Finished projects - first of many for the new year

And here I thought January would slow down. HA!

I have finished a few projects and finally taken photos.

First is the front of the "rag" quilt. . .



as well as the back side.


I found my hands were getting cold when driving early in the morning. So I decided to make a pair of mittens. My middle daughter showed me some she was making and I decided to make myself a pair of peek-a-boo mittens. I like the fact that my fingers can get out easily, but will need to make some adjustments with the opening. My hands do stay warmer than with the gloves I had.


Now with these projects out of the way maybe I can try to get some netting done. Maybe a net bag to hold my knitting?

Advent Calendar

The last couple of weeks have been busy. I recently saw an advent calendar that I really liked and so proceeded to make a couple, one for me and one to give away to my oldest son and his family (we drew his family for Christmas). Since that one has been given away (received and displayed) it is now safe to show it. I still have the pattern and I may, over the next several years, make more to give to my other married children.



I like the way that Mary and Joseph travel a bit each day going from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

The shepherds and their sheep are also present.

And the stable has its manger filled with hay. Part of me says the star should not have been glued on but should have had Velcro attached to it so it could be placed above the stable on Christmas Eve. Oh well, maybe I can do that next time.









On the back is a small doll, wrapped in "swaddling clothes," waiting to be placed in the manger on Christmas Eve.









I also finished clipping my 3rd son's quilt and washed it once. Then I had to find all the holes in the seams where I had accidentally cut the thread. Now I just need to sew up those seams and wash it again. Then, after I take appropriate photos, I will present it to him. Only 6 months late.

Quilt Progress

I finally finished sewing all the squares together for my son's high school graduation quilt.



The back and front are completely different - his choice.


Front is on the left. (reds)
Back is on the right. (blues)





The front has the raw edges which will be clipped into quarter-inch fringe.



The back looks more like a traditional patchwork quilt. The two diagonal lines I earlier sewed across each square create a diamond pattern across the entire back.



I have finished clipping in one direction (the columns); now I have to clip the other direction (the rows) and around the edges. It took me about 15 minutes to clip each column. When I tried to do two columns (one after the other) my thumb started to go numb and tingly. I guess that means it will take longer to complete cutting the quilt since I will have to do a little bit each day for several weeks instead of finishing it up in just a couple of days.

Socks and Quilt

Some might think that no blog = nothing done on any projects. They would be wrong.

No blog = no time to take pictures or make blog entry.



My middle daughter has been helping me knit my first sock in years. I think I made two many years ago with worsted-weight. They were okay, but not great, so I did not start any more. Anyway, she has convinced me to try again. And earlier this month we were both at the same conference, so I brought my sock so she could talk me through the heel.



It was a great Time Out for Women, and I got the heel finished.







Progress has also been made on my 3rd son's high school graduation quilt. I know I'm slow, but progress is progress.

I have taken the 240 squares and made 120 sandwiches out of them.



I put a bluish print, a smaller batting square in the middle, and a red print in a pile, with the right sides facing out, and fastened them together with a pin. Now I get to sew an X (from corner to corner twice) on each square. That will fasten the batting to the top and bottom fabric.





Here are the squares with the bluish side up













and now the same squares with the red side up.









I have also worked on the net shawl (including cutting off 9 rows when I was 2 rows from the end -- stupid mistake that did not show up until then), and the sweater. Now I need to go watch the Red Sox in the World Series. I still hope to get something finished before the series is done.