August is my month!

August is a special month for me. My wedding anniversary is on the first of August. My son's birthday is on the 4th, and my birthday is on the 21st. So there is lots to celebrate.

Since all the baby and grand kid stuff is done and delivered, August is all about me. Catching up on the things that have been percolating in my mind. And I have been pretty prolific so far, with a bit of a head start at the end of July.

On my frame is a small mat for the front door. We have an amazing Oriental rug in the entry way, and when we bought this house, I found a little half moon mat that was quiet enough and the right size. It has not worn especially well, is looking very tattered, and I had no success finding something that could co-exist in the space. So, I decided to design something.

Here are a couple of pictures of motifs in the Oriental rug, which served as the launching pad for my design.  We have collected a few beautiful rugs over the years, and this one has a distinctly different palette.  It is our only one without red in it.

I pulled a couple of ideas from the motifs and I happened to have some of the colours that I needed in my Briggs and Little yarn stash. So, I designed a simple geometric that will "play nicely" with the bigger beauty.

Today, I reached the half-way point, so decided I could share. Hooking with yarn - Heritage yarn from Briggs and Little - is like hooking with a 3 or 4 cut of wool cloth. So, not exactly speedy. And the work seems very similar to hooking the one and only Oriental I have hooked before now.  I've been trying to do two hours every day to get it moving along. 

I am excited to get it done and in position, now that it is "there already" in my mind. I questioned whether or not this was a good use of time to hook a mat that will have wet/messy shoes placed on it and decided that it is. My other mat that is hooked with wool yarn has been in front of my kitchen sink for over 10 years now. And it has worn incredibly well. A true work horse, which I have spot cleaned, but have also put in the gentle cycle in my washing machine.

On my needles, I am knitting a second "Stripes" sweater by Andrea Mowry. This is, in essence, a freebie since the major yarn in it is a Noro yarn that I have had for years and years, and was previously in a shawl that I NEVER wore. I added a couple of variegated skeins in the same hues and it is ready for sleeves. I am debating short versus longer. I like short sleeved sweaters, since they aren't too hot and you always have the option of putting something underneath to warm them up. 

I am going to have to block this like crazy, and hopefully it will grow a bit. 

I love knitting from my stash, especially when the yardage is in my favour, or I just have to add a ball or two.

On to the sewing projects. I decided to make myself another batch of masks, since I firmly believe that they will be with us for a long time yet. Others may disagree, but I will be masking whenever I feel the need. And I will have one in every coat pocket, stored in the car, and one in my purse - just to make sure.

This style of mask is definitely the best for me and my glasses.  I have tried so many other versions, but this one definitely keeps me fog free. And this array, all from fabric remnants in my stash, lets me have a couple in the wash and still lots in the drawer ready to go. 

The beige seersucker one in the upper left is made from a Timberland shirt of my husbands that had a small tear under the pocket. That shirt will be at least 4 masks - and he gets two of them. 

By the time September comes, and I get around to my next post, hopefully the rug will be done, the sweater will have sleeves and there may be some other progress to share. 

The summer is flying by, as they always do. By the time my birthday rolls around, it's time to think about heading back to school. No matter how old I am, I still get the urge to buy a new pencil case and things to put in it.

Enjoy the rest of the summer. I know I will.