Sunday, July 26, 2015

Finished

I just finished this small afghan this week. I saw on Pintrest how to do a granny stripe so I tried it out with these soft baby colors. I really enjoyed this small project except for changing yarn every row, guess I'm lazy when it comes to yarn. I used a big hook so it grew fast and after the first two rows it was easy counting. I started another just like it but with a smaller hook and variegated baby yarn, so no changing every row. It's definitely going to take longer but it will be sweet when finished.

  I started using cheater glasses these last two months or so, not happy about it but it's better than squinting at my close up work. I can also see to play mahjong on my Kindle now too.

Sunday, July 19, 2015

Quilts

 I can finally post a pic of this sample from the Quilt Shoppe. Mom finished the binding for me last week. It hung at the shop as a top until the kits sold. Sorry the pic is so bad, it just would not let me get a better shot because it was so light colored. The pattern is Yellow Brick Road I believe.
 I got a Layer Cake on a sidewalk sale last year. It finally turned into a baby quilt.
 Same with this quilt, it was the same line only a charm pack.
 I was a super big Hello Kitty fan when I was young. I might still be.............just a pre print panel ran thru the quilting machine and on the way to my Mom's for binding.
 

Denim and fleece

 I was in charge of Quilt group the other day. I made up kits for pencil cases and put the girls to work. They were great and we got a bunch done to give to the local school. I know the kids will love them!
 Mom thought fleece headbands would be great for little girls so here's the first one finished. I have 6 or 7 sewn and turned. Now to finish with the top stitching.
 I am working on hats, scarves and dog toys from a bag of fleece scraps my friend Angel gave me a few years ago. Her boy scout group made fleece blankets and she saved the scraps. I am giving a few to some kids I know and the rest will be going in the Rez box.
I made this set special for my niece Rylee for Christmas. Whoooooooooohoooooooooooo I have one sewn present done!!!!!!

Hats....again....

 I found a really easy basic childs hat pattern a couple weeks ago. Give me an hour in front of the TV and I give back a hat. I am using up random bits of yarn with a few new one's thrown in for variety. (couldn't resist the blue variegated from Hobby Lobby)

 I use two strands held together for most of these so sport or baby yarn is great, if I use regular yarn I always pair it up with a lighter yarn. I found two strands of regular yarn makes a stiff hat and way to heavy for a young child. This pile of hats will be donated. More than likely to Pine Ridge Reservation.
 Sometimes I do make something for myself, this is an infinity scarf. I will make a brown headband out of fleece to wear with it. I really like brown with pink and it will look good with my brown coat.  This is just a double crochet joined at the ends with a twist in the loop to make it hang nice without fussing while putting it on. Two balls of yarn and an evenings worth of work.
I finished a few "travel" projects also. Two round washcloths and a hotpad. I used up bits of yarn in the washcloths but my dishes won't mind the funky design.

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

pencil bags

I made a few pencil bags this last week. No I don't have any kids who need bags but when has that stopped me from making something? I am sending some to Pine Ridge Reservation in So. Dakota, one to my niece and I am giving one of the Green Eggs and Ham bags to my little brother for his 41st B-day. He drove everyone in the family crazy reading that book to him when he was little. He knew it by heart and could recite it start to finish.
  I used scraps from other projects so they are all different sizes, the blue denim one will even hold a ruler.
  I can't seem to get my camera to be seen by the computer so no more pic's of anything, in fact the last few pic's I stole from my Moms blog. Thanks Mom!

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Happy 4th

 My Mom gave me her tablerunner she made for an online contest. She got 2nd place! It now lives on my kitchen table with some red candles as a centerpiece.
  I had a housefull on the 4th, mostly family. Everyone was well behaved and we had a good time.
My little flag was also made by my Mom. This is the second flag she made for a different online contest. I hung it on the side of my refrigerator. I like a touch of RWB in the summertime, I usually start with Memorial Day Weekend, include Flag Day, ramp up with the 4th and coast thru July and August with the theme and finish with Labor Day Weekend. I think RWB is more of a season than a singular holiday.

Thursday, July 2, 2015

Cherries are done!

 Sara and I spent the afternoon doing cherries. The jars in the front are cherry sauce. Or icecream topping is what we use it for. The jars in the back are cherry jam. First time for making cherry jam around here, it turned out yummy! The large gallon jar in the back of the pic is Amaretto Cherry Liquor. I love it mixed with coke! I also made 2 quarts of cherry juice, sweetened to make Cherry Coke's.
 Sara also made her first homemade pie today, sorry no pic's, we taste tested it tonight and it was fantastic. I've never made cherry pie so I told her to look in the cookbook, well after searching 3 different books she googled it. I thought for sure the church cookbook would have it, or the 4-H book, or the state fair winners cookbook............hmmmmm they must of thought cherry pie was to basic to include in their books.
Here's the pits I'm planning to put in my Hot/cold bags, all dried out and ready to be sewn into bags. Sara has been playing with them to get all the cherry bits off the pits. Would be easier to just grab a bag of rice or beans off the shelf but not near as much fun as using every bit of those wonderful cherries.

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Little girl dresses

 This afternoon I took my serger and a basket full of unfinished dresses to my Moms. This is what we got finished.
 Sara and I started these at least 7 years ago, she helped me cut, and pick out trim while at work one day at the quilt shoppe. I know we got the fabric from a garage sale and probably the bias tape and lace too. We finished 2 of the dresses that day so long ago. We made a lot of size 12 dresses, I'm guessing that was the size she was at the time we made these.
 I finished 6 of them today. They look more like nightgowns to me than dresses.
 The blue one I finished special for my niece Rylee, it got a thumbs up!
 And now shes ready for the 4th of July in her blue dress with red trim.
The rest of the dresses will get sent to Pine Ridge Reservation along with some hair bands and a couple more pencil bags. I have stuff ready for 6 more dresses I think......wow I was feeling optimistic about my sewing skills when I assembled those kits!
  I learned today how to apply bias tape (finally got it right on the last dress) and that I dislike threading my serger. I must of been more patient 25 years ago when I bought it. Oh well, maybe the next one will be an easy thread model.