Monday, January 30, 2012

I'm Addicted...

to Pinterest.  I seriously could spend too much time there.  I have to limit myself.

I noticed that most of the outfits that I pinned were plainer tops with bright scarves.  Hmmm, I have a white scarf that I never wear and dyes that I use for yarns.  Hmmmm.  Bad things happen when I start with the hmmming.


White scarf, Salvation Army pot, gloves!!!
cooking... sorta looks like guts!!

And TaDa!!  A new scarf.  All it cost me was a few wrinkled noses from my daughters and their friends.  I added vinegar to set the color, and cooked vinegar is a bit stinky.

And since I am showing neck stuff, (does that even sound right????), I finished my Honey Cowl.  Oh my, this yarn is just the softest stuff.  It is Sunshine Yarns Luxury Sport!  I want to make more!!


Yes, I am sitting in the snow.  It wasn't too cold but I will have a wet hiney for a while.

And it was starting to soak through my pants!!  Awful picture!!!!

Happy Crafting!!

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Swooning and some Farming too!

I finished my second Swoon block!!  Yah!!!  I was so excited to work on it that when I had a few minutes after I got dressed for my cross fit class I sat down at the machine and sewed a few seams.
After I get to the gym, I look down and there are threads all over my yoga pants!!  Eekk.  Had to make a little trip to the bathroom and pick all of them off.


I finished two more Farmer's Wife blocks.
#45 Grape Basket


I love the fabric with the little berries.  Love!!

And then this happened.
#46 Hill and Valley
Poor ugly thing!  The quilting police should have arrested me when I thought it was a good idea to make a block at 7 am.  Not my best time of day???

I know I just got back from vacation but I really think I need another one.  It is so cold, still!  The back door to the deck was frozen shut today.  Ever seen anyone think they are opening a door and it just stays there?  I am pretty sure I looked ridiculous and even the dog gave me the eye.
And then the garage door froze to the ground.  It took a little bit of ummmm, tricks to get it unstuck.  I thought I had used a little too much Hulk strength and broke it but it is now working fine.  I am sure I looked ridiculous here too.  It is -30, I am standing on a step stool trying to figure out why the silly door won't go back down.  I even hung off the handle for a while.  Freezing all the time.

Tonight I am knitting on my Honey Cowl.  I could sure use it or maybe six of them!!
Happy Crafting!!!

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Farming Again, Week 22

More farming time!!  I got back to the sewing machine and sewed up a few more.  I counted today and I have a total of 51 squares.  Only 90 to go!!

Garden Path #43

This one was a bit tricky or icky.  Not sure which.  I had a hard time getting the diamond in the middle without there being creases. So, the creases are just gonna stay!


Then came #44  Gentleman's Fancy




Nasty snow!  Makes my pictures so dark!

I also finished another traveling scarf.  I waited until I was done with the plague before I touched it!!

Happy Crafting!!!!

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Back Into the Land of the Living... almost

Thank goodness I don't get sick very often.  This cold knocked me on my patootie!!!  I'm getting back into my routine slowly.  Went to a class at the gym yesterday, ummm, not a good idea.  I'm taking another day off and hopefully the shakies will go away!!!  OK, whining over!!

I didn't touch my sewing machine for 4 days.
I did a bit of hand sewing and I learned something about myself.  I am an over baster.  I basted that poor fabric onto the paper soooooo much.  I still haven't gotten all the basting thread pulled out.

See all those little thread hairs!!  I really need more practice on the sewing of these too.  My stitches tend to show on the front.  But, it is just my first one and I will try some more.

I watched a bunch of Netflix shows with the hubby and knitted on Hexi-puffs.  A lot of hexi-puffs.
My container is just about full.  I was thinking about how I want to sew all of these together.  Do I want to make it look like a Grandmother's Flower Garden, or do I want to sew them together with gradient color changes????  Or just willy-nilly?
Not that I have to make that choice soon.  I need about a million more!!


Happy Wednesday and Happy Crafting!!!

Friday, January 20, 2012

Farmer's Wife Week 21

Good morning.  It's cold out,  I've got a blucky cold and I am watching Wall-E.  I want a cute, little robot!!!
So please forgive any weirdness you might see in this post.  My brain isn't working very well.

First off I made Block #41 Friendship Star



Not very exciting but I made two.

Then I made #42 Fruit Basket


I like this one much better!!  

I am not planning on doing much today.  I have my rose star blocks with me and I think I will try and get one put together.  In my hazy headedness this morning I already lost my thread.  And I found it, in the box where it should have been.

