works in progress

A couple of days ago I was working in my sewing room and thinking about all the different projects I had going on so it seemed time to share them.

I describe a WIP as anything I have worked on in the last three months. With the exception of the Hearts quilt,  every project I will share with you today has been worked on in the last four weeks.

Why don't I start with my knitting projects? That is how this blog started after all!

The older of the two knitting WiPs is a pair of socks I cast on in October. I knitted the first sock to the heel turning then stopped -- turning heels requires concentration which, for me, means solitude. Last weekend, as I waited for the workshop I was tutoring to start, I began turning the heels (and put them away when I got to the part where concentration was really needed). For those who care about such things, I use an hourglass heel (from Lynne Vogel's Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook) as my "go to" heel. It was the first heel I learned to make and, even though it was difficult to teach in my workshop in 2012, is still the heel I prefer to knit.

 

My other knitting project, which was started on Christmas Eve and is now too big to work on in the current hot, humid weather, is my own design. I've called it Nouveaux Log Cabin. It was inspired by the Moderne Baby Blanket (from "Mason-Dixon Knitting" by Kay Gardiner and Ann Shayne). It is based on Fibonacci numbers, given that each section is based on the numbers 1, 2 or 3 -- 1 being fifteen garter stitch ridges. The finished blanket should be approximately 72" x 42". I have worked the sections out to get these dimensions and have the same number of sections across the blanket as down its length.  I particularly like the look of the one garter ridge done in white at the beginning of each section.

I have worked on three different quilting projects in the past four weeks; four in the past three months.

The Hearts quilt is the only project in this post that I haven't touched in the last four weeks. I need to make a decision about how I'm going to quilt it and get to it! It remains 30 disconnected blocks.

The project that has had the most attention this week is Violet and Friends quilt. I made the crumb blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (SoScrappy blog) during 2011 and 2012 but only started putting the blocks together into a quilt top last month.

This week I have been working on making the backing. It never ceases to amaze me how much time it takes to press fabric, cut strips, join strips, press seams, pin strips to blocks, sew strips to blocks and press seams. It took me all my sewing time on Tuesday (several hours) to do the above (and press the whole flimsy now that I have a new iron which gets hot enough to do the job properly!) and all I added were four 2” white borders to the flimsy seen above, and two long strips to the backing panel.

In class last week, I finished a block for the Sampler Quilt I've been making (on and off) for a year. It took me the better part of three hours to finish about half a block! I'm not the world's fastest patch-worker, that's for sure! This block is called Weathervane. It looks very tricky but really, it's just a fancy nine-patch (as are all the blocks in the sampler some of which you can see here).

My newest project in terms of deciding what to do is really the first of these four to have got started. Back in 2011, before I started classes with my current teacher, DD and I used to attend all-day Saturday classes once a month. At one of these workshops, I learned several ways to make half square triangles (I documented it here and here). when I read about the Relaxing Robin (SewUQuilt2 blog), I decided to make one of these orphan blocks my Relaxing Robin project. I won't go into too much detail here, this will get its own post later this month.

I have one hand-stitching WiP – my Dutch Cap Hexies. This is a very long term project given these are 1.5” hexies and diamonds I’m sewing together. This is what I’ve done so far (not the final layout):

 

I have a pile of “hexie triads” ready to go, and over the last few days have basted all these diamonds (I’ve run out of papers so I have to wait for LQS to get some more). Plenty of sewing to be going on with.

Finally, my newest baby, brought into the world on 12 February: when finished it will be a large pin cushion done in candlewicking using colonial knots and some stem stitch on homespun with perle cotton.

What about you?

What projects are you working on?

Linking up with WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced blog and Yarn Along at Small Things blog.

Edited to add that I am also linking up to Hexie Weekend at a Quilting Reader's Garden blog.

I have also joined the EPP QAL group on Flickr. 

Something Old, Something New -- part II (with button and grab code)

Note: This post is almost identical to the information in the tab at the top of this blog so you may have already read it. Please leave a comment if you're thinking of joining the party! ;-)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nearly all the crafts-people I know are like me. We all have UFOs that we "should" be working on but the lure of the new beckons us.

