Shocked It's Still Here

Wow! I am surprised the blogger peeps haven't taken down this inactive blog.

As always, this blog is a sporadic hot mess. I'm not a good blogger or journaler and I knew that when I started this blog. But occasionally I feel the need to post an update.

I'm still knitting as my main hobby but I have picked up the needle to do some cross stitch. I actually started a new piece Suffrage Act by Little House Needleworks. It's a sweet piece celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the passing of the 18th amendment. As a history teacher, I knew this would be a way to add a little stitching to my classroom.

I've also worked on a small quilt project I started last year. It is in blue and green batik fabrics and it has a variety of log cabin blocks. I'm piecing the last of the border blocks and soon I'll start sewing all of the rows together.

I'm typing this as I sit at home during a global pandemic. I find that I am having a short attention span as I self isolate at home. During my normal summer routine I stay home a lot, but I do get out twice a week to go to knitting and church. During this time, I can't do that and so I'm doing this as a way to temporarily get my mind on something else.

Reading has also taken up a lot of my time. I started getting back into reading two years ago when I was staying with my uncle during his last few weeks fight lung cancer. I've kept my kindle full thanks to kindle unlimited and the local library. If anyone actually reads this blog, I suggest you read Kathleen Brooks and Penny Reid for some romance and belly laughing. Both authors have a wonderful way with words and setting the scene.

Off to do a little reading and occupy myself with something else. :)

Day Two of Rabbit Holes

I'm into sewing, knitting and cross stitching, although the stitching took a back burner after bifocals came into my life. I have a small stash of fabric and a when knitting came along project bags took on a new look and place in my life.

When I was stitching I really enjoyed vinyl mesh bags, most of my projects are still in those bags. A new design was popping up for qsnaps and projects that has stitching incorporated into the bag. I haven't made one of those yet but those are on my radar.

This is my latest creation. Fell in love with the Fringe Supply Co. Field Bag and l really like the size and canvas fabric so much that I own two. I decided to surf Etsy and see if others were making similar bags. Many many bags popped up and after getting a feel for the bag size and construction I pulled out what little home decor fabric I had and made the bag. I have another bag cut out and after test driving this one I'll make any necessary tweaks and make the second bag.

I also make bags with matching DPN needle minders and notions bags. I may have shown these before. My sweet sister keeps asking how many bags do I need? But I like to change them up frequently.

My favorite style is a wedge bag and I have material for several more. It fits several skeins of yarn, a project, and notions pouch. I am also addicted to purchasing them from The Fat Squirrel, Amy Beth's bags are really nice. The construction is top notch and I love her fabric choices. There is a retreat coming up and she will be vending. I'm going to have a hard time not purchasing more. Ordered the retreat bag already.  :)

I made and use this bag all the time. 

Several other bag makers will be at the retreat market and I've been saving my purchase $$ for a bag from Hopkin's Studio. I want to see her bags in person, they are a little more expensive and she has so many fabrics I can't choose which is just right. 

So many bags, so little time to make and use them all!

Poor Little Blog

I haven't forgotten this blog exists. I'm just a horrible blogger. (:

Knitting update for 2016 - 7,036 meters in 22 projects

Quilting - not one quilt quilted and this makes me sad

Sewing - unfortunately I didn't count the number of project bags I made in 2016 but I'm guessing 10+ bags and 5+ needle minders

Reading - I read 39 books, nine were repeated books 

Reading stats were really low, I've already read ten books in 2017 and read two books 1/3 through before deciding I wasn't interested enough to finish them. I'm hoping I will continue on this reading kick throughout 2017 because I've really missed reading for pleasure.

I've currently have three knitting projects on the needles, two pair of socks and a set of knitted knockers (breast prosthetics for cancer patients). I have a goal of twelve pair of knockers for 2017. This summer I will be attending SSK in Nashville and I'm looking forward to meeting lots of knitters. I've been attending the Cookeville Sock Club for over a year and have really enjoyed getting to know these ladies. I hope to be able to go to a Thursday night meeting soon.

