Knitting…

A few weekends ago, I spent Saturday afternoon with my mother-in-law, while Hubby was out with father-in-law at a sporting event.  MIL brought along some crocheting and we spent the day on the couch watching my favorite movie ever (Zombieland), her crocheting and me knitting.  I mostly taught myself to knit from a book I picked up at Joann’s a few years ago. 

Well, I’ve caught the knitting bug again.  I’d never actually finished anything until now. 

 

Scarf made from some random purple yarn I thought would look really cool knitting with huge needles…I was right :)

My first scarf is done…and I’ve started on a second.  I even found a pattern online that involves slightly more than just the single knit stitch….it looks awesome!  I unfortunately caught the flu last week so knitting kept me busy while I was recovering on the couch. 

Sunday Stash

Week 4 of 2011 and I’m only getting around to my first Sunday Stash post.  I’m expecting my stash reports to be pretty boring with the fabric diet, but we’ll see.

Recent additions to the stash are 8 yards of Tula Pink Parisville.

And a fat eighth bundle (5 yards) of Central Park by Kate Spain (which I’ve already cut up).

Fabric out this week: 1 yard Robert Kauffman Kona cotton in white and 2.5 yards of Central Park by Kate Spain for a quilt top using a Moda Bake Shop tutorial ~ more on that later.  One block down (above) – 15 to go. 

Fabric Used this YTD:  3.5 yards

Fabric Added YTD: 13 yards

You can check out how everyone else is doing here.

DQS10

Dear Partner,

I was so excited to sign up for the swap that I rushed through the entry form and don’t really remember what info I left for you.  Hopefully, this will make it easier for you! 

I love cheery colors…pink is by far my favorite color.  You know, that bright pink?  I heart it!  I love traditional designs in modern fabrics…and hand quilting…LOVE it! 

I really only have 2 dislikes…batiks and wonky design.  I was not a fan of the wonky log cabin quilt along on flickr.  I tried so hard to participate but I couldn’t bring myself to make those cuts!

Hopefully my mosaic helps your creative process and really, no matter what you make for me I’m sure I’ll love it.  Just have fun!

 

1. wedding quilt for my cousin, 2. Kate Spain Booth - Fall Market 2010, 3. DQS9 on my wall, 4. DQS9 - Quilted, 5. Finally!!, 6. Finished Doll Quilt Swap 9, 7. Block 2 - For Monika (monaw2008), 8. Hexagon top, 9. California Bound, 10. City Green Front, 11. Short Story Top, 12. Finished_Subway_1, 13. Scrappy in Progress, 14. dqs9-received, 15. DQS9, 16. Bliss top complete

New Year, New Bee & A Blog makeover

I really need a blog makeover but I haven’t figured out how to do it yet.  I used to be pretty tech savvy in college (oh the things I used to do)…but I haven’t had the time to devote to teaching myself anything new lately.  If you have any tips, let me know.  For now, I’ll keep using the blogger templates.

My first bee ever started this month -  Scrap-bee Blocks {on flickr of course}.  It’s a stash busting bee – because each month we make a block using our own fabric and send it to the Queen/King  Bee.  It’s Dustin’s month and he requested donkey blocks.  At first, I was a little scared of the tiny 1” finished blocks, but once I started putting it together it wasn’t soo bad.  I consolidated some of the blocks so there would be less piecing.  I’m really happy with how it came out.  I wish I would have made it a little more fun, like some of the others in the group but oh well.  It’s done now! 

**Oh and BIG NEWS**

I’m so excited!  I got into Doll Quilt Swap 10!!!  SO EXCITED!  Participants were drawn by lottery so I was waiting and crossing my fingers, followed by more waiting, and received an email this weekend telling me I was in.  I can’t wait to get started!

Hello 2011!

This year I vowed to stay home to ring in the new year….but instead I hung out with family, drank some wine, ate lots of pizza, and only had to walk 2 blocks home.  It was a perfect night!

While I’m sad to see 2010 go; I’m welcoming 2011 with open arms.  I can’t wait to see what’s on the road ahead.  Like everyone else, I’m making some resolutions…the biggest of which is a {fabric} diet.  So for at least the first six months in 2011, I’m working from stash {insert GASP here}.  I don’t think it will be difficult unless something absolutely amazing is released but even then, I’ll be ok.  There are exceptions to this diet…like backing, binding, and batting.  Of course, I’ll work from stash where possible but I don’t have a whole lot (or any) 5 yard pieces of fabric laying around for a quilt back.  Two other tiny exceptions…things already on their way to me….some must have Central Park by Kate Spain and Parisville by Tula Pink ~ both ordered before Jan 1st so I’m good! 

