Inside the Farmhouse

Since the weather is cold and snowy, I've been spending most of the time inside working on various projects.  I drew up plans for a new TV table that I want for the living room...

 

I've wanted to do this for awhile, and since I'm moving the furniture around to shampoo all the carpets, I figured now was the time.  I'll post a picture of it when it's done.

I love making things, big or small.  I think I've mentioned before that I drew up the blueprints for this house.  There are a couple of things I would change, but overall we're satisfied with it.

I recently retaught myself how to knit and crochet.  I didn't know if these old arthritic hands could do it, but it turns out that it's very therapeutic for them!  My hands are more limber and less painful than before!  I barely knew how to knit and crochet years ago, so in the past few weeks, I've advanced beyond where I was then.  Just like my cooking, I rarely follow directions for anything... so don't ask for patterns.  I like to make it up as I go along.

I started with scarves.  Easy.  Then I moved on to hats, learning as I go.  The mistakes are my special touch.  After many requests, I am posting these pics of my yarn projects:

This is the first hat I ever made!

I didn't get a picture of the scarf, but it has matching stripes.  My step-daughter is a Steelers fan.  (We love her anyway.  LOL)  She wanted a scarf in their colors.  I knitted the scarf while Brady was being born!  This head is a little smaller than a woman's head.

 

This a a ruffled set I made for myself.  It's the one I was wearing in the 'self-portrait while driving' shot.  The hat and scarf are rib-knitted, while the ruffled edge is crocheted.  The scarf is extra long for triple-wrapping!

This is actually purple and yellow.  Lexi asked for this set.  She described the braid & tassel thingy.  I found out before I gave it to her that the style is a short one on each side, so I redid it.

 

I love this one!  It's not an actual hood... just a scarf with a wide shaped area for your head.  I crocheted this one out of suede yarn.  It was on sale, so this cost $1.98! I can see the grands 'scarfing' this one up.  LOL

                                                                                           I have these two work jackets that I wanted to match.  I found this yarn that goes with both the green and the blue!  I made this one snug around the edge to keep my ears warm around the barn!
 

My two youngest grandgirls.

Melody's hat is made with double-yarn in the top for extra warmth.  I just crocheted the pink and blue together.  Grace is wearing a bell-shaped cap.  The pompoms looked much better before the girls got hold of them!

Grace requested a matching scarf.  I just finished it.

 

My bf has a gold wool coat.  I made her this double-yarn reversible hat.  It has a rolled hem for cute, and, flipping it inside-out, it has a head-hugging edge that pulls down below the ears for windy weather.

Even Mr J requested a scarf!  I made him a heavy-duty camouflage scarf for cutting wood.  He stays toasty warm now!

The left-over yarn became pillows for the living room.

Wooden Spools and the Pickle Jar

Hello, I'm back!  Hope you've all had a wonderful Christmas holiday.  I've been quite busy and haven't posted in a bit.  Some of you noticed.  I have quite a lot to catch up on, so I'm going to break it up into several different posts.  Today, it's recycling because this happens to be the first picture taken since I last saw you...

You know how I love these old spools.  They come in handy for so many things around here.  These are super heavy, with double two-bys on each end.  When sitting flat on the ground, these spools are about bar height.  One of them is going next to the high side of the pool.  I'll probably add some weather-proof stools and an umbrella.  Look for the finished project some time this century.

A fellow country person saw these and said that he knew a guy that used them for quail pens.  He cut a large hole in the center for a shelter, and then covered the ring with wire.  So now Mr J wants to raise quail!  Geesh!

This is a project I'm working on now.  (Yes, after Christmas.)   I found this small tree skirt while putting away some Christmas stuff.  It fits perfectly over one of our smaller wooden spool that I use to elevate the tree.  Plus, I'll have secret storage during December!

The gold thing is the base of our fiber-optic tree.  I will be cutting away the skirt from the center so that the fabric doesn't get too hot from the bulb in the base.   If you enlarge this one, you can see a small hole where the cord for the base comes through.  It was already in there!  How perfect!  I will stain the wood in the center and put edging on the skirt where I cut it.  I'll try to remember to post a picture of it when it's finished.

We haven't yet finished the walls in the basement.  Mr J wanted storage for his pool table supplies.  He added a few drilled holes and some left-over paint...

The smaller spools are from our fence wire and rope.  Being the perfect size for a five and three-year-old, these have been claimed by the youngest grands as stools.  I guess I'll pretty them up and upholster the tops to match the living room decor.

OK, I did promise a pickle jar...

I've been relearning to knit and crochet.  I had one skein that would not pull from the center, so I had to pull it from the outside.  (Knitters will understand.)  I don't like tossing the yarn around, especially when their are shedding animals in the vicinity.  I remembered this pickle jar.  A full 5 or 7 oz skein fits perfectly and feeds out very easily, keeping the yarn clean and tidy!

I love reading blogs about how you all have recycled items that would otherwise be tossed in a landfill.  To me, finding a way to use old items is a fun hobby.  Let me know about some of your favorite repurposing.