Block for Swap

Joined a swap for Fall colors and here's my completed block (I made 12 of them).  I'm having a heck of a time getting photos online.  Yahoo forced me to change my password one day.  Ever since, I've been unable to get photos from my Itouch.  Of course, yesterday, I made the connection that I could just attach it to the computer and upload (duh), but I was determined to make my email work again on the Itouch. I'm happy to report it now does. Now, if only I could figure out the problem with the newspaper on my Itouch, my life would be easier.

Here was what I was working on at the Sewing Expo. These are Easy Peasy Pineapples and they are very easy. You have NO IDEA how much easier this is. I can't get my head around paperpiecing and this totally skips that part.  There is a lot of precutting - strips and strips of it, but otherwise, pretty darn easy.  I have to go on Friday or Saturday to buy more fabric to enlarge this a little bit now that I know what I'm doing.  Of course, I could leave it that way and just make it a wall quilt? Naw.  If you also want to make an Easy Peasy Pineapple quilt without any math and without paperpiecing, go to the following website and buy the specialty ruler. So, so easy. http://jeanannquilts.com/

Sewing Expo

This week, I went to the Sewing Expo for the first time.  Really enjoyed myself.  I attended a class on Easy Peasy Pineapple quilts and yes, it is easy peasy.  I hoped to put up some photos, but am having trouble getting photos to any of my photo accounts to upload. Technology. Always changing, sometimes for the better, always with some difficulty.

I've finished all the blocks for my current swap at QATW.  Just have to press and add sashing tonight.  I really wanted to participate in another swap, but it's not wise for me to sign up for anything just now since I don't know that I can complete it.

I'm almost done with a sock from the Scarefest Socks at Ravelry.  I'm currently on the heel and plan to finish that this week.  Then to start the next one. I'm not a fast knitter, but I am determined not to have 8 projects around with just one sock completed.

Oh, To Be Home Again!!

Finally, I am back home!  Brought a lot of produce from my sister's garden/orchard, so will be doing some canning tomorrow. At the very least, will be making a couple of apple pies.

On the knitting front, I am working on a sock from Ravelry's annual SuperSock Scarefest.  I'm still working on the first sock.  I've finished the leg and have just started the heel, but had to rip back because something was going awry.  I think I miscounted somewhere as the K1 Sl1 was not resulting in any kind of ribbed look. 

I have sewn half of the binding to the back on my BIL's quilt.  If I can find the thread, I am going to work on it tonight while listening to an audiobook.  I really SHOULD be going through my junk mail and tossing, but I just don't have the attention span for that today.  Besides, my kitty has been missing me and she will plop herself either next to me or on the quilt.

I noticed that my brother's cats sat weirdly due to many hours of watching birds on a hard surface.  So, I placed a quilt there and that awkward stance mostly vanished after a few weeks.  Clearly, something was needed here.   Since I wanted the quilt back, the cats needed new padding. 

Gus and Walter (both a tad over a year old) on my quilt.

 
I needed 2 pads and a bolster.  The first pad was a wide one to give room for 2 cats.  I also needed a bolster because the window ledge was 3 inches below the table.  The pads were constructed of leftover flannel from quilts and some ugly camo fabric my sister had acquired as part of an auction.  I made a square pillow for the bolster, but sadly, one end is quite wonky.  The cats don't care as you can see in the photo below with Walter lounging.


In addition, I made a cat pad for Ashley, who is about 16 years old. She was recently diagnosed with arthritis and even a favorite chair sort of cripples her up when she naps.  She loved this pad the moment I put her on it. The side she is currently sleeping on is flannel. The other side is fleece (Univ. of MN) which she may prefer when it gets colder. I hope it makes up for the fact that she no longer has my sewing machine rolling cart to sleep on. 

A Little Quilting

I have continued to work on my BIL's quilt.  I am currently quilting feathers in the outer border. I still have to finish the 'rocks' in the border areas.  I plan to complete the quilting over the weekend, cut out and attach the binding.

I've put the quilting of the Asian quilt on hold for a bit.  Instead, I will be focusing on cutting out and assembling 3 tops.  One is a butterfly wallhanging that I want to quilt using the McTavish style featured in the book "Mastering the Art of Mctavishing" by Karen McTavish.  Karen McTavish is a Duluth, MN quilter.  The other is the Asian Recliner quilt and finally, a Minnesota quilt using Quilt MN fabrics from 2012.  I should get more for a pillowcase.  Hmm. 

A Couple of Finishes

I am out of town all the time and it's very frustrating to blog and add photos when they keep insisting that you change passwords!  Anyway, here are two finishes.  This is a wallhanging for my sister.  It is about 23x22 inches, just the right size for a door. For both projects, I did grass hillocks in the border areas and random quilting in the other borders. The feature fabric starts off with a sun in the center and rays going out to the borders. Came out very nice.



This one is a miniature for me.  It's about 12x11 inches.  Very cute.


I also made a mug rug, but I'll show it when I finish the other one.

Lots of progress!

In the last week, I completed both the wallhanging and mini-quilt.  If I have time, I will upload some photos.  Otherwise, I will be back home for 2 days in a couple of weeks and can get all the photos up.

In addition, I pinbasted the lap quilt, so it is ready to go. I'm looking for some batting tonight so that I can maybe pinbaste the Asian fabric quilt next week.  A lot is in the air as my relative is being released from the hospital this week and I won't know how much time I have available. 

Given that the kitties cause a lot of interruptions, I plan to spend some time working on a simple machine applique project. Quilt World had a lovely 1930s quilt which outlines a butterfly.  That should give me plenty of practice. In view of that, I bought some clearance background fabric and will have to quickly go through some fat quarters in my stash to have some stuff to work on.  I can only machine quilt an hour or two a day, so having another project helps.

Of course, I could read.  Love my Nook HD+.  I didn't NEED it since I already owned 2 Kindles and a Simple Touch Nook, but I needed a lighted display.  I HIGHLY recommend a tablet of some kind if you need to read craft pdf files and want something portable.  I'll let you know how easy it is to actually work from these units.  One thing to remember is to turn OFF the automatic screen saver.  It is set to 2 minutes which barely gives you time to follow a direction. 

Finally Quilting!

Yes, after long last, I'm finally quilting again.  Here are 3 small quilt tops.  Just the beginning!!

Lap quilt

Wall quilt

Mini quilt

I'm Still Breathing!

Hi all. It's been an age since I have posted. I will soon post some photos.  Remodeling is keeping me from quilting, but I have been steadily, but slowly, cross stitching on a simple fairy pattern.  On the next rainy day, I'll be working on redoing squares on a crochet afghan that stalled.  Otherwise, now that the snow is nearly gone, yardwork will be taking over for a couple of weeks.

In the meantime, if you cross-stitch, you might want to visit this site. Lots of patterns, but if you are particular about copyright, don't go there. That said, many of the patterns there have been out of print for ages.
CatDragon invite you to Cross Stitch
Ch Crossstitch

That's it for now! Oh.. what do you think about using these for my summer curtains?  I made two sets. One was slightly too small. The second set went astray in the mail so never arrived for the swap.  They arrived about a month ago having been sitting in a Missouri post office (they were supposed to be in Tennessee, I think). Anyway, I've already completed the quilt top that they were to be used in, so I thought..huh...curtains for my bedroom. What do you think? They are 6x8 inch finished.