Wyoming Breezes

Aspen catkins and new leaves Laramie, WY April 2019 It snowed yesterday and last night. I can guarantee these little leaves are wishing they had waited a few more days before showing themselves to the world.

Little Free Library 1st and Grand Streets Laramie, WY April 2019 Last week, I joined a friend for a late lunch and discovered this adorable Little Free Library on the corner of 1st and Grand Streets. I stood at this location several months ago and took photos of a mural, and this little train car library was not in place.  Inside, I discovered magazines and several books. This year is the 150th anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad, and this weekend two historic Union Pacific steam engines will be passing through Laramie on their way to Utah. A huge crowd of railroad history buffs are anticipated in town. I hope to find a good place to view the massive steam engines.

Tail Feathers 60 x 72 inches Quilt of Valor #156

sockhead cowl #3 April 2019 Several months ago, Julie gave me two partial Zauberball Crazy balls. My original thought was to knit some short-cuffed socks or some baby hat but then decided to knit a Sockhead cowl for myself. I'm using a solid black for the ribbed sections and one of the partial Zuberball for the body of the cowl. I like how it looks. Pattern : Sockhead Cowl  by Kelly McClure (Ravelry Link) Yarn : Zauberball Crazy (Color #1699) Needles : US size 6 Julie, thanks for sharing your unwanted yarn with me.

from Google images When I see a knitting/quilting pattern that I like, I save it on the computer. If I see a clever idea or tip, I save it on the computer. After years of saving and organizing these patterns and files, it was time to see how many of them still appealed to me. I've been working on this digital cleaning process for several days, and I'm slowly making progress. I've discovered multiple copies of some patterns. I found patterns that I'm sure gremlins must have saved, because they designs were hideous. One by one, the patterns are previewed and a quick decision made - keep or delete. The "knitting" files are finished, and I'm moving on to the "quilting" files. From there, I will move to other crafting files. Once the craft files are reduced, I'll tackle the photos, the health files, and . . . Do you save patterns on your computer? How do you organize them?

Simply Garter Scarf April 2019 The Simply Garter Scarf reached the 12-inch mark last week during knitting group. I'm slipping the first stitch on each row to get a nice smooth edge. The yarn is striping different than I thought it would, but I still like the colors. I'm knitting scarf with 40 stitches on size 6 needles. The knit width is approximately 7 inches.

(click image to enlarge)

fabric slivers trimmed from quilt  blocks April 2019 I did manage to sneak in some sewing time last week, and finished sewing the Tail Feathers blocks . blocks trimmed, squared, and ready to sew into a quilt top April 2019 The blocks were placed on my "design floor," and I played with the placement a bit. My quilt consultants (Marilyn, Brenda, and Sheri) helped me to select a layout. Here were the two choices: Option "A" Option "B" Which layout do you like best?

Guacamayo socks April 2019 I had hoped to have this pair of socks finished by Easter, but unfortunately, that will probably not happen. This yarn is a delight to knit - soft and springy, and the colors are fun, too. The brand is "new to me," and if it passes two more tests (in the laundry), I will look for it again in a yarn shop. In my opinion, sock-worthy yarn must:        •  be fun to knit        •   not pill when worn or laundered        •   not bloom when laundered Yarn : Araucania Yarn - Huasco Sock (Color # 1006 Guacamayo)           75% superwah wool, 25% polyamide Needles : US size 2 Stitch count : 64 stitches What is your criteria for "sock-worthy" yarn?

Sockhead Cowl April 2019 Sockhead Cowl #2 is off the needles. This project is a great way to use sock yarn to create a cozy cowl, snood, and neck warmer. Pattern: Sockhead Cowl by Kelly McClure (free on Ravelry) Needles: US size 6 Yarn: Cascade Yarns - Heritage 150 Paints sock yarn (color #9960)           75% merino superwash wool, 25% nylon

image from Google images Perhaps you noticed that I didn't have any posts last week. I used the time for annual appointments and for getting my "ducks in a row" to update my will, trust, and other important documents. If you don't have a will, advanced care directive (living will), organ donation authorization, or a trust, I encourage you to seriously consider preparing the documents. Yes, the attorney fees may be considerable, but not having the documents may cost your family more than money - I know from experience. I've been through an ugly struggle twice - once after my mother died and the second after my brother died. "Things" and money carry different weight with individuals, and those family members you think you know will turn into completely different people when property and money are involved. Don't risk having an estranged family after your death: get your ducks in a row!

April 2019 This sock yarn reminds me of dyeing Easter eggs. I love how it swirls around the cuff and wonder what the yarn will do on the foot section - stripe or pool. Do you remember using the wax crayon in the egg dyeing kit to write your name or to create designs on the egg before it was dipped in the dye?  Do you still dye eggs for your Easter table?

twenty-nine blocks ready to sew March 2019 . . . at least that is what I keep telling myself about the Tail Feathers' blocks. All the pieced sections are finished and ready to sew to the large triangles, so the blocks are closer to being completed. I had hoped to have the quilt top finished by now, but life got in the way.

simply garter stitch scarf March 2019 Garter stitch is a relaxing stitch - nothing to think about - mindless knitting at its finest. I started this simple garter stitch scarf and keep it in my knitting bag for a grab and go project. It's a good project for knitting with friends, as I can gab while I knit. This skein of sock yarn is non-plied and in some places is more like thin roving than yarn. I determined it was not ideal yarn for socks which is why I decided to knit a simple garter stitch scarf with it.

four bindings for Quilts of Valor March 2019 I received two Quilts of Valor back from a volunteer longarmer on Wednesday and discovered I hadn't prepared the binding when the quilt tops were finished. After I trimmed the quilts, I searched through the bin of backing scraps to find appropriate fabric for binding. The middle bundles will be used for the two recent quilts. The blue binding will be used for quilts still in the planning stage. Hopefully, today I'll have the motivation to sew the binding on the two QOV.