Friday Fun

  

This morning I sat down and spent some quality time with Back to Square One Mystery.  

You can find everything you need to know about this mystery right here at Patchwork Times.

I cannot wait for the next clue but I have to.

It's due April 1st.

On The Needles

I'm so close to being finished with the 3S Shawl.  I'm at the point of being a tad nervous about how much yarn is left. The instructions say to have close to 200 stitches on each side of center. I counted the other night and place markers so I wouldn't have to do major counting again.  With increases at the beginning and end of each row and the center increases, I think I am now about 8 rows from 200.

My next step is to weigh the shawl, knit 2 more rows and weigh again, then weigh the yarn ball. I would melt into a big puddle of tears if I didn't have enough to bind off and had to unknit.  There is no way I would just pull the needles on this one.  Know what I mean???

See other great On The Needles posts at Patchwork Times.

More Good News

Today I split my to do list up.

I  listed my must dos then added 45 minutes of sewing.

In 2 sessions, I completed my Carol Doak BOM blocks.

I'm ready for the big reveal.

I must say, I hope she has the center like I have mine.

I really like that.

Back to the list!

Good News Thursday

 Every day I am thankful for simple pleasures.

It doesn't take much to make me smile.

Like these daffodils ready to pop open.

And that red wagon that the kids play with and

I use to haul my basket full of wet clothes to the clothesline.

Every day my girls give me some of these.

Not that itty bitty but those always make me smile.

And when I make a mistake like this, 

I'm happy I have enough extra fabric that is doesn't matter.

The best new of all is that our health insurance has finally been straightened out.

I can stop fretting about that.

What kind of good news do you have today?

Share with us at Patchwork Times.

Design Wall Monday

It's almost time for the reveal of the 2012-13 BOM at the Carol Doak Yahoo Quilting Group.  And guess who is 3 blocks behind???  Yes, it's me!  Everything is cut and kitted up, I just need to sit and sew.  Today will be a good day for that.  If I put my nose to the grindstone aka sewing machine, I will have them done in a jiffy.

See fabulous design walls that quilters are sharing at Patchwork Times.  I think I'll spend some serious coffee time there this morning while I get used to that Daylight Savings Time thing!

Sandie has asked for info on the fabrics I'm using.  Sandie, you are a no-reply commentor so I'll answer you here. I bought both at our LQS where she has a room of 40% off fabrics, that's where I found these.  The back ground is Elizabeth Golz Rush for Robert Kaufman, Shell Grotto, Screen Print # 8484.  The pink is called In the Pink 2, designed by The Buggy Barn for Henry Glss & Co, Pattern 1746.

2 Fewer UFOs

Today was binding day.  I'm ashamed to admit that I started this quilt with intentions to send it to Joplin after the tornado almost 2 years ago.  It's called Island Chain from Scrap-Basket Sensations by Kim Brackett.  (Today I pre-ordered her newest book called Scrap-Basket Beauties.  I hope Amazon gets it in soon so they can get it to me.) 

This has been quilted for a while and recently the binding sewn on.  I had to fix some spots where stitches skipped.  The white fabric is some of that screen printed like stuff and the long arm didn't like it at all.  Tomorrow this quilt will go to a dear friend who is having some medical issues.  I have enough of these prints already cut to make another quilt. I wonder what I have for white background fabric.....hmmmm.

Brianna's Blocks is finished. I stitched down the binding on this quilt today too.  This has a very long history with me.  It is a therapy quilt and now that it is done, I feel some of the weight off my shoulders.  Now I will look at it in an entirely different way.

It's been a good finishing day!

Saturday Cutting and Sewing

Today is the first day all week I've done anything quilty.

I finally got busy with my orange scraps.

I didn't sew any of them yet but

my blocks for the Row Quilt are cut and kitted up

and the blades and center are cut for the Dresden Plate.

 I'm not quite finished with purple.

The Row blocks are finished but

I still have 3 star blocks to finish sewing.

Now I'm headed over to SoScrappy to see what other

Scrapphappy quilters have been doing.

On The Needles

Not much has changed since last week.

(Not even the photos.)

 The Greta vest has a few more rows added.

3S Shawl also had a few more rows added.

I'm hoping for more quality knitting time this weekend.

See what others have on their needles at Patchwork Times.

The Kindness Of Quilters

When I was making my Getting It Done List for March, I listed buying fabric to make the quilt for the hunting club.

Later in the day I received this email from a lady in Missoula, MT who asked to be anonymous.  I really want to tell you who she is because she is so very kind.

