Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts

Wednesday, 31 December 2014

gifts and give-aways

Before the year closes, I’d like to show you some of the quilt-related things I have received in the last few weeks.

You may remember that, in November, I joined the linky party over at Vrooman’s Quilts called “Let’s Book It!”. This was the first time I had joined the party and, much to my surprise, I won that month’s give-away: a beautiful little quilt barn pin and a quilt charm to attach to it. So cute! Thanks so much, Sharon.

2014 quilt barn pin and charm from Sharon Vrooman

Sharon was one of the most regular followers of my now-defunct linky party, “Something Old, Something New” and her blog inspires me with quilting ideas and links to other “scrappy quilters” that it should be me sending her a gift not the other way around!

Christmas has been and gone for another year (although in my family tradition, Christmas begins on 25 December and ends on the Feast of the Epiphany, 6 January, so our lights, decorations and tree are still up. That may change this weekend!). It’s time to show you the quilt-related gifts I received (exactly when did this blog stop being primarily about knitting? LOL) :

Firstly, my mum gave me a book called Scrap Quilt Sensations by Kim Brackett.

Scrap Basket Sensations

I first saw this book on Sharon’s blog and fell in love with this quilt called “Island Chain”.

Island Chain from Scrap Basket Sensations

Sharon made hers in a very different (and prettier IMHO) colour combination. I just had to have the book so that I could make my scrappy version. I would have been happy to find one pattern that I liked; there are several so that’s a bonus. You can expect to see quilts made from patterns in this book (or at least inspired by them) over the next couple of years.

Then WM surprised me with EQ7 software – since I am an inveterate computer-user (DD says I am not a nerd but I love computers and my iPad; I have to force myself to stay away from them to do other things, even the things I love – luckily my sewing machine is also a form of computer! LOL) and like to design my own quilts, this is a perfect gift for me (when I make the time to read the 250+ pages of the manual!) I am looking forward to playing with it but first I have projects I need to bring to completion. (No, I didn’t get a design wall but I have a birthday in April – if I can wait that long!)

DD bought WM and I Lindt Lindor chocolate balls packaged in a giant Lindor shaped container. To give you some idea of scale, I have photographed it with my 4” red-work pin-cushion (made by Anorina who blogs at Samelia’s Mum – another give-away win! I love it and use it a lot, Anorina – thanks heaps! BTW, Anorina has made the pattern for this embroidery available on her blog)

2014 Lindor ball

DD also gave each of us a class from Craftsy – WM got a photography-related one, I got Art Quilting 101. I can’t show you a photo because the picture on Craftsy is a hyperlink to my class!

If you’ve never tried Craftsy and you’re into Sewing, Quilting, Knitting, Drawing, Photography, Gardening, Woodwork or Cooking (to name a few) you really should have a look. There are many free mini-classes to whet your appetite; they are always available after you enrol and Craftsy has some great sale prices at frequent intervals! They also do patterns (both free and available for purchase), kits and supplies, as well as showing projects and having their own blog. And, as a disclaimer, I am not being paid for this, I have no affiliation with Craftsy except as a very happy consumer. I have had reason to experience their customer service (I ordered a class for WM and it ended up on my classes because I pressed the wrong purchase button) and it was unbelievably fast and excellent!

We spent Christmas Day with SIL’s parents. They gave me six fat quarters of Christmas fabric – what a lovely, thoughtful present for a quilter. Thank you, J&A.

2014 Christmas fabric from J&A

Finally, a Christmas present from “Santa”; an item that has been on my Book Depository wishlist for quite some time: Connecting Quilts, Art & Textiles by M. Joan Lintault. This only arrived yesterday so I haven’t even opened it yet!

IMG_2416

I believe in shopping locally where possible but sometimes I can get books from The Book Depository for almost half of what I would pay for them in Australia. The Book Depository has free shipping worldwide so there is a great saving to made. Plus books are delivered right to my door!

