My design wall - April 24, 2017

Hey, I've actually got something up on my design wall!  I haven't had much time to work on any of my on-going projects for any length of time over the past 2 weeks, but I made time on Saturday to start a new one!
I'm SO thankful my daughter warned me not to install Pinterest on my cell phone - she told me that I'd spend all my spare time scrolling through the various pins, and I'd never get anything else done...  So, I resisted - for about 3 weeks...  Last week, I ended up having to wait for someone, and so, to kill a bit of time, I scrolled through the day's offerings - and found this pin.  I really had no use for a kit, and I'd actually have to buy at least 3 or 4 kits to make a quilt the size I needed.  It didn't look too complicated though, so I thought I'd see if I had any fabric to make the quilt.  (See hubby, it DOES pay to have a stash!)  I found exactly the right fabrics, got them cut up and sewed up a bunch of them - and then I noticed that two of the fabrics were directional, and to get the pattern right, every other block would be upside down...  So, back to the fabrics, cut some more, reversing the two "problem" fabrics, and laid out the blocks.
And this is what they look like!

I'm hoping to finish the top this week - not sure if I'll leave it as it is, or put a border on it - I'll have to see what it looks like then.

Linking up to Judy's Design Wall post.

A productive day!

It's been quite a while since I've actually been able to sit at my sewing machine for longer than 5 or 10 minutes.  My sewing room needed a major clean-up / sort out / purge (this is what's kept me from sewing for the past two weeks), and most of what I needed to do has been done.  Hopefully, I can finish it up soon!
Part of what started all this is the UFO challenge that Judy issued a few months ago.  I listed 12 projects that I needed to finish this year - some of them are at least 8 or 9 years old - and am trying to complete them in a month's time.  In order to make that list, I had to find some of the projects, and determine how much needed to be done - could I do it in a month?  Then I'd wait for Judy to choose a number - and then I'd pull that project, work on it, and hopefully finish it.
This month's project number was #1 - which was my pink and brown log cabin quilt.  A number of years ago, I belonged to a quilt forum - we had a great group of ladies!  We did a lot of block-of-the-month swaps, and then different projects - one of them being a log-cabin swap.  We each chose a log cabin pattern, and our colour scheme - then the administrator would pair us up and we'd make the block our partner chose, in her colours - and she'd do the same for me.  Unfortunately, we only made it through about 5 or 6 months before most of us lost interest....
I had chosen pink and brown for my colours - it was a good thing that I really loved those colours then, because I had to make a few more!  The strips had been cut, and actually moved with us twice, so it was definitely time to finish this project!
I had most of the day today to work on this quilt, and I'm very happy to report that it's finally a top - ready to sandwich and quilt!  Voila!

Now the one thing about sewing log cabin blocks is that you have to do a LOT of "stitch a seam, press a seam; repeat" - and in order to press my seams efficiently, I found it best to use a leader-ender project to avoid wasting the thread on my last wound bobbin.  So, I also managed to make a few scrappy blocks!  I've put them up on my design wall - and here they are: 

These blocks are super-simple to make - all of the parts are 2.5" x 4.5", so they are easy to cut up and the blocks go together quickly!  This probably won't be the final layout, but it gives you an idea of how bright and cheerful the quilt is going to be!  There are a number of charities that are looking for quilts just like that, so it will find a home soon!

Linking up to Judy's Design Wall post, as well as Quilting is More Fun than Housework's Oh Scrap post and She Can Quilt's Scraptastic Tuesday post.

On the Needles Fri. Apr. 7, 2017

I have a finish to report today, as well as my next "works in progress".

I'm part of the TinCanKnits group on Ravelry.  They recently partnered with 7 other knitwear designers to create 9 unique sweaters using the same body and sleeves - the women each designed a different yoke pattern that worked with the body / sleeves.  Sales of the patterns funded the purchase of mosquito netting for the "Against Malaria Foundation".  

I chose to make the "Tenderheart" pattern by TinCanKnits, in teal and off-white for my son-in-law's nephew, baby Owen.  He was born in November, but I didn't want to make a baby sweater, so I knit it in the 2-4 year-old size.  I hope his mom likes the colour!

Another group that I belong to on Ravelry is the "17 in 2017" group.  We've been challenged to complete 17 items this year - hopefully (in my case), works in progress.  Every month we're issued a specific challenge, and I try to match it with a project on my list of unfinished objects.  

My oldest daughter's best friend (Erin) from high school had her first baby (a boy) last summer.  I've been working on a sweater for him for quite a while now, and it's SO close to being done.  Well, the challenge for April's 17 in 2017 is "Doubles".   

The group moderator wrote "Suggested ideas for doubles:

1. Mittens
2. Socks
3. Two projects from the same designer
4. Repeat of a pattern you have previously used"

I just found out that my cousin's 2nd daughter is expecting a baby girl this summer, and I thought that I'd take this opportunity to make a girl's version of the sweater that I made for Erin's baby - here are the backs of the 2 sweaters - the blue one is for Erin's son, and the red / multi colour print is for Melissa's baby:

Getting these 2 sweaters done this month should keep me busy!

Linking up to Judy's On the Needles post, and also to Sarah's Can I get a whoop-whoop post.