Learning to knit - project 2

I finished my second baby hat!

Doing this project I learned how to do a rib knit (k1, p1) and how to do a 3 needle bind off. Woo hoo!

"New Baby" has two hats now. I will make one for 3 year old Max next, then a long tail pixie hat, then one with bobbles, then the alien spaceship hat, then ...

Guess what peoples will be getting in their stocking this year?

Hat.Obsession.

In process yesterday morning.

Finished last night. This is closer to the true color. 

I like the blue-green combo in this Betelgeuse block. 

I'd love a quilt using various colors in the blocks but I don't think 

I'm patient enough to make that many.

This is the block I've chosen for the solids hive.

It's called On the Oregon Trail. 

Sweet and simple yet bold in a two color combo.

I'm currently participating in the Flickr [3 x 6] Sampler Quilt Mini Bee swap. (Click the button to the right to visit). We are placed in a "hive" with 6 other "bees" and trade 12" finished blocks. You make a block for each person according to their color preferences. The two hives I'm in are for blocks that are a star pattern and the other is a block made of only solids.

This is my tester block for the star hive that I'll be making for the other bees.

The block is a paper pieced star called Betelgeuse and is available from equiltpatterns.com. It's surprisingly simple for such a wonderful block.

I'm trying to learn to knit by using video's found on the internet. This is my first project. I feel good about how it turned out. It's done in the 3 to 6 month size so might be a bit before my soon-to-be-born grandson can wear (or need) it.

I used a pattern from Baby Beanies: Happy Hats to Knit for Little Heads by Amanda Keeys. I love all the little hats it this book and want to make even the little girl ones just because!

My next one will be a flour sack hat from this book and then I want to try a long tailed pixie hat then maybe a little sweater or ???

Made for my swap partner in the DQS 12 round. We had a challenge to use a solid other than white. Kind of copped out by using black. We also had to use at least one of five blocks listed. I chose to do a combo of two of the blocks, flying geese and monkey wrench.  The center star is a monkey wrench block variation made up using EQ.

My original plan was to use 5 solids with a black background. It was not working out the way I had planned and I scrapped it in a temper tantrum. I was running late and had to get this done and fast. I started this quilt one morning at 2 a.m. and had it in the mail the next afternoon by 2 p.m. I timed myself on the flying geese blocks and it took almost 15 minutes and that was the last one. Not bad time-wise.

One and a half days! That is definitely a record for me. Just goes to show you that if you do not clean, cook, run errands, get on the computer, or even get out of your pajamas that you can accomplish a mini quilt fast!

My partner has not received it yet but I hope she enjoys it. No more swaps for a bit. I'm on to a baby quilt for a new grandson!

FLQS - Round 1

I participated in the first round of the Flickr group called Fab Little Quilt Swap.
I mailed off this little Spring quilt to my partner today.
It measures about 16.5" square.
The pattern is Everyday Dishes by Piece O' Cake.

There are some fabulous quilts being posted.
Take a peek.

My first fondant cake

I'm not unhappy with it for my first one. Made marshmallow fondant which is much tastier than the store bought fondant.

My DQS quilt received

I received the most wonderful little quilt from Cindy in the Doll Quilt Swap 11 round. It is just perfect from the deep red and bright yellow print color to the interesting combination of quilt blocks and finishing up with red quilting that sets it off so well. Love the entire thing.

You can see more about how it was made on Cindy's blog at
http://topstotreasures.blogspot.com/2011/08/dqs11quilting.html.

Also, click on the DQS button to the right and check out all the wonderful little quilts in this round. Quilts could not be over 18"x18". Once you start looking at them you will see how teeny tiny some of the pieces are in the blocks. It's really mind boggling.

I really almost cried when I opened my package. (Fought it back so dh would not think I'd lost my mind for sure). I have never had a quilt made just for me. I've made them for others and made them for myself but never one made just for me. I love handmade items. They are just so extra special.

So, Cindy, thank you, thank you, thank you. It has a good loving home. And thank you for the card with all the interesting tidbits about it. And for the extra goodies too.

Isn't it so wonderful? The photo does not do it justice. I'm ready to play in DQS 12.

DQS 11

It's been finished for a few days.
It's been hanging in my sewing room.
I'm still making changes to it (mentally).
It HAS to be out the door tomorrow.
Done.

Not a very good pic. This is with my cell phone. Could not find my camera until after it was wrapped and packaged. Also, the white portion is not part of the doll quilt. Quilt is 15.25"x15.25" done in batiks.

Decisions or indecisive...whatever

Huh? Yes. No. Maybe. My quilt brain is out of control! I am on my third or fourth quilt for the Doll Quilt Swap. I posted on the group that I had made a decision and was sticking to it (yeah, right) and that was a couple quilts ago. It is harder than I thought to make a little quilt for someone you don't know. Also, I'm not really a "blue" person but my partner is. Not only am I on my 3rd or 4th quilt, although I've not completed a single one but have good starts on all, but I also made little samples in colors I like.

BUT! Yes!! This is it!!! My final decision. This is the center and I will have blocks around the outside. The quilt will push the limit on size and maybe squeak over a 1/4" or so. Depends on how flush I get my binding. :) Hope my partner likes the color combination and batiks.

Now I'd better get my butt off the computer and back to the sewing room. I have one week left to finish up. Eeeek!