First

This was a first for me.  My Mother always knit the mittens for us as kids and the Grandkids.  I have knit mittens before, but for me.  (I love a mitten.)  Never little ones.  

Our Granddaughter is now almost two and in need of mittens.  Here is the first pair that was knitted out of left-over wool yarn.  To evaluate the gauge, the mitten on the left used a 3.25 needle where the one on the right used a 3.75 needle.  (The pair measures at 6 inches long, cuff to tip and about 2.5 inches wide.)  Little one won't mind the slight difference, and Daughter can tell me which she thinks is better.  

Since I was knitting and looking at yarn bits, here is a pair of what I call a left-over sock.  Left over bits of sock yarn.  They will still keep the foot warm.  I have more left-over bits to use up.

Both are now on their way to Maine.

Only one Laurel Ridge applique block is left to finish.  That will happen during today's football games. 

Sewing machine came home from the spa on Friday so I will get back into piecing shortly.

Enjoy your day with threads, yarn, fabric, needles......etc.

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.
 

Two

Two of my eight blocks are finished.  Twelve leaves per block.  Twenty-four leaves stitched down.  Seventy-two leaves to go.  Here is the left-side and right-side block.  Not much else was done as life is (and I was a bit lazy).   

A squirrel did get in my way, but pictures were not taken.  I found a knit hat that was all done except for the thread ends to be woven in (who can remember when it was made).  That has been done and sent on its way.  (It took all of fifteen minutes.  What is with not finishing things.)  It is going to a library program that gives away winter clothing to kids in need. 

My slow stitching today will be more leaves.  My machine, Ellie, has gone in for her annual spa visit.

Enjoy your threads.

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

 

86

Leaves to go.  This week I was able to stitch the 24 red centers.  Yesterday I began the leaves.  I prepared six of them using a template and starch and stitched them on.  Then I took leaf pieces, based them in place and then did needle turn applique.

I shall stay with the needle turn technique.  It takes less time and no difference visually.  Only 86 leaves to go.  Each block has 12.  That is my slow stitching for today.  

Enjoy your threads.  Mine are going fine.

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

 

Another project done

Monday was a trip to Boston and back.  It is a 2 1/2 to 3 hour drive depending on traffic and road construction.  It is best for all if I can keep my eyes off the road and the other cars if I am not the one driving.  This set of socks were only half done so they came along as my diversion (and they also needed to get finished).  One was completed by the time we arrived at our destination, even the heel.  The other was completed by the time we were home.  The threads were run in today (Saturday) while watching college football.  I am a toe up sock knitter and knit both at the same time.  When they are finished, they are totally finished.  No second sock syndrome.

Laurel Ridge, a BOM quilt by Lynn Wilder for the Quilt Show, has been worked on again.  Here is block #6 (I am behind).  There are eight #6 blocks to applique.  As you can see, all are being worked on at the same time.  This is a flower grouping of three.  The plaid flower still has its center flower part to be stitched on and then there will be a circle for the center of each flower.

Then, leaves need to be stitched on each grouping.  When the leaves are done all eight blocks will be done.  It would be too hard for me to finish one block knowing that seven more were waiting.  It is easier for me to repeat a part eight times.

My slow stitching for Sunday will be to finish the flowers and then prep leaves.  I am usually a needle turn applique person.  Shall have to see how the leaves will be done.

Enjoy your threads today.  
 

Hello

I am surprised that I haven't been here since August 24.  Projects have been worked on and have already left the house.  

Here is the Peter Rabbit quilt that is a panel with a border added to it.  Easy but it was not finished.  Only the border quilting needed to be done and then to decide what to do in the animal blocks.

At church we have a book club that meets every two weeks.  Our new book is The Road Back to You by Ian Cron and Suzanne Stabile.  It is about the Enneagram, self-discovery and personality types.  (A different direction from the Myers-Briggs from my college and clinical learning days.)  I am only mentioning this because reading it made me look at my UFOs.  My number on the Enneagram says I don't finish projects as I may not be able to do them to the best of my ability.  (Smack myself on the forehead.)

I always make lists and have grand ideas.  But it is hard for me to carry through.  This is something that I have known about myself but never really put a lot of energy into improving.  

Seeing it again in writing, and I guess at the right time, things are getting completed.  Peter Rabbit quilt was begun 20 months ago.  It did not take long to machine quilt the border.  Then I hand quilted around the rabbits (and remembered the stories.  Peter Rabbit is one of my favorites. Along with Winnie the Pooh.) finished the binding and sent it on its way.

A knitted hat was also finished.  But I am not really happy with it, so it is now for a doll.  When the second is finished I will document it here, I am waiting for more pink yarn.  

Socks that were started a long while ago are being worked on and that will be my slow work today.  

When a project list is being made it is now more realistic and getting completed.  

Enjoy your threads today.  I will.

 

Light Bulb moment

I have been doing a little clean up in my cave.  (I was looking for something.)  A Christmas table runner kept getting in my way.  (Insistent thing.)

Wednesday the Tuna Quilters met (Kathy, cousin: Betty, friend, and I).  We meet once a month for lunch and sharing.  Kathy has begun a new quilt and was showing how she used stabilizer to make the leaves that she will applique on her quilt.

A light bulb went off in my mind.  (It is so dim in there at times.)

A while ago, long ago, I began the table runner.  It is a free pattern, Gather 'Round from McCall's Quilting Nov/Dec 2016.  

The stabilizer was used to make my circles and then they were machine stitched onto the placemats.  The sticky side was to the backside of the material.  Circles pinned to the runner material.  It did not stitch nicely, tiny wrinkles.  I was not happy and put it aside in frustration.  Since then, the circles were taken off and the runner has kept showing up. 

Here are the old circles.  The stabilizer will be taken off and then they will be cut down into 2.5-inch squares.

Well, after seeing what Kathy was doing the light bulb was brighter.  I understood what needed to be done.  

A lightweight fusible stabilizer was used, fusible side to the right side of the fabric.  Circle drawn and the two layers stitched together following the circle line.  Trimmed, turned right side out through a cut opening in the stabilizer, edges pushed out and then pressed on an applique pressing sheet.  The fusible side does not stick.

They were then ironed on the cleaned-up runner center and all but one has been hand stitched on.  (There was football last night.  It was the last of the pre-season.  New England's season starts on 7 September.)  This should be all put together as a flimsy this week and hopefully farther than that.

Thank you, Kathy, for sharing.  

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.  Enjoy your threads today.

 

FROGGING

Getting closer to the right edge of Moira Blackburn's Season and Time.  But today I will begin by finishing the removal of the rabbit.  After I made the star and counted to begin a bird that will be stitched to the left of the star, I found out that the rabbit is two stitches off.  (That made the star off by two.)  If it was one, I would leave it but two won't work.  Out it will come.  

I began the frogging last night to remind myself what I needed to do today.

Here is the beginning of the turning corner.  There is a repeat of the flower edge that was on the left side and then the two pink border rows.  Getting closer!!

Enjoy your threads this day.  

Great news, preseason football began on Friday evening.  Football is great to stitch to.  (New England won.  May they do it again in the regular season.)

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.