On The Needles

I used to be a better blogger. I did an On The Needles post every Friday forever. Then the Mojo left me so I had nothing to share. It shows up sometimes and this time (cross your fingers for me) it might be here for a while.  I joined a group on Facebook called Addicted To Sock Knitting with over 10,000 members. There are lots of sock pictures that will knock your own socks off!  I am in awe of these knitters. Joining that group brought the Mojo home.

Last Friday I had good intentions to post my progress on the purple socks I was working on from the January 2nd post but Ernie decided he wanted to drive to the beach so who was I to say no. I can't work on anything with a pattern so I grabbed a skein of sock yarn from the stash and some dpns and we were on our way.  This is how far I got on Plain Jane socks using Knit Picks Felici in the Coney Island colorway.

I was using the Tadpoles pattern but messed it up something awful. I don't know what I did to mess up such an easy pattern, so I frogged it all and started over. I was part way through the ribbing when someone on that FB group posted socks using the Blueberry Waffles Socks pattern. This is an easy peasy pattern with not much thinking or counting involved so I decided to make the most of my Mojo's return and use this pattern. I love the texture it gives this Opal sock yarn.

To see what other knitters are working on, check out Patchwork Times. While you are there, you will see Judy L's super cute granddaughter as a hat model.

Design Wall Monday

I haven't worked on Pineapple Crazy since retreat in November. I've thought about it but haven't touched it. Wednesday at sewing group, one of the ladies showed her blocks and that's all it took to get me jazzed up to work on mine again.

I pin my blocks into groups of 10 so I did a quick count and was at 86. I made 4 on Wednesday afternoon. Then on Friday, we drove 2 1/2 hours to the beach for lunch so that evening I made the 5 border blocks. Saturday I made 9 more pineapple blocks and got up Sunday morning and finished block #100!  I am deep into Gilmore Girls on Netflix. I discovered that I can make 1 complete block per episode......don't judge.

I wanted to work on more blocks Sunday but I had to show some restraint and clean my sewing room. Instead of just putting things away, I decided to rearrange things and that lead to organizing and that lead to scrap and strip sorting and that lead to no sewing.  With all the scrap sorting, I bet I have enough little scraps for 4 more of these quilts.

I'm hoping that will change this week.  See what others are up to at Patchwork Times.

Design Wall Monday

UFO busting at it's finest is what is happening on my design wall this week. I pulled out a bin full of SWAN (Swap Without A Name) blocks that were made by a group of internet friends in 2005. For this swap, when it was our turn-2 quilters per month-we sent each of the 23 participants a 12" square of our focus fabric along with any wishes we had for the quilt block. I used some of my stash fabric-the purples, green and peach, I asked for white or WOW background. These needed to be 12 1/2" unfinished, do your best work.  I did have to remake 1 of the blocks but no big deal. I have 4 that just didn't fit so they will be used in the orphan block quilt.

This purple star is my favorite...made by my friend Sonya. I remember her asking if I had any extra purple fabric because she wanted to make me a special block. I did and Oh Boy did she make me a special block. It's called Connecticut from Carol Doak's 50 Paper Pieced Stars book.

Step 1 - Make 20 9 patch blocks for the back using 5" charms. At one of our retreats, I won a huge stack of charms, such a fabulous variety of fabrics-even a Millennium square. I set the stack of charms at the machine, reached over, picked up 2 off the pile and sewed them together, picked up the next pair and the next and next, you get the idea. Then I added the 3rd charm. Pressed those all in one direction, grabbed a few, flipped them around so the seams would butt up to each other. Then did it again until I had 20 blocks.  There are only a few charms left to go into the charm bin. That UFO bag is busted!

Step 2- Make the batting squares.. Since Quilt As You Go is being used on these blocks. (Lots of tutorials on YouTube.) I am able to use up a big bag of batting scraps. All the batting is Hobbs 80/20 from other quilts. Batting scraps bag busted!

Step 3 - Quilt each square-Done!! How much fun I had doing this all week. I pulled out matching thread, filled bobbin with white thread, put on my walking foot and had a blast.  No new thread was purchased but no spools were emptied either. No problem since I didn't want to run out of thread.

