DESIGN WALL MONDAY

My design wall is so empty it almost has cobwebs on it!

I'm trying to get back in the quilting groove, slowly.  I had two quilt tops almost finished, so I added borders to both, and I have one backing prepared, and I'm trying to find fabric for the second one...

I had made a pile of "disappearing hourglass" blocks, planning to make a large quilt, but since the blocks are so large, I decided to make two smaller quilts to donate instead.

Then I have to clean off my cutting table before I can pin-baste the quilts.  Early in the spring, I thought I'd be running out of batting, so ordered more, but I haven't touched any of it since!  My fingers are getting itchy to get back to some serious quilting.  My guild is having a show in June 2015, and I have to get some plans made for projects to show.  I usually enter items already completed before we head south - just easier to provide photos and finished sizes in early March when the entries are due....

Head over to Judy's blog, Patchwork Times for lots of creative inspiration that is shared there.
 

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Used this week  0 yards

Used year to date  143.25 yards

Added this week  0 yards

Added year to date  36 yards

Net used 2014  107.25 yards

 

 Still no new numbers!  I'm the first one to admit that I don't like to give in to illness.  I usually work through just about anything that comes my way, BUT, the horrible cough with chest congestion has really kicked my behind this time.  I did manage to finish the machine quilting on the third quilt for community quilts, but I worked in half-hour segments, then had to rest.

I think I'm finally on the mend - managed to bake some bread and do a load of laundry yesterday.  Today is a damp Sunday, so I won't be able to work in the garden, so I'll work on some indoor tasks instead - maybe even some quilting!

Head over to Judy's blog, Patchwork Times to check on others' stash reports this week.

ON (OR OFF) THE NEEDLES

Another scarf blocked and ready to deliver.  I took the design from a hat pattern, and I love it in a scarf!
I just started another scarf in the medium brown colour yarn - my last skein of yarn being knit for our cousins!

My cold with cough is finally on the mend, but I still get tired easily.  I guess I can't expect to recuperate at the same rate I did when I was 30!

DH has been back entertaining at nursing homes and seniors' residences this week - he had to cancel several shows - didn't want to share his virus.

 

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

Nothing new on my design wall, but I'm trying to finish quilting a community quilt for my guild.  The top was pieced by a guild member who passed away last year.  Another member added the final border, and I get to quilt it.  What a lovely way to remember a fellow quilter.
Now if only I could stop coughing long enough to finish it!

Head over to Judy's blog, Patchwork Times for more quilting inspiration.

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Used this week  0 yards

Used year to date  143.25 yards

Added this week  0 yards

Added year to date  36 yards

Net used 2014  107.25 yards

Still no movement on the stash front!  I've been fighting a cold with a hacking cough all week, and I'm sleep deprived.

I've also been quilting 3 more community quilts for my guild.  It is times like this that I'd love to own a long-arm machine, but that is not in the cards.  I'd have to quilt for others to pay for it, and I find it very challenging to decide how to quilt all these quilts - often not my choice of fabric or pattern....

I did managed to block another scarf that I knitted from the cousins' alpaca yarn.  This one is in the darkest colour - brown but almost black!

Hopefully, I'll be feeling better soon, and have enough energy to return to a couple of projects that have been on the back burner.

Check out Judy's blog, Patchwork Times to see how others are doing this week. 

ON THE NEEDLES

This is actually off the needles already.

This is made with the brown shade of alpaca yarn from out cousins' herd.

I'm back knitting on the lightest colour - a caramel shade - making another scarf. 

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

I managed to get half of the disappearing hourglass blocks sewn together, but not much else.  I had intended to make a large quilt, but decided to make 2 lap quilts instead.  The first one has the blocks in diagonal runs of colour, but the second will be more scrappy, just using the leftover blocks.

I took one quick picture while it was pinned to my design wall, but since it has bias edges, I didn't leave it hanging - I could already see the edges stretching!  I like this block, but next time I'll make on grain half square triangle blocks - much easier to control!

I took two close-up pictures of some of the blocks too.

I chose colours from the black print with the multi-coloured squares.  Hopefully, I'll get the next set of blocks sewn together before the next set of community quilts arrives to be quilted.

