February 2011 wrap-up

Yardage Totals 2011

January: 1071 yds
February: 762yds

Year to date: 1,833 yds or 1.04 miles

Weeell, kittens. Considering I didn't start actually knitting this month until about 10 days ago, that's not such a bad number. As some of my sewing projects wind down, I'm hoping to have more time--and desire--to knit again. If not, a fun new toy arrived for me and I'm raring to go to learn to use it!

FO: Super Sekret Mug Rug

Now that I know this has made its way to the intended recipient--the lovely and Ritzy Experimental Katie-- I can blog about it a bit.

Kittens, I made a mug rug. A mini quilt meant to hold your cuppa... and maybe a treat or two. There's an entire group dedicated to swapping them over on Flickr, and after staring at one after another gorgeous mug rug, I decided to take a crack at it. Since Katie's birthday was coming up around that time--and I just happened to be working on a quilt with purple (one of her favorite colors)--I went to work.

These are a great way to use up little bits and pieces of scraps. I decided to make mine with a mini Courthouse block (not surprising considering I've made so many lately...) and a garden gnome, since Katie is so fond of them. It's actually quite different then I originally envisioned, but I had to change plans as I went. This project was a definite learning experience. (And in case anyone is wondering, yes, the hat is made of some felted knitting. That was the first knitting I had done all month. It's Malabrigo but SHHHH! Don't tell the bat squad, OK?)

Binding something this small proved to be a bit tricky, but thanks to this tutorial, I made it through OK.

I'm pretty sure there will be more of these in my future.

WIP-it Wednesday: 08 of 52

Took a little break there, kittens, but I seem to be back onto knitting for the time being.







Blankets!

Tickles and Teases

Kittens, it's getting there. All the blocks are completed. I've decided on the layout. All I have left to do is piece the top, decide on the backing, and quilt/finish. This weekend has been quite productive.

Block 8

There is still very little to blog, kittens, but fear not! Today, a huge box from Jimmy Beans Wool arrived at my house, and I can continue on The Boy's king-sized blanket. There will be knitting. Oh yes, there will be knitting. And I *did* start a project the other day...another blanket inspired by this one. Kittens, I am all about blankets right now and seem to be flipping the bird to sweaters and socks. It's going to be all blankets, all the time around here. Knit blankets. Quilted blankets. Blankets for The Girl. Blankets for The Boy. Blankets for our bed. A very special blanket just for me.

Blankets. Yes.

(Since my Knitpicks interchangeable replacement parts also arrived, I can finally continue on the sweater I was test knitting as well. I'm sure I would have been done by now, had I not been sidelined by The Girl and her obsession with hiding all of my things. For being only 2 and so small, she sure does make a lot of trouble.)

Anywho.

As the title says, I managed to finish Courthouse block 08 of 11 that I need for our new bed quilt. If all goes well, I may be able to wrap these up over the weekend, but we shall see. The last of some other fabric needed arrived today for that and I can start piecing the top as soon as all of the blocks are finished. Yay!

Block 7

Right at the end of January, I finished up this 7th quilt block and then stopped while I considered what I really wanted to do with our bed quilt.

You see, kittens, that nagging feeling I often get was starting to roar at me. I really liked the blocks I've been making, but I wasn't digging the pattern they came from. This is not the fault of the pattern, but rather, my inability to notice that the retro starburst panels used were not random as I had remembered; they were actually in a symmetrical pattern in the middle of the quilt. Once I realized this--but not before I spent many days vainly hoping I'd find more panels for sale--and started to play with my own quilt's layout, I realized there was no way to make the quilt look like anything but an after thought. And really, who wants to put something on her bed that looks like she gave little-to-no thought to it?

It just wouldn't do.

So I took a couple of days off to regroup before deciding where to go next. I ended up spending an entire evening carefully drawing and redrawing--to scale--different layouts for my quilt top until I came upon one that struck my fancy and was the clear winner.

No, I'm not sharing it yet. It's going to be a surprise. But needless to say, this quilt should finish up much more quickly, and hopefully, it will have a much more modern and purposeful feel to it.

Birdie Stitches: February 2011

I have quite a bit of catching up to do, kittens! Last week, a stomach bug tore through my house and brought everything to a stand still. We still have some stragglers for full recovery, but at least we're starting to do things again that do not involve lying on the couch and napping.

Right before the bug hit, I was about to write a couple of quilting blog posts that had to be delayed. I'm going to try and get them both out tonight.

First is the second block in my Birdie Stitches embroider/quilt along. I actually finished this before the 4th and it's just been sitting around waiting to be photographed ever since. This month, Ms. Birdie apparently finds a mister. The Girl is quite excited about her quilt and happily squeaks about it every chance she gets. I wish she'd get this excited when I knit her things.

My guess is that March's block will feature clover...though, maybe a lion and a lamb? I have to admit that, in my mind, March is one of the more fun months, since it's not as predictable what the theme could be. Hopefully before the next block releases, I'll have some of the top piecing finished. I finally found where I stashed the medium gray Kona I'm using for the top and I can get to work cutting it for the sashing.

I'm itching to be productive and moving again after more then a week of nothing!

WIP-it Wednesday: 05 of 52

I am so boring this year, kittens! I'm amazed you're sticking around to read my blog.

So little has happened since last week that I didn't take pictures of my knitting WIPs. Really, how different is an additional inch of garter stitch/stockinette to a project?! I am working, but very slowly. Someday, I'll be interesting again; I promise.