A DAHLIA

It took hours but I sewed those new pieces for a center that pops.  The other sections are more yellow than they show here...but it looks more like what I wanted.  I think this is one of those patterns that I will have to try again in all brights to make me happier!  I was trying to capture the look of the Dahlias my Dad used to grow with this one!

I have pressed the 1/4" all around the last row of petals so that I can applique them to the background color. 

 Soon it will have my attention again. 

 

MEETING GOALS

All of the blocks are made and in their general placing on the design wall!  A good feeling.

As I was looking for some UFO's that need either finishing or repurposing, I pulled out the Dahlia quilt.

I was unhappy with the center as soon as it as stitched, so I unstitched the whole thing and will try again with some new colors-

I bought these new colors when Mary and I did a half-day of 

shop hopping in St Augustine. 

I cut out the new pieces and will play with piecing them ,today to see if I can make it look like what I pictured in my brain!

Mary and I had a good time as always--it is a blessing to have an incredible friend 'who loves at all time'!

THE JOY OF YARNING*

I have the yoke done and have separated the sleeves and body stitches;  12" of stockinette is underway.

The neckline and front bands are done after I complete the body stitches.  I am enjoying the pattern immensely! 

 (Flower Child Cardigan by Wool & Pine )

The baby blanket continues to grow and I am into my second skein of the Mandala Ombre in the Harmony colorway.  

*yarning is what my first grandson called knitting or crochet; 

it made sense so the phrase stuck! 

A GOOD DAY WITH FABRIC

I caught up on the prompts for Alycia's QAL;  a very good feeling since she will post the next HW today!

And I also put the binding on this little quilt and have it washed and dried and ready to gift!  It is 40' x 50"--nice for a wall or a lap!

 

TURNING YARN TO A BLANKET

I didn't make it into the studio yesterday--so I reclined and started a new baby blanket;  

the Grace blanket that Betsy has often made.

As soon as I laid out the 18" blanket center, Lena appeared for a bath.  I'm hoping today will see me upright and functioning in the studio!

 

ANTICIPATION

This is what I will be working on today!  

The usual start-of-the-week chores will get done but playing with quilt blocks will be the fun part of the day!

 

BEAUTIFUL SIGHTS

Look at this cloud we saw on the way home from a church family gathering yesterday!  It was so unusually shaped and we could see rain falling in the center but the sun was shining all around it--quite incredibly beautiful and majestic!  

And when we pulled in the driveway--I was so surprised and pleased to see the first of the amaryllis has bloomed!  

This is the first of many clumps we have in the front yard!  

 

AHHH, STUDIO TIME!

I loaded the quilt top I made on QOV sew day to get that quilted up.  I also volunteered to quilt a top from the group on Thursday, so I need to be disciplined to have them both done by next meeting in a month.

And to prove I can follow directions, I present to you, several new and corrected star blocks! Once I knew I understood what to do and that it worked, I cut out all of the pieces to make these blocks!  I hope to catch up with the gang from Alycia's QAL soon!  And I am aware that she has also only instructed us to make the red blocks so far, I was worried I didn't have enough of the specific colors so I cut to find out now instead of later! lol

 

HUMILITY HAPPENED

So how did Sew Day with QOV group go?!

 Well, all I can say, in my defense, is that I still have island breezes blowing through my brain!  I was supposed to make blue stars with a white background and I made it in reverse.  Then after I had made 4 of these blocks, I realized that they were big--12 1/2" big and NOT the 8 1/2" size the pattern called for.  

What in the world?  How long have I been quilting?!?!?!? 

 I READ the instructions again and realized my error--the center block is correct at 4 1/2" but the other squares around it were NOT 4 1/2" , too.

 Oh.

 I put these blocks away to become another project someday.  

 Then I bought some more fabric and will make the catch-up blocks today!!!!  The 4-patches Mary made were just right! 

And we had a great time with everyone!

I also needed some fabric to make the red stars.  I can see that having the group meet in our local quilt shop can become a budget buster! lol  

And as long as we were there, we bought our ALL FLORIDA SHOP HOP TICKETS  and some new fabric to get in the mood!

And I am a sucker for  patriotic panels; 

this one will be the seed for another QOV!

A very good day!

 

 

A NEW QOV SEW GROUP

Today I am going to our local quilt shop to join in with a group of ladies who sew for Quilts of Valor.  This is the kind of star I will be working on and the red version is all cut out also!  I am bringing Mary to join in and have some blocks cut for her, too. 

 I'm excited to join in for some group-sewing 

which hasn't happened in a long time!

I also finished the wall hanging/lap quilt and will apply the binding soon so that this old UFO is ready for its day in the FO photos!

 

A SEA TURTLE

I'm still in the Caribbean frame of mind! 

 This is my latest paint by number is a sea turtle! 

 I built the frame for this one--a few false starts but I got it 

eventually and I even remembered how to use my nail gun to secure the mitered corners! lol

 

CARIBBEAN DISHCLOTHS!

The colors of the sunrise and sunset--if only I had a few more shades I could do them with exact colors of the mornings and evenings!  I will rectify that lack on my next HobbyLobby visit! 

I remember when this zig zag pattern was all the rage; 

everyone had an afghan on the back of their couch !

 

OUR MOTHER-DAUGHTER CARIBBEAN CRUISE!

our beautiful ship

our cruise route

standing in the Caribbean sea

taking a beach walk

beach treasures

sunset

balcony sunset

daily towel creatures

fun treats

final evening sunset

The joys we shared can never be taken away. 

 I am so grateful for our relationship; 

in the early years of her life,

 I taught her the joys of nature

 and in my later years, 

she has taught me the joys to be had in new adventures 

 

HOME SAFE

We are home safe from our cruise--this is the yarn project progress--top is a granny square rectangle blanket my daughter is crocheting and the bottom is with the gifted yarn from Chris in a top down lacy yoke cardigan for me!

Cruise pics tomorrow!

 

TIME TO BLOOM

The week of warm temperatures has produced some flowers!  The azaleas are just poking their colors out of the bush.

There are several different bushes that form this area of color as we come up the driveway.

Just as we greet the azaleas, we have to say goodbye to the camellias!  The last one....

It is nice to see the azaleas come out because so many of our plants in the front yard look like this!

And yes, we did cover them but more than a week of temperatures in the teens at night exceeds the protection of  blankets!

Announcement:  I will be MIA from blogging for this week because I am going on my first-ever cruise! 

 My daughter and I are going to the Bahamas.  

I am overjoyed  on so many levels. 

 I will give you a full report when I return!  

 

FINAL SETTING

I thought you would like to see the setting 

for the two sycamore vases I made for church.  

This is in the foyer as you leave the building.

 

A GENEROUS GIFT

When I met a blog friend, Chris, at the AQS yesterday, she handed me this large paper bag!  She had emailed me that if I wanted some yarn, she would bring it to our meeting.  Throughout the years, she has mailed me leftover sock yarn balls to add to my  mitered sock yarn blanket.  

Well, she didn't mention how many balls of yarn she was bringing!

 I think I counted 17!  I had my walker for the all of the walking I needed to do at the show, so  I filled up the space under the seat with the yarn haul!

I thought I was going  to use the Elmgrove pattern from Berroco but it was written for worsted weight yarn not DK like I thought!  So, I had to go searching but I found another pattern that was similar --I do like top down construction.

I found this pattern on Ravelry and soon knit my swatch.  I upped the needle size to get gauge and I really liked the drape of the knitting better, too.  

Lena and I couldn't wait to cast on for the new sweater--all of the markers are to help keep the pattern repeats distinct for working the lace on the yoke!  Thanks a ton, Chris!