Kitties are doing well and are waiting patiently for me to get off the computer and give them some cuddles.

Pray all is well with all who read this.

Mid January

The month is speeding by and back to school has made my brain numb as well as my body tired. I've only done a little knitting and reading but it feels good. I'm about to start a new knitting project. I wear my Yowza shawls all of the time and I need to knit a few more to add to the rotation. So I'm going to start the Yowza Weigh It Shawl that started the collection.

I'm knitting it in Perfectly Reckless colorway and it is a gorgeous hot pink with grey, green and black shot throughout. I can't wait to get it on the needles. I finished the simple socks with yarn by Kaleidoscope Dye Works and I've worn them once. I think they should have been knit with a larger circumference. They felt fine, but they really stretched out. I'll see how much they bounce back after the first wash. I have put a few pieces in hibernation. I'm actively working on my Drachenfels, my sister's pedicure socks, starting Yowza, seed stitch cowl, and a simple rib hat for sister. I just realized that's three things for sis! She does have a birthday coming up next month. :)

The baby sweaters were a hit and one new baby has arrived. I finished the binding on his quilt the day before he came. He was early. Everyone is doing well and he stole my heart the minute he was put in my arms. I cried more than he did. He is the grandson of my dearest friend. She has four children and I've been blessed to be a part of their lives for 20 years. I've watched them grow up and spent a lot of time with them. I don't have an honorary title, but I call their children my fairy grandchildren. He is the first boy with three girls before him and one more arriving in 20+ days.

Next week I am taking part in a Lifeway taping for Angela Thomas-Pharr. This will be my third time to take part in one of her book sessions. The tapings will produce the video session for her new study Redeemed. I was in the audience for Brave and Stronger. I can't wait to her watch she is teaching on Redeemed. We will tape for three nights. She will be doing more taping throughout that time and it's always a powerful time. Then next month I'm going to see Priscilla Shirer and Anthony Evans. I know the night will blow my socks off. The last time I heard Priscilla in person she was with Beth Moore and Kay Arthur.  I just realized I've listed my top four bible teachers. Love these ladies and the gift of the word they bring to my life!!!

Off to start the Yowza!

Summer of KALs

Last summer seemed to be a quilting summer and I do have quilts planned for this summer. But I also have been planning my knitting.

I have a thing for shawls and thanks to a trip to Stitches South, I have some gorgeous yarn to knit . I purchased a really pretty plum to knit Balsam Hollow by Paula Emons-Fuessle. It is in Bugga by the Verdant Gryphon.

I'm currently putting the applied edging on Piper's Journey, also by Paula. It is out of  Lana Gatto Super Soft in a beautiful Lilac. I was hoping to finish this piece soon, but I am being sucked into knit alongs, particularly Stash Dash in the Knit Girllls group. I'm thinking of trying for the 3K this summer. The timing aligns perfectly with my summer. So I'll finish this shawl after May 22, the beginning of Stash Dash.

There are three other KALs that play nicely with Stash Dash, the Around Your Neck KAL with Suburban Stitcher, the Little House Pioneer Girl KAL with Little Skein in the Big Wool, and the Pebble Beach KAL with Paula Emons-Fuessle Knitting Pipeline. It is kind of like a pyramid with Stash Dash as the peak.

I have to purchase more needles to be able to knit all the things! But I hope to cast on my Pebble Beach this week, having also acquired yarn for this shawl at Stitches. :)

Poor Little Blog

I've deserted you! Actually, no one really reads this blog and it's just for my pleasure. LOL

But I need to get back to blogging and posting pictures of my latest projects and my journalling. I have uploaded photos from my phone and will make this post very photo heavy.

These are some of the things I've worked on in the past few months. I'll post summer project updates later.

Checkbook Cover

This project was easy, I took apart a "purchased" fabric checkbook cover after it had seen it's better days. I used it as a pattern, following the stitching and folding lines and soon had a new cover!

