985 and 37

That is how many stitches and rows I have left.

There are 985 stitches left to stitch on Baker Beach. Yes, I counted.

I have put in a few long sessions recently and made significant progress.

 I've included a close-up of what is left as I just finished stitching a white that is hard to see in the larger view.

A little blue and a bunch of sand is all that is left. I am really motivated to spend more time with it now. Of course, my university course starts up again this week, so I will have less time. Yet, I am only teaching one course this semester  and it is staying lighter later each day so maybe I can get some stitching in on my off late afternoons. 

I also have less than half of the rows left to complete on my cowl.....37 to be exact.

I had to un-knit a row recently when I just couldn't fix a mistake, but I am back on track now. 

Here is a close-up of the lacy pattern. I think you will be able to see it better once it is off the needles and blocked.

I have been spending some time sitting at my computer in my daughter's old room working at her desk. Lately, including now as I write, I have had this view of my neighbor's roof.

I believe this squirrel is building a nest under their solar panels.

 I watch him travel along my fence, up a tree, onto the electric wires and then on the roof. He/she sits on the peak and eats or preens. 

Sometimes he/she has some twigs or grass in its mouth. I really have to go over to my neighbor and tell them about their furry friend...er...foe?

I am joining Kathy for some Slow Sunday Stitching. I will try to get closer to the finish with Baker Beach. Pop on over to her site to see what other bloggers are stitching. 

Thanks for stopping by!

1500 stitches

1500...that is the approximate number of stitches left on Baker Beach. I added a few more yesterday and hope to spend about an hour on it today. This is where I am.

It may not look much different from my last post two weeks ago, but trust me I have been filling in some of that blue.

I have been watching tennis and pre-Olympic sports on the TV at night and knitting this pretty cowl. 

I have completed three of the eight pattern repeats. I am loving this lacy knit. It is quite easy to keep track of the pattern with a stitch marker every 12 stitches as recommended in the pattern. Usually my only mistakes are forgetting to YO which are easily fixed. 

I finally received this cross-stitch fabric in the mail after an e-mail to the company.

 I ordered it just after Christmas and only received it this week. The company claimed that its distributor was on vacation, but I would have liked some notice that it was delayed rather than wondering whether or not my order was lost. 

I am joining Kathy for some Slow Sunday Stitching. This year she is having occasional photo challenges and today's topic is hoops. 
The one "hoop" that has been getting the most use lately is this cross-stitch stand that I am using for Baker Beach. 

It has been getting quite a work-out and I think I may have to replace some screws that seem to be stripped before I use it again. Do you like the view of my living room down below?

This little oval hoop I inherited from an Aunt many years ago.

I also have this frame to use for larger cross-stitch projects that don't necessarily need a stand with them.
I have several round wooden hoops for smaller projects

Although it is difficult to tell from this picture, the hoop below is a two plastic hoops connected to make a lap stand. I like to use this for medium sized-projects.

I own a large round quilting hoop that I prefer to use for hand quilting,

but I have an oval quilting stand also.

I sometimes use this hoop on the stand or on my lap.
Those are just a few of my hoops. Pop on over to her site to see what other bloggers are stitching and the kind of hoops they are using.

I will be working on Baker Beach some more today edging closer and closer to a finish. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Snow days

I ended up with an unintended four day weekend due to the blizzard we had here on Long Island. My son had some extra time in Southern California as it took an extra day and a half before he could get a flight to New York. 
Our back deck ended up free of snow, but one of our chaise lounges flipped over and the cover blew off of our table and chairs.

Our front porch had a nice drift. 

No snow on the cars, but a drift next to Hubby's car.

Of course that meant I did some some snow shoveling (our snow blower wouldn't start despite being tested prior to the storm).

 It took a while to shovel through the end of the driveway. We had to go back out after dark once the plows came through a second time.

  You can see how high the snow mounds are. We had over 12 inches of snow.

 The two snow days also meant that I had time to take down almost all of the Christmas decorations. 

Of course I was not going to waste two unexpected days off just doing chores. I sat down with Baker Beach for a few hours and made some real progress.

I also cast on this Milanese Lace Cowl (4 times) before I actually got the count correct and the pattern going. I have finished 2 of 8 repeats of the pattern. 

I haven't knit in a while and am really enjoying challenging myself with a lace pattern. It is surprisingly quite easy.

I am joining Kathy for some Slow Sunday Stitching. Pop on over to her site to see what other bloggers are stitching. I think that Baker Beach needs a little more love today.

Thanks for stopping by!

