I Like Thursday # 151 ~ My Autumn Home

 Hello from my sunny back yard!

I have been home for almost and month from my summer vacation.

It has been an eventful month.

After staying well throughout our travels, Mr Scrapatch and I, who are fully vaccinated and boosted,  both caught covid. Both had a mild flu like case and we are now recovered.

One of our sons called us while we were on our way home to say he had it. His symptoms were similarly mild and he is also recovered. Although we dropped off groceries and supplies to his doorstep, we did not catch it from him either.

Mr. Scrapatch, who has been going to work all through the pandemic, apparently caught the new variant and brought it home to me.  Fortunately, we have not passed it to our other son or anyone else. 

As you can see, I finished the purple shawl for my friend.  This was actually completed before my trip but we have not been able to get together for lunch until yesterday.  For details on the yarn and pattern stitch I adapted for this shawl ... Read More Here

After shaping the shoulders, I added deep pockets to the front for keeping hands warm and carrying a phone or other essentials.  

The pockets are the same pattern stitch as the center back piece.

All of this is done in Tunisian Crochet except the final edging.

I worked the pockets on the back side of the ends and folded them forward and stitched up the sides with a single crochet stitch border. 

I am pleased with how this worked up and my purple loving friend was very happy with it.  I may work on another shawl like this soon, but will be making a few changes based on what worked best for this one.

I am now working on a new Tunisian Crochet Shawl in the Tunisian Simple Stitch (TSS). 

This one is for my daughter and she picked the yarn and the pattern. 

I am also working outside when the weather is good to get our garden ready for winter.

In keeping with today's theme for 

I Like Thursday @ Not Afraid of Color 

Here is a photo that I have posted before about the type of snacks I prefer when crafting, whether it is sewing or crocheting.  For home, I buy big bags of fresh nuts, dried seeds, dried fruits and make my own mix.  For traveling or carrying in my hand work bag, I buy small bags or bag some myself. I always have a bottle or insulated cup of ice water near me at home or on the go.

I cannot really say that I am back to regular blogging.  

I may post from time to time on this day or that.

May all of you stay well and happy and safe.

May you have a Happy Thursday! 

End of Summer ~ Home Again

 

This is my end of summer

"highway guided by the way the world is tilted"

... quote from this poem

We road tripped from Massachusetts to Indiana and back to visit with our daughter, son-in-law and grand-darling before they sell their house and move another 1000 miles away west.  Those of you who have been following my blog a long time may remember that my son-in-law is career military. Now he is transferred to the US Space Force.

The first two days of the journey were in total rain and there are no photos.

The skies cleared in the evening in western Ohio.

Photos are from the passenger seat ... 

... and one of the deer that visited their backyard.

In Indiana we got off the highway ...

... and enjoyed the backroads.

The mornings were misty in the rolling hills of eastern Ohio on the way home.

Then the skies were blue.

Misty morning mountains hiding behind the fog in West Virginia.

To cloudless blue.

It was a good trip.

It was good to see our girl.

It is good to be home. 

Welcome, Fall! 

I Like Thursday # 150 ~ My Summer Landscape

 

"The Earth Says ... every summer have ...

a landscape

that proclaims a universe ..."

In Response to a Question:
”What Does the Earth Say?”

The earth says have a place, be what that place
requires; hear the sound the birds imply
and see as deep as ridges go behind
each other. (Some people call their scenery flat,
their only pictures framed by what they know:
I think around them rise a riches and a loss
too equal for their chart - but absolutely tall.)

The earth says every summer have a ranch
that’s minimum: one tree, one well, a landscape
that proclaims a universe - sermon
of the hills, hallelujah mountain,
highway guided by the way the world is tilted,
reduplication of mirage, flat evening:
a kind of ritual for the wavering.

The earth says where you live wear the kind
of color that your life is (grey shirt for me)
and by listening with the same bowed head that sings
draw all things into one song, join
the sparrow on the lawn, and row that easy
way, the rage without met by the wings
within that guide you anywhere the wind blows.

Listening, I think that’s what the earth says.

+ William Stafford

The Earth Says by William Stafford, 1961

This poem has been an anthem in my heart for most of my life.

It was summer when I first read it.

I was twenty-something, maybe 21, so that would be 1973.

It was in a book.

I no longer have that book.

The words at some point became etched in my heart

and I carry them within.

This is the place where I come back to every summer. 

This is the summer that lives in my heart every winter.

This is where I live.

Linking up today with my blogging friends for

I Like Thursday @ Not Afraid of Color 

May you have a Happy Thursday! 

~~~~~~~~~

Update:  Packing my gray shirt ... 

 ...  onto the highway ...

... hallelujah.

See you in September ... :)

~~~~~~~~~

Stitch Sew & Show ~ 2022 ~ Week 33

 Welcome to Stitch Sew & Show ~ 2022 ~ Week 

I am back after after another week plus of being away from my computer.  

Nothing life changing; just life happening. 

I have been working on my

 Purple Shawl Project ~ Last Posted Here

and have been making good progress.

