Last Saturday was the block party again. Patty had selected the Dresden plate quilt and here is my finished block for her quilt.

This one was really easy to do – it turned out that I had a Dresden plate ruler in my drawer that I had never used – I had probably bought it for something but what, I can’t remember.

I also wanted to post a couple of other photos just to catch up.

I’m continuing on my machine applique project, Tiny Town.

Here is the first block finished

And here is the back with all of the ends nicely tied off

Tags: applique, block party, modern quilting, quilting, Wool Applique
Filed under: Quilting

I haven’t been this focused on one project in a long time – I have had the pattern for A Gardeners Alphabet for a week but I have already finished the first block, letter A

traced and colored in the C and D blocks

The letter C isn’t that exciting drawn because the lazy daisy stitches are just dots, but have a look at the beginnings – the cosmos seasons thread is so much fun to stitch with and it adds such dimension to the leaves without changing threads all the time.

and traced the B block.

I got a bit out of alphabetical order because I left my stitching at work one day and didn’t have the B pattern at home but I couldn’t stop.

I am enjoying the coloring a lot more than I though I would.  Not bad for a weeks work, what do you think of my progress?

Tags: cosmos seasons, crabapple hill designs, crayon, quilting
Filed under: Quilting

I didn’t have a great success rate with finishing projects from the knitting clubs last year but I did rejoin several. I love supporting great independent designers and small yarn companies.  It also is like a little bit of Christmas when the packages come in the mail.

Last year was Knit Spot’s Fall in Color club, this year it is the Knit Spot’s Bare Naked club.  The club is featuring the natural beauty of different fibers with undyed yarn.

The first shipment arrived, package in a brown paper bag.

Inside was a great project bag from Three Bags Full and two skeins of yarn from Mountain Meadow Wool, a brand I have not heard of before to make either a throw or baby blanket, Sky Ladder.

The super cute project bag with the glass bead zipper pull – I have several of these from and just love them.

I think I will make the baby blanket with this one – my cast on awaites

Tags: Ann Hanson, Knit Spot, Knitting, Lace Knitting
Filed under: Knitting

I discovered Crab Apple Hill’s designs many years ago, my first project was the blue ribbon seed packets and there have been lots since

In recent years the designer, Meg Hawkey, has been adding a little bit of crayon coloring to her projects to add decision.  I haven’t been a fan of the technique up until this recent project.

The new release from them is called A Gardeners Alphabet, which is a 12 pattern, 22 block, block of the month.

I was in one of my local quilt shops on the weekend and they had the pattern set.  I looked, put in down a couple of times, picked it up again and went home with it.

I happened to have some of the designers fabric already from a fat quarter bundle I had so I washed my fabric (recommended to remove the sizing because your coloring) and traced the design.  I didn’t happen to have any crayons lying around but a quick trip to Michael’s fixed that and I was ready to go.

Here is the first block traced with the pattern on the left and the coloring started.  The instructions are really good – she tells you how to layer the colors – which ones to tint with first and then the ones to shade with.

Here is a close up of the shading of the pumpkin on the A block, Autumn.  After you color, there is a quick heat set with a hot iron and some paper towels (to remove the excess wax) and your ready to stitch.

The stitching is done mostly with the Cosmos Seasons variegated floss.  I love this stuff and it is really nice to stitch with.  Here is the beginning of the bud.  The crayon doesn’t fade a whole lot once you iron it so it is nice to tell what it will look like before you start to stitch.

I showed my latest project to a friend at work – all she did was ask if I finished the last one – clearly she does not understand how this works at all.  I know I need another project like I need a whole in my head (we can blame my mother for that expression) but I loved this one and I’m warming up to the coloring.  In the end, it will mean less stitching.

I bought more fabric on my way home from work on Monday and already have another block traced and colored – pictures to come later.

Tags: block of the month, cosmos seasons, Crabapple Hill, gardeners alphabet, needlework, quilting
Filed under: Quilting

It was Block Party weekend two weekends ago – I sewed up a storm before Christmas to get my quilt done and off to the quilters.  It arrived back in my hands before Christmas.  It has at quietly for a while keeping the guest bedroom bed warm.

In December the group decided to take a break and skip the January meeting so I let sleeping quilts lie and didn’t give my piece another though.  February’s party was fast approaching  and I realise I have two blocks to make for Barb and I really want to get this quild done before the meeting on Saturday.

Here is my finished quilt

I ended up with two extra blocks as one person did one with 5 colums and was worried that that wouldn’t work and another thought there’s was a bit short – they were just fine so I made an extra two blocks so I would have an extra colum vs leaving them out.  The quilt turned out a bit odd is the size department, but it looks just great in the guest room.

The backing is a wide batik, which made my life easier not having to piece it and I think it looks great.  I always finish my bindings by hand – I think they look a little cleaner that way.

