A GOOD DAY!

 It's officially done and on the wall!  Nice to finish an idea that was started back in 2016!

Today is my birthday (68th)

 and I am off to meet a friend 

for a day of shopping (yarn and fabric)

and then some lunch! 

*and as for the new heading--I just noticed that I sewed the banner wrong-it said Christmas Merry instead of Merry Christmas!

I took it down, rearranged it and it is back up on the wall!

STUDIO SUCCESSES!

I loaded the mini-Christmas quilt onto the frame and had it done in no time!  That was one benefit of it being small that I enjoyed!  I plopped it down on my sewing table to trim and this happened!  Lena had been stressed because there were maneuvers by fighter jets and she worries it is thunder!  I tried to tell her that it was sunny out (for a change!) and so it wasn't thunder but it didn't help!  This did....

A friend was cleaning out and sorting through bins of fabric and gave me a huge pile--several Christmas/winter prints and a huge portion for kid's quilts!  I couldn't wait to dig in.  This is all pieced and needs to be paired with a backing to go on the frame!

And it will as soon as I get this one done and off first! 

 I hope to be on a roll in the studio again! 

 I can manage to stay busy until 3-4 pm each day

and it's wonderful to feel me coming back to myself!

 

ORGANICS

One sock done and I need to cast on the other!  There are so many distractions!  I am happy with how this one turned out--I only needed to 'waste' this small amount of yarn to get to the toe color for the next one.   A size 8 sock, 64 sts on 2.5mm needle.

 

I saw this guy at my friend's house--since I have never seen one like this , she humored me while I took his photo

 and then she promptly exterminated him! 

 It is a Rosy Wolfsnail which is an invasive species.

  Some vegetable gardeners leave them alone

 because they eat small snails and slugs from their plots.

  My friend doesn't grow veggies and sticks to her mission rigidly. 

 In this position, the snail is 7" long!  It is a large snail!  

SOME YARN, A HOOK AND A FIREPLACE

It was a rainy day yesterday and I didn't have much enthusiasm for leaving the warmth and comfort of the fireplace!  I found a beautiful YouTube idea for a crochet block and off I went!

First, I gathered some pretty and soft yarn scraps

 and settled in for a long afternoon.

I do love to see the colors at work

 even when it is gloomy and grey outside!

 

A CHRISTMAS TREE TALE

 This ceramic tree I made in 1976 when I took classes with my Mom! 

 (I was pregnant with my first at the time, too) 

 If you remember, the tree was knocked down last year

 and broke in many pieces but I glued it back together 

because I couldn't bear to see it go!!!!

  And now it is sitting on the new desk shelf to brighten my room!

FRIDAY FINISHES AGAIN!

The mini quilt (well mini for me!) is a top finally. 

 I will be loading it up on the frame so that it will be completely done by this Christmas!  It is 30" square.

The NICU incubator cover/quilts are all done! 

 I will be handing these in this week.

I've been making more dishcloths; I enjoy making them,

 I like how they look when I am done and they are nice gifts! 

 I really liked the two-color one I made yesterday. 

The yarn carries up the sides so there aren't tons of ends!

 There is enough yarn for a several more!

Yup, it is this kind of morning around here!

 

A DAY IN DECEMBER

I sewed the last two flannel 'frames' of the NICU blankets

 and pinned the layers together before I had to quit for the day...

I blocked the latest 'snowflake' and this one is denser and larger.

  I think I like the more delicate ones better.

The reason for the partial day at home--a grandson's birthday!

 

FROM UFO TO FO--ALMOST!

 All of the pieces completed and organized; 

 now to sew them together and call it done!

READY TO WEAR!

The Farrago Crochet Shawl is off the hook and ready to comfort my shoulders!

I used up both cakes of Mandala yarn for a shawl that worked out to 80" wide and 40" long at the center back.  This yarn is a DK weight acrylic yarn which is very soft and a delight to work with! 

 

CONTENTED CROCHET

The shawl is growing beautifully; 

 I am going to keep going until both cakes

 of the Lion Brand Mandala DK has been used. 

 I will have a shawl to wrap up comfortably within 

when I am finished!

 

ONLY ONE MORE TO GO

 Yes, well sometimes done is just that-I pieced this one twice because I goofed on the placement of the middle pieces and didn't have a star when I was done the first time!  Did I mention that this has not been the most fun to work on these small blocks with so many pieces!  And the pattern makes it worse by having me piece too many extra small pieces! lol  Only one more to go and I can stitch them all in a wall hanging and savor the accomplishment!

STUDIO WORK

I made another NICU incubator quilt yesterday; 

 first I sew the flannel into a 'frame' for the top fabric.

Then I tuck the top piece of cotton into the 'frame'.

I use a ton of pins so that the fabric won't scoot--it's easier to handle a bit of gathering between two pins just 4" apart than trying to sew from corner to corner with all of the layers!  I used a decorative stitch to anchor the flannel in place.

The last step is to draw and stitch several seams

 to hold the layers together.

I finished the one-

but have these cut out and waiting for me!!!!

I also finished my daily 4 1/2" block!

 

A BIT OF YARN

I just began this pair of socks and they are zooming along--the gradation of the blues just lead me along!

I also had the urge to begin this shawl;  the pattern is easily memorized and it is so rhythmic--the twist of the hook 

and a soft yarn in the fingers is very calming. 

 In fact, it is a big part of how I define relaxation!

 

ADDING TO THE SNOW PILE!

I remembered I had this stiffener somewhere-with just a bit of digging I located it and it worked beautifully on the first flakes.

I have some more, this time in white, to stiffen

 and these I will be sharing!

I have been keeping up with making one a day--I only have two more to make and then I will be putting them together for a wall hanging!

 

FINISHING ANOTHER OLD PROJECT!

I began this banner several years ago and yesterday was the day to finish it!  As usual, there was very little to do and in a few hours,  it was up on the wall!

 

SNOWFLAKES!

 

I found these instructions in an old Magic Crochet magazine.

  I starched them but they need the old way-

using sugar water to make them stiff!  

MORE RED AND WHITE!

Blocks 18 and 19 are finished and I have the pieces cut out for today so I can sew them together later.

I have several large plants that are in bloom like this!  They are such a joyous riot of color!

 

SOCKS ON SUNDAY

We attended a funeral yesterday; since it was an hour away, I managed to get a lot of knitting done on the second sock! 

 I'm pretty sure I will be finishing it up this afternoon 

when we are home from church!

 

ADVENT PROJECTS!

I signed up with MarlyBird.com for her 24 days of Quickie projects.  I wouldn't call this pattern quickie

 but I did manage to get it done in one day!

I added his little blip of a tail just because. 

 I put a little rattle in his head--there are some young ones at church who would enjoy this guy!

 

DECEMBER DELIGHTS

The poinsettias are right on time!  These plants stand about 4' tall--we've had them for years!

The baby sweater crocheted in Granny Stitch is done and I even made a Granny Stitch beret to match!

I can't wait to gift it to the new baby.  This is the 3-6 month size so it will fit all winter here.