On the needles and in the mail

Here's my progress on the second Hitofude cardigan I'm making. I first wrote about it last month in this post. I'm linking today's post to Judy L.'s On the Needles. (Maybe someone has some advice on how to photograph really, really dark knitting?)

In that same post, I wrote about the Block Lotto. Well, I won again! Envelopes with blue bar blocks keep coming in the mail. When they're all here, I'm going to lay them out and take a picture to post.

Have a good weekend!

Debbie

Catching up? - Some patchwork and some knitting

When you're so behind in blogging, do you catch up? Do you continue where you left off? Start again? Act as if you haven't been missing?

I've been faithfully reading everyone's blogs in my blog reader and even commenting sometimes, not just on giveaways. But, I just haven't had what it takes to be in the mood to write posts. I think about them all the time, what I would write, but am lazy and procrastinate.

We were in the U.S. for two weeks in March and we had a chance to go to the NJ Quilt Show. It's always a wonderful experience for me, because I only have the opportunity to go to a real quilt show once every few years. I took a bunch of photos and will check and see if there are any you might be interested in. Also spent a fair amount of money on miscellaneous quilting supplies and fabric and even yarn.

I haven't done much quilting, but I have been taking time to partially satisfy my fabric and sewing fix by making blocks for the monthly Block Lotto. Sophie is the best facilitator and has been doing it for so many years. She always writes the easiest instructions that help to make the blocks in minimum time.

For January, I made these Chevron blocks. I wasn't so crazy about the colors to work with, but whenever you put together something like this, it always looks good. I didn't win, as usual.

 In February, I made these 'bead' blocks. Sophie used my color choice, my favorite color combo of yellows, oranges, and maroon. 

And, I won! For the first time in almost four years of playing, I finally won. It was so much fun getting all that mail with all those blocks. I still haven't had a chance to do anything with them yet, but I've got some ideas. 

For March, I made one block. They're larger than usual blocks. I wasn't crazy about it, so I donated it, with no chance to win. When you donate, your chance goes to someone else who is either a newbie or hasn't won in a long time.

For April, I made these Triangles in a Square blocks. I love all the bright colors.

This month's block, Diagonal Bars, was very simple and easy. But, I only had time for four. It will be a great design with many together, so wish me luck!

 

I've been spending a lot of time knitting lately. The last thing I finished was this Hitofude cardigan. I was attracted to the pattern after Wendy Johnson posted hers finished on her blog. It's a Ravelry download and there's a Ravelry forum discussing the pattern, with hints and help and progress. I sure needed the help. Everyone else asked just the questions I needed. I had to read some things over and over again before I understood each step. It's a beautiful pattern, but for me complicated. A challenge that I very much enjoyed. So much so that I've started a second one!

Here's my first Hitofude:

It's made from stash yarn only. An off-white lace weight yarn mixed with a bit thicker metallic gold  yarn, Columbia Minerva Camelot (discontinued.) Before I got to the second part, I could see I wasn't going to have enough of the metallic for the whole garment. So I started using a different metallic, unidentified, and alternated the two of them. 

But, then I ran out of both! I couldn't find anything appropriate in the stash, so I had to go buy something else, in some hole in the wall fabric and yarn shop in Brooklyn. Aunt Lydia's Metallic 10. I ran out of that, too! So, I did the ribbing with the white yarn and a thin gold thread. I'm not happy about the way the ribbing is laying, so I'm thinking about turning it under like a hem. What do you think? Has anyone ever done that?

Here's my second Hitofude, so far:

I'm working with Vanna's Glamour in Garnet that I bought when I was at the Lion Brand Yarn Studio on our trip to the states. I bought it with the intention of using it for a Hitofude, but I decided to extend the sleeves and make it longer and to make the bottom longer, so, of course, I don't have enough. I ordered some more and it's now sitting in New Jersey waiting for my mother to send it to me. I hope I get it before I run out! That white strip is a provisional cast on.

That's all for the meantime. I'm hoping to participate in Amy Ellis' Blogger's Quilt Festival, so I hope you come back in a few days to see my post for that. If I get to write it, that is!! :)

Enjoy!

Debbie

Quilters’ Blog Hop Party

 

 

Giveaway is closed. Thanks to everyone who entered. Winner to be announced soon.

I really have to get back into the swing of things and write blog posts more often. This post, being a giveaway, will force me to write another post, next week, announcing the winner! Click on the Blog Hop logo above so see the huge list of other bloggers having giveaways.

