Distracted by Knitting

There have been quite a few distractions these past weeks and I haven't done as much quilting as I'd like. Aside from life in general I have been distracted and consumed by knitting projects.

I joined a knitting group that meets on Monday mornings and it has been great fun. I have never been a confident knitter so the presence of a knitting teacher in my group has been a big help!

I have completed one ruffled scarf (pictured) and am halfway through a second one. With the leftover yarn from the blue scarf, I am making fingerless gloves (not finished yet). More pictures to come!

Amish Nine Patch

I'm working away on Kathleen Tracy's one-a month doll quilts. This is November. I pieced the top this afternoon- the quilting will be done later. I have 3 tops to be quilted and 2 that I haven't even started! Will I make it by Dec 31st???

Mountain Trail

I finally finished making the latest quilt along from Lori of Humble Quilts. It's a log cabin variation she calls Mountain Trail.

Election Day Quilt

I turned Kathleen Tracy's September challenge quilt into a patriotic quilt. I pieced most of it on Tuesday and added the borders today.

Election Day

Halloween Houses

A little wall hanging I sold at our Quilt Show's Silent Auction. It features fabrics from my Halloween Stash.

Kathleen's Bees

I lost my friend, Kathleen, to brain cancer a year ago. She was a creative, artistic quilter and a good friend. I inherited her quilting supplies and UFOs which I've distributed to our group of friends and kept some for myself. A sad business.

I found this little piece among her things and finished it.

Charming Coins

My latest Kathleen Tracy doll quilt!

Needlechasers Quilt Guild

My quilt guild, the Needlechasers of Chevy Chase, is having our biennial quilt show this weekend. See our website Needlechasers.org for details.

Pictured is our raffle quilt, a sampler quilt made by our members containing pieced and appliquéd blocks. I made three of the appliqué blocks. I will have four quilts in the show.

Time to Knit

It's Fall which means it's time to knit! Although it hasn't gotten cold yet here in the nation's capital. I have finished knitting a cowl using yarn I bought at Lion Brand Yarns in New York City this summer. Today I bought yarn at my local yarn shop to knit two more cowls.

Indigo Blue and White Quilt

I've enjoyed making Kathleen Tracy's doll quits this year. This is from her book, "American Doll Quilts.". Sorry to say that I had trouble with one of the blue fabrics running. Boo hoo! That hasn't happened often. I washed it in Biz and it looks much better.

Our quilt guild's biennial show will be held in October and I am just about finished with my entries. Photos coming soon!

"LOVE" Needlepoint

I like to do all types of stitching. I started when I was nine years old with knitting. Then I moved on to sewing clothes, counted cross stitch, needlepoint, and finally quilting.

Needlepoint is great for traveling. It is so easy to pick up and put down. I may turn this little piece into a notebook cover, zippered pouch or pincushion.

Labor Day Weekend

I am at the beach this weekend. Yay! No sewing for me until Tuesday.

I Am A Zakka Winner!

I have been participating, here and there, in the Zakka Style Sew Along .  Last month I made the Delightful Linen Bag and while visiting New York's Garment District, I checked my email and discovered that I had won that week's drawing, a beautiful fat quarter bundle of Rhapsodia from Art Gallery Fabrics.  Lucky me!  I am not familiar with this line of fabrics but they are gorgeous.  Receiving a package of fabric in the mail is the most wonderful thing! 

  To visit the Zakka Flickr group, go here.

April's Small Quilt

I've been following Kathleen Tracy's quilt along, trying to make one small quilt each month. I'm a bit behind but I've made five so far, not necessarily in chronological order!

See www.asentimentalquilter.blogspot.com.

Delightful Linen Pouch Shower Gift

I went to Chicago to attend my niece's bridal shower and made her this "wedding" version of the linen pouch. She also got an ice bucket.

It was fun making this and I used some of the trims I had bought in NYC. I think these make nice gifts since it is easy to make them in any size and they can be personalized.

Trip to Chicago

I am in the Chicago area visiting my sister. Of course I had to drag her to a quilt shop even though she's not a quilter. We visited Pieceful Gathering Quilt Shop in Fox River Grove. Illinois. Coincidentally, they were having their anniversary sale and quilt show.

Sashiko in NYC

I am back home from NYC having spent a wonderful few days visiting my adult children and delighting in all that NY has to offer. On Monday I visited M&J Trimming and Tinsel Trading, both stores treasure troves of ribbons, buttons and lots of frou frou!

On Tuesday I took an afternoon workshop at The City Quilter. The subject was Sashiko, a traditional Japanese embroidery. I chose the class because it fit into my schedule and because I didn't know much about Sashiko. Well, I wasn't disappointed! Our teacher taught us how to draft and mark patterns and how to achieve the stitch, using a long Sashiko needle and cotton thread.

After my class, I popped over to Lion Brand Yarn Studio just to check things out on the knitting scene. I bought one ball of yarn and got a free pattern to make a cowl.

