I knitted this within the past few days. It is a helmet liner made out of washable worsted weight wool. My daughter's boyfriend is being deployed to Afghanistan next week, and I wanted to make him something to keep him warm.
These are blocks that I made for a quilt. An example of blocks but no top. These had over a hundred pieces each, and are around 18" big. Pam Bono was the designer. I made them on two different machines, and they are two different sizes. With all of the seams, you don't have to be off much to alter the size. I made these probably 4 years ago. I don't know if I will continue.
I have so many orphan blocks that these will probably end up in an orphan block quilt. I used to test blocks for www.quilterscache.com so I accumulated a lot of blocks that way. I didn't have enough sense at the time to make all of the blocks with the same colorways so I could use them together, so they are really a mishmosh of colors and styles.
That's about it for today. I hope that all of you in cold places are keeping warm. We have a high wind warning on for tonight. Hopefully I will have power in the house when I get up in the morning. High winds have a way of knocking down wires around here.

UFO's

What do you think makes a project a UFO? If I count a few blocks towards a project as a UFO, I'm doomed. For lack of anything better to share, I thought I would get together a few pictures of projects, mostly finished, that stalled for one reason or another.

I started this quilt for my daughter who loved roller coasters. It is a black and white roller coaster print set in a link block. Actually, this top now has the border which is a continuation of the print. So, all it needs is quilted. Hmm... wonder who might have a mid arm they haven't even plugged in?...
This is the center part of Jinny Beyer's kit Moonglow. The 12 compass blocks were easier to piece than the top as a whole was to put together. The directions were pretty lacking, or my brain power was pretty lacking. I had the worst time getting the cornerstones to come together. It needs the border. I don't really want to go with the one that is supposed to be on it. But I am pretty disappointed that it isn't "perfect". Plus the fact that since I started making quilts of my own designs, it just isn't as exciting to put one together that looks like everyone else's Moonglow.
This is my first Lone Star. It is a wall size, and was a practice piece I made for a pattern test. It looks striking, but, it isn't perfect. The applique is fused, and needs satin stitched, but I am just not enthusiastic enough to bother. It's so pretty, I haven't got rid of it..
The center part of this is a fabric panel. I pieced the borders. Can't tell ya why I haven't bothered quilting this.. it is just a wall size.
This is a Tahitian Applique. About a crib size. About 45 Inches square. Some of it is hand appliqued, but it isn't finished. I would only hand applique it, I wouldn't finish it by machine. So who knows when it will ever be finished?

I have LOTS of bits and pieces of different quilts in various stages. I have several shelves of started projects. "Kits" with all of the fabric, the pattern, or idea tucked inside, along with a few finished blocks. I think that I will just stick with finished tops being labeled as UFO's.. I will feel much better about it that way..

PERSPECTIVE

A few days ago, I wrote in my blog about my sadness about the death of Heath Ledger. He seems to have been a decent guy as celebrities go, and it is always sad to see a young life end. But, that's as far as it goes. I didn't know the man, and he didn't know I existed, so I'm not going to spend a lot of time dwelling on it. After 4 days of extensive news coverage about every aspect and thought about his death, I started to think about how many other people died this week that haven't even been a blip on the news. I'm thinking of our young military people that died in Iraq this week that you don't hear any mention of and you don't hear their names, ever. Maybe, you might catch a hint that they died when a total is mentioned, or if there was something "special" enough to draw the attention away from the celebrity train wreck of the day. I spent a while looking and It was really hard to even find a U.S. Casualties list, but I want to recognize that these young men lived, and died when they also had their whole lives ahead of them. They weren't rich and famous, we didn't know them any better than we "know" a movie star, but they have families and friends that loved them, and a nation of people and news agencies that should know about them and hear their names whenever they leave our world..

Spc. Richard B. Burgess - age 25 -Naples Florida -died Jan. 19 - Army - killed in Al Jabour Iraq of wounds sustained when his vehicle encountered an IED

Lance Cpl. James M. Gluff - Age 20 - Tunnel Hill, Georgia -Died January 19- Marines -died conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province in Iraq

Staff Sgt. Justin R. Whiting - Age 27- Hancock New York-Died January 19- Special Forces Airborne- Died in Mosul Iraq of wounds sustained when his vehicle struck an IED

Spc. Jon M. Schoolcraft III - age 26-Wapakoneta, Ohio-Died January 19- Army- Died in Taji Iraq of wounds sustained when his Vehicle struck an IED

Sgt. Michael R. Sturdivant - age 20- Army Conway Arkansas- Died January 22, in Kirkuk Iraq, of injuries sustained in a vehicle accident during convoy operations

I hope that we will also shed a tear for them ....

SIGN ON A SEPTIC TANK TRUCK

WHAT BEN WROTE
I found the link to this on someone else's blog and it pretty much sums up my thoughts on the latest political happenings.

This is a cute little applique block that my friend was working on. You take rectangles, sew one end, turn the point inside out and then you take kite shaped.. I think, pieces, fold them together and sew between the rectangle pieces. these are then pressed flat to make sharp points. You end up with a kind of dresden plate that has a pre finished edge.

This is the end of my week. I have to take Sam to a new groomer tomorrow. I printed a 30% coupon for Borders. I think that I am going to use it to purchase PEOPLE OF THE BOOK which is a fictional story about a real life book, the Sarajevo Haggadah, and how it managed to survive centuries.

