2014 - post TWO

A few more things finished this year (reminder - FINISHED, note done in entirety) :

Easter Egg pincushions - just for fun, and figuring out the pattern for egg shapes is what took me so long to get this done :

A fall wall hanging, modified from a Crabapple Hill pattern.

 

 Some fun fabric strawberries, shown by Grandma Nelda's "diet" oreos (inspired by a Pinterest post):

2014 projects - one

There has been a dearth of posts from me, but things have been getting done.

The FIVE cabin quilts are finished, with thanks to those who came to a quilt binding bee last spring --

 

 

 

Portland Cardigan

As it has come to be known by my friends, "The Blue Sweater" is DONE.  The pattern is "Portland Cardigan", published by Lion Brand. It is knitted up in a Cascade 220 wool. It fits Nora well, and being a magical sweater, it fits me, too.

The little collar is a little different. It is knit double, turned under on a center slipped stitch and stitched down around the neckline.

Scarves R Us

OH, and I forgot this one.  Bought the yarn in Durango...

Interesting construction -- the border is knit first -- 33 repeats of 12 rows -- and then pick up all the outside stitches. Knit two full rows, and then start short rows than increase in length  all the way to the end.

Seven Scarves and counting

Finished two more of these beaded scarves -- here is the full collection so far. It's great to find a pattern that is fun to knit and also fun to wear.  These are made from various yarns -- the most recent two are the bottom two on the left -- both made from Madeline Tosh yarn.

Four out of Five all finished

Lisa's four cabin quilts -- all finished: pieced, quilted and bound. The fifth is being quilted and will be ready to post very soon, we hope.

It only seems right to include some binding party photos:

Left to Right - Noel, Summer and Katie

Julie and Fran

The Goldfish Quilt

Concept from Ricky Tim's Convergence Quilts. This is second in a series of two. The top was finished well over a year ago and was included in my  "January 2013 Catalog of Quilts in Progress."  So. It is done. Machine quilted.

These Convergence Quilts begin as four different fat quarters. Sew together, cut apart, turn, sew together.

In this case, a few goldfish are appliqued on top, just for some interest. 

Knitted washcloths

These washcloths are knitted on Size 3 needles from fingering weight cotton. The pattern is from "A Washcloth in a Suitcase" in PIecework Magazine, November/December 2013 issue. These have taken so long to post because they were Christmas presents that were delivered late, and who wants to find out what they are getting for Christmas from the Internet??

I could knit these forever. They are garter stitch short rows, and the last three stitches form that cute little scalloped border.

One Year Later: Quilted and Bound

This was featured in our blog one year ago, on January 13th, 2013, when I finished the applique quilt top. It is flannel, and made from a kit purchased at Thimblecreek Quilts (formerly in Concord, now online only).

The History:

December 2010:  Christmas present, under the tree
January 2013:  quilt top finished
January 2014: quilted and bound. Tada!

So it only took three years to finish. 

Pattern is #1011 Timberline, from All Through the Night by Bonnie Sullivan. Finished size:  56" square.

Slippers

I knit two pairs of slippers for Nora this month. The red pair (to the right), and the purple and green (below).  I have been knitting this particular pattern since I was in the fourth grade, which was, um, fifty years ago. The pattern is way older than that, probably older than I am. But I don't know where the pattern is anymore because after knitting dozens of pairs (I once knit a basketful for my friend who wanted everyone to take their shoes off when they came in the house...), I have memorized the pattern.

It is knit on size 8 straight needles, my favorite 10" size, with doubled worsted weight yarn. I estimated that they take a total of 3 hours a pair, but only if you don't count the time it takes to fiddle around with the pom-poms.

First Project of 2014

Bailey Island Hobo bag from Aunties Two Patterns (Pattern No AT2444)

Julie and I saw this bag made up at the Diablo Quilters show in the fall.  I decided to give it a try today, and managed to complete it start to finish pretty much while everyone else in the Bay Area was watching the 49ers game. 

I made a major modification -- each of those stripes are 2 1/2 inch strips with edges folded in to the center, basically a four-layer strip. However, the pattern also called for including a strip of batting in each, and folding the fabric and batting up into a think little bundle.  I wanted to use fabrics I already had on hand -- and succeeded at that -- and I had the batting too, but I just cheaped out. I didn't want to use so much batting -- 2 1/2 " x 12 = 30" x 42"... Seemed like a lot, so I just left it out.  I am perfectly happy with the results.

Sewing note:  I was amazed how much thread this thing used.  I guess when you zig-zag 24 strips together, and then do some more sewing after that, that's what happens.