Cranky Socks

 

I've had these little cakes waiting to become socks for entirely too long. I decided it was time to get cranking. Yarn is Knit Picks Stroll Gradient Duos. It looks like they no longer offer these with two small (50 gram) cakes. You can buy their larger Stroll Gradient in 100 gram cakes. 

I decided to make the heels contrast my using the center of the ball for the contrast heel. The last pair I made I cranked right through and I wasn't as happy with the result. You can check out that pair in this post from May 2020. The toes will get stitched closed this week. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Knitter's Pride Aqua Sock Blockers, Medium

Fiskars 7 Inch Softgrip Student Scissors (snipping yarn)
5 Pieces 5 Different Size Bent Latch Hook Crochet Needle Hook (picking up dropped stitches)
Cable Clamp PRO Cable Management 4 Pack (used in place of weight buckle)
Brightech Lightview Pro Flex - Hands Free, Magnifying Glass Desk Lamp for Close Work (lens removed)
Zibra PB100LZR Grip-n-Glide 1-Inch Round Trim Paint Brush (to clean lint/dust from machine)
24 Pack Metal Rectangular Empty Hinged Tins (hold extra machine needles)
addi Express Hook (picking up dropped stitches, hanging setup bonnet, finishing missed stitches)
Do4U Drinking Home Office Table Desk Side Huge Clip (I use it to hold the ball/cake of yarn while I crank but it could hold your drink, too)
BLACK+DECKER WM225-A Portable Project Center and Vise (this is my machine stand, slightly modified for a larger work surface)

RuMe Bags Baggie All (Aspen) (to hold my hand-finishing supplies: yarn needle, needle threader, scissors, Kitchener directions, stitch markers, etc) 

Diabolical Jane

I think it was a couple months ago that I saw several people posting their Diabolical Jane quilt tops. Jesse Aller posted a free tutorial for this quick and striking quilt on her blog in 2016. I had that tab open in my browser for what seemed a long time. It was time to start cutting and planning. 

I started with this one little square. Granted, that's the idea, but it's so small! This isn't even the center square that found its way into the final quilt. Because that's how design works. 

I've been trying to work through my collection of batik fabrics and this is likely the last large project I get. That isn't to say I don't have any batiks left. Only that I'll be down to a bunch of 4.5" squares, 5" squares, and 2.5" strips. This isn't quite right, either.  

I expanded until I ran out of enough fabrics to continue. This is the basic idea. I did move some fabrics around before sewing it all together. 

Once I had the center assembled it was time for borders. Again, I pulled from my collection.

I think the pattern called for a 9.5" border but I didn't have enough of this black fabric to pull that off. It was leftover from the backing on another quilt which was great because I could cut each border in one continuous piece. I just had to fit in some cornerstones to make it work. 

I think it came together nicely considering it was constructed with what I had on hand. Now it needs a backing. 

If this style is something you would like to try I recommend you head over to Jesse Aller's Diabolical Jane tutorial. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Creative Grids 6.5" x 24.5" Rectangle 
Creative Grids 4.5" x 12.5" Rectangle Quilting Ruler

Wrights 4.5" Easy Angle ruler

Fiskars Rotary Cutter

Fiskars Rotary Cutter replacement blades
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
BLACK+DECKER Classic Steam Iron
Grabbit Magnetic Pin Cushion
Fiskars 8-inch scissors

Juki TL-2010Q

Quilting in Lime Green

 

When I picked up the Innova long arm I asked if there was anything MJ wanted me to quilt for her. she handed over a fun little quilt. 

I chose this pretty swirl design and got stitching. 

I chose a coordinating green for the top and bobbin threads. I love how the texture shows on the solid backing.

Now I can get it back to MJ so she can attach and finish the binding. 

Challenging Myself

Every time I make a sampler quilt I tell myself I won't do it again. 

Along comes 100 Days 100 Blocks and changes my mind before it has even begun. Image from Gnome Angel's website. I will admit I may have been influenced by Hunter's Design Studio. She shared her version on Instagram and it is delightful. I've been trying to prepare by cutting a few blocks so I'm ready to sew on day one of one hundred. I'll try to keep up. My guess is I'll post to Instagram as I finish the blocks and write a weekly blog post about my progress. Wish me luck!

Charity Quilting

I love quilts made with these different fabrics. A great eye-spy quilt pieced by Mary. 

I pieced and quilted this one. I used a fun star pantograph. I'm getting comfortable with the Innova long arm and loving the robotic quilting. I can do other things while checking up on the machine from time-to-time. 

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 2021.  

2021 Charity Quilt Count: 31

Sometimes You Rip

 

Never let it be said that I don't make mistakes. I do. Sometimes they are pretty spectacular. This is what happens when I fail to check the tension before quilting. That's right. I quilted an entire quilt before figuring out the tension was unsatisfactory. So unsatisfactory I had to rip it all out. The ripping wasn't that awful. The tension was so bad I could pull out 6-8" pieces of bobbin thread at a time. 

When that was done, I loaded it back onto the frame and quilted it again. This time with correct tension. I think it turned out just fine. Even if there was some ripping and heavy sighing. 

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 2021.  

2021 Charity Quilt Count: 29

Change is Hard (work)

The opportunity to buy another long arm from another member of the quilt community came up and I had to jump. Ever since I took a class at Virginia Longarm I've known the Innova is the machine I wanted.

We disassembled it, loaded it into the truck, and brought it home. After disassembling my Empress, we put all the pieces into the same space and I got to assembling. 

This frame is slightly larger than my old one. The Empress frame maxes out at 10 feet, this one is 11 feet long. 

Sometimes assembly was slow-going. Like when I dropped this bolt into this void. 

Not to worry! Those mechanical fingers come in handy for situations like this. 

The deck on this is a delight! The frame is very sturdy and well-designed. 

I worked on assembly all day. It was a good day's work and totally worth every scratch, bruise, and drop of sweat. 

The biggest upgrade was the robotics. What a joy it is to select a design and let the machine do the work. It makes quilting up charity quilts so easy. I can set it up and work on other projects at the same time. I don't know why I waited so long. I can't wait to learn how to incorporate purchased designs with hand-guided work to make custom quilts. 

Do you live in or near Maryland? Are you interested in a very affordable, entry-level machine? I'm selling my Empress machine and frame. Send an email to staconnie (at) yahoo.com with long arm in the subject line and I will send you a four-page pdf with photos, list of parts included, and the price. Local pick-up ONLY. 

Charity Quilting

This fun pinwheel quilt was pieced by Mary. 

Hugs and kisses, pieced by Mary.

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 2021.  

2021 Charity Quilt Count: 28

Cranky Socks

 Even though it is summer here I keep making socks. 

This is the toe on another pair of monster socks. Machine-knit socks use a simple short-row heel and toe. 

Every once in a while I get a comment on my sock photos asking why the toes are open, or how someone is supposed to wear these. The simple answer is that these aren't finished. 

The next step is where I pick up the live stitches onto two short circular needles and remove the waste yarn. This is very similar to how commercially made socks are finished. Just look at a pair of store-bought socks and you should be able to see the stitching across the toes. That is where the machine-knit sock was sewn closed after it came of the machine. The main difference is I close these up using the Kitchener stitch. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Knitter's Pride Aqua Sock Blockers, Medium

Fiskars 7 Inch Softgrip Student Scissors (snipping yarn)
5 Pieces 5 Different Size Bent Latch Hook Crochet Needle Hook (picking up dropped stitches)
Cable Clamp PRO Cable Management 4 Pack (used in place of weight buckle)
Brightech Lightview Pro Flex - Hands Free, Magnifying Glass Desk Lamp for Close Work (lens removed)
Zibra PB100LZR Grip-n-Glide 1-Inch Round Trim Paint Brush (to clean lint/dust from machine)
24 Pack Metal Rectangular Empty Hinged Tins (hold extra machine needles)
addi Express Hook (picking up dropped stitches, hanging setup bonnet, finishing missed stitches)
Do4U Drinking Home Office Table Desk Side Huge Clip (I use it to hold the ball/cake of yarn while I crank but it could hold your drink, too)
BLACK+DECKER WM225-A Portable Project Center and Vise (this is my machine stand, slightly modified for a larger work surface)

RuMe Bags Baggie All (Aspen) (to hold my hand-finishing supplies: yarn needle, needle threader, scissors, Kitchener directions, stitch markers, etc) 

Charity Quilting

This top was pieced by Janet. 

I had to piece a backing for this quilt pieced by another member of  Annapolis Quilts for Kids. I don't normally do this as these little quilts are usually narrower than a single cut of 42-44" wide quilting cotton. 

I challenged myself to match the print as best I could. It isn't perfect but you do have to look for it to find it. 

A cute little quilt once I hand it over for binding. 

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 2021.  

2021 Charity Quilt Count: 26

Game Night

It has been over a year since we sat down for in-person dinner and games with our friends. Saturday marked the first weekend everyone was fully vaccinated so we celebrated with dinner and games. 

I only have a few photos as we were having too much fun playing games and catching up. This is the board for Canvas, a card drafting strategy game. It was quick to learn and kept us entertained. The base game is available on Amazon (link at the end of the post). 

This is a view of the table when we played Mountain Goats. This was a cute, fun, and quick game that would be great to ease someone into your game night fun. Simply roll the dice and move your mountain goat to gain victory points. Straightforward and quick. We also played two more games from the same publisher: GPS Board Game and Sequoia. We liked Sequoia but would pass on GPS. The giant rocket spinner is cute but the gameplay is very simplistic. You can buy these on Amazon; links at the bottom of the post. 

We particularly enjoyed The Crew, a cooperative, trick-taking game that had us engaged for a couple hours. We did it all on my neoprene tabletop mat. The mat makes it so much easier to pick up cards and tokens. It also keeps those dice from bouncing too much and ending up on the floor. According to Amazon, the one I bought a couple years ago is no longer available. I have linked it below to start your search for one of your own. 

It was so great to share food with friends again. 

Games and supplies (affiliate links): 

Sequoia - Board Game - 2 to 5 Players - 10 Minute Play Time

GPS - Board Game - 2 to 5 Players - 10 Minute Play Time

Mountain Goats - Board Game - 2 to 4 Players - 20 Minute Play Time

The Crew - Quest for Planet Nine Card Game - 2 to 5 Players

Canvas - Card Drafting Strategy Puzzle

Roll-Play Board Game Mat 3' x 4' | Neoprene Tabletop - this is the one I purchased in 2019. It is no longer available but the page is a great jumping-off point to find one that is available. 

Cranky Socks

When I make monster socks I use the mini mast to make two row stripes easy. Here is close-up. 

I grabbed some blues and made these great monster socks. What are monster socks? That is when I use three, or more, different yarns to make a pair of wonderfully scrappy socks. This pair uses four different yarns including a tweedy blue (Knit Picks Stroll Tweed), a fun stripe (Knit Picks Felici), a second striping yarn (Knit Picks Stroll), and a blue and green ombre (Cascade Heritage Wave). They can out so much better than I imagined. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Knitter's Pride Aqua Sock Blockers, Medium

Fiskars 7 Inch Softgrip Student Scissors (snipping yarn)
5 Pieces 5 Different Size Bent Latch Hook Crochet Needle Hook (picking up dropped stitches)
Cable Clamp PRO Cable Management 4 Pack (used in place of weight buckle)
Brightech Lightview Pro Flex - Hands Free, Magnifying Glass Desk Lamp for Close Work (lens removed)
Zibra PB100LZR Grip-n-Glide 1-Inch Round Trim Paint Brush (to clean lint/dust from machine)
24 Pack Metal Rectangular Empty Hinged Tins (hold extra machine needles)
addi Express Hook (picking up dropped stitches, hanging setup bonnet, finishing missed stitches)
Do4U Drinking Home Office Table Desk Side Huge Clip (I use it to hold the ball/cake of yarn while I crank but it could hold your drink, too)
BLACK+DECKER WM225-A Portable Project Center and Vise (this is my machine stand, slightly modified for a larger work surface)

RuMe Bags Baggie All (Aspen) (to hold my hand-finishing supplies: yarn needle, needle threader, scissors, Kitchener directions, stitch markers, etc) 

Charity Quilting

This quilt, pieced by Mary, was a wonderful surprise. I made those really wonky, scrappy blocks with scraps from another project. It was great to see them in a quilt. 

Mary also pieced this wonderful scrappy quilt. So many different fabrics in 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 2021.  

2021 Charity Quilt Count: 24