I got most of a Swoon block put together yesterday before I started sneezing my head off!!

Happy Crafting!!

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

I'm just a Swoonin'

I finished my first Swoon block!!!  Sooo much cutting of the background pieces.  I couldn't wait to start on the pretty fabric.  I am using Kate Spain's Terrain that I ordered from The Intrepid Thread.  Julie is great to work with and ships super fast!

These finish off huge!  24 inches.  It won't take many to make a quilt.
I am doing the QAL with I'm a ginger monkey.  There is also a flickr group where you can see all the gorgeousness!!

I've been working on some traveling scarves this week too.  Not exciting but it is knitting.
This traveling scarf is with the Sunshine Yarnies group on Ravelry.




Back with some Farmer's Wife Blocks soon.
Happy Crafting!!!

Monday, January 16, 2012

Farmer's Wife Week 20

Good Monday Morning!!
It is crisp and cold here.  Good day to stay home and get crafting.  (Well, after I go to the gym.)

I have been keeping up with my plan to make one Farmer block each day.
And that gets us...
#39 Friendship


Yup, I made two of these easy ones!!!

And #40 Friendship Block


See this green???  I was beginning to run out of my Fig Tree Quilt fabric so I was snooping around on Etsy to see if I could find some more AND California Girl popped up.  I have loved this fabric from the first time I saw it.  In about 15 seconds that fabric was in my cart and paid for!!!!  Now, I am not breaking my motto for the year.  I really have just about "used it up" on my Farmer's Wife blocks.
The colors are a bit more "springish" but all of her fabrics have the same tone so I think they will look good together.

Here is a few of the blocks together.


I also worked on my Swoon this weekend.  Oh my!  I think this quilt is going to be gorgeous.  I will have to hide it so it doesn't get stolen by one of my girls!!
I have a bit of time before I head to the gym, so I am going to push laundry and work on my FW block for today.
Happy Crafting!!

Friday, January 13, 2012

Farmer's Wife Week 19

Happy Friday the 13th.  I heard on the news this morning that we will have 3 of these this year.  Fun!!!
On Ravelry, if you type Friday the 13th, a scary little mask comes up.

I've made a few more Farmer's Wife blocks.

First I have, #37 Flower Pot


Sorry for the shadows on the pictures.  I was super snowy out and even editing didn't help much!!
This block was pretty easy.  It's not one of my favorites though.  I tend to like the star type blocks better.

And then #38 Four Winds


Ok, I didn't count how many pieces were in this block.  I don't think I want to know.  It took quite a bit of time to make.  Not hard, just a bunch of pieces!!  I did run out of my white and cream flower fabric so I just substituted another red.  And I think it should have used a different color for the inner part but there is no way I am tearing this out or making it again.  ha

I am still on the cutting part of my Swoon blocks.  I can't wait to start on the sewing!
Maybe today?


Hamburgers? Anyone?
We plan on grilling this weekend (unless it is too cold for the grill to work) so this will have to be dug out.  We got about 6 more inches after I took this picture.  I can't complain too much when Cordova has 18 feet and Valdez has 26.  I will take mine, thank you!!
Happy Crafting!!!

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Farmer's Wife Week 18

You sick of seeing Farmer's Wife blocks yet??

This was a week of a little bit harder blocks.

#35 Flower Basket

I really need to learn how to applique.  I think I would really enjoy it and would do it more often.

And #36  Flower Garden Path

Now this little stinker was hard for me.  I don't know what I was doing wrong but I couldn't get it together without strange seams.  It's not perfect but it is together and that is how it is going to stay!
Looking at it here, it really looks like it should have been easy.


This is as far as I have gotten on the Rose Star block.  It takes quite a bit of time and I even had to make a pattern.  The one that was made over on self sewn is so pretty!!
I've only done this much and now I want to make a Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt.  I either need to grow more hands or learn how to go without sleep.  Or get rid of my craziness!!

Time to work on some sewing.
Happy Crafting!!!

Monday, January 9, 2012

Still Knitting

I have been doing a bit of knitting,  but much more sewing lately.
I finished a WIP that had been hanging around for a while.

I used Twisted Limone yarn.  Fun stripes.  I can't remember the name of the color,  I just call them my Chocolate Chip Mint socks.

And this is my next knitting project.


This is going to be the Honey Cowl in Sunshine Yarns Luxury Sport in Hyacinth.  This yarn is luscious!!!  So soft and such a gorgeous color.  I had to make myself put it away last night so I could go to sleep!  The dyer, Dani, is the nicest person you will ever meet.  She is always coming up with new colors and has some great Harry Potter and Twilight colors if you are fans.

