Jest a'Quiltin' and a'Knittin'...

Only four more blocks to be made, and then the fun begins:
So there's good progress on the Pale Stars quilt for Tess. Wanna see some up close? These are such fun 6" blocks. I'm planning to set them on-point, with maybe pale pink or pink on white sashing, and cornerstones of various pinks or maybe multicolored. What do you think?

And I'm toying with the idea of making pieced words for the border, a la Tonya, with the words being "wishes" for Tess's life. Here's a scribbled look at what I'm thinking. Now the challenge will be to come up with words that will be meaningful, but that aren't too long. As this will be my first attempt at pieced words, I don't want to get TOO ambitious.


When I need to take a break from all the bright colors in the quilt, I revert to a knitting project: Gentleman's Fancy Socks, from Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks. These are on 2.25mm needles, using a lovely "creamed spinach" wool from Pagewood Farms, in a mixture of wool, bamboo and nylon. And I'm getting smart in my old age...cast on both socks (on two different sets of dpns) so I can work on both socks alternately, thus avoiding, (I hope!) the dreaded Second Sock Syndrome.

And I swear I don't know how it happened, but Eunny Jang's Print o' the Waves stole sprang onto my needles the other night, too. This requires a lot of concentration -- for me, anyway -- so I just work on it when I'm alone and it's really quiet. The needles are 3.5mm and the yarn is KnitPicks Shadow, a lovely merino wool. You can see my first lifeline halfway down...I used the wonderful facility of KP interchangeable circulars to thread a piece of yarn through the little hole and put the lifeline in as I knit the last row of a repeat. However, I'd forgotten that would also put the stitch markers onto the lifeline...duh. Obviously I need to think this through a little bit. Still, it's SO worth it to have the lifeline, I don't mind adding a second set of stitch markers...it's just a bit awkward for the first row.

And how about this cool new addition. We are hosting our neighborhood Christmas Party on Dec. 6 and really needed an outdoor table and chairs. These look pretty nifty tucked into a sheltered corner of the verandah, and as it's a covered area, it won't be too sunny and hot, I hope...Christmas in the Antipodes is often hot, dontcha know?








Comments

Clare said…
Great to see some quilty content again. Lovely colours and Tonya's letters too! Wow!
Anonymous said…
I love the upcoming quilt!! Star quilts are my favorite!
Geek Knitter said…
For the lifelines-through-stitch-markers issue, you go to a hobby store selling jewelry and beading supplies and pick up some lobster-claw clasps in stainless steel or sterling silver. On the row after your lifeline you just unclasp them, slip them off the lifeline and onto your right needle.

Your quilt is lovely!
Anonymous said…
I love a gal with plenty of irons in the fire! The quilt is just wonderful--lovely colors, design, and wishes. Love that green yarn and the new furniture is pretty darn groovy too. Wow. Lots of activity around the ranch!
Libby said…
Great projects! As a gal who is completely knitting challenged I do need to ask - what is second sock syndrome?
Carol said…
I have so got to get myself that book. Looks like another thing for the Christmas list, LOL. Can't wait to see the quilt start to be put together, beautiful colours.
Tonya Ricucci said…
what a fantastic baby quilt that's going to be - I love the wishes!
Lily Mulholland said…
Let's hope Christmas is nice and warm - it's not always you know!
Anonymous said…
where you come from!

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