In 2014, I want to concentrate on learning new techniques across many of the crafts in which I am involved. However I also want to get some of those UFOs out of my craft room and into use.

Hence: Something Old, Something New. I am challenging myself to finish (at least) one UFO a month and, at the same time, learn (at least) one new technique a month.

How do I define UFO? Any project I haven't worked on in the last three months is a UFO. If I've done some work on it in the last ninety days, it's a WiP and doesn't really qualify! But that's the boundaries I've set myself. You can set any boundaries/rules/guidelines -- whatever works for you!

Maybe you are unlike me and have no UFOs but would like to learn some new techniques.
Or maybe you've dozens of UFOs and no plan (right now) to learn new techniques -- you just want to get those UFOs done!

You've come to the right place.
For me it will be "old" and "new" but for you it might be either "old" or "new".

Won't you please consider joining me for this year's challenge?   
Any craft, any project, any technique is welcome.

I'll put up a linky party on the second day of each month (there are many other linky parties happening on the first of the month! LOL). In that post, I will share my progress from the previous month and list my goals for the month to come.

There will be no prizes, no give-aways; just the joy of sharing and perhaps meeting some new blog friends. 

I'd love you to join me -- parties are much more fun when other people come along! Here's the button for your blog if you accept my invitation!

<div align="center">
<br /><a href="http://2hot2knit.blogspot.com.au/" title="Never too hot to Stitch!"><img src="http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a607/ellebee57/85d98e30-e984-4b34-925f-027fc19b8dc5_zps40bbf708.jpg" alt="Never too hot to Stitch!" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
<br />

2013: The Year of the Finished Project – July edition

Is it just me or does this year seem to be flying past?

Despite the fact that I was on vacation for the first twelve days of June and did little crafting between my arrival home and the last few days of the month, I managed five finishes! You can read the posts about finishing here and here.

Of course, it helps that most of those were nearly completed before I went on holidays.
In fact, most of them were on my list for May!

Let’s look at my list for June:

1. Bed Socks for Beulah -- finished 3 June
2. Blanket for Emily -- finished 30 June 2013
3. cardigan for me -- knit sleeves (untouched)
4. bind the Earth and Sky quilt -- finished 29 June 2013
5. add border to Scrappy Log Cabin quilt (untouched)
6. finish Hexagon Project Bag -- finished 28 June 2013

What's that? You thought I said five finishes? 

Yes, I did say five. I also finished a pair of socks that had been on the needles too long. At the beginning of the year I stated that I had to finish one old knitting project before I could start a new one, and two quilting/sewing projects before I could start a new one. I also stated that “plain” socks are not  counted in my “new” projects because I always have socks on the needles – they are the perfect travel companion and are great for knitting in company (unless I’m up to the heel).

So perhaps I shouldn’t count this pair as a  “finish” either; but the fact of the matter is they are finished! So I did have five finishes in June even if only four count as part of the challenge!

Hey, it’s a linky party! It’s not life and death. Crafting is our hobby and we’re not supposed to take it too seriously. We’re here to encourage each other to finish those UFOs and WIPs – any finish is worth celebrating, right?

So, what's on my list for July?

1. Country Houses quilt – to be finished
   I want this on my bed this winter; it’s been hanging around for two years now!
   
2. Ambassador of Love mittens – to be finished
   No more Second Mitten Syndrome allowed!
   
3. Westall Cardigan –  to be finished
   I’d really like to be wearing this instead of looking at it gathering dust on the table.
   
4. Scrappy Log Cabin quilt – get the border on and turn it into a finished flimsy
   It’s been hanging around here waiting long enough!
   
5. Purple Cocoon socks – make a decision and follow through
   These have been on the needles for nearly two years while I tried to make up my mind whether to frog (rippit!) or finish!
   
6. Gift of Hope #2 quilt – to be finished
   I started this in March but I was waiting to acquire some white flannelette for wadding. I have it now so it’s time to get it off the list.
   Sorry, no photo, I haven’t taken one!

I also have samples to knit for the workshop I’m tutoring on 20th July so I’d better get moving on those too!

