Quilty gifts

One of the really cool birthday gifts that I received this year was a mini quilt from Terrie:



Isn't it pretty! This is going to take pride of place in my craft room.

I was really touched that Terrie had made this for me.  Her work is impeccable and fabric selection couldn't be more perfect. I am one very lucky girl.

Terrie shared this with me at last month's quilt guild meeting and there was much oohing and aahing from the quilt guild members, and the decision was made that we should have a swap of similar mini quilts using the initial of the first name of our swap partner. My swap partner is Wendy, and she shared that her favourite colour is green.  Here is W for Wendy. Front:



The W fabric is from a line called sewing box, of which I had a layer cake. The design on this one is tape measures. I quilted along the tape measure lines to give them a little definition. The W template is from a Moda blog hop, called Spell it with Fabric, where each blogger is assigned a letter of the alphabet. The end result is pretty cool, and the templates are available for download in pdf format. Imagine the possibilities with this one - a child's name on a quilt, or a fun crafty statement on a mini quilt... Since I already have my initial letter, my swap partner will be making a letter for Naomi. I think Naomi is going to be so happy to have one of her very own as she is big into letters right now, especially those letters that form her name. I'll post a piccy next month, after the swap.

Since I'm rambling about quilty gifts, here's one that I made for another friend's birthday.  A reversible fabric bucket:







Isn't that cat fabric adorable!  It is catnap from Lizzie House.  The pattern is on the Birch Fabrics site: fabric buckets.  I made the large size, with a couple of modifications: instead of interfacing I used batting, and I added a pocket for storage of nik naks - scissors, dpns, you name it...

I need to make some of these for myself - so cute and extremely handy. I know that someone's toy cupboard might also benefit from better organization too :)

Hope you are having a lovely weekend,
Sam xxx

Zauberball Man Socks

Between road trips and work trips I've been able to whip out another pair of socks. This time for Joe (although the pic below is modeled on my feet):

Quite the dazzlers aren't they :)))
The yarn is Zauberball and is dyed to gradually progress through the colours.

While this is a really nice effect, I thought I'd make them stripey by knitting one row from one end of the skein and the following row from the other end of the skein. Typically I make my stripes thicker. But this has a fun effect with the single rows of each colour. For the cuff, heels and toes, I stick with working from one end of the skein so that they appear as a solid(ish) colour, instead of continuing the stripes.


I like that the socks don't match exactly... but clearly belong together.
Another pair to tuck away in the Winter Woollies box.

Oh yes, I didn't follow a published pattern for these. Just winging it using my basic sock approach and a size 2 needle. I like the simplicity of the basic sock for travel projects - my hands can stay busy, while I can zone out and relax.

Have you been taking any fun trips?
What are your projects of choice when you are travelling?

Wishing you a lovely summer,
Sam x

Road Trips!

I've been absent from the blog. Mainly because Mum was here and we've been spending the precious time hanging out, including taking a couple of fun road trips!

The first road trip was to celebrate my birthday. I consider all birthdays to be special... but this year was a milestone one: The big 40! Which is why Mum had come over to celebrate. Seemed only right that we mark the occasion by doing something fun - and that was our first road trip to Santa Fe and Taos, New Mexico.

The day started off with a Grandparent's tea party at school. Talk about perfect timing of Mum's trip! I'd joked with Naomi that it was really nice of her school to throw me a birthday party. At which point she went over to the teacher and told them it was my birthday and asked if it would be ok if she could sing happy birthday to me. Little girl has more confidence than me to get up on stage, grab a microphone and sing in front of an audience. To say I was touched would be an understatement. Best birthday gift ever!

Anyhoo... Santa Fe is a really great place to go visit especially if you love southwestern art .  What appeals to me is the beauty of the town, the numerous galleries and the laid back European vibe. Needless to say I stopped at a couple of my favourite knit and fabric stores that I had identified from my last visit. :)  In Tutto knitting store I picked up a couple of skeins of yarn that they had custom dyed. A sock yarn and some lace weight. In pretty autumnal earthy tones. If you are in the area I encourage you to go check out this store. The owner is a real darling and he even recognized me from Ravelry (I'd knit a scarf he had designed). How cool is that!

While we were in Santa Fe there was a very interesting street art market with a couple of booths showing handspun or hand dyed yarns. I did pick up a skein of this bulky angora goat yarn that was spun straight from the fleece. It has a rustic quality to it that appealed to me. I'm thinking maybe I'll use it for a small cowl, or a hat... I am open to suggestions if any of you have pattern ideas?


