Getting Carried Away

This morning Wes suggested we walk to Fremont to see the Sunday Market and maybe get some lunch. Once we were there we decided to keep walking to Ballard to visit the library and try the Sunday fried chicken dinner at The Hi-Life. In all we walked 4.5 miles! I'm surprised the kids didn't complain more. The fried chicken was amazing, by the way. And so much food. We have enough for lunches for tomorrow.

My quilting has taken a similar route. I started with the crazy little squares but I didn't feel like cutting the sashing. Then I started a Sparks Baby Quilt. I made all the blocks but didn't feel like cutting the sashing. So I started cutting fabric for another quilt. This one is inspired by a pattern from Kaffe Fassett's Quilts in the Sun. I'm trying to use all the fabrics I already have for these projects. I just don't think I have the right mix for this one. I've also discovered that I really like mid-range value fabrics. I'm talking about color depth here not savings. I don't have many very light or very dark fabrics. I like stuff right in the middle. The pattern I'm trying to put together is made from half-square triangles. They need a dark side and a light side. Mine just look kind of meh. So I sucked it up and cut the sashing for the crazy blocks. I calculated the yardage based on 2" sashing then I cut 2.5". I realized my mistake as I noticed I was running out of fabric. I'll pick some more up tomorrow. I haven't taken any pictures other than this really crappy one of the Sparks blocks. It was just for my own reference.



I think this one might get filed in my Excessively Scrappy drawer. It's kind of cute though.

Also, if any fabric gurus are out there, do you know what this fabric is? I got a fat quarter who knows where who knows when. But I just love it. It makes me smile. I would love to know what line it is from.

Scraps for Sanity

My left hand still hurts. My right hand hurts now from doing everything one-handed. My appointment with the hand specialist got canceled. I needed something to do. So I started to make scrappy quilt blocks. They're kind of addictive.



This isn't even all of them. I've made 29 so far. When my older son got home from school and saw me at the sewing machine he said, "Uh...aren't you supposed to resting?"
"Well," I said, "I did spend several hours on the couch today with an ice pack.
"And then you cracked?"
He really knows me so well.

Yes, I cracked. The needlepoint/embroidery was making my right hand hurt. So I started sewing. Very easy on the hands. I put my leg-lift bar thing on my machine so I can raise and lower the presser foot hands-free. I grab two scraps and stitch. I chain-pieced so I just kept grabbing two and stitching over and over. Then I cut them apart and pressed, trimmed a bit if necessary then started again with the larger pieced putting them together. Repeated endlessly. It was mindless and very satisfying. Now I have all these blocks. I got a little fabric to make sashing but I will wait on that. Holding the ruler firmly and pressing hard with my rotary cutter is too hard on my hands.

So in the meantime...more scraps!



I made four 12.5" blocks (based on this tutorial) just using odds and ends. So much fun. The results is a little chaotic and crazy. I don't care. I really enjoyed making it.

Thursdays are for What the Hell is This?

Anyone for a swim?









Better get our your wool roving, crochet hook and suede boots. You'll be beach-ready in no time.

Doubleknit #33

It's up.

Vogue Knitting Preview

I really must not be feeling well because I kind of like it! The 360° is up too.

Stitching For Sanity

Sorry to be so quiet. My hand is still very sore. I have it in a splint, am resting it as much as I can stand, am icing it and taking anti-inflammitories. I have an appointment to see a hand specialist on Friday. I have not knit a stitch in nearly a week. It makes me sad. The long-draw spinning I did last week was fun but I don't have any other roving and I don't want to waste nicely prepared top with messy long-draw spinning.

So to keep my sanity I've been doing a little stitching.





These are from Jenny Hart's Stitch-it Kit. (Geez, I guess it's discontinued because someone is selling it for $195!! Excuse me, my eyes just fell out of my head. What the hell? Jenny has a new book, Embroidered Effects, which is also great, and her Sublime Stitching Craft Pad is only $5.18 right now.) I love her style. I ironed this image on to a dishcloth back in the summer of '07.

I also pulled out an old needlepoint book I've always loved but never used, Needlework Animals by Elizabeth Bradley which can also be had for a song these days.



N for narwhal. It's just slightly over 6" square. I can stitch--slowly--with one hand. It's diverting and fun but it's not knitting.

Thursdays are for What the Hell is This?

Ah, the plight of the male model.

















Just trying to decide which to make for Wes first, the floor-length sweater-dress or the corseted wrap-front.

Damn

Diagnosis: de Quervain's Disease. I've been referred to a hand specialist.

Pringle of Scotland

This video has been around for a few weeks but I only just watched it. Very silly stuff.

Spinning for Sanity

So my arm is still really hurting. I went to knitting last night and tried to take it easy. I came home early. We all wanted to watch some Olympics coverage but I could not cope with just sitting in front of the TV doing nothing. Honestly, how do non-knitters do that? So I had Wes help me bring my wheel upstairs and did some long-draw spinning. It didn't hurt my arm and I spun 7 oz of mystery wool/mohair/whatever from Dawn's Custom Carding. I had it all plied before bed.



I tried to follow Judith MacKenzie McCuin's advice for worsted--under-spin the singles and over-ply it. This yarn came out fairly dense though since I was spinning more for sanity than for style.

IK Preview, Spring 2010

It went up while I was gone. But just in case you haven't seen it yet, here it is.

Madrona 2010

Fair Isle Yoke Design with Janine Bajus



Nature's Palette with Jill Laski



The Pleasures of Spinning a Fleece: Down Breeds



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