Monday, November 18, 2013

Swiss Army Knitted Pillow

Been doing some knervous knitting these past couple of nights.  I wasn't sure if I could do intarsia knitting using a garter stitch, but, after a little internet search, found it it was quite easy to do.  Someday I may have enough money to buy, or enough luck to find a bargain priced Swiss Army Blanket.  Until then, I will continue to make blanket inspired projects.  So, I knervously knitted a couple of big squares using cotton yarn, inserting a red cross in one of the sides.  I made a squishy pillow form for inside, and whip stitched closed.  This was a pretty quick knit - 50 cast-on stitches on size 6 needles, 50 garter stitch ridges (100 rows).  Another good idea would be an intarsia tree on a red background.  I have a request from oldest granddaughter for some new felted wool mittens, so I may knervously knit those for a while.  During the day, the studio is in full holiday speed ahead, but in the evening, a comfy chair, a little tv, and some knitting is what I need.  Jerilynn

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Posy Penney Table Runners

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The bottom shot is the "up north" coloration of my Posy Penny Table Runner.  A Florida friend was visiting a friend up here in Cumberland and saw her runner and loved it!  The colors, however, were too "cabiny" for the Sunshine State.  One Christmas gift request later, and a change of colors to a tropical palette, and the Sunny Posy Penny Table Runner was complete.  It was fun making something in colors that I don't normally use.  I think we all have colors that we just naturally gravitate towards; certainly red is my anchor color!  I hadn't made one of these runners in a while and I was pleased to discover that I could follow my pattern instructions quite easily.  Like a past note to a future me on what to do.  Jerilynn

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Fall Back Fun





Happy Fall Back Day!  This is probably my favorite day of the year.  Usually, sometime during this day, I will think that is it an hour later, realize I was looking at a clock that has not been set back, and....I have an extra hour!!!  A gift of time.  It is a nice day here, finally, after a week of clouds and a bit of rain.  I helped Carl rake a little until the neighbor came over with his gigantic leaf vacuum and helped Carl finish the job.  Another gift of time for me!!  I decided to take that found time and finish a quilt-as-you-go Big Bottom Bonnie Bag that I had started a few days ago.  I increased the size of the bag until it was about 9"x12", a good size to hold a lot of stuff.  The method I used was the one I learned in a Craftsy class taught by Tara Rebman (I highly recommend that class).  It is a quilting style that can be applied to all sorts of projects and is a good one to use up snippets of fabrics.  I love all the colors of fabrics that I used...I just pulled out my bin of tiny fabric scraps and mostly picked from there.  I think my hour is up, but I do still have that found don't-have-to-help-rake time, so maybe I can find something else quick and fun to tackle.  I have a pretty good list of things that need to be done, but I think Fall Back Day is for kicking back, relaxing, settling in for those early dark evenings and starting the lake freeze watch.  What did you spend your extra hour on today?  Jerilynn