No Excuses, Just Progress

I'm not going to bother answering where I've been and how an entire year (plus!) could have gone by since my last post. As soon as someone develops software that takes the blogs you write in your head and directly uploads them to cyberspace, I'll be the first in line!

I'm just moving on from here. I think I'll use this space to talk about projects both ongoing and those languishing in various project bags, baskets and plastic tubs. If I honestly listed all the knitting and quilting projects recently finished, underway, in the "time out" corner and in my head, it would be a bit scary even for me. So I'll talk about them a little at a time as I'm inspired to work on them. I'm not a monogamous knitter or quilter so there will always be AT LEAST 8-10 projects being worked on at any one time. Finishing? Yes, therein lies the problem.

Last weekend I took some time and chose backing fabric for three wall hanging quilts. They are now sitting on my new Sew Ezi table ready for an afternoon of machine quilting. One of the project dates back to 2002 and the others have a little less age.

This weekend, I'm putting together two quick lap quilts for friends' mothers, both of whom have dementia. A few years ago, I made one for my grandmother. I noticed that she was always stroking fabric and gathering it into pleats and so I used a variety of fabrics and put together something that she could touch that was a bit more interesting. It was a huge hit and she even managed to wear out the velvet parts with her constant touch.

This time I dug around in many tubs of fabric and in the attic for some discarded clothes. I came up with about 12 different kinds of fabric include a shiny scale-like fabric from my daughter's mermaid costume many years ago.

Lesson Learned: Flannel design walls work really well for cotton. Shiny fabric and leather? Not so much!

Stayed tuned!

Christmas Club 2009

Last Sunday was the first day of my online quiling group's Christmas Club. What is the Christmas Club? Well I was never very good at traditional Christmas Clubs. I always thought it was a great idea. Put a little money aside each week and around November, you get a check so that you can do all your Christmas shopping. I always started out well but my resolve fell off pretty quickly.

I'm hoping this Christmas Club doesn't go the same way. I am notorious as I'm sure everyone is that I always want the completed "holiday" or seasonal project to use to decorate about the time the holiday or season has arrived. But of course those projects are either not finished or in many cases, not even started. So currently the UFO box contains some Valentine's Day placemats and table runner, an autumn block exchange (just blocks), a patriotic block exchange that would be perfect for July (also still just blocks). Well anyway, you get the point.

So when someone suggested that on the 25th of EACH month of 2009, we work on a Christmas project (or Hannakah or whatever holiday floats your boat), I was all for it. This project can be a gift that will be given for Christmas or a project for personal use or decoration. So what to work on???

Then I remembered. When I was a brand new quilter...I don't think I owned a rotary cutter at the time and I clearly had not mastered the 1/4 inch seam....I started a Christmas Tree wallhanging. I found the project in a 2002 issue of Quiltmaker. It was listed as "easy" so I thought why not. Well if it had been listed as hard, I probably would have tackled it anyway. That type of friendly advice never stopped me before. I must say that now that I have some experience, I think "easy" was not the correct assessment.

Anyway, I'm not much for cutesy country things and this project is clearly that. I do, however, live in a 1903 Queen Anne Victorian house and one of the typical Christmas decorations of that era is a feather tree. A feather tree is one of the first versions of an artificial tree. It's branches are made of feathers died green and it is attached to a pole. We do own one and the idea of decorating it properly includes lining up as many ornaments on each branch as possible. So thist this pattern inspired me to make my own version of a quilted feather tree. I picked more elegant fabrics and I will be using pearl and rhinestone buttons on the branches and velvet ornaments.

When I pulled this project out of the big UFO box in anticipation of Christmas Club day, I realized that all the pieces were already cut out and it was 3/4 put together. The first thing I did was attack it with an iron. This was when I discovered it was a bit wonky, mostly as a result of very poor seam allowances. The surprising thing was I really still like the pattern and my ideas for the finished project. So on my first Christmas Club day, I finished putting it together. I will now put it away until February 25th.
This is a good thing because I REALLY need to get the t-shirt quilt finished that I mentioned in an earlier post. So I'm using this tree project as an reward for getting the other quilt finished.

