Good morning friends, I can't believe how fast this week has gone. I had not planned for a couple of days between posts, but you know how life can just get in the way! I have been working away at my projects, and I'm super happy to report that ...
... the Zig Zag Nine Patch quilt top is done! I'm entirely thrilled with how it's come out, and I thoroughly enjoyed the process of putting it all together. Just super fun seeing all those old fabrics again in the scraps and reminiscing about what they went in. This quilt has some scraps from my first ever project from 1992. Hard to imagine that I still have that fabric in my stash! Linda tells me she's sending some more 9 patches, so I think I may just make another one. So, I can now cross this project off my goals for this month!
My second finish for this month is my first ever pair of socks. I almost completed the second sock while we were at the beach house. I got to the point of decreasing for the toe on my way home, and then put them aside for a little. The final cast off was done on Wednesday evening.
Rather than starting on a whole new pair of socks (which is what I'm super tempted to do) I decided to cast on for the watermelon hat. I think I included a link a couple of posts ago ... it's from the Yarn Harlot's blog. I've knitted the first green bands, and judging by what I've done so far, I think it'll fit about a 6 month old baby, so when I'm done I may just make another a little smaller for a newborn. That may have to be a goal for next month. Now that Cam's seen it, he wants one too, so before winter I'll have to make one each for my kids too! No matter, it's mega cute, and I've decided to use black beads for the seeds, rather than the black stitches. I'll post a picture when there's something more to see.
Off to meet Jane at the village shortly. I have to get some groceries ... and some supplies ... we may have a new addition to our little family this weekend ... a gingery fur-person ... more news as it breaks!
We're back now, and Cam is just fine and dandy. He had a check up at the hospital this morning, and they've declared him just fine. I just wish I knew what kind of bug it was that bit him ... it would just set my mind at ease ... but anyways, what can you do?
A great time was had by all at the beach house. The weather was mild, which was nice, I don't like it when it's super hot over there, as there's only minimal cooling in the house. The kids (and Marty) spent quite a bit of time at the beach, and also on the bikes.
I relaxed entirely, and believe it or not didn't take any quilting with me! I did take my knitting, and almost finished the second sock. I came so close, I'm at the stage now where I'm decreasing for the toe. I'm amazed I'm not working on it right now, I love finishes! Usually I break out the laptop and do some designing too, and I didn't even do that!
After we'd unpacked last night, I hit the sewing room and put together more of my zig zag nine patch quilt. I just love how the pattern is coming together. It's super fun looking at the scraps and remembering what they were used in, and looking and Linda's blocks and wondering what her fabrics went into.
Well, that's it for me, we're heading off to Sharon's house for a little while, and then off to see Grandpa Pearce. Another day in Paradise!
Posts will be scarce from me for the next few days, we're heading off to the beach house for a long weekend and some desperately needed R&R.I'm super tired and need the break, I was with Cam in the Pediatric Ward at our local hospital overnight. I took him to the emergency room yesterday afternoon, while playing in the garden at day care he had been bitten by some kind of insect in a Very Sensitive Place ... and he had a very bad allergic reaction. We're thinking while sitting down, something must have crawled under his clothes. The swelling was something to see, the poor little guy! The doctors were wonderful and very concerned, and rather than treating him and sending him home, they had him on an IV and admitted him.He's bounced back remarkably, and armed with an array of medicines and the doctor's blessing, we're heading off this afternoon. I'm really looking forward to having a snooze in the car.Have a great weekend all!
I didn't have an opportunity to get to the store yesterday to purchase more of the bobbin thread so I could continue quilting, so instead I decided to start work on the next item on my list.This is the Zig Zag Nine Patch that Linda and I have been trading nine patches for. I guess we've been trading for about a year now. I love the scrap quilts we make together. This is one of Bonnie Hunter's leader and ender projects.Linda sent me the background fabric some time ago, it was from Carolea's (who have now sadly closed). The red fabric in the setting triangles is from Hancocks of Paducah from their famous back room when I visited in May. Gosh I purchased a lot of fabric from them ... and I know I would have purchased more if I didn't start thinking about my luggage weight.It's super hot here today (40c) so I'm going to stay indoors as much as possible, and do a lot of stitching. I'm really looking forward to see how the pattern develops as I add the rows. I'll keep you posted!
Just a quick post this morning. I only have a few minutes up my sleeve before we run out the door. I'm taking Amy to the Plaster Fun House again these holidays. My friends girls just love it there, so we're meeting up with them shortly.Here is a close up picture of one of the feathered wreaths. When I'm actually looking at the wreath itself I can see my bumpy stitching where I have to double back over some parts of the feathers, but it just doesn't show up in the pictures. Feel free to click on the picture and critique it :-) But I am super happy with my first efforts, and it was easier as I went along and got a rhythm going. I quilted away again last night and ran entirely out of the thread I'm using in the bobbin, so I will need to get some more before I can start up again.The movie last night was wonderful. A Night at the Museum is what we decided could be Cam's first movie experience, and he enjoyed it ... but there were some parts that were perhaps a little grown up for him. Only because they were setting the story and it really didn't interest him, so he got a bit fidgety. Once the action started, he was transfixed! The older kids loved it, and I'd definitely recommend it!Better dash, I have 10 mins to put my face on and be in the car! Have a great day everyone!
