I did get a few things done this year (2015) -- some PJ bottoms for Summer, a shirt for Terry (still needs button holes) . . . . . and the following:

In January - A Masai themed twin quilt for Summer - bright & cheerful and happy memories. No pattern, just used the fabric I had found to best advantage


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 2 aprons for our cabin, made from fabric my friend Sharyn designed. The photo is big so you can see the lovely forest critters she originally hand cut from paper.

 Quite a while ago, my daughter handed me the green hat on the left and 2 hanks of yarn (the blue and the magenta) and asked me to copy. Which I managed to do, modifying the pattern to the smaller yarn size.

And recently I finished my 2nd of twelve blocks for the "Vintage Valentine" quilt. If I keep on at this pace, it will be 20 years to completion, so I think I'd better speed up. My third is started. I really like the colors we chose (the original pattern calls for muted pinks and greens). But appliqueing that many scallops slowed me down.

Iron carrier

A great insulated iron carrier and pressing mat. This comes as a pattern with the heat-resistant fabric from Sister's Common Thread.  It's great because the iron can still be warm when it is packed up for travel.

Embroidered dresses quilt

Twelve embroidered panels, each featuring a dress on a dressmakers stand.  Look back through the blog, and you will see that I finished the first block in March, 2012, so I would estimate that the project took a full three years.  The last eight blocks were finished in Ireland (!).  Take a look at the intersections -- invented little shoes for some additional interest. 

Presented to Nora, the owner, Christmas, 2015.

Hedgehog mittens

These Hedgehog mitten are a pattern from Morehouse Farms. The yarn is Morehouse Merino 2-Ply (sport weight, 220 yards per skein). Each of those hedgehog 'quills' are a cast on 5, bind off 5 stitch, so the project basically takes forever.  Cute, though, eh??

 

Willow Cowl

The pattern is Willow Cowl, by Amelia Lyon, found on Ravelry. It is actually over 12 inches long, but the clever alternation of stockinette stitch and a spiral lace pattern causes it to collapse 'like the Michelin Tire man', as I like to say. Both the cast on and cast off edges are picots with a turned hem.

The yarn is  Blue Face Sock yarn by Shooting Star. Colorway: Kaleidscope, Weight approx 4 oz and 430 yards. Their website is at www.shootingyarn.etsy.com.  This yarn was a challenge. The variation of color and the nature of the hand dye caused me to rip out two previous projects, a pair of gloves and a different scarf. In both cases the color became very confusing and unattractive. This, though, worked out just right. And by the way, I received a lot of compliments when I wore it.

Sundry Scarf

The blue yarn is  Koigu KPPPM sock yarn, and the Orange is (when I remember where I put the yarn tag, I will fill in the details) ... sock yarn. The checkerboard in the middle is both colors knit in a k1,s1 pattern. Very attractive stitch and I would like to knit an entire sweater out of it. Note that the bind off is a picot bind off -- basically cable cast on three, then case off eight. (The pattern called for cast off four, but I thought there were too many picots and opted to space them further apart). 

This is a pattern from Ravelry: Sundry by Jennifer Dassau. It is presented as a shawl pattern, but Jennifer includes instructions for using any amount of yarn. 

Cotton Tunic

Yarn:  Tahki Cotton Classic - a 100% mercerized, sport weight yarn. Even at sport weight, a garment this size is a little bit heavy in cotton. The pattern was modified y shortening the sleeves.

Sock Slippers

Not the most flattering photo...   It has been cold enough recently that I wished I had some knitted slippers. Rather than making the usual slippers, I tried these bulky weight socks. Worsted weight yarn (Patons Classic Wool Worsted from Joanne's) and a pattern from Favorite Socks, 25 Timeless Designs from Interweave.  This is a mosaic pattern that was fun to knit. Also, they were knit toe up, with an add-on heel.

Bulky Knitted Cowl

The weather has turned chilly around here, and I tired of struggling with scarves and mufflers to keep my neck warm. So I rummaged around in my yarn and found this great bulky yarn: "Wool Clasica", by Manos del Uruguay. I found the pattern on Ravelry - the "Waltz Through the Forest Cowl. You will find it at Hannah NeCamp's Ravelry Store (for free!).  It knit up in about an hour and a half, and after wearing for a day, I think it does it's job well.  Also, I should mention that it is reversible!

Beret and Mittens

I saw the hat at the Mendocino Yarn Shop, and bought the yarn to make it for Nora. The pattern is "Adobe Beret", by Pemela W Allen, designed for the Mendocino Yarn Shop, so you can only get it from them.  The yarns are both Berroco:  The solid is Berroco Ultra Alpaca, and the variegated is Berroco Adobe.  There was just enough of the Adobe to make the hat and add those teensy stripes to the mittens, but there was a lot of Ultra Alpaca, since it was only used for the ribbing on the beret. So, I made the fingerless mittens to match, and basically winged it -- no pattern.

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.