Quilt Photos and More

Here are some photos of the projects I worked on at my quilt retreat  this weekend.  First quilt is using a line of fabrics called Zany for Zinnias - this is my second quilt with these fabrics.  The other one I finished at the last retreat.  I seem to usually have enough fabric to make blocks for 2 or 3 quilts, but I've got to stop doing that!  It really takes a long time to finish a project that way.

And here's a close-up of the fabrics.

This is the "monkey quilt" made using Moda's Funky Monkey line of fabric and a pattern called "Five and Dime" designed to use fat quarters.  It's supposed to take 5 minutes to shop and 10 minutes to cut, and it really was that easy.  I made a mistake in cutting, so my columns are a bit narrower than the pattern calls for.  Not one of my best efforts, but it's a fun and very fast quilt to make.

Funky Monkey fabric close-up

These quilt blocks got a lot of attention from other quilters at the retreat.  I'm using a line of fabrics from Amy Butler called Ginger Bliss, sewing half square triangles that are 5" finished.  The squares are all finished, but I need to arrange them all and then sew the rows together.  I think I would like to hang this in my entry, it would make a really striking piece for the wall there.

I LOVE these fabrics!

And in knitting news.  I finally got my order from this ebay seller for the Malabrigo yarn.  The yarn came from Uruguay and took much longer than I'm used to waiting, but it was certainly well worth the wait!  I added 10 skeins to my stash of this beautiful, beautiful yarn.  I originally planned to make another Four Seasons Throw (I made one using Manos wool, it's beautiful, but scratchy!).  But after seeing how well this yarn felts, I may use a lot of it to make purses.  I just don't know.  I will definitely fondle it many more times before I decide.

I spoke too soon about Rowan's Elspeth.  I am stumped at the neck shaping and there is no way I can figure out the left and right front shapings.  I think I will need to make an appointment for a private knitting lesson to see if I can get some help with it.

And so, since I needed an easy knit, I started the poncho for my daughter.  I'm using this pattern and the Rowan All Seasons Cotton in Heart, for my pink-loving kiddo.  It is really nice yarn to work with and the pattern is knitting up quickly.  She can't wait for me to finish her "pogo."

My baby boys turn 8 today.  I can't even believe that on this day in 1997, I was waiting to deliver them, pleading with my doctors not to make me wait another week on bedrest in the hospital.  Eric and Owen, happy birthday my sons...  I love you both so much!