Hiya - Finished Quilt!

I began this quilt ages ago.... last March.



The top went together very quickly.  A couple of charm packs and some muslin.  I like working with muslin.

And then I was stuck.  It didn't speak to me.  I don't know if it was the fabric, the layout, or what.

So it sat.  And sat.  And sat.

I bought some fabric for a border.  Pieced it and sewed on one side.  Didn't like it so off it came.

And it sat some more.

Then an idea struck.  Completely different than the front.  The more I worked on it the more I liked it!

Time to quilt.  A simple diamond shape grid.... It was so-so.

More rows of quilting were added.  And I really liked it.  I hope you do too!

Back from the Dead

Sounds a bit extreme.  But I haven't vanished.  It just seemed like things got in the way.

Travel for work. Phoenix. Anchorage.  Chicago. Madison. Los Angeles. San Francisco. Palo Alto. Washington, D.C.

Kidlet came home.  A couple times, I think.

Soccer games.  I caught another goal on camera so now I think I'm 'all that and a bucket of chicken'.

Saw Loretta Bennett of Gees Bend speak at an exhibition of her work at a local gallery.  That was a real treat.

Busy working on projects, I just haven't had a moment to chat about them.

There are 2 finished quilts.  Yes, 2.  And another I started this weekend that I am super excited about

A little penny rug thingy.

A sweater I am stuck on, so it has been banished to the bottom of the works in progress pile.  I need to rip out the sleeve for a third time.  Banished, I tell you!

One wrist warmer.  Really.  Orphaned.  I like the pattern but it turned out much smaller than anticipated.  I even worked up a gauge swatch first!  I need to find someone who is very skinny then I will complete the second.

Another sweater in progress. 

And ideas and drawings for about 500 hundred more projects. 

We have had a cool, wet spring and early summer... unlike the rest of the country.  We complained about it bitterly.  It seemed like temperatures were stuck in the 50's and low 60's for months.  The upside (because there is usually an upside) is my garden is gorgeous.  So many flowers.  So full and green.  I can hardly believe it.  So many weeds... because they like rainy and damp too.

I need an extra week in my week just to work on projects.  Nice problem to have.  Life is gooood.

Throwdown

The sweetie and I are season ticket holders for the Seattle Sounders.  The Seattle who?  Sounders - Major League Soccer.  It is way fun.  Especially as the days get longer, warmer and drier.  And today was a rock star day for a soccer game.

So you ask, "What does this have to do with crafty stuff?"  I'm getting there.  Bear with me.

What?  You don't care for soccer.  Never heard of it?  I get it.  But this is about more than that.

It's about at the game the sweetie making a casual comment that catching sports in action and whales in Maui are more challenging that taking pictures of flowers, fabric, and yarn.

WHAT?!? How could he say that?  Sometimes it is hard to take pictures of flowers... especially when the wind is blowing.  I have no defense for the fabric and yarn portion of his statement. 

Sweetie, you were right on that one, minuscule point.

OK, well I can't just let a statement like that lie there...  I'll show him action (mutter, mutter, mutter...)

Pre-game fun with flags waving

And chanting...

The national anthem... admittedly, not much action (or focus) in this shot.

A header by Zach Scott...  (see Sweetie?! Action!)

Which resulted in a Sounder's goal!  See the ball crossing the plane of the goal?  Holy smoke!

A save by the Colorado Rapid's keeper, jumping over the head of Fredy Montero.  Can't believe I caught this shot (or frankly, the goal!)

And the Sounders win 1-0!

Not too bad for someone who only takes pictures of fabric and flowers.  I'm waiting for my call from Sports Illustrated.  Just kidding. 

What great fun this afternoon.

Easter on Bainbridge Island

Mount Rainier, yesterday on the ferry en route to Bainbridge.  I would love to take credit but the Sweetie took this one.  For scale, there is a tiny, tiny sailboat in the foreground.

It was a stunning day today.  Warm.  For the first time this year I didn't need a jacket to go outside.  And sunny.

Looking over to Seattle.

Low tide

See the bee?  No rest for him today.

Not everything is in bloom

Flowering Quince

I love the lacy effect of lichen in the Northwest

 This is why we put up with months of rain.  Happy Easter everyone!

Great Day

Today was a great day!

I won the laundry war!  By 3pm.  Holy smoke.  I am totally bad ass.

The Kidlet returned to school after spring break.   Which was sad.  But I got my office, my workroom, my studio back.  Which was great.

I had a chance to work in the garden.  Alas, the weeds are winning.  Even though I have been cleaning up the garden for weeks.

It started to rain.  Again. So I went inside and began work on a quilt.  A Dresden plate pattern, but in batik.  Fabric I picked up after Christmas at Esther's Fabrics on Bainbridge Island.  This is a bucket list pattern for me.

A couple of weeks ago we went and saw a band called Rat City Brass - A Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass cover band.  They were great and everyone in the audience had a silly smile plastered across their faces.  It was like going back in time!  Today, Gary made a mixed tape of their greatest hits.  It was so much fun to listen to while I worked on my quilt.  I knew almost all the songs

Then I had a chance to go back outside with the camera and capture some snaps of spring in the Northwest.

Have a great week!

New Spring PJ's

Sometimes, in the spring I get the urge for new jammies. 

This is a pattern from Butterick (3314) I have used many times in the past.

I found a super cute fabric at the store, and some grosgrain ribbon.  Seriously, isn't it cute.

And I added some really cute trim on the bottom of each leg.

 And ta dah!  A pair of spring jammies.  So, even though we were still getting snow flurries last week, I have something bright and flowery to let me know spring and summer are right around the corner.  Really.

Finished! Toast Handwarmers

Whoo Hoo!

Since my last post I knuckled down and finished a project.  I had about 10 others swirling around in my brain distracting me, but I held strong and finally have one for the finished column.  Oh my gosh, it feels good.

A few weeks back I was looking for an easy commuting project - something I could do on the bus to and from work.  You know something kinda mindless.

I was poking around on Ravelry and found Toast on the A Friend to Knit With Blog.  Looked easy enough.

I used a lace weight yarn from Malabrigo which I picked up at Churchmouse Yarn and Teas on Bainbridge Island on sale right after Christmas.  I love this stuff.  Super soft baby merino wool.  Appears to be hand dyed.  In order to get a fingering weight I combined two strands. This color reminds of the faded denim of my favorite jeans.

I am always freezing cold.  Ask anyone!  I sit wrapped up in a blanket much of the time at work.  I would take the blanket to meetings if I thought I could get away with it!  But even with a blanket, my hands are like ice.  But these are nice and warm!  Especially when holding a very large cup of hot coffee.  This is Seattle after all!

I modified the pattern to accommodate for the lighter weight, casting on 56 stitches on 2.25mm circular needles.  The result was a very fine, smooth knit which feels great on the skin.

I added little slits for thumbs, but I can wear them the other way too.  I also added a little picot edge, which I think is nice and girlie.  But he very best part is that they really are toasty!

And props to the Sweetie for helping out with the photo shoot.  Thanks Sweetie!