And I’d like to make some progress on Deb’s Diamond (knitted) Blanket, my current embroidery (outside of class) and my Dutch Caps hexagon project.

So, I’ve got quite a list but it’s winter, it’s cold and it’s great crafting weather.

I’d also like to clean out my sewing room and make the storage more functional – I’ll start by moving all yarn not in use to the spare bedroom! But that’s another post…

How did you go in June and what’s on your list for July?

"Grow Your Blog"

Hello

Today I am linking up with a very exciting concept - thanks Vicki (2 Bags Full) for initiating this.

My name is Lynne. I started my blog in January 2007 because my friend had one and it sounded like fun! Unfortunately my friend has been lured away from Blogland by little tweets but I'm still here - six years later.

When I started my blog, it was called "Too Hot to Knit? Never!" I was, and still am, an avid knitter. I knit almost every day, regardless of the weather. My mum, who taught me to knit, considers knitting to be a private, winter-only activity but I must be a bit rebellious -- I knit in public and I knit all year round (even if it is 46.5°C -- 115°F -- outside like it was on Friday 18th January.)

Myrtle Leaf Stole -- knitted for DD's wedding, January 2009

In March 2010, I went to a craft show with my DD and my then three-week-old Older Grandson. One of the sewing machine companies invited people to "make a block for Haiti" -- DD and I both did and we were hooked.

I used to sew my own clothes back in the seventies and eighties and have owned a sewing machine since I was seventeen. It was nice to use one one of these quiet, fast machines. DD has had a machine since she was nineteen but has hardly touched it.


We came home from that craft show so excited and a week later were at the chain store buying fabric for our first quilt -- a floor mat for Older Grandson to protect the carpet from his inevitable spills. We didn't know how much fabric to buy - so we bought one metre of seven colours: that's right -- seven metres of fabric for a one square metre of quilt! We had very little idea of what we were doing but we were enthusiastic -- and cut 2.5" strips with scissors! The top was finished that first weekend but we had no idea what to do next!


Fast forward a year, and another caft show, and we met a lovely quilting teacher called Elizabeth. She invited us to join her "sit and sew" classes -- they were right over the other side of the city, an hour and half's drive away, but did that deter us? Oh no! In the first class, which fortunately went from 10am to 4pm (consdering the time taken to get there and home again), we basted and began quilting that first top! In the next couple of weeks I had the quilting (in the ditch -- very slowly) finished and the binding on -- our first quilt was done!

During that first class we also worked on a layout of blocks we had made following instructions on Elizabeth Hartman's Oh Fransson website. The quilt was called "Modern Sampler", the link will take you to the updated pattern. This quilt was made from the same seven fabrics (with the addition of five more for added interest; you'll notice we left the two yellows out of the final quilt).

We even had enough fabric to piece the backing! I am still using scraps of that fabric in my scrappy quilts.

And so it came to pass, that my blog became "Never Too Hot to Stitch". I also dabble in embroidery, hand-stitching (paper piecing), counted cross-stitch and crochet. As my blog description says, I am an "Australian knitter who is learning to make quilts". I've also been known to talk about my family, in particular WM (Wonderful Man -- my husband to whom I have been married for 35 years), our only child (DD) and our two grandsons. 

Older Grandson will be three next month

Younger Grandson is now eighteen months

If you're new here, welcome -- feel free to look around. 
And if you're already a regular visitor -- welcome back. I'm really honoured that you would visit my blog.
To all of my followers, thank you. I really appreciate each and every one of you.

Pull up a chair, let's take some time to stitch and chat!

December and 2012 review

 During the second half of this year, I decided to focus my attention on a small number of projects (maximum 7) and not allow myself to be distracted by my UFOs or enticing new projects.

This is my progress during December which shows that I really do work best when I have a short list of projects to focus on!

1. The Very Hungry Caterpillar quilt (finished)
2. Christmas Tree wall-hanging (finished)
3. Cardigan for Me (some progress)
4. Purple Dropped Stitch Scarf (finished)
5. Merlot Toe Up Sock (finished)
6. appliqué blocks (finished)
7. Scrappy Rainbow “hearts and four-patch” quilt (some progress)

I knew there was no way that I would have that cardigan or quilt finished in December; as long as I am making progress, I'm happy.