I have more news which I will report later but...it has to do with the Zakka Sew Along!

NYC Garment District

I am having great fun in New York. I am visiting my two children who live here but while they were at work I checked out the ribbon and trim stores in the Garment District. This is hard to do when my husband and son are in tow so I am taking full advantage during this solo trip!

Knitting and 2012 Summer Olympics

When I heard about the controversy of Ravelry wanting to call their marathon of knitting "Ravelympics" all I could think of was pulling out my UFO green sweater and working on it while watching the Olympics.

It is very close to being finished. I am working on the neckband but it is a kimono sweater and thus a very large neckband. I am determined to finish it in the next two weeks and I got started tonight while watching the opening ceremonies. If all goes well, I'll be able to wear it this fall!

Zakka Delightful Linen Bag

The latest project in the Zakka Sew Along is the Delightful Linen Bag.  It is a rather small pouch but oh-so-delightful!  A big plus is that is has no zipper and no handles so it goes together quickly.  What you put on the front is entirely up to you.  I cut out the cup and saucer from a piece of fabric and Wonder-Undered it onto the brown print.  I have an extensive collection of "writing fabric" and found this scrap amid the pile.  The button came from my button box.  I disciplined myself to make the project entirely from what I had on hand...and it wasn't hard to do!

Visit LRstitched for more information on the Zakka Sew Along.  There is a Flickr group here.

Petal Pouches

When I was in Asheville I visited a quilt shop called Tipsy Star Quilts where I bought this pattern by Valori Wells. These cute little pouches are easy to make. Shown are the small and medium sizes. I haven't made the large size yet.

Trip to Asheville, NC

I was away last week. My husband and I took a trip to Asheville which is a fun getaway if you're in that neck of the woods. It's a small city, easily walkable, with great restaurants and a thriving arts and music scene. Nearby is the Biltmore Estate and The Smoky Mountains, both well worth seeing, for different reasons. Asheville has its own flat iron building just like New York. Pictured is a sculpture in front.

Sewing Sets

I thought it would be fun to make matching sewing items, using the same fabrics. I'd like to make some notebook covers to match also.

Zakka House Pouch

Continuing my meandering through the book, Zakka Style, here is the house pouch. I had great fun making it, picking out buttons and such. Everything came from my stash!

Expandable Tote Bag

I saw this bag at The Little Shop in Haddonfield, NJ, last month. They couldn't find the pattern - it was one of their own - so the owner described how to make it.

Here goes:

1. Make 2 bags. One is the exterior and one is the lining. For each, cut 2 rectangles or squares. I cut mine 14" x 14" but next time I will make it deeper. Line all 4 pieces with fusible fleece. This makes the bag soft and squishy which I like. Sew right sides together on 3 sides and press seams open.

2. Square off bottoms.

3. Put the lining inside the exterior bag, wrong sides together. Match up top edges and side seams and pin.

4. Bind top edge.

5. Make handles. There are different ways to do this but I covered 1" canvas webbing with fabric. My handles were 30" long.

6. Machine stitch handles on inside about 4" down from top. Fold over the top of the bag to form a cuff. Open up the cuff to fit in more stuff, as needed!

Zakka Pincushion

I'm a little late to the Zakka Style Sewalong but I decided to go back and make some of the earlier projects that appeal to me. One can never have too many pincushions, right?

This one is made of linen, a floral cotton from my stash, and a bit of trim. For the back I used a scrap of my son's old pink Oxford shirt. I also covered the button with it.

Happy 4th!

This is a mini quilt I made many years ago. I like to hang it on my door for the 4th of July. Tomorrow we are going to watch our baseball team, the Washington Nationals, play. It is such a fun, all-American activity for the fourth. I hope it's not too hot and I hope they win!

Delaney Bag

Here is my latest bag, The Delaney Bag from Bunny Hill Designs. I used a heavier fabric for the exterior and a quilting cotton for the lining. The lining is interfaced with Craft Fuse to give it body. For the handles I covered 1" cotton webbing for strength.

Stay tuned for more bags!

Vinyl Pouches

I bought this pattern from The Little Shop when I was in New Jersey last week. It is Atkinson Designs and makes three pouches from two fat quarters of fabric, a piece of clear vinyl and zippers. It was easy to follow and I love the result!

Radiohead & Quilt Shop in NJ

I was a good mom this week and drove my son and a friend to see Radiohead in concert in Camden, NJ. It's a long drive so we spent the night before heading back home. While the boys slept in, I explored the nearby town of Haddonfield, NJ, where I found The Little Shop, a delightful quilt shop with wonderful fabrics and friendly people.

Pictured are the fabrics I bought.

A great trip for all!

Zakka Style Pouch

This is the latest project in the Zakka Style Sewalong. I love making hexagons so that part was fun for me. The zipper? Not so much. I used linen for the exterior and a very pretty Fig Tree fabric for the lining.