So, I’m set with quilting-related material for the New Year. (Speaking of the new year, I hope you’re all enjoying my new blog header – that view was taken from my deck! Gotta love those trees!)

Knitting? What’s that? LOL

Did you receive any books or other items related to your hobbies recently?

PS Thanks, WM, for the photos!

Thursday, 25 December 2014

Christmas in Australia snapshots

Posted from Blogger app where I have no control of photo size or location!

Up at 6am to a cry of "Santa didn't come!" -- his Santa sack wasn't at the end of the bed but in the lounge room near the Christmas tree.
  

Raiding of Santa sacks, playing with toys and posing for photos followed by a breakfast of bacon and eggs cooked on the barbecue.


Presents -- the first time the boys have had a tree at home with presents underneath it. Mummy was almost as excited as the boys!

Off to Ma and Pa's place for more presents (no photos) and Christmas lunch. So much food!

Watermelon -- yum! 
But I'm not letting go of the scooter Santa brought me.


I hope you had (or are having) a lovely Christmas Day. 
God bless you.

Monday, 23 December 2013

And so that was Christmas!

Christmas is all but over for WM and I. All that's left to show for it is a tree that was still growing in a paddock last Friday, a fridge full of left-overs, a tray of untouched lollies, about a kilogram of cashew-nuts, half a tray of glacĂ© fruit, most of a large Christmas pudding, about ten mince pies…

And a very bad cold (and infected sinuses) which has knocked me right out of action -- an unexpected and unwanted present from my grandsons!

For the first time in thirty-six years of married life, WM and I will spend Christmas Day without family.

For the first nine years we had Christmas lunch with my family and spent Christmas evening with his -- I am very blessed to have in-laws who didn't expect us for Christmas morning and lunch!

Then along came DD; and my family came to us for Christmas. That lasted until my sister started having children, then we alternated who was hosting.

After her second divorce, my sister moved away, closer to our parents, but we continued the alternating years until WM started working shift work and we couldn't get away. Then began many Christmases with just the three of us. Mum and dad would join on 27th December and stay until 2nd January.

Now DD and family have moved away and we had to find new ways to be together. WM had to work today (Christmas Eve) and be back at work on Friday so we can't travel to them for Christmas.

Instead, we've had three family celebrations where DD and the family have been present.

The weekend before last we went away to Ebor, in northern NSW, about two-and-a-half hours from where DD now lives and a 1600km (1000 miles) round trip for us. We went there to share Christmas with my sister, her children, her sons-in-law, her 8-month-old grand-daughter, and my mum. What a great weekend we had. My sister booked accommodation for all fourteen of us and we had a wonderful time.
2013-12-17 Moffat Falls family
L to R: Sister, OG, N2H2S, SIL, DD, YG, Boyfriend #2, Niece #2, WM, great-Niece, Niece #1, Boyfriend #1, Mum, Nephew
On Tuesday, DD and family arrived here. Mum arrived on Thursday. On Saturday, WM and I hosted Christmas (ham and turkey with salad followed by a choice of Christmas pudding or fruit salad) here with my brother and his family, mum, mum-in-law, DD and family. Hence the fridge full of leftovers mentioned in the first paragraph. The photo shows my youngest niece (mum’s youngest grand-daughter, aged one month younger than my Older Grandson) opening the first present of the day.
2013-12-21 opening the first present
L to R: DD (under hat), YG, OG, SIL, niece, DSIL, N2H2S, DB, MIL, Mum (WM is taking the photo)
Yesterday WM and I took mum to Strathfield station to make the trip home, went to church then went to WM's extended family get-together. He's the eldest of six and his mum has seventeen grandchildren (all but one with partners or spouses) and thirteen great-grandchildren. Unfortunately, a lot of them weren't able to make it. It was extremely hot and incredibly noisy. The cold my grandsons shared with me had hit with a vengeance (colds in summer seem worse than those in winter) so we only stayed about four hours. I hope I didn't share too many germs, I tried to stay away from as many people as possible!
2013-12-22 a sweaty YG
a sweaty boy reads a new book
2013-12-22 SIL and OG in pool
one of the best places to be when the temperature is 40°C (104°F)
2013-12-22 some of the great grandsons
four of my mother-in-law's six great-grandsons; she also has seven great-grand-daughters
DD and the family left at 10:30 yesterday morning. There were so many things that I should have been doing and so many things I could have been doing but what did I do? Went to bed and slept for another two and a half hours!

