A UFO becomes a WIP - Knitting Mom's Lap Blanket

Many, many years ago, my mom purchased a yarn kit from Family Circle magazine to make a lap/baby blanket.

The colors are just beautiful - soft, powder blue and lavender.  Since mom can't knit any longer due to arthritis, I decided to make it for her.

I have finally gotten the hang of knitting with these circular knitting needles!! (I only learned how to knit a year ago!)  I have more than once kept on knitting and made a complete circle!  Duh!  I'm embarrassed to say that I have had to pull this thing out more than I care to tell you!  Oh!  And did I mention that the yarn is actually FIVE different colors knitted as ONE???? - Every once in a while when I'm knitting along at a smooth pace, I look down and somehow have forgotten one of the strands and have had to pull out a part of a row and pick it back up - ugh!

Anyway, its coming along and soon it will be done.  I hope mom will enjoy using it while sitting in the afternoons and reading.

It was a sunny day here in southern Del.  Pretty soon spring will be here - can't wait!

So glad you stopped by to see my latest Wednesday Work in Progress.  I'm joining Esther over here for WOW WIPS on Wednesday - why don't you click on over and check out what she's up to lately - this is one very talented quilter!!!  There are quite a few other women linking up on Esther's page who are making some very pretty things.

Many blessings,

Pat

Crocheting a Rose Wool Scarf ~ WIP Wednesday

I've started a warm cowl-type scarf with some wool yarn I found in the clearance bin at Hobby Lobby.  Can't wait till its done because I think its really going to be nice to wear in the colder weather we may be getting in the next week or two.

Its an easy pattern using single and double crochet stitches. I love the fact that I can crochet along and not have to count!  

 While sitting here crocheting, the sun was getting lower in the western sky.  I love the bright blue winter sky and the long, late afternoon shadows that are forming.

Are you working on any projects?  Seems like I always have a few going :)

I'm joining Esther for her WIPs on Wednesday Party. 

If you haven't visited her blog, please take a moment to do so.  

Esther's applique work and patterns are gorgeous!

She has quite a few other women who place links on her blog on Wednesday to share what they are working on.  Its a lot of fun to visit such talented women from all over the world.

Till next time...many blessings,

Pat

Cozy Flannel Rice Bags - Great Gift Idea

Just before Christmas, I found this terrific tutorial on how to make pretty rice bags that can be heated in the microwave or placed in the freezer to use as an ice bag.  Selina's tutorial found HERE.  Selina's tutorial is very well done and easy to follow.

The inner bag is sewn out of 100% cotton muslin.

 The outer bags are made from 100% cotton flannel - I found a denim colored flannel remnant at Hobby Lobby and used a flannel housecoat of my mothers from years ago for the floral covers. The denim is appreciated by my male gift recipients!!!

 They sew up super quick and make great gifts.

These are great for using on sore muscles, cold hands (or toes)!!!

And they stay warm for a long time - which I love when I'm cold and can't get warm.

Here's Selena's Ingredients List for 6 bags:

What you need to start:

½ yard of 100 % cotton flannel/brushed cotton  for out pillow case

½ yard of 100% cotton muslin (any 100% cotton fabric will do) for the rice pillow

12 cups of regular rice (not instant or minute rice)

Cotton thread

Yield 6 Rice Bags, approximate size 5 ½ by 10 inches

Prep time 1 hour and 15 minutes for 6 bags 

Click Here for Selena's Rice Bag Tutorial

She includes this message with each rice bag gift:

Rice Bag

This is a great heating pad filled with Rice

Place the bag in your microwave for 1-1 1/2 minutes

DO NOT overheat, the rice will scorch

The outer case is removable for cleaning

the inner and outer cases are 100% cotton

The content is 100% white, regular rice

This bag can also be frozen and used as an icepack

Well, I watched Ground Hog Phil this morning live on Fox and Friends and he said we're going to have 6 more weeks of winter.  Hmmmm, here in southern Delaware it feels like winter has hardly showed up yet. Not that I'm complaining!!!  I'll show you what I mean in a future post.

Many blessings,

Pat

Wednesday WIP -Knitting a Basket Weave Scarf for Mr. Sunlight

Just a few more stitches and another project finished!  

Mr. Sunlight can't wait to wear his new scarf - he picked out the grey yarn to match his jacket.  

So glad I finished it before Spring!!!

Don't you just love it when the sunlight streams through your windows?  I sure do!  

I'm joining Esther and her Works In Progress link up 

Why not drop by and see who else has posted their WIPS today?

Thanks for dropping by,

Pat

WOW ~ Works in Progress Wednesday

I recently learned about the Just Takes 2 mystery quilt and thought I'd join in since I LOVE red and white quilts and I was very touched by the story behind the project.  

Here is an excerpt from the Just Takes 2 website:

"The “Infinite Variety: Three Hundred Years of Red and White Quilts” exhibit was a generous birthday gift from Joanna S Rose’s husband, and in turn, her gift to us. For six days in March, 2011, the American Folk Art Museum exhibited six hundred-fifty quilts from her personal collection in New York’s Park Avenue Armory. An additional part of her gift was a digital guide to the exhibition, including installation photographs and video lectures, available for your iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad or Android smart phone. Go to the Apple iTunes App Store or Android Market for the free download. Gay and I spent those six days immersed in our apps, bemoaning the fact that we weren’t in New York. Each day, we would talk about the quilts and say, “let’s make this one, let’s do that one, this one is my favorite”, and so on until we were exhausted. We gathered up the red and white quilts in our own collections, though few in numbers, and shared them with each other, hoping to share this joyous event in some way.

We realized, of course, that we could never make all of our “favorites.” In fact, the two of us have an interesting track record when it comes to completing quilts. We love to plan, design and shop for the fabrics for a quilt. However, our modus operandi is to put all the things we have gathered for the quilt into baskets, beautifully labeled and ready to stitch…….someday.

Infinite Variety presented us with a tremendous challenge: how in the world could we make ALL our exhibit favorites? In one of those aha moments, we decided to make a sampler featuring each one. We want to share this mystery quilt with you! Just Takes 2™ is our present for you to make and enjoy during the New Year 2012."

~~~

While you can make your quilt out of any fabric combination you would like, I decided to keep to the red and white theme and chose Rich Red and White Kona Solids.  Wow!  I've never sewn with Kona solids before, and I'm loving this fabric!  Its got a wonderful feel and it sews beautifully.  The "rich red" is sort of a cranberry and the white is a pure white. 

Here are my first 6 blocks so far. (Can't wait to receive the instructions for the next batch of blocks!!) I still have to hand stitch the hearts and the circle on 2 of the blocks - but so far I'm very pleased and very excited about this quilt - and I can't wait to see the entire quilt when its done!

Now I've got to get busy and work on some other projects that are waiting in the pile!!
Thanks for visiting!

Pat

I'm joining Ester's WOW WIPS today.