Here's the final photo of the Purple Dropped Stitch Scarf  -- taken before it was washed and dried to soften it up.

Nitty-Gritty (for those who like such things)
yarn: Panda Magnum 8ply (DK) 100% acrylic; used all but two metres of the 310 in the skein!
purchased at H. Fay and Sons, Bingara
needles: 4.00mm Aero circulars (60cm long) - purchased at David Jones at least 30 years ago!
time taken: 14 days
length and width of scarf: 6" x 72"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The short "focus list" came into being after I published a list of twenty-six WiPs  -- some quilting, some knitting. That was June and I was overwhelmed by the number of things I was trying to work on.

I have come to realise that the longer I leave a project the less likely it is to get finished -- which I guess is probably true for everyone!


To keep it "short", this is a list of the UFOs and WiPs I carried into 2012, and the progress I made on them; plus the projects I started during 2012 which are not yet finished. I have not included the 55 projects I started and finished during 2012 (85% of them knitted).

1. piano cross stitch (started 1995) – UFO
2. Stealth Knitting Project (started January 2010) – UFO
3. Ambassador of Love mittens (started March 2011) – UFO
4. Country Houses Quilt (started May 2011) – UFO
5. Lace Infinity Scarf (started June 2011) – frogged August 2012
6. sideways baby jumper (started November 2011) – UFO
7.  Safari Cloth Book (started November 2011) – finished October 2012
8. curtains (started November 2011) – embarassingly -- UFO
9. Scrappy Strings quilt (started November 2011)  – UFO
10. Rainbow Scrap Challenge applique heart blocks (started October 2011) – finished December 2012
11. Rainbow Scrap Challenge four patch blocks (started November 2011) – worked on the last couple of months, so a work in progress
12. Rainbow Scrap Challenge nine patch blocks (started November 2011) – worked on the last couple of months so a work in progress
13. Rainbow Scrap Challenge string blocks (started November 2011) – worked on the last couple of months so a work in progress
14. Rainbow Scrap Challenge improv blocks (started November 2011) – worked on the last couple of months so a work in progress
15. Rainbow Scrap Challenge Wonky Window blocks (started November 2011) – worked on the last couple of months so a work in progress
16. purple Cocoon socks (started September 2011) – I can’t make up my mind whether to knit or frog – UFO
17. soft blue socks (started September 2011) – finished July 2012
18. Merlot toe up socks (started September 2011) – finished December 2012
19. intarsia blanket (started November 2011) – finished November 2012
20. Tina’s baby blanket (started January 2012) – frogged July 2012
21. Super Secret Project for Ben (started February 2012) – UFO
22. Dotty Bright (started April 2012)  – made it to the quilting frame but nothing ever happened – UFO
23. Scrappy Log Cabin (started April 2012) – no action (only thought) since June – UFO
24. sampler quilt (first block cut May 2012) – never really got off the ground so it’s not really a WiP or a UFO, in 2013 it will be like a new project!
25. donated partial scrappy string quilt #1 (started May 2012) – UFO
26. donated partial scrappy string quilt #2 – no longer exists, it has been reclaimed as scraps for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge – frogged November 2012
27. hexagon project bag (started in September) – work in progress
28. Deb’s Diamond blanket (started November 21) – work in progress
29. Westall Cardigan (started 27 November) – work in progress

During 2012, I finished a total of 60 projects; three projects were frogged, one project never got started, eight remain works in progress and ten have slipped into being UFOs (I think six months without any action is long enough to call them unfinished objects)! 


That's twenty two projects being carried into the New Year! And twelve of those were started before 2012!

It's not a long list but, for the sake of my sanity, 2013 needs to be “The Year of the Finished Project”!

thinking about new projects in 2013

Last Saturday, Angela, host of the Rainbow Scrappy Challenge, at SoScrappy blog, published a post encouraging us to share our plans for the challenge in 2013. To be honest, although I’m pretty sure I will participate again, at that time I had no plans for next year in regards to rainbows or scraps or starting anything new!

