FINISHED OR NOT FRIDAY

I'm a bit behind on the Stars Like Spaghetti MQAL but the last clue is out so I know what I am aiming for now!  How pretty is this?!

While laying in bed, I organized each block to get a variety of colors already decided and in the order I sew them together.  It worked well because I could make the last three blue blocks I needed.

(Yes, Lena was determined to lay on the blocks...)

I did the same thing for the red blocks so I can finish them over the next few days!  I can make a block in about 15 minutes which is a reasonable time to be up still!  Only a few more to go!

Of course, we all know the way we eat an elephant--

that's how I am sewing right now!  

 

LONG MAY SHE WAVE!

The quilting is finished and now this great MQAL is awaiting its binding which will happen soon.

 Thank you, Alycia, for the great design!

The quilting lines read, Your Service ... Our Freedom!    The thread if variegated red/wh/blue.  As soon as I come home from a trip to NY to sing happy birthday to my Dad, I will bind you and donate you to Quilts of Valor!  My Dad turns 90 on Friday--more pictures from the frozen north will be sent to you!

 

QOV FINISH!

The mystery QAL from QuiltyGirl concluded recently 

and I finally managed a finish myself!

I made so many mistakes, I almost despaired of ever completing this one but I took a lot of deep breaths and ripped out and then sewed it back together too many times to mention!

  But when I put those borders on, 

I was thrilled!

I will get this loaded on the frame later this week!

 

IT TAKES SHAPE!

Clue 7 is released and now I know how to organize all of the blocks!  Now to sew the sashing between each block and row!  I love it!  Do you see the stripes of the red/white stars?!)

 

LOTS OF FUN

I started a new sweater, a cardigan, called Elmgrove, by Berroco.  Lena was doing an inspection of my stitch count!  I thoroughly enjoyed doing the lace knitting which is how the increases are made on the yoke.

It is a round yoked top-down cardigan. 

 I am using the yarn I brought home from my Mom in August.  

It is more coral than the orange it appears here.

Earlier in the day, I worked on the new red blocks. 

 I will finish the rest of them, 9 more, today.

Bill was at work on the roof trying to repair a leak

 on the solar panels that heat the water for the pool.

  Unfortunately, he had to declare fatalities to 3 of the 7. 

 It's been a hard few days to be on the roof

 because of the aching back, knees, ankles that result!  

 

NO SOCK ON SATURDAY!

I knit another hat and used up another skein! 

I like the light side of tis reversible hat! 

 I think Lena does, too!

 And I managed to piece all of my blue stars for  the Mystery Quilt-A-Long that Alycia is hosting. 

It's the first week I am not behind

 but am done ahead of the new clue

 which comes out next Wednesday!!!

Now that Bill is home, I will be able to knit on the way to church and back which just might be all the time I need to get this pair of green socks off the needles!  I can't believe they are so neglected!

Bowled Over

Clue #2 of the Mystery A12 Dakota Inspired Quilt was accomplished yesterday.  The seaming was a new idea to me but it worked great without another 30 mins of trimming!

(the seams are on the outside edge of these right-sides-together strips;  you cut down the center after cutting the strips to length)

All of my pretty little rails were done in no time!

Yes, I had an energetic helper the whole way!

Put in the zip-loc with clue #1 for safe keeping.

This bowl is 5 x 3" from Black Walnut!  We had several giants in our yard in NY.  Yes, the tree could be messy but we loved the large canopy from the two sentinels in the backyard and the nuts in the Spring were delicious!  (the ones that survived the squirrels all winter!)

This is a hard wood but turned without any problems.  It sanded and buffed up beautifully.

This is probably a better idea of the deep color of this bowl.  And yes, the pink runner is still on the table!  I'm letting it remind me to get to work on the green one!

So I did layout another lobe of the clover and will sew it up today!  I have a designated sewing time so I won't get distracted with the lathe....

 

MQAL Finish

The mystery quilt-along is finished!

It is 60 x 72"

I finished sewing the middle section and then joining it to the others.

This will be donated to the Quilt of Valor leader in my region

who just happens to be in my quilt group!

I will add it to the quilt frame queue

and get quilting!!!

It was a lot of fun to participate in this Winter Mystery Quilt

with Nancy of Wyoming Breezes;

and a big thank you to her for sharing

Alycia Quilts blog info so I would be enticed , er, informed!