I finished Suburbs quilt and it is at the longarm quilters!

 I started a toe-up sock, my first ever and I'm halfway to the heel.

I started a new applique quilt but ran out of the right color threads. I've purchased more colors and I hope to get back to this project soon. I've also been making little ditty drawstring bags for my knitting. While in the bag mood, I've taken apart a few older stitching projects that were in tuck pillows and some frames. I've begun making project bags for my needlework. I haven't finished those yet, so no pictures to show.

I made this little cutie for a dear friend's first birthday. My mom made lots of these when I was growing up and I found a freebie pattern online at Lil Blue Boo  and I love him. I left off the crown and quilted the frog. I got the idea from Fat Quarter Shop's video Baby girl loved the frog! He got cuter after I pinked the edges.

Last year at this time my hair was between my shoulder blades, very long and I didn't realize how aging it was until school pictures were taken. I started cutting it then and it kept getting shorter and shorter until you see what happened two weeks ago. Love it!

That's enough updating for now! Off to enjoy the day!

Journal - March 3

Snow day and I've spent it quilting.






I spent part of Sunday deciding on four patches and then making quilty snowballs. I've been watching YouTube Missouri Star Quilt Company's tutorials. This is one of their quick charm quilts.

Today, I've made blocks and sashed them. I had to purchase more fabric for the borders and I've decided on a pieced border as shown in the tutorial. I also cut the pieces for my next quilt - Suburb by Cluck Cluck Sew. Can't wait to start on it tomorrow!

Journal - March 1 & 2

This weekend I finally finished up two projects.






It felt like it took all day Saturday to get these borders pressed and measured. Very simple borders and I really need to work on more than slab-oh-border designs.

Sunday was church and cold drive home. The temp dropped 10 degrees on my thirty mile trip. Cold rain fell all afternoon. Icy roads cancelled school for Monday.

Journal - Feb 3

Snow day!! But no snow. :(  I really want some snow and a lot of it. Tennessee has had cold weather, but not much precipitation.

I spent the day in my sewing room working on a tshirt quilt. I've had the tshirts for 6 years and it is time to get this quilt finished and off to it's recipient.

I also did a little ripping on a hat and I'm going to do a couple of rows on sisters hat remake.

Good day!

Journal - January 18

It was a stay at home day. I felt crafty and was ready for some instant gratification. So I made a quilt caddy which you can see in the post below. That took up the morning and after a quick lunch I spent the afternoon knitting on a scarf. I've been working on this scarf for a while. I keep putting it down to work on other projects. I want it to get really long for two reasons, one - I'm a large lady and really need extra length and two - I want to tie it or wear it looped. I've got a lot of knitting left to do, I want to double the length that it is right now. I've already knit a hat to match!

Journal Jan 3

In order to catch up and I'm doing three days in one.

January 1 - spent the day going shopping. I really don't like shopping for clothes. I'm a fat girl and shopping just really emphasizes that in my mind. Yes, I need to do something about it. More about that in later posts.

My sweet sister gave me a gift certificate that I spent and now I have a few new additions to my wardrobe.  I also had to purchase more yarn for a hat I was making. I finished the hat late this evening.

January 2 - continued to enjoy my winter break. It was supposed to snow and all day the winds howled, but very snow fell. I read a little and continued my marathon of West Wing watching.

Rearranged the living room, not really liking it, but don't have the desire to put it back. I'm adjusting and maybe that's why I don't like it. The kitties love being able to lay on the back of the couch and the fact that I have freshly washed quilts and throws for them to curl up on.

January 3 - continued to clean in the quilting room. Finished cutting the last blocks for the baby quilt. Now I just have to add borders - again. Hopefully, I'll like them this time. I also ironed the top of the second baby quilt that needs another border. I have a third baby quilt that needs to have the quilting finished. Three babies in my world and if I don't get busy they will be in elementary school before they get their quilts!!!!