Then on Wednesday, my friend, Debbie, over at Stitchin’ Therapy blog, posted about her goals for 2013. My first reaction was, “Whoa! I need to get through this month first”!


But, you know, my brain had already been thinking about next year. I had already decided that 2013 was the be The Year of the Finished Project.


But I can’t work on UFOs all year, can I?

I’ve got to start some new projects. Really. I do!

And so I return to my friend Debbie’s enabling. She posted about Cat Patches’ 2013 New FO Challenge Linky Party and Giveaway.
I've linked this post to Barbara's latest post and giveaway.

Simply put, Barbara is encouraging us to start one new quilting project a month! She says, in a different post where she introduced the idea, “Just consider for a moment the state of bliss you'll achieve at all the new fabric you'll have an excuse to buy. “

Well frankly, even as a relatively new quilter, I don’t need to buy fabric. I have fabric here for projects – I just need to start them!

So, because Barbara has asked me to and I am ever helpful, here are some of the quilting projects I plan to start in 2013:

1. placemats for Grandsons

2. racing car quilts for Grandsons

3. I Spy Quilt for Grandsons

4. Quilt from One Fabric

5. Garden Fence Quilt – in 2011, I tried making one block and it didn’t work. I’ve got a bit more experience now but still need piecing practice.

6. embroidery quilt – these were donated to the Caring Hearts Community Quilters and I volunteered to turn them into a quilt

7. fleece animal blankies

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have almost no need to buy yarn for at least the next decade! So here are some of the knitting projects I plan to start in 2013:

1. black cardigan for me

2. knee warmers for me – yarn and pattern undecided
3. baby blanket for niece’s baby – yarn and pattern undecided

Have you started making plans for 2013?

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.

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).

2013 – “the Year of the Finished Project” UFO Challenge

As you may know, I have decided that 2013 will be the Year of the Finished Project.

I even had some fun creating a button and writing some html code for it (thanks to Jennifer at Ellison Lane Quilts for the great tutorials).

The butterflies are a reminder that some things can, and should, be transformed!

My plan is to finish two projects for every new project started.

I am going to set up a linky party on the first Thursday of the month for anyone who wants to join me.

The only rule is that you must finish at least one UFO or WIP before you start a new project! Don’t worry, I’m not going to haunt your blog to see if you are following the rules.

The party is open to any form of stitching: knitting, crochet, quilting, sewing, dress-making, embroidery, applique, cross-stitch, etc.

Participation is simple:

• On the first Thursday of the month, nominate a project (or projects) that you are going to concentrate on and see finished. Tell us a little about the project/s, where you’re up to, why it stalled, etc.
  
• In the same post, give us a progress report on the project/s you undertook in the previous month/s.
  
• Include the button above on each post. The code is under the tab “2013 – The Year of the Finished Project” at the top of my blog.
  
• Link back to this blog with the URL of your blog post, not your full blog. People want to read about progress, not spend time searching for the relevant post.
  
• Read and comment on some other blogs that link to this party!
  
• You don’t have to get your project/s finished in one month, some bigger projects take longer, and sometimes life just interferes with our stitching!
  
• You can finish one project in one craft and start another in a different craft if you wish. For example, you may finish a cross stitch and start a quilted table runner.

I've never hosted a linky party before so if you have any comments or questions, please feel free to suggest or ask. Please make sure you leave a contact email address so I can get back to you!

12-12-12

Today is my uncle's 75th birthday -- a jubilee indeed and an auspicious date!

I don't believe in coincidences but I do have a little story to share:

I had an embroidery class this afternoon. I went early because we were sharing lunch -- it was our last class of the year. Being so close to Christmas and in the heart of a shopping area, it was very hard to find a parking space. I had to drive around for a while, then wait while a woman backed out of a space. Very. Slowly.

I parked my car in that space, it had a three hour limit so I glanced at the clock. You guessed it -- 12:12 on 12-12-12! I couldn't have done it if I'd planned it!

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.

~~~~~~
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?

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.


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).

 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!)

 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!

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!

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

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!


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