Wordless

Too much Red!

The bookcase of fabric I intend to "straighten" this month includes my red fabrics, both three boxes and a pile on the floor.  I came to the realization that I need to straighten the contents of the boxes to make more room, and that means FINALLY cutting the smaller pieces up.

I've just started, and trying to remember any rules I've had in the past.

 I know 2" and 2.5" strips and squares are useable, and I already have containers for those.

Larger sizes are confusing me at the moment.
Save, as is, anything FQ and bigger.
10.5" strips can be made into backings.
But between 9" and 3", I don't know what to do.

At least I do know that I have too much red fabric to use up in any reasonable amount of time.  Guess I'd better make a lot of red backings for quilts!

Sara

Gratitudes:

SOME progress being made.
Am recovered from yesterday's eye injections
One small step on tax preparation

Ragged Bull's Eye #2

Got these blocks together and then added two narrow borders.  I kept squinting at the possible yellow outer border and thinking it really distracted from the center by being sooo bright.  I have chosen these darker fabrics because they are a little bit interesting, but the middle remains as the MOST interesting part of the top.  Haven't gotten them sewn on yet, football and Downton Abbey are calling me this evening.

Stash Report:
6.5 yards added this week for Sami's graduation quilt.  Total for the year: +0.7 yards.

Sara

Gratitudes:

Hot shower
Light snow falling
Fresh bag of potato chips

On the Needles this Friday

I have started the next pair of socks from leftover yarn.  The toes are different from each other, then a stripe of white, and now on to two remnants of the same green yarn.  The green might get me through the sock heels.  Then on to another yarn. [I have lots of choices!]

Sara

Gratitudes:

The internet and other bloggers
Homemade bread dipped in olive oil
Exercise bicycle at home

"Leftovers" socks

Finished Charlie's socks made from leftovers of yarn from previous socks.  They actually look quite a bit like a "pair" because I switched the yarns back an forth between the two socks.  I threw in a few lines of color to keep up my own interest.

He tried them on last night and they are a tad short on the leg.  So I am changing the "preferred length" statistic on his card to 9 inches from 8 inches.

As she left after Christmas I offered to make a pair for my daughter.  She said there was no need for them to "match", so my next knitting project is to make her two socks different from each other.

[Non-knitters should know that the designs on these socks are built into the purchased yarn by changes of color and spots.  I don't do anything to make the designs, I just keep knitting!  Great looks for little effort.]

Sara

Gratitudes:

Pecan sandies
Breakfast with friends
Leftover yarn!

No patience

I couldn't stand looking at these blocks with two blank spaces from across the room. [See former post.]

I KNOW I threw away all the extra circle pieces months ago, so I decided to try adding a couple of squares.  The circles are all  in HALF pieces, so I made the square as half pieces also, not quartered.  I don't think many observers will notice.

I'm now trying out the yellow on the right for a possible border.  This is all darker than the photo looks, and it will be a neonatal quilt, so the yellow is intended to brighten it up a bit.

I have two of my four goals for January completed, and that means the two that are left are not my favorites.  During my start on the "reorganization of one bookcase", these blocks appeared causing a cessation of reorganization and an immediate tangent.  Now I HAVE to work on getting them off the Design Wall before next Monday, right?

Meanwhile Handiman Dan finished his work today, so we now have:
 working lights in three places,
 a better shower hose,
a working doorknob on the sewing room [keeps    visiting dogs out of my pristine work area],
a bathroom cabinet door that will stay closed,
a functioning thermostat and
a new storm door in the basement.
All good.  And a good contact for future needs.

Sara

Gratitudes:

My massage therapist
The Public Library
Cough drops

Design Wall Monday

More Ragged Bullseye blocks for a neonatal quilt.  I have already sewn a set together when on retreat in November.  Thinking about whether to make two or add these to the others for a larger quilt top.

Sara

Gratitudes:

Made it to and through exercise class today
Handiman Dan on his way to fixing a long list of house problems
Downton Abbey, Season III started

What's on the Needles

Still progressing on the socks for Charlie, lower sock shows the charcoal heel.  I'm working my way up the ankle.  Looks like I have about another 2 inches to go.

One of my goals for this month is to straighten up ONE bookcase of fabric.  Today I rearranged two shelves.  One was all plastic bags and WonderUnder , which was removed to a different location.  That allowed me to move some "flimsies" onto that shelf.  Baby steps, baby steps.

Sara

Gratitudes:

Christmas card came from Atsuko! Now we have her address!!
After a night of coughing, I was able to sleep in the morning
New med for arthritis seems to be helping hips
Last bites of the delicious Christmas ham

Two in a Row

36 Confetti blocks

36" x 36"

Today I managed to finish my second UFO into a neonatal quilt.  The confetti blocks were already sewn together and I decided on no border to go with the no sashing.

I looked for a kid friendly backing fabric in  the stash and found this fun winter print --a lot of rabbits enjoying cold weather sports.

Layered it, pin-basted, machine quilted in the ditch and on the diagonal, chose red, star dotted fabric for the binding to go with both sides, and now it is in the wash.  Yippee!

I am so delighted with getting TWO finishes this early in the month.  Of course, that is largely because I have had nothing else taking much time these two days.  The week will change tomorrow.

Sara

Gratitudes:

Breakfast with dear friends
Joann's coupons got me cheap batting
Charlie grilled luscious pork chops

Start as you mean to go on

Striped Triangles
39" x 39"

Finish!
This was a UFO, at the "flimsy" or finished top, stage.  And with today's work it is now a finished neonatal quilt.  Before company came to watch football I found backing fabric [chickens!],

cut the batting, pin basted, and machine quilted it lightly.

Later I made the binding, applied it to the back and folded it over to the front for machine sewing down.

I feel great that I finished a project on the first day of the year, even to getting it washed and dried!


Sara