Tonight I'm working the basketball gate. Need to be at school by 4:45. Will dress warm, it's very cold out and that means the wind coming through the open doors will be fierce!

Long Weekend

After my class last Saturday, I've made one more loaf of bread and today I have another rising. I plan on letting this be a recuperating weekend. School has worn me out! LOL But I am not complaining.

I plan on knitting - finishing my dish cloth, but I'm afraid I'm running out of yarn. It may not be totally square. Then I have printed out some small letters for an applique project. But I left them at work. I was showing them to a student and forgot to put them back in my laptop bag. So I may have to leave the house today and run to work to pick them up.

I'm going to applique on a t-shirt for dress down Fridays which are football game days. A co-worker purchased one from a local shop and I loved it, but I knew I could make one and choose my own fonts. Thanks to the Teacher Pay Teacher website, I have an abundance of fonts to choose from. The trick is not to get one that is too skinny. Our school colors are royal blue and white and I hope I have some bright colors in my stash. If not, I will have to wait until I make a trip to the quilt shop.

I also really need to run the vacuum and do come general household cleaning. But that wouldn't be any fun!!!

Have a great weekend.

Weekend Pleasures

I really enjoy the weekend. School has started for the teachers in my county and students will return Monday. So I'm cherishing this weekend.

Today, I'm doing laundry and planning a day of stitching. I have a goal of taking the border off two quilts (wee size) and working on redoing them on Monday (a half day for students and teachers). Quilting on Monday will check those items off my summer to do list and be an official ending to that list. Not everything was finished. I will put those items on my list of things to do over several weekends.

Most weekends include a busy Sunday. I often run the media for my church and I'm at church by 7am and out at 12:45pm at our main campus. When I'm at the satellite I get to arrive a little later. If I have grocery shopping to do and want some variety of items, I will shop after church. My little grocery store just doesn't have a great variety of vegetables and fruit as well as other goods. Sam's Club is near church and I like to run in and stock up on bulk items every few months.

I also like to pick up simple things at Sam's like frozen broccoli and whipping cream. I love the broccoli and eat a lot in my lunch. For a quick lunch, I'll fill a container with broccoli and a frozen mesquite grilled chicken breast. They microwave in about the same time and are delicious.
Today in addition to stitching, I'm watching the humming birds at my feeders. A few weeks ago I put out a glass feeder. The birds really didn't like it and had a hard time drinking from it. It was pretty but not functional. So I moved another one to my porch and the birds loved it. Last week, I bought what I called the big gulp, a 32 oz feeder. I've had four birds flying around this morning as well as two wasp. It is time to put out fresh food. I'm really glad I put them on the porch, I can watch the birds until sunset or later every day.

Have an awesome weekend! Enjoy!

Quilting day

I've been working on a little quilt for over a year. Obviously I haven't worked on it steadily.



I had to trim blocks and I'm the queen of procrastination when it comes to trimming. Once I plowed through the trimming the rest of the piecing was a piece of cake.







I have the borders on and just need to miter the corners. I have a two more quilts that need borders and hopefully, they will be finished this week and taken to the quilter!

Still Stinky

I'm hoping to do better this summer. I have lots of plans for the summer.

I have friends having babies so I'm quilting and sewing in anticipation of their arrival. This quilt is finally getting finished. I have a few more rows to trim and put together. Sister and I went on a mini road trip and I found great fabric for the border.

Betty Burger - YUM

While on our trip, we stopped in Bowling Green and had lunch at Double Dogz. I love using the UrbanSpoon app to find new places to eat or visit. This review didn't let us down.

I have been watching lots of softball. Our team made it through the state tournament and placed 2nd in the Class A division. So very proud of their hard work and sportsmanship.


I've been reading and will post my first book review later today.

Even had time to clean the porch and plant some flowers!

