Sweater Finished!

I actually finished a sweater! I made this for my son, Aaron. He's 6 years old and about 45 pounds.

I knit up to the arm holes on a circular needle. Added the white stripe for some excitement. After the arm holes , I switched to the garter stitch, back and forth on the needles. No more circular knitting!

At the knitting guild meeting I went to last month, there was a demonstration on seaming. I wish I had just seen the demo a few days ago, because I forgot a lot! So my seams could use a little work. OK, a lot of work.

Today I started a pair of socks done on two circular needles. Yes, a pair of socks at once. I ordered the Crazy Toes and Heels book from the Queen Kahuna website (http://www.queenkahuna-creations.com/). I tried another method and failed. But this time I am whipping up these socks. She actually has a method for casting on the toe stitches that require no seaming when you are done! Incredible.

It took just a few days to get the book--it was sent priority mail. There are plenty of pictures and the instructions are clear. This is a must-have for anyone who knits socks.

I mean, why knit one at a time?! By the time I knit one sock I am bored. And I know very few uses for a single sock. There are also formulas for the perfect fit.

We're in the middle of baseball season and I was looking for the perfect portable project. Maybe socks are it!

On the sidelines, waiting to be created is a beaded amulet bag. I have the pattern and the beads...I just need the time!

Little Fishes

Today I mailed off my first official ATCs for swapping--little fishes. I've made small quilt-lets. I think the smallest was about 4x6". ATCs are 2.5" x 3.5".

These were a lot of fun. The quilting is fun. The embellishing is fun. Searching out the right buttons and embellishments is fun.

But...I worry that they all end up looking alike eventually. At least when I make them.

I guess I have to make more and see what happens...

While watching Simply Quilts this morning (I Tivo two episodes a day!), I heard the woman being featured saying that she had given herself a year to figure out which medium she was going to be an artist in.

This was an eye opener for me...I thought a "true artist" never waffled about the medium. I thought painters knew they were painters...quilters knew they were quilters...beaders knew they were beaders...

I now feel a little better about my year(s) of exploration. I'm playing with everything, waiting to find the thing that really catches my attention. Quilting, yes. At least art quilting. I have no patience for traditional piecing. Although I make myself do some to keep up my skills. I'm really liking art dolls. And beading. Especially beading in relationship to art dolls and art quilting.

It seems like I've been given "permission" to explore and play. And I'm excited about that!

Fore!!

This past Saturday was one of the best days I have had in quite awhile. The weather was absolutely perfect--mid 70s. My brother Kurt came up from Indiana with his wife Mary Jo. While Mary Jo went to a conference, Kurt, my husband Jim, Jim's Dad and I went golfing. It was great. We tried a course I had never played on. Jim's dad plays it often. I didn't do bad...a 54 on 9 holes. It was a par 3 course, so it wasn't exactly good. But I could have done so much worse!

The best part was spending time with my brother. I realized this week that I couldn't have picked a better brother! Considering I just found him (and my other three brothers and my three sisters) a year ago, I am truly blessed!

Years ago, before husband and kids, I used to golf with my friends Janet, Linda, and Pat quite often. We went in the evenings after work. We all were golfing pretty darn well by the end of the summer. But life has a tendency to get in the way of fun!

I worked on a row round robin for a yahoo list. I think it turned out great and I hope the row owner likes it. She was going for a Northwoods look and send samples of what she was looking for. I created applique patterns of some of the animals and appliqued them down. I think it turned out pretty cool.

Although I did injure myself while making this row! I was distracted by my son and kept sewing. I should have stopped the machine and spoken to him. Instead, I tried doing two things at once and ended up jamming my finger in the screw on the side of the needle. I have a gash in my finger and it's really really tender. Wow, a sewing injury! That doesn't involve a needle pricking my finger while hand sewing!

I'm still working on a sweater for my son. I'm so closed to be finished! These last 20 rows are killing me! lol I hope I can seam it without a problem.

I tried knitting two socks on two circular needles and had an awful time. I spent hours--literally--printing out the instructions and then find them so hard to follow. So I've found another set of instructions on the internet and will give them a try. I also ordered the Crazy Toes and Heels book from Queen Kahuna. It should be here in a few days. This is another knit two socks at one time pattern.

This morning I worked on a spring time block swap for another yahoo list. I drew my own birdhouse applique pattern. Next, I am drawing a rosebud applique pattern.

The tulips are ready to bloom. The roses are pruned--well, some of them. The ones in my backyard are absolutely deadly with thorns so I am leaving those to Jim. Spring seems to be coming early to Illinois this year!

When Pigs (Start to) Dance

I've started a new doll that is the result of an Uggo Fabric Challenge on a yahoo list I belong to. Frank, a list member, found fabric in his stash that he declared "ugly" and sent pieces to list members who were interested in playing. There were two types of fabric: a bubble gum pink fabric covered with pink and yellow pigs and hearts and a pink striped fabric. I got the pig.

Actually, I didn't think it was all that ugly. Maybe a little girl-ish. But workable.

I started with several ideas. But then the idea of a doll starting itching in my mind. Make me!!! Make me!!! It cried.

OK, a pig is a little obvious...but it had to be done! Check it out! He's (she's?!) 21 inches tall.

My first pig idea was When Pigs Fly. I pulled out silver lame to make wings...but a trip to Target last weekend changed all that. I was looking at hair implements...and a hair scrunchy jumped into my cart. I am a tutu! I am a tutu !

I took pictures and realized I had forgotten ears. But the face is awfully cute--looks a little like Piglet!

I'm going to add ears. And toe shoes. And a tail. I'm debating between beads and fabric. I got all these really cool pink beads last week...I wonder what will win out!

Check back soon for final pictures!