Step 4 - Add borders to blocks. I messed up this step. I should have added borders to each block before quilting, 10 with one fabric, 10 with another fabric. I need to do this because the blocks now range in size from 11 3/4" to 12 1/2 ". So I now have to do this by adding backing strips, batting and sashing strips, quilt and cut to 15" since that's the size of my biggest ruler, that's the size I will use. The 9 patch seams will not line up, that doesn't bother me since they will have sashing on them also. I have the fabric to use on the back but I'll buy something coordinating for the front. My stash isn't that deep. I learned a very valuable lesson here.

Step 5 - Make borders.

Step 6 - Join everything together.

Step - Bind, wash, dry, cuddle.

Looks like I have a good plan for the week.  See what everyone is working on today at Patchwork Times.

Design Wall Monday

Miss Polly has inspected the blocks for Grand Illusion. She thinks they are all going the right way.

Now her mom needs to sew the border blocks together and get them attached. This is going to be an awesome quilt to snuggle under. I wish she would get to it.

Miss Polly is a little bossy. It felt good to sit down and sew but I didn't just sew....I'm organizing my disaster of a sewing room.  Work for 20 minutes, sew 2 rows together, work, sew, cut fabric scraps, sew...throw in some dinner time and sew again.

I'm excited with the progress on my quilt top. I think this is the slowest I have ever been getting a Bonnie mystery made into a completed top. Sometimes real life gets in the way of the sewing room.

See great design walls at Patchwork Times.  I am going to take a tour of Blogland while I enjoy a couple cups of coffee. Then real life starts up again. Have a great day.

Castle Wall Progress and Saturday Plans

I am obsessed with the Castle Wall blocks. So obsessed that I ran out of blocks to sew.  My original plan was to work on these at my Wednesday group.  But they have taken over my brain and whenever I sit in my recliner, I automatically reach over for my green pencil box that holds my block and sewing stuff.  It's not a bad thing, it is just an all consuming my brain thing and I'm spending a bit too much time in the recliner.

Friday I spent some time cutting a few more blocks. I think I cut  4 more. Last night I again reached for the box and started a new one. Then I set it aside and picked up a shirt to de-bone.  By the time the evening was over, I had cut up 4 men's shirts and had one more block half sewn.

I told myself that was the last night of Castle Wall blocks for a while., I have a knitting project or 3 that I want to work on and a stack of shirts to cut up. Today the box will be put out of my reach. I have a short list of things I want to do and then I will go into my sewing room and lose myself there for the rest of the day.  But first I need to make the blueberry pie I planned to make yesterday.

What are your Saturday plans?

Design Wall Monday

I'm having such fun with the Castle Wall blocks.

I'm going to take these off the design wall one of these days and 

put them in the bin so they don't get attacked by kittens.

The blocks are finally all made for Grand Illusion.

I've procrastinated long enough and now the webbing of the top has begun. 

My top will be completed in no time. 

Then I'll start sewing those border blocks together.

I have a plan......

Check out Patchwork Times for fabulous designs walls.

Castle Wall Progress

I started sewing my Castle Wall blocks last Wednesday. I'm a tad bit obsessed with them right now. Block 6 is half full of diamonds already. I'm sure it will be finished this morning.  Blocks 7-10 are ready with several more fabrics set aside in bundles waiting to be cut into blocks. Crazy, I know!!

I've been hunkered down in the recliner with the dreadful cold/flu stuff. Not enough energy to do much other than watch Gilmore Girls on Netflix and stitch or nap.  Maybe I'll make a cup of tea or throw a load of clothes in the washer while waiting for the dogs to do their outside business but not much else is getting done.

If I make this full size, I need 56 blocks. At this rate I'll have it finished in no time at all.......that is not going to happen. LOL  Life will get back to normal again soon. I'm feeling better but still not 100%.

You can find great Castle Wall instructions at Mickey Depre's website.  I'm loving her 2015 project too.  So far I'm resisting but I'm weak right now so who knows what might happen.

Design Wall Monday

What a week last week was. I spent so little time in my sewing room, that when I finally did go in, I had to think about where I was with Grand Illusion.  I am at block construction.