Weekend Quilting

I'm hoping to finish a sweet baby quilt today! So I'm just stopping in to do a quick post and say I've not forgotten the blog. I know I don't have many readers, but I won't have any if I don't post often. :)

I also finished knitting a cowl last night, now I need to block it and sew the ends together. I purchased some awesome knitting books a few weeks ago and I'm sure The Principles of Knitting will walk me through sewing the ends together.

Will post pics soon!

Not Forgotten

I'm still here. I have been busy in my classroom preparing for a new school year. I've also been hooked on Pinterest and Ravelry!  I am so enjoying knitting and have finished three scarves. I currently have a new start that is driving me nuts. I love the yarn but nothing I start looks good with it. It keeps looking like a lump. So I'm going to put it away and start on a lovely thick ecru scarf.

I'm hoping to add the borders onto my crayon quilt and get it to the long arm quilter this week. I want it hanging in my classroom soon!

Summer Begins

My first official week off from school and I have rested. Wednesday, I met my sister and bil for dinner. We went to a new to me hibachi restaurant.  Dinner was great and I love spending time with my family. We really need to do it more!

I took the day Thursday and went to two local nature areas. I didn't know they were nearby, both were glades and had a rare species of Tennessee coneflowers. These flowers had been on the endangered species list until last fall. They are making a come back in these two glades. Only a few were in bloom but next weekend is supposed to be the peak. I may go back and take more pictures.

I have decided I am going to try knitting. I hope to go Thursday to sit and stitch at the Stitchin' Post and get a beginner crash course! We'll see how I do. I really need another hobby like a need a hole in the head!

I also have a few quilting and stitching projects planned. Several babies are coming and I been surfing the net and going through my patterns. I will post progress soon.

Things I've Learned

Today, I decided to work on a quilt I started the winter after mom passed away. I learned several things. First, I shouldn't piece anything complicated when I'm depressed. The blocks aren't the best I've ever sewn, as you can see even when I put the rows together I made constant mistakes. At the time I didn't realized I was in the state I was in. I was trying to get back to normal and thought this class would help.



Second, I've done more unsewing than sewing today. I also shouldn't work with biased edges. As I recall working on this quilt in class, a few people commented about the bias. But I was in a zombie zone and didn't think I was having problems at the moment. But now that I'm working on the final part of the quilt, I realize that I had major issues with all of the biased edges. 

I would love to start over on this quilt but I have no more fabric. :) I will make this patten again but with a totally different piecing technique. I have several more rows to put together before I decide on borders. I think I originally decided to just border in the background print.



The last thing I learned was not to wait so long between piecing and putting the top together.  I have another quilt that is partially pieced and I've lost the directions putting it together. It was the first mystery quilt class I took and I have no idea where the directions went. I thought they were with the fabric but when pulled the project out t see how much work needed to be done, there were no instructions.



As you can see, I had a lot of help from the quilt inspectors, they were really taking their job seriously. ;)

Have a great day,
Tracy

New Year - Changes

I ended 2011 with church and friends. I spent the day working on this small quilt. I enjoyed the process so much and I realized how much I missed my quilt guild.

Our small guild group dissolved years ago. We just kept getting smaller and smaller. We met in the evening, members moved away, lost interest and we drifted apart. As I set sewing and fondly remembering my quilts friends, I realized I needed to find a new group and made that a goal of 2012.

 

I spent most of my evening at church. We have a church family night and hosted a chili cook off and talent show. We had great food and a wonderful assortment of talent. The winner was a young man under the age of five who quoted several Psalms from memory. Cute factor played well in his winning. :)

After leaving church, I went to a friends annual NYE party. There is always good food and entertaining conversations to be had. Knowing I had to be at church early, I left well before midnight and was tucked into bed nice and snug.

Today after church, I've worked in the garage and almost have it ready to put the car back in. I still have my old water heater sitting in the way! Hopefully I will get it moved soon. I also changed the back door locks, a project that has been on my to-do list since moving 1.5 years ago. LOL I accomplished a lot today!

I hope that this new year brings more things checked off my to-do list. Starting with more Bible study and more quilting and needlework.

Be blessed!

Tracy