SEASIDE TOP

 

While deciding what I would begin next, I remembered this kit I bought at the Quilt Show in February.

I even knew right where it was!

It was so much fun to play with the different blocks--piecing the sailboats and the flip flops and umbrellsa are done with applique.  I have it all set up but now I have to stitch the sashing to each of the blocks and then add the borders. 

 It will be fun to work on at Quilting Group today!

SOCK GROWTH

Church, eating, sleeping, knitting and evening popcorn. 

 I love the pace of my Sundays.

Today, I will  go to our quilting group even though I have no project in mind; I need to remedy that before I head out!

I have plenty of fabric....it's finding a new idea that has me stumped.  I am hoping my present healthier stretch will give me the mental prowess a new project will demand of me!

Here's hoping!

 

Yes, A Finished Sweater!

 The second try on the neckline ribbing was the charm;

-the needles I chose for the first attempt was too small and it made the fabric gather!

This is a custom fit sweater that is just right in every measurement for me!

I used Stroll sock yarn from KnitPicks, machine knit completely on the LK150 machine 

except for the neck ribbing.  Perfection!

See how I used the centered double decrease to give me a sweet line in my V-neck?

It's the perfect weight sweater for us here in Florida!  It's gonna be my go-to sweater!

The only other creative endeavor has been to bind this quilt for our group-everyone is bringing in such sweet quilts for the police officers to have for children caught in the middle of domestic

violence.  I will be high lighting more of the wonderful quilts that come in!  The quilt had hardly hit the floor and Lena was modeling for me!

One Part at a Time

 The tumbler block charm pack is finished being pieced;

now for some borders and then I will throw it on the frame!

And on the needles is a dress for Brunny.

It is an easy top down construction on #2 needles 

which feel huge compared to the #1's for the bunny!

I'm looking forward to a home day today

so I will be able to finish up that second sleeve, too!

National QOV Sew Day

All day Saturday I sewed with others to make quilts for Quilts of Valor !

There were about 24 of us who hauled our machines and set to work 

measuring, cutting, sewing and pressing to make quilt tops for this group. 

 I had a partner from my weekly group

 and we almost finished our top;

I have to finish the bottom right corner which I will sew during group today.

I'm going to share this photo because today

is my Dad's 87th birthday!

For the past 11 years,
 I have had the pleasure of my Dad's company on his birthday
but with their decision to avoid travel ,

I won't get to see him today!
 Skype will have to do!

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Two Completions

 This is where I go to meet the others for quilting group.  

Yes, the azaleas are blooming already!

 The first QOV  is completed and delivered;  I finished the binding 

 and the label sewn by hand onto the back.

I even bound the mermaids today. 

I wondered about who this one would go to and I have decided it will stay at my house to be

shared by all 4 of my grand daughters because I cannot (will not) be making one for each of them!

I will hand soak, spin and then machine dry this today;

I didn't want to toss it into the washer because of the hand embroidery-

another reason to keep it under my care!

Be a Big Girl!

 First thing yesterday morning, I ripped out the offending rows

and started out again.  And then once more!

What was it all of a sudden, that I couldn't transition to the next color?!

 The inside of the hat looks like this-more of stacked triangles than

the prominent zig zag of the other side.

They both look nice but I didn't want the one to end with the

pattern of the other all of a sudden!

I will take this knitting with me to the waiting room today;

Bill has a routine colonoscopy and I am his designated driver!

We have been eating these fresh from our tree!  

It's a Honey Bell orange.

Might I say it is all that you would want in an orange!

 And speaking of citrus, 

this is what I worked on yesterday at quilting group;

I cut these tumbling blocks from a charm pack 

and added some solids in fat quarters to make it lap size.

 When I came home, I got to work making the baby blanket again.

I've added extra stitches to the far right here;

it will be an edge that doesn't roll the way stockinette does.  

So when I am done knitting this, there will be no seaming 

and no additional time for edging it!

Well, it works perfectly on my paper anyway!

(You know,  when you make a mistake, it is better not to whine and

instead look where you can make improvements on the original

which you wouldn't think to do, if you did it perfectly the first time!)

 Just before I ate my dinner last night, I put in another row on the QOV .

This panto has a 20" wide swathe of stitching!

Here's a hint at the panto I'm using!

I hope to finish the hat today, and continue working on the other two projects!

What has your attention today?

A Rare Treat!

 On a recent post from Mason-Dixon Knitting, they talked about this author and her book.

I like the idea of trying new techniques and stitch patterns so I splurged and purchased the book.

 These are the three patterns highlighted for December, January and February.

(I'm late to the party for this book was released last March and the KAL has been to knit the pattern of the month all year and therefore, you would have boosted your knitting throughout the year!)

But here is the real treat-something I rarely allow myself, the yarn recommended by the pattern.

I can't wait to dig in!  Do I 'catch-up' with the hat pattern first which was for December?

Do I jump right in for the socks for this month?  What delightful decisions for today!

With Friends

I had fun at quilting group this morning;

I worked on this sewing machine mat.

I saw it a long time ago 

but I am ready to make it

for my machine at our group sewing.

What are you up to today?

 Might I say you need to stop and take note of the beauty around you.

And enjoy whomever stops by for a visit!

A Beautiful Day for a....

 Christmas party with my quilting group at the beach!

 Well, not quite on the beach, but right there anyway.

 Our group of 12 ladies and 6 husbands, 

ate on the upper floor where we had a wonderful view of the ocean.

There were plenty of shrimp boats, sail boats and swimmers

because it was a glorious 80* and utterly perfect beach weather!

We came over the inter-coastal bridge at low tide

and all of the oyster beds were in full view!

I worked on my zig zagular sock for the car ride there and back!

Trimming!

 During quilt group, I managed to finish sewing all of the half square triangle blocks

but

they do all have to be trimmed to exact size.

 I also completed the second hat for a grandson

but it did take a bit longer to bury all of those ends!

It was worth it though, because now they are both done-

similar but not exact just the way their dad likes it!

Quilting Group

This is the project I brought

to work on during quilting group.

It is the Mystery Quilt -A-Long from Alycia Quilts.
(thanks to this post from Nancy)
I need to catch up in time for the new 'hour'
revealed on Wednesday.

Look at the new gadget I have to make my
sewing easier on the portable machine I take to class--

a sewing table to give me a larger sewing area.
It's a Sew Steady JR Table
customized for your machine from Sewing Machine Plus.

Off to Quilt

 Me and these two jelly rolls are off to quilting this afternoon.

I only hope the discrepancy in widths are from packaging...

it could get interesting!

Needle at Work

Yesterday,  I managed to do a bit of time at the quilting group;

while a shadow of my usual self, I did piece the woven blocks top.

It will have some narrow borders added as soon as I go to the fabric store.

 And I was able to piece this many of the illusions blocks.

Even in pain, it was nice to see all the others and their projects at work.

We meet only minutes from my home so I knew I could head out and be home, if needed.

 I only have three more of the printed center blocks and then I can seam this one.

It , too, will need some narrow borders to finish the top.  

What a nice, clean look these flour-sack-reproduction prints give these quilts!

TNT

 Monday afternoon I worked on this quilt with the community ladies.
I am still making the blocks but couldn't wait to put some up on the design wall to see how it looks!

And the pillowcase is coming along;
I only have a few flowers left and then the ribbon and bow!
I already have the next pillowcase set ready-
and a table runner is being mailed to my Mom to finish up!
What's on your needle?