The block rows are ready to sew together.  Now all I need is some time to sit and sew these together.  I'm excited to get some of these blocks up on the design wall.

I spent time with my Binding Friends on Wednesday and started my new hand sew project, Castle Wall. You can find all the info for this quilt at Mickey Depre's website.

I'm ready to refill my cup and tour a bit through Blogland. It's Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times.  I can't wait to see what's going on!!

Slow Stitching Sunday

I have an obsession with hexagons.  I admit it freely. I love those little things. I seem to have a hexagon project going all the time now.  After finishing up the hand stitching on Circle of Jewels (I can't believe I don't have a picture of the whole top!), I had to start something else.

I had a bin of strips the my friend Billie gave me. Her friend gave them to her, they were samples of a fabric line. I had kept them all together hoping someday to find the perfect project for them.  This table mat was it. I had ordered a template and papers kit over a year ago and knew it was time to use it.  I have enough cut for another mat but I'm not going to start it just yet.

Today I will put the outside border on and get it ready to quilt. I'll try quilting by hand but no promises.

Last year Mickey Depre worked on Castle Wall blocks as her year long project. This year I am doing it. (Although her new project is pulling at my heart strings!)  I wrote about my Castle Wall beginning here. This is my first block and last night I started my second one. But first I need to finish my table mat so I can dive in and create these.

I'm linking up with Kathy's Quilts-Slow Stitching Sunday and after my coffee cup is refilled, I'm seeing what everyone else is working on.

Happy Stitching.

The Caste Wall Project

All last year I have watched Mickey Depre work her Castle Wall blocks. She posted them to Facebook quite often. I loved them but didn't have time for another hand work project.  After finishing the hand stitching on Circle of Jewels, I needed a new project.

I had great intentions to start this quite a while ago and ordered the templates, only to have to them sit and age.  While moving some stuff around the other day, I stumble on to a fat quarter pack and thought they would be perfect to use to start Castle Wall.

Every Wednesday, I try to make it to my sewing group.....Binding Friends.  I decided this would be a good project to work on this year.  So this is block 1.  I have 3 more kitted up ready to stitch.  I've also pulled a few more fabrics to add to this.

For more information on Mickey's Castle Wall-The Block & Quilt, go to her website.  She has a tab with all her information.  I can't wait to work on block 2.

2015 Finish #1

I'm so happy to have this quilt finished.

Pieced Hexies started October 2013.

 Finished January 6, 2014.

Crochet Fever

It all started innocent enough.

The weather in December turned bone chilling cold.

I was shopping one day and found Lion Brand Unique yarn.

Oooohhh, pretty, pretty.

I bought 2 skeins.

Knowing Taylor walks alot, I figured she needed a new scarf.

I used this tutorial.

2 skeins was not enough.

I had to wait for more yarn.

It finally came in, I bought 2 more.

I finished her scarf.

Oh so soft and toasty.

On Facebook's The Crochet Crowd, I saw this challenge.

I went in and grabbed a skein of acrylic yarn and got busy.

I found the written pattern confusing but once I watched the video it all clicked.

I used a larger hook than the pattern said

 and for the smaller hat,

I just made it up as I went.

These are for Lacey and Estella.

I hope Estella's fits her.

I'll find out later today.

I love a good trip to town that involves being a passenger and lots of waiting/crochet time.

While getting the scarf yarn, I saw camo yarn and had to buy a skein.

Taylor loves all things camo!!!

I used a V stitch and crocheted until I was almost out of yarn.

She is very excited to wear this one,

I can't wait to give it to her.

What's next?

I have an afghan UFO that needs attention.

I'm going to get that afghan ready for my new to go project.

Night time recliner time is now back to sock knitting.

Design Wall Monday

Last week, after catching up with Grand Illusion Mystery clues, I pulled out Pieced Hexies and decided it was time to get this one finished.  I've stalled long enough!  I sat down at the machine and pieced the back and then it was on to basting.

While pin basting this 80" x 80" quilt using a banquet table, my sweet kittens thought I had made them a fabulous play fort. While playing, one of them snagged my fabric. Of course it's the fabric that I had used every single little inch of.