You will notice that there is something missing at the top of the tree. That is the place for an appliqued star. I need to find the right fabric to use for that. I haven't gone through the stash yet so I'm sure I've got something that will work. As for quilting, I'm thinking about using some sort of shimmery or metallic thread even though I hate working with it. I do think it would look good though...

So one month down, ten more to go. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I make more than one deposit in this Christmas Club! And if I do, I'll be hanging this Christmas Tree wallhanging in time for Christmas 2009.

Happy quilting!

Ongoing Projects and How 20 Minutes a Day is Working

So it's been more than two weeks since I announced that my goal was to knit or quilt for at least twenty minutes every day. How's that going you may ask since I don't post often enough for anyone to really know.

Let's just put it this way. If you took the total amount of time that I've spent knitting and quilting and divided it by the 19 (today is the 19th), I think my average would actually be a bit better than 20 minutes. The every day thing...not so much.

I am working on a variety of projects so I thought I would share. I've never been good at doing only one thing and so there are always a variety of WIPs (works in progress) in my "to do" basket, well baskets actually.

The first thing is a very easy comfort shawl. I've done a few of these over the last two years and donate them to the local Visiting Nurses' Association to give out to their clients. It was a project started by my mother's best friend, Mary Garrett. She started the project, called Debbie's Shawls, as a memorial to her neice who lost her battle with cancer. Sadly, Mary lost her own battle with cancer this past July. So I'm continuing this project for her. I always keep one on the needles and it is very easy to do. You can pick it up anywhere, anytime and before you know it, it's finished.

The other project may have been a bit ill-conceived. I had this unquenchable urge to do a project using Noro Silk Garden yarn that EVERYONE was using. The Yarn Harlot devoted quite a bit of time to producing several of these scarves using two different colors of the yarn and doing two row stripes. My local yarn store did not have two colors that I really wanted so I just bought one color and mixed it with another yarn I already had. Unfortunately the variations in color in this particular yarn are not terribly interesting to me. But I soldier on and I will complete this for myself. I made it skinny and want to make it long for a nice serviceable scarf. I should have enough to make a matching hat. I hope it looks better when its been blocked! I don't hate the project; I just don't love it.

In the quilting department, I'm working on a t-shirt quilt for the daughter of a friend. I made a t-shirt quilt several years ago for my daughter and to make a long story short, it was a hit. I didn't particularly enjoy working on it but the finished result was kind of fun. My daughter picked the sashing and the backing and although it was a bit funky, she still uses it almost five years later.

The current quilt is ready to peice together. The t-shirst have been backed and cut and the arrangement has been approved. As you can see in the picture, Miss Scarlett, my loyal beagle assistant is also carefully checking the layout.

Because of all the colors of the shirts, the sashing will be an amish black and the backing will be flannel. The quilt will be tied with the knots on the back. I think it will go together pretty quickly and then I can move on to something a bit more creative.

So these are the things that are occupying my time these days. Too bad I have to actually work for a living or I'd be finishing projects right and left!

Still Knitting and Quilting

Well, it's not quite been a whole year since I've been here. I thought often of posting. I only felt guilty about not posting once in a while.

I'm not going to make any grand resolutions about posting more often or even regularly but today seemed like a good day to come back and we'll take it from there.

Two knitting and quilting goals for 2009:

1. Spend at least 20 minutes every day knitting or quilting. There is a very important clarification about all this. This time around (tried this in 2008), I must ACTUALLY quilt or knit each day. Thinking about it, reading a magazine or a blog or even playing with my stash does NOT count. So far, so good. Well technically, I still need to do today's 20 minutes. I did pull out a UFO earlier today to look at it for my second goal but I don't think that counts.

