UFO's

Christmas is over and time is marching on towards the end of the year - I don't know if I'll get any more UFO's finished before the end of the year but I'm certainly thinking about next year. Though I have some new project ideas buzzing around my head, and inspiritional images gathered together, I really don't want to start something new until I've made some progress on the ever building 'pile' of UFO's.

Now there are some projects that I KNOW I'll have to get finished in 2010 - for example Lewis's quilt (I didn't manage it for Christmas but do what it complete for his birthday in May). I'd also like to 'bite the bullet' and start machine quilting the Round Robin top - but that hinges on one of my new projects which has a large element of free motion quilting practice in it. I could practice FMQ on one of the fabric panels (a UFO) first though.

So it's a case of where do you start. To help me with this I've joined in a quilt-along -Karen's UFO Quilt Along - now over the remainder of the holiday's I'll try and do some sorting and planning to figure out which project I'll work on first and maybe even an indication on how much I'd want to acheive, UFO wise, in 2010. There are other groups on the Connecting Threads sites that I've joined, but more on that later.

That said I've also noticed that the 100th blog post is looming. Now normally that means a giveaway, so that's another little thing I'll need to sort out. A GIVEAWAY.

So remember to pop back soon for more information on this.

Secret Santa

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas Day with loved ones.

We had a quiet day here, just relaxing and enjoying time together, as well of course as indulging in the usual 'larger' than normal Christmas dinner. Though we don't have turkey, we did have a lovely roast beef, with all the trimmings.

I thought I'd share with you the fantastic gift I received from my 'Limegreenjelly' Secret Santa - I'm absolutely astonished at the beautiful, generous contents on the parcel:-

A knitting/crochet pattern book, 2 fat quarters, dyed silk tops for spinning, 100g of lovely soft LGJ roving (merino/silk blend), lime buttons of various sizes, lime organza ribbon, lime perle cotton and a sachet of Soak.

Thank you so very very much whoever my SS partner was, this gift is very much appreciated and treasured, I'm looking forward to flexing my crafting skills to use each of these items to it's fullest potential. You have me already contemplating spinning the roving as my next 800 yard attempt, and blending the silk tops with some of my recent dye attempts. But, the fat quarters - well I've been enchanted by the 'I Do Quilt' by Cherry House Quilts, and have been considering using some of my green stash to do this and these will fit into thie collection perfectly.

Warmest Seasonal Blessings

Please, each and every one of you who kindly drop by and read my ramblings, accept my warmest and richest blessings at this joyous Christmas Holiday time.

We are planning a simple, quiet Christmas break here, with a little indulgence or two, and I'll maybe get some time crafting, but what I don't know. One thing I'm sure off is that next year I plan to improve my machine quilting and also to 'attack' the UFO stack which is building in the corner of my cramped work room. So hopefully I'll have plenty to share with you all next year.

Take care and have a good Chistmas and an even better New Year.

Yet more progress!

I've been spinning away on my latest attempt at the Limegreenjelly 800 yard spinning challenge - still not been able to manage 800 yards but I'm very very pleased with the 613 yards that I've acheived - here's a photo of it on the niddy noddy ready to be skeined, rinsed and hung to dry.

And a close up

I also bought some fibre on Saturday at the Guild and dyed two colourways on Sunday - when it's dry and daylight I'll get some more photos to share with you all.

Another UFO complete

Just in time for our show and tell at Threave Quilters tonight I've completed my B&W challenge top - it's far from perfet, but I'm pleased to have done some free motion quilting on this top. To make life a little you'll have seen from earlier posts that I'd halfed the top and used a sort of quilt-as-you-go technique.

After tonights TQ meeting I'll post photos of my Threave challenge project. So I'm off now to sort some Christmas presents and organise cards for posting.

Photographs

The camera battery is now fully charged and I can take, and share photographs with you.

Firstly, I was very fortunate to win a Ravelry challenge with my 'Forget-me-not', home dyed yarn, and this is the beautiful sheland roving that Megan sent me. Doesn't she do lovely colours.

