Author: Mary

A Rainy Tuesday

~ Mary ~ 5 Comments

I don’t mind rainy days especially ones I get to stay inside and sew/quilt/knit/crochet all day and that’s my plan for today! If you’ve been reading my blog for a while you know assembling blocks into a finished top is my LEAST favorite part of the quilting process so I’m sure to drag it out but that’s OK because I’ve got my work lined up for the rest of the week.

I’m moving back and forth between assembling the Rails and Friendship Star top, big stitch quilting the doll quilt, knitting my magic loop hat, and crocheting my linen stitch blanket and maybe by the end of the week I’ll have something to show for it!

And since I’ve already shown you everything I have in progress … how about a photo of my inspiration for the Rails and Friendship Star? I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to use this idea again. I love the pieced blocks scattered amount the rail fence ones and rail fence quilts in all their many forms are favorites of mine and I’ve made MANY of them through the years! I’ve got this one out right now and I’m enjoying using it as the leaves outside begin to change. I LOVE fall!

Brief instructions for my Autumn Leaves quilt are on my website at this link.

Stanley Cup

~ Mary ~ 5 Comments

The Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup tonight!!!! It’s been a nail biting playoff series and we’re thrilled with the win. Funny, but considering all the years in Minneapolis, we didn’t become hockey fans until we moved to Tampa.

Magic Loop

~ Mary ~ 9 Comments

I had a request for a hat but of course my needles are back in Tampa so while I was out at the post office today, I stopped in to the small quilt shop in Jasper that also sells yarn and needles … only they didn’t have double pointed needles in the size I needed to go along with the circular needle I found there. The shop owner suggested I just make the hat using the Magic Loop method …. something I’m familiar with but have never tried. I had to restart once because I twisted it while I was fiddling with the cable but I think I’ve got it on the 2nd attempt.

I haven’t made much progress yet but I think I have the process down so we’ll see how it goes. I’m not using her pattern but I watched this video a few times to understand how to set up the hat and how to manipulate the cable and needles. Do you use Magic Loop in your knitting? Do you like the method?

New lighting!

~ Mary ~ 10 Comments

I love it! I had 4 LED lights added to my sewing room at Big Canoe … three are shown in this photo.

And one shown in this photo. All 4 areas are work zones and with just one light in the center of the room, I would cast a shadow over whatever I was working on. I was using a couple side lamps that I’d move from place to place as needed but this is SO much better. The new lights are on a separate switch and have a dimmer too although I don’t expect to have to turn them down when I’m working.

Blocks are done

~ Mary ~ 6 Comments

I went with a 9 x 12 setting and the quilt will end up about 54 x 72 which is the size of many of my donation quilts. I’m having some additional lighting added to the sewing room tomorrow so I won’t be able to start sewing it together just yet.

I’ve got leftovers from the ends of my strip sets which will become a doll quilt but I want to add a few pieces to make it larger so I cut a few extra strips. I’ve set it aside for now but I hope to get it assembled while I’m here. It’s always easier to get these little ones done when I finish the main quilt or they sit in a baggie for a long time! This is not the layout I’ll use, I was just trying to get an idea of how many I had and what size quilt I could make with them.

I also layered and pin basted another little doll quilt. I was going to quilt some quick diagonal lines on the sewing machine but after finishing the pink and purple quilt, I decided I’d use the gray crochet cotton and hand quilt the straight lines. I know it’s crazy but I just can’t stand throwing away these leftover stripset pieces and the girls like the little quilts for their dolls. They can also be donated. And I get to use up some leftover backing and batting pieces so it’s a win all the way around!

I was enjoying my afternoon in the sewing room and watching out the window. We’re not seeing as many deer as we did this summer but every few days one of us usually sees some. I saw three today.

Another new start

~ Mary ~ 9 Comments

I’ve made good progress on the Rail Fence and Friendship Star blocks … just a few more blocks to make and while I should have frogged the Feather and Fan scarf and started over with a different pattern, I started a new blanket instead. The scarf is just not draping well with the yarn/needle combination and luckily I haven’t gotten too far with it. I like the pattern so I will try it again later … maybe with some sock yarn.

  • Pattern – Linen Stitch blanket – Pattern came with a BluPrint kit, haven’t been able to find it online.
  • Hook size – I
  • Yarn – Mandala Ombré – colorway Joy

This may be my new favorite yarn and I’m pretty sure I’m going to need an additional skein for this blanket so I ordered more, a lot more! I’ll cross my fingers and hope the dye lot is similar.

Something new

~ Mary ~ 6 Comments

I know I won’t get it right all the time but this is the second pieced project in a row that isn’t turning out like I want. I knew the shade of blue wasn’t right … I like gray/blues for my veteran quilts but I ordered these and decided to use them anyway. Then, what I thought was a 2 inch finished HST die, turned out to be a 2.5 inch finished HST. Not a big deal since I had Thangles here which is how I usually make my 2 inch finished HSTs but after cutting a while, I realized I should have just gone with the 2.5 inch HSTs and cut the strips for my Rail Fence block 3 inches. UGH!

I don’t abandon projects that aren’t working out like I planned … I know that just because I don’t love a particular quilt doesn’t mean that someone else won’t … in fact Chris was begging for the square in a square top I just finished (he won’t get it, he’s got plenty of quilts and that one’s for donation) but he really liked it.

So, I’m going to finish these blocks and assemble the top but I am going to downsize it some by making fewer rows. I’m aiming for about 48 x 66 but it’s possible I might go 54 x 72. I’ll wait and see how it goes.

I will make this one again because I like the combination of stars and the rail fence blocks and I think I’ll even use the 2.5 inch finished HST die when I do make it! I do have brief instructions on my website at this link.

Finished

~ Mary ~ 5 Comments

Yep, another finish!

  • Pattern – Woodland Ripple – found free on Ravelry
  • Yarn – Caron Big Cakes – colorway is Grape Jelly – approximately 2.75 skeins used
  • Hook size – I
  • Finished size is approximately 44 x 56 which is a nice lap size blanket for an adult or a good size for a child too.

Both this blanket and the quilt shown in the previous post will be donated.

Finished

~ Mary ~ 6 Comments

Usually I underestimate the amount of time it’s going to take to finish a project … in this case I overestimated! I was sure I wouldn’t finish this one before leaving for Tampa (in 3+ weeks) but I was able to finish it in a couple days. This is my 2nd oldest UFO started in December 2014 but I’m not sure when I started quilting it, I know it’s been several years. It’s hand quilted in the big stitch style with simple lines. It’s the 11th UFO finished for the year so I’ll definitely meet my goal to finish 12 UFOs in 2020.

I do have brief instructions on my website – click here.

Her last day this week

~ Mary ~ 6 Comments

We finished up our days with Rae this week and Keith drove her home. I was surprised that I was able to finish hand quilting the pink and purple top and get it bound today even with our schoolwork and activities. She went with me to the post office and for a hike this afternoon and then played some Around the World (basketball) with Keith before they headed back to Marietta.

Since we don’t go inside restaurants to eat, eating on the curb has become a thing with Rae … when we took her back to Tampa with us in May, we stopped at McDonald’s on the drive and I told her messy eaters couldn’t eat in my car so her and Pop had to eat on the curb. Tonight, they stopped at Chick Fil A and had dinner together on the curb! Isn’t it funny what kids latch on to?