Lots of Knitting: a Little Quilting

Hard to believe that I have now knit two pair of socks.  These are the ones that came from my sock class and before I could finish the second one I had to go back and ask for a review of the toe decreases. 

I had a fun email from DS#3 today.  We are going to be visiting him, DIL#3, and DGD#2 next week and they live north of us where the temps have been about 10-15 degrees colder than here.  As an inducement to stay a little longer he told me that they have wool socks I can wear.  Do you think he has been reading my blog lately?  Me neither. 





I did get all the fabric cut for the last of the blocks for Deck-Ade The Halls from The Fat Quarter Shop.  All of the very little pieces are labeled and ready to go but I haven’t gotten any of it sewn together.  I’m not in much of a hurry because I am planning to set them somewhat differently from the original and do not yet have everything I want to use.

When we get back from our short vacation I do have two new quilts I plan to start and, of course, the Weave quilt is still waiting on the HQ.  I think that now that I have 2 pair of socks under my belt, it will be easier to share my knitting and quilting time.  Now I just have to re-find some reading time. 




 I have mentioned the chickens who populate our yard almost every day (they live next door, I think).  As we were leaving for lunch yesterday we were greeted by this one.  She didn’t seem afraid of us but that could be because I do occasionally feed them with bread crusts and/or fruit.  I wonder if they will ever be tame enough to touch.




And lastly, we were one of those areas that had rain on Saturday.  This was what I saw on WeatherBug when I got up. 












 I dressed quickly and got the dogs ready to go out.  Opened the door to this.  Needless to say we all waited until that first bit passed, ran outside for what was needed to be done, and quickly got back in.  It was suggested that it looked like a good knitting day and that is how I got my green socks done.  We had a great weekend.




I will be linking up with Patchwork Times: please go there and see all the quilting creativity going on.

Gari

Merry September

I am so happy with myself.  I have been able to spend time in the studio and actually get things done.  Here are the Christmas trees for Deck-Ade the Halls.  Someone said they were easy, and they should be, but if you are anything like me, there are problems just around EVERY corner.













So once again a mistake was made.  This is supposed to be the bottom of the tree (look up to see what it really looks like) and would you believe I had cut the excess off before I saw what I had done.  And, yes, I was again chain piecing so did it to all three trees.  It is amazing that I finish anything.






But here I go again.  Here are the already cut pieces for the next block.











The next one is gifts and it doesn’t look difficult, does it?  And will I be chain piecing?  NO!!  Each gift will be pieced separately, I promise. 














I also prepped and put the Sept fish together.  He seems a little bland so I may have to jazz him up a little.











I did start a new sock: I love this yarn.  And I am having so much fun knitting socks.












In fact this morning found me on the deck knitting on the second of my class socks.  I am on the foot part with about 4” to go before I get to do another toe.





I have done all of this and it is only Wednesday.  One can only imagine what I will get up to the rest of the week.

        Gari

Bits and Pieces

Well, what do you know, I have a very colorful design wall today.  These are two BOMs that I am getting caught up on.  The funny thing was that when I made my new fish I found that I had now made it twice.  And I still have two more to do before I am up to date.  I have added the 3 wreaths to the Christmas BOM and, again, have two more installments to complete before I am caught up. 





Those wreaths are made up of lots of pieces which I cut up on one day and then put them together on another day.









And sometimes I don’t do it right.  In fact I made this same mistake on all three wreaths.  No wonder I don’t like chain piecing!














Saturday I attended my second sock knitting class where I went to learn how to complete a heel and gusset.  Can you see it?  Isn’t it beautiful?  I am now on the foot part, easy knitting, and next Saturday we will be learning the toe and the Kitchener stitch, a skill I was not able to learn when I was machine knitting.  I am really looking forward to attempting it, again. 






On Saturday afternoon/evening we took a break from all this creativity to attend the Auburn football game.  We had great seats and, of course, it was a great game.  I love being at the games, we only go to one a year, because there is so much going on besides the game.  Also, there is something really exciting when the cheering starts and gets so loud it rocks the stadium. 

Now, it is time to get back to work.  I will be linking with Patchwork Times and What A Hoot.

Happy stitching everyone!    Gari

QAL & Knitting

I finally found my way back to the sewing machine and got another block completed on the FatQuarterShop QAL, Deck-Ade the Halls.  As I was putting them together I was wondering if the heels on the socks I am knitting would be as easy as these were. 





So this evening I knit to the heel and started the “flap.”  As this is my first sock heel, I discovered that I am not sure what the pattern is telling me to do.









Anyone want to help be decipher this?  Am I supposed to go back and forth on just part of each row?  I stopped right after the 17 stitches on Row 1 and decided I better see if I could get help.

We are having a week of sunshine (really different from the rest of the summer.  Monday I was planning a whole day of sewing but by noon the sun and the open road were calling me.  So DH and I jumped in the car, put the top down, and drove 40 miles for lunch. 

Well, time for sleep to prepare for a morning of running around with my daughter as she deals with insurance men and car repair people (dent in door).  I think I will take my other sock with me to knit on while I wait for her.  Must feel productive even while visiting with special people. 

Have a great week,  Gari

Sew, Quilt, Knit, Oh, My!

This is my Design Wall today.  This is the ornament block for Deck-ade The Halls from the FatQuarterShop.  It doesn’t seem like much but it finally got me back in to sewing.






And I quilted.  This is where I am on the Funky Chicken quilt.  I did get one of the 9 patch blocks quilted on Sunday and will finish this quilt this week (I hope).






Before rolling to that last row I quilted chicken #9.







I am still having lots of fun quilting those little tail feathers.








And here is Funky Chicken #10.










I got a little artsy on this one.  Sometimes I don’t know what gets into me. 






Look how far I have come with my very first sock.  I am a little over an inch away from starting the toe and then this will also be done.  I have started the second sock but have only three rows done so it will be a while before I am wearing these socks…together.

The funny thing happened while I was knitting these socks.  I used to knit, over 30 years ago, so picking up knit and pearl was not very hard.  However, while watching a basic knitting lesson on Craftsy, I discovered that I am doing the knit stitch WRONG and always have.  I am finishing this sock doing the stitch the same way I always have but am learning the correct way on the second sock.  Also on the second sock I am trying the Magic Loop method.  So far I have pulled the stitches out three times: this is not an easy method.  And, boy am I surprised that the DPNs are really easy.


On the home front, we have had rain, Rain, RAIN! 

The rain this weekend was a “soft” rain so all the deck plants got to move out from under the roof to soak up some of the water.  Doesn’t everybody look happy?

School starts for DH this week so, after a 2 1/2 week vacation we will be getting back to our normal routines.  I will miss having him around all day but I will also get a lot more done.
Be sure to check out Patchwork Times and have a great week.  Gari