Charity Quilting

This one was pieced by Mary for  Annapolis Quilts for Kids. 

I love a bright background fabric. So fun! 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. 

My personal goal is to quilt at least one quilt per week throughout the year. To that end, check out the EpochConverter for 2022 to see how I'm stacking up.

2022 Charity Quilt Count: 3

Crochet Crazy - Friday Finish

I finished my Granny Poncho!

I can wear it with the points on the side. 

Or with the points front and back. Overall, a great finish. The yarn worked out perfectly for this on. 300 grams of Knit Picks Stroll. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Crochet hooks: Clover Crochet Hook Set (10 hooks)

Stitch markers: CLOVER Lock Ring Markers 20/pkg 

Scrappy Quarter Cabins

I have a big bag of scraps left over from making charity quilts. I wanted some simple sewing so I decided to make some Scrappy Quarter Cabins. I learned this technique from Christina Cameli on her blog A Few Scraps. If you need more help than you like, there is also an online course. Nine blocks is a good start!

I'm sure I will be making these for a while before I have enough for a small quilt. I made a large one in August 2020 you can read about in this post. 

I will share my list of tools below, if you want check them out. These blocks are really easy and fun to make. The rotating mat is not a requirement but it is nice to have for squaring up these blocks. I also use spray starch when pressing so the blocks will stay nice and flat until I assemble the quilt. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Creative Grids 6.5" x 24.5" Rectangle 

Creative Grids 4.5" x 12.5" Rectangle Quilting Ruler

Creative Grids 6.5" x 6.5" Square Ruler
Fiskars Rotary Cutter

Fiskars Rotary Cutter replacement blades
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat

Fiskars 14x14 Inch Self Healing Rotating Cutting Mat
BLACK+DECKER Classic Steam Iron
Fiskars 8-inch scissors

Juki TL-2010Q

Charity Quilting

I dropped off several quilted charity quilts with Annapolis Quilts for Kids last weekend. I also picked up a stack of quilts made by other members. This was the first one I pulled out to quilt. 

Pieced by Mary for Annapolis Quilts for Kids. 

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. 

My personal goal is to quilt at least one quilt per week throughout the year. To that end, check out the EpochConverter for 2022 to see how I'm stacking up.

2022 Charity Quilt Count: 1

Cranky Socks

When I make Monster Socks I'm never quite sure how they will turn out.  

I grabbed my brightest speckle and some self-striping with black and pink, pulled in some Knit Picks Stroll in Pucker and Highlighter, and made these beauties. I love Stroll for socks and other accessories. So soft. 

I also added yellow toes to this pair made with Activ yarn (color: Colorado) I purchased from CSM Supplies. I would buy all the colors if I could. 

Pairs of socks knit in 2022: 4

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) 

Florid Bloom Quilting

This quilt has waited longer to get quilted than most. You can learn more about this quilt in this post from September 2020, or this one also from September 2020. Those posts will tell you where to buy the Florid Bloom template set and Double Wedding Ring Quilts book from Victoria Findlay Wolfe.

I chose this fun daisy pantograph and let the machine do its magic. All this quilt needs now is some binding so it can be the quilt it has always wanted to be. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

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

Quilt Finish: Assemble!

I've had this fabric in my collection for a while. I knew it would become quilt binding one day. This past weekend was that day. I cut my strips and made that binding. The stripes on the fabric are not straight but sort of wavy. Striped binding is one of my favorites because it is just so much fun. 

Then, I attached it by machine and finished it with the machine for a quick finish. I rarely finish binding by hand any more. 

Second quilt finish of 2022. It took nearly a year from start to finish. Not because it was difficult but because I can't maintain focus on a single project to get it finished quickly. Buying backing slows things a bit, too. 

Learn more about the construction of this quilt in this post from April 2021.

Learn more about the quilting of this quilt in this post from December 2021.

Do you have a panel you aren't quite sure what to do with? I highly recommend Panel Pals from Hunter's Design Studio. This pattern (available both as a pdf download and paper pattern) will walk you through creating a pieced border for your panel and the addition of borders to bring that panel up to quilt size with great results. I even used techniques I learned in her book Quilt Talk to paper piece the corner blocks on my border. She is moving away from paper patterns so check out the deep discounts she has on paper products including an autographed copy of her book. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

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

Quilt Talk: Paper-Pieced Alphabet with Symbols & Numbers

Cranky Socks

This wonderful yarn from Knitterly Things has waited long enough. While I do enjoy a good bargain, I also like to support small business when I can. Both of these were part of the Knitterly Things Fall Sock Club. If you have the ability I highly recommend joining the club at least once. You can learn more by checking out the Vesper Sock Yarn Club 2022 page. I am seriously considering signing up for the next one. 