If you've been a follower of mine for a while, then you've read the post where I give the excuse why I'm currently not doing much quilting. Just to let you know that I have started on the job and do feel the push to get it done, but it's still going to take a long time. In the meantime, I've been doing some knitting. Here's one of the things I just finished. I used Teddy's Wool Himalaya with the popular Wingspan pattern. I find working with rainbow colored yarn very relaxing and this was an easy pattern.

So, you've been waiting for the giveaway details.

I've been a member of The Quilt Show since their Day One. In fact, I was once told that I was the first one to sign up (how cool is that!) Recently, they provided every Star member (paid member) a gift certificate for a six month membership to give away to a friend. The certificate must be redeemed by December 31. I'm giving that away along with two other things. 

Within the clutter of my sewing room, I seem to have acquired two copies of "Carol Doak Teaches You To Paper Piece DVD". Lucky for one of you.

I'm adding in a bunch of one yard cuts of about 30 different yarns. I have often used these yarns for embellishment by couching. Some people use them for scrapbooking. I've also got another project, a knitting one, that I'm using these yarns for. I'll show it to you one of these days. 

I might be adding another one or two things in before the end of the giveaway.

There's a catch about the Quilt Show gift certificate. It can only be used by Basic (or new) members and not by Star (already paid) members. If you are the winner and you are a Star member of The Quilt Show already, I can send you the other prizes and choose another winner for the certificate, or you can choose to pass it on to a friend of yours.

Leave a comment on this post and I'll be having the Random guy choose a winner after the US EST midnight between November 26 and November 27. That's seven in the morning of the 27th for me. If you do not have a blogger profile with an email address associated with it, then you must put your email address in your comment. I must be able to email the winner or I will choose another winner.

The fifth anniversary of this blog is coming up in early January and I hope to have a giveaway then to celebrate. So, please put me in your blog reader, or however it is that you keep up with blog reading. There are just so many different options these days!

Enjoy!

Debbie

Giveaway for Knitters!

Two weeks ago I had a lovely visit from Henya of Chicken Stitches blog and her daughter. They live a less than two hour drive north of me but had someplace they needed to go to in my neighborhood. They braved the public transportation and made it here several hours before the place opened. We had already planned for them to hang out at my place for a few hours. We started with a nice lunch at a local joint down the block from me and then we walked home.

We had an enjoyable afternoon talking and doing show and tell. Henya brought several of her knitting projects with her and I pulled out a bunch of my quilts to show, along with a bit of my knitting. the current knitting project I showed her was the Mystery Knit a Long by Wendy Johnson. The last clue was released just a little while ago.

I learned a lot while Henya shared some of her expertise on knitting. I knew I would be sorry later when I didn't write down anything when she described to me how to make her adorable little girl's skirt with ruffles! Now I'll just have to wait until she writes up the pattern (hint, hint), which she does do eventually, to sell in her Etsy shop or website.

From her Mary Poppins bag, Henya pulled out a few small gifts for me! One is this little fob, with an 'I Love Quilting' charm, that she once bought and had been saving for me for a while. Then she pulled out a bunch of the knitting markers that she makes and sells in her shop. When I truthfully told her that I'm only comfortable using weightless markers, she said, keep them anyway or give them away. I decided to keep the two for marking decreases because they are lightweight and one of each of the glass bead markers.

All the rest of the markers will be going to one of you! 

*If you would like a chance to win nine of Henya's knitting markers, just leave any comment on this post (only this post).

*For a second chance, become a subscriber of Henya's blog and leave a second comment telling me that you are a subscriber of her blog.

*If you are a member of Etsy, you can have a third chance by adding Henya's Etsy shop to your favorites and leaving me a third comment telling me that you did so.

You have until midnight, Tuesday night, July 24, to leave your comment. I will use the Random.org guy to choose a winner and announce it on Monday.

Only entries that have an email address come up when I hit reply to the comment that comes to my email, OR have an email address within the text of the comment, will be eligible to win. If you are not sure if you are a no-reply blogger or not, go to SewCalGal's page where she explains the whole issue and how to fix it if you wish. As SewCalGal implies, if you have never gotten a reply to comments you left on someone's blog, chances are that you are a no-reply blogger. If you don't use a google blogger account, you can always leave your email address in the body of the comment.

Good luck!

Debbie

Seen at a new mall

Whew, that was a long break! Let's begin again.

One of the things that I've been busy with this summer is a copyediting/proofreading course. I did the informal test yesterday and next week is the optional review lesson, so the pressure is off.

In keeping with that theme...

