The latest update

Decided it was high time I update this blog. I have not been sewing or knitting as much as I would have liked since the last time I updated in April. I have had my nose buried in an MMORPG which translates in normal language...killing brain cells by playing one of those online computer games. I have decided not to continue in the game that I was playing. I have since been introduced to a different game by my nephew and I find it to be a far more relaxing and enjoyable game. But it will not be the kind I spend endless hours playing. At least I hope not. :)

I recently started and finished a crochet afghan for my youngest dear son. He seems to really be enjoying it. I have also started work on another needle-turn hand appliqué block for a Baltimore Album style quilt. I used the Electric Quilt software program to design the layout and chose my block patterns from the software's expansive library.

I really enjoy needle - turn appliqué. I do find it to be not only very creative but also very relaxing so it is very rewarding for me when I complete a block.

I know, many women today gasp at the idea of handwork. It is not for everyone. It is however something I love.

Ann

Gem Socks

I am so thrilled to have finally completed this sock set! I have always wanted to incorporate beading into my knitting and with this sock set; I finally have. I designed the leg cuff myself which makes them all the more pleasing to me. My youngest son took one look at them and told me that I should call them the "Gem Socks" because to him, the beads look like little gems. I decided that any kid with that much imagination needed to be rewarded so I have officially named them the "Gem Socks."

Baby Socks

I guess you can say I love to knit socks! I love a project that I can finish in a reasonable amount of time. I have found though I tend to get left over yarn from my sock knitting and decided a good way to use it up would be to make baby socks for gift giving. I attend an active church and it seems there is always someone having a baby. LOL! Usually, I am not prepared in advance and scrambling to produce or buy something at the last minute for the showers; although admittedly, I have missed the last few baby showers. This time I have decided to get prepared ahead of time and use that left over yarn to get prepared and hopefully, by the time the next new little one arrives to the church membership, I will have an army of little socks ready to gift.

Knit snow hat

This is my oldest son wearing a snow hat I knitted for him a year or two ago in camo colored 4 ply worsted weight yarn. I used circular needles, K1,P1 ribbing for 6 inches then basic stockinette knitting for the main body and made K2tog and SSK decreases to reduce and shape the top of the hat.

Winter Snowstorm February 2007

Winter has definitely arrived to my little corner of the world. We were hit heavy with an overnight snowstorm that has all the little ones cheering. Schools have all closed down, snowmen will be erected and the sledes will finally make their way out of basements and garages for fun winter frolicking. My son took a large yardstick out and insists that we have 5 inches of snow so far. We are still under heavy snowfall. The roads are being plowed and covered with a salt and sand mix however the snow plow warriors can barely make their passes down the roads and clear them before the ongoing snowfall covers them right back up again.

Click the photos to see enlargements.

Soft "Blazing Star"

This is a pattern that I have often longed to create. It has a variety of names. The magazine where I got this pattern named it the "Blazing Star" My star is in soft tones. It is still a work in progress. I am appliquéing a floral and vine motive of my own designing in the large border.

"Hourglass"

I found the block design for this quilt in a magazine and chose my own colors and layout. I made this quilt for my youngest son. It is machine pieced and stipple quilted. I feel the colors are very suitable for a guy and my son absolutely loves this quilt. I started this quilt in 2002 and completed it in 2005.

"Butterfly" Quilt

I created the blocks for this quilt between 2001 and 2005. I found this butterfly appliqué design in a magazine that featured quilt designs from the 1930s and kicked it up a notch by using todays fabrics. I chose to make it even more scrappy by using numerous left overs from other projects for the squares borders. Each block had two rows of squares bordering it then were sewn together to create the whole quilt top which I layered and quilted using my sewing machine. I gave this quilt to one of my aunts in May 2006.

"Fan Quilt"

This fan quilt was one of my first quilts. I started this during the first gulf war under President George Bush the senior. I can remember being in the fabric store buying some of my fabrics for this and learning that the US had declared war. I remember being glued to the television watching the war coverage as I sewed the blades for these fans together and to the the unbleached muslin background block. I finished piecing together this quilt by hand then tucked it away for many many years before pulling it back out in late 2001 and began hand quilting it. I would often put it away for a few months at a time then pull it back out to work on it here and there. I eventually completed this quilt about a year ago and gave it to my oldest son. He chose the green fabric that was used in each of the fans as a young toddler as well as the blue fabric which has a sailboat design on it. Not what I would have chosen but it was what he insisted we needed to get at the time. LOL!