Quilt Exhibit - Hawaiian Flags

Recently, I visited a quilt exhibit.  The Chamberlain House Gallery at the Mission Houses Museum is hosting Hawaiian Flag Quilts: A Legacy of Patriotism. It is a collection of quilts from the late 1800s and the early 1900s that are based on the design of the Hawaiian flag. No photos were allowed in the exhibit but you can see examples here. There were about 10 quilts hanging thoughout the house. My favorite was a redwork quilt done on whole cloth. The exhibit has been extended for a few more weeks, so do stop in if you get a chance.

Red

Seems like I have a lot of knitting projects in progress, don't I? I've been working on this sweater since September. I picked up the pattern and yarn from Gail Knits in Las Vegas. The yarn is Provence by Classic Elite and the pattern is in their New Harbor booklet. The pattern calls for CEY's Classic Silk yarn, but the colors in stock didn't catch my attention like this red did. I had some $$$ in pocket specifically for this project, so I was determined to leave the store with yarn in hand. This lovely red just begged to leave the store with me. I've been working on this off and on since September and finally have all the pieces ready to be seamed.

So, I sat in in front of the tv and started seaming. Just a little fudging on the sleeves, but overall pretty painless. There's still one more step before this is finished... picking up and knitting the border edge. It's just ribbing so it should go quickly. Dare I put a Valentine's deadline for this project?

regular scheduled programing will resume shortly

We have been huddled under the covers recovering from a week full of coughing and sneezing. No progress on any projects to be made.

The only thing that has been done is some uneven mending on our favorite blankets that live on the sofa. My hands want to work on something, but the head is too stuffy to think about any projects. That is how this blanket gets mended. Mindless stitching that accomplishes something. There are parts needs to be patched and the whole thing should be retied. Until then, it keeps us warm when we don't feel well and helps us get better.

another tree... a WIP

The photos in my progress post of Il Bosco were taken in December. I'm using it as my lunch project at work, so each day there are branches added to the forest. Here is what it looks like today.

I'm enjoying the little details - the birds, the deer... I just finished a snowman - or is it a tree stump with a cat sitting on it? Think I'll go with the cat...

Hats, Hats, Hats

Last year, a yoga buddy made a resolution to learn to crochet hats and donate them to hospice. I quickly volunteered to join her. I have yarn in my stash that isn't marked for specific projects. I started with crochet hats, but wanted some variety. So off to search the web for some quick and easy hat patterns to keep my needles busy. I must admit, while crochet hats are quick, knit hats are fun to make.

These hats are very portable, the projects are usually very simple and can pick picked up and put down without too much thought. It also gives me a chance to learn new skills, simple lace patterns, maybe a cable or two.

Most of the hats are done in acrylic, which makes the care very simple. I have done some in cotton, wool and wool blends too. I'm going to start attaching tags on the hats with simple care instructions for the user.

I wish I had kept a count of how many hats I have done. They just seem to fly off the needles. When I have about a dozen, I'll bring them to class, so they can be delivered. I think it's a worthwhile project and as long as I have yarn, I'll keep making hats.

a scarf to keep you warm

This yarn was an impulse purchase at my LYS in December. While I was waiting for my purchases to be tallied, I picked up a project that the shop owner was working on. A scarf for her sister. Soft, cuddly... washable? acrylic!?! Perfect for my mother - Do I have enough time to add this to my project list and mail it to the mainland for Christmas? It would be perfect for the early cold front in the Northwest. The bulky yarn should knit up fast on large needles and I'll only need one skein for a scarf. Please add this to my puchase!

The LYS owner generously offered the chevron pattern that she was working on, so I could get started right away. I carried this project with me so I could add a few stitches every chance I got. Size 10 needles makes this a speedy project. Blues, Browns, Orange, it was lovely to see the colors emerge.

After a week it was packed up, mailed, opened and used straight away!

And the forest grew... a WIP

Last year, I fell in love with an Italian cross stitch design - Il bosco di Bengtsson by Renato Parolin. I saved my pennies and ordered the chart. I knew that I wanted to find the "perfect" backdrop for this forest a rich, dark color that would envoke a sense of mystery to my forest.

I chose a 28ct. Dark Chocolate Cashel with DMC 3866. I've been working on this during my lunch hour, where the lighting is great for working on the dark background. The first photo is the was taken back in September of 2009. I started in the center and worked my way towards the left. By mid-December I completed the last tree on the left and started back at the center towards the right. 45 minutes a day, 5 days a week and this should get done sometime in February.

Will posting my progress here keep me motivated? I sure hope so.

I have enough of the fabric to make a second forest. There are two designs - La forest di Fanes and La Pineta di Classe - that I'm considering. You can find them here. Today, I'm leaning towards Fanes, tomorrow, who knows... What do you think?

Ribbit - frogs are lucky aren't they?

This green guy and 2 more of his buddies were gifted at Christmas. A quick and easy knit that required a bit of assembly. It's clever construction uses a tennis ball for the body. You can find the pattern at the Spud and Chloe blog. Look under free patterns on the right side of the page.