Odds and Ends

Last week we were treated to a visit at the National Aquarium in Baltimore. I didn't take very many photos. These little green frogs were much more brilliant than this photo implies. 

The jellyfish were spectacular!

Really spectacular. The sharks were pretty cool, too. 

On Christmas Day, we shared food with friends and played Machi Koro. It might look like I'm winning but of the many games we played I didn't win a single one. Definitely on my list to play again. 

I started a new crochet project. This is an experiment, created with no pattern. We'll have to see how it turns out before I decide if I like it. 

I'm still working on my West Knits shawl.

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):
Knit Picks Options Wood Interchangeable Knitting Needles Set
Crochet hooks: Clover Crochet Hook Set (10 hooks)

Game: Machi Koro

Cranked Socks

On Christmas Eve I decided I needed a couple pairs of socks to gift on Christmas day. I grabbed some of my Felici from Knit Picks and got cranking.

I used a ball of solid for the cuffs, heels, and toes on both pairs of socks.

Here is the sock train. One long piece of work joined by waste yarn.

After I pulled out the joining yarn, you can see the socks ready for toe grafting. I spent some time closing the toes with the kitchener stitch and had socks to gift by lunch time.

2019 sock knitting count:

• Cranked socks: 25 pair (no odd socks)
• Hybrid socks: 2 pair (partially cranked and partially hand-knit) 
• Hand knit socks: 1 pair

Crochet Crazy

I've been working through this project during those little moments of waiting. Using the linen stitch to create a triangle shawl is super easy and with a large hook and yarn it is a somewhat quick project.

Want to see more of this project? I shared the start of this project earlier this month. 

I think I know someone that will like this fall-colored shawl.

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):
Crochet hooks: Clover Crochet Hook Set (10 hooks)

Knitting Update

As usual, I have more knitting projects in progress than any sane person should. This is one of those easy to carry projects. Only a few balls of yarn and big needles to make a simple scarf or small shawl.

I've been working on this fun shawl from Stephen West's latest shawl book. It might be the smallest shawl in the book, but it isn't the quickest.

I picked up this fun sock yarn by Into the Whirled at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. 

Yesterday I finally wound it into a cake so I can make it into some amazing socks. The colorway is called Captain Tightpants. I have a pair of socks made with their colorway Wibbly Wobbly, Timey Wimey, and they are one of my favorites.

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):
Knit Picks Options Wood Interchangeable Knitting Needles Set
Addi Turbo Interchangeable Knitting Needles
Stanwood ball winder

Charity Quilting

We're approaching the end of the year. This has been a great year for charity quilting. I'm not calling the year in charity quilting done, but it is close.

Sometimes even a charity quilt demands something more than the humble meander. 

I let the piecing help me decide what to do. Here is a close up. Custom quilting isn't my specialty, but I like doing it once in a while. 

Sometimes panels are just as fun as great piecing or custom quilting. 

Here is the stack headed to Annapolis Quilts for Kids tomorrow. This is the last stack I'll drop off for the year. I'm looking forward to many more charity quilts in the new year. 

If you want to contribute but don't have the time or skills, you can support the national Quilts for Kids by shopping through Amazon Smile. I don't earn anything from this link. This link lets your purchases support Quilts for Kids through Amazon. I don't add affiliate links to my charity quit posts on purpose. I donate my time, my machine, my thread, and my skill to the cause. 

Here is the EpochConverter for 2019. 

2019 Charity Quilt Count: 70

Star Storm Quilt

The piecing on this quilt is rather quick once you have all the pieces cut and labeled. Trust me, labels are included. Use them. 

I assembled all the units before trimming them according to the pattern directions. 

I was super pleased with how precisely the units went together. Just amazing! I think there is only one somewhat wonky point and that is a really big accomplishment. I still need to cut and attach the border. I haven't quite decided what color to use. Then I'll need to buy some backing to finish it up. I'll have to give the quilting careful consideration.

Tools and Supplies (affiliate links):
Creative Grids 6.5" x 24.5" Rectangle
Fiskars Rotary Cutter
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
Grabbit Magnetic Pin Cushion
Fiskars 8-inch scissors
Juki TL-2010Q
BLACK+DECKER Classic Steam Iron
Cheryl Ann's Quilting Design Wall - 72" White

Fabric Shopping

Disclaimer: This post was prepared for publication on Friday the 13th. It seems I failed to actually set it to post. Therefore, this year I'm short a post and this one is a little late. Hopefully I'll do better in the new year.

