So on my floor tonight – the pink and brown Stars and Pinwheels quilt. I’m adding borders to make it just a little bigger and since Adam’s wedding is set for the end of March I can’t put it off any longer.

Someone asked what yarn I was using for my new socks — it’s a Stroll yarn from Knit Picks called Peacock Multi. Pretty isn’t it?

I finished them up this evening while I watched the Colts lose the Super Bowl.

And just look at how neat that heel turned out!

I’ve already got another sock cast on but this one using fingerling weight yarn (the above socks are sport weight) and size 2 needles which feel like tooth picks in my hands. These are toasty warm and they fit so nice!

I was reading one of the sock books I bought today and she has several patterns for tube socks — it never occurred to me to not knit socks with a heel but I was thinking it might be a good pattern to practice two at a time socks since they look so easy and I wouldn’t even have to worry about the heels — has anyone made tube socks? Any reason I shouldn’t give them a try?

Tonight’s cleaning task is moving the 3 stacks of mail from the kitchen and filing it all right after I do my Wii. Maybe I’ll even get a little sewing in.

About Socks

• I can’t watch a movie and knit them but I can watch TV which takes less concentration
• The harder I’m concentrating the tighter my knitting gets. I need to loosen up.
• Socks are the perfect project because even with mistakes you can wear them and since they’re hidden no one has to know they’re not perfect. I’ve never been good at practice pieces that aren’t good for anything.
• I LOVE working with the 2 circular needles. Having all the sole stitches on the 16″ needle and the instep on the 24″ inch needle makes things really simple to follow and my book shows me how easy it is to convert patterns written for DPD.

If you’ve been thinking about learning to knit socks you should go for it. I’m good at reading and teaching myself to do things but if you aren’t it’s worth taking a class.

About Wii

• While I kind of like the Wii Fit, the routines or exercise seem too short and they don’t flow as well from one to the other as I’d like. Also while some are fun and some do get you moving they just don’t feel like you’re working hard enough.
• After debating whether to spend more money on the Wii as an exercise option, I bought EA Sports Active (it’s made for the Wii) today and did one workout and it’s really SO much better. The intensity is higher and the flow of the workout seemed smoother or more connected is maybe what I’m trying to say.
• From here I’d like to continue with the Yoga on the Wii Fit and add in the EA Sports Active workouts and see how it goes.

Finally, ignoring the mess in the house doesn’t make it go away! I need to go back to doing just one small task a day to get the clutter back under control.

First quilting, then knitting, then piecing, and finally writing up instructions for the Twisted 9 Patch.

I didn’t expect to finish this top today but I’m glad it’s done. I’m ready to move on. If you’re interested in the instructions, click on the link above which will take you to my MaryQuilts.com site.

I’ve turned my heel on the 2nd red sock so that one will definitely be finished this weekend as I’m planning on knitting while the Super Bowl is on. I don’t really care about either team but I’m sure we’ll have the game on so I’ll just sit and knit.

Now Keith and I are going to go out for breakfast and run a few errands before I come home and collapse into bed.

Keith came home this evening and asked why I was quilting in the dark – That’s what happens when your thread blends too well with the fabrics in the top and you need to see where you’re going.

This is another donated top from Tamera.

EDIT: If interested in how Tamera made this top, she has a tutorial on her blog.

Quilted with freehand leaves and loops.

I have a couple leaves pantographs I like a lot but the Circle Lord template is still on the table and I might do one more top before taking it off so I went ahead and quilted the leaves freehand. Given how well the thread blended with a lot of the fabric, a panto would have been easier.

How fun to receive emails and photos from people saying they’ve used one of my instructions to make a quilt — and especially when the quilts are going to a charitable organization. Today I received an email from Susan sharing photos from their retreat where they use my Red Rover instructions.

And then later today I had kind of a funny feeling when I opened this email from Accuquilt with an ad for their strip dies and saw their free project quilt.

I know the Quick Strippie I’ve had posted on my site is a really basic quilt but other than the strip sizes in this one corresponding to the size of their strip dies it looks exactly like one of mine.

I almost deleted this post because I don’t want to sound like I’m the only one who can come up with such a simple quilt but who knew I was so attached to the idea of *MY* strippie being out there and used by so many people and really it’s the instruction sheet that’s downloaded most off my MaryQuilts.com site and the one that I get tons of feedback on because the quilts turn out so cute and are so easy. Now when I see one out there, I won’t be able to assume they found it on my site.

I’ve been piecing and quilting these tops from Coins donated during one of our HeartStrings projects and now I’m officially tired of them! Helen, one of our members from the UK offered to take the remaining coins off my hands (probably enough for another 2 maybe 3 quilts) so this will be my last one, at least for a while.

