Basket or Hat?

Last night I picked up a ball of yarn I had spun from a vintage tablecloth.
I started crocheting it with a large hook into a circle and then I kept
 going and going..........
 I added in another piece of a table runner
not spun, but cut into strips with the embroidered motifs left whole
and called it a night.
This morning I added more fabric to the top/bottom edge
and tacked down the motifs with buttons.
Now
Should I wear it or put something in it?
Both?

Carnival

This Is the
Carnival In Rio yarn
I spun, along with a poly yarn called
Butterfly
They make a festive Squiggle scarf
.

February Beading

Bye Bye Birdie
4.5 x 4.5

Polymer Clay beads and pendant made by the artist
 and
glass seed beads

Dew Drops In

Granola

On Sunday I make Granola. My husband loves it and it is an easy thing I can do to make him happy. It is ridiculously easy.

3 cups of Old Fashioned Oats

1 cup flaked coconut (unsweetened preferred)

1 cup of mixed nuts and seeds--whatever you have in the cupboard

1/4 cup of oil

1/2 cup honey, or maple syrup or whatever

1 teaspoon of vanilla

Bake this on parchment paper in a 350 degree oven, stirring often or it will get too toasty!

After it is cool, add

1 cup of dried fruit-- whatever you have

Store in a container with a tight lid.

I like this recipe because it is so flexible. Just use what you have. You can add other things as well. Wheat Germ is nice if you can find it. Use more or less honey. Use Maple flavoring instead of Vanilla.

You get the idea.

Try it.

 You'll like it.

Remembering Peter Hunt

Does anyone remember Peter Hunt? This link might refresh your memory.

http://www.peasantvillage.com/

When I was a little girl, I found his book in the library and I loved everything in it. I dreamed of having all the furniture in my room painted with flying angels and roses, and I did actually paint some things in that style--things like paint can lids for trays etc. Years later, and all grown up with my own children, I found his book again in the library. I will confess it here, just this once, that I never returned the book. I just couldn't stand to part with it, so I paid the fine and hoarded my secret treasure. I painted a dresser for my oldest daughter with people and flying angels. I painted a wardrobe for an antique store in the theme of "For Every Time There is a Season". A friend of mine bought the wardrobe and I understand she still has it. I painted a lot of things a la Peter Hunt--tables, chairs, boxes, trays, flower pots. They all told a story. I think that is what I liked about them. Even more time later, I earned the money to maintain my studio by painting furniture, not in Peter Hunt style anymore, but in my own style and the lessons I had learned from his book served me well. Last night, at three A.M., the power went out. I called the power company's nite line and then while I was waiting, I was thinking about how to make some flowers on a beaded piece I am doing. That is when I remembered Peter Hunt and his flowers fashioned from hearts and circles. I think I know what I will do. 

Dye Experiments

This is my third posting today! What is up with that? Well I am home alone for the first time in a long time and I can do as I please! So, one of the things I did today, was take the fabrics out of the dye jars where they have been solar dyeing most of the winter. You can see them here. The results are just OK. I think I was expecting more, but we are talking winter sun here and many cloudy days. All four pieces are cotton. The largest is a gauze. I washed them in soap and water along with a little vinegar as the smell was not too pleasant! Hopefully the wind and fresh air will help as well.

Dishwashing

The dishwasher at my house has been out of comission for several weeks. It was leaking water all over the floor. The repair man is coming today with the new parts. When you live in a small town in the hills, it takes a while! Meanwhile, we have been hand washing the dishes, which is no big deal except that my Mother doesn't remember that the dishwasher is broken. She helpfully cleans up the kitchen several times a day, neatly placing the dishes in the dishwasher. Later, I come through and take them all out, reminding her that the dishwasher is not working. "Oh that's right, " she says, "Now that I know, I won't do it again". An hour or so later, I go in the kitchen to get something and all the dishes are back in the dishwasher. I take them all out again. "Oh, says my Mother, "Are those clean?" "No," I say, "but the dishwasher is not working." "It's not working! What is wrong with it?" she says. "I will just wash these up." This happens a dozen times a day. It could be a routine on the Comedy Channel. Finally I come in and find her washing the dishes. She is using the liquid floor cleaner as the soap. Will we survive? It is touch and go.

Progress?

I think I am getting the hang of it. Sometime in the fall I bought three bags of wool roving from the trift store. I had no idea I would acquire a spinning wheel. I bought it because it was cheap and I could needle felt with it or make Nuno or whatever. Now I am so glad I bought it. It is the perfect practice fiber for the spinning wheel and I am not in the least worried about ruining it!

Four Silk Scaves and A Shirt

Wait!

I thought this was a blog about four silk scarves and a shirt?

Well, it is.

All spun and then crocheted into this Pinata Hat

(which is what it reminds me of) 

with wool fiber and some plastic beads which were threaded onto blue nylon thread.

A silk hat for spring

The hat has a sort of 1920's dip on one side

which was a spur of the moment thing,

but makes for a cute fit.

A Squiggle Scarf

A bear of very little brain
wearing my new
knitted
silk and linen
Squiggle
scarf
Silk yarn spun from a thrift store shirt
buttons and all!

Crooked Little Heart

A friend sent me the pattern for a knitted heart.
I think I did something wrong!
Do you think?

Silk Yarn

Another use for those thrift store silk shirts.

Ice Field

Here, outside of town,

we all have a septic system with

sprayers that go off periodically.

The sprinklers at my neighbors house apparently went off last night!

Waiting For A Mate

These socks are waiting
and waiting
for a mate
I taught myself to knit
 2 at a time
but
sometimes
it is more fun to knit
1

Afternoon Nap

Steve and Tessie
take an
afternoon nap
on a
COLD
afternoon.
(well at least Steve is napping)

Cache Pot

Crocheted

spun plastic bags

with copper rayon thread

 plastic tubing

 pottery beads

  washers