Crafting plans for the New Year.

What do I want to craft in 2018? Oh my there is a really long list. 

First I want to finish Baker Beach. It is soooo close.

I have tried to cast on this infinity scarf 3 4 times. I will get it going and then have a new knit project to work on. (I cast on again last night and have the first row knitted).

I also want to finish my Granny Square Rose Afghan.

I have two felt kit projects that I can't share right now, but that I really want to finish before next Christmas. I will be starting these shortly. I will share my progress, but I won't be able to tell you what they are as they will be surprise gifts for my children. 

I just purchased the fabric to work on these two Christmas pieces.

I won these patterns over two years ago. The one on the left comes with the floss and jingle bells.

I also bought the fabric to start this big cross-stitch project for my daughter. 

This is going to take several years just like Baker Beach. I thought it was smaller, but it is actually larger than Baker Beach. I will start it once Baker Beach is completed.

I want to make a cowl with this yarn that I almost forgot that I bought in Saratoga this year.

I am going to start a quilt for my daughter. I think I have decided on the pattern though I will have to add about 9 stars in order to make it into a queen-sized quilt.

 I will start searching for the fabric in the Spring so that I can concentrate on the sewing when I am off from school in the Summer. My daughter likes the color palette that is given, but wants it to be less Christmas-like.

There are other projects that I would like to get to, but I think I will stop my list here as this many projects may not even be possible.

 Finishing the quilting on this baby quilt

 and finishing the stitching on the Autumn church embroidery that has been a UFO for so long may happen. This project is further along than the photo shows. The trees above the fence are mostly completed.

If I feel like it I will pick these last two up, but they are not planned finishes for 2018.

So that is my list. I am sure there will be other projects that catch my eye and are added along the way. There always are. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Company gone, stitching begun, 2017 review

My son is now in California, but will be back for a few days next week. My daughter and her boyfriend have headed out to visit his parents and then drive home. Hubby and I have the house to ourselves for a few days. 

I took advantage of that and spent a good hour or more working on Baker Beach on Friday. I am so close to being halfway done with this last page. There are only about 2000 stitches left. Oh no, that sounds like so much.

It is bitterly cold here today, 14 degrees right now with wind, so I will spend as much time as possible indoors working on Baker Beach. I have to go out to get milk, which is annoying as I was in our local grocery store twice yesterday. Hubby and I also have to make some Christmas returns. Sigh....

I had really hoped that Baker Beach would be finished this year, but I know for sure that I will finish it in 2018. I am too close to the end not too finish it soon.

I think this might be a good time to look over my finishes of 2017. This was a cowl for my daughter that I finished in February. She was wearing it when she was here for Christmas which made me smile.

I March I finished my Feather and Fan shawl.

I April I finished stitching one of my Prairie Schooler Santas although the final assembly didn't happen until a couple of days before Christmas.

There were no finishes in May, June or July. I spent those months working on the second Prairie Schooler Santa, Baker Beach and the Summer of Love Challenge.

The last I finished in August.

I also finished this crocheted Christmas tree for my son.

September and October found me very busy with my school and university work so there were no finishes. In November I finished my second Prairie Schooler Santa.

I also finished binding this quilt for my son that I called Matthew's Maze.

 As I said before, those Prairie Schooler Santas got their final finish right before Christmas. They were my December finishes.

I am pretty happy with my accomplishments. I always wish for more finishes, but I really can't complain.

I am joining Kathy for the last Slow Sunday Stitching of 2017. Pop on over to her site to see what other bloggers are stitching. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Gifts given

My Prairie Schooler Santas were a hit with my son and daughter. I completed them only a couple of days prior to Christmas. Now they each have two.

 This one went to my daughter. She makes sure to read "The Night Before Christmas" every Christmas Eve.

 My son received this Santa.

 We managed to decorate some Christmas cookies on Christmas Eve.

 Both children get creative.

 This was my son's first pan of cookies.

Our Christmas celebration was quiet this year, but still filled with family.
Of course I had to take the obligatory picture of my children in front of the tree Christmas morning. 

I hope to someday have pictures like this with spouses and grandchildren included. 
There was an abundance of presents beneath our tree.

We celebrated with my mom.

 We even managed to get a picture of Hubby and I on Christmas.

I hope everyone had a good celebration. My daughter's boyfriend is visiting now and we are planning to go bowling. I haven't been in quite a while. I hope to find some time to work on Baker Beach soon. I would like to make some progress. I don't want to start anything new until it is done.

Thanks for stopping by!