A Finish, Progress, and Loopy Academy

I'm very happy to say that I finished my little winter project. Quilted, bound, and actually hanging.

The picture is a little dark, blame it on the weather. Anyway, isn't it cute??? So little -- only 10" square. I bought this Red Button Quilt Co. pattern from Primitive Stitches, a Missouri shop. They were vending at my guild's last quilt show. I hope they'll be vending again in June! The Pattern included this one and another one that is non-wintry. The buttons were included and the 2nd pattern has bee buttons -- bet that's why I chose this pattern!

The Secret Santa Sew-a-Long has finished but I have not. I got the twelve blocks sewn up but need to cut sashing strips. I set it aside because I've got a couple of deadlines coming up. Here are my blocks gently folded in the refrigerator egg container along with the 20 nine-patch cornerstones.

In the foreground is a little table mat. My LQS has a table runner club and I was supposed to make five 12" blocks of the Santa hat. I don't really care for the hat and really don't have a use for the table runner so .... I shrunk the pattern down, used wool, and appliqued it down on a four-patch. All I had to do was add the flying geese & sashing strips. Ready to quilt it up and take it for show-n-tell tomorrow morning.

On the knitting front, I'm trying to catch up  on Loopy Academy. I only have one semester to finish up --  Jr. Year, 2nd Semester -- and then I will officially graduate. I already knitted up socks with beads and here's a look at my colorwork (stranded) design. I chose Calaveras Mittens by Jenny Penny and you can find it on Ravelry. I used a heavier yarn than called for (DK rather than fingering) and, even though I did swatch, the mittens came out larger than planned. I named mine Sugarskull Mitts and used plum purple and lime green. I think they turned out pretty spiffy even if they are large.

 Top Side

Palm Side

Aren't they cool??? I am also in love with that Latvian Braid on the cuff edges!!!

Since that's two out of three knitteries done for my 2nd Semester, Junior Year, I started the final project. It should knit up really quickly. My dental hygienist recently had a baby boy so I chose this Wee Lima pattern (again found on Ravelry). The requirement was to complete a pattern that uses buttons.

I cast on yesterday and the sweater looks like this so far. It's actually a prettier marled blue yarn than what is shown. Again, it's a gloomy day here in Southern IL so that makes for gloomy photos.

My dryer has buzzed so I guess I'll head downstairs to give it some attention. While I'm down there I think I'll get that Santa Hat Mat quilted up! Have a great day!

Linking up with Movin' It Forward. Looking forward to seeing what everyone has been working on this past week!

Secret Santa SAL & Friday Night Sew-In

Yesterday I made quite a bit of progress on Secret Santa SAL with Temecula Quilt Shop. Here are Steps 3 & 4 all sewn up, waiting patiently with Steps 1 & 2 to see what's next.

I noticed this morning that Step 5 is posted and my stomach lurched when I saw I was to cut out 96 scrappy small rectangles AND 48 a tad bigger rectangles. I read on to see that we'll also be sewing some of these steps into squares and the finale will be revealed next week. OMG!

While I was basking in being caught up, I thought I'd see about cutting up more fabrics for the few steps I'm behind on Dresden Quilt Workshop. And here we go ... This is a picture of the sewn-up blades for three small dresden plates.

 They now look like this, all turned out and pressed. So pretty, each and every one of the 36.

So then I cut & cut & cut and got 96 mini blades cut and sewn. They're all ready to be turned right-side out next.

A couple of days ago we got 4" of snow. My Gracie was in high gear racing through the white stuff. Doesn't she look like she's having a blast?

On a sad note, this week my cousin's 57-year-old husband passed away from esophagal-stomach cancer and on the same day I learned that a dear man that used to be our neighbor (who with his wife were the main ones to welcome us into the neighborhood) had passed away the week before with his funeral yesterday. He truly died serving his country as he is one of many that has contracted "Afghanistan Lung" while doing his job. He passed away two days before Veterans Day -- a veteran who did his job without looking for praise. Just doing his job whether in the Middle East or helping tornado-torn Rollo, MO.

Look around. Be grateful. Happy Thanksgiving!

Linking up with Sugarlane Quilts for Friday Night Sew-In. Thank you, Wendy, for again hostessing this fun evening!

Also linking up with Em's Scrapbag for Movin' It Forward Monday. Thank you, Emily, for again hostessing all of us for sharing our progress!

Sewing Like My Pants are on Fire!

Lately I've been sewing like my pants are on fire. First up is a finish. Yay!

I made this Fall table runner for my daughter. I'm in a table runner club at O'Sew Personal, my LQS. I thought this turned out cute and it's 24"x48". Should fit my daughter's 29"x49" coffee table perfectly. The colors are a little wild but suits her decor! 😉

The quilting really set it off. I took 6 different leaves from a recent walk with Gracie and traced them on cardboard. Then I used one of those blue markers and traced around the patterns here & there. When it was time to quilt it, I did curlicues and off-the-cuff leaves to connect the drawn ones. Voile!

I'm making a mad scramble to get caught up on Temecula Quilt Shop's sew-a-long. I love their SALs and this one promised to be finished by Thanksgiving. That means we're getting close and I'm behind (naturally). 

This was Step 1 which I finished a few days ago. There are twelve of these unequal 9-patches. They're small, only measuring 4-3/4" unfinished.

This is Step 2. I cut the strips out Saturday and sewed them up yesterday. There are 68 (!!!!) of these tiny 9-patches. They measure a mere 2-3/4" unfinished.

This morning I cut all the strips for Steps Three & Four. Yoi!! Here's a picture of Step Three's strips. They'll need to be sewn together, cut up, and then sewn into the proper 68 units. I don't think I'll be going anywhere soon! Haha!

Of course with all this going on, I'm now three steps behind on Dresden Quilt Workshop! And when's the last time you've see or heard me talk about Kyoto???? Stop this train -- I want to get off!!!!!

Sewing like crazy and loving life!

Linking up with Movin' It Forward.