Monday, May 27

Triumph!

The quilt, I has built it. My guess on March 31 was surprisingly accurate - it took 4.5 hours to sew up the last four seams (including fixing two squares that didn't have enough hem). Now, the big decision: to turn it into a comforter cover (easier to care for) or true quilt (more aesthetically appealing). I'm leaning toward the latter, but also have these buttons and white fabric I bought a couple of months ago when I was leaning the other way... hmm.

Anyway, here is the 12x12 block. Very exciting!

4.5 hours
Catherine














Wednesday, May 8

Pig Complete

I finished the pig, now named Sir Oinks-A-Lot, except for his tail and stitching on embroidery eyes and nostrils.  Smallest has been loath to release him, so it will have to wait a bit.  I'll get a picture of it then too.

Last weekend Smallest and I went to the Emerald Ball ballroom competition in LA and had a great time.  I needed a project to take on the plane since the pig was done, so I poked around in Ravelry and checked out what yarn I had handy and came up with a plan for a baby blanket.  Not only do I have all the yarn I need, when I knit my swatch, I got gauge!  That never happens to me.  I used the suggested needle size and it worked.  Amazing.

The blanket is for a friend's new grand baby.  She's very excited about the baby, and it's a nice way to do some knitting, use up some yarn and make a baby happy.

I took it all along with me (plus a back-up crochet project in case knitting wasn't an option) and finished four or fine inches of it.  Smallest and I played a computer game much of the time, so not as much knitting as I expected.  I did get about 1.5 hours in on the way there, and some more time here and there through the weekend, plus the flight back.

I've also promised Middle that I would make her a crochet top for summer.  Not sure how that happened, but I did.  Unfortunately, none of the stores in town have the weight of cotton that I needed, unless I wanted to buy 30 little skeins from the sewing store, so I "had" to go to www.yarn.com and order a big cone of cotton yarn.  I'll have lots left over.  I am sure I will not be allowed to make a matching top for myself.  So, once the yarn arrives, I'll pause on the blanket and get the top done.

Not much else that I know.  Our brother came and stayed with The Boy and Middle while we were off in Dancy-land.  They had a fun weekend.

So, a tally of hours - it took me an hour to finish up the pig parts and sew it together, then 1.5 on the plane to LA, and probably another 2 total on the trip, including the flight home.  I did get in another 30 minutes while waiting at Middle's dr. appt. Monday afternoon, so 4 hours to add.

8.5 hours total

Margie