It's bizarre sitting here looking at the tree. I'm still waiting for Christmas feelings to arrive but they seem to have gotten lost even more so than usual! I haven't felt at all like Christmas, despite all the hoop-la we've been through! It's also bizarre seeing ads for Christmas on television because, in my head, Christmas is already over!

So how will we celebrate the day itself?

We were going into the city to see the Christmas lights but I’m not feeling well enough to brave the crowds. WM is secretly pleased, after all the excitement of the last couple of weeks he’s looking forward to a couple of quiet days! Tomorrow morning we will go to a low socio-economic suburb not too far from here where we've volunteered to help serve lunch to homeless people. After that, we've been invited to afternoon tea at our friends' house.

Boxing Day will be spent quietly at home before WM heads off to work on Friday and "normal life" resumes for us.

January is summer vacation time in Australia but WM won't have his annual leave until next October. With all my classes and most of my other activities (quilting group, Bible study) closed until February, I guess I'll have plenty of time for my own crafting activities!

Whatever you're doing, and whoever you're spending it with, I wish you a peaceful and joyous Christmas. There’s only one reason why we’re having this holiday (holy day): “peace on earth and good will toward men”.
2013 Christmas lights - nativity
the scene above our garage




Friday, 13 December 2013

another finish

Diagonal Strings is done. It probably shouldn’t have taken as long as it did. The blocks weren’t made by me. They were already quilted. All I had to do was cut and add sashing and cut and add binding.

But you know what it’s like when you’re not feeling the love for the project. It waits. It occasionally growls at you as you walk past.

And eventually you have to get it finished if only to silence that “so close and yet so far” feeling.
Diagonal Strings finished 
Anyway, it’s done and it’s even got a label (I often forget those on the quilting group quilts). This is the first label I have added while attaching the binding – what a great time saver; and the label is less likely to come adrift too!
label and sashing
Isn’t that sashing fabric pretty? A whole metre of that fabric was donated; some people are so generous. I also found about half a metre of the brown fabric I used for the binding in our store cupboard; I wasn't expecting to use brown, I was looking for a burgundy, but the brown works perfectly. Don’t look too closely at my corners; I must have gone too close to the corner with my machine stitching while attaching the binding (I’m still a newbie, remember!) – I didn’t have enough fabric to turn properly!

Now it’s ready for next year’s Airing of the Quilts in April. I’m halfway – I promised myself I’d make six and I’ve done three The fourth is nearing completion so I’m not too far behind.

And in just twelve days, Christmas will be behind us and I can look forward to some solid crafting time.

This weekend, WM and I are off to a little village called Ebor in the New England Ranges (approximately 570km, 355 miles from here)  to share Christmas with Mum, my sister, two nieces and their boyfriends, my nephew, my 8-month-old great-niece (this is my sister's first Christmas as a grandmother), DD, SIL and our Grandsons!
2013-12-01 Ben and Daniel
It’s these two I’m most excited to see! Aren’t they handsome? (a child at pre-school produced that scar on Older Grandson’s face – we’re praying it’s not permanent!) The best news is they’ll be here for a whole week and their parents will be here too so we can just be grandparents!

There won’t be much crafting time but family is way more important, right?

Linking up with Thank Goodness It’s Finished Friday which is being hosted by M-R Charbonneau over at Quilt Matters.