And a UFO - now, this is far from perfect, my binding is too narrow, but it is a sample I've made for our monthly Stitchers Group. It's based on Patchwork Pottery's, butterfly potholders/oven mitts.

This is my first attempt at free motion quilting -

it's a little hang bag simply made from a square of lining fabric, batting, fabric and voile, and if you want to hide your inner face of quilting, line the bag with another decorative fabric before adding the binding. It was so easy to make and can basically be done to any size you fancy - mini hanging bags in christmas fabrics would be lovely with chocolates inside would look good on a tree. I'm thinking that this could be used to hold roving fibres on or by your wheel whist spinning.

Today I finished off my Threave challenge project, it didn't take long, then - well we will see how I feel. Then I russeled up this handbag organiser - hopefully it will keep some of the loose odds and ends together instead of rolling around the bottom of my bag - it's also a sample piece for Stitchers group.

And then of course I'm also spinning some roving - this is the fourth of the lengths of roving that I dyed - I'm again trying to get some lace grade yarn (about 800 yards), but I'll be happy if I get over 500 yards.

I purchased some lovely lace yarn back in April - called Black Cherry - and after seeing some lovely Kid Silk scarfs at a local craft fair on Sunday, I started this scarf - I hope it turns out OK.

Until next time!

Disappointments

All set and ready to sew, well almost - nipped out this morning after doing the housework, to gather supplies, ready for a day of crafting - first on the list was to complete the 2nd half of my black and white challenge top. Just one border sashing to add, then sandwich - I knew I needed more of the same material I'd used for batting, so that was on the list together with some more thread and machine needles. Managed to get everything except the batting, there won't be any in until Friday. So I've replanned today and have 98% finished 1 UFO and 1 new project (to be a present). When they are complete I'll post photos, I just need to get some ribbon.

But what will I make / work on tomorrow?

Long weekend

As we didn't get away again on holiday, due to a number of reasons, I've got some holidays to use up from work before the end of the year - so this weekend is a lovely long weekend. I'm off until Thursday. Over these few days and after completing some of those craft distracting issues (housework), I'm hoping to get a few hours each day up in my craft room - it will be chilly up there but hopefully some frantic sewing will keep me warm

The UFO's on my 'hit' list will be:-

1. The Threave challenge project
2. The B&W quilt challenge top
3. My butterfly pot holder

I've a couple of other projects lurking around which I'd like to make inroads on but these will do for starters. One of which is a BIG BIG challenge - Leah was kind enought to email me some suggestions regarding quilting the Round Robin top, and I must say that confidence is slowly building, along with the urge to get going with it - so maybe 2010 is the year that this actually gets finished.

Other than the Threave project I'll hopefully be able to share photos with you within a day or two.

Of course those times when I'm not in my craft room sewing I'll probably be sitting in the Living Room (beside the wood burning stove), doing some spinning or knitting or crocheting, though I am thinking of preparing some hand sewing project (or other) which I can be doing here as well.

Slow week

It's been a week of ripping back and re-doing in the knitting department, but at last I've finished the 'Sandalwood Textured Shawl'. Just need to weave in the yarn ends and then block it.

I've also finished soaking and drying the hank of 'Stormy Skys' yarn. I'd been trying to spin this as part of the Limegreenjelly - 800 yard spinning challenge. I'm quite pleased that, for about my 5th time spinning on a wheel, I've been able to manage a full 400 yards. Compared to my other attempts which were around 300 to 330 yards, it's still pretty decent.

Yesterday was out 'Gathering Day' at Spinners, Weavers and Dyers. Unfortunately I can't take photos of what I bought, the pretty things are intended for presents, and it wouldn't be fair to show them here and spoil the suprise's. But, it was a good day, busy and plenty of lovely goodies to browse and buy.

Accepting Leah's Challenge

I don't know if any of you have stumbled upon, and are following Leah's blog. There is such inspiration there, and oh so many wonderful ideas on free motion filler quilt patterns. Well just this week she has been showing us how she works out possible quilting patterns for a quilt. Check out her site to see what I mean.