...first, I have to share this. We were up north for a few days last week and went to check out the brand new mall in Akko with the grandkids. It had been open for a day and a half already and we were the first ones to point out this 'typo' to the people in this store! Don't you just love it!

And, just to keep this fiber related, here's a photo update on that blanket I've been knitting. I do have some quilty type things to show. That will come eventually.

BTW, for those of you who use blogger, I wrote this post in the new interface. Had no trouble at all, but didn't notice anything too different about it, except for the layout. So, unless something goes wrong that I didn't notice, I guess I'll keep it.

Enjoy!

Debbie

What to do with this yarn!

 
So, I started knitting something else with the rainbow yarn. It's called the Ten Stitch Twist and I got the pattern on Ravelry after seeing Henya of Chicken Stitches post photos of the one she's making. 


I am not sure if I am happy with it. The color repeats are way too short and the stockinette looks so uneven because of it. I just don't know if there's anything that will look good with this yarn. And, it is an expensive yarn (in my opinion, anyway.) So, please, if anyone has any good ideas, help! As I said last time, I don't want to make socks.

It might just be time to switch back to quilting.

Happy Monday,

Debbie

Progress update

 
You may think that I'm only doing knitting right now, and you would be correct. But, right on my sewing table is the quilt project that I planned to/should be working on now. The knitting so relaxing that I can't seem to pull myself away from it, for the meantime.

I finished the Summer Mystery Shawlette that I talked about last time. It went pretty quickly. Then again, it is kind of small. I guess that's why it's called a shawlette. 

Last year I had started a different shawl from a rainbow variegated Schaefer Anne yarn that I wrote about buying here. Some time ago, I pretty much decided that I didn't like the way it was coming out. So, I undid the whole thing two days ago.

Before

During

After - now I have 560 yards of fingering yarn in my favorite rainbow combo that I really want to make something with. While I did start on something, I am entertaining other ideas. I DO NOT want to make socks! The thing that I started, the beginning is very complicated. So far, I thought I was doing OK, but now I'm in the process of undoing part of it. The pattern writer admits that the beginning is tricky. If I get it to work out, I'll continue and take a picture.


Happy Wednesday,


Debbie

Progress!

The Shetland Pi Shawl is finally blocked! As a reminder, the pattern came from a mystery shawl knit-a-long provided by Wendy Johnson of Wendy Knits. You can find it on her free patterns page.

This week I started a new lace shawl from more yarn in the stash. Also from Wendy Knits. It's another mystery shawl, the Summer Mystery Shawlette, and the last part was posted yesterday. I just started Part 2. 

Today marks the 5th anniversary of the Carol Doak Quilting Group yahoogroup. Carol designed another fantastic anniversary block for this year. I felt like I needed to do some piecework, so yesterday I whipped up a six inch version of the block. You can get the pattern by joining Carol's yahoogroup. 

In fact, you can get tons of free patterns that Carol designs exclusively for the members. It's free to join. She also gives challenges, with prizes, for using and posting photos of the blocks and BOMs (Block of the Month) that she designs for us.

Have a great weekend!

Debbie

Borders On

 
Yesterday I got the borders onto my little sample FPP mini quilt. There won't be any sewing going on for the next two weeks or so. I've got some paperwork to do and preparations for Passover to work on. Family is here and more will be coming. But, I still want to try to get that Shetland Pi Shawl blocked. If I do, I'll post a photo. Maybe tomorrow I'll get to tell you about a family event that we're having today and post a few photos.

Enjoy!


Debbie

Today's Progress

I went to the hardware store today (it's right across the street from us) and was given a suggestion of a heavy duty packing tape. I bought it and tested it and it seems to work on the styrofoam. Now the problem is that I won't have the time or space to do the blocking of the shawl until sometime next week. :(


I did, however, get all the pieces cut for the class sample that I'm making. Let's hope nothing happens on the way to Sunday to keep me from getting it done! I only want to finish the top, not the quilting, so the students can see it with the paper on the back.

Till tomorrow,

Debbie

Progress reports

So, the styrofoam that I'd been waiting for in the last post is here. I need to figure out how to attach the pieces to each other. Tape doesn't stick to it.


In the meantime, I managed to finish Lesson One (only three more to go) of the EQ7 class that ended a few weeks ago. These are the blocks that I drew and colored in.

I've been following the blog of Judy, the Virtual Quilter, for a while. Everyday she posts a new design of hers made in EQ7. It's a very interesting blog and fun to keep up with. Do you know of any other similar blogs or sites that share EQ designs, besides those related to the EQ site and the EQ blog?
 
