My Yellow Swing

My new little Hokett loom has been in my hands a lot lately.  I have made some mug rugs using leftover sock yarn.  I love using different colors that wouldn’t normally be used together.  The blending from one yarn color to another just fascinates me.  And it gives me other ideas for larger tapestry weaving.This one was self striping yarn that first made a pair of short socks, then two bottle sweaters and the very last of the yarn made the mug rug.Now I am working on a red and black project with a hatching technique.The sheep tapestry is still on the loom.  I started the next row of heads.Knitting has been slow, but I did get to wear my new bike socks today.The really bright part is inside the shoe.  I’ll have to find some bike sandals to wear.That’s all for now.

See ya,

Sandy O’

I had a wonderful time visiting my family in Kentucky.  The “Sisters Trip” was great, we didn’t get thrown out of any restaurants (we’ve only been threaten, not actually thrown out), and we made it back to my parents without any major mishaps.

The first part of our trip was taking my niece, Kaylee, back to college, Western Kentucky University.  Their mascot is “Big Red” and we felt it appropriate to do our “Three Wise Monkeys” pose in front of “Big Red”.

Here’s my selfie with Kay and Kaylee.  The next day, we shopped at several antique stores in Bowling Green.  And then headed north to Owensboro, Ky.  We only got turned around once because of road construction.  I ended up driving down an alleyway and out onto a sidewalk.  Just a normal detour for us.  Our hotel was right on the Ohio River and the views were outstanding.  Not far from our hotel was a kids park and since we are kids at heart, we tried it out.  Terry got to kiss a frog.  It is still a frog.Kay and I caught a turtle.Terry almost got eaten by a very large mouth bass.The lights along the riverfront were beautiful.And there were fountains everywhere.  The night time pictures really didn’t do it justice but it was pretty neat. This water cascade was fascinating.  It would start with a roar and then come splashing down.   We rode a trolley car around the town.  I didn’t get a photo of the outside of the trolley, but here’s a picture of Kay inside taking a picture of me.All together a great time and we’ve already got plans for next year.  Look out, Indiana, here we come!

See ya,

Sandy O’

Yes, today is my 62nd year of my wonderful life!  I am still in Kentucky visiting my family, but Pat sent me an email with this picture.  I will be spending the day at the “Forkland Heritage Festival” in Gravel Switch, Kentucky.   I will be enjoying some good Southern food!

See ya,

Sandy O’

I’m visiting my family in Kentucky this week.  Everyone is fine and especially grateful for the rain that has been coming down since I flew in Thursday.  I could use a little more sunshine, but that’s just me.  I’ve already eaten more than my share of coconut cream pie, and is it ever delicious!  My mom makes THE BEST PIES!  I’ll be riding a lot of bike miles when I get back.

I brought my bright socks to finish knitting.  I have 3 more inches of cuff and then the “afterthought” heels.  These will be fun to wear through airport security!

I’m also knitting hot pads using T-shirt yarn .  I made some on my last trip here and my mom loved them.  These will be Christmas gifts for her Ladies Sunday School Class. This coming week starts with a “Sisters Road Trip” with Terry and Kay, first to Western Kentucky University to drop off my niece and then lots of antique shops with hopefully a yarn shop somewhere along the way.  Later in the week is the Forkland Heritage Festival.  I’ll be helping my mom with the “Silent Auction”.   I donated two of my handwoven scarves.

I’m using my iPad camera and the photos aren’t the best.  More to come!

See ya,

Sandy O’

It’s almost like Christmas.  But I just couldn’t wait that long, so I ordered a couple of new playthings.  The first thing is a ukulele.  I know…. how 70’s can you get.  But I’ve tried to learn to play the banjo (that was WAY more complicated than it looks!).  Next I tried a guitar.  Better, but too big to hold.  Next I tried a kalimba. It’s an African thumb piano.  It’s really fun to play but rather restrictive in the types of music to sing along.Now I’ve signed up for a class at our local community college to learn to play the ukulele!  Duffy’s not too sure about it.My other new toy is a Hokett mini tapestry loom.  It’s so Cute!  Other projects include a finished scarf.  It’s the Feathers and Fans pattern knitted with my hand spun baby alpaca.  Another pair of socks is on the needles.  Pat saw this yarn at my favorite LYS, Grandma’s Spinning Wheel in Tucson, AZ and thought it would make great cycling socks.  You will be able to see my feet for sure!I’m demonstrating inkle loom weaving along with rigid heddle weaving at the Western Heritage Program for elementary school students and set this up for the kids to try.And lastly, the Sheep tapestry is growing again.  I’ll be adding the heads soon.

See ya,

Sandy at My Yellow Swing

I will “start” this post with a recent walk around the old mining town of Bisbee, AZ.  It has little copper mining going on now, the town is primarily a tourist/artist community.  A fun place to visit.  This is a vacant lot that displays much artistic impulses. We walked along some of the back streets. You can find just about anything used for landscapes. This is a wall with many kinds of glass cemented into the surface.

 I see they found a good use for old Avon bottles. Another wall decorated with mask impressions.  It’s always a treat to go to Bisbee.Now for some more  “Starts”.  I’m knitting a gift for a wonderful friend in Kentucky using hand spun baby alpaca.  You can’t believe how soft the yarn turned out.   I had some leftover sock yarn and started a second bottle sweater.   And I started the second row of sheep on my Navajo tapestry.Time for the Friday Finishes.  These are my first “Matchy Matchy socks. The tapestry is hung. And another project bag for the Tombstone Yarn Babe.See ya,

Sandy O’

Linda, fellow Yarn Babe and great friend, was surprised Monday with a birthday celebration held by the Sierra Vista Yarn Babes and Enlightenment Society, solving the world’s problems one stitch at a time.  Knowing Linda is a devoted Sock Monkey collector, every card, gift, refreshments and party decorations were based on the Sock Monkey theme.   I couldn’t resist knitting a Sock Monkey ball for Linda.  And in honor of Sock Monkey day, I wore my Sock Monkey hat given to me by my sister, Terry.  It was a fun and goofy day.  Happy Birthday, Linda.

Another project finished was a felted knitted tote bag.  I’m going to line the inside of the bag to strengthen and stiffen it up a bit.  The yarn is from Navajo Churro sheep raised in the Sky Island Region of Southeastern Arizona.  Deb sells her yarn at Sky Island Girls on Etsy and at the Thursday Sierra Vista Farmer’s Market.  

See ya,

Sandy