FOs and Notre Dame De Grace Sweater

First up, I am very excited that the Notre Dame De Grace sweater is almost finished. I am working on the collar and then I need to sew the sleeves in, weave in the ends, sew on the button and ta da --- fini!!
I am using Elann's Highland Chunky yarn in colour 727 - spiced wine, size 5mm needles and am making size 40. It is nice and roomy which is how I like my sweaters.

Next up is the preemie sweater I started a few days ago. I have 4 to make and this is the first one completed. It will fit a 3 - 5lb baby and is teeny tiny compared to a newborn sweater.
I am using Patons Early Arrival pattern leaflet and James C. Brett Kool Kotton.

I have started another "girls" sweater and will post a picture when I am a little further along.

Here are a couple of pictures of the finished baby quilt. The blocks were made by a friend who decided not to finish her queen size quilt. Thanks, Kirst!!! I am sure a couple of babies will be very happy to receive your work :-)
It is 36" x 36" and has pretty floral flannel on the back.

Actual Quilt Making

I have been inspired -- I am not sure by what but I have been working on some quilt tops.

The first is from donated fabric with cute pigs on the farm fabric. I had meant to make sawtooth star blocks but ended up sewing the wrong colour corner squares onto each flying goose. I wasn't about to rip it all out so I changed the pattern. I think it turned out very nice. I have the backing washed and am ready to layer and quilt. Maybe today! This quilt will go to ECEAP preschool program at Encompass in North Bend, WA.

The second quilt has blocks that were donated to me by Kirsten about 2 years ago. Am I slow or what!?! She had started this gorgeous quilt and had about 15 star blocks, 10 alternate blocks (don't know what to call them) and then quite a few pieced setting triangles. It looks like the blocks would have been set on point. Anyway, this quilt took very little time to put together and I have 2 others (a little bit bigger) with stars and alternate blocks to still put together. These will turn out to be about baby size so will go to Heavenly Angels In Need when I am done.

More finished knitting items next time :-)

A Finished Quilt

Wow ... this is a momentous occasion. I actually finished a quilt that was worked on only by me. A couple of years ago I would have finished 4 or 5 by this time in the year but knitting has really taken over from my sewing. Not that I am complaining! Knitting is more portable. And I can finish baby items much quicker than a quilt --- ahhhh, instant (almost) gratification!

Also finished and off the needles is the pair of socks I was knitting for the Dulaan project. And started is a sweater. I am hoping to have the sweater done in another week so I can box up my items and get them off to F.I.R.E. If it isn't done then it will be a good start on next years items or may get donated to Afghans for Afghans if they have a need. It will definitely be used somewhere to keep yet another child warm --- there is such a great need on this planet for warm clothes!

I am still working on the newborn dress. The skirt is almost finished and then I will start the sleeves (I will post a picture next time).

I have about 10 yards of fleece that I want to cut into baby blankets and then edge in crochet. That will be my next project, as well as some newborn hats for our caring ministry at church. I have a never ending list!!

Some Sewing

My sewing machine is feeling more loved. I actually unpacked it from 2 weeks of sitting in its rolling case after attending a quilting group. And I sewed some blocks for Home of the Brave quilt project -- 10 of them actually. These quilts are sent to comfort loved ones who have lost soldiers in Iraq or Afghanistan. The blocks -- Cross X or Album -- are really easy to make. You can find instructions to make a block or two here.

I did do some knitting over the weekend as well. My Trekking XXL sock is coming along. I did find the beginning of the repeat for the yarn so my second sock will be very similar in colour striping to the first sock. Yeah!! I only knit about 1 1/2" of ribbing before realizing that the colour was repeating so not much time wasted!

I started another hat for the Dulaan Project. This is a mock earflap hat knit on 3.5mm needles using worsted weight 100% wool yarn. The earflaps are made by knitting short rows back and forth which results in flaps that are smaller than ones that would be knit and then added on to the hat. I chose a pattern from one of my Japanese Knitting Books to use in the plain part of the hat. I am really liking how it is turning out and it is not difficult to knit. Yeah!!

Almost A Quilt ...

WoooHooo ... this quilt is almost done! And will be the first one completed in 2007. It is pretty simple but I really like how it turned out. Just need to finish hand sewing the binding onto the back. It is 42" x 50" which is a bit bigger than I had wanted it for a crib size quilt but should be usable into toddler hood. Each square is cut 6 1/2".

The January 2007 newsletter for Heavenly Angels In Need is now available. There are a couple patterns in there, some stories and updates on the different regions. A good read in my opinion!

I finished the knit blanket I was working on yesterday. I really like how it turned out. I will post the pattern another day since I am in a bit of a rush this morning :) Just need to weave in the ends. The sleeper on top of the blanket is newborn size (I made 5 of these). The blanket and sleepers will be going to Heavenly Angels In Need once I find a box big enough to hold the donations.

Another Week

Wow, another week has flown by and we are getting much closer to Christmas. I have done a little shopping for gifts but still have more to do. Hope to get most of it done this week and some packages mailed for family. We put up some of our decorations ... Nativity scene, advent calendars for the kids, lights outside and that is about it. I love Christmas but don't like the decorating and undecorating part of it!

I am almost finished the spiral hat that I started last week. The knitting has been done for a few days and I just need to make a pom pom for the top. I don't have a template so will try the cardboard method. The hat should fit a 8 to 12 year old and will be sent along to the Dulaan project when I have a few more items completed. The pattern came from the Knitting for Peace book.