You’ll notice that yes, one again I used the Circle Lord Swirls template and I’m trying to decide if this is the last one for now or if I’ll do one more before taking it off the table and trying out the new clamshell one waiting in it’s box.

I’ve also been using this subtle King Tut variegated thread on the last 3 tops. One of the biggest things that saves me time is grouping tops together that I plan on using the same pattern and thread.  You might think it’s boring but when I have lots of tops waiting here for quilting even small things like that save me time.

As far as other items from my day…..

Red sock # 2 has been cast on and I’m working on the leg. Thanks to the bad influence of JudyL, not only did I order yarn for 2 more pair last night online but I searched out a local yarn store and bought yarn for two more…. that doesn’t include the yarn that should be here any day with my smaller needles too. (Yes, I’ll have yarn for 6 pair of socks waiting).

AND WHO KNEW that the yarn shop was on the block behind my grocery store and that we’ve driven by it multiple times to get in and out of the parking garage. In fact, the only time we drive to the store is when we buying more groceries than we can carry — yes, it’s even within walking distance just about a mile and a half each way.

Speaking of walking, it was snowing tonight so we decided to walk across the river for dinner (almost as far as the yarn shop) and played a little in the snow on the way home. Is there anything better than walking in the snow at night? I don’t think so.

I’m still on an odd schedule but I’ve been changing the date on my posts so that when I’m saying today or tonight the post matches the day I’m talking about. You probably don’t care but when I go back to look something up it helps me if the post says Thursday when I’m talking about Thursday…..because right — it’s really Friday.

So I thought I’d just share this EQ drawing of the Twisted 9 patch that I recolored so I could calculate how much fabric I was using. Doesn’t it look kind of interesting?

Today was one of those days I had good intentions but never actually did any sewing. I also didn’t get my 2nd red sock cast on. What I did manage to do was walk downtown to get my haircut, visit the library, read, and meet Keith for drinks at the Foshay .

My machine was making a clunky noise this evening — even after a good cleaning and a new needle it still wasn’t running well so I pulled out the Elna and will take the Brother to the shop. I bought it in March last year so I guess it’s almost due for servicing anyway.

I’d forgotten how nice the Elna is to sew on but I can’t find the feet. I’d put them in a safe place when I took this in for repair last March and I never even opened it back up when it came home because I was already using the new one. I’m sure I’ll run across the bag I put them in somewhere but I managed to find a quarter inch foot that fits it (a Little Foot) although I’m not sure why I had an unopened one in with the Curve Master foot I haven’t tried (yet).

In spite of the challenges and since today is Tuesday, I managed to work on string blocks as planned and I got my backing for the week pieced also. I’ve got enough QAYG blocks now for 2 quilts (96 blocks) and I spent part of the day cutting up and piecing additional batting squares.

There are instructions for piecing the blocks on my MaryQuilts.com site along with links at the bottom of the page to Jan Mac’s and Keryn’s blogs where they show how they assemble them.

And finally, I have a pair of socks. They don’t match but I finished my second sock tonight — not without some challenges but with more practice I might actually get good at these. Maybe tomorrow I’ll get the matching red sock cast on.

Very scrappy I know and I’m sure it’s not to everyone’s taste. Framing each of the 9 patch blocks in a single fabric or putting sashing between the blocks would have calmed it down some but I love it like this. I spent today making the rest of the blocks and I’ve started to assemble the rows.

I’m also  enjoying  having my sewing table in front of the window — not sure why I didn’t put it there when we first moved here. Today I was able to watch the snow coming down as I was working ….and as you can see, it’s still snowing. Again, not everyone wishes for snow but I love it.

Not bad…..

Tops quilted = 6

Quilts bound and labeled = 7

No tops finished but the Twisted 9 patch is in progress, 22 pillowcases were made, and 72 QAYG blocks were pieced

To finish up the month, this donated top pieced by San and her group in NC – backing pieced by Tish (thank you SO much!). I was able to load this one tonight and quilt it quickly just before the end of the month.

A swirly version of Dwirling from the Pajama Quilter DVD - quick and easy.

I also managed to turn the heel on my red sock. Still have a few errors but not as many as on the first sock.

I started a new pair of socks before making a mate for sock #1. While the instructions in my book are pretty good, knitting tends to be more vague than quilting and I was told to knit leg to desired length….and after I was done I decided the leg was shorter than I liked.

So I started a new pair — same yarn, different color and this time I’ll make the leg a little longer. I ordered more of the beige yarn too and I plan to make a pair with a longer leg from it and then if I have enough left over from both batches, I’ll make sock #1 a mate.

I also managed to load and quilt one of my tops, the twisted Kaleidoscope quilted with the Circle Lord Swirls template.

I did mention that while that template is on the table, I’ll be doing several quilts with it. This is #2 and I’ve got at least one if not two more tops that will get this design before the template comes off.