I have a quilt kit of wildlife fabric -- not only deer but other more-or-less local wildlife that I'd donate for your quilt raffle if you'd like it.  I'm trying to downsize my stash, but I want it to go where it is appreciated and will be used, so I thought of you when you've been talking about getting started on that quilt.  Let me know and I'll mail it off to you.

I told Ernie about it and he was shocked.  I was too but I know about the kindness and generosity of quilters.  

Yesterday this kit arrived in my mail box. I'm sure our group of hunters are going to be thrilled with the chance to win this quilt.  It will surely be appreciated and used.  I guess I should change my March list to say start this quilt. 

Thank you my friend in Missoula, MT.  You are a genuine sweetheart. 

Design Wall Monday

Ready for my sewing day today is 

Judy L's Back to Square One Mystery. 

When that is complete,

I'll work on the remaining purple blocks for

Rainbow Scrap Challenge Row Quilt.

Or I'll sit and knit.

It's one of those kind of days already. 

See other inspiring design walls at

 Patchwork Times.

ScrappyHappy Saturday

March is orange month....which surprised me, I thought it would be green.  I'm ok with orange.This month's block for my row quilt is a basket block.  I have printed off my block, backgrounds and oranges are gathered along with a couple browns for the baskets. I'm excited!

Another Dresden Plate block will be made along with some stars and 4 patches.  Fun, fun, fun!  I don't have a large selection of orange so I'll just use what I have.
 

Purple month is over but I'm not over purple yet.  I have more turnstile blocks to make for my row quilt and a couple more star block.  I'm a little behind but the blocks are all cut and ready to sew.  I was using them for leader/enders but I think I'll sit down and sew them and be done. I'm glad I got the Dresden Plate block done.

See other great Rainbow Scrap projects at SoScrappy.

On The Needles

A day late and $5 short......that's how my week has been.

I couldn't resist, I had to cast on for the Greta vest.  The yarn I am using was from my friend's mom's stash. It is some yummy wool and will look great with most of my wardrobe~~jeans and t shirts.  I took it with me Thursday and knitted my way north to Puyallup to SewExpo.  On the way home, I got some serious extra knitting time while we sat in traffic for over an hour.  I even said "Yeah traffic jam, I just hope it isn't an accident."  It was, I felt bad for saying yeah!

The 3S Shawl is coming along too.  I work on this one during tv time. I saw both of these patterns on Denise's blog at Justquiltin.  Between her and Judy L, I will never run out of things I want to knit.  Oh and at SewExpo, the yarns......it was all I could do not to drool on them. I even found some mink.  But I left it all there.  I'm trying so hard to use what I have.

Notice both pieces have a little lavender pin on the round stitch marker.  That is to tell me that is the right side and on both pieces is the increase row.  My brain needs these.  Works for me!

I'm linking up with Judy L's On The Needles post from yesterday.  Now I feel almost caught up. 

Getting It Done Lists - Past and Future

I did OK in February considering I spent several days sick and out of commission.

  February Getting It Done List

Continue to try keeping up with Block of the Month and/or Week, Midget Blocks, Rainbow Scrap Challenge and Judy L's Mystery.  Pretty good, I need to work on Midget Blocks.

Turn Easy Street Blocks into an Easy Street flimsy.  DONE

Quilt Twisted Mystery that didn't get quilted in January  Didn't touch

Quilt Ultimate Scrap Quilt Like Julie's that didn't get quilted in January Didn't even look at

Bonus project--work on Reach For The Stars Blocks  No Bonus for me this month

I did pull the Hopscotch Butterscotch UFO bin out and turned those blocks into a quilt top. So that's one empty bin on my shelf!  

March's Getting It Done List

• Continue to try keeping up with Block of the Month and/or Week, Midget Blocks, Rainbow Scrap Challenge and Judy L's Mystery.
• Buy the fabrics needed for the hunting club quilt.
• Get the long arm ready to use.
• Use the long arm.  Quilt 2 quilts this month.  

Success!!

Color me happy!!!  Easy Street is now a quilt top.

My plans didn't go according to my plan but after dinner, Ernie had hunter's ed class and Bonnie is on QuiltCam.  It's so fun to sew with friends.  Even though they aren't in the same room, they kind of are.  It's really fun when she reads your comment and gives you encouragement. :0)

So Easy Street will now be folded up placed on Mt. ToBeQuilted.  The other day while at Goodwill, I found a 15 yard  chunk of lime green with purple plaid shirting for $20.  A pretty fabulous find that will be used for the back of this quilt.

It's been a pretty awesome day!

Easy Street Quiltathon

Today is the day Easy Street blocks are turned into a quilt top.  I've put it off long enough. The blocks are too big to put inside a bin and put up on the shelf so I am having an Easy Street Quiltathon!

