Bow Tie Blocks

I follow Bonnie over at Quiltville and last year she put out a bow tie challenge, you can find more here. I had told myself I wasn't going to join but as usual I caved in.  I have been working on them pretty much since the beginning and only using them as leaders and enders. I have stopped a couple of times to work on something else but...I have found that these little wonders are just too addicting to put aside for long.

Sunday before starting on the DJ project I took some time to cut some more pieces. I finished up a chunk of my cheddar and then cut 45 more blocks. I had about 20 left so now I have another small stash to keep me going for awhile. I just love these little rascals.

I don't know how many I have nor how many I will need. I just keep going.  I pile them in a bucket and then every so often I stop and bundle them into groups of 10. I wonder how many I will end up with by the time I tire of them?

Have a good day everyone.

Michelle

Design Wall Monday 3/12/12

I was actually able to accomplish a few things last week. This week will probably different.

I finished two tops which was kind of nice. I then spent all day Sunday working on DJ..doesn't seem like I accomplished mush yesterday but I worked on 5 blocks, 2 of them I finished completely and 3 of them are ready for applique. I am hoping between today and tomorrow to finish the other 5 and then I will be ahead for next month.

Box Step - I have had this one cut out for quit awhile and finally decided to use it as leaders and enders. It is now done and onto the flimsie pile.

TV Dinner..this one is for Charm School in April. I teach both Charm School and Strip Club next month. I will then be done for a couple of months...I'm hoping anyway.

I have so many flimsies that need to be quilted.  I really need to take some time from sewing and learn how to use my machine. Maybe I will try to do that the end of this month when I have almost the whole week off.

For other design wall's head on over to Judy's.

Here is to everyone having a wonderful Monday...hope the time change didn't mess too many of you up.

Michelle

Stash Report Week 11, 3/11/12

I didn't post a report last week since I didn't get anything done the week before. I also spent all last Sunday knitting.

I also decided to change how I report. I was reporting once the quilt was completely done, but that wasn't showing much. I am now going to report when the top is done, top is quilted, and then when binding is put on (this part seems to take me forever). I was quit busy this past week, sewing and spending.  Oh well what can you do.


I did finish 3 quilt tops this week.



Used this Week: 25.125 yards
Used year to Date: 73.95  yards
Added this Week: 30.125 yards
Added Year to Date: 72.5 yards
Net Used for 2012: 1.45 yards


I am still on the good side, barely.  I guess I better get busy sewing. Bad news is I work everyday but one this week so I seriously doubt I will get a lot done. Good news is I have almost a week off at the end of the month.

For more stash reports head on over to Judy's.

Michelle

Design Wall Monday 3/5/12

I finished up my QOV3 and now have to put everything aside to work on more "have to dos". I have a few extra days off this week so maybe I can get some things done, especially since next week I work a full week.

Picture didn't turn out to well but it is done. Bought the backing fabric so hopefully sometime this month I can get this one and the other QOV I have quilted.

My plan for this week is to get my charm school for March done and box step top done (black and yellow blocks). I also have DJ blocks for April to do and need to start on Sylvia's Bridal Sampler.
I also need to start a wall hanging my mom asked for...I think my list is getting longer and longer.

Better go get busy...I have sewing to do and red beans and rice to make before our employee meeting tonight.

For more design walls head on over to Patchwork Times


Michelle

Hand Embroidery Update

I finished my scissors Sunday night and started on my next little square.  I don't get to these as much as I would like since Dear Jane still needs a lot of hand applique. I have one more DJ block to finish before next week so I have been doing a little bit every night.  My thumbs can only handle so much.

My scissors right out of the hoop.

My next project on its way into the hoop.

Between Dear Jane, knitted baby blanket, crochet project and hand embroidery project I am surprised I can get anything done. Unfortunately, applique, crochet and embroidery I can only do for limited amounts of time due to painful thumbs.  Knitting on the other hand I can do for hours with no pain except in the butt from sitting.  I guess I might eventually get a lot of knitting projects done.

Off to sew.

Michelle

Design Wall Monday 2/27/12

I didn't make a whole lot progress last week.  The only thing I worked on was my knitted project and my Dear Jane blocks. 

Yesterday I was finally able to spend some time in the sewing room and some progress was made.

These are still my leaders and enders between my QOV3 project. I was able to get 6 more blocks done.

These are the frist 4 rows of my QOV3.  It is turning out a little bit busier than I thought but I think it will be ok.

A closer look. These were all strips from my scrap bin.  I don't think it will be big enough once it is all sewn together but I figure I can just add a border.

I also started a new knitting project. It will be a baby blanket.  No one I know needs one but it will be good practice. It is still very simple knitting but I actually will have a small pattern to follow. Still getting used to working with circular needles as well.

For more design wall updates head on over to Judy's.

I am off to work this afternoon but I am off tomorrow. I hope to get the top finished tomorrow then to get it ready to quilt.  I have another QOV ready to quilt as well.  If I can get both of those done soon I will be 1/3 of the way to meeting my goal for the year.

Michelle



My First Knitted Project

I took a class at Joann's back in October, Knitting 101.  I  have always wanted to learn how to knit and since I was procrastinating on doing my Dear Jane blocks I figured this would be a great opportunity.  I went to class which was on a simple scarf.  I received some baby poop green yarn and off I went.  I knitted, I purled, I goofed, I started over, I knitted, purled, goofed, started over...well you can see how this was going.  After about 3 weeks I had maybe 5 inches and was getting frustrated.

I had a coupon for half off of another class so back I went for knitting 102. This time I received spinach green yarn and a pattern for fingerless gloves.  I had forgotten how to cast on, relearned that and then realized I was purling wrong..go figure..maybe that is why my scarf wouldn't come out right, now mind you the scarf was just a purl a row, knit a row, but half the time I couldn't remember what I did the row before so I was getting this really nice unintentional pattern forming.

After class I came home and fiddled around with my baby poop green yarn some more and finally decided that I had shredded this yarn enough and frankly I was really sick of green at the moment.

So I find some other yarn and a different beginner pattern and off I go. I finally finished the scarf this week, although I still need to block it.  This project also tested my patience but I think I finally have the hang of it.  I had to tear a ton of rows out more times than I can count. I have learned to pick up a stitch and to decrease a stitch but for better or worse it is done. My very own scarf that I slaved months over.

My Visual Guide to Knitting book now automatically opens up to Chapter 4, conveniently named the Mistakes chapter, but I have accomplished something and to me that is all that counts.

I find I really enjoy knitting and it doesn't hurt my hands the way crochet, applique, and embroidery do and I can knit for hours without a problem.

I know what a knit stitch and a purl stitch look like but for the life of me I still can't figure out rows and a few other things but I now with practice it will get better. 

My mother now goes to all the craft stores and pulls off all of the free knitting patterns and hands them to me with a small smile and says " I really like this and especially the ones with all of these gorgeous cables on them" or "these socks are just adorable".  I just smile...what else can I do. I can barely get through the simple knit and purl...please don't add anything else just yet.

So now I am off to find another simple knitting project...who knows maybe by this time next year I will have made a pair of socks.

Michelle