Saturday, December 31, 2011
NYE Mystery 2011
Friday, December 30, 2011
Still Swimming in Orca Bay!
So still swimming in Orca Bay (or Long Lake) and since my favorite sport is swimming I am content to stay there.
A Little Bit of This and That
Here is my (step) Dad with Mom looking on as they opened their quilt.
Mom checked out the label and was quite impressed (thanks again Ros). They went on and on for two days about how intricate the quilt was and were happy to have it. Not sure where they put it..I had hopes it would wind up on the guest bed (in the room we were in) but it didn't happen!
I finally decided to get the first border on Auntie's Anvil so I could see some progress on it!
Finally busted out my new sewing machine (my honey got me!). This one is really for travel sewing...it is nice and lightweight and I like it already. I tried it out and got it all set for Kathy to use tomorrow when we do the annual NYE mystery.
I just used scraps of binding in the colors of the quilt. I love how that looks.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Secret Santa Thank You and More
This is my whole Arizona family (and my kids who travelled here from Wisconsin) on Christmas Eve. We posed for pictures in ordinary clothes, but thought it would be fun to do a Packer photo with drinks in hand. Only about two of the family members aren't Packer fans--but we are working on them. Everyone donned a Packer jersey (a few were borrowed, lol) and we included a few of the dogs (I have Bug) and amidst yelling GO PACK GO! we got some good photos.
Now on to my Secret Santa Swap gifts. I opened them with the kids on our Christmas Eve. This is a cool bag to put in all kinds of goodies for sewing. I already filled it for my next trip to June's or Ros' for sewing. Can you see it is made from Denyse Schmidt fabric? I love it!
Speaking of DS fabric...do you see all the beautiful fabric from her line Shannon got me? She also sent several homespuns which I will be adding to my scrappy quilts..I love the plaids. Oh and some love candies too. Here is a picture of all of my loot. I was squealing with joy with every gift I opened. Shannon nailed the fabric I liked and made me SO MANY goodies. I got a sewing machine cover (which I needed!) The cutest pincushion ever, pins, needles, notebooks, including one with a handmade cover and a note inside, and a really cute thread catcher too. I love that it all matches (from the same DS line) and was made especially for me. I have to say I got a lot of fun gifts for Christmas but these really were the highlight (shh, don't tell everyone else) because Shannon really took the time to get to know me through my blog! I am such a lucky Santa Sack 2 participant. Thanks again Shannon! I love it all very much!
Monday, December 26, 2011
Hope you had a MC
Here is my entire family on my mom's side that was here for Christmas Eve. We donned our Packer gear and our drinks (mine was diet Dr. Pepper) and snapped a zillion pictures. Got a few dogs in the photo too, but there were more inside.
Here is my sock coming along...I figured out how to close the heel with the help of memory from class and you tube. Then I opened up the leg--cutting that stitch was SCARY...so afraid I would lose the whole thing, but it worked. Now I am working up the leg! Won't be long and I will be on sock number two!
Friday, December 23, 2011
I'm Drowning in Orca Bay!
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Ann B. Smith's NYE Mystery is Cut...
We did get some black/brown triangles cut for Orca Bay clue five today too. We also cut triangulations and depapered and ironed them as well. So update on Orca Bay is Clue one: 128/224 done, Clue two: DONE, Clue three: 278/350, Clue four: 54/128 (I sewed some of these while the cutting was going on!) and Clue five: none, but ready to sew. HAHA, I will get there, one cut and one stitch at a time.
DJ bought me some flowers today too :)Now we are watching "The Help" and I am going to see what can be done about my messed up sock...I dropped some stitches and made the mistake of taking it off the needles to fix it (now I know better) and I can't get the stitches back on the needles. Seriously sock knitting is tough!
Friday, December 16, 2011
Lil' Twister Come Around Again :)
I did get some time to work on Orca Bay but didn't get a picture on my camera though not much new and exciting anyway. I almost have clue three done which is a good thing because Bonnie gave us clue five today and it uses those little hst's to make bigger triangles. So I will try to finish up clue three and get started on clue 5....not sure if I am liking working in ADD fashion and out of order, etc. I am very methodical and I have discovered that I like to finish a clue before moving on to the next one, but I am more motivated to keep up if I don't feel AS behind. So half a dozen of one, six of the other as my grandmother used to say. I am working all day today (blogging while on hold) but will be getting to this tomorrow--finally!
The plan is to cut fabrics for the NYE Mystery and to work on Orca Bay/Long Lake, Wisc. as much of the day as I want to. So excited that my Saturday work schedule is done for this semester! That took up way too much of my sewing time!
Thursday, December 15, 2011
This Just In: Orca Bay Sees Progress!
Here are my squares before I cut them in half...really loving how the greens are all different shades and so peaceful looking! Can't wait to see how Bonnie brings this one together!
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Sock Knitting--An Adventure I Won't Soon Forget!
My first sock was with different yarn. I kept doing things wrong so my teacher had to fix it over and over. Just before leaving the first class I realized I was doing each row instead of each round and that was the majority of my issue. Apparently no one else has done this in this class. LOL, I told the teacher that I was a BEGINNER! I only know how to make one pattern of dishcloth and can manage a scarf. So after ripping out and redoing it three times in that yarn I decided to break into the rainbow yarn and give it a go. The toe takes some doing, and now that I had redone it about eight times it makes sense to me.
So looks like it is coming along...
All week trying really hard...
Then suddenly I realize I have turned it all around and am now knitting on the inside and not on the outside. Makes for a great gnome size cap. Couldn't bear to rip it out, so I grabbed more yarn and started over--AGAIN.
And started the next sock in the same colors. See how my toe is getting better each time? LOL.
I do a lot of knitting in the car as the photos might show. It is one place I can eek out a little more time!
Each color added it so exciting! See the pin? I dropped some stitches and didn't realize it til rows later. DJ ran it in to the shop while I was working to see what could be done. It turns out what could be done was more ripping.
So here we are again with a shorter sock and no hope it will be to the point in which our homework required by class time.
This is about the point I made it to before the second class. The teacher said it is looking good and I have taken to the magic loop. So all is not in vain apparently. I do love the actual knitting, but sure can find the hard way to making ONE sock. I really hope I can get up to the spot we are supposed to be for class next week.
Of course that entails doing the "lifelines" on my own that two other gals did in class today. I should say there were five of us and one didn't show today. Two are doing great (they are experienced sock knitters new to this pattern) and one was really frustrated and ripping at our second class. I felt bad for her. She and I both had headaches and and weren't close to done with the first week's homework. The teacher said we can come early next week and hopefully get caught up!
Old Town Quiltville Mystery and More
Just wanted to share the game gifts I crafted for my honorary daughter who lives in Norway. Rachel is very appreciative of anything I send ...
-
My dad picked the poem below for his service and I think it really fit him--my sister and I heard it for the first time while planning his...
-
I am all caught up on A Quilting Life's BOM and my Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2024. I went back and made a second January block in green...
-
Barb did a great job quilting my Lori Holt quilt with I love you hands and hearts. I love that pattern so much! I made a matching binding ...