitting again.  Yes this is the first half of the year for the flowing Wells school district clothing bank. 

Yes, I have other knitting projects that I am knitting for me too.  But they are bigger and more complex. 

Sheri’s Big Adventure

I had a wonderful adventure today  First I headed to the Post Office to drop a letter off  Then I headed south on Oracle to the Flowing Well School District to drop off things for the clothing bank.

 I landed up weaving 5 scarfs for the Flowing Wells School District Clothing Bank District.  Since I did not see a chance in he double toothpicks of selling the inventory of scarf’s I had selling at the art gallery (they were returned do to lack of business), I took those and added them to the donation.  Plus a few pairs of socks.  A few more presents or warm clothing for the kids. That is my holiday present to myself. 

After the clothing bank drop off I went to see the construction on the I-10.  Not much work going on.  I think I wanted to just drive my car on the freeway.  My car has almost 1,700 miles on it.  Yes, it sucked to replace my car right before COVID19.  It was a necessary step as I did not need a car that was wheelchair accessible. Don’t get me wrong the van was perfect when I needed it.  So yes it was time to replace it.  John and I were thinking other than not living in California, someone might confuse me with the little old lady from Pasadena with as much as I drive lately.  

Then there was the grocery delivery. That usually is the highlight of our week.  That was so much activity that a 2 hour nap was necessary. After all that I was too tired to do much even spinning.

Hats and More

Would you believe that 21 out of my 30 completed prior knitting projects this year were hats? If you know me the answer is is that all you’ve made so far? I am knitting hats like crazy and hoping that school will resume in the fall. Three of the 21 hats were gifts so that leaves so far 19 hats for the Flowing Wells School District Clothing Bank.  If school does not resume it is my hope that the wonderful superintendent Dr. Baker will be able to get the hats to the kids who need them. So I keep knitting. I also started the dozen bag today. This is the bag that keeps the clutter out of the den. When I have a dozen hats they go in to this bag and into a closet until school starts in the fall.

I also took the plunge and ordered some smaller clothing on line today.  I hope that they all fit.  For those keeping track, I have lost 8 inches off my rib cage and lots of inches in other places and 50ish pounds since 2009 when I started the make Sheri healthier project.  I have also gone from a 4x, I really don’t know how I let it go so far out of wack, to ordering a size large.  I know each store, designer and chain store have their own size scales.  This is crazy, right?   Today I ordered a size small (another division of the chain this would be a large or extra large) from one store and a regular larger from another.

Today was a relatively good day. Stay safe and stay 6 feet apart. Hat 21 is sideways.  

Today’s Hat

May I present hat 13 - 2020.  I am almost out of this grouping of purple yarn.  More colors to come.  Also don’t worry about the knitting needles or stitch markers, hat 14 - 2020 has been cast on and is 2 1/2 inches in.  I go to 7 inches before my decrease begins.

Fantastic

I had a fantastic Zenning day. I went to Bookman’s Mid Town and Bookman’s East today. With today’s trading and some credit when they were out of socks it was just fantastic. I have traded for 17. Ore pairs of socks for the Flowing Wells School District Clothing Bank.  This is a total win for me and the clothing bank.  I have a lot less clutter to worry about putting away or dusting. For the clothing bank it is a very small boost in their supply of socks.  

So a very big thank you to Bookman’s Mid Town And Bookman’s East.

Hat 1-2020

Another day another hat. This is the first hat of 2020. It is 100% cotton and is already in the bag for my favorite clothing bank.  Yes, the next hat has been started.  I really like how it turned out.

Fantastic Zenning

Today was a fantastic Zenning day.  I now have enough in trade credits at Bookman’s to get 2 dozen more pairs of socks for my favorite charity project. Which is fantastic because they need more socks from little kids feet to high school size feet. My Zenning is on a roll.  I did not get much else done today. Unless you count a thee hour nap.  As you know I find the actual act of Zenning exhausting. It’s 9:30 and I am ready to call it a night.

Please consider sending a gift card to the Flowing Wells School District so the staff can fill in what is needed in the clothing bank. Target and Walmart gift cards work out well. Please include a note saying what you want the donation to go to.

Please mail to:
Flowing Wells Schools
Iola Frans Administration Center
Attention Superintendents Office
1556 West Prince Road
Tucson Az 85705-3087

Thank you in advance.

Sheri.

Project 149

Hat number 56 of 2019.  I almost feel like I am slacking. Some days it is too hectic to get anything done this year.

146

The next hat.  Hat number 53 of the year.

Projects 129 to 133

5 hats.  3 for a demo and 2 for charity.

Projects 129 to 134

This weeks projects include 6 hats for the Flowing Wells School District Clothing Bank. Two are super wash wool and four are a soft cotton.

Projects 121 to 128

The next seven projects include 5 hats and 2 scarfs.  I hat snuck out of the house without a picture being taken.  I bet you did not know that hats could be camera shy.  These remaining hats and scarfs are headed to The Flowing Wells School District Clothing Bank.

Projects 109 to 118

The next nine projects include 6 charity hats and 3 skeins of yarn that I am keeping.

Projects 101 to 108

The next 7 charity hats.

Tuesday

Dropping off Eric.  Paying activity fees for the year. 

Getting 2 knitting projects off the knitting needles and weaving in the ends. I am to tired to take pictures or count the rows.  Cast another hat on and knit 1 3/4 inches of the band. 

A trip to Bookman’s and they took everything today. I used the credit for 2 more pairs of socks for The Flowing Wells SD Clothing Bank. 

Went to 2 different grocery stores to get shopping done. I managed to put almost 

everything away and do the rebates. 

Fixed Eric’s Wheelchair and cleaned off some of the formula that spilled on the chair.  

Was too tired to cook dinner. I don’t have to wonder much about that. 

Praying that Eric does not want a 1 am play date with me. 

Time for lights out.