It's all go, Tuesday knitting group, Textiles and Tea, new hat, mystery stories

Tuesday was a great Knitting Group meeting, with a new member

This is an alpaca and cotton mix, so light you can hardly feel it, and warm.

Here's a change of pace -- the shirt from a deceased friend, cut up to create a teddy bear for his grandchild.

On the right, the new member who came to revive her long ago crocheting skills, which she did in no time, and we're hoping she'll continue with us 

This sweater will soon be done. It's a free pattern, now shared with another group member,

who's  now onto Toad, having completed Frog for her grandson some time ago.  He loves Frog and is eager to see Toad. 

The conversation ranged over weddings, Diwali, nonbinary relatives, civil rights, European expensive travel, cats, vets, and other things.

I just finished a good collection of mystery short stories by P D James. I didn't know she'd written any, only familiar with her novels 

Every story with a twist, and I recommend this one. It was published after her death, and I wonder if there may be more to come.

And the hat is almost complete. I just have to finish and attach the band and it's done. The international spy returned to model it.

Here's how it looks off. When the band is stitched --  I cut it on the bias to drape well -- and attached, the green binding won't show on top. It does show under the brim, quite nicely.  The construction worked out pretty well. 

While I was recycling I found this very nice airtight canister,  which I cleaned up and briefly thought about keeping 

then had second thoughts, put it up on Freecycle and got an instant request.

Tuesday's Textiles and Tea featured a fiber artist specializing in braided work, but interested in -- shoes! And yard goods from which she creates clothing. She's one of the most inventive guests they've had in a long time.

Even after her discussion, I'm mystified about how her braided sculptures, a few inches each way, are constructed. Her clothing is chef's kiss perfectly made and fitted. She says you can get sneaker kits, which provide the sole, and you go from there. She learned to handmake leather shoes long ago, but  prefers the leather and fiber combo you see here.

I think she's one of those people who can make anything! 

Happy day, everyone. If we can't make everything, we can enjoy seeing other people doing it. All good.

Voting, hats on, tattie scones

I got my mail-in ballot filled in, ready to take to the dropbox Tuesday when I pass by there anyway.

And found a simple recipe for potato scones, aka tattie scones, from the nice Baking on a Budget man on YouTube.

How you melt butter when you don't have a microwave and you're boiling potatoes for mash.

I also ground up some flaxseed to add in to the mash, butter, flour, salt and pepper. You just mix, form a flattened ball, roll it a bit, cut into equal parts, fry in a dry pan.

I added a pat of butter each. With the sharp cheddar and spinach, it worked out well for a lunch when I couldn't think what to have. Yogurt beaten with lime juice, then strawberries added, for dessert.

The scones will work for practically any meal. I'll probably fancy it up a bit with spices next time. Meanwhile I have four more in the fridge.

I notice that for the first time in many years of growing, my Korean spicebush, viburnum carlesii, has put out berries. It's been flowering for years but I don't think it's got all carried away like this before 

And, out walking, another beautiful day, I spotted this holly and those reddish leaves might be poison ivy. If so, here's the holly and the ivy.

The hat is coming along, now bound around the cut edge. 

I used some bias binding I had lying around, and stitched both sides at once, to save stitching twice around. It works pretty well. 

The binding means that when I attach the two parts, crown and brim, I'm stitching fabric to fabric, so there's no fraying of the straw. It's protected in a channel of tape. 

There another option too, next hat I try. That's to just cut and bind a brim and pull it on over a silk headscarf. I might try that look.

About health, I continue walking, as I said above,  exercising to yes2next, and visualizing. 

Visualizing is becoming more and more fluent and full of movement and color, faster and more spontaneous than when I started.  I swim, fly, glide, swoop, like a bird that can swim, great adventures. After about 15 minutes I tire and taper off.  

It's very calming, despite the drama in the narrative, very steady slow pulse when I stop.  I really recommend that anyone who can visualize, not everyone has that brain kink (!), might try it. In these days of panic and fear, it's very useful.

