Ready, set, sew!

I've spent some time getting ready this week - I've found all of my supplies. I took a class at Lucky 2B Quilting. I attended my first Webinar. Sew I've learned some new things. I've bought a few groceries and I did a little laundry. 

Now I'm set - fabric and tools are packed. Food is prepared. A few clothes are packed.

Let's sew - it is time for a quilt retreat, one that is pretty close! Three friends and I have rented a house that is within an hour of all of us. There is room for nine, sew we can really spread out! 

Catch you later!

I'm getting closer ...

I am still cleaning, rearranging, sorting... 
Parts of the sewing rooms are looking better!

Found on Pinterest

I'm almost ready for my new tables but they aren't done yet. When they are, I'll move back in.

Until then, I will sew! if I can find what I need!

The blue and white quilt needs a little bit of hand-quilting and the binding has to be sewn. It is close to being done! But I cut my finger on a thread - I'm a major klutz. Anyway I can't use a thimble right now so not much hand sewing is happening. Hopefully soon!

My Edyta Sitar blocks are all fused. The first one is appliquéd. A quilt shop out east sold me a heavy tear-away stabilizer when I explained the project. I need to find a better way. I used it on the first block and still don't have it all removed!

Some parts on the design wall

All appliquéd with stabilizer still on.

Lots of stabilizer to still remove including all those tiny pieces.

And I am doing some knitting, too. I'm knitting some wool socks and am doing a swatch test for a sweater. I just made this scarf from Sashay.

Sashay 60" scarf.

I am trying to be patient but I can't wait to be settled back in my sewing space with everything neatly in its place.

Knitted Cowl

The pattern for this cowl is called Elis. The pattern is free on Ravelry. It is an Indian cross stitch cowl. Although it looks a little intricate, it is very easy and fast to knit. The yarn, Good for Ewe Claddagh, is 45% merino wool, 40% baby llama, 15% donegal. 

I wanted to show it on a neck so I used the nearest one - a rather cooperative hubby!

Here is a flat picture.

The cowl is about 8 1/2" X 24". I had to change the pattern slightly. I only had one skein of yarn and although I checked my gauge, my knitting seemed to be loose. In the pattern, the middle design is just like the edges, I changed those 6 rows (2 patterns with 2 knit rows in between) to 1 pattern. I also knit 11 rows instead of 12 between the edge patterns and the middle. I had about six feet of yarn left over! Whew! 

The cowl is very soft and I love it!

2013 NewFO Challenge January Update

This year I am doing the 2013 NewFO Challenge over at Cat Patches. I wrote about it here. So, per the rules, I need to start at least one new project each month but I don't need to finish anything! Perfect Challenge! You can see what everyone else is doing here.

Here is my January report:
1) I began the year with a baby quilt and I finished it!

The little guy is expected in March; the baby shower is in February.

2) I began and finished two quilts for my mom's home!

Delivered on 1/29/13.

3) I began Spring Bouquet, an Edyta Sitar quilt.

I am using fabric silhouettes so I just had to fuse the  laser cut pieces. Now I have to stitch around each piece. That might take a while - I'll update my progress.

There are 4 borders hanging on the right. 

4) I began the 5th Anniversary Quilt at Lucky2BQuilting. It's a BOM and I have the January block done!

This one will take at least a year!

5) I bought a kit last fall at a shop going out of business. This flannel snowman quilt is a Yellow Brick Road. I started cutting it out in early January and finally sewed some of it together at Lucky 2B Quilting Camp on January 21. It still needs the borders.

Woo Hoo -I finished 40% and I didn't have to finish any - does that make me an overachiever?! Or just a person who flits from one project to another?!

Knitted Socks - Done!

I have finished my first KAL (knit along). 

My socks are finished! 

Woo Hoo!!!

As I was knitting, I wrote about my 

Crimple socks here and here. 

Michelle Hunter, the Knit Purl Hunter, 

was great and her videos are priceless.

I learned LOTS: 

how to do Judy's Magic Cast On,

how to read a chart,

how to use lifelines,

how to knit short row heels 

including wraps and turns and picking up wraps,

the sewn bind off

 WHEW!  

My socks are a tad too big 

but still wearable 

and wear them I will!

We have weather!

One of our 'local' weathermen nearest TV station is 65 miles away said our weather this week is the craziest he has seen in his 14 years in our area!  

Sunday - we had freezing temperatures and ice.

Monday - our schools were closed due to ice. By Monday afternoon we had sunny skies and temps in the 50s! Then we had thunderstorms all night.

Tuesday - we woke up to more thunderstorms. The temperature rose to 62 degrees but dropped rapidly when more rain arrived in the afternoon.

Today, Wednesday - we woke up to a dusting of snow. It is now noon and we have more than 5" of heavy wet snow. The schools are out. 

We are not done! It is still snowing and the temperature is dropping lower and lower - single digits or below zero temps by tomorrow and even colder by Friday.

A great day to quilt or knit! So glad I can just stay inside.

Quilts Delivered - Wow!

We delivered the quilts to Mom's home this morning. Lots of oohing and aahing! The camera phones came out and pictures were immediately shipped off to the CEO! An interview was interrupted so the director could see the quilts! Whoa - this was a little overwhelming for me!

Some of the residents remembered painting the squares. They all checked out the quilts and some pointed out their blocks. A former policeman, the fellow who painted the police car, teared up - he said he now felt a part of something!

Eventually I explained the choices for the piecing and quilting. The stars in the corners of the sashing are for the staff and the residents - they are all stars! The hearts quilted in the sashing symbolize the love of that home. And the paisley quilted in the outside border symbolizes that we are all connected in this journey.

I am so glad we had the opportunity to be there this morning for the unveiling. The first quilt was hung before we left and the second will be hung later today(?) - as soon as they get the necessary hardware.

It is an honor to be a part of this special project!