Wool applique on flannel

My version of Evelyn's Album -a 2012 BOW (block of the week)  from Primitive Gatherings by Lisa Bongean.

This is wool applique on a flannel background. It was quite the feat to keep up with one block a week over the summer. I work best with a deadline but another one come in the mail EACH WEEK. Wool applique is faster than needle turn applique mainly because the prep time is quicker, cut it out and use "steam a seam 2" to iron it on and then I blanket stitch it down on the edges. The down side is wool costs more than cotton. 

This is the long arm quilting I chose to do on this quilt. It seems similar to McTavishing which is another style. So fun! I'm pretty sure you could do this on a regular sewing machine.While I sew I think straight lines, then curve and circles and try to think about keeping the spacing about an inch apart.... and just go for it! This was my first attempt and I think it is pretty original looking. I hope to use it again.

- Sue

Right Front, Left Front

{Knitting along with Ginny today. Will you join us?}

Yesterday I worked diligently on the right front around the activities of the day. I gained several inches, and I'm about an hour away from the shoulder shaping. Today, around work and kids I'm hoping to finish up this right front and start the left front.

Isn't the edging pretty? It's super simple as well, save a little time consuming for two rows. But it's just two rows. :)


I work and have a meeting on Thursday, but it's also knit night (which I shall be late getting to, due to the meeting) so that will give me a few dedicated hours. I can knit for a portion of Friday, but we have an eye doctor visit and friends coming to visit and cleaning up and packing for a mini-trip, so we'll see how much knitting is actually done in the in between bits.


We have a pretty good chunk of car time this weekend that will help with the knitting volume, but I think I can see the results from here: I do think I'll get all my pieces done, but I doubt they will be seamed come Sunday. I will not have time to block them before Sunday and I don't want to mess with trying to seam unblocked pieces.


I've just started reading The Immune System Cure, the first in what I'm sure will be a long string of books on this particular subject. I am in the process of being diagnosed with an auto-immune disorder that is causing all sorts of weird problems, and possibly all the issues I've been having with my left hand and arm lately. I'm seeing my neurologist again next week as well as the rheumatologist, and the rheumatology appointment will likely be a final diagnosis. Right now I'm in the information gathering stage of my research and I'm just looking for anything that will help me understand how to better take care of myself with an auto-immune disorder.

Ravellenic Update, Day 11

How are your Ravellenics projects treating you?

Now that I've got my math under control I'm working like crazy. I have about 8 rows left on the back piece and then I'm on to the right front. I'm spending every spare minute knitting around schooling the children and keeping up on the house. Ellie made friends with the ever-present yarn and no longer tries to carry off the skein I'm using. She just wants to help, so sometimes she holds one of the needles while I work a few stitches.

This great sea of grey stockinette will be the back of my sweater by Sunday.

I work this evening and through Thursday, but I'm still feeling optimistic about the one sweater. I think I can knock it out as long as I don't get distracted.


There are sock yarns everywhere and on Valentine's Day I brought home a skein of a bulky weight and another skein of a super bulky and all I can think of is COWLS!!! I also bought some lovely Madeline Tosh DK on Valentine's Day to finally knit Abalone. So pretty and it's already all skeined up, ready to go once I finish both Wildflower cardigans.


6 more days. I can do it.

Lime Green Churn Dash Quilt

I've had this lime green, black & white layer cake fabric for awhile and when I saw the Churn Dash pattern I knew this was the pattern to use for it. I'm not generally a lime green person but I do like it a lot. I am sure a grandchild will love to own it.

The tutorial is very fast and interesting- you take two 10" squares and sew around the outside edges on all four sides. Then you cut diagonally and re-sew it. It's cut again in thirds, resewn and you have one 12" finished block. The amazing part is that the center pinwheel makes itself- no small pieces to cut and sew together! The full instructions for this construction can be found in a video tutorial from Missouri Star Quilt Company. My quilt group liked this pattern and method so much that I am teaching them how to do it. To make this a twin size quilt I did add white, lime green and black fabric for a border, but the blocks were all made from the layer cake.

Just Keep Knitting...

{Yarning Along with Ginny. Will you join us?}

This has been a BUSY knitting week!

- On Friday I cast on for the Ravellenic Games. My primary goal is to knit the Wildflower Cardigan by Alana Dakos and my secondary goal is to knit the Wee Wildflower for my daughter, Ellie.

- Over the weekend I knit up 1 adult cardigan sleeve and 1 baby cardigan sleeve for my Ravellenic Goal. I started on the back of the adult cardigan as well.

- On Monday I worked on the back of the adult cardigan and added several inches. I also put up the first Midnight Fiber and Fabric Podcast on Monday. I'd love if you'd give it a listen and let me know what you think. I'm still figuring it out a little bit, and I appreciate helpful suggestions.

- On Monday night I noticed something was wrong and ripped out the back. I still have to undo the sleeves...

- But yesterday I picked myself up, ripped out the two sleeves and got back to knitting on the back piece of the adult cardigan., and now I have:

Not very impressive, but hard-won.


Only 40 gazillion stitches left to go between this cardigan and the baby one until I'm finished.


This week I started reading Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon. I'm about 20% in. This has a very different feel than the previous books in the series, so I'm still trying to get into the rhythm of the book. I'm really invested in the story so I hope I can get better into it quickly- I do want to be able to read through the entire series.