Sampler Sunday Start #5 - The Finale

Well here we are!! The final Sunday in January...the last Sunday to start a new sampler, as challenged by Laurie.

Today I decided to start this!


The Garden of Eden Sampler by the Needles Prayse DMC on 32ct Days Gone By Silkweaver

Thoroughly enjoying every stitch! I do have an aversion to hearts, so there will definitely be changes to the design!

It was a fun challenge to start something new each Sunday in January! Let's recap!

1st Sunday - Frederick by CHS
2nd Sunday - Maria P Oliver by CHS
3rd Sunday - Dutch Beauty
4th Sunday - Mary Prentice 1831 by CHS
5th Sunday - The Garden of Eden Sampler by the Needles Prayse

Now if you've read my blog for any amount of time, you know I don't do well with a set stitching schedule, rotation or assignment. I'm a stitching rebel that way I guess. ha! But...having said that, I feel good about adding these into the stitching mix!

I'm planning to continue the Sampler Sunday theme! It feels good to get back to some sampler stitching!

Next week I'm going to bare my soul aka the pile of WIPs in the sampler department. I can't quite remember everything I've got stitches in, so it will be good to get them all out and document them.

The plan is this: there will be NO MORE new starts until something I've already begun is finished! That should work out well! Some of the January starts have been smallish...some not so much. A nice mix!

Okay..back to the needle! Happy Sunday!

*Peace!

My Head In The Clouds

Yesterday was spent mostly with my head in the clouds. or should I say CLOUD, singular.


The mammoth cloud of And They Sinned.

It sure doesn't look like it would take that long to lay the groundwork.


or should that be laying the skywork? I thought I would do the big outline of the cloud. And then I'll stitch the motifs that are inside the clouds.

And all that will be left will be the fill-in.


Lots and lots of fill-in! But it has to be done!

Today I'm setting it aside, and picking up the knitting needles, the dust rag, and possibly making a trip down to the quilt den to cut out the next quilt while I get the laundry going! It's a multi-tasking Saturday!!

What's on your creative agenda for the day?

*Peace!

Hello Friday!

Home alone and stitching! Maria P Oliver is getting some attention! It's a good day! Yesterday I spent much of the day stitching and partaking in a Downton Abbey marathon, courtesy of Netflix. I woke up speaking in a Beitish accent. Ha! Enjoy your day!!

Wordless Wednesday

As The Wurm Grows

The Wurm hat is growing! Can't blog now....must keep knitting!!

Sampler Sunday Start #4

As you may know, I've taken Laurie up on her challenge to start a new sampler each Sunday in January! This is the 4th Sunday.....and here is my fourth start!


Mary Prentice 1831 by Carriage House Samplings! I'm using DMC and a piece of what appears to be Lakeside Linen vintage exemplar. This is all I had time to stitch for now, but it's a definite Sunday start!

I don't have time to stitch. I've got to get back to this.


Did I mention the Jakester is leaving on WEDNESDAY! I gotta get back to the knitting! I hope I can get it done in between full days at the office tomorrow and Tuesday! Wish me luck!

What did you start today??

*Peace!

Rewind to Saturday

Yesterday I....


baked a cake. And it was good! Homemade chocolate whipped ganache finished it off just right...not too sweet!

I also pulled fabrics....


for the next quilt! A look to spring, perhaps? The colors made me smile!

And then I walked away from the fabrics.....and picked up some yarn to knit a hat for the Jakester. They're leaving on Wednesday for 4 days in Laramie, WY to snowmobile and I thought it only right that he have a new nice warm hat. I decided on the Wurm hat...for it's coolness factor.

And this morning...this is what I have.


UGH! A lovely pile of charcoal Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran. In a fit of silent semi-rage, I ripped the whole thing out at approximately 12:30AM this morning. LOL I was not a fan of the folderover double thickness band. Probably because mine was twisted a bit after I folded it and knit it. Frustrating! Today I'm going with a good ol' 1x1 rib for the band! We'll see how it goes!

Today I'll also be selecting and starting a 4th sampler! Check back later to see what I've chosen! I haven't quite decided yet...so I'll be surprised too!

Happy Sunday!!

*Peace!

Thrifty Thursday!

Not the normal fodder for Thrifty Thursday but it's keeping it real! I troll for nice denim shirts....and this is my most recent $2.50 acquisition in action today! Do you realize how many denim shirts are on the thrift store racks !? Lots! And I love 'em! What did you discover thrifting this week?

Wordless Wednesday

Snuggled In

After the shock of starting a new work week, I'm retreating this evening. Snuggled in with a quilt, knitting, and Antiques Roadshow. That's better!

Sampler Sunday Start #3

In keeping with the decision to participate with Laurie in her challenge to begin a new Sampler each Sunday this month, I started a new one today!


"Dutch Beauty" using DMC on 32ct Antique Tan linen

Please....don't judge me. ha! ;o) I, once again, told myself I can't finish if I don't start, so why the heck not start it!

I've almost got the entire vine done on the first page today. I feel good about the start!

Did you start a sampler today?

*Peace!

Fun & Done!

Today I got up entirely too early for any sane person on a Saturday, and headed north to spend the day with my quilty buds at Kay's clubhouse. Always a fun time!

I packed only handwork....so as to force myself to get it done! I started and finished binding a queen size quilt and then I finished this....


Sue Spargo's pattern...Saffron Hill...with my own modifications. All that's left is the quilting!

Fun & Done...what could be better?

*Peace!

And another....