Elaine did the quilting, an allover triangle pattern that isn’t to heavy that really complements the feel of the piece.

This month we are working on Patty’s quilt, a modern take on a dresdin plate – I need to get started on this one a bit early.

Tags: block party, modern quilting
Filed under: Quilting

I still haven’t finished my Rocky Coast cardigan from Costal Knits.  I made great progress over Christmas with all of the family visits (lots of great knitting time used to avoid all of the yummy treats), but I still have one sleeve to go.  I may not keep this one, my hubby’s sister was saying how much she loved the color and the cables so it may got to her.

I did finish another project from the book, the Sand and Sea Shawlette by Alana Dakos.

Here is the link to my project.

The body of the shawlette is knit in The Sanguine Gryphon Mithril (I was sad to hear that the ladies at Sanguine Gryphon decided to move on to other things this year) in a rich purple color way - La Belle Dame Sans Merci.  I only used a small amount of this skein – it contained 750 yards.

And as luck had it, I did have the exact yarn that was used for the lace border, Hand Maiden Sea Silk.  It was interesting to use these two yarns with the Sea Silk being a bit heavier than the lace that was used for the body of the piece.

It still needs to be blocked but over all it was a nice quick project with rich results.  I am not sure if I am going to keep this one or gift it to a friend.  I do have enough yarn to knit at least one more and it was a relaxing project to knit.

Tags: Coastal Knits, Lace Knitting, Sea Silk, shawlette
Filed under: Knitting

I like to give hand knit gifts for Christmas to a small list of people every year.  Between travel for work, a nasty cold and just a weird month, only one person got something this year.

From the Knit Spot fall in color club, October’s yarn and pattern were for a great set of fingerless mitts, hat and a scarf. The yarn that came from Briar Rose fibers is in those great autumn tones – oranges and green. 100% not my colors but great for gifts.

Carol was the lucky recipient for this set.  She has lovely small hands and this is a great quick project.  I was able to make the hat in an evening and got the fingerless mitts done in not time at all.  Carol has a lovely camel coat and I hope these look great with it.

Filed under: Knitting

I think this project was the perfect combination of time and space – I was in the right mood and it was just the right amount of brainless crochet. Here is the finished blanket, 9 balls of silk garden total.

The size is nice for a baby blanket and when I finished it off I did 3 rows of single crochet around the outside as that is what I had left.

I will be making another one of these to make a larger one but I am thinking of just using one color of silk garden – I suspect it would be really lovely.

I washed the blanket is soak and it is nice and soft now and ready to go to some one in the future.

Tags: afghan, blanket, churchmouse yarn, crochet, granny square, noro, silk garden
Filed under: Crochet

As I mentioned last week, the fourth quarter challenge at the Loopy Ewe is to know whatever you want from Madelintosh yarn.

I had been seeing previews for a few weeks before this for a great new book, Coastal Knits from Hannah Fettig and Alana Dakos. The designs are beautify and very wearable and I love supporting independent knitting publishing.  I did a pre order and got the pattern below early and my hard copy of the book arrived in the mail last week.  If you want to have a look you can view the book here.

I shopped and found Vintage, their lovely worsted weight yarn, in this stunning color Cherry.

Here is my yarn and I have 2 months to finish this lovely sweater, the Rocky Coast Cardigan.

I love the lines of the sweater, the cable pattern and that it is top down with no sewing.  I’m about to cast on for this as soon as I have the second sock of the Stepping Stones socks completed in my knit through the Knitter’ book of socks.  I have some travel for work coming up so I won’t be taking this on the road with me – more portable projects will be coming.

Tags: Coastal Knits, Hanna Fettig, Knitting, Loopy Ewe, madelinetosh, Rocky Coast Cardigan
Filed under: Books, Knitting

I don’t crochet very often, but my mom did when I was younger.  She made massive tablecloths, hundreds of lace snowflakes and grand bedspreads.

Last month Churchmouse Yarn and Teas from Bainbridge island released a new group of patterns.  I have made several of their patterns in the past and am a big fan.  I have also gone to visit twice on my way back from Sock Summit so I was excited to see what was new.

There was a giant granny square afghan in the most recent group

I have been thinking about this blanket for weeks – I love that it is made with Noro Silk Garden to get the striping effect. I was at Pudding Yarn today and I did make my way over to the Noro section.  There were lots of choices but I wanted to stay away from the pink and purple ones this time.

I picked out 3 colors

and got started, from light to dark -  I have a super loose crochet guage so I am using a 4mm hook vs the 5,5 mm that was called for (that and it was what I had on hand)

in one evening – I worked through two balls. Here is the first

and the second.

I am sure that it will be slower going later on, but I know that I probably can’t knit through 2 balls of silk garden in one night.

Tags: churchmouse yarn, crochet, granny square, noro, silk garden
Filed under: Crochet