I've been cutting and sewing today but not much to show for it.   I will have my next set of Farmer's Wife blocks next.
Happy Crafting!!!

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Smokin' the Farmer's Wife, Week 17

I have been sewing these Farmer's Wife blocks like crazy this week.  I think I missed my sewing machine while I was on vacation.

Block #33 Farmer's Puzzle
This block gave my heart a little lurch when I saw it but it went together easily.


Then along came Flock #34
Any block that uses the blue polka-dots is a favorite of mine.

I might even be a quarter of a way through these blocks.   I think the sashing is going to be a huge project!!!!

I was talking with my friend Sasha and told her that I really needed to stay away from blogs for a while.  I found two more quilt a longs that I would love to do.  Wah, I am still an a-long addict.
I haven't made up my mind if I will join these two new ones or just be jealous as everyone posts their pretties.

And I will leave you with the pretty sunset we had tonight.  I was glad to see it cause it means I will have some time to finish taking care of all the snow we have had in the last two days.

Happy Crafting!!!

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Farmer's Wife Week 16!!

Here I am with some more Farmer's Wife blocks.  I am trying to make one each day and have been successful this week.  Who knows how I will do next week!!

First off is #31 Evening Star


And next is #32 Farmer's Daughter


Crazy how different they look.  I thought that to myself after I finished the second one.  Upon closer inspection, I had sewed the outside parts of the stars on wrong!  No wonder it looked so different.
I was having a very strange day.  I thought I might have been coming down with a cold but that never happened.  I was just soooo tired and that night I sleep 12 hours.  Since then, I have felt fine.  Very weird.  I wonder if it has anything to do with the lack of daylight.

I did buy myself a few little presents when I was in Hawaii.  I popped into a quilt store one day on our way back home from the beach.  It was a little store but they had some cute fabrics.  I wanted to get some "Hawaiian" type fat quarters.


See this????

I have no business pulling fabric for any kind of quilt at all!!!!
Over on self sewn, there is an english paper piecing block-a-long.  I have always wanted to learn to do this.  So...... I went through my stash and picked out some pieces that I thought would be fun.  I need to see if I can find a few more solids in case I need them.  I will probably just make a small table runner or something like that.

I hope it stops snowing soon.  We have had about a foot today and I was lazy and called the snow plow girl so that she can come plow me out.  It is cold and the snow is powdery which means the snow just flies up in a cloud and covers me with snow.  Brrr.

Happy Crafting!!!

Friday, January 6, 2012

Farmer's Wife Week 15

This makes me giggle a little bit.  I don't even know what week I am supposed to be on!!!
These blocks were made before I went on vacation but I didn't have time to post them.
First up is #29 Economy
Fun and easy block.  I made two!


I love these easy ones.  Makes my idea to make a King sized quilt not seem so crazy.

#30 End of Day
Mine doesn't look much like the end of day but I like it anyways.  End of day here is black, well end of afternoon is black!!!


While I was stitching today I noticed that I am using up all the bigger pieces of these fabrics.  I am going to have to search around for some more pretties from Fig Tree Quilts.  This doesn't break my goal because it is buying for an existing project.  And I really need some more of the cream.  I have less than a half yard left.  So fabric shopping is in my future!!!
Happy Friday and Happy Crafting!!!

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Happy New Year!

I am back home from my Wonderful vacation.  It was a bit tough to go from this:


To this:

80 degrees to 26 below.  Wah, I didn't want to come home.  I kept brainstorming for a business to start while I was there but couldn't come up with anything that would really work.  haha

A few highlights of my vacation.  Don't want to bore you with everything we did.


Road to Hana, stunning but it may have been the most terrifying day of my life.  52 miles and not one straight stretch.    Ugh.

We went paddle boarding, super fun!!!

Zip lining!!  Yes!!!

Lots of beach and pool time.
I looked and looked for a yarn shop but all the ones that were listed on the internet were closed.  Quilting is BIG over there.  I now want to make a quilt in the Hawaiian style.  It sounds like a lot of work so I think I might start with a pillow!!
I finished two more monsters before I left and got the blue one sent off to my nephew along with the others I had made.  They loved them.  The pink one went to my trainer.


My sewing machine went to the "spa" while we were gone and I set it back up today and sewed a Farmer's Wife block. Wow!!  It sews so smoothly now.  It didn't need any repairs but it sure liked the pampering!!!!  I plan on using it a lot these next few weeks.
Back soon with some Farmer's Wife blocks.

Happy Crafting!!!