Thursday, July 29, 2010

PL #6 and #7







Darn. I can't figure how to delete one of the pictures. 2 quilts finished. One is crumb blocks sashed and bordered with black. The other is something called Bricks and Stepping Stones. (I have enough bricks cut probably to make 10 more of these. I tell you - I LOVE to cut and sometimes I get carried away.)

Garden Friend


I'm reallly not sure he spends much time in the garden. I haven't seen a whole lot of damage. We did blame him for the missing leaves on the first three green pepper plants but later found that tomato horn worms had probably been the culprit.

Westport Knitters
























































I'm sending a box today for the Rankin Inlet Birthing Center located in Nunavut, Canada. Items were made by the Westport Knitters and include 6 hats, 7 sweaters, 2 sleep sacks, 1 pr. mittens, 14 pr. socks and 1 blanket.

Monday, July 26, 2010

PL#5 (Project Linus #5)


This one is a machine knit. Done on the bulky with some rescued knitting worsted yarn in a frosty looking green. I think this is my favorite pattern for ease of knitting and the final result is really nice.
I'd really like to do more but with bright kiddy colors which I don't have. And..............I am NOT going to buy any new yarn until I lower my yarn stash somewhat.
The above also applies to the fabric stash. It would be interesting to keep a record of just how many quilts I can make before I HAVE to go shopping. Interesting, but would I keep it up? Probably not, so I don't think I'll even try. Besides I just might have to go shopping for more bright kid's colors.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

PL#4 (Project Linus #4)


Knots on Front afghan/blanket. Machine knit on bulky using small balls of leftover knitting worsted. I have adapted the pattern to include hems at the top, bottom and sides eliminating hand crocheting to keep the roll in check. The hems are nice and flat.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

What I'm working on.......................

Project Linus - machine knit
baby blanket using white and baby pastels knitting worsted
aran tuck stitch - 6 or 7 panels
Quilts - Have 5 cut of Mary's strippie
Enough 4 1/2" and 8 1/2" strips for at least 10 quilts from pattern at AZ blankets for kids

100 Hats
trying to get 100 hats made and delivered to Linda at Country Knitting of Maine by first of November

Orgainize my fabrics - big pieces for uneven 4 patch backs or big enough for 1 color back

Kids/brights together - need to cut some 5" strips for a baby quilt

Working on a twined rug - outdoor project

HeartStrings/yellow centers


Here is the 2nd of 2 HeartStrings quilts I will be sending to Deanna tomorrow for her charity project.


What is it about this pattern? I have 2 tops waiting for backs to be made and today I cut some foundations and center strips in dark green. I also cut up a small bag of scraps I was given at the last Clamshell meeting. I only made 3 blocks but I'm ready to go when the spirit hits.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Recycled Books




Seems I don't have anything better to do than sit around cutting up trash and making books of it. I'll admit, I have been choosing my crackers and cereal by the graphics and colors on the packaging.



These were fun to do - I have several more in the works. I have now found out how to make book cloth so they should go quicker now that I won't have to re-glue the bindings.



The pages were cut from special (vellum, yellow lined, recipe cards, graph paper - things I've been collecting) and recycled printer paper.



Beet Greens and Green Peppers




Here's a picture of some green peppers I picked yesterday. I should be putting on more pictures of the garden and its bounty. It's doing great! I spotted some Japanese beetles on the pole beans today. Hope they don't clean out the whole crop of beans.


We've had a woodchuck (or maybe a gopher. I'm not sure what the difference is. This animal seems quite small compared to other woodchucks I've seen.) We haven't seen any damage done by him.
Oh yes, there was a picture of the first beet greens in the camera. We've had MANY, MANY more since that picture was taken.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Embroidered Towels







I've machine embroidered 9 towels with cats and dogs to have on the table at the Pets on Parade.

Collaged Bookmarks


Here are a couple of bookmarks I made to sell at our (Crescent Chapter#54) table at Pets on Parade

PL#3 (Project Linus #3)


Here is #3 - a machine knit on the bulky using 3/15 (fingering) yarn using the rib tuck technique.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Heartstrings Quilt Finished




Here is a HeartStrings quilt with white center strip and the rest in plaids and stripes. I made this top before Mary announced that the next HeartStrings project would be homespuns with a black center. I made most of the blocks for this one in my 'Outside Studio'. I bought an outside table at a yard sale and have it under the trees with my hand-crank sewing machine on it.
I have a black top done and I like it much better that the white center strings. I'll be sending it (along with another one yet to be quilted) to Deanna to donate to her oncology department.

I HATE the batting I have. And I have a lot of it. It's polyester and it's too poufy for my liking. I'd give it to someone if I thought they wouldn't be insulted. I have precut 27 pieces 60" x 80". I've used 1 piece in this quilt and I'm ready for some Warm and Natural. I have to wait for Joann to have it on sale and I'm on my way to get some.

Project Linus Project




The Worthy Grand Matron of the Grand Chapter of Maine, Order of the Eastern Star, has chosen as her project for this year blankets for Project Linus.


Starting in July, I intend to make a minimum of one per week. They can be knit, crocheted, or sewn - any size from baby to adult. With that in mind, I should have 40 done by the 1st of May, 2011. Here are the first 2 that I've finished.
#1 is machine knit on the bulky machine using sport yarn. It's mint green but doesn't look like it here. It's done in double bed tuck rib. Thank goodness I have a motor on that machine as the sport weight yarn was a little heavy and made the carriage difficult to push by hand.
#2 is a blue fleece blanket with a crocheted edge in black Simply Soft yarn. I have a 'skip blade' for the rotary cutter that cuts small holes in the fleece. It sure makes it easier to crochet around - that fleece is tough stuff and it's impossible to make holes with the crochet hook.

Twined Rug


This has been my 'outdoor' project this summer. I am planning to donate this rug to the YMCA silent auction fundraiser to be held later this month.

I have another bunch of strips ready for the next one which will be 'hit or miss' and use up leftovers from other rugs.

Kaffe Fassett quilt finished. Yes!