I finished another quilt this evening. This one was also started on New Years Day. As a leaders/enders of sorts. Simple. I used four charm packs of assorted French General lines. I tossed them all in a box and just pulled them out willy nilly and sewed them together. I paired the pairs up blindly, as well. And then I laid them out and came up with the final arrangement. Scrap quilts need not stress you out! I used 2 yards of a print for the border (cut 9") and finished it tonite!

I'm trying out the blogger app on my new iPhone, so we'll see how this works!

*Peace!

Right Before My Eyes!

The Guernsey Wrap is coming together.....


right before my eyes! This was the pic Sunday evening....

and now this evening....


walaah! I love how quickly it's moving! Makes me feel like I might actually really truly be a knitter! Wooohooo!

I'm using the Wool Socks colorway of the Shelter yarn. And I am loving it! So rustic!

First pass of Chart A is complete! I think I'll stitch for a bit now..while I pretend to be a Braverman for an hour this evening. Do you watch Parenthood? Best show on TV!

Happy Tuesday evening!

*Peace!

Challenge, you say?

CHALLENGE - noun. Dare - Defiance - Provocation

Laurie over at Corgi Cottage spoke of a January challenge today. Starting a new project each Sunday in the month of January. Am I crazy? The idea actually appeals to me! 4 new starts in the new year.

I considered Laurie's post a provocation and immediately acted.


I started Maria P Oliver today. Simple enough...nothing too over the top. I'll save that for NEXT week's start! ha!

And yet another challenge entered my inbox this week! Sheri over at The Loopy Ewe has challenges each quarter. I sat idly by last year...not participating. But this year I decided "Why the heck NOT!" This first quarter challenge is easy enough...purchase your yarn prior to January 6, and knit something---anything---and be finished by April 4.

I caked up a ball of Sunna by Spirit Trail Fiberworks....in the Antique Tapestry colorway....


and cast on this scarf this evening. I've got the 19 knit rows done. And a little over two months to complete it. Another provocation....another project begun.

I figure what's a few more projects...really? I mean, you can't finish if you don't start!!

*Peace!

Quilt Tops Done!

Today I finished my New Years Day quilt start! Woooohooo!


A scrappy cracker box using civil war repros. It ended up being approx 69 x 80....a rather nice "curl up and take a nap under" size!


I do love scrap quilts! And civil war prints.

And speaking of both scraps and civil war prints, I had a multitude of 9 patch blocks leftover from the quilt I put together during the retreat this fall so I decided to put them together into a utility quilt.


I love the funky garish repro print that I paired these up with. So for me...it's about that funky blue print!


Utilitarian for certain!

So nice to have a couple more tops done!


I'll contemplate the next quilt start......as I knit and stitch away the rest of the weekend!

*Peace!

Thrifty Thursday!

It's the first Thrifty Thursday of 2012! YAY! I kinda fell down on the thrifty posts as the year drew to a close. I'm looking forward to getting back out and about in search of 'stuff'!

This week....I brought home this...because I cannot pass up Warren Kimble prints


and this one was a great buy!


Just a little spiffing up of the frame and it will be good to go!

And then I spied this little lovely....


abalone and silver........

from Mexico....

and another great buy!

I'll be venturing out this weekend to another thrift store that I don't get to very often! I'm excited for the change of scenery! Here's hoping I find some good 'stuff'!!

*Peace!

One More Day!

That's certainly what I wish I had! One more day away from the office! But...today is the last day of that lovely thing called a three-day weekend.

I tried to make the best of it. I lounged around and knitted this morning until mid-morning. Then I headed downstairs to the quilt den and worked some more on my New Year's quilt start.


I didn't get it done, but did make some progress. I think I'm going to like it!

I've got my work cut out for me....


so I'll work on it here and there this week in the evenings. We'll see if I can get it done by the end of next weekend. That would be swell!

I've spent the evening knitting....again. I did start the Brooklyn Tweed Guernsey Wrap yesterday and it's moving along, but I felt compelled to work on the scarf I had started last week for Miss Ashley.


So that's what I've had in my lap this evening.

I hope you were lucky enough to have the day off and did something wonderful!

*Peace!

Fresh Starts!

Aaaaah! New Year's Day! A new year...and new starts of the creative type!

This morning, I wasted no time. My new stitching start...


Frederick by Carriage House Samplings....using NPI silks and 40ct Vintage Exemplar. YIKES! Maybe it wasn't the smartest thing to start this first thing this morning...my eyes! my eyes! I was not accustomed to 40ct! But I'm sure once my stitching corner is back in place, the light will help and things will go well. I've loved this fellow and his mate for quite some time, and it was kitted and waiting. This is the year! I had tossed around the idea of starting something a bit larger, but...ahem.........I have enough largish ones started already! So Frederick got the call!

After a couple hours it was time to head down to the quilt den for the New Years quilt start!

These lovely repros have been waiting....


and I got all of the first round cutting done!


I'll be sewing yet this evening and again all DAY tomorrow! Wooohooo! I do love a three day weekend! And a new quilt start! ;o)

Then I moseyed upstairs and decided to make a batch of The Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls. Which took most of the afternoon.


They're tasty..but almost too sweet for me! But I loved how easy the dough was to make..much easier than how I usually do it! So I'll make 'em again...with less frosting.

And then it was time to start a new knitting project!


Brooklyn Tweed's Guernsey Wrap using Shelter yarn in the Wool Socks colorway.
This is my first time ever reading a chart...and so far so good! I just need to remember to remember where I leave off! ha!

It's been a fun day! I love fresh starts...of every variety! Hope your year has gotten off to a great start!

*Peace!

Hello Twenty-Twelve!

Happy New Year!!

*Peace!