Here is how far I have gotten on my sweater. It really isn't ruffely its just that there are well over 300 stitches on that 40" cord. I need to knit 8" before I can begin separating the sleeves and working on less stitches. I can't wait.
I am still knitting dishcloths. I find it very relaxing and easy.
And I am refinishing a hat. Readers may remember that I knit a hat for DH for Christmas. Well then we got "destructo dog" who ate part of the ribbing off of it. So last week I pulled all of the pieces of yarn off and found the last full row of knitting: the stitches were holding well so I threaded them on the needles and began reknitting the top and now the ribbing. I am going to have a long rib and then double it under for warmer protection for his ears.
And just so everyone knows, I am finally quilting DH's Boots quilt. I have only started the first row but hope to get more done this weekend.
This is what I have mostly been working on this past week. I showed it, again, to DH and he began singing Happy Birthday all over again. I figure I can draw his birthday out for 2-4 weeks as I prepare a backing, load it on the frame, quilt it, and then bind it. Maybe he will get a birthday month after all.
The boot appliques are from a 2012 BOM by Moose on the Porch. I had so much fun making these boots but then just couldn't figure out a setting I liked.
Recently I found the embroideries at Artistic Thread Works and I knew how I wanted to use them. The embroidery went find but then figuring out how to set them (math to figure out the sashing) took some time. However I am more than thrilled with how this quilt has turned out. DH is happy but says he doesn't plan t use it until it can hang in our local quilt show that comes in November.
I did spend a little time doing some machine applique and got completely caught up on my What a Hoot BOM blocks. However I do also realize that as of Monday I will be back to choosing owl fabric again. I would kind of like to have this one done by November, too, so I may work ahead and get it done now that the fish are complete.
I have really been enjoying knitting these simple dishcloths. I also have come to realize that although I love knitting it has taken me away from quilting quite a lot. With quilting I can be very creative, go my own way, make changes whenever the mood strikes me. Knitting is not like that, at least for me. It is much more pattern controlled. So I an going to cut back on knitting, using it as a form of relaxation, usually as a break during sewing/quilting sessions, rather than putting in a lot of knitting time. Of course this may change from time to time but I think this will work best for me. I do still plan to knit a sweater but I will be going very slowly cuz the sewing machine and quilt frame have been calling me.
I do have to share this, a birthday gift for me from our oldest son and his wife. They were to have come for a visit shortly after my November birthday but I got sick and we postponed it until last weekend, DH's birthday. Anyway, I got a gift too, this striking owl ring.
I do realize that it is a little difficult to see that it is a ring so let me pull back so you can see it better.
Can you still see it? You can see that it is a little big but it is also very noticeable. Of course that is kind of a strange looking hand, isn't it?
Thank you Scott and Sue. The ring fits in perfectly in this setting on my fireplace mantle.
And they gave DH a gift card to Dunkin Donuts, which we have already used once. This birthday thing is great, even in your 70s.
And now I am going to work on getting this new computer filled up with the programs I use. Of course I have to find the disks and manuals, which are not always where I think I put them. I have one that seems to have moved out cuz I haven't been able to put my hands on it but I will keep looking. And I will have a good week, how about you?
Gari
Tomorrow is DH’s 73rd birthday. Sometimes it is hard to believe that we have been together as long as we have and it is only by looking back at all we have done and been through that we can see the very large number of years we have both lived through and been together.
My big project this week, however, has been this quilt which is DH’s birthday gift. And I can’t say that all has gone well.
The first problem was that I couldn’t figure out how to draw the layout I wanted in EQ. I want to use two or maybe three different sashing sizes and EQ didn’t seem to allow for that. So I decided to revert to graph paper, which I used to do all the time, and really enjoyed working that way again. BUT, after I was cutting my pieces to match my drawing I realized that I added a row to my center panel which isn’t in my real plan. So back to the drawing board I am going to figure out how to make all my pieces fit.
These are my 9 pieces before I started cutting to size. They are embroideries from Artistic Thread Works and I am thrilled with how they came out. Now I just need to figure out how to make them fit.
Ever since I started knitting again, July 2013, I have found it the most relaxing way to avoid doing either what I should be doing (housework) or am frustrated doing (quilting). However lately I have grown tired of just knitting socks and am still afraid of starting a sweater so I took up knitting dishcloths. This is the second one I have done and I really like them: they are soft and easy to work with. And they have kept my hands busy. 
And last, but certainly not least, one of my mug rugs has found it’s new home. This is my DIL(youngest son) with her birthday gift. She tells me this is how she looks before she has had her morning coffee and that my son is “very afraid” of that look. The funny thing is that my son does not drink coffee (can’t believe he is my son) but has always gotten up in the morning and made coffee for his wife. I guess I taught him well: happy wife, happy life.
Our oldest son and his wife will be here tonight so there will be no sewing until possibly Sunday afternoon. Guess DH will be getting quilt pieces for his birthday tomorrow. 
On Tuesday I again was up and dressed but still tired so I used my time knitting. Here are two dishcloths and one washcloth. I have a couple more that worked on while at Mother’s but I still need to weave in the yarn ends.
And today I started quilting. I forgot to take a picture until I had rolled for the second pass. I would have done the second row but a storm blew up with thunder so I decided to return to knitting for the rest of the afternoon. 