Well really, there are several problems with the sock but hey, it looks like a sock and it feels like a sock and I’m very proud of myself….now to do something about that other poor bare foot!

Just another hour and a half and I was done with this donation top from Sharon that I’d spent most of the afternoon working on. I think this is a Disappearing 9 Patch but I could be wrong. It’s hard to get a good photo downstairs at night but you can see the floral prints she used and the flower quilting I used from the Pajama Quilter DVD.

And a little of the quilting on the back. This was a large quilt so I was happy to have the backing pieced for me by Sheree.

I’m in love with socks and I think they’re going to be the perfect travel project just like I wanted.

I did take a break from my sock this afternoon to load and start to quilt another donated top. I’m using a flower motif from the Pajama Quilter DVD — the simple one but there are lots of florals in the quilt so it’s looking good.

Keith got home tonight and I think he’s home now until our trip to Los Cabos in a couple weeks.  We’re looking forward to some beach time.

In the meantime, since it’s too early to sleep (12:45AM) I think I’ll go downstairs and quilt for an hour or so.

I’ve gotten my days and nights completely switched again so I’m getting ready to head to bed now at 6AM. I’m not sure what happened to yesterday  - I slept, read, watched a movie, knit and UNknit on this sock of mine and here it is time to go to bed and I didn’t quilt a stitch but I did do some Wii exercises around 2AM and it chastised me with a mini lecture on the importance of getting enough sleep.

Ignore the chubby little foot but I’ve got a heel of sorts. I had a hard time understanding the instructions after I turned the heel – I figured out how to pick up the first set of stitches but ….well, it’s just too hard to explain. I’m not worried about my mistakes because I’m learning from them.

Maybe I’ll get a top loaded on the longarm when I get up but I have a feeling I might be picking up this sock again.

Well I worked on the QAYG blocks and got my backing made but nothing worth taking a photo of ….I’m up to 72 QAYG blocks and am working my way toward 96 which will be enough for two quilts.

A few people have written asking how to join the blocks and while I haven’t done it myself, I do have links to Jan Mac and Keryn’s blogs at the bottom of the page with the block instructions that show you how they assemble them. So check out those links if you’re curious.

I think I mentioned that my goal was to be able to knit two socks at a time, toe up, on two circular needles and I’m still aiming for that but after practicing on the toe a few times I decided to do the easy part first….and I also decided I’d try to do a single sock before attempting two at a time.

And I just LOVE these needles except I like the longer one so I’m going to have to get another set of them. Nancy recommended them and I can’t believe how much nicer they are than the Clover Takumi ones I had here and they’re prettier too!

By the way, they’re sitting on one of the books I bought but I’m actually using the instructions from the other one.

The same twisted 9 patch blocks are on my design wall but I’m slowly making progress on them. I need to go back to making 9 patch blocks now as I’ve twisted all the ones I had.

This quilt will take (48)  9 inch blocks (blocks are 9.5 with seam allowances and I started with a 6 inch 9 patch block (6.5 with seam allowance)) It will measure 54×72 which is a good size donation quilt.

I also finished quilting this top sent by Cecile for me to quilt and donate. I used my Circle Lord Swirls template. It’s been a while so I was a bit wobbly in places — it won’t be very noticeable when it’s done thanks to cotton batting and washing/drying the finished quilt.

Bouncing around in the channels with the stylus is my biggest challenge with these giant templates but I love the texture and the results I get and once I’m warmed up it’s not bad. In fact I just ordered the Pampas Clam board the other day — I’ve been wanting a clamshell version and this can be quilted with or without the *grass*.

I always make sure I have several quilts lined up before loading one of the templates on the table so you’ll be seeing a few of these in the next couple weeks although I’ll alternate with some freehand quilting too.

I have kind of a weird system for tracking my stash used – I add it to my database as I USE it since that’s the easiest way to make sure I track it all but technically I only count it as used at the end of the year if the entire quilt is finished so I have carry over from last year. It’s an odd way to count I know but that’s what works for me….I don’t think I’ll try to report weekly but maybe on my monthly summaries I’ll monitor my progress.

I’m at 51 yards used just for the finished quilts, my pillowcases, and QAYG blocks for HeartStrings that will get sent to Jay to assemble and finish but the faster I finish things, the higher the number will climb because I’ve got stash in a lot of tops and pieced backs waiting for quilting.

I didn’t buy any fabric this week but I wasn’t so good earlier in the month.

I did work a fair amount today  with progress made on the 9 patch quilt and I’m about half way through quilting a topbut I’ll show you those tomorrow since I didn’t take any photos.

On the subject of football, I was sorry the Vikings lost tonight and won’t be going to the Super Bowl but given all the turnovers it would have been a miracle if they’d won.