I have started calling this my "Winging It Shawl" 

as I have been designing as I go. 

After adding the first shoulder in this photo,

I decided it looks like I am adding wings to the square 

that forms the back of the shawl.

The color changing yarn that I am using for this project is new to me.

I found this Wool Wonders Yarn on Amazon .

The lighter yarn is Mauve Pink.  The darker yarn is Purple Iris. 

I like the feel of this yarn.  The wool content gives it the soft fuzzy feel of wool but it is very nice to the touch.  This Wool Wonders is a soft, single ply blend of 30% Australian Wool and 70% acrylic. 

It is a variegated  #4 Medium Worsted Aran Yarn. 

I cannot say how this yarn washes and wears yet. Time will tell.

I do have a scrap yarn project in process which has some of this yarn.  

I will wash the scrap project as soon as it is finished.

I love the fall colors that are coming soon. 

Here I am casting on the other shoulder and I needed to figure out how to make the short rows and the neck decrease on the other side so it would match the other shoulder.

I could not find any online or book instructions showing me how to make short rows in the Tunisian Crochet Knit Stitch (TKS) on the left side of any project.

I even asked in a Tunisian Crochet group that I have joined on Facebook and got no answers. 

After trial and error, found that placing the hook in the TKS in the row below made an almost seamless transition. 

I am literally winging it as I go.

Here is my progress.

I have the shoulder two wings on the back of my shawl 

and I am ready to start the next part of my planned design.

I have not seen any shawl like this online. 

I am not a pattern writer but if there is interest in how I made this, I will try to make a tutorial. 

Would you be interested in making your own version of this shawl?

Crochet is still my favorite thing to do right now.

When I have given my hands a rest, 

I have been following the yarn trail wherever it leads me on the internet

and it lead me to a new series on how-to crochet.

If you are new to or want to learn more about crochet, 

you may be interested in this free beginner series happening now:

Crochet Academy 2022 @ TL Yarn Crafts

If you join, you will receive one email per day with the daily topic.

There are also free project tutorials.

There are even kits available at Lion Brand Yarns :

Crochet Academy Kits @ Lion Brand

I am not affiliated in any way with any of these businesses and am providing the links for those who may be interested.

I am thinking of making this Lynn Fringed Vest Project,

but I am focused on my current projects and have the yarn for my next two Tunisian Crochet projects, so I am not sure when I might make the crochet vest. 

I am enjoying the daily emails and am learning new things about regular crochet.

What are you stitching and sewing this week?

Please share? 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

I Like Thursday # 149 ~ The Taste of Summer

 

The Taste of Summer

A toasted tortilla with  home grilled chicken and 

homegrown veggies.

Add homemade lemonade and fresh cut watermelon 

(sorry ... not shown ... I ate it all before I realized I did not get a photo.)

It was yummy! 

A simple and easy lunch at its best. 

Our summer lunches during the week are made 

from the weekend grilling by my Mr. Scrapatch. 

It may be chicken breasts, beef brisket, pork loin, even fish fillets,

whatever looked good at the butcher shop or fresh fish shop.

It is all good.  

For our summer grilling, I make a salt-free rub that is kept in a jar that my hubby reaches for whatever meat he is grilling.  He rubs this on meat that he has patted dry and grills. 

It also gets added to veggie packets of whatever summer garden vegetables like summer squash, zucchini, tomatoes, scallions with onions, baby potatoes, sweet potatoes, garlic, mushrooms ... whatever we have on on hand. 

It even sometimes gets sprinkled on grilled corn with feta cheese.

This seasoning is our taste of summer ... and there is no actual recipe.

When the jar is near empty I make another batch.

Here is approximately what is in the jar:

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 or 3 tablespoons of garlic powder and/or granules (no salt)

2-3 tablespoons of onion powder (again, no salt)

1 tablespoon of mustard powder

1 or 2 tablespoons of paprika

1 tablespoon of smoked paprika

fresh ground pepper

That is the base "recipe."

Then I add in a half teaspoon to a teaspoon seasonings 

like tumeric, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, red pepper flakes

 and about a half-teaspoon of nutmeg. 

I have even been known to add a bit of espresso powder. 

Mr. Scrapatch does not like it too spicy.  

I probably add a touch more spice than he realizes.

I make to taste every time and it always tastes yummy.

Linking up today with my blogging friends for

I Like Thursday @ Not Afraid of Color 

May you have a Happy Thursday! 

Stitch Sew & Show ~ 2022 ~ Week 32

 

Welcome to Stitch Sew & Show ~ 2022 ~ Week 32

This week I am continuing my purple crochet shawl project.

I finished the border on Purple Shawl ~ Back Block

early in the week and now am working on adding the two sides to the block

to make the shoulder sections. 

The stitch I have chosen for the sides is the 

Tunisian Knit Stitch (TKS).

This is a very easy stitch.

This looks much like a regular knitting stitch and is achieved by inserting the hook into the space between the front and back bar (also called the legs) of the stitch, front to back and pulling up a loop onto the hook. 

