Time's flying and so are my fingers!

I've been neglecting my blogging, but not my needlework! Between my applique and sock knitting, my fingers are seldom still.

Was lucky to go on a road trip with a three of my good friends a few weeks ago. We went to Crown Point, Indiana, to a shop called, "Bits and Pieces". Really nice shop that was discovered last summer on the Illiana Shop Hop. I found a wonderful pattern for lots of Santas. I have an addiction to Christmas quilts. Just love them! Next stop was the Fabric Center in Morris, Illinois. They have such a wonderful selection of batiks . . . if the perfect one isn't in their offerings, it hasn't been made!

I've continued to work on my shop hop block inventory. I just finished the last two blocks from the First Annual Illiana Shop Hop, titled, "Leave Summer Behind". That leaves two more sets, but they are both all pieced.


I've been neglecting my blogging, but not my needlework! Between my applique and sock knitting, my fingers are seldom still.

Was lucky to go on a road trip with a three of my good friends a few weeks ago. We went to Crown Point, Indiana, to a shop called, "Bits and Pieces". Really nice shop that was discovered last summer on the Illiana Shop Hop. I found a wonderful pattern for lots of Santas. I have an addiction to Christmas quilts. Just love them! Next stop was the Fabric Center in Morris, Illinois. They have such a wonderful selection of batiks . . . if the perfect one isn't in their offerings, it hasn't been made!

I've continued to work on my shop hop block inventory. I just finished the last two blocks from the First Annual Illiana Shop Hop, titled, "Leave Summer Behind". That leaves two more sets, but they are both all pieced.

I was supposed to complete my Artist's Trading Cards by our group's Christmas exchange. I found a mini-teapot pattern from a number of years ago, and launched the first one using that pattern. The pattern had three pieces, the top, the body of the teapot, and the base, and there was "daylight" between the three pieces. I just didn't like it, so I ditched it, and decided I would postpone my distribution to our January retreat. I didn't want to feel rushed and exasperated, but would rather enjoy the project, and think of my friends while creating the ATC's. I started over, and altered the pattern to have the pieces joined together. I made a contrast base, and instead of having the gap between the top and the pot, I repeated the base fabric as a very narrow trim . . . probably about 1/16th of an inch wide. I'm delighted with the result, and anxious to move onto the next ones. I just grabbed the stack of scraps from making perfume bottles, so my choices all have gold or silver on them. It's tempting to launch another giant quilt, with lots of exotic teapots! But, I'll just keep repeating . . . finish some UFO's!

We didn't leave home for the Holidays, but I seemed to spend quite a bit of time in the car. I hauled out my knitting for the road trip above, since I wanted to avoide being car sick doing any applique in the backseat! I managed to finish a sock, to complete another pair on that trip. I always take a project to auctions with me, too, so that gives me the benefit of unrestricted knitting time. The biggest problem I have at an auction is getting carried along with the cadence of the auctioneer's calls. The faster they sell, the faster I knit. Once, I knitted seven inches past where I was supposed to make a pattern change!

DH and I did a little bit of shopping together, and he drove, so I carried along my knitting. I've been using some self-striping yarns for the socks. They are great fun to make, and feel wonderful to wear with the crisp weather. The self-striping yarns make it go quickly, as the color changes come up, and one wants to "continue the thread" to see the next color change. I actually made some "dorm socks" for my daughter-in-law on Friday and Saturday, and wrapped them for her for Christmas. She put them on immediately, and loves them. The pattern was a freebie, written for a specific yarn, but it seemed harsh and scratchy to me when I felt it. So, I chose another that was much softer. I have a basket full of sock yarns next to my "nest" in the living room. I'm hoping for a blizzard . . . or at least unlimited time to devote to my handwork. Aren't we all?