Baby quilt and new knitting

Last year I made a couple of baby quilt tops in anticipation of needing  baby gifts at some point.  I blogged about them here. Well, my daughter has 3 friends having babies.  I knitted items for two of them and the third is receiving one of these quilts.  I just finished machine quilting--nothing fancy, just stitch in the ditch and some diagonals and now on to the binding.

Also, some new knitting on needles.

A short while back I bought some lace weight yarn from Caroline of SockPixie.  She has an array of yummy hand spun yarn, as well as roving--if you are into spinning yourself, to choose from on her etsy site.

This is what I bought,

Denim colored merino/silk blend.

I usually ball up my yarn by winding it around my hand but with over 1300 yards, I thought it would be too much.  What I needed was a nostepinne.  Well, ok, I don't own one of those so I went looking for something suitable around the house.  Muddler to the rescue!  It is usually used to muddle mint leaves for mojitos (yum!) and so I figured I don't want minty yarn or yarny mint so I wrapped it in plastic wrap.

Not having any children around to press into yarn holding service, I used chairs.  This is considered an "action shot" of the makeshift nostepinne.

All wound.  Now to slip it off the muddler, er I mean the nostepinne.

The start of my new project.  This one will probably take MONTHS! so I will update you every so often on my progress.  What will it be, you ask?

Well, I can only hope I can do this.  Doesn't look impossibly hard so I should be ok. Pattern from the book Knitted Lace of Estonia by Nancy Bush

Well, that's all for today.  Talk at you later.  Rumi

Frost Flower Lace Cowl

Hello Friends,

TaDa!

Picot edge turns out to be a leaf

and flowers

More leaves and flowers

A cowl to wear around my neck when the cold winds nip.

This pattern is by Esther Budd.  I found it on Ravelry but she also has the pattern here on her blog. Of course, she made this in 1 day!! Me, it took a couple of weeks!

I used superwash merino wool.  It was fun and not too difficult to knit.

Is there anything I don't like about it? Well Esther said it was loose but maybe a little too loose.  The top wants to flop over but hey, that's the nature of cowls so why am I surprised.

Overall, I am very pleased at how it turned out.

Now on to some sewing! (and a new project on needles too, of course!)

Talk at you later,  Rumi

Peek-O Picot

Just off my needles.  Blocking pins on the picot edging.

Tune in tomorrow!

Cross Stitch

Hello Friends,

    I don't have anything new I can show you yet so thought I'd show you some ancient items I dusted off.  I am the queen of UFO's and here is proof!
In the 80's I was really into cross stitch.  Couldn't get enough.  I gave away a bunch, sold some too but when it came to stuff for me and my little boy, things languished and never got finished. (My poor daughter didn't even get anything started!)

I had the grand idea to maybe make a quilted wall hanging for my infant son with cross stitched sports blocks.

These were made in early 80's

My little boy also liked the Disney movie Lady and the Tramp so I made this to frame and put in his room.

If you can read the date--it says '84.  Needless to say, he wouldn't want these now (he is 31 now!)

I also worked on things for me.  The stitched part of this measures about 12x12".  It still needs some outling stitching before I can frame it.  Again, haven't touched it since probably the early 90's.

Another good sized project.  I have the female counterpart somewhere as well.

Final one to show you -- until I dig up some more stitchery lurking around my sewing room somewhere.

All of these will go back into their storage place for the kids to dispose of when I am gone (hopefully many, many years from now LOL!)

That's all for now.  Talk at you later.  Rumi

Thinga-ma Bag

Hello Friends,

I have an embroidery feature on my machine that is sorely under utilized; mainly because I have not played with it enough to feel comfortable with the whole process--especially the downloading patterns part.  Well, the local Husqvarna dealer has free machine classes.  They pretty much take you by the hand and walk you through any aspect of learning your machine.  Once a month they have an "embroidery Club" session.  You purchase a  kit that includes the software and printed instructions for that month's project and bring any fabric, interfacing etc. needed to make the project.
The latest project was a pyramid shaped zippy bag with embroidery on all 4 sides of the bag.

The same embroidery pattern is on the 3 sides and the bottom.

There was supposed to be a ribbon tab at the top of the bag but silly me forgot it.

I lined it with a coordinating yellow fabric.

Not quite sure what I will use it for.  Maybe a project bag for stitchery or knitting.

I may not make every month's embroidery club session but each one I do attend will make me feel a bit more confident about using my embroidery feature.

Car Seat Blanket

Hello Friends,
    
My poor sewing machine is feeling pretty lonely and neglected.  I have been having a love affair with knitting lately.  Not too long ago, I happened on a yarn sale.  I didn't have anything particular in mind at the time but picked up 3 skeins of yellow sportweight.  Well, some of that ended up as the baby cardigan I blogged about a few posts back.

Now I have just finished a little blanket to throw over baby when he/she is in a car seat or baby carrier.

Measures about 19 by 23 inches.

Close up.  Looks complicated but really quite simple to knit.

Edit: Pattern from Bernat yarns

http://www.bernat.com/pattern.php?PID=3820 

Changes I made to make it car seat size: CO 95, increase/decrease 6 sts evenly on the rows above and after pattern body.  Happy knitting!

My daughter has 3 friends having babies in the next couple of months.  The cardi will go to one and the little blanket to another.  The third friend will receive a quilt.  Well, guess I had better dust my machine off and get working on the quilt.  I made the top last year anticipating a gift giving opportunity. Now to sandwich and machine quilt!

Of course, I'm also on the hunt for another knitting project.  I have a partial skein left of the yellow but I think I'll give that a rest and find something entirely different. 

Talk at you later.  Rumi

I heart Wavy Wipers

I told you yesterday how excited I was to receive one of Messy Karen's wavy wipers.  Well, I promptly printed up her pattern and whipped a couple of them up.  I know what all of my family will be getting in their Christmas stockings this year!

They fit in the palm of your hand and are great for wiping up little spills on your table or countertop. Useful for wiping up little faces too and I figure they would be cute little coasters as well!  Probably good as little hotpads for lifting hot lids or baked potatoes.  Gee, so many possibilities!

Karen has the pattern for this on her blog so it you are a knitter, I think you should get this great little pattern.  If you don't knit, Karen sells these on her Etsy site. 

Cherry and a win

Hello friends,
   I was very fortunate to receive one of Messy Karen's wavy wipers in the mail today!  I am a Lucky Frog indeed!  Take a look!

I can't wait it use it.  She also gave out this pattern on her blog so go check it out.  I know I will be making several of these!  Thanks so much Karen!

I also wanted to talk about one of my favorite fruits.  Look at these beauties!

This time of year brings a bounty of Ranier cherries!  They are a bit pricy but oh, I can't resist!

I also like these cherries!  Want another look?

A cute little zippy pouch.

Nice red lining.

Also made this little tote with this cute fabric

Added a recessed zipper

Inside.

That's all for today.  Have a sweet week everyone! Rumi