Happy New Year

Happy New Year to everyone. My prayer is that anyone who reads this blog would be blessed more than they could ever imagine by God this year!

Do you have any New Years goals? I have a couple that are crafting related. One is to finish all the blocks for my Women Of The Bible quilt. In the past year I have completed half of them so I don't think it is unrealistic to think I can finish the rest. Maybe even the applique for the middle of the quilt. This quilt consists of 53 - 6" quilt blocks and an applique border. I am laying my quilt out a bit differently than how Carol did and will have an applique center on point with blocks around the outside.

Another goal for 2007 is to complete 100 craft items for charity. I participated in Bev's Charity Challenge last year and made 135 items ... more than I had expected. So this year I will keep the pledge at 100 and see if I can surpass it again.

Before Christmas I was looking for a pattern (free of course) that would show how to add an edging to fleece blankets. I don't really like the cut fringe edges for baby blankets but had heard that you could crochet and edge. The Crafty Chic website had just what I was looking for. You punch holes in the edge of the fleece and then use your crochet hook to pull the yarn through and do a single crochet edge. There are some really great pictures on the Crafty Chic website on how to do this. She suggests using a large needle in your sewing machine and sewing around the edge to make the holes. I didn't have a large needle but did have a hole punch used for card making. The punch makes tiny holes but big enough for the crochet hook to go through. It worked really well. I made a hat out of the same yarn I edged the fleece with. Both Newborns In Need and Heavenly Angels In Need are in great need of blankets and I find I can make these much quicker than knit or quilted blankets (a knit hat and/or booties adds a nice touch too).