Category Archive: Knitting
Sewing and knitting
I’m testing a quilt that will be published in April. It has a lot of applique and I’m learning to use my Scan N Cut with this. But last night I ran out of this backing which is tacky on both sides and makes my life easier, so went over to my favorite store. Guess what? It was 30% off and I had a gift card as well. I love deals like this!
I spent some time on these and am down to the toes, so hoping I can finish this week. This week and next also have a lot of appointments filling the days.
Time for scraps and discarding
Time to use scraps again. However do they multiply so rapidly. There are probably enough scraps to make 20 lap quilts, so this is my start. I still need another 4-6 rows, but I ran out of energy. I’m just hoping these stay on the board until I get back to sewing them together.
The other part of the day, I spent cleaning this area. If it doesn’t all fit, then it is time to toss. So some magazines and some yarn is moving out in addition to all the items that were moved to the area they belonged and the papers, catalogues, etc that I tossed. Mother’s old sewing cabinet holds my spinning items and the two baskets on the right of the bookcase hold sock and other yarn that I plan to use in the near future.
Picture dish cloth
This is the picture wash cloth that I did by doing a few rows each evening. I wasn’t sure what to expect as this was the first time I’ve done this. Next time, maybe I should use a slightly heavier yarn to see the picture better.
Today was spent at the gym, grocery store and going back to the eye doctor. Only this time, it was DH’s turn. After you get those drops in your eyes, it takes a long time to see clearly again and we just prefer to take a designated driver. Therefore, one visit takes both of us.
Because January is turning out to be “medical” month, I’m not getting much done on the quilt scene. I did work on the heel of the socks again today, but not enough to show you.
On what project are you working? I really love hearing from you and the comment section is easy to use.
Palette usage 2016
This morning we received a light dusting of snow. What a great excuse to sit and look out the window and knit.
I worked on these socks off and on throughout the day (it is rain now) and have progressed up to the heel, which makes me happy.
I am following Judy’s yardage stash reduction reports again this year. My net usage last year was 241.22 yards. This year the goal is 300 yards. But I promise not to punish myself if I don’t reach it. One must reach high to gain ground. The expectations for finishes in January are low since I only count yardage once the quilt is complete. At the top of this page, you will find a button to get to the page where the yardage use is recorded. In that way, you don’t have to read it if it is boring to you. This is only Jan 3 and I have neither bought or used fabric up to now.
I’d love to hear what some of the your goals are. Mine are high, because I do have a lot of yardage and my children are threatening if there is a lot left when I go, that they will just bring in a dumpster. But many of you do not have as much as resides here, so your goals will be much more modest. Please comment and let us know what they are
Goodbye 2015
It’s been a good year here, with many things accomplished You have spurred me on, especially on those days, I wasn’t really wanting to do anything. THANK YOU! I hope that in some way this blog has been a blessing to you. I’m always open to what you would like to see or about which you’d like to learn. It has been a year filled with quilts and some knitting. I’d like to expand in other directions this year as well as continue. And I would love it if you would like to join in. As well, your comments are blog life blood.
Meanwhile, I’ve started a knitting project this afternoon. It is very simple. It uses #2 needles with 64 stitches. After the k2,p2 ribbing is done, I’m just continuing but every third row is a K2 tog, yarn over, p2. Simple, but I wanted these to be just a bit different from the plain ones. I get bored doing the plain ones, but sometimes, don’t know what to do with self striping yarn.
For those of you still looking for a good devotional. We listened to the Daily Audio Bible (DAB) on our phones or computer each day. It is incredible what you hear when you listen to someone else reading through the Bible. Though I’ve read and studied the Bible, there were still parts that I didn’t hear the first time, or had forgotten. We are repeating the program again this year.
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2016 Goals revisited
Quilting ufos to be completed and what needs to be done The goal is to finish one per month
- Circus due 1/15 appliques cut n sewn, assembling, quilting
- tumbling blocks – blue quilting
- baby block – black quilting
- turtles quilting
- heirloom quilting
- fishing due 8/1 appliques cut and sewn assembling,s quilting
- storm at sea quilting
- tell it to the stars borders. quilting
- mittens 1 block, borders, quilting
- BH king size quilt skirting, quilting
- sunbonnets quilting
- sunbonnets 2 assembling, quilting
New quilts I want to make:
- http://twosistersandaquilt.com/ These are snowman Block of month
- http://www.seamstobesew.com/polls-fixed-and-new-previews-of-sue-and-sam/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+seamstobesew%2FUceh+%28Seams+To+Be+Sew+News%29 another sunbonnet quilt Block of the month
- 2 “warm wishes” quilts for charity on line pattern
- shop hop tote that I acquired the kit for in 2005
- child’s teddy bear with piping pattern
- “Frost’s alter ego”” pattern
- “Gift wrap” pattern
- “rob Peter to pay Paul’ GO cutter
- “drunkards path” GO cutter
- an owl quilt GO cutter
- choose a book and make a quilt from it
- “twinkle little tree” pattern
That should handle the quilting, I have spoken for the Cormo sheep, not sure yet how many, 6-10
For sewing the plan is 2 doll dresses per month, plus we need placemats for 10 months and I like a set of 4. My goal is to make them one month ahead of need. So I will start these in February I plan to make a couple “Bendy Bags” and “run around bags” as well as a bolts worth (about 130) of purple baby hats for the hospital. Then there is a request for the microwave bowl holder for gifts.
I am doing the yahoo groups knit along wash cloth which is monthly. They offer 2, but I’ll be happy to get one done each month. I also have enough yarn to do at least 10 pair of socks. If I can squeak them in here, I’d like to do a couple crocheted baby blankets as well.
So these are my 2016 craft goals. What are yours? I’d love to hear them.
Week end blues cloth
I’m letting this time between Christmas and New Years be mostly a time to rest. Since I’m having a hard time getting geared up to put my goals and calendar in order for 2016, it must be that I need this. Today, I did go to the gym and finished this little wash cloth, which I love because it is soft and squishy.
I also used some time to talk to the Vitamix people. The first one we had for 18 years before I burned out the motor. This one we have had 6 months. So they are paying shipping both ways and repairing it, which is nice. It’s just hard living without it, since we use it at least once daily and often multiple times.. I’m also sending the “18 year” one to them. They have agreed to repair that for a small fee so that when one has problems in the future, we will have a back up.
Yarn bonanza
After gym this morning, my friend, Mary, came over with boxes and bags of yarn that had been given her from an estate. It was very unorganized.
There were started projects, lots of yarn with small cuts and even some skeins not yet touched – a real variety!
We spent the afternoon untangling and rewinding yarn, put some of the finished articles in a “street people” pile. Some of the started projects and yarns we didn’t feel we would use into a Goodwill box. Then there was one box of baby and coned yarn we will use to learn how to use a knitting machine. That left her with 3 boxes of hand knit/crochet yarns, many of were white 4 ply and eventually will be used in projects. And there was one box of sewing supplies, fabric, and knitting needles. It was fun working together to sort through this unruly mess.
A better day
This is yummy yarn to spin. It has some angora (rabbit) that makes it so very soft.
After some spinning we went to the sewing store and purchased a couple gift cards this morning since they were offering a $50 card for $40. Then off to lunch at the Rio Blanco for a nice Mexican lunch.
This dishcloth pattern is called “Weekend blues” by Janet Nogle. I am at the half way mark using a Bernat cotton. Maybe it will get finished tomorrow, but then we have gym in the morning and company in the afternoon. I think for the next week or so, I’ll stay with some easier projects.