I spent some time quilting this morning ... finished all the feathered wreaths, and worked at a little meandering. I told myself I'd keep going until the bobbin ran out and then have a rest ... quilting such a big quilt is tough on the arms. So now I'm thinking of some goals for this month, and for the year.First up, how did I go with last month's goals:- Start quilting Winnie the Pooh quilt
- Finish up gifts for Xmas
- Write directions and send off Winchester quilt
- Make twelve DJ blocks
- Start assembling zig zag nine patch blocks
As you well know, the Winnie the Pooh quilt is now on the road to completion, but I didn't get to it in December. I'm not beating myself up over it though, I set myself a pretty hectic schedule with the Christmas Gifts I made, and frankly, they were the most important to me. The Zig Zag Nine patch blocks can go onto this month's list while I decide what red fabric I'd like to use. I'm thinking about one I picked up at Hancocks of Paducah. All in all, a pretty darn good job!So, here are my goals for January:- Complete Winnie the Pooh quilt
- Piece Zig Zag Nine Patch top
- Put USA blocks together
- Make eight DJ blocks
- Knit Watermelon hat for SIL's baby
Just five things again, and hopefully achievable. I've put them in the order I'd like to complete them, though I feel sure I'm going to be tempted by the Watermelon Hat ... go take a looky and see if you don't fall in love with it too :-) Amy has declared it gorgeous and placed her order. Fortunately we're in the grip of a hot summer here, so her need is not pressing!
I set a couple of goals for 2007 also ... only two ...- Complete all pre-2006 UFO's (don't panic - there are only 3)
- Pass the 100 block mark on the 30's DJ quilt
Let's see how I go! 2007 ... bring it on!
Lastly, thank you all so much for your lovely comments about my feathered wreath quilting. I'm quite overwhelmed! I have to say that if you look up close it's not amazing, I'll show you a close up picture tomorrow. My stitches where I have to run over other stitches are kind of bumpy. I have just been using Bernie, my faithful home machine. I don't have a long arm, though I'd gladly give a long arm machine a good home! I must also say that I haven't just whipped the wreaths up freehand, I marked the design on the quilt and followed the line as best I could ... and you could say I 'coloured outside the lines' quite a bit ... but still, I'm thrilled with my first efforts, and though not easy, they weren't as hard as I thought they'd be!
I just couldn't wait to show you this picture, I'm quilting away on the Winnie the Pooh quilt! And I'm loving it! Is it because it was such a long time coming, or is it because I'm machine quilting feathered wreaths for the first time ever, and they're looking great!?!
I've hand quilted feathers before, not hard at all ... but machining them, and on such a large quilt ... well, I'm just thrilled! I'll do the feathers in the setting squares first, and I'll decide on the other stuff as I go. I feel sure this quilt will be a UFO no longer! I'll have quite a bit of time to quilt today, so let's see how far I get.
Tonight we're taking Cam and Amy to the movies to see 'A Night at the Museum'. I'm really looking forward to it, we've been planning to see it ever since we saw the first preview. This will be Cam's first time at the movies ever. We've been reluctant to take him before now, as he's such an active kid, we weren't sure he'd be able to sit still that long. I'll let you know how he goes.
Still no list of goals for me just now. I will set aside some time to plan some out really soon. Clearly I need to set a goal to set some goals :-)
Off to face the day now ... the sooner the chores are done ... the sooner I'm quilting!
Says it all really, doesn't it? Happy New Year everyone! May this year bring peace, happiness and prosperity to you all. Have you all made resolutions, or lists of things you'd like to achieve? I personally have never been one to make resolutions for the coming year, but I'm thinking this year I may do something different. I'm going to mull it over for a few days and come up with a list of things I'd like to achieve or work towards for 2007. I can clearly see one of them right now ... lose a few pounds ... that will be up there for sure. But I think it's going to be more than that ... think about my health more should be more like it.Hmmm ... that's amazingly clear thinking for me this morning ... we're all very tired in this house. We went to a super fun New Years Eve party last night, and we shuffled in at 1.30am. I guess that's not as late as we could have been, but it was pretty good going for Cam to be out so late ... he's only 4 after all. We all climbed out of bed after 10am, but I don't think there will be much activity here today. I'm pleased to announce that in the pool tournament last night I bowed out gracefully in the second round, only losing by two balls. Much better than my first round defeat on Boxing day (having only got one ball in the pocket). There were about 40 ppl in the 'competition' last night and it took until after midnight to get to the final.
How did I go yesterday moving along toward some more of my December goals? Well let me tell you there has been some amazing progress! Regular readers will know that the Winnie the Pooh quilt and I have not been seeing eye-to-eye in terms of it's completion. The quilt wants to be completed ... but I seem to have some mental hurdles preventing me from doing so! Yesterday afternoon significant steps were taken ... I laid it out and started pinning it ready for quilting!! Yes friends ... it's happening, and I can see you're all as astonished as I am!!If I'm a really good girl, maybe I can finish it to binding by the end of January. I'll add it to my goals for the month after I've decided what they're going to be.That's it from me for today ... be sure to have a wonderful time ringing in the new year! *big hugs*
... the Zig Zag Nine Patch quilt top is done! I'm entirely thrilled with how it's come out, and I thoroughly enjoyed the process of putting it all together. Just super fun seeing all those old fabrics again in the scraps and reminiscing about what they went in. This quilt has some scraps from my first ever project from 1992. Hard to imagine that I still have that fabric in my stash! Linda tells me she's sending some more 9 patches, so I think I may just make another one. So, I can now cross this project off my goals for this month!
My second finish for this month is my first ever pair of socks. I almost completed the second sock while we were at the beach house. I got to the point of decreasing for the toe on my way home, and then put them aside for a little. The final cast off was done on Wednesday evening.