Thursday, 5 December 2013

2013: The Year of the Finished Project -- December edition

Well, here we are -- the final post for 2013. There will be one more post, on January 2, to rap up the year. But, for now, we will focus on November goals and publicly state those we have for December.

Because of my commitments to making (or helping make and distribute) blankets and quilts for victims of the bush-fires in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, I actually put my own projects on hold for seven weeks so didn't have any goals to work towards in November.

I attended Caring Hearts Community Quilting Group's final meeting for 2013 today and learnt that, as a group, we distributed 168 quilts to children who lost everything in the fires. Our group didn't make all the quilts, many (the majority) were donated by good-hearted quilters from all around the metropolitan area. I also know that so many blankets were donated that requirements were exceeded and one large, well-known charity had their delivery refused!

A friend and I got together during November and sewed 28 squares into a blanket which I have called "Scarlet Diamonds"

My own personal crafting time during November was spent knitting this blanket:

Knitting is time-consuming so I don't have anything else to show for the seven weeks of my absence from 2013: The Year of the Finished Project.

December will be even busier for me than usual. My sister, who became a grandmother for the first time this year, had an idea to get the extended family together on Saturday 14 December. Although its likely to be a seven hour journey for us (after WM works all day Friday), how could I refuse to attend? On top of the other madness that December brings (including our wedding anniversary two days ago), a weekend away is not really want we had in mind.

DD, SIL and our grandsons will be there for the weekend and then coming back here to spend a week with us. The following weekend we have two family Christmas parties -- one for my side of the family and one for WM's extended family (about 60 people if they all attend)!

What does all this have to do with 2013: The Year of the Finished Project, you may ask.

Simply this, my crafting time this month is to be severely limited so my December goal list is necessarily short.

1. Knitted Patchwork #2 blanket -- get it finished

I have 12 half squares to knit then a large amount of seaming and sewing in of ends to do, followed by a border of some kind. I plan to have this one done before we go away for the weekend.

2. Scrappy Diagonals quilt -- get it finished (photo shows one row) 
I started the month with all the rows done and sewed into pairs (and one triplet). I'm pleased to say that, at the time of writing, I have only to cut fabric for the binding, make a level, attach the binding and label and hand sew the binding down. I hope to have this one done tomorrow!

3. Hearts quilt -- get it finished (the photo shows two of the thirty blocks)

I have completed all the blocks and am now considering whether to turn it into a "quilt as you go" project, or to make a flimsy, baste and quilt in the normal fashion! There are, as I'm sure all you quilters know, pros and cons for both!

4. Westall Cardigan (for me)
I would love to see this finished but it's a low priority compared to the other projects I have in progress.

5. Notebook Covers (Christmas gifts for my class mates)
I always seem to leave this till the last minute as I can never decide what to make. I'm almost settled on notebook covers as seen on Samelia's Mum blog. I will make them all on Saturday -- or something else I can do quickly because I need 12 by Monday 16th!

Once DD and family go home on 23 December, I will have the rest of the month except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and the weekend, to myself because WM will be at work. If I complete all my other projects, I plan to work on these:
  • Rainbow Blocks from 2013 (I have four-patches, nine-patches, strings, and improv blocks - like the ones in the photo, all 6"); I'm considering something similar to Dancing Nine-Patch by Bonnie Hunter
  • join more knitted squares into blankets -- my friend and I are slowly working through these piles; thanks D!
  • Country Houses Quilt -- this was my third quilt project, which was started in May 2011, and therefore is my oldest quilting UFO;I just can't make up my mind what I really want to do with it (apart from get it finished)!
  • Socks for Someone #4 -- I stalled at the heel of the first sock because turning heels requires concentration and I haven't had that kind of knitting time (the photo is a pair I k it ted for WM in the same colour way - they are actually much brighter and that "black" band is actually burgundy!)
That should keep me busy enough!

What about you?
How did you do with your November goals?
What, if anything, do you planned for December?

