It was all her idea.  She thought her sick sister could use some sunshine and drawing with sidewalk chalk wouldn't be too much, would it?  No, not at all.  So while Kate drew flowers and butterflies and practiced her lower case cursive, Jane took out her new favorite book, Looking At Pictures, An Introduction to Art for Young People and got busy doing what she loves to do.  She would have kept drawing if I hadn't made her stop to get ready for soccer practice.

Thank you sun.  Thank you blue skies.  Thank you spring weather.  Thank you Jane.  You are delightful and never cease to amaze me.

Yesterday morning, I put the finishing touches on this pincushion that has been sitting around my studio for the better part of a year, maybe even longer.  I don't know why I never finished it before.  I guess I was just waiting for the right moment and wouldn't you know, it had arrived.  I had the extreme pleasure of meeting Dorie and her delightful daughter for coffee.  They were in my neck of the woods and I practically jumped at the opportunity to meet in person.  Kate and I chose a nice sunny table in the window of the coffee shop and spent an hour or so with our new friends.  We had such a nice visit - lots of chatting, some drawing and a couple great rounds of hangman complete with misspelled words.  I wanted to bring a little gift and my choices were pincushion or fingerless mitts.  It being March, I thought the mitts weren't the best choice.  And although I've made Dorie a pincushion before, I thought that, like me, she probably likes having more than one hanging around.

You see what I mean?  Dorie made a pincushion for me, too!  Great minds think alike, you know.

(The pattern for the pincushion that I made can be found in Last Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts. Dorie's pincushion is her own design.)

Monday and Tuesday were not good days for me. Yesterday was slightly better.  The sun is shining.  I'm considering it a sign that all will be right today, too.

I have a lot racing through my mind.  We are getting ready for a construction project and it's commandeering most of my thoughts.  There is a lot of work to be done and I need to start doing it.  I'd much rather sit down and make a quilt or sew some summer clothes, but it's not going to happen right now.  Looking at this pile of fabric and dreaming up the possibilities is going to have to suffice.  (It's Joel Dewberry's Modern Meadow and I kind of have a crush on it.)

I'll be back when I have something decent to say or show.  Until then, take care.

It certainly came in like a lion.....Here's to going out like a lamb.

 
I did it! A big thank you to Jane for her excellent flip video skills.  The background clanging is courtesy of Fatty.

Now to add the button bands and weave in the rest of the ends....

Have a great weekend!

Happy Friday to you!

Thanks for all the steeking tutorial links - I read them all, debated which way to go, and then got busy.  Originally, I thought I would definitely use the sewing machine to secure the stitches because that is the way I did it long ago.  After reading the different tutorials and because I was a tad concerned about shoving a handknit pullover through the machine without distorting the fabric, I got out the crochet hook.  I spent over an hour last night while watching the Olympics getting the first side crocheted.  I was a little worried that the crochet wouldn't hold well after cutting.  But, I don't think I need to worry any longer.  I had to tear out my first 3 inches of crochet due to an error on my part and wouldn't you know that the yarn was super grabby and very hard to get out.  Phew.  Now for the second crochet row which should happen today or tomorrow.  Then I'll cut.

I've been sewing this week, too.  While cleaning the sewing room, it dawned on me that if I just made the projects that I bought all this fabric for, then I'd have a cleaner room and much more space.  I started doing just that and have already gone through the better part of 10 yards of fabric.  It feels good.

I hope you have a great, relaxing weekend.  I'll be back as soon as the steeking is finished.

And I am getting a little nervous about cutting this pullover to make it a cardigan.  I did it once before and it worked out fine, but that was over 15 years ago.  Anyone have a good steeking tutorial they can recommend?

I love any reason to pull my colored pencils out of the art cabinet and use them.  Charting the fair isle pattern for my sweater was the perfect excuse.  As I sat and knitted the first few rounds of the yoke, I thought just how much I love fair isle knitting.  And then I remembered that I said the same thing the last time I did it and wondered why I don't do it more often.

I have received numerous emails and comments asking me about whether or not I will sell guitar straps like the one I made for Jane.  I really want to and I am looking into figuring out just how to make that happen.  I'll let you know as soon as I make a decision either way.

I enabled threaded comments a week (or two?) ago.  I really like it this way because it allows me to respond to people quicker and more efficiently and it allows you to comment on other peoples' comments, too.  A virtual conversation, of sorts.

I haven't forgotten about the snack pdf.  I just haven't had the time to get it together.  But I will soon.  We have added smoothies to the mix and they have been well received.

Staying up late to watch the Olympics is making me super tired and a bit crabby.  I am going to do my best to go to bed early tonight.  Or take a nap.  Or both.

I wish I had a personal organizer who could come over and help me sort out the studio.  The mess is epic and there is a lot of fabric and other stuff that needs to go, but I feel paralyzed every time I look at it.

The sun is out and I am happy for that.