October seems to be the Month of Doctors. This week the cardio, just wanted a follow-up after the hip surgery, next week the dentist checkup,  following week the hand surgeon about my jerky finger, then the month finishes with the dermatologist.  All this for a basically well person. All covered by insurance, too. All within a few minutes drive. The dentist office is a bit beyond my comfort range, and I may get help with a ride. 

Happy day everyone, I hope you have the medical care you need, or can find it.  Everyone should.

Yes, everyone should have everything, sez Ted and Big Ursy 

Some day of rest!

Sunday was all go, dishes, laundry, changing bed, taking out garbage, cooking, planning and ordering Misfits food, stitching the hat, see later, knitting more of the sock, Freecycling.

The most interesting is the hat.

Many pins in place to ease the crown and side together 

Then fine whipstitching, with a small needle and silk thread. I chose a long eyed needle to slide through the fabric easily, and thread easily, too, then enjoyed my favorite of all stitches.

As soon as I start this very small stitching over the top of the edges, holding two fabrics together, I'm flooded with calm. It's about using a skill, honoring the women who taught me, and being in a long tradition of handmade clothes 

Then to try on and see, yay, that's the fit I want. My head is small -- those one-size hats fall over my nose and have to rest on my glasses. This one is snug enough to stay on.

There was a pause when my scissors fell apart, and I repaired them, then I continued with a new idea I thought of while I was stitching 

Here's a different brim, not yet attached but looking promising. It's a straw (or something) round placemat. 

I cut out the center -- a crown for yet another hat -- and I need to bind the edge of the inner brim to stitch it to the crown section.

So that's where we are. I think I may end up being the Hat Lady before I'm done. I'm really pleased with what I learned making this one up to now. Then there'll be a hatband.  I have enough brown batik for the brim of another hat, and a band for this one.

This is the only way I can get a hat that fits. I have a another, cotton, one round the inside of which I had to run elastic to keep it up enough so I could see ahead of me.

One good reason for a hat with a brim when you're walking, aside from shade, is that it keeps insects off your face, a big point where I walk near trees. They land on the brim and get confused.

Happy day everyone, wear a hat, confuse everyone while you're applying sand to the gears.  My daily sand was getting my mail in ballot filled out to drop off Monday. We're electing a governor, and the red guy is a wildeyed MAGA, so I need to put in my vote. Many dirty tricks on the other side to overcome.

 

Ten four was good

Ten four, good buddy, was good. And shout-out to Catalyst, who got it. October 4. And trucker's CB greeting.

I decided while I was having my morning coffee, instead of just thinking about stitching the hat, to just stitch the hat. So, small fine needle and silk thread, I stitched the two crown pieces together.

Here stitches leaving an opening to turn the piece right side out. First a series of slits around the edges so it would lie flat after turning.

Here stitched, turned, the opening closed, and it matches the pattern. After this I pressed it. Looking pretty good. Next to stitch the crown and sidepiece.

Then it was time to shower and get to the library gallery to leave my work. 

Team ready with sign in paperwork and here's a surprise 

Old artist friend, E, wearing a tshirt she had printed from the monotype she made when I taught the group a monotype workshop! 

That was a huge happy surprise and I took a picture on her phone, as well as mine. So cool. She went for a black and white look.

It was a reunion, so nice to be welcome when I hadn't been active in so long.

Then home again to oatmeal wraps with spinach and chicken, and later Handsome Son came over to visit. We spun the mattress in no time, literally a few seconds. He's so easy to work with. 

He brought stuff to Freecycle 

Sorting and photography to happen Sunday, a good day for Freecycling.

Then it was tea and snickerdoodles outside, lovely day. And we studied our new spider, no idea what she is but she's busy up there sewing the tree together. Two views, in sun and shade 

After Handsome Son had left, I put the dried coffee grounds into a container. There's hardly any coffee smell now 

Ready for the clay caper soon.

Then roast chicken and potato dice, with the Cazalets. Nice day.

Happy day everyone, despite all, try to enjoy something, kitty's birthday, new sofa, fun kids, stitching hats, jigsaw, there's something.