Check out the creativity at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Used this week  0 yards

Used year to date  143.25 yards

Added this week  0 yards

Added year to date  36 yards

Net used 2014  107.25 yards

Didn't accomplish much this week.  DH has a virus, with wracking coughs, fever, etc.  Our two sons and one daughter-in-law came for a visit for 3 days, so our time was spent catching up on all the news, chatting, eating, playing games, cooking, doing dishes, watching movies etc.  We had a good visit.

I received a call from the conveners of the community quilts program at my guild, and then have some more quilts for me to machine quilt - they should be delivered in a day or two!

After our "kids" left today, DH and I drove to Wellington to attend the Prince Edward County Guild's annual quilt show.  I didn't buy any fabric, but stocked up on some Superior Thread from a vendor.  I saw some cute panels, but the one I wanted was all sold - they only had the sample......

Check out the stash reports at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

 

ON THE NEEDLES

I've been trying to get another scarf completed, using the alpaca yarn that I'm knitting for our cousins.  I love the pattern I chose, but it has 12 rows to each pattern, and is so complex, I can't memorize it, so can only knit when there are no distractions - which is almost never!

You can see that I have lots more knitting to do....

Can't wait to see it blocked!

Join others at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times to see what's on the needles this week.

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

I can't believe it is Monday already - the days just seem to fly by....

DH and I attended the concert in the garden last night.  The local band was wonderful, and even better - one of the members was DS2's high school music teacher.  We had a quick chat with him after the concert, and he was happy to hear about our son - he always wonders how the kids turned out, and what they are doing.

 I've been working on a new project - possible a quilt for my next family reunion, or maybe a donation quilt....

It is another "disappearing" block, this one made from an hourglass block.  I can't wait to have more blocks completed, so I can play with the layout.

Check out all the design fun at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week  0 yards

Fabric used year to date  143.25 yards

Fabric added this week  0 yards

Fabric added year to date  36 yards

Net used 2014  107.25 yards

Nothing has changed in the past two weeks - I have finished all my quilting duties for a while, and am slowly getting back to my own projects.

My hexagon hydrangea project is on hold until I find an appropriate backing in my stash.  I also began cutting and piecing a kid's project, but nothing to show so far....

Holidays and birthdays, mine included, have kept us busy for the past week.  DH and his friend had another guitarist join their group this week ( he plays with them while south during the winter).  He came for a few days, so lots of rehearsal time, and then a performance at a nursing home on Friday, then at a fundraiser for Military Families on Saturday.  Next time he comes to town, he'll stay with us.

I have to get some baking done this afternoon - DS2 and wife, and DS1 will be arriving on Thursday night for a few days.  It is the Buskers festival this week, and they love to come and watch all the entertainment.

Check out Judy's blog, Patchwork Times, to see how other stashes increased/decreased over the past week.....

SOME KNITTING FINISHES

I don't usually knit very often, but when we attended DH's family reunion in June, I volunteered to knit a few items for our cousins who raise alpacas.  I came home with 9 skeins of alpaca yarn, from 3 different alpacas.
I headed to Ravelry to look for some different patterns and started with "Pearl-barred Scallop Scarf"

I love the texture in this one, and I love that I can knit with alpaca yarn, as I am allergic to wool.

Next I worked with the medium colour yarn and made the "Off-Set Diamonds Scarf".  

I still had yarn left from the skein, so I made a pair of ladies mitts, using a basic pattern, and stitching them in a basketweave pattern - I love texture in mitts.

 Using the first skein of the darkest yarn, I decided to knit a hat.

I used the "Mimosa Slouchy Beanie" pattern that is free from the Caron yarn website.  I really like the texture in this hat, with its alternating cable and lacy stitch pattern.

I have a small "shawl" type scarf finished, but it is still drying after its quick wash and blocking.  I'm knitting another pair of mitts in the lightest yarn colour.  Then I'll see what other items I feel like making.

DH has been a great help, holding the skeins of yarn while I wind it into a ball.  I remember doing this with my Mother - she knit many sweaters over the years.  I love to knit, although I'm not as efficient a knitter as my Mother, but I don't often wear a sweater.  Since we head south for the winter, I don't need hats, scarves, mitts etc., so I take advantage of every excuse to knit.

We are planning to visit our DS2 and DDIL in a couple of weeks, so we plan on dropping off all the finished items to the cousins on our way.  They sell both the yarn and finished projects at local markets.  The final picture is "Casino", when he was a baby.