Wyoming Breezes

lace design visible when back lit November 2020 Once I set a goal to finish this long-time UFO, it wasn't difficult to sit down and knit at least two rows a day. I bound off the last stitch on Thanksgiving just as the sun was setting.  off the needles and in need of a good blocking  November 2020 It doesn't look like much on the hanger, but once it's blocked, I think it will be a beauty. I plan to take it to the LYS to be blocked because I don't have a area large enough to do an adequate job.  Pattern :  EZ 100th Anniversary Pi Shawl: Camping (half circle version) . free pattern on Ravelry Needles : US size 8 Yarn : Heritage 150 Sock Yarn (Cascade Yarn)  Color: 5631

When I saved this cartoon last year, I had no idea a virtual holiday meal would become a reality and not so funny in 2020. The surging numbers of Covid-19 in many states, makes a virtual Thanksgiving the most sensible thing to do.  Did you alter your family Thanksgiving celebration because of Covid-19?

A11 Mystery 60 x 82 inches Quilt of Valor #192 The last clue for the mystery quilt was released last Thursday, and I was able to complete the quilt top on Friday afternoon. This was a quick and easy quilt to finish.  Alycia, thank you for hosting the mystery.

yardage donation from Jean F.  Saturday, I prepared backings for the most recent Quilt of Valor from yardage sent by Jean F. this summer. Jean sent enough of this patriotic, word fabric to back two Quilts of Valor. It's been a blessing to pull fabric from my stash closet instead of going to a quilt shop, especially during a pandemic. The remainder of the fabric will be used for the cuff of a presentation case.  Jean, thank you again for your generous donation.  backings and quilts ready to send to a longarm quilter November 2020

presentation cases ready to sew November 2020 Monday, I tidied the sewing room and stash closet. While organizing fabric, I found some larger scraps perfect for presentation cases and the coordinating cuffs. I cut and pressed the fabrics and prepared them for sewing. I use the "burrito" or "sausage" technique to make cases that have no exposed seams.  Here's a video that shows the complete process.  The cases are finished and ready to donate. At first, it's a little confusing on how sewing the fabrics into a tube can turn into a pillowcase, but it really does if the directions are followed: you just have to trust the pattern.  twelve QOV presentation cases

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clue 5 completed November 2020 Clue 5 was released on November 12th, and I finished it during Sunday's FaceTime call. In clue 5, the blocks were sewn together in rows. For the photo, I used the sashing units that were completed in clue 4 where I think they will be placed, but I could be wrong. There is another row of blocks and two sashing strips that would not fit on the wall. 

Patriotic Waves 57 x 70 inches Quilt of Valor #191 I used the same pattern (Orange Waves by Villa Rosa) to make Patriotic Waves . The blocks are 7 inches finished, and the quilt makes up easily and quickly. 

trapped stitch marker I discovered an "oops" on the Half Circle Pi Shawl. One of the stitch markers was accidentally knit into the shawl. The only way to remove the marker (other than frogging the shawl which I am NOT going to do) is to cut the marker.  I've managed to knit markers into items before - have you?

clue 4 units ready to sew November 2020 Clue 4 was quick and easy - eight strips that I assume will become sashing for the mystery quilt.  clue 4 completed Only a few more clues remaining for this mystery Quilt of Valor.

John Deere "G" approximately mid to late 1950s It's difficult to tell what implement is hooked up to the tractor; however with the weights on the tractor's back wheels, I'd guess it is a plow, but I could be wrong. The wheel weights added traction. The canvas cover (heat housing) around the tractor tells me this photo was taken in the Spring or Fall. The cover helped keep the driver somewhat warm since the tractor had no cab. The cover was not used in the Summer. I can still "hear" the distinctive putt-putt of the tractor as it idled. Dad (shown in the first photo) usually topped off the tractor's gasoline before heading out to the field. The fuel tanks were in the middle of the yard under a dim yard light that was switched on and off in the house. Later, the incandescent light was replaced with an automatic mercury light with a light sensitive control.  When my brothers were young, they played basketball under the yard light. A hoop was hung on the ...

long abandoned project sees the light of day November 2020 The shadows may be long in the photo above, but obviously the years the project has been tucked in a basket have been even longer:  an earlier blog post reveals that I started this project in 2017.  I was afraid that I wouldn't know where I left off, but I discovered a sticky note on the pattern, telling me where I stopped. With that information, it was fairly easy to pick up the project (Half Circle Pi Shawl) and continue knitting. Because of the number of stitches on the needles, it's slow going: I can complete two rows in a little under an hour.  It's my goal to finish knitting the shawl by the end of the year. 

seventy-two HSTs I worked on the second clue of the A11 mystery QAL during a FaceTime call on October 25th and tackled clue 3 during the call on Sunday, November 1st.  clues 1 and 2 of the A11 mystery quilt along October 2020 I probably should have chosen a more "medium" red rather than this "darker" one. It's hard to select fabrics for a mystery quilt - not knowing which fabrics are going to be placed together. clues 1 -3  November 2020 It's nice to have clues that can be completed in one or two hours. 

dealing with the leaves approx. 1982 The trees around the farmhouse were huge and dropped truckloads of leaves every Fall. Before my Mom got a riding lawnmower that picked up the leaves, it was my job to rake them up every Fall. I didn't really mind the job, but it sometimes seemed never-ending. I often wish I had a penny for each leaf I raked.  Sometimes the leaves were raked into the ditch next to the house and burned, but often they were loaded into the pickup or the manure spreader and unloaded in the fields. Once my Mom started mowing up the leaves, she burned them near the front gate away from any buildings.  To this day, I love the smell of Fall and the sound of leaves crunching underfoot. Do you like raking leaves?

close up of Bold Confidence October 2020 Bold Confidence features an eagle-theme fabric Jean F. included in the box of fabric  she sent in July . The pattern, used for this quilt, is a Villa Rose design called Orange Waves. Online friend Connie (Far Side of Fifty) donated the white background fabric , and the red with white stars was from my stash. Bold Confidence 57 x 70 inches Quilt of Valor #190 Update :  In June 2021, this quilt was presented to a Pocatello, Idaho veteran at the same time he was awarded a Purple Heart.