After whining to my Facebook friends, I decided to find a piece of kitty fabric and create a hexi applique to cover the hole. 

This was started October 2013 and the final border was put on just a few weeks ago. Granddaughter Taylor picked most of the hexi fabric combinations from Fairy Frosts and other sparkly fabrics that was gifted to me by my friend Sharlene. These were the perfect fabrics to use for a teen girl!  The hexi designs came from the books Pieced Hexies and Pieced Hexies Deux by Mickey Depre. I loved everything about making this quilt. Mostly I loved the bond I have with my granddaughter over our love of fabrics, quilts and each other.

I am having a blast quilting this. Cross hatching through the 9 patches, fun swirls through the hexies with echo quilting around the outside. I'm stuck on the outside border. I started something but wasn't happy with it so it's now pulled out. I'll get it figured out.

Monday's work will include removing the center marks from the hexies, quilt the border, trim and put on the binding. Then I can start putting Grand Illusion together.

See great design walls at Patchwork Times every Monday.

On The Needles

 Happy New Year! It's really hard for me to believe it's already 2015. I vividly remember Y2K like it was yesterday! Do you?  I didn't know how to knit then. It was still a dream. I quilted and did machine embroidery and crocheted. Now I quilt and knit. Times have changed--not much though.

I did it, I finished the No Purl Monkey Socks before the end of 2014!

I think I'll wear them today.

Since I was in the sock knitting mood,

I found Mojo.

An appropriate name since mine has returned.

Fun, quirky, something any teen (or their Gramma!) would love to own.

I had to finish the Monkey socks before I started these.

(I think that's the only reason the Monkey socks are finished.) 

I also cast on for a pair of Plain Jane Socks.

But decided I wanted something with some texture.

This morning I went searching through my Ravelry favorites for a new sock pattern.

I found Tadpoles.

A couple rows of unknitting and I will be able to start the design.

Or I can be a rebel and start it where I am at right now. 

I'll probably be a rebel.

I can't wait to see what others are working on.

We are sharing our projects at 

Patchwork Times-On The Needles.

Tiny Tuesday

Block 28 was fun! 

It's always fun to pull something out of the scraps and

turn it into something bright and happy.

These scraps were left from making rice bags.

Block 31 was a bit of a paper piecing challenge.

The center has been taken apart and redone.

3 times.

(3 times is my limit, if it doesn't work, well I tried.)

It really does look better than this, 

not perfect but better.

Perfection constantly eludes me.

I redid block 34.

I'm lots happier with this one.

I'm having fun with these Midget Blocks.

Lots of them are still available for free at

Sentimental Stitches under her free patterns tab.

I'm hoping to finish an applique block for next week.

Design Wall Monday and...

...Mystery Monday Link-Up

Quiltville's Mystery

Grand Illusion Part 5...

Easy Peasy

Super Quick

Super Fun

I love 4 patches.

I wonder what this will become.

I haven't even played with any layouts other than

the Part 5 4 patches to take a picture.

Oh do I need to buy a new camera.

One of these days!!

Linking up today at 

Patchwork Times 

and

Quiltville.

I love Monday in Blogland.

On The Needles

I'm still working on my No Purl Monkey Socks.

I am so slow....

but I am determined to finish these before the end of the year.

I think I have one more set of 11 rows before the toe decrease so

maybe by the end of the week.

Maybe!

I told Mae that these socks make my feet happy.

Her socks make her happy too.

So we had to take a picture of our socks.

Happy Feet is one of our favorite movies.

I think it's time to watch it again.

Tiny Tuesday

I went to my notebook and pulled out 4 pages which equals 8 block designs. When putting some things away I found a sandwich bag with these batik scraps inside the batik bin. Perfect fabrics for Merry Go Round-Block 33.

Block 34 has proven to be a giant pain in the keester! This is the 2nd block, block 1 was so wonky bad, it's is in the trash! This is supposed to measure 5" unfinished, this one measures 4 1/2".   It will go into either the garbage with the other one or the orphan bin.