Please link up here with the URL of your specific blog post so we can all visit and see want you've been up to and want plans you have for this final month of 2013.


Monday, 21 January 2013

knitting books

Welcome to my four new followers! If you came in from "Grow Your Blog", here's my "this is me" post. Thanks for dropping by.

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I received only one stitching-related book for Christmas. It is The Knitter’s Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters: Basic Designs in Multiple Sizes and Gauges, by Ann Budd.

There are several patterns in the book I like. I have only shown you details of the patterns but I have provided links to the garments where I could. If you are not a member of Ravelry, I apologise that you can’t access some of these links.

Alpine Tweed By Jared Flood (from his website)
Top Down Sweater Alpine Cardigan
Fibonacci Rings by Ann Budd (Ravelry link)
Top Down Sweaters Fibonacci stripes
Cable Love Henley by Ann Budd (or here for Ravelry link)
Top Down Sweaters Cable Love Henley
India Print Henley by Anne Hanson (modelled here by my blog friend Jocelyn, from Knitting Linguist)
Top Down Sweaters India Print Henley
Feather and Fan Flare by Ann Budd (Ravelry link)
Top Down Sweaters Feather and Fan Flare
I don’t know if I would wear either of the first two, I am too well endowed to want to draw attention to my bust area (says she whose Westall cardigan has lace panels you-know-where) but I certainly can admire the designs.

DD borrowed French Girl Knits (by Kristeen Griffin-Grimes) from the library. I have fallen for a couple of the patterns, particularly Anjou and Celeste.

 French Girl Knits AnjouFrench Girl Knits Celeste

Have you seen any new-to-you stitching books lately?

Tuesday, 25 December 2012

it's Christmas Day

I wish you love, joy and peace this Christmas.


image from http://crazy-frankenstein.com

Saturday, 22 December 2012

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

Back in July, I began the first of three embroideries of Christmas trees.

I finished the third one a couple of weeks ago.

On Wednesday, the three of them were joined with sashing to make the front of a wall-hanging.

On Thursday, the wall-hanging was basted and minimally quilted (in the ditch). The binding was cut but I had trouble with joining the strips at 45°.

On Friday, I re-watched the explanatory video and tried again. The quilt was bound and the binding was sewn down between lunch and dinner time.
2012 Christmas tree wall hanging front
Then, the hanging sleeve was cut and sewn which meant another video (thank goodness for YouTube). The label was cut from a metre of fabric labels I bought in the post-Christmas 2011 sales for $1.00!

After dinner, the hanging sleeve and the label were attached.


All that’s left now is for WM to hang it opposite our front door as a warm greeting to all our visitors.

Nitty-Gritty (for those who care about such things)
size: 32” x 15”
fabric purchased from Spotlightembrodery thread: green (3346), red (304), gold (729), brown (898)
sewing thread: Gutermann white (5709) and charcoal (5902)
stitches: stem stitch, Colonial knot

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
How richly God has decked thee!
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
How richly God has decked thee!
Thou bidst us true and faithful be,
And trust in God unchangingly.
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
How richly God has decked thee!"

Linking up with Thank Goodness it’s Finished Friday post over on Sew Well Maide (hosted by Karen).

Wednesday, 19 December 2012

works in progress (or not)

Warning: poor quality photos – I had to use my iPad because my camera batteries were all flat!
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At the beginning of December, I published a list of my December WiPs. It looked like this:
  1. The Very Hungry Caterpillar quilt
  2. Christmas Tree wall-hanging
  3. Cardigan for Me
  4. Deb’s Diamond Blanket
  5. Merlot Toe Up Sock
  6. hexagon project bag
  7. Scrappy Rainbow improv quilt
Then came the fiasco which was my packing of craft activities for my week away.

