A general update

So the Log Cabin quilt top has been paper pieced

And has been paper pulled

And then I looked at it and realized that I needed more hand quilting practice before I quilted it.  So I put together a small whole-quilt to practice.

Which is what I am currently working on.  You can see the center heart and the beginning of the feather circle there in the middle, under all the basting.

The quilt is the Log Cabin Star kit by Rachel's of Greenfield.  The pattern on the whole top is from a Dritz stencil.  I can't find a link but I just found a lot to lust after.

And the scarf for my Mother-in-law is finally taking off.

Pattern is Wisp by Cheryl Niamath.  Yarn is Shimmer by Knit Picks in Turquoise Splendor (Himself picked it out for her)

What I have not been doing nearly enough of is reading.  I need to finish the next two chapters in The Well-Educated Mind and get those up and then I plan to start with the Waterstone's Top 100 Books of the Century list.  British readers and all and I believe that will help me overcome an unfortunate high school experience and catch up.  I'm planning on doing that this week.

OK, off to tend to the garden in some ridiculous heat. 

Suit of armor

Our old french press cozy died.  It was stretched out and too thin and not keeping anything warm.  So I decided to make Himself a new one.  At first I was going to make one that looked like a Supreme Dalek from Dr. Who. using the Caffeinate! Press Style Coffee Maker Cozy pattern by Coryna Blasko

Picture credit to sixxenomorph from Deviant Art

But the pattern had bobbles.  I was trying to work in a wool acrylic blend and I have to go down two needles to get gauge anyway and to make the bobbles anywhere near tight I was going to have to use a size 3 needle on worsted weight so that was not going to happen.

So I found another pattern, the French Press Cozy pattern by Christine Jewett, which was a lot easier in the body.  But still, not the serious layer of warm we wanted.  And the top of that one didn't fit our press.

So I fiddled.  I knit the simple pattern until it was time to switch to knitting in the round to make the top, then I picked up above the bottom ribbing and knitted in a garter stitch lining out of scrap wool.  At the top when I switched to in the round I knit one stitch from the shell and one from the lining together to join, then I used the top from the Dalek pattern.  Crochet around the openings to seal in the lining, added the back flap and this was the result:

A suit of armor fit for a coffee lover's press.

Himself is quite pleased.

Tea time mitts

They came out absolutely smashing.  Pretty and delicate and soft and not overly warm at all.  I was going to make a closure with the buttons but they're sized for an 8" hand and I'm 8.5" so I didn't want to make them any tighter.

But they are perfect

For the body:

Pattern is Cranford Mitts by Jane Lithgow

Yarn is Iachos in Renfair Rose by A Hundred Ravens

For the cuffs and trim:

Pattern is Felicity Mitts by Cloud House Studio

Yarn is Palette by KnitPicks in I believe Mist but it was from the stash and I lost the ball band''

I found the buttons at JoAnn's

The Preppy Apron

The wearing of the pink and the green is the surest and quickest way to group identification within the Prep set.  There is little room for doubt or confusion when you see these colors together - no one else in his right mind would sport such a chromatically improbably juxtaposition.

Not just any shade of pink and green will do.  Sea-foam green and girl-baby pink would be as unthinkable as a wide tie or Famolare wedges.  No. this is unashamed, outrageous, go-for-broke hot-hot pink and hubba hubba electric wild lime green.

- Lisa Birnbach "The Official Preppy Handbook"

Ok, so I admit to being a preppy at heart.  I went to prep school and everything.

I actually got this gingham to go with another focal print, but foolish me didn't bring said focal to the shop with me and the greens were not even close.  But the gingham did sit very well with this bit in my stash.  And then I thought "preppy".

It does kind of burn your eyes but I think I have to adore it.

Pattern is Kwik-sew #K3396 version A.  Altered  slightly to widen the top for more coverage

And done

Yep, the placemats are done.  I do like how they came out in the end.  The secret to a neat and tidy machine finish on bias tape is apparently basting.  It you put the wider edge on the back and baste it right along the bottom you'll find you're just off the stitch-in-the-ditch line.  Then just follow that with a like thread and you're golden.

Yes, even an old dog can learn new tricks.

A very sheepish shirt

I really do like this one.  I think this is the first time that I ever said "No compromise!  It's this fabric or nothing!" and got it and made up a shirt and it came out exactly right.  It's a darker red than it looks in the picture, a dark brick, with little tan folk-art sheep all over it.  It's perfect for a knitter, but unfortunately we no longer have knitting group.  I don't care, I love it anyway.  I can wear it with ether an indigo or khaki skirt and the color truly flatters me, so it will probably get much use in the future.

Fabric is from Old Glory Gatherings by Primitive Gatherings for Moda Fabrics.  If I can find the other three sheep prints I'll probably make shirts out of them as well.

I just think they're adorable.

Aprons for my in-laws

On her last visit out here my Mother-in-law asked me to make up some aprons for her and Dad.  Specifically she hoped I could get them done before she left.  She really wanted them right away.

Unfortunately with only two days left in their trip that didn't happen.  I did get them finished a few days later though.

But they were on a road trip, off to visit friends and family all over the west.  So they asked us to wait to send them until they got home.  I shoved them in the bottom of my mending basket to keep the cats away as Dad is allergic.

Yep.  Just found them.  Eight months later.

Thankfully I think they forgot them too. 

Tonight they'll be washed and dried and packed in Ziplock bags to keep the dander off, and then off they go as soon as possible.

Pattern is the Reversible Apron Pattern from the Paisley Pincushion.  We found the material at Jo-Ann's