Charity quilt finished and bought

I finished the charity quilt on Tuesday and it was auctioned off on Wednesday for $50. I didn't take a picture of it completed, but here is one of it with pins and basting threads. It was finished off with a black binding and a rod pocket on the back. I hand quilted in the ditch aorund the major designs and then around the inside and outside edge of the black thin border. I wanted to do more, but ran out of time.
Next project: Devin's pullover. I worked on it a little bit last night and it's a lot of fun to do,but kinda hard becuase you can't see your stitches because of the texture of the yarn and I keep forgetting if I'm on a knit of a purl row! We'll see how it turns out!!

Still need to make myself a running hat but haven't gotten any yarn yet so that will have to wait.

Mittens done, quilt on it's way

The mittens are done! Only 2 small problems. 1) a little hole in the crease of the thumb which is easily fixed with a little yarn and a needle 2) a "seam" where I moved from one dp needle to the next, not sure how to fix that. I tried rotating my stitches around the needle as I went, but wound up with a stairstep looking seam. They have yet to be blocked, so maybe that will help.

I've finally made some progress on the charity wallhanging. I put 2 borders on, layered, and pinned it this weekend. It's halfway basted. I've got 2 quilting schemes in mind, 1 if I'm short on time and another to add to it if I've got extra time. The deadline is coming fast, I've got 2 weeks and 1 day. At this point I can at least get a picture of it to put on the auction website.

That's all my crafting that I've done lately, been real busy with school!

One mitten done

Ok, the first mitten is done! It came out OK, but not great. I'll get a picture up soon. The thumb has a little hole in the little crease and I can tell where I was swithing from one needle to another because the stitches aren't even. But, for my first attempt I think I did pretty good. They will do just fine as running mittens. And it fits pretty well. I probably could have made the hand part just a little bit longer because the ribbed cuff comes up a little bit onto my palm.

I'm just knitting along lately! I like that I'm getting so much done, but I really do have to do that charity quilt. But can't make it to the fabric store until the hubby comes back from him conference. It'll get done though, it SHOULD be quick.

Shawl

Ok, here's the long awaited shawl.


It's a beaut isn't it! The other 3 are the same pattern. One made of the same yarn, but in purples and reds. One is made of kidsilk yarn and that one was way to big, so it has to be folded in half and the pattern on the back is lost, but it's so soft and warm that it makes up for it. The last one is made of a green, black, and metallic gold yarn; definitely appropriate for a night of barhopping in the city.

Don't have any pictures of the mittens yet, I'll take one when the first one is finished. 5 more rows then I start decreasing for the top and then I have to figure out this whole thumb thing! Should be fun and hopefully not much longer.

Shawl is finished!

Finally. . . the shawl is done. I worked on it most of the night Friday and didn't go to bed unti it was done. It looks great. It's not as big as the other one I did with the same yarn, Imust be knitting tighter, but it's a good length. It's triangular and the points go right to the end of my fingers so it should be a perfect fit on my sister too since we're the same height. Pictures are coming. I leant my camera out this week and should be getting it back soon.

Wanted to make it to the Hancock's sale, but that didn't happen so I still don't have fabric to work on the charity quilt. I'll have to get a move on with that. But, with the hubby gone this week, I probably won't get to the store. I did make it to a knitting store and got everything I need for my running mittens. I'm making the warmest mittens from the knit knack kit. I've fnished the ribbed cuff on the first one. I'm really enjoying them. It's nice to do something new, I've been making shawls for months now and I really needed something different.

Also started the sweater for my niece, but all I did was cast on the stitches for the front piece and then I got the supplies for my mittens and was too excited to start those. My niece is turning 6 this winter so I am making it in size 7/8 so it will fit her next year (just in case). I don't want to do all this work and finish it at the end of winter and she'll only be able to wear it once. It will be big on her this year (if I finish) and it should fit nice next year, granted I sew my ends in right and it doesn't fall apart at the first washing!!

