Retreat Results

3" Squares Neonatal Quilt

34" x 34" 

The first day I COMPLETED this neonatal quilt by adding the borders, pin basting, quilting and then binding.

That was all I accomplished because the loading of the car, the drive north through occasional white-outs, and then the unloading of the car took quite a bit of energy.

Saturday I made half of the blocks for this neonatal from 6 FQs of bright fabrics I was given by my cousin Trish.  Later I made the rest and put on a border.

My next task was sewing together two pieces of "Quilt As You Go" that I had finished quilting maybe three years ago.  There had been three pieces and I got two of them together then, but was so disheartened by the process [I hate hand work] that I filed the pieces away, and kept ignoring them on the shelf.  One of my January goals was to get PAST this "awful" step.  And I did!  I don't plan to ever use this technique again.
Here's the front of qhat I was working on: Carolina Crossroads quilt from a Bonnie Hunter mystery in 2008:

Now I can look at it with new eyes and decide whether or not I think it needs borders.  Probably, Yes.

Sunday I pin basted and quilted this Colored Bricks neonatal quilt, using a fishy background fabric.  I tried a new quilting stitch for me -- and elongated zig-zag stitch.  This creates a bumpy or scalloped effect.

Lastly on Sunday afternoon I sewed together more 3" squares for a neonatal center.  I am trying to use up my 3" squares because as Bonnie Hunter says, "They don't play well with others."

I felt I accomplished quite a bit during my time on retreat, and of course enjoyed the companionship of other quilters.

Next post: how well I did on my goals for January and what goals I can set for February.

Sara

Gratitudes:

Mostly resisted the snack table on retreat
My own bed again
Safe trip again on snowy roads

Socks of Today

Bought these SmartWool socks quite a few years ago.  I like them because the are WARM, washable, and charcoal "goes with" most of the clothes I wear.  This brings to three my total sets of wool socks.  I need to stop knitting for other people and knit another pair or three for me!

We enjoyed the grandkids' concert in St. Louis at Christ Church Cathedral, as well as visiting with the family for three days.  Our room at the B & B was huge and had a shower for two in addition to a Jacuzzi tub with waterfall.  We used both.  Can't remember when we last took a shower together.

Several white-outs of snow on the return drive to Grand Rapids, but we are here safely and have recovered Zeke from the doggie prison, and piles of catalogues from the P.O.

Now to pack for the weekend quilting retreat. leaving tomorrow AM.

Sara

Gratitudes:

Good conversations with family
70 degree weather one day!
Safe travel

On the Needles

These socks for my daughter are not progressing very fast.  I have plenty of leftover partial balls from various other sox however, so that's not what's holding me up.  Too many free Kindle books that I need to examine!

Meanwhile I fell into temptation and purchased MORE sock yarn from KnitPicks.

First I selected only two yarns, but then I checked the Clearance items and HAD to get a couple more!  With the idea that socks don'tr need to match, I can buy individual balls and mix them up.

Now what am I going to do with that large hank that is not divided into two balls?  Guess I'll have to loop it over a chair back and wind away by hand.  Or find a friend with a "swifter" --is that what it's called?

Sara

Gratitudes:

Hot shower
Cushy yarn in fun colors
Chorus music running in my head

Socks of today

These socks go well with khaki pants, so I wear them often.  I made them over four years ago, which shows the yarn from Joanne's is lasting well.
It has been unusually cold here for several days, and the wool socks are a real help for cold feet!

We are leaving for St. Louis on Sunday to be present for a choir concert of our granddaughter's school on Tuesday.  And when we get home I am leaving the very next morning for a quilting retreat.  Therefore I need to be getting the gear ready for both events -- knitting for one car and in St. Louis, and quilting projects for the retreat in the other.

Sara

Gratitudes:

Great to be retired & go places!
Home knit socks for warmth
Blueberries & pineapple

Wednesday Birthday

0.3 yards fabric

Neonatal #3 Red, White, & Blue

Red Arrows, 37" x 37"
2.6 yards of fabric

I finished this one with blue gingham for backing and binding.  That seems to soften the brightness a little. I hope some baby boy will grow up to drag it around behind him through toddlerhood.

Our Guild meets tonight, so I will be delivering this with two others I finished this month.  Also my Secret Sister of last year used the FQs I provided to make three neonatal quilts and gave them to me at our holiday party, so the Butterworth Neonatal Unit gets SIX quilts added to their store tonight. [They care for about 1,000 babies a year.]

Zero degrees this morning!  Really makes for crunchy footsteps, and a dog biting his feet.

Sara

Gratitudes:

"Footcare" trimmed my toenails
Bean and ham soup from Liz for six meals
Some sun with the bitter cold

Progress & Stash Report

I have added one row of mini-blocks all the way around this top to bring it to a 33" square.  Now to find a small border.

Our Bee met this week, as usual at a fabric store.  Oops! I looked at the sale fabric and purchased 4 yards.  Therefore the stash report took a hit.

FABRIC USAGE:             OUT                     IN        

 This Week:                   -0.0 yards
            +4.0 

Year to Date:               -5.8 yards
            +10.5 

Net Used for 2013:                                 +4 .7 yards

Guess I had better get the next neonatal quilts finished so I can subtract some yardage.

Sara

Gratitudes:

Australian Open this morning

Chance of snow

Warm house

Cathedral Stars divided

Another stack of blocks [UFO] out of a box and onto the Design Wall yesterday.  Told myself that this does NOT have to be made into a bed-sized quilt, but could find life as another Neonatal quilt.  These are 9" finished, so this would be a 36" square, plus a border = 44".  That's within the size range they want.

But it doesn't "send" me.  Maybe that's why I didn't keep working on it!

Next thought: separate the two blocks.

Each set needs one more block [and a little larger borders eventually].   Still not super satisfied with the look.
So I tried another arrangement:

I like the Jacob's Ladder blocks with one row turned.  The zigzag look appeals to me.  I constructed one more block, and I'm going to keep that one.

I will have to keep imagining what could go in the middle of the blue stars -- maybe a reverse colored star, or a yellow star?

More work to be done, starting with sewing the Jacob's Ladder blocks together!

Sara

Gratitudes:

Cleaning crew is here
Day with no appointments
Knitting socks book awaits me at the library

Thursday's socks

Handknit socks that I am wearing today because I am also wearing a rosy red turtleneck and the colors match.  Also because it is a cold day and wool socks are great at keeping my feet warm.

I made these two years ago.

Sara

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