But I did manage to finish the second Merlot Toe Up Sock while I was away. Not having my basic knitting tools with me meant that I had to wait to sew the ends in till I came home!
I also mentioned that I took my appliqué heart blocks away with me instead of the hexagon project bag that was on my original WiP list. With stitching time on the train, at embroidery class last week and sewing class this week, I have managed to finish the appliqué on the last few blocks (three of which are shown here).
The ten-hour travel time also gave me a chance to think about the setting of these blocks. I am going to try setting them alternately with the four patch blocks I have made for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, and use the Rainbow String blocks for a piano-key-style border. Well that's the theory anyway!

An incredibly busy and tiring week followed my return home – I am so tired that I don’t have the energy for most craft activities and so fall back to my good old stand-by: knitting.

I have done a little on the right front of my cardigan.
But this lace pattern, as easy as it is to memorise, requires concentration. I can’t knit it when there are people around!

And so, I have been working on the Drop Stitch Scarf I started while away. I don't really have to think, except to count the yarn overs in one row out of four.
The scarf is progressing quite quickly considering my lack of enthusiasm for this project – the acrylic yarn is not pleasant to work with!

And so my list now looks like this:
  1. The Very Hungry Caterpillar quilt (no progress)
  2. Christmas Tree wall-hanging (today’s project)
  3. Cardigan for Me (some progress)
  4. Deb’s Diamond Blanket replaced with Purple Dropped Stitch Scarf (much progress)
  5. Merlot Toe Up Sock (finished)
  6. hexagon project bag replaced with appliqué blocks (finished)
  7. Scrappy Rainbow improv quilt replaced with Scrappy Rainbow “hearts and four-patch” quilt
Just as well I realised at the beginning of the month that there was no way I was going to get all these finished by the end of the month. The list was supposed to focus my activities and, despite my swapping some projects for others, I have managed to stay focused and achieve some progress. At least I swapped and didn’t just add to the list – six or seven is the limit; after that I become overwhelmed!






Friday, 14 December 2012

Becky Kelley reminds us...

I was so moved when I saw this video on Kay's blog that I had to stop what I was doing and come and share it straight away.



I've never heard of Becky Kelley but she had me in tears by the first line of the chorus!

Thanks, Kay, for sharing and thanks Becky for a great reminder.

Wednesday, 5 December 2012

WiPs on Wednesday

Today I am travelling to my mum’s place. She is having the cataract removed from her other eye on Friday and I am going to be with her until Monday. Please pray that it doesn’t rain in or near the township of Moree like it did last year! You may remember that we became trapped by floodwaters for several days in November last year.

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I am slowly working through the long list of WiPs that I published in June and July but the list just seems to get longer as new projects somehow find their way into my craft room! In fact, only two of the seven projects listed here are on that list!

The things that I am concentrating on this month are:
  1. The Very Hungry Caterpillar quilt
  2. Christmas Tree wall-hanging
  3. Cardigan for Me
  4. Deb’s Diamond Blanket
  5. Merlot Toe Up Sock
  6. hexagon project bag
  7. Scrappy Rainbow improv quilt

I don’t know if I’ll get any time to work on that last item. Being away from home for nearly a week plus Christmas activities plus family visiting will cut into my crafting time. Some of these items will not be finished in December: this is just my “focus group”!

Very Hungry Caterpillar Quilt
I am making this quilt for my niece who is expecting her first child in March/April. I just have to sew down the binding and add a label and it will be done! I've not labelled my quilts before: tell me please, what does one write on the label when one doesn’t know the name or the sex of the baby, or even which parent’s surname he/she will have? I guess I could just write “Made with love by Great-Aunty Lynne 2012”. Thoughts?
2012 binding on2012 top close up after quilting
There is no stain on the quilt top – that is the light shining through the dotty fabric on the back. You can see the backing here if you haven’t seen it before.