Finally the binding is sewn on this quilt. I made the top at a retreat I attended in Leavenworth, WA in July. The pinwheels are three dimensional. I had always wanted to try out this technique and I really like how it turned out. The hard part was all the layers of fabric that come together at the center of the pinwheel. Each triangle has 4 layers plus the 4 squares so 16 layers of fabric make it really hard to get the seams to line up. A preschooler will not be picky and will love the bright, fun fabrics!

Once my five items are made for the Dulaan project I plan to make some wool items for women and children in Afghanistan. Bev from Bev's Country Cottage has a new contact person in Afghanistan who will be delivering warm items there. I have finished reading a book called Meena about a women in Afghanistan who started the group RAWA. The book talks a lot about the plight of women and children there. I can not imagine what they must go through and my heart breaks for them!

Snow and Cold

It is still snowing this morning where I live. Now I know that all of you who usually get snow in the winter will be laughing at us in the Northwest, but we just aren't used to it! I think I have about 1.5" in the yard and it is cold (28F) so all the schools are closed. My kids will be excited when they wake up that they can play all day. This weather has been crazy .... first flooding now freezing ice and snow!

On to more warm stuff! I finished a pair of booties that I felted (sized for a 1 year old). This is the first time I have ever felted anything on purpose (the "not on purpose" has happened a few times). They didn't seem to felt up quite as much as I would have liked, but I am happy how they turned out. This pattern seemed a little different as the booties were knit on quite small needles so the resulting fabric was quite tight before felting. All the other felted patterns I have seen have used larger needles which resulted in a looser fabric before felting. This may have had something to do with how the booties felted. I want to try out this felted slipper pattern next. This pattern uses larger needles so maybe it will felt better.

Finished is a pair of socks that I started in 1992 (yup ... been a while). They turned out ok, but the pattern was horrible to follow, especially for my first pair of socks. I guess that is why it took so long to finish them, I couldn't understand the directions! They have a cabled pattern for the ankle and top of the foot which I really like. The pattern came from the Fall 1992 copy of Vogue knitting.

The Knitting for Peace book arrived at our library so I picked it up the other day. It is such a great book with wonderful stories and great patterns. I think I would make each pattern in there ... they are simple, easy to knit and the results look great! I have added it to my Amazon wish list so maybe it will show up under our tree at Christmas! I have cast on for the swirled ski cap.

Thanksgiving

H A P P Y * T H A N K S G I V I N G * D A Y !
Have safe travels if you are travelling and enjoy all the yummy treats. We are not traveling and are having only our immediate family (4 of us) for dinner. I will be enjoying the quiet (as quiet as it can be with 2 young kids) and enjoying some delicious food :) I am so thankful for all of you who spend some of your time making items for others. It sure is food for the soul!

I finished a baby quilt which turned out to be 32" x 32" square. I really like using the warm wishes pattern, it is quick and easy. It is also easy to adjust the block size to accommodate different types of focus fabrics. The Quiltmaker website has quite a few fun and easy quilts to make.

As I said in the last post I am working on a sweater for the Dulaan Project. I was going to design my own, but decided it would be quicker to make one from a pattern. I used Irina Makarow's pattern called the Steppe Sweater and am using extra chunky yarn. Wendy Pampas is the dark purple (about 5 sts per 4" on 9mm needles) and Austermann Bombolo yarn is the peach colour. It is working up really quickly with this bulky yarn and I only need to add one more sleeve and then weave in the ends. A much larger eyed tapestry needle will need to be found for that as I only have one that does up to worsted weight yarn.

Enjoy your turkey feast!!

Back Into Quilting

I had taken a break from quilting for a while. I think I was just overwhelmed with all the quilt tops I had made and the daunting task of quilting them all. There was also this quilt that I just didn't like and had it half quilted ... well it's finally done and I feel a huge relief knowing I can get on to stuff I like better. I really like the cowboy print that I had but I think there needed to be more contrast between the window pane fabric and the red window sill fabric. I used the attic windows pattern.

I also finished this sweater and hat set that I had started last week. I will include it in the box for Heavenly Angels In Need. Now I want to design a sweater and hat set for the Dulaan project. I have been looking through Knitting Over The Edge and also a knitting stitches book to come up with some ideas for a "no sew" pullover sweater. I realize how much I really dislike sewing up all those seams after knitting since the mitered square blanket is still sitting on my floor, layed out and in pieces!

Scrappy Stars Quilt

I have been making "quilt kits" for the quilting group I organize. Anyone who attends the quilt group can take a kit which contains donated fabric cut up and a pattern, make the quilt and donate it to charity. My only problem is that I want to make up all the quilt tops!

The most recent kits I have made have been from the Road to Oklahoma block. The directions are below. You are free to use this pattern to make your own quilt and use up some of your scraps!


Scrappy Stars Quilt
Quilt Size: 54" x 66"
Block Size: 12 1/2" x 12 1/2"

Fabric Requirements:
Dark Colours 120 - 3 1/2" squares (approx. 1 1/4 yards)
40 - 4" squares (approx. 1/2 yd)
Light Colours 120 - 3 1/2" squares (approx 1 1/4 yards)
40 - 4" squares (approx. 1/2 yd)
Border 3/4 yard. Cut into 6 - 3 1/2" strips
Backing 4 yards
Binding 1/2 yard

Directions:
1. Make 80 half square triangle blocks using the 4" light and dark squares. Once sewn, trim the half square triangle blocks to 3 1/2".

2. Sew the light and dark squares together for rows 1 to 4 (see below).


Row 1




Row 2




Row 3



Row 4

3. Sew the rows into a 12 1/2" block.

4. Sew 4 blocks together then sew the rows of blocks together to make the quilt top. Using the picture of the quilt above for guidance.

5. Add the border.

6. Layer, quilt and bind your quilt.