Now I have to make a sample for a class that I'm hoping to teach at the workshop retreat here in the summer. I need to send in a photo of the sample by this coming Sunday! This is as far as I got:

The colors I chose for this project have no connection to the block drawings above. I just like the combination.

Enjoy!

Debbie

The Pi Shawl

 
What you see here is the finished, not yet blocked, pi shawl that I wrote about a little while back. I'm waiting for my husband to buy me some styrofoam boards that I can put together for blocking the shawl. After that I will be using the boards for a portable design wall. I don't remember, but I think the shawl is coming out about 1.7 meters in diameter. When it's blocked, I'll measure it again.

 

Back when Electric Quilt came out with Version 7, I bought my first quilt design program. In the fall, I started taking the Quilt University classes that they offer for the software. Fran Gonzalez does a fabulous job teaching how to use EQ7. Last week the 2nd set of four lessons ended. I got very behind and am almost finished with Lesson 1! I thought about what would make me more likely to push ahead and get moving to work on the lessons and decided that writing about my progress might help. I would want to most more often, so I would need to keep working on the lessons so that I have something to show.

This class is called Building Blocks and here's the last block that I finished while in Lesson 1. Those experienced with EQ will laugh, but this is great for me! It's called Fancy Spools and it's made up of a four patch and Four X Variation.

Hopefully, by Sunday, I'll have more to show...

Have a great weekend,

Debbie

Shawl progress

  
Yes, I have been lazy about writing on the blog. Be sure you read to the end to find out about Sue's cute giveaway.

I have made some progress on the shawl I mentioned that I bought yarn for a few months ago. It is a bit further along than in the photo below I took a few weeks ago. The pattern doesn't show up as much in the variegated yarn, but I'm still OK with the way it's coming out.

I searched and searched the web for free shawl patterns. I've been collecting back issues of Piecework Magazine and found a PDF of the index of the magazine. I found quite a few shawls there and looked them up, but most of them were using charts. I don't like to knit or crochet with charts. I like the k1 p2 type of instructions.

Another link I found was a directory of tons of knitted shawl patterns. I only managed to get through the first column. Somewhere in the middle I found the one that I decided to make. It's this version of the Candle Flame pattern. In a google search, I also found a small correction to the pattern. It may have been on Ravelry.

I also liked this shawl pattern site. The patterns are sorted according to how much yarn you need for the shawl.

Henya had suggested: "Have you thought about making "Pi are square", by EZ? You can keep on going until the yarn runs out." That was very interesting to me, but, I couldn't find a free version of the pattern that I liked. Now, Wendy of Wendy Knits is showing her progress on a pi shawl she is making. This week she announced that next week she will be starting a knit along of another pi shawl! Wendy Johnson is also the author of Socks From the Toe Up, the book that I got the pattern for the first (and only) pair of socks I made!

BTW, I finally decided to subscribe to Piecework Magazine, but there are still some back issues that I am missing. If any of you have any that you would be willing to sell to me, I would appreciate it. Here are the ones that I need: July/August 2006, July/August 2007, September/October 2007, November/December 2007, September/October 2008 and January/February 2009.

Sue of Alderwood Quilts has announced her August giveaway. It's a really cute set of Quilter's Magnets by That Patchwork Place. You have until the end of August to enter.


Enjoy!

Debbie

Hooray! A *PAIR* of socks!

 
You can still visit all the blogs and see all the wonderful quilts and stories in the Blogger's Quilt Festival. Link also on my sidebar.

I have finally finished the pair of socks that I started ten months ago! You can see the progress in some of these knitting posts. I don't really see the knitting of another pair of socks in my future, but, you never know.

My next knitting project is going to be a scarf or shawl. A couple of weeks ago I went to the Gourmet Yarn Shop in Ra'anana and, since I'm a sucker for anything in rainbow colors, I couldn't leave without the yarn you see here. (I've never bought from this online shop, just found it through a random search.)

Anyone who buys a skein of Schaefer yarn is entitled to one free pattern and Orly of the Gourmet Yarn Shop suggested that I make the Anne Shoulder Scarf. I am thinking of making it, but I read someplace (that I can't find now) that it doesn't use the whole skein of yarn. I would like to find a free pattern online of a triangular shawl that would use up to the 560 yards of the skein. Any knitters out there have a suggestion? If you are a member of Ravelry, you can see more about the Anne Shoulder Scarf on Ravelry. If anyone has anything else to suggest making from that rainbow fingering yarn, I'm willing to listen.

