this week: sewing and knitting

Our supposed "week off" was, well, a week we're glad is over.  A week ago Saturday found Jeff and I standing in the rain with a (corded) drill, determined to finish the fence... which we did, even without electrocuting anyone.  That evening, probably due to standing on a concrete floor all week then slipping off a step, I had a huge flare-up of Achilles tendinitis, which brought mornings of hobbling and days of gentle walking (never taking off my Birkenstocks) for the week.  What a good way to get some sewing and knitting accomplished!

Gret, the sweet skinny girl she is, has so much trouble with pants and shorts not fitting.  We made an outing to the S.J. Harris Warehouse of Fabric, always an adventure, and picked out fabric for some shorts, play skirts, and pj shorts.  With Gret's help, we were able to get shorts and a skirt finished before running out of elastic.

Gret wanted to "do a project" too, so I started on something I'd had in my head a bit, and we made templates and cut flags for a pennant banner.  It was so quick and easy, and we had fun.  Also ran out of bias tape, so the pile of extra pennants we made will have to wait.

A cousin and his lovely wife are expecting their first, a little girl, in the fall, and though I can't make the trip to the middle of Illinois for the shower, I'm sending away a hat and sweater.  This is G. Sheller's Simple Newborn Hat with a Touch of Lace.  The sweater is one I've made many times, Pickle's Plain Vest.  Both are made with Blue Sky Alpaca's Organic Cotton, a wonderful soft yarn.  I made both as specified in the patterns, but on sz. 7 double-pointeds for the hat and sz. 8 circulars for the vest.  (Hmm.  Don't tell Nancy!)

Finally, to cap the week, Gret had a run-in with a patch of concrete, whilst connected to a running dog by a leash.  Much (not-exaggerated) sadness ensued, rearing its ugly head again this morning when sister got to start swimming lessons without her, as she's still limping and quite sore, though the oozing has stopped.  She's rapidly recovering, so we're hoping all will be going swimmingly (ha!) by this weekend.  My feet are slowly recovering, but I've been down the plantar fascias road before and know how long healing takes.  Patience is hard for runners, but I get to practice what I'm preaching to Greta!

(note: the banner photo is *before* Greta's accident, sigh.)