Hello Again!

Can I tell you that I'm downright embarrassed by how long it's been since I posted? I didn't realize it had been so long...

But to be honest, there hasn't been much going on over here. Christmas happened, and with it a very minimal amount of gift-sewing. Knitting is happening, which to be honest, makes it very hard to get off the couch. It's just so very comfy...

Also, there is the Christmas/New Year funk that happened (is still happening?). Holidays have been pretty rough since my Mom died, and this year we're without my grandmother too. It doesn't put one much in the mood to be creative. Or to do anything, really. I haven't even turned on my machine in about two weeks. It's just sad.

BUT. I did manage to finish my Canberra cowl, and have cast on another scarf and my first sock. First time knitting in the round AND first time using double pointed needles. I'll let you know how it goes!

(Pardon my crappy iPhone pics. Santa did NOT bring me a real camera...)

I'm going to be doing my WIP/Goals post here soon, so keep on the lookout for that.

I don't think I'm going to do a wrap-up post for 2013. I was not a fan. It was better than 2012, but just barely. (Looking back on that post, it seems that the funk I'm in right now is exactly what happened last year. Even posting on the same day!)

Here's to me getting my sewing mojo back!

Belated Finish

I actually finished this quilt quite a while ago... like just after Thanksgiving.

But then the Christmas rush started.

And then I became obsessed with knitting.

And then finals.

Excuses, excuses. I'm a bad blogger.

SO. Here she is, California Dreamin, in all her FMQ'ed glory.

This is the first time I've edge-to-edge free-motioned a quilt this big. I have to say it turned out better than I expected!

The back is an amalgam of Denyse prints from Joanns (that middle yellow flower is such a fave of mine!), and some pearl bracelets. It took me ages to decide what to bind it with (a really long time... remember this?), I really wanted to do something colorful, but everything I tried competed with the top too much. So I just threw in some scraps from the leaves and used the dark gray pearl bracelets. I love how it turned out!

I know it's not a Christmas quilt by any stretch of the imagination, but it's currently on the couch, along with Good Morning Starshine. They're friends. :-)


Stats:
California Dreamin
60"x72"
Fabrics from stash - Denyse Schmidt, Juliana Horner, V & Co, Lizzy House among others
Pieced and quilted on my Bernina with Aurifil 2600

I actually do still have a sewing machine...

But she's been feeling neglected with all the knitting that's going on. So the other day I was planning to go to visit my family for the day and I wanted to take some knitting with me.

But I couldn't have it rolling around in my purse or something, getting all unraveled and nubby and whatnot. So I needed to rectify that, right?

I whipped up this little cutie before breakfast, and then headed out for a mini road trip.

I love how Charlotte totally photobombed this one. She burrowed under the maple quilt a few seconds later. This is definitely snuggling season!

Have you been doing any quickie sewing lately? Some instant gratification perhaps?


the deets:
Fabric: Sunnyside by Kate Spain
Pattern: Noodlehead's Open Wide Pouch
Sewn on my Bernina with Aurifil 2600 (the perfect gray that matches literally everything!)

Re-Learning Curve

I mentioned a while back that I had taken up knitting again. Again, meaning that I had knit before. Before, meaning in elementary school.

Needless to say, I was pretty much starting from scratch.

Here is the first photo I showed, a project from the Craftsy class I'm taking that is my 'refresher-but-really-from-scratch' class. I think it's funny that you can see where I first started how the sides were all lumpy, but then I figured it out ;-)

So I'm basically addicted now, and I've since finished the lace scarf. Here is Charlotte being very generous with the reluctant-model side-eye.

I've also casted (casted? cast?) on a couple more things!

The blue scarf on the left is the next project from the Craftsy class, and I'm working on seed stitch and different sizes of basket weave.

The purple-ish one is a cowl pattern I found on Ravelry, and it's a very simple offset rib. I've actually made a good bit of progress on this, and have finished the first of three skeins. I'd like to be able to wear it while it's still cold out!

I know that most of y'all are quilters, but I'm finding that a lot of quilters are also knitters. Are you? What have you been working on? Do you find that there seems to be a knitting 'season'? I'm loving the coziness of this!

Skill Builder BOM - July Blocks

So I'm guessing that this BOM won't be done before the end of the year. Especially since the blocks aren't finished, the quilting is barely started, and then I'll have to join the quilted blocks.

But anyway, I've made a little progress.

Here are the July blocks - the wave block actually made two blocks, so I'm going to use one of them as the back of one of the blocks.

Hopefully my attention span will let me finish some more of these soon - but to be honest, I've cut a new quilt, pulled fabrics for two more, finished a scarf, and started another since these blocks were finished!

Quick Quilt-a-long!

I have a very quick finish for you today! Remember this picture from the other day?

Well, I had these Botanics charm squares that my LQS got from Market, and had them all spread out on my design wall waiting until inspiration struck.

Then I saw that Megan was starting a Giant Starburst Quilt-a-long.

BAM. Inspiration.

Now I know that this is a MINI giant starburst, but the essence is the same...

So I busted into these little babies...

And literally less than two hours later, I had this wonderful little lovely. After the mini I made for the Schnitzel & Boo swap, I was kind of stoked to keep on with these little bits of instant(ish) gratification.

I think I was successful :-)

I'm hoping to get some yardage of Botanics to use as backing and binding in the next few days, and this will quilt up pretty quickly, I think. :-)


Stats:
24x24
Fabric: Botanics by Carolyn Friedlander
Pieced with Aurifil 2600 on my Bernina

Snippets

I haven't been so good with the blogging lately, but I've been productive! In just the last couple days, I've...

...rearranged some stuff in the studio - now my bolts aren't too high for me to reach!

...taken up knitting, thanks to an awesome Craftsy class. I used to knit, ages and ages ago, but it's been a looooong time. My mom was a sock knitter, and I'd love to be able to do that. But first I need to figure out the simple stuff. See how the edges started out all lumpy, and then I got the hang of it? Yay!

(PSA - if you wish you knew how your mom does something, makes a certain dish, or wish you knew random stories from her childhood, ask NOW. Believe me...)

...been distracted with some of this...

...finished the quilting on this quilt, now on to binding! I was hoping this one would be done before thanksgiving, but alas, that is not to be. But at least the binding is on now!

I also worked on some of my Skill Builder blocks, but haven't taken pictures yet. Save that for another day!

What have you been working on? Have you had project ADD like me lately?