Friday, December 31, 2010

Blocking, at last!


I thought this day would never come!  This little cardi has taken so much longer to knit up than I thought it would.  My daughter's visit from Mississippi, along with Thanksgiving and Christmas, and bits of Christmas knitting are my excuses.  Now, my hope is to complete it before our short winter season is over, otherwise, I'll have to wait until next November to wear it. 



I did try to stay within the limits of the finished measurements, according to the pattern, but this MadelineTosh is forgiving, and seems to give me a little more width than expected.



After it's seamed, there is still a knitted edging to add.  You might notice this piece is laying with the right side down.  I decided to lay the sides on top of each other and did the same with the sleeves. This may take longer to dry, but they should be sized correctly.

Something new on the needles, coming soon!

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Drunkard's Path Quilt, final


Whew, the quilt was finished in time for Christmas giving to my little granddaughter.  I barely made it.  I apologize for not having very nice pictures of the finished project, but my camera was acting up just in time for Christmas....grrrrr.



Above:  You don't want to see this, do you?  It shouldn't happen, but alas, I knew it would be a tied quilt, and my rush to finish out-ranked my quality control.  These things happen.



The centers should match perfectly, as evidenced by these four blocks. 

I think it's impossible to start planning Christmas projects too early.  Next year, I tell myself, next year!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Quilt, part 2


Fabric shopping is addictive.  Did I buy more than I was shopping for?  You just know I did.

Since the quilt top I pieced was sewn using old scraps from other projects, there was no way to find anything to use for a backing that would match perfectly.  If I'd planned this quilt from the beginning, I'd have selected one of the pieces of the top to use for the backing.



I did find this adorable flannel with little Olivia prancing about, and since the top has some black and white pieces scattered throughout, I thought it might work well.  The green fabric above will be used for the binding.  This Olivia flannel is very black....the lighting was very bright.

One thing is clear; even though my husband has seen me make many quilts over the years, he has no knowledge about the differences between the terms, backing, binding, border, or basting.....imagine that!

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Drunkard's Path



This is another of those forgotten projects found lurking on the bottom of a dusty sewing box.

Now, with Christmas closing in, I've decided it's time to complete it, and I'm hoping the end result will be nice enough for gifting.



When I dug through my slowly depleting stash, I had some completed 7 inch squares and the rest were in various stages of piecing madness.



All of the fabrics used in this wee quilt were left over from other projects.  These aren't the prettiest choices, and some are faded and old.  The colors are not at all what I would choose today, but 20 years ago, my taste was less refined, and my pocketbook was more in tune with raising a family, and less with crafting and sewing for pleasure.



After piecing enough blocks for a small coverlet, I sewed the blocks together and added a border.  I was running out of fabric scraps and hopefully the pieced border will add a cohesive touch to this long lost UFO.

Stay tuned!

Monday, December 6, 2010

Pie Season


Every family has a favorite pie.... it's the one that disappears first at various family gatherings throughout the Christmas season.  I believe our family favorite is pumpkin. 

Pumpkin and all the spices emanating from this custard creation, is the aroma that makes the holidays seem more, umm...holiday-ish!  Am I right?


My daughter, Amanda, is pumpkin pie's most loyal fan.  She's been loving this sweet and spicy temptation since early childhood.  She has always believed it to be a great substitute for any meal, claiming its nutritious ingredients.

When she was a child, I made pumpkin pie every two weeks for about 6 months, when I finally decided it was time for her to learn how to make a pie crust.  Amanda was a fast learner, especially when she realized that knowing this technique would be helpful in all future pie endeavors.  At about the age of 12, she was a very good pie crust maker, and I'm happy to report, she still loves pumpkin pie, and makes it quite regularly for her own children.

My grandson, Garrett, is the family's new pumpkin pie enthusiast...the apple  the pumpkin doesn't roll far from the vine.

Friday, December 3, 2010

Gwynedd Hat


This cute hat modeled by my cute daughter, Alexis, will be perfect for these chilly winter days and nights in California.  Of course, us Californians have a whole different view of what is chilly and what is not. 

The pattern, found in the fall installment of Knitscene, was a bit finicky, requiring needle changes, and many markers and such.  There was much ripping and cursing, prior to getting the hang of an actual pattern emerging.



The outcome is sweet, and my love of 'aubergine' was satisfied.  It's lacy and purly and according to Alexis, very comfortable.  A touch of whimsy was added by a little bow on the rim.



This design by Cecily Glowik Macdonald is knit using Happy Feet by Plymouth, and it worked out well, even though the magazine opted for using something more mohair-ish, such as Classic Elite Fresco.



The hat was described as being slightly 'slouchy', but I don't see that.  Perhaps my daughter's thick hair is filling up the slouch? 

No matter.  The color is fantastic (disregard the pink looking photo) and Alexis loves it.  What else matters?


Thursday, December 2, 2010

Socks, du jour


Beginning a new sock and watching it transform from loops hanging off a needle to something that is actually wearable is a great way to start any day.

I'm flipping through my "Socks a la Carte" knitting idea book, and trying to decide what the body of the sock should be.  The cuff is a sort of twisted double rib, and since I've never done this pattern, it will be interesting to see what the finished cuff looks like.



The beginning....



The yarn is Dream In Color Smooshy, and it truly is 'DREAMY'.  How this color will disperse itself throughout the sock is still a mystery, but the fun is in the anticipation, right?