Why am I doing this?  Because I have a feeling I don’t even know what I have.  There’s a whole mess of fabric in my studio and every time I go grab something….I think “oh wow, I forgot I had that!”.  Another reason - $$$.  I bought a brand new 2011 SUV at the end of 2010….car payments are going to suck.

My other goal for 2011 is to give back  a little more.  I only made one charity quilt during 2010…I want to at least double my goal and make 2 (and hopefully more) for this year’s Stitch N Pitch with the Phillies.  

And because I didn’t want to leave you all with a photo-less post, here are some  of the things I made during 2010.

Goodbye 2010 (and a quilty finish)

What a year!   I think I quadrupled the amount of quilts I made this year.  I learned how to free motion quilt and got an awesome new machine.  I’m sad to say goodbye, but I can’t help but feel like 2011 is going to be A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

I didn’t do so well updating the blog and my stash is WAY out of control.  2011 is gonna see some changes coming, but we’ll save that for the new year.

I’m so excited I can finally post pictures of this quilt.  I feel like I’ve been working on it forever and didn’t want to ruin the surprise for the recipient!

I started this quilt sometime in August…I think…for a Christmas gift for my mother in law.  Fabric is Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Fig Tree for Moda and Moda Bella solids.  It’s constructed entirely of half square triangles and is a 64 inch-ish square.  I saw the arrangement of half square triangles online…somewhere… and really loved it.  I love half square triangles but I think I’ll be taking a small break from them for just a bit :). 

Backing is Kona solids and a few blocks that didn’t work out so well in the front.  This was the only quilt I made as a Christmas gift this year and the timing worked out perfectly.  It was pieced, quilted, and washed with out any stressing over getting it done on time.  As for my mother in law….I think she liked it :)

I also made a gathered clutch ala Noodlehead.  It was my first time using the tutorial and I LOVED it.  I had to re-read one step a couple of times….but eventually it made perfect sense.

Fabric is Bliss by Bonnie and Camille for Moda (Love this line!).  I made it for my god daughter for Christmas after going into every store in the mall searching for a wristlet.  Nothing was age appropriate (she’s 11 and all the wristlets said let’s go clubbin’!) so I made my own.  She loves it and so does her mom; so I’ll be making another one this weekend. 

Pretty Patchwork

I started this during the Philly Modern Quilt Guild's November Sewing night at the Little Shop in Haddonfield.  This pattern is from the book Jellyroll Quilts.  It’s coming together pretty quickly and is actually alot of fun to make. 

The pattern comes with 2 size options.  The larger size quilt (the one I’m making) uses 1.5 jellyrolls.  There is also a smaller size which uses less than 1 jellyroll.  The fabric is It’s a Hoot by Momo (LOVE it!) for Moda.  The blocks are almost done.

I did have one dilemma before the project even began.  I was planning on using white as my background fabric and thankfully Julie suggested maybe white was not the best idea.  I normally use white in everything and am starting to learn it doesn’t go with everything.  Since we were sewing in a fabric shop the problem was quickly resolved when I found a nice dark brown solid to use instead.  It gives the quilt a totally different look and I’m loving it. 

I finally did find a use for some of the white Kona cotton I’ve been hoarding….more on that later!

Just in time for fall…errrrr

When I first saw the Poppy line by Laura Gunn I knew I had to buy it to make an Amy Butler birdie sling with it…unfortunately that was months ago.   I was hoping to finish it in time for the fall, but honestly as  I started cutting the fabric and miles of interfacing I just lost interest.  Then all of a sudden, it was fall (now winterish)!  I pulled the pattern and fabric back out of my stash and was determined to finish that darn bag…a little cutting here and there and I was finally finished. 

Construction of the actual bag was pretty simple…but some how I screwed it up.  I sewed the gussets in the wrong direction so my bag is more box shaped at the bottom.  I was mildly distracted while sewing with Julie and Candi (but this is in no way blame!!) and didn’t really realize it until Candi very gently pointed out my error….We all had a good laugh and I finished the bag, errors included since I had already cut the fabric at that point. 

I seriously have to say the cutting took me longer than sewing the actual bag.  I’m so sure, next time I’m going to time myself! 

Oh, and here’s the fabric for the next birdie sling since I’m so determined to construct this bag correctly.