Christmas Tree Wall-Hanging
It would be really good if I could get this finished and hanging before Christmas. You have seen these three embroideries separately but here they are all together. The one on the right is the one I finished today.
2012 three Christmas tree blocks

Cardigan for Me
After much deliberation over patterns, I have chosen to knit the Westall Cardigan (Ravelry link) for me! As I said in this post, I had a bit of trouble getting gauge, which is nothing unusual for me. I finally got within half a stitch using 3.00mm needles instead of the recommended 3.5mm. For those who don’t knit, there are a lot of consequences to not getting the gauge right – the size of garment can be dramatically altered and a loosely knitted garment can stretch beyond redemption after being washed. On the other hand, a garment which is knitted too tightly will strain and pull, and the knitted fabric could pill and wear out much more quickly than would otherwise happen. Worst of all, after hours of knitting and tens of thousands of stitches, it might not fit its intended wearer!

This particular pattern has an unusual construction; it is knitted from the top down, back first then both fronts at once; all three pieces are then joined below the armholes and the rest of the garment is knitted in one piece. It has a gorgeous lace pattern which is relatively simple to knit. This is how much I have knitted since I cast on last Tuesday (27 November). I am up to the armhole shaping of the back and will then go back and pick up the stitches for both fronts from the provisional cast on (that light blue yarn at the bottom of the photo).
2012 Westall cardigan 68 rows in2012 Westall cardigna stitch pattern
 Deb’s Diamond Blanket
After taking twelve months to knit the Intarsia Blanket, I have designed my next blanket project. It is called Deb’s Diamond Blanket and was inspired by this string quilt made by my friend Debbie at Stitchin’ Therapy blog.

My knitted design calls for 112  x 5” (12.5cm) squares which I will join as I go (and sew the ends in – I learnt my lesson from the last blanket). This is how much I have knitted since I started the project on 21 November.  This will be a ten inch square when completed. (3 down, 109 to go!)
2012 Deb's Diamond blanket 3first three squares
 Merlot Toe Up Socks
Neither of my two large knitting projects are ideal for travelling or for knitting in company so I have cast on the second Merlot Sock to take with away with me. I cast on for the first one in September 2011 and would have finished it within a couple of weeks! I wondered why I had put it off for so long but I soon realised while doing Judy’s Magic Cast On on 2.25 (US 1) double-pointed needles -- I don’t like doing this cast on this way. It’s easier on circular needles – but my sock knitting circular needles are otherwise occupied. Obviously I did get it done in the end but it was tricky and annoyingly difficult. Either I’ll use my circulars or stick to cuff down socks for donation knitting in future!
2012 Merlot toe up socks 2nd sock in progress
For those who wonder about such things, I am doing 72 stitches and an hourglass heel (from Lynne Vogel's Twisted Sisters' Sock Workbook)

 Hexagon Project Bag
It seems like a long time since I started my Hexagon Project Bag with so much enthusiasm – a quick check of my blog shows that was only September but it feels much longer ago than that. I still need to cut out six pentagons (I didn’t realise that until yesterday) and six half hexagons and tack them down. Yesterday my sewing teacher showed me hoe to join the hexagons so I’ll see how much weight I have in my bag – if I have enough room I can take them as they’ll make a nice change from knitting. There are 36 hexagons in this photo, believe it or not!
2012 40 hexagons
Do you like my storage container? For what purpose would one use an old 70’s Tupperware container with a cracked lid if not for craft storage? LOL
2012 biscuilt hexagon barrel
The bottom two hexagons are the two my teacher joined as a demonstration.

Scrappy Rainbow Improv Quilt
I have more than enough improv blocks to make a quilt top and have bought some fabric to use as sashing – solids in natural and sand; I can't decide which to use yet till I get the blocks up on the design wall. I enjoy the improv block process so I will be making more I’m sure! They also make a good “leader and ender” project (if I ever remember!).

There are 99 x 6.5” blocks in this pile! I'm not sure where the red ones are hiding!
2012 99 improv blocks

What are you working on? Do you still have projects you need to finish before Christmas?

Hopefully linking up with WIP Wednesday over at FreshlyPieced blog