Friday, February 21, 2014

NEEDLE WORK

I think I have noted a few times how I can't just set and watch TV and not have some kind of hand project to work on.  I have to get moving on my SQT block swaps I did in the fall.  I am almost to the point of getting my first swap block quilt sewn together.  It is the Snowball Block, I have it all set up on my design wall and ready to sew the rows together.  I have some really good ideas I want to incorporate on the top, so I had better get a move on it.

But for now, I have been doing different "needle" work.  On my knitting needles I have a sock in progress, and I have it's mate finished.  I did finish one pair that went to my granddaughter, Hannah.  She was thrilled to be the recipient, or she was just being polite!

I think these will be for me, they are so light & soft!



My Crochet Needle (Hook) is currently involved in making "another" scarf.  This winter has been brutal, and I was finding that a couple of scarves that I use were just not wide enough to keep the wind out of my face.  I have crocheted since I was 7, which is many moons ago, and I really always enjoy doing this kind of craft.  It's just kind of mindless; if your making something like this, and you can take it with you w/o  keeping track of a pattern.

It's color is shades of gray with a hint of lavender, which matches my coat.



Now my just finished project of an hour ago, involved the use of 2 needles. This project was from the SQT group challenge for February.  Make a spool block something.  I really didn't want to make a small quilt, because my daughter and I are possibly going to make a larger quilt for our craft rooms using the spool block pattern.  So, I ended up making a 7" x 7" block to hang on my craft room wall.  

The next needles I used were of course the embroidery needle and the quilt needle.  I sometimes like to add a little "bling"  to my crafting, something unexpected to make it a little different from what the pattern calls for.  I like to think no "crafting police" live at my house, at least that I am aware of.  LOL 



Oh this easy pattern was not so easy for me.  I first read the instructions wrong, several times, it only took me maybe 4 - 5 blocks to finally get it right.  Also, I learned the hard way........wash your dark colors first before putting in a block.......cause they will bleed onto your white fabric.  I had a perfect block made, I think my 3rd..... and I wanted to press it flat, so I sprayed it with water, yup......"heart fabric" bled on "white thread fabric....  So, onto making it again, and maybe again.......... I lost count.  But, I am so happy to have it completely done...........

This post was just to drop in and show you what I have been working on in these long, cold days we have been having here in my part of the world.  Hope you will stop back, one of these days I may have something really cool to share with you:-)

Sharon




Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Be Prepared!!

Be prepared, that's what I'm getting ready to do for the predicted snow that is coming our way, again.  I'm making a list and checking it twice. hmmmm"Where have I heard this statement before"?, Either to much caffeine this morning, or not enough. LOL

My short list, but time consuming I'm thinking:

           1.   Finish my pin cushion swap project.  I just need to get it stuffed...... I have a habit
                 of putting the last minute things off.

           2.   Work on completing my Snowball Swap Block Quilt:
                              a.  I have 5/6 x-tra blocks to make to complete my top
                              b.  arrange blocks on my design wall
                              c.  sew all blocks together to complete quilt top
                              d.  mark top for hand quilting
                              e.  sandwich quilt top with backing
                              f.   baste quilt top
                              g.  Ah, I am not thinking that I will have it quilted this week! LOL

            3.   I also have a couple SQTG challenges that are in containers that I need to attend to!

If I follow my list, I think this will give me plenty to work on while the snow is falling.

In the meantime..... I have another sock that is on my knitting needles............  Yes my first pair of completed socks have found a home.  My sweet granddaughter, Hannah, has offered to give them a place to reside. She said they would be perfect for her boots.  You know, the boots "all" the kids are wearing all the time, even during school, I think they are called Uggs?  I am so far removed from what is trending......unless it has to do with quilting:-)


These were pretty easy to make for my "first completed" socks.  They are a tube sock, no heel. 



Another set already started.  Great TV watching craft!




Also, while I am in my craft room, I will be catching up on my series of DVD programs.  I just finished the 1st season of Downton Abby, I am waiting for the 2nd season from the library.  If it takes too long I may just have to buy it and then ship it to my daughter (I've got her hooked on it now).  I recently watched Ballykissangel, it was on BBC 1996-2001, this was one of my favorites.  It aired on BBC channel and took place in Northern Ireland.

Now, I found Emily of New Moon series.  It aired on CBC TV 1998-2000.  The series is based on novels written by Lucy Maud Montgomery.  I've watched the first 2 seasons and just picked up the last 2 from the library today.  Between  these two last episodes there are like 16 hours of watching.

I have also borrowed from my daughter, starting with Season 1 & 2, the Gilmore Girls. (She has all the seasons)  I never saw the first few seasons, got hooked on them late in the show.

I do like a good murder mystery, but not so much when I am crafting.  I want to watch something usually funny and relaxing.  I mostly "listen to" rather than "watch".

Thanks for visiting..........until next time!


Monday, February 3, 2014

Sampler Dilemma!!

My daughter, Sarah, and my good friend, Charlene, and I have been meeting weekly to quilt the last 2 years; how time flies!  We take time off in the summer, we hand quilt, and it gets a little to warm to have a large quilt on your lap.  That's when we switch to small quilts, but summer activities limit our weekly quilt-ins.

Which brings us to a new group challenge.  It's more fun to work on the same thing, we learn from each other......and it is just plain fun to get together.  We eat, laugh, eat some more and of course laugh a lot.

So the dilemma........ Char and I have been looking into doing a sampler quilt. Choosing which one is our dilemma.

Char and I belong to the online Small Quilt Talk Group of Kathleen Tracy's. There was a huge interest in the group of the Dear Jane Sampler Quilt blocks.  Because of this, Kathleen Tracy started another on line group for Dear Jane quilt blocks.  After reading the reviews on this book, we pretty much chose not to do this one. One of the top complaints was that there were not enough instructions/templates available to complete the 225 blocks.

Another one that looked to be interesting was The Farmer's Wife Quilt Sampler.  This looked to have a lot of the traditional blocks that we would be interested in, but again, read some bad reviews on templates, and not all blocks have instructions.

The next two quilt sampler books may be more in line to what we are looking for.  They are both by Jennifer Chiaverini and both books had ratings of mostly 5 stars.  They are both in her Elm Creek series of books; Sylvia's Bridal Sampler and Loyal Union Sampler. They both are listed as being user friendly, clear directions, and traditional blocks that we are looking for.

As soon as the weather clears around here, we are off for a road trip to the book store to exam probably all of them.  We are thinking that a sampler block quilt may be the perfect thing to work on in warmer months.....then come winter again, we can plan on assembling them into a quilt.  Oh, mind you, not this coming next winter, I am thinking winters down the road.  Any one of the Samplers we choose will have well over 100 blocks to make. LOL

If you are, or have been involved in making a Sampler Quilt, please leave a comment so we may be able to better decide what Sampler we might be interested in attempting to make.

Thanks for stopping by.............

Sharon