You must go check out Sew Cal Gal's Hawaiian Giveaway. I've never made a Hawaiian quilt, but this might give me inspiration to do it one day. She's offering three prize packages! There are so many different ways to get an entry into the drawing and you have until May 31st to enter.

Birthday giveaways

Comments on this post are now closed. Thanks to all who entered. 

First, I just want to prove to you that I am working on the second sock, so here’s a photo.

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I also started yet another project, but put it away for the meantime, after making six test blocks. It’s from the Lion Brand blog’s hexagon crochet-a-long. I just couldn’t resist the hexagons!

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My friend Marie is having a giveaway to celebrate her birthday on October 1. She is doing the drawing on October 4, so you still have several days to enter.

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Marie mentions that she is honoring a late friend, Nora Creeach (the founding editor of CQMagOnline,) who used to do a giveaway on her mailing lists every year on her birthday. I actually won something from Nora once! But, I don’t remember what it was. :) I also was privileged to be Nora’s swap partner on one of the mailing lists and received a fantastic tassel from her. It is nine years since the swap and the tassel is still hanging from the lamp on the worktable in my sewing room.

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And now to MY giveaway!

 It’s been a long time since I had a giveaway and I’ve been itching to do another one. I’m lucky to have two birthdays. The one according to the Gregorian calendar was last week and the one according to the Jewish calendar falls out, this year, on next Wednesday, October 7.  

The gift package will include: One Carol Doak foundation paper piecing pattern, her Summer’s Welcome scenic pattern, plus a bunch of over thirty different fancy yarns, in two yard lengths, that are great for embellishments plus an assortment of 20 5” charms of batik fabrics from my stash.

I will use random.org to do the drawing after 6:00 am, my time zone, on October 7. That means you have until midnight, U.S. Eastern Daylight Savings Time, Tuesday, the 6th of October, to enter. 

To give a chance to the bloggers visiting from the Blogger's Quilt Festival (see button in my sidebar), I am extending the giveaway until midnight, Tuesday, October 13.

There are three  different ways to enter, with separate comments for each entry, on this post only.

For your first entry, just leave any comment or choose one of the items that you will be receiving if you win and tell me how you think you may like use it.

For your second entry, scroll down my sidebar until you reach my followers and add yourself as a follower.
For you third entry, mention, and link to, my giveaway on your blog.

Please make sure that your profile, with your email address and link to your blog, is linked to the header of your comments. If your email address is not in your profile, or you post anonymous comments, you MUST leave your email address in your comment. That's the only way I can contact you.


Good luck!

Debbie

I’ve officially knitted my first sock

I really finished this last week but just got around to photographing it. I’m hoping to start the next one sometime this week, just to prove that I don’t have second sock syndrome. I really plan to wear these in the winter. (Just around the house.)

I spent some time this week doing paperwork, so I don’t have anything creative to share. On Sunday, we’re going to the Second International Jewish Bloggers Convention. I hope to learn more about how to be a good blogger and get to meet a bunch of people whose blogs I read.

Lastly, in July I wrote about meeting Annie Smith of podcast fame (and she’s a popular California quilting teacher.) In her recent podcast she talks a little about our meeting, towards the end of the podcast. There are a few minor inaccuracies (we really didn’t have much time to talk leisurely, so some things may have been misunderstood) but I must correct one thing! So far, I have two grandchildren and not five. Hopefully, I will have many, many more. Just nothing on the horizon yet, that I know of.

Have a good weekend!

Debbie

A little doodling

Be sure to read about the giveaways I’ve entered, at the end of this post.

First about the sock. I finished it and am now in the process of undoing the binding because it is too tight! I tried to do it loosely, but I guess it wasn’t loose enough. I’m going to use larger needles when I do it again. Only problem is, I suspect it won’t be tight enough this time and the socks will fall down my leg!

Several years ago I took a course at Quilt University by Raymond Houston on his Symmetry design techniques. Recently he started a new blog for his work and a new mailing list, called NGQ Tile Addicts, for people who like to play with his symmetry design tiles. He gives you a set of his tiles to print out in regular and mirror image. Join the group to see what it’s all about. It’s really fun.

Here is something I came up with using the tiles.

* * * * * * *

My fellow hexagon junkie, Mary Ann, is having a giveaway on her blog. She’s giving away a set of her Bean Bag Critter kits. You have until this Friday to enter. Here is one of the critters in the set.

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Kellie in Australia is having a giveaway on her blog to celebrate her 100th post You should see that gorgeous quilt she’s giving away! She’s also giving away some of her patterns. I love her style. You have until September 2, Australian time, to enter.

Have fun!

Debbie