Every year I vow to buy less fabric than I use. This might be the first year I accomplished that lofty goal.

The day after Thanksgiving, I ventured out to Spring Water Designs to shop their sale. I picked up some great fabrics. A couple were in the holiday prints (on sale) and the others were on the discount shelf. This is where I get backing fabrics, or fun fabrics for borders and binding. This time I picked up some great ones.

From the top:
Mystic Ocean yellow by Josephine Wall, 4 yards (backing for a quilt)
Nightfall Aura Fletchings rose, 4.5 yards (I'm feeling adventuresome and wanted to try this as a background fabric in a quilt)
Dear Mum by Robin Pickens (black print), 1.5 yards
Lulu Lane Slate, 1.5 yards
Haunted House Black (poison bottles), 1 yard
Total: 12.5

Previous total: 11.5 yard, so I didn't win any contests by doubling my total for the year in a single trip. I think it's a respectable decrease from last year. I'll just have to try harder next year. Wish me luck!

Fabric purchased this year: 24 yards

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):
Creative Grids 6.5" x 24.5" Rectangle
Fiskars Rotary Cutter
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
BLACK+DECKER Classic Steam Iron
Grabbit Magnetic Pin Cushion
Fiskars 8-inch scissors
Juki TL-2010Q
Cheryl Ann's Quilting Design Wall - 72" White

Odds and Ends

Sometimes I get a crazy idea to watch some YouTube videos and do something new. I sort of put that on its head with this one. I watched this video from Rachel's Rocks and instead of breaking out the paints I used the tutorial to draw this gnome. He isn't high art, but I made a thing. 

While piecing Star Storm, I made some little four-patches to fit in when I needed to piece the strips. 

And my current knitting project is going along quite nicely.

Have you tried something new?

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):
Moleskine Cahier Journal, Soft Cover, Large (5" x 8.25")
Sharpie Electro Pop Permanent Markers, Fine Point, Assorted Colors, 24 Count
Creative Grids 6.5" x 24.5" Rectangle
Fiskars Rotary Cutter
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
Grabbit Magnetic Pin Cushion
Fiskars 8-inch scissors
Juki TL-2010Q
BLACK+DECKER Classic Steam Iron
Knit Picks Options Wood Interchangeable Knitting Needles Set
Addi Turbo Interchangeable Knitting Needles

Star Storm Quilt

I picked up the pattern to make the Star Storm Quilt by Victoria Findlay Wolfe at the Annapolis Quilt Guild show Quilts by the Bay earlier this year. It has been sitting on my cutting table just waiting.

This past weekend I pulled out the stack of 1930s reproduction prints, some coordinating solids, and got cutting. First I cut and taped the paper pattern, then the fabrics.

The pattern is clearly written and states exactly what you should cut. Since I pulled fabric from my collection, I was short the yardage required to get the exact cuts, but I managed to piece together the pieces to make up what I needed.

I managed to get half of the units pieced, though not trimmed. I'm super excited about how this one is turning out. Plenty left to do but it's going to be great!

I was introduced to Victoria Findlay Wolfe when I saw a couple of her earlier quilts in a quilt show. I discovered her website and bought her book 15 Minutes of Play. It was a great introduction to made-fabric, a thing I did before I knew there was a name for it. I've made so many quilts using some of the concepts she used for her early quilts.

Tools and Supplies (affiliate links):
Creative Grids 6.5" x 24.5" Rectangle
Fiskars Rotary Cutter
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
Grabbit Magnetic Pin Cushion
Fiskars 8-inch scissors
Juki TL-2010Q
BLACK+DECKER Classic Steam Iron
Cheryl Ann's Quilting Design Wall - 72" White

Charity Quilting

Another scrappy charity quilt for Annapolis Quilts for Kids.

Isn't this one fun!

