Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Stitching, Shopping and a Giveaway


It's been awhile since I've posted. My computer has been a slow poke lately because I have too many good things (???) loaded on my C drive. Then my printer woundn't work and then my computer wouldn't download my photos. So now it appears like everything is working at least for today.



I've finished another Nearly Insane block. I have such warm feelings everytime I look at these blocks. In the two corner opposing squares of this block are fabric hexagons that belonged to my Grandma. She lived from 1888-1980. If you will notice the quilt that I used in the photo on my blog banner, it is the one that my Grandma made for me. She never owned a sewing machine or didn't have any of those paper templates. She cut pieces from her house dresses or used whatever she could find to make her quilts. Somehow after she passed I was given her leftover box of hexagons. Her cardboard template is still in the box. I have used several of her green hexagons in my quilt. I also have fabrics from Norway, Canada and several different states. When we attended the last Dear Jane retreat in Shipshewana, people noticed that I was doing my Nearly Insane in greens and lots of them gave me pieces or even let me cut a piece from what they had just purchased. Several friends here in Indy have given me fabrics, too. So this quilt may not be the most beautiful but it will have many fond memories.





I've also done a little bit of shopping.

Well, maybe that was more than a little shopping. I have a plan for the
Civil War fabrics, but the batik was something I bought just because and it was one of those, "Oh just give me the rest of the bolt" purchases. It is called autumn and I couldn't leave just a little sliver sitting in the store.


Speaking of stitching, Hanne is having a giveaway over on her blog. She has designed two wonderful stocking patterns with stitchery around the top. Go on over there and have a look.

Hope you are having a good day and that you are getting lots of stitching done.










Sunday, September 21, 2008

A Wedding and a bit of sewing





Yesterday afternoon we went to my niece's wedding. She made a beautiful bride, and her dress was amazing. I think they make a handsome couple. Here is a photo of the cake...cupcakes instead of a large cake. All of the children in attendance loved this!!!!







Before we left for the wedding, I managed to get one more Nearly Insane block finished.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Shopping and Sewing


It is really hard to go to a yarn store, look and touch, and not buy something. This is my "catch" from a couple days ago. I don't know what the plan for this yarn is yet. I'm sure I'll find something.



Here is the latest Nearly Insane block. Not a lot of progress on the NI blocks because I'm painting my daughter's bedroom so I can move my sewing area in there. My thought is that if I can spread out and have more room, I will be more organized. I will keep repeating that to myself until I really believe it.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Some Knitting - Some Quilting




This past week I spent time having lunch with friends, shopping, going to quilt bee, shopping.... A friend told me that she picked up the new Mason-Dixon knitting book at Barnes and Noble so I hurried on over to pick up my copy. I didn't think the book was to hit the shelves until September 16. This book is just as wonderful as their first.



I have finished a few more of my Nearly Insane blocks, and I have also have finished one of the Elegant Garden applique blocks by Laundry Basket Quilts. I love these blocks and have discovered that it probably takes me as much time, if not more, to prep the blocks and choose fabrics than it does to do the applique. Either way I love their designs and love to applique.



Also, I am a Starbucks coffee fan. Well, really I will drink anything that even closely resembles coffee. But, Starbucks is my favorite and has come out with pumpkin spice lattes for the fall season. So what could be better than having a new knitting book and a pumpkin spice latte?

Monday, September 8, 2008

Swaps and Being Sidetracked

Do you remember when your Mom would ask, "Now if everyone jumped off a bridge, would you jump in after them?" My Mom is no longer here to ask me that question, and I guess I somehow forgot the answer. This is a picture of my Christmas Signature block from the swap that I signed up for over on the DJ Alternate List. That list is a sub group of the original Dear Jane list, and lately they have turned to swapping blocks for anything and everything. I signed up for the regular signature swap earlier in the year because I wanted a signature quilt for the year that I finished my Dear Jane quilt. No, it isn't finished yet but all the blocks are done and I have 3 triangles finished. The Christmas Siggy swap is the first ever, and I thought I should get in on the ground floor so I would have a quilt from the very first Christmas swap. The swap Mom posted a database where you could sign up, and when I signed up halfway through the month, I was number 55. Piece of cake. We have until September 30 to get all sewn, colored, and mailed. By the time all was said and done at the end of the month, 160 people had signed up for this swap and we needed to send in 5 extra "just in case". I had already bought my fabric for the triangles and stamped the center piece of muslin so there was no turning back. I have them all finished except for a bit of heat setting with my iron, and then they will go in the mail. I will not sign up for any more swaps!! Well, there is this other swap I'm in with cute little 3 inch blocks, but that will be for another post.

These scarves were yesterday's project. I saw this Crochet Today magazine and bought it because of an afghan pattern. But, before I got to the pattern, I saw a nice article about a program to stitch a scarf for each participant in the 2009 Special Olympics. You have to use Red Heart yarn in Delft Blue and Soft White so I went on the hunt and couldn't find the yarn. I finally gave up and mail ordered 2 skeins of each color. By this time, a friend had found it in one of our local craft stores so I bought a couple more skeins. I told my husband last night that I should give up knitting. I thought he feinted there for a second because apparently he has some idea of how much yarn there is upstairs. I just meant that I've crocheted much longer than I've been knitting and could work it up faster that way.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Labor Day Weekend

I've been in Huntsville, AL, visiting our daughter for the long weekend. Here is a photo of the sunset over Lady Anne Lake. Her apartment is located right on the lake and every evening we are there, we go out and watch the sun set on another day.




Here are a couple photos of my Nearly Insane blocks. The green floral fabric came from Hanne in Norway. We met at a Dear Jane retreat earlier in the year.




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