On the needles 1/25/13

A few more decrease rows and my latest pair of socks is done.  This is Stiletto Yarn from Plymouth Yarn Company and it was made in Romania.  I used my favorite pattern Simple SKYP, free from Ravelry.  These are for a friend with considerably larger feet then mine.  I was getting a little panicky about 1/2 way through the second sock but looks like I will have a little left over.  I guess I need to invest in a scale.  I haven't used this yarn brand before but it feels quite nice and I love the silver threads.

Check out the other sock posts at Patchwork Times

What's on my feet?

Judy L, over on Patchwork Times is having a show us your socks day.  Check them out!

It is on the cool side here in Phoenix so I do actually have socks on.  These are one of the first pairs of socks I made about 2 years ago.  I picked up the yarn at Joann's and it is an inexpensive commercially made yarn.  You can wash and dry them with your regular laundry and they have worn well.  This is Paton's Stretch Sock Yarn which is a combination of cotton, wool, nylon, and elastic.  The color is mineral.  I did not have to do anything extra or change my methods for the elastic.  They are not as soft on the bottom of the feet though.

On the Needles January 18, 2013

Denise at Just Quiltin' has started a knitting UFO encouragement program.  I was thinking I had no actual knitting UFO's when I remember the Christmas sock from 5 or 6 years ago.  I finally found it in a bag hanging on the closet door knob-and now I know where my missing size 9 needles are too.

This was a kit I purchased with 2 choices for the stocking design.  This is straight knit-before I learned to use double pointed needles.  The picture on the stockings are to be done using duplicate stitch-which I haven't done before.  I decided to just knit the picture in as I went along.  I think I remember doing about 1/2 Santa's face but I must have pulled that part out.  Here is photo of the finished stockings from the pattern and my meager attempt.  I think I will pull it all out and start again maybe with another pattern.

I have finished the pair of socks I was working on and started another pair.

Check out the other needles at Patchwork Times.

Design Wall Monday

BRRRRRRRRR!  When I got up this morning at 6:30am, it was 24 degrees!!!  Hey, this is sunny Arizona; what in the world is going on?  A few days ago, we had record cold temperatures, the lowest in over 30 years.

I covered some of my plants, like my gardenia but the trees are too large to protect.  I know the trees will recover but the oranges and grapefruit?????  Hopefully the ones on the inner parts of the trees will be fine or at least good enough for juice.  Luckily, yesterday we picked 6 large boxes to donate and they are under the carport so they should be fine.

Yesterday, I cut out the fabric for the mystery quilt my group is working on and I sewed the first clues.  Fast and easy little 3 1/2" nine patches.

I am also going to work on a UFO from about 6 years ago.  We started to do this in our group but somehow mine got put aside for newer more interesting projects-or at least that is what I tell myself.

I need about 30 more units to begin block construction.  I think I already have all the pieces I need to get this top finished quickly.  It is strictly from my scraps.  I am making this for my SIL, the new quilter.  She still wants to have one of mine.  She was mainly doing crocheted afghans before the quilt bug got her so I never made her a quilt.  

Check out the other design wall posts at Patchwork Times

My first stash report 2013

I have not participated in the stash report for way too long.  I want to get back into reporting regularly to add some accountability and track my stash use.  I did not report last Sunday since I had no fabric movement either way.

This week I purchased some fabric for the mystery quilt my little group is doing during 2013.  I pulled most of the fabric from my stash but added the dark purple (Kona Raisin) to fabric I already had in my stash (some of it was at least 10 years old).  I may need another piece as I can see 2 of the fabrics are very close in color.

My quilts4military mystery quilt, went home Friday night with my friend Sharon who is a longarm quilter.  I am counting the fabric in the top.  I used fabric from my stash and the blue and background fabric are scrappy.  The red was all part of a wide backing fabric.  When I get the top back, I will count the backing and binding fabric.  I can't count it until I see how much is left to go back into the stash.

I also used a yard of Arizona State Centennial fabric to make an apron for a gift.  That's another yard out!

Fabric in:      1 yard
Fabric out:    6 3/4 yards
Usage for 2013    5 3/4 yards

Hooray!!!!

Check out the other reports at Patchwork Times.

A good day for wool socks

Here I am in sunny Arizona and it was 32 degrees when I got up at 7am.  It is now almost 9am and the temperature is up to almost 40.  Weather has been so strange for us these past few years-as it has been other places as well.

I covered my gardenia last night and brought the 2 potted plants in from the patio.  I hope the citrus has not frozen-the trees are loaded and I'd hate to waste all that fruit.

I finished the peacock blue socks I was knitting for my friend and started another pair for myself.  I have finished one of this new pair and have the ribbing done on the second sock.  They are the same pattern but the texture shows much better on the lighter colored socks.  The pattern is Hermione's Everyday Socks and it is free from Ravelry.  The yarn is Regia exotic color Easter.

Check out the other posts at Patchwork Times.

Design Wall Monday, January 7th 2013

I am working on this little quilt for Linus Project.  Our group of 12 quilters has been making quilts for almost a year for Linus Project.  One of the ladies in my group attempted to slim down her stash by donating lots and lots of fabric to our group for these quilts.  This kit was made of 3 one yard pieces of fabric.  The pattern is from Fabric Cafe.  I need to add some borders and the top will be complete.  The backing will be flannel and needs to be pieced as well.  I am hoping to call this my first completion for 2013.

I forgot to post photos of my little snowman pillow.  I admired this pillow when Judy D at Gramma's Quilting Room showed it last year.  She very graciously gave me the pattern since she no longer needed it.   It is so cute and I must say that it was a hit at our group's Christmas party.  The new owner was so happy to get it.

I will gladly return Judy's favor by passing the pattern on to the first person who asks for it.

Check out the rest of the design walls at Patchwork Times.

On the Needles-first Friday 2013

Here we go again.  Another year, another Friday.

I was feeling pretty smug because Denise at Justquiltn has started sticks and string 2013-a way to get unfinished knitting projects finished.  Not only smug but I was feeling pretty superior too!  Oh how the mighty fall.

I decided I only had the two pair of socks I am currently working on so I had no ufo's.  

But think again.  I woke up in the middle of the night thinking of that poor unfinished Christmas stocking that I had started when RJ, my great-nephew was born 5 years ago-arrrgh!  And now he has a sister.

So, I am going to dig and dig until I find it and finish it and also make one for Julia.  I'll find it before next Friday.

These photos are the same pair of socks.  The darker color is closer to the "real" peacock color.  I am ready to start the decreases for the toes.

Check out the other needles at Patchwork Times.