If you want to contribute but don't have the time or skills, you can support the national Quilts for Kids by shopping through Amazon Smile. I don't earn anything from this link. This link lets your purchases support Quilts for Kids through Amazon. I don't add affiliate links to my charity quit posts on purpose. I donate my time, my machine, my thread, and my skill to the cause. 

Here is the EpochConverter for 2019. 

2019 Charity Quilt Count: 68

Odds and Ends

I have been in a sort of creative slump. I'm having difficulty getting motivated to embark on some new sewing adventure. That doesn't mean I'm not creating, I don't think that is possible. I just haven't found a new project I'm really excited about. 

I did finish my Helix Hat. It isn't shaped like the pattern because I wasn't paying attention when I read the pattern. It was a good project, though, and I will likely make another.

Sometimes I think my motivational block is caused by some of the clutter in my creative space. There is only so much room. Take this pile of... stuff, that has been growing over the last year or so. It was pretty deep and not serving anyone. I decided it was time to sort through it and make room for new ideas. Some things were thrown away, some sorted and put into bins, others recycled. 

In the end, this is what I was left with. A single sheet of bag instructions, one notebook, and some wipes for machine oil. Not bad. Too bad I haven't managed to do the same to any other piles in the studio. Maybe next week. I've got to pace myself. 

I've had this yarn waiting to become something for a long time. I finally wound it into cakes and started another shawl. 

This is a simple boomerang shaped shawl. Increase every row, decrease every other, and get a fun shape that works well with a limited amount of yarn.

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):
Knit Picks Options Wood Interchangeable Knitting Needles Set
Addi Turbo Interchangeable Knitting Needles
Weekly & Monthly Planner

Crochet Crazy

When we went to New England a few weeks ago I saw this yarn in a discount shop.

With that price tag, how could I refuse?

This past weekend I wound it into cakes.

There were three pieces tied with knots. which made the caking a little easier. I did a burn test, and the majority of the fiber is natural, though I'm not sure what it is. It ended up being over 500 grams of fiber. I have no idea how much yardage that is, but it should be enough for a shawl.

I decided to make a simple moss stitch shawl out it. I'm always surprised at how amazing some yarns look in a hank but then become this jumbled mess once you start working with them. Oh, well, it will keep someone warm.

I have no idea how big this is going to get. I made it through the first cake and started the second.

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):
Crochet hooks: Clover Crochet Hook Set (10 hooks)

Charity Quilting

A couple more quilts made by other members of Annapolis Quilts for Kids.

I really like this one. 

If you want to contribute but don't have the time or skills, you can support the national Quilts for Kids by shopping through Amazon Smile. I don't earn anything from this link. This link lets your purchases support Quilts for Kids through Amazon. I don't add affiliate links to my charity quit posts on purpose. I donate my time, my machine, my thread, and my skill to the cause. 

Here is the EpochConverter for 2019.

2019 Charity Quilt Count: 66

Holiday Baking

The fall and winter holidays are upon us! That means I get crazy ideas of baked goods I want to try. This is my first attempt at stollen. I grabbed my favorite baking book, the Fannie Farmer Baking Book, made my list and went shopping. I did some improvising with the recipe. I didn't have any nutmeg, so cinnamon had to do. I also didn't spend much time looking for candied angelica.I think my kitchen is a little cold, and I was on a time crunch, so it didn't get a chance to rise as much as I had hoped.

I didn't get a photo before I had to cut it up and share it with friends. It was tasty. I'm sure I'll try this one again, maybe giving it more time to rise and serving it with too much butter. Be adventuresome! Try something new.

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):
Fannie Farmer Baking Book
Baking sheet
Measuring set (don't have this set, but I do like the look of it)

Knitting Up Leftovers

I learned about the Helix Hat pattern on Instagram. Someone had made one and I was intrigued. I needed an easy to take along project and hats always fit the bill. I cast on and got stitching. 

I grabbed some of my leftovers and just kept going. This is a very scrappy project. Perfect for using up those worsted weight leftovers. I failed to follow the instructions so my hat is going to be much pointier than the pattern intended, but I'm going to keep going with it. As my son would say "One's head can never be too warm."

Find the Helix Hat pattern free on Ravelry.

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):
Knit Picks Fixed Circular Sock Knitting Needle Set (appropriate for magic loop sock knitting)
Knitter's Pride medium sock blocker