That's about it. I'm going to be off the next 3 days, I will try to make the most of them!!

I decided to delete my knitting blog. I have a hard enough time keeping this one up sometimes, I don't want to do two. I always like to show everything I'm working on, so I end up posting to both blogs anyway.
Today is Paprikash Soup Wednesday. Bill and I go to a local pizza place that serves homemade Chicken Paprikash soup and salad bar only on Wednesdays. We go out, eat, read the paper.. or in my case, the new TV Guide. It is nice.
I am freezing. I wish there was just a little warmth with the bright sunlight. I was going to lay down and take a nap between off work and dinner, but I guess I can find better use for my time, like playing on the computer and reading YOUR blogs...

3/4" strips. Not perfect, Black thread, but something I think I can do.

As an aside, I was so sad to hear of the death of Heath Ledger. I enjoyed that young man in the movies that I saw him in. I have seen the new Batman movie trailer, and I didn't realize that was him playing the Joker. It's just too bad.

IS THERE SUCH A THING AS TOO MANY BOOKS?

I finally got my book quilt on the wall. I found the perfect thing.
I used these to hang our Christmas stockings because of the lack of a mantle. These hold 6 pounds weight, and remove easily. I left a couple on the wall and hung pictures on them. They worked great. The best thing is I didn't have to make a sleeve for my wallhanging. I sewed on a couple of brass rings, and the fit right over a couple of these hooks on the wall. Very easy to do, and if I would have thought of it before, I would have more of my quilts hanging.

The two shelves on the left hold my books. As you can see, my library holds more quilting related books than my public library.. better to, may I add. The forth shelf down in the right hand bookshelf holds my knitting books. As you can see, I have a long way to go to catch up. I have only saved my very favorite novels, books that I would be likely to read again.
I have been cleaning like crazy today. I brought my antique oak clawfoot table back up and Bill and I had a candlelit dinner in front of our books. the bad thing about rearranging furniture is I caught my foot on the leg of the dog bed and fell flat on my face right in the middle of my living room. We have oak floors, and I am just starting to feel the aches from the encounter with the floor. Luckily, I missed going head first into the entertainment center. This was my son's favorite bear in an Aran sweater that I knitted for it. My son is almost 25, and left on his own, maybe would not have taken care of "Goofy Bear", so I confiscated him from dire circumstances at one point and he has been living in a cupboard. I came across him in the big clean. It is still in good enough shape for a future grandchild. This is a simple garter stitch scarf I just finished out of Noro yarn. Considering how cold it is here right now, it will come in handy.
That's about all of the news. I have decided and tried a 3/4" starting size strip for my lone star. It will be the perfect size. I will show you when I get something put together..

LONE STAR LESSONS

When I was in the class, every diamond I put together I pressed out. I only found out later in the class that you are not supposed to do that. You should just sew them together and avoid pressing until you can pin out and block. That way each diamond will be the same size. It actually makes a difference. The diamonds from the class are slightly bigger than the diamonds I made at home. I may end up making another set of four just so they all are the same size.
This is the layout planner from the book reflected in my mirror. I will use this to plan the layout of the quilt.
This is the blocking sheet. Measured and drawn out onto a piece of Muslin.
Here are 3 of the completed blocked diamonds. It feels good to be sewing again.

Yesterday I took a class with Jan Krentz. It was a basic lone star class. A three day class compressed into one day. I did pick up some tips which will help me with a project I have in mind. I worked in miniature, unlike everyone else. Because that is the only reason that I took the class. I decided that since the only reason I was taking the class was to get an idea how to piece a miniature lone star, I might as well work in miniature. That reason, and the fact that I didn't start getting my class supplies together until 9pm the day before the class.. It's lots easier to grab some small pieces of fabric than it is to have large specific amounts pre cut..
Plus, doing this last minute search turned up something I was starting to think was just in my imagination... A bag of all of the hardware for my shades. I was starting to think that I never went out to buy this stuff. I have more than enough cord. I bought that several times, but hesitated buying the more expensive pullys when I was SURE that I bought them already.
So, I just wanted to let you all know that I'm still here. I am actually going to try to finish up this lone star.. at least I'm going to work on it this weekend.
I hope that your's is a good one!

Remember what I said about having a Happy New Year? I forgot it is an election year. We have 49 states to go just with primaries, and I am sick to death already of all of the political garbage. I swore off talking politics on my blog, but I just have to say I don't like any of the candidates, I don't want the phone calls and the constant tv ads that accompany these politicians, and I'm sick of them all trying to mix religion and politics just to get votes. As far as I'm concerned the two don't mix. In my opinion, you can't be religious AND a politition. One of my favorite movie lines is from Fried Green Tomatoes.. " Are you a politician, or does Lying just run in your family?"

That being said,and it's the last I will say about it. Unless I lose my mind. I am catching up on my LOST episodes. I am through half of season one. I just realized that Season 3 is out. I lost track. I will have to go out to Sam's tomorrow and get that season because season 4 starts the end of this month. I have watched Jerico so many times, I know it by heart. CBS offers the whole season online, so I would put it on and watch it on my computer while sewing. Even before the season comes out on DVD. There will be seven new episodes starting in February.

I had to print out some show forms AGAIN. Mental block? I think so. The deadlines for entries are drawing near, and I have to get them out in the mail.


TGIF!!