Well as a result I've taken her suggestions to heart and, though it's a dodgy photo, overmarked the Round Robin quilt with the 'start' of a possible quilting pattern.

What do you think:-

I'm unsure about the cross quilting in the 9 patch blocks and the rail fence blocks and as yet completely unsure what to do on the flying geese border strip and the square on point border to the central panel. I'll mull things over at present but it may be something I look at in detail once I'd have the other sections done - the top would be held in place by the edge ditch stitching to each of the fine framing strips between each 'ring'. I'll also possibly reconsider the 9 patch/rail fence blocks quilting.

As they say time will tell - it's amazing though that I've even thought about it at all becasue I've been putting it off for so long as I didn't want to just 'frame' blocks in the standard quilt in the ditch fashion.

Stormy Skys

I'm planning to take part in a fun challenge on Ravelry - on the Limegreenjelly thread we are having a little challenge to see if we can spin a lace grade yarn and get 800 yards of plyed yarn from 100g of roving.

I'm trying with this roving that I dyed back in September.

Here's my attempts so far:-

That's a single thread over a new 5p piece.

Challenge!

After I'd spun up the blue roving - 'forget-me-not', because the colour it reminds me of those delightful tiny flowers, my pal Charlotte issued me with a challenge to knit a shawl with the yarn. Well it's been a long time since I'd knit something other than a scarf and as I've never had any success with keeping a lace pattern going, yet, I decided to do a textured shawl.
Beleive it or not but I managed to knit this up in about 4 days. My blocking needs to be sorted out but I am happy with the final result. Here's a close up, don't you love the way the colours blended into zones.And a reminder of the journey from dyed roving (26 Sept 09) to knitted shawl (18th Oct 09)

Here is a collage on the progress, so far, of the 'sandalwood' roving to yarn - now what do I make with this?
Today will be a play day for me - DH is away to the football (Ibrox), and I've to decide whether I'm doing some patchwork/quilting or yarn crafting when I've got some housework done. So hopefully there will be more to share with you all soon.

Blogger Quilt Festival

This is my contribution to this massive 'Blogger Quilt Festival' - an online event

Jack Skellington - he now proudly hangs up in my brother Robin's home -

Robin is a big fan of 'Nighmare Before Christmas', and as a crafter I wanted to make something he'd be happy to receive and display in his home. It's my own design based on one of the many images you find on the internet. This was also the first time I used the free form curved seams, quilted the top to wadding before adding the back (a technique of Ricky Tims), and I have to say I loved the whole process, quick and liberating.

I'll be posting photos of some current UFO's that I plan to have finished this year so please drop back again for a visit.

Progress

Mum's birthday scarf arrived in time and she loved it.

I've had a busy and varied week this week - I took 3 days holiday from work at the end of the week, and had been hoping to split the time between some home DIY and crafting - well it's been mainly DIY and a little crafting in those 3 days and the DIY continues today, but I did get a little crafting done on Friday.

Back to last weekend though first -

One length of the merino blue dyed roving spun up

and, presently -

Currenly spinning one of the merino/silk dyed roving lengths

Finished quilting one half of the B&W challenge project

and a close up - with plenty of fluff, I'll need a good lint brush to clean up this once the top is complete
Prepared and cut the pieces for the Threave Quilters challenge project (unfortunately this will be the only photo of this project until after the December meeting)

Yesterday was a very enjoyable, relaxing day at the Spinners, Weavers and Dyers yesterday, and I came away from there yesterday with LOADS of fibre for spinning - 500g of lovely soft merino roving (just ready for dyeing) and I was urged to take two lovely soft, but smelly, shetland fleeces. It will be a huge learning curve working from the fleece from scratch and going though the whole process to a large finished wearable article of clothing. No doubt there will be plenty of photos of my progress with these over the coming months.

