NEW BOOKS FOR MY LIBRARY

Thought that you would like to see my holiday haul of books. A couple were gifts, and the rest were purchased for 40-50% off at various sales.
My friend Robin suggested knitting two socks at a time on a circular needle. I might give that a try. Then I am on a mitten kick I love the Selbuvotter mittens. I have made several sets of very warm mittens and I don't have any for myself. The Knitted Jackets book has some great patterns, and I can always make a cabled sweater. I actually bought a couple of quilting theme books..
Here is my latest and last (for a while) pair of Fiddlehead mittens.
A new year is starting along with a whole lot of ideas for new projects. Maybe I will even do a quilt for competition. I just haven't been in the right frame of mind for a while. The competition is stiff, and I don't know that I am up to it. But it is fun to set a higher goal for myself. The wedding shawl will be the big thing. that will take a good deal of my time. I am actually going to try to finish up all of my quilt tops. Get them quilted and out of my way. Other than July 4th, I think New Years is my favorite holiday, a new start, which is a good thing.

NEW PROJECT

Okay,I am going to call this the first project of the new year, although, I could technically call it the last project of this year, I couldn't hope to finish it in a week.

This is the Queen Silvia shawl from KNITTED LACE OF ESTONIA . I put the penny there so you can see how thin the wool is. That color edge is just a crocheted chain. I picked up my knitting stitches in the back of each chain, and then when I am finished knitting the length of the shawl, I can undo the chains and pick up the live knitted stitches so that I can knit on the lace edging. I am making if for my daughter to use as her wedding shawl.
I finally got my third set of fiddlehead fern mittens finished. They are for a gift, and I am glad to be done with them. I knitted 3 pairs of the same pattern . The mystery is gone.

We went to see Marley and Me. If you own a dog, you will laugh and cry at this movie. We had two sets of seriously inconsiderate women talk through much of the first part of the movie. The first set were a couple of rows in front of us to our right. they were in their 30's, and brought their young children with them. Someone in front of them asked them to stop talking, and they cussed her out. But at least they stopped talking. The other set were middle aged, I think, and sat in the same row as us to our left. So we had stereo chatting women. The incident in front of us didn't make an impression on them at all because they just kept chatting away. When my husband went to them and asked them to be quiet, they decided to shut their mouths.
What I don't understand is the total lack of manners displayed by these women. The first sets reaction in front of their children shows me how children these days have a total lack of respect for authority, or adults. Look at the example being set for them. How can they be so inconsiderate and not think a thing of it?
Of course, this is no different than women in my various guilds that chatter all the way through the speakers presentation. Why should any of us have to tell them to stop talking? They don't have the manners to keep their mouth shut, and show respect to the speaker?

So, anyway, we eventually had a nice, movie, and could concentrate on the dialog that we paid money for, so it turned out okay.

I've got 8 rows done on my new project, only about 56" to go..

TOSS IT?

When I sent my husband into the attic to bring down all of the Christmas stuff, he found this Santa that I made in my painting/woodworking days. He is a little over 3 feet tall and holds a brass horn that used to be shiny. My first act was to sit him outside with the garbage. Then I thought that maybe a friend that is really into decorating would like him. But she also has realized that she has too much Christmas 'stuff'. I was getting ready to tote him to the garbage again, and thought.. 'what if he was holding a quilt?' I only have this little unfinished quilt available to try out. So here goes... what do you think? toss Santa and his dirty nose? Find a new home? ( Anyone I know that lives close is welcome to him). Or give him a reprieve?

SHE SAID YES

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOURS!

I am working part of today for one of my co-workers so that she can be home with her family. We usually open gifts and have an Italian food dinner on Christmas eve. We started this tradition when the kids were old enough to understand that WE were who gave them gifts. It helped rid us of the inevitable sleepless night waiting for Christmas morning, and meant we could sleep in.

I gained a new son on