I was so frustrated last night and decided to just pass this one over, but at 3:00 I woke up with a brainstorm. I have EQ7, create the stupid block there and resize it to the size I need. And paper piece the darn thing!  It took forever to go back to sleep.

I got up about 5 and played with EQ7.  Now I have papers printed for a block that will finish at 9" because I only drew out 1/4th of the block and sized it to print at 4 1/2".  LOL.........It's a bit early for my brain to be working this morning and it hasn't had even a sip of coffee yet. I changed the size to 2 1/4" and now I can be on my merry way to a new block.  It printed out 6 quarter units for me, just in case I have another bad day.....I need to remember to save this block, the way my luck has gone with it, I may need to print another page.  I will get this! I will!!

Here's hoping I have a better sewing day today.

Cascadia

Today Lori at Humble Quilts is hosting Cascadia Quilt Along Show Me Your Quilts.

Here is mine....finished!

Ignore the quilt past the red binding. 

My little quilt hangs right here beside me at my computer desk.

It covers up the calendar. 

That's a good thing.

Thanks Lori for another great Quilt Along!

Can't wait for the next one.

Design Wall Monday....

...and Mystery Monday Link Up

Grand Illusion Clue 4 is finished!

I love how my cute little clothespins fit in with the colors of the blocks.

(Except that red one. I guess it can be called deep pink.)

I'm now working on another Midget Block.

I'll show that on Tuesday.

I loved seeing all the clues together to show off all the colors.

I can't wait to see what happens next.

Monday morning I'll be linking up with Patchwork Times and Quiltville.

Merry Christmas

I hope yours will be merry and bright.

On The Needles

It's been a while since I've done an On The Needles post......October 10th!  I hadn't been doing much knitting until  one day I got a phone call from my daughter in love. She requested new dishclothes for her Christmas gift. OK, easy peasy!  I pulled out my laminated patterns and got busy.  I was keeping track of how many dishclothes I made this year and stopped counting in July at 11. These for sure put me into the 20s. I used up all the stash and gifted yarn and was able to buy more yarn for these. There is a bit leftover from each color but it will be used up into one dishcloth for me.  

My favorite patterns are DW Dishcloth and Grandmother's Favorite.  Both are free on Ravelry.

I did work on these socks a bit more.  They will soon become my evening project again. Maybe I can get them finished before the end of the year so I can say I finished 3 pair of socks this year.

Find out what other knitters are working on this week at Patchwork Times.  Aren't Judy L's mittens just the cutest!!! I want a pair for myself!

Tiny Tuesday Time Again

Today I finished up with clue 3 for the mystery and while putting some things away, I came across my notebook of Midget Blocks from Sentimental Stitches. I haven't touched these since January of last year! Almost 2 years ago. Talk about being a slacker!  It was fun working with these tiny pieces and now this is all I want to do. Not a good thing since I need to finish my Christmas shopping.  But I don't really want to, I'd rather sew.

Blocks 25 and 26 have joined the others in the notebook. I am missing block 23 so I'll either recreate it or do something else.  I looked at all the pages I have printed and I stopped at 136.  I see now there are 196 blocks. Oh My! Will I print them all? I don't know but I will look through them to see if there are some I want.  But I know myself and I will probably print them all.

I've procrastinated long enough. Now I must go do some shopping. Yeah! You know I'd rather sew. :)

Leaving A Little Hint

I spent some time Sunday evening working on Grand Illusion. I had just a few more short strips to sew together when I ran out of bobbin thread.  I pulled out my trusty little bobbin saver for a new bobbin only to find all my gray ones are now empty. Since I was sewing with black fabric on the bottom, I just finished up with a black bobbin.

Now I'm ready to quit for the night. I have to remember to wind bobbins before I start sewing again. I left myself a little reminder.  It was time for a new needle and some oil and the dust bunnies need to find their selves a new home. I think this whole process took 5 minutes and I am set to sew for a few more hours.

I love that short stubby screwdriver but I forgot it's too fat to fit the screws of the throat plate. The little pink makeup brush is the best for holding on to those dust bunnies.  Of course I don't remember when I changed the needle last but I knew it was time for a new one.

A clean machine is a happy machine and that means I can sew, sew, sew!
.