I found my limited stash of complete SBS blocks, earlier today, whilst clearing out my craft storage box (where I hide many of my hand sewn WIP projects), and whilst following Karen's blog on her Dear Jane quilt, I've been thinking, as the winter nights roll in, of restarting this project, with that in mind I'll ponder the idea for a few weeks as to whether or not do something similar to Karen and share weekly progress reports on the blocks that I make. What do you think?

Another finish

It started out as this as a length of dyed roving (Limegreenjelly 'Precious') and I spun it on the drop spindle whilst on holiday in July, then plyed it and after rinsing, skeined it up ready for use -

Finally I decided that as we took Mum (and Dad) on holiday with us, (a special birthday present for Mum), I decided to crochet the resulting yarn up as a gift for Mum on her actual birthday this coming week - here's the finished article -

a ripple scarf with a picot edge that drapes well and actually looks like a really textural piece of seaweed.

I hope she likes it.

Dyed roving

They are dry now and looking great - can't wait to start spinning, but do I go ahead as I've done to date or do I get some proper guidance?

Play day again

This afternoon I got the opportunity to try dyeing the merino and merino/silk roving that I received with the Kiwi wheel. I used Dylon cold water dyes.
The first batch (300g of merino) - I used 4 dye colours on this in varying combinations along the each length of roving. Though I kept the dye as a pretty concentrated solution you can see that they came out quite subdued - but I'm happy with the result. I might blend these up with the dyed fleece I did a few weeks ago, once its carded.

This next batch of roving is 4 lengths each at approximately 100g of a merino/silk blend. Here I got a little more adventerous. I used 6 Dylon cold water dyes and even combined some of these dyes to make another 2 mixes. Here I tryed to vary the colour combinations in each of the roving lengths and am really really happy with the variations and colours that have come out.

Now I've got to play the waiting game and allow each of the lengths to dry out fully before teasing them out a little before plaiting them up. Once they are dry and plaited I'll do another photo, in better light. There's a tingle going up my back at present, as I think that once I do this the true potential of the fibres will be shown, here's hoping I'm right.

Another Challenge

We are well and truly wizzing through the year and Finn again, has set her challenge - 'how many UFO's can / do you want to finish up by midnight on Hogmany (New Years Eve).

Pop along to here blog and join in. I've currently signed up for 3, I'm thinking it will be these projects:-

• the B&W challenge top
• Lewis's quilt (a Chistmas present)
• Treave Quilters challenge - one that's in design stage and has to be finished by early December

There are a few additional wee projects lurking around in the background that may join this list in due course though.

Other than that it looks like I've potentially got another play day tomorrow when DH is off to Ibrox for the home game, so once the shopping is done and housework completed (this can be done in double quick time when DH is not around), I'll get some crafting done, even work on some of those UFO's.

Finished!

I started this scarf on Saturday night, to show a friend a quick easy scarf/neckwarmer that she could do as a gift. This is made from the first fibre I've spun on my Kiwi wheel - its BFL fleece which I bought at Woolfest from Limegreenjelly check out her Etsy shop - there are of course many other UK suppliers of both roving and yarns on the Etsy site, as well as many many countries over the world.

When I spun this the singles yarns were quite thin so I plyed it once and halfed that yarn and plyed the two two ply yarns together. Now do I keep the scarf for myself or pass it on as a gift! I just don't know - it's my first completed project with one of my first own spun yarns. Decisions, decisions.

And as promised a chance to see the willow basket that I made Saturday week ago.

Progress

Designing as you go - if you can call it that, can be quite forgiving. After sewing together the 'coin strip' for the backing section for this half of the lap quilt I decided to add sashing strips to the border. It was only after I'd taken this photo that I realised I need to add some more strips to the coin section. At least I've got some strips left (not many) to do this. Next stop however will be to sort out some batting material, I think a trip to Dunelm is in order on the way home form work tomorrow night.

And, mentioning design as you go - I'm considering a vertical 'coin' strip down the back on the second half of the backing - so as they say 'what this space'. More soon I hope.