In Taos I went back to the Uncommon Threads fabric store and purchased some woven fabric to make placemats, and some cool skully fabric to make... erm, no clue yet (but I am sure if my sis spies this she'll think of some way to put it to good use).

Toward the end of Mum's visit we went to Mount Rushmore, South Dakota. It was something that was on Mum's wish list and was thoroughly enjoyable. The drive up from Denver was relaxing and beautiful. The black hills area of South Dakota is spectacular. Mount Rushmore is really impressive and nestled in this stunning location.


While we were in the area we drove through Hill City, where I found a wonderful quilt store - Hill City Mercantile. Aside from the wide array of fabrics, impressive display quilts, unique designs from local artists and super friendly staff, the thing I loved most was the attention to detail in this store. The owners had completely renovated the building and all the fixtures and fittings were in keeping with the style of the renovations. I was really thankful that I had the good fortune to stumble across this store.




During the Mount Rushmore trip I started another plain sock - the perfect road trip companion if you are looking to keep busy but want something simple to work on. These beauties are going to be for Joe.


That's all from me for now.
Hope you are well and wishing you a great week,
Sam xxx

Handspun Handknit socks

This is my first time knitting socks with a handspun yarn... and I love the end result!  The color shifts in each sock and the subtle changes in the thickness of the yarn make these interesting to knit, even though the pattern is a straightforward one.



Now to tuck these away in a winter woollies box...  I think this Colorado weather might have finally turned into summer!


Lots to share in a future post.  Mum has been here for the last month or so, so we've been out and about...  I have some blogland catching up to do!

Yarn: Crown Mountain Farms Sock Hop in American Pie
Pattern: Simple Handspun Socks by Simone Van Iderstine - toe up pattern on dpns
(I really liked the simplicity of this pattern to let the sock yarn stand out)


Hope you are well, and have fun plans this Memorial weekend,
Sam xxx

Snuggly Soft Baby Sweater

In our group of friends it seems that there are a whole slew of babies due in the coming months.  The first is a baby girl that is due in early May, and my go to pattern for baby girls is Elizabeth Zimmerman's february baby sweater on 2 needles. 



This one is worked up in ArtYarns Cashmere sock. The yarn is devine!  So deliciously soft and snuggly.  You can almost see the fuzzy halo of the yarn in the picture below.  I also love the slight variegation on colour from baby pink through peach.  Soo pretty. 



The pattern is great too.  It's a really easy knit, but with fancy results.  There's very little finishing involved too, which in my books is always a winner.  My favourite part is that I'm able to put some of my sock yarn stash to good use - this cardigan uses up about the same amount of yarn that it takes to make one pair of adult socks.



I modify the pattern slightly for the sock yarn.  I use a needle that is 1-2 sizes larger than the sock yarn recommends.  So for the cashmere sock they recommend a needle size 3, and I used a US 5.  Also, the pattern calls that you cast on X stitches, knit for Y rows, then increase until you have Z stitches.  Instead of casting on X stitches, I cast on Z number of stitches - the number of stitches that you would have after the first round of increases if you followed the pattern as written.

Do you have any go to patterns for babies?
I would like to make something for a baby boy and a 'TBD' baby.

Hope you are having a lovely weekend,
Sam

Where does the time go?

I am having a hard time believing that it is April next week...  Do you feel the same way? 
Time just seems like it is flying by this year. 

I thought I'd take the opportunity to do my monthly recap now since its the weekend (Yay!) and I don't have any FOs to share just yet.  So... the crafty input/output resolution... it seems that I am not making strides in the right direction.  Am I surprised?  Umm, truthfully no, not really.  The upside is that I have some lovely goodies to share with you on the blog :) Ha ha yes, what an excuse!

So here's the walk of shame:

1.  Yarn:
On the output front I have a sock:



It needs a friend.  But one is better than none :) 
I've been travelling for the last 2 weeks for my work, and all this time on planes has given me the opportunity to get some knitting done.  I've made a start on the second sock, so hopefully I'll have a completed pair to share soon.



I've had a hankering for some handspun sock yarn for a while now, and I'm really enjoying working with this Crown Mountain handspun yarn and seeing the color changes in the yarn.  It may come as no surprise that I acquired some more:





And then the monthly installment from Skein came in.  Its a lovely color, and I was sorely tempted to retain the subscription, but ultimately saw sense and cancelled my subscription.  Baby steps in the right direction.