OK, that's it for my update. I'll be posting pictures of the shawl and my mittens in progress in the next few days.

5 more rows

I did another 5 rows last night on the green shawl. Only 15 more. I'm absolutely determined to finish it this weekend. I'm going to Hancock's for a big sale they're having and I hope to get a border fabric for the charity wallhanging. I'd like to finish organizing the sewing room, it's close, there's just not enough storage, maybe I'll get another bookcase. Also gonna do some fun fall stuff with the hubby so we'll see just how much crafting I can fit in. That's it, Monday I'll be sure to post my "finished with the shawl!" post

10 more rows

Well, I knitted my fingers off lastnight and finished another 10 rows of the green shawl for my sister!! I unfortunately can't make it to my usual knitting group tonight, but we're having dinner with our good friends, so it's acceptable. We'll probably be out late, but I'll try to knit a little bit when I get back. It's coming along though.
I'm adding another project to my priorities, a pair of mittens! It'll be a little tricky for me, but I think that I'm up for it! Since my first pair of mittens will probably look a little silly, I think that I'll make them to match my running hat (which is also on the list) and then I'll make another pair to actually wear to work.
Hopefully my next update will be that the shawl is in the mail to my sister, and hopefully I'll remember to take a picture of this one!!

Shawl update

I'm trying my hardest to finish the last shawl. I've got about 80 rows of 110 done. It's slow coming with all the remodeling projects we've got going on at home. It'll be done sometime soon though. I've got a charity quilt wallhanging to make and I think that I will use a wallhanging that I already started called twisted star. I'd really like to hand quilt it and there is just no way that I could have time to piece and hand quilt something by the middle of November. Ok, well, that's just my little update.

Long time no write

Well, it's been quite a long time since my last post. I was working frantically on my surprise projects to try to finish them by my wedding day (Oct. 2). But it didn't happen of course. They are no longer a surprise. I was making shawls for my 4 bridesmaids. I finished 3 of them, but of course forgot to take any pictures of them before I gave them away. I'm still working on the last one, it's getting there. I've got 63 rows done and no longer have the wedding to occupy all my time so it should go a litlte quicker now. I'm doing about 110 rows on it, but it adds 4 stitches every other row so it seems to go on forever. I'm gonna try my hardest to get it done by the end of the month, but that may be hard. But, I left the last one for my sister who is also a knitter, that way just in case I didn't finish in time, maybe she would understand just how much time these things take and not feel like I didn't try my hardest!

The wedding was perfect, not a thing to complain about! But this isn't a wedding blog, this is all about crafts!! Oh, a craft related wedding surprise for me . . . my mom made me a wedding quilt. It's gorgeous! I'll get a picture up ASAP. It's a log cabin with a heart design all done in neutrals. We hung it up at the wedding and took some portraits in front of it.

Priority of projects:
1. finish shawl for my matron of honor
2. charity quilt for a silent auction. Not sure when I need it done by, but I believe the middle of November. (I have yet to pick out a pattern/fabric for this project, but I know I'm doing a wall hanging.)
3. hat for me - I need a hat to go running in and I can't stand the idea of buying one!
4. sweater for neice - I've got all the yarn/needles/pattern for this, just need the time.

That's all I have planned at the moment.

First Sweater

I decided to try to make a sweater. I made this for my nephew since it would take the least amount of yarn (he's a little guy!) I used homespun yarn, 2 skeins colonial blue, 1 skein cream. It worked up very quickly. The front, back, and sleeves were worked up as flat pieces then sewn together. I then had to pick up stitches along the collar and knit a few rows of stockinette so it would roll over. The cuffs and bottom are done in garter and the rest is stockinette. The pattern was on the label of the homesupn yarn and is also available on the lion brand website.
I'm gonna try to make one for my niece now. A little pullover with a front pocket and a hood. I can't find the yarn that it calls for in the store, but I'm going to order it online. It'll be bright pink, perfect for a little girlie girl!!