Tunisian Crochet Knit Stitch How-To Video @TLYC

Click on the link above for video instructions for this stitch. 

I need to make progress fats on this shawl. My friend's birthday is next week.

Hopefully I will have time to finish the shawl.

What are you working on this week?

Please Share! 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Rainy Days and Tuesdays

 

It rained today! 

I  opened the windows and the back door 

and even went out to stand in the nice cool rain. 

I has been in the triple digits with the heat factor for so many days

that the house has been closed up and the air conditioners running night and day.

It has not even cooled off at night. 

A steady healing is now a cause for celebration.

In truth, I have always loved summer rains and in my younger days would take a walk in the rain.

Today I just opened my door and enjoyed. 

Hope the rains that fall on you are gentle and healing. 

Monday's Stitching

Today I worked on the edging border 

of the back block for my purple shawl project.

For this part of the project I used my regular size K 6.5mm hook started by working a single crochet in every stitch on all four side of my block.

On the side edges of my block I worked three rows of single crochet

and on the top and bottom where I cast on and off, I added only one row of SC. 

Then I worked around the block one more time adding a Back Post Single Crochet (BPSC) to finish the block border. 

Now my block measures 20 inches square and I am ready to start the sides of my shawl tomorrow with my Tunisian Crochet Hook.

As I said, this is a design as I go project.

So far is is looking just as I had hoped. 

It was so oppressively hot and humid today,

 I stayed inside most of the day 

and was very thankful for my window air conditioners. 

The daytime adjusted temperature was in the triple digits all day. 

Is it as hot where you are?

How are you staying cool? 

Slow Sunday Stitching ~ Tunisian Crochet

 

My Perfectly Purple Shawl is progressing. 

I have completed my planned part one in this design as I stitch project.

I last showed this project in my 

Stitch Sew & Show Linky Party

The link for this particular version of the stitch is in the link above.

After I started stitching, I made a personal variation in my long stitches from what is given in the instructions. I pulled through the first two loops and then the single loop as it felt more natural to my hands.  I think I also was able to keep my elongated stitches looking straighter and neater this way.  When following a pattern, I always find what works best for me and go with that. 

I found video for a very, very similar stitch called

Framed Block Stitch by Hobby Stash

The only difference is an extra yarnover loop on the long post stitch. 

Hobby Stash

is a wonderful site for people who quilt and crochet.

I also found this virtual treasure trove of

52 Block Sampler Tunisian Crochet by HobbyStash

That would be one block a week!

I may make this a yearlong project for 2023. 

After completing 63 rows of 63 stitches across, I measured my block using my largest quilting square.  Since Tunisian crochet has a natural tendency to roll at the beginning rows and the ending row, the ruler allowed me to flatten it and get an accurate measurement.  I was very happy to find that my gage is perfect in this block.

I used a Tunisian Crochet Hook size K  ~  6.5 mm.

I really love the texture and look of this stitch.

Here is the front and the back of my block.

My plan is to add a narrow border to this block 

and set it on point for the back of my shawl.

I will start part two of my shawl design tomorrow.

Tonight I am linking up with all the lovely creations at

Slow Sunday Stitching @ Kathy's Quilts

May your weekend end well 

and your new week be a happy one! 

Scrappy Saturday ~ Yarn Scrap Style

 

Scrappy Saturday ~ Yarn Scrap Project

When I was quilting daily, I used to very often take a break on Saturdays and play with my fabric scraps for the day.  Since I have been sitting and stitching with my yarn instead of sewing at my machine, I am playing with my yarn scraps today. 

The yarn that is stitched in the bottom of the photo is from my current project.

The center of the scrap project is this sample swatch I made in the Honeycomb Tunisian Crochet stitch.  After making this I decided this color changing yarn was not well suited to this stitch and chose a different one for the shawl I am making for one of my friends.

I relegated a whole ball of this new yarn to the scrap pile after Nutmeg attacked it with her sharp teeth and claws as soon as I took it out of the plastic packaging

I have a video of this and Maestro also snagging my yarn at

The Scrapatch Cats on TikTok

where I have a very minimal presence,

just so I do not look like an anonymous lurker when I like and comment. 

Trying to gently pry the new ball of yarn away from the Nutmeg only made it worse.

My kitties say, "Not us!  See how angelic looking and helpful we are?"

Nutmeg loves to lay on lap on top of my current project. 

I started randomly adding borders to the sample swatch with the scrap ball of yarn and my regular crochet hook.

What am I making?

I am making a crocheted kitty blanket.

I surprised Maestro who was having a nap on the sofa near me 

and asked her to model it for size. 

I am hoping that if I make them blankets with my scrap yarn 

they may happily make these fuzzy while biscuit making 

instead of my larger crocheted blankets and shawls and scarves. 

So I am now adding more borders with the small gray and pink balls of yarn 

left from my ...

 Patchwork Crochet Sampler Throw

My kitties love scrappy projects as much as I do.

They are my purrrrfect scrapatch cats.

What are you working on today>?

Are you sewing and stitching scrappy?