Ooh, I did finish another square for the Bertie's (hospice) Blankets.  Thinking I may lay the blanket squares  out this weekend.  It's pretty close to completion, thanks to all the kind folks that donated squares.



2.  Fabric:
I made a couple of squares for another one of the gals at quilt guild.  Love the colors in this - bring on Spring!



There was the infinity scarf from my last post.  But I also picked up some more fabric for the Local Quilt, which I'm eager to try my hand at.



I almost forgot, I also made a 'huggie' for my cross stitch frame.  It helps keep the edges of the cross stitch linen protected. And it's plain old cute since it goes with the 'Once Upon a Time' theme of the cross stitch.  :)



I have the perfect project bag for this cross stitch project.  This bag has tremendous sentimental value:  After my Grandma passed away last year my Mum was packing her things away and found this hand quilted bag that Grandma had made.  Mum knew that I would love it.  My Grandma was a wonderful lady who I miss dearly.  It makes me so happy that I have something that she made.   







3.  Cross Stitch:
I finished the first in the 'Frosty Forest' Series:  Raccoon Cabin.  So cute!



I've started the 2nd square in this series, but I'm also itching to get started on the Once Upon a Time sampler - I am 3 months' behind.  Yikes!

Wishing you all a lovely weekend.
Sam xxx

Voile Infinity Scarf

A good friend had a birthday recently and I wanted to make her a little something to mark the day.  She loves to wear scarves and I thought she'd like an infinity scarf.


I used the directions from the Anna Maria Horner Figure 8 scarf... but instead of using velveteen, I used voile on both sides.


Voile is such a lovely fabric:  Lightweight, soft and with a silky feel. 
Silly me had no idea how to pronounce 'Voile' when going into one of my local fabric stores... but figured that it must have a fancy pronunciation for such a fancy fabric.  So there I was asking for where they stocked their 'Vwaaahhl'.  Of course the lady looked at me like I had lobsters coming out of my ears.  Lesson learned:  Voile is pronounced like foil, but with a V.  Which sounds nowhere near as sophisticated in my northern English accent :)))

Hope you are having a lovely weekend,
Sam
xxx 

Happy March

February flew by, didn't it.  The 2nd month of New Year resolutions... how did you do?

For me, the health related resolutions took a back seat this month.  Must do better:  My goal weight/size date is 2 months today.  The target is still doable... if I work hard at it.  I need to get my butt in gear!  ;o))

I have been making reasonably good progress on the crafty resolutions, but ultimately they are still out of kilter:  intake is exceeding output :)

Yarn:

• I completed another 3 squares for the Berties (hospice) Blanket (in addition to the square from last month that is also included in the photo below.)  I've found a local hospice who are eager to get their hands on these knit blankets, so trying to get this completed ASAP.

• And there was Naomi's pink sweater dress (which I am totally counting even though my Mum did a bunch of the work... but using yarn from my stash... so that counts, right?  :o)))
• I also started a cute baby sweater using stash yarn

• However, I've also picked up a couple of skeins of sock yarn including Skein sock in La Mer (yup, still need to cancel that subscription)

• Handspun sock hop yarn (so pretty!)

• Hello Yarn sock

moving swiftly on...

Fabric:

• On the output front, there's the monster bags that I just blogged about.  And although I purchased about 5 yards for some of the monsters, I also used about 10 yards from stash.  So all-in-all pretty good going there.
• There is the 2nd converging corners square that I made for a quilt guild swap

• And 3 stained glass squares that I made for a WIP quilt for Naomi

• I've also signed up to do the Local Quilt from Carolyn Friedlander with our local quilt guild.  I picked the following from my stash, and only needed to pick up an extra yard (ish) for the blue dots that will form the sky.  Good intentions here too :)

Cross Stitch:

• I am far behind on the cross stitch front
• Jan, Feb and March installments for Once Upon a Time are in.  I have the materials needed (and they are so pretty) but haven't yet started

• Jan-March are also in for the frosty forest, and my January block is still in progress. 

• To end on a positive note :)  I did get my 12 days of Christmas back from the framers this weekend, and oh my, I am in love!  I've liked everything about this project - the design, the materials, the theme... and now the framing! 

Well, thats it for me today.
Hope you are having a lovely Sunday,
Sam xxx