I started about 10 am and told myself to work until the rows were complete.  Just before noon, I sewed the last seam.  Now my rows are ready to be joined.  Right as I was finishing, the TV series I have been watching on Netflix finished.  I am going to miss those gals on McLeod's Daughters.  I'm not sure what to watch next.  Maybe Friday Night Lights.

I ran out of leader/enders and I'm behind on my Row Quilt blocks so I cut some and have 4 blocks almost ready to assemble into blocks.  It won't take long.  I am running out of month. After Easy Street is a top, I will concentrate on getting my purple blocks done for a new color is announced for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

Lunch is almost done, I'm going to take a little bit of a walk and then get back to it.  See ya later.

What Are You Reading

I had a little bit of a chuckle when Judy L asked What Are You Reading today and showed her magazines.  I finally finished Montana last night and didn't start another book yet.  I got these quilt books and farm magazine in the mail in the last few days so I will be spending time with them.  I've already looked through the quilt books a few times but you know that isn't enough.  I can't wait to read about backyard chickens.

What are you reading?

**Dear  Anonymous Commenter:  I LOVE Carol Doak's new book!

Design Wall Monday

While my plan last Monday was to continue working on Easy Street, something shiny caught my eye.  I am so easily distracted and it becomes so easy to procrastinate the big jobs and start something new.  My something new was this UFO from June 2011. I'm proud of myself for working on a UFO and not starting one of the many new projects that I want to do.

I was putting some fabric away and I spotted the bin that held Hopscotch, Butterscotch.  All the parts were there, including my Adventures with Leaders & Enders by Bonnie Hunter.  So Easy Street has been pushed aside. With several blocks already complete, I quickly added sashing and made a 3 x 4 setting.  Then I started working on the border pieces. I had decided to take the remaining block pieces and use them on the back so I made up 7 more blocks. What the heck, may as well make 1 more block and set it at 4 x 5.

I spent some quality sewing time and when I add 1 more strip to the top and bottom border, then sew them on, this top will be complete.  The instructions have you using 2" strips and I remember at the time I didn't have very many but my 2 1/2" bin was overflowing so I redrafted the block to use my strips.

I do think I should add some glitter to Easy Street and get that one finished this week before it turns into a UFO.

See some fabulous design walls at Patchwork Times today.

On The Needles

I get to work on the 3S Shawl full time now. 

I just might have this finished before the birthday rolls around.

Working full time on the 3S Shawl means the vest is done!  Well not totally, wearable done, the knitting it done.  There are a couple ends that need to be woven in, a zipper inserted and blocking. (Or do I block first then insert the zipper?) It fits him really nice, it's toasty warm and he is excited to wear it.  I set down some rules though.  It is never, ever, ever to be worn to work!  NOT EVER! He has plenty of vests to wear to work.

Now I will start shopping for some alpaca yarn for the next one.  But not yet.  My Greta vest is next.  After I work on the crochet afghan for a while.  My Sticks 'n Strings 2013 projects are coming along nicely when the vest is done, it becomes finish number 6 for the year.

Visit Patchwork Times to see other great projects.

Show Us Your Socks

I call these my pink beauties. They are 2 years old and have worn great.  No sign of thin spots anywhere. I think it's a Lion Brand but I can't remember.

Do you have cute socks??? Put them on and share with us over at Patchwork Times.

It's That Time of Year Again

It's time to start thinking about the quilt for the Hunting Club picnic prize.  For the last 3 years, I have made a deer quilt for the hunting club to use as one of the raffle prizes at the annual picnic.  It has become quite the coveted prize.  I've been thinking about it and didn't have a clue what to do.  I have more than enough of this deer fabric to use as the focal fabric and really, after this much time, I'd like to be done with it.

This morning I was reading Facebook and Benartex, Inc posted something on their blog. Of course I had to go see and I found this post. So I opened up EQ7 and started looking at blocks.  In no time at all, I had a quilt designed with those 2 blocks and then it got to the borders.  I love their border but I'll save that for one of my own quilts. 

After playing, coloring, changing and more changing, I came up with this quilt.  It's prefect for a man, woman or child.  Not too big, not too small.

Then I sent my picture off to my friend Judy L for her honest opinion.  And while I waited for her response, I started figuring border dimensions.  I have learned from her that I should get my borders ready before starting the center of the quilt.  That way there is no down time while I procrastinate on cutting the borders. So with a favorable response from Judy, I am ready to shop for the perfect fabrics and get going on this.

Until then, I'll continue to work on Easy Street and UFO Hopscotch that I was working on when I finished the deer quilt 2 years ago! Oye!!! It's so easy to put things away and forget about them!