SCORE!

The noun—not the verb—and it's not quite true—Only 19 (not 20) rounds till the chart 3 is done!

The smaller feather is closed and will be gone from the chart in 2 more rounds. The bigger feather is following close behind it. The pattern is rapidly becoming feathery lacy frames to the feather eye with the in between spaces of stocking knit. The stitch count is down, too with each round being just 800 odd stitches per round --and fewer still in the remaining rounds. But my hands still cramp up with just 2 full rounds.

The secret socks have flaps and turned heels, and stitches picked up for the gussets (but no decrease for the gussets yet. ) They are MAY socks—and way behind schedule—partly because they are boot high (12 inches of leg not the more common for me 9 inch high socks). June's “public socks” are going to be a gift—a friend is destashing (and oh what a lovely stash she has!) asked me what she could send my way. The Answer was of course “SOCK YARN”--so some of my stash of yarn will become socks for her, and some of her stash will become socks for me! That she wears a size 6 shoe (vs my gun boat sized 9's) is an added bonus.

My sewing area is regaining a semblance of order (a full tall kitchen waste bag of scraps and threads, and empty spools were collected and thrown out!)--I still haven't packed away my sewing machine—or for that matter re-assembled the linen jacket I disassembled to take in—but for the moment, the urge to sew is abated. Still I look at all the lovely fabrics I have bought and un earthed—and I so want to sew! The lovely wools know they have to wait—but the cottons and linens? Oh I ache to make something—and yet—I don't want cut and make something that won't fit next year with these lovely fabrics.

They have remained intact, because for years, I keep saying “when I loose some weight” and now that I actually am—I am even more determined to hold of cutting till I am thinner still!) Do I dare to acknowledge that some of my wools (lovely packed with mothballs and herb to repel moths) are more that 20 years old--(some, lets be honest 30+ years old!)

The scale is once again refusing to co-operate—but---clothes made last year (hell, clothes made last month!) are looser and fitting better—even the ones I made from cotton that I didn't bother to preshrink before cutting and sewing. I am feeling better, too. And moving better and looking better even if the scale refuses to co-operate. ( I leave in a few minutes for a Dr. app. to see if the blood test verify my sense of well being!)

Most of the week will be rainy days--it's spritzing rain now, with heavy rain predicted for late tonight and most of the next two day. I'll while away the time knitting—and maybe even get the linen jacket put back together. And then REALLY stop sewing for a while-- though I do still have thoughts of making some simple sleeveless pull over tops of poly cotton--(in colors to match the lining of wrap skirts).

I really have a lot of newish (altered or really new) clothes that fit reasonable well-and I did get back to the big box store and complete my full dozen of T shirts. At 4 for $10 they are cheaper than almost anything I can make—even when I can find poly cotton at a $1 a yard (a sewn T type shirt needs 2.5 yards--+ thread, plus time!) But I will have to do laundry every other week or so (not every 3^rd to 4^th week!) to have a ready supply of clean clothes.

Some week (I hope many!)in the summer, I hardly wear clothes at all---I get up and put on a housedress till I dress in my swimsuit for the pool—after an afternoon of swimming, I don clothes for a few hours--(7PM till bed time). Hardly enough time to get them soiled—and often wear a skirt or T shirt half a dozen times before it needs washing. But these past few weeks have been rainy—if not outright rain all day, cloudy mornings and last after noon showers—and its been cool (some days its been in the 60°'s (circa 16° to 20C) to low 70°'s—and with out bright warming sun—its a bit too cool be in the pool—and there hasn't been much sun. Yesterday it was supposed to be in the 80°'s—but with the breeze on the deck—it was way too cold to get in the water.