2. Spend the 25th day of each month working on a Christmas project. This is actually the idea of some great gals in my online quilting group. I am guilty of always seeing cute things I want to make for Christmas and thinking (in July, of course) that its too early to think about that. The next time I think about it is when I'm decorating for Christmas. First I fleetingly think, I'll work on something quickly and get it done for Christmas. And then I get a grip and realize there is TOO MUCH TO DO without trying to fit that in.

So this year, on the 25th of each month, I will continue to work on a Christmas Tree wallhanging that I started more years ago than I can count. I need to reinstall my scanner and when I do, I will post a picture of the project.

So there you have it, my first (and hopefully not my last) post of 2009. I know that no one currently actually reads my blog except for a few friends who I coerce into looking at it. But that could change at any moment. OK, not exactly holding my breath here.

Happy Quilting and Knitting!
Mindy

I do actually quilt too!

First off....The finished socks....my very first pair ever. True they have a few minor boo boos but all in all, they fit, are comfortable and were really fun to do. Thank you again Yarn Harlot for your lovely basic sock recipe. It was a lifesaver.

And because I plan to use socks as a portable project. Here is the next one. The yarn is a bamboo/wool blend in a nice denim color, perfect for jeans.

But wait! I ran to AC Moore for a completely non-craft related purchase and found myself browsing through the sale bins of yarn. I swear I didn't start out in that aisle but before you know it, I had purchased all the remaining skeins of a pretty wool blend to make myself something quick. I wasn't planning on making myself anything other than socks but I just couldn't turn down pretty yarn marked down to $2.75 per skein. So last Saturday, I cast on not only the bamboo socks but this "Mistake Rib" scarf (pattern compliments of Crazy Aunt Purl) and a cable headband (as seen on the Shrinking Knitter blog). Never let it be said that I don't use my blog reading time wisely.

So I started the scarf first because I was eager to try the "mistake rib" pattern. It looks very cool and knits very fast.

Then when I saw how quickly it was eating up the precious limited amount of inexpensive yarn, I thought I better do the cable headband first so I'm sure I have enough. The joy of finding inexpensive yarn can be quickly squashed by having to go on a massive online search to supplement it later.

I made several of these headbands for Christmas gifts and they turned out beautifully. But this is pretty bulky yarn and I'm not sure it is working. I'm willing to keep working for a while and see. Stay tuned for more details.

So now I'm alternating between the scarf and the cable in anticipation of actually using these items while the weather is still cold. The socks are waiting for a while unless I have a great opportunity to take them somewhere where actual knitting can be accomplished.

So after all that knitterly talk, I'm getting to the point of my post. I am a quilter too. Yes, I am! I know you may not be able to tell that from my posts so far but it is true. Hold on to your hats! I'm about to start on a new project...never mind the 17 UFOs.... As evidence that I'm not just talking about quilting, I spent today washing up some lovely batiks in greens and purples and tomorrow I will iron them and hopefully start some sewing.

Here is the evidence that I do work with fabric in addition to yarn.

So that is my knitting and quilting update. For the purposes of my sanity I will concentrate on only the quilting project and the scarf/headband knitting. Unless a weakness overcomes me and I feel the need to cast on yet another knitting project. Let's pray I have the stength to stay away from the sale aisle!

Advantages of Being Sick

I lost almost a week to a nasty cold complete with cough/sneezing/sniffles/sore throat but there are a few bright sides. One I'm feeling much better now --thanks for asking. The other is that my sock is no longer in time out. One of the advantages of sitting on the couch is that a lot of knitting can happen.

When I last left you with my sock saga, I was having an "issue" with turning the heel that involved tears, a lot of frogging of knit rows and dropped stitches...it was not pretty. I was slightly uplifted by the idea that I was the victim of bad instructions. So I pulled out my trusty Yarn Harlot's Knitting Rules and looked up her basic sock recipe. After all, she makes socks all the time so I was consulting the best. Well I am happy to report that her very easy-to-follow instructions had me turning the heel in no time and feeling very smug about the whole experience.

Here it is:

It actually even fits! Yes, my feet are that small and the best fit for me is to buy children's sizes. So when my husband asks me if making socks is "worth the effort", I can say YES! To have pretty socks that fit is awesome.

Look! The little sock has a friend:

And now before I'm finished with the second sock, I'm already planning the next pair.

I did promise my husband that I will make him a pair of felted clogs first. However that doesn't mean I can't cast on a sock for my portable project...felted clogs are not portable projects, the instructions are just too tedious.

Besides, why shouldn't I have just as many knitting UFO's as quilting UFO's? But that's another story for another time.

I Want To Make Socks Too!

I've always prided myself in being someone who was a little ahead of the times. I started collecting teddy bears when I was in high school and after I got sick of getting teddy bears in every conceivable form, I was pretty tired of them. Then teddy bears became popular and I was really done.

I've also always collected tacky plastic snow globes from places I visited. At first it was hard to find them. They were totally out of favor and only the most tacky dirty places had them like rest stops along highways and scary looking little shops on busy streets. The search was half the fun! But then I started receiving "gifts" of snow globes. Soon everyone was bringing me snow globes from all over and it was getting easier to find them... They have made a comeback! I was on the "cutting edge" of snow globes and now they are everywhere. I don't think I'll give up my collection --it brings me too much pleasure. I just love the hunt and I still try very hard to find the tacky plastic ones. Since they have become popular, they are often have resin bases and glass (!) globes... Don't get me wrong, they can still be tacky but I love love love when I find the plastic ones.

A number of times in my life it seemed I was interested in something right before it became really popular. Hmmmm wonder if I can make this talent work for me somehow. A predictor of trends.....

Okay, so what was my point? Oh yes, ME...ahead of the trend. So when the knitter world started getting excited about socks and sock yarn, I resisted. I'm not jumping on the bandwagon to start knitting socks. First off, they look scary. Second, I'm not doing it just because everyone else is.

Then, I started touching sock yarn and seeing other knitter's sock projects. And it appeared to be a portable project...at least that's what the other bloggers said. So I succumbed. How hard could it be? I can do all the typical knitterly things. I'm no longer just doing garter stitch. I've successfully cabled a whole bunch of really cute headbands. So last weekend, I headed off to my favorite yarn store and interviewed the ladies there about the best method, tricks of the trade, etc.

I decided on a project and decided to use a simple pattern and 5 double pointed needles after rejecting the double circular needle method, the magic loop method and an interesting approach that the shop lady showed me where she knits almost exclusively on a 12" circular needle.

So here is a picture of my project from yesterday afternoon when I loved my sock.

Since this picture was taken, I have knitted the heel flap and attempted to turn the heel. This was not pretty and I was practically in tears at something like midnight when I finally gave up, put the sock down and walked away. This morning, I reviewed some other patterns and do believe that I was a victim of poorly written instructions. So later today...much later today...I will sort through my other patterns and see if I can figure it out.

So instead, I'm moving back to a cool quilting UFO that is partially quilted...my first machine quilting project (other than a small bag I made to practice free motion quilting). I started this a few years ago and am now eager to get started on it again.

It is a series of fabric origami squares. You actually fold the fabric just like origami paper and then sew it into a frame. You can actually pick up the little flaps of the origami. I've already done a "stitch in the ditch" outline around each white background using white. I think the sashing and border with be done with a cool metallic in the same colors as the quilt. I haven't decided what I'm doing with the white background of each. The origami itself must stay un-quilted so the flaps still move. Here's another picture:



So little sock, you must now take a "time out" while I work on something that doesn't require holding five needles at once and reading some very bad instructions...

Maybe joining the crowd wasn't such a good idea.