Quilt Top Finished

I finished my quilt top the other night. I love the way it turned out. Started to do the back tonight and I don't have enough fabric. I'm not really surprised. I bought it without knowing how big it was going to be and just guessing. I am not sure what to do. I guess part of it depends on if they still have the fabric.

Quilt Progress

I got my blocks for my quilt all cut out. I went to sew the first block and my machine decided it had enough. The stitch length was from gathering to darning and back. I can't remember the last time I had it worked on. At least 6-7 years ago. I took it in and got it adjusted and oiled. I have to say it is like a different machine. Just tells you how bad it was.

I got all the blocks put into rows Tuesday this week. Tonight I put all the rows together. It looks really good. I am really happy with it. I still want to put a couple of borders around it to help it all tie together. I am going to use the burgundy, the backing which I don't have a picture of yet, and maybe a new one in a gray/brown. Right now it is 48 1/2" x 68".

Catchup

It has been several months since i have blogged, but my hands have still been busy. I finished the third panel on my shawl, but still can't decide between lace edging or fringe. It is sitting on my desk in my craft room while I decide.
I finished a pair of pink socks to go with jeans. I found a great pattern on the Internet for an eyelet baby afghan done in two stranded sport weight yarn and size 15 needles. It has seed stitch around the edges and panels inside. It works up fast and is softer than you could ever imagine. I made one for a shower the end of June and then just finished another one to have on hand. I know quite a few women with babies on the way all of a sudden. In August, while in need of a project for a road trip I started a sweater vest for my husband. He works in a bank and so he dresses up 6 days a week with church on Sunday. He likes to wear them in the winter. He has been wanting a blue one. He has a beige and off white in his closet. I like to take a basic plain pattern and then add cables and decorative stitches. The back is done, and the front up to the vee. I need to concentrate on the patterns while I do the decrease and so I have set it down for a quiet evening. (It may be a while!). I do want to have it done for Christmas though.
I found out that one if the ladies in my church congregation was teaching quilting. She isn't charging, but of course you are required to pay for your supplies. I went and bought the fabric the end of June. I didn't have anyone go with me. I knew what color scheme I wanted. I bought all batik's. I want to do a quilt for the guest room wall. I have had two classes. I had started to second guess my choices, but I really like it now. I am doing a strip quilt first. As of last night I have all the strips seen together and pressed. Wed, in class we will cut them into my blocks.
I went and bought more yarn last night. I am going to do an entrelac afghan for the guest room. The sewn quilt is going to be more of an art piece and the afghan for the actual bed. I started it last night. I am using 6 colors. I am starting row 6 tomorrow.

Pull Through Wrap

My mom came to visit this weekend for my youngest sons birthday. She brought me a handfull of free knitting and crochet leaflets that she had picked up at a craft store. She really liked this one by Red Heart and so I am making it for her. I think that it is really unique. I can't wait to see it finished.

New Bed Afghan

About 6 years ago I had the brilliant idea that I wanted to do a afghan for our bed. I wanted to knit it in panels that had different stitches on them. I wanted it a little thicker and so I double stranded it. I have a king size bed, and so the panels were quite large. I made about 6 of them before I started to put them together. No matter how I tried I just couldn't make them look nice when I put them together.

At this point I had about 24 skeins of yarn into this project. I couldn't throw it all away and so I took the panels out and rolled the yarn into balls and put them in a large garbage bag. They set in my closet for a while, and moved with us 3 years ago. Last year I tried to seperate the double strands and did one ball and gave up. They were so hopelessly twisted together that was a nightmare and back into the closet they went.

Finally when I finished the baby entrelac blanket I decided to try it with this doubled yarn. It worked. I have worked it as far as I can at this point. I have used all the previous yarn. I have run out of the varigated and they only sell it at Christmas. The name of it is Holly and Ivy. At this point it is about a queen size and very heavy. It is back in the closet now, but just awaiting the holidays to get more yarn and then I will finish it finally. 6 year UFO almost done!

Here is a picture to give you an idea what it looks like.

Crocheted Entrelac Baby Blanket

Sunday afternoon I went through all my leftover yarns and came up with 5 that actually went together. I couldn't believe my luck. I started with two squares on the entrelac and made a baby blanket. I went around the whole thing in single crochet with the beginning color to finish it off. I ended up being 35" by 37 1/2" inches. Perfect for a baby blanket.

It is quite heavy and probably not something I want to work on in the summer around here. I still need to block it, but it is finished. I'm thinking that one I was going to knit for my guest room is going to be done this way instead. I love the way it looks like patchwork. It is so easy. There is no turning your work and each round is a color, so you have a minimum of color changes.

Possibilities...

Crochet Entrelac

The funny thing about the quilt show is that both years I have gone I have learned a new technique that is not related to quilting. Two years ago I learned how to cut bias strips and knit them into scarves.

This year as we were leaving I saw one of the vendors crocheting. I can't go by someone and not ask them what they are working on. At first it looked like a baby sweater. When she showed it to us it was actually a crocheted entrelac afghan.

As a knitter I have wanted to learn entrelac for a couple of years and haven't got around to it. She showed me a little of how to do it and then gave me a website to get step by step instructions. They are very clear and well written with a lot of photos to help. Here is the link if you are interested. http://mylifeinknots.blogspot.com/search/label/Entralac%20Afghan. I sat down today and worked the beginning of a sample and I really like it. This is the beginning two rows in a sport weight. I am going to go through my left over yarn and see what I can come up with.