I love this look down into the sock. 

All that's left is to knit the toes closed with the Kitchener Stitch. I love that the kits comes with a coordinating color for the heels and toes. Such great results. Do you have a favorite small business that you love to support? 

Pairs of socks knit in 2022: 2

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) 

Crochet Crazy

I continue to make solid progress on my granny poncho. I try to take a photo every day or two. This is from after I finished the first ball of yarn. 

Each new color is a joy to hook. 

I'm almost to the end of the second ball of yarn. I'm not sure it will be all that big but I'm excited about it anyway. Have you started any new crochet projects this year? 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Crochet hooks: Clover Crochet Hook Set (10 hooks)

Stitch markers: CLOVER Lock Ring Markers 20/pkg 

Quilt Finish

I pieced the binding, put it into an easy to apply accordion fold, and got stitching. I used machine-finished binding for this one to finish quickly. You can see how I do that in my tutorial.  

That makes my first quilt finish of 2022. I have many more quilts that need finishing so this is just one of many. Have you made a list of things you want to finish this year? 

A close-up of the quilting can be found in this post from December 2021.

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

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

Cranky Socks

I was looking at a pair of socks I knit using Regia Pairfect and decided to try a similar effect. These were made using three different yarns. Knit Picks Stroll Tweed for the cuff, heel, toe, and foot. The striping yarn is Knit Picks Felici Sock Yarn. The third yarn is Knit Picks Bare Stroll Fingering that I dyed a couple years ago. I really enjoy using Knit Picks yarn and the price point is somewhere between inexpensive and hand-dyed. Give them a try if you are looking for something like this. Overall, this experiment was a success. I'm sure I'll make some more like these in the future. 

Pairs of socks knit in 2022: 1 

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) 

Crochet Crazy

I dyed this Bare Stroll Fingering a few years ago. The basic idea is a gradient that runs through several colors, each color run becoming longer than the last. This should make the colors balanced in something like a shawl or poncho. I decided it was time to get started. I came across this Simple Poncho pattern on Ravelry and it inspired me to get stitching. I would tell you I used the pattern, but I didn't get to through the foundation chain before I changed something. 

Still a simple design to start with if you want to use up some gradient yarn. I have no idea how this will work up but it seems a great project to start in the new year. Maybe I'll just call this my 2022 poncho... assuming I can finish it in 2022. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Crochet hooks: Clover Crochet Hook Set (10 hooks)

Stitch markers: CLOVER Lock Ring Markers 20/pkg 

Welcome to 2022

I want to start off the new year with a review of what I did in 2021. 

I quilted a total of 76 charity quilts in 2021. That exceeded my personal goal of 52 in a calendar year. This scrappy quilt is just one.

I made so many pairs of socks. These are likely my favorite because I made them using leftovers of Thick Sock from Knitterly Things. And, they are for me. Now that winter has arrived in the northern hemisphere I get to wear my wool socks every day and that's just wonderful!

I bought so much yarn! I need to go on a fiber diet! 

I made more masks. I'm sure I'll end up making more this year, too. 

I made 100 quilt blocks along with hundreds of other quilters. It was my introduction to Gnome Angel and the Kinship: 100 Block Fusion Sampler. 

I knit and crocheted a stack of hats for Knots of Love. 

I used my embroidery machine to make vaccine card holders for my friends. The (no longer available) design is from Off With Their Threads. 

I bought a pair of roller skates and got rolling. I hadn't been on skates in several decades so safety gear was a must. Wear your safety gear!

Then I bought another pair. I now have more skates than I need but I have so many options! Do something new this year! Learn to roller skate, learn to skateboard, get back on your bike. Get out and move!

The absolute best part was upgrading from the (Tin Lizzie) Empress long arm quilting machine on a 10-foot frame to this Innova, with Autopilot, on a 11-foot frame. Quilting with this machine a real dream. I'm glad I found a great deal on it second-hand. 

Have you looked back on 2021 to see what you've accomplished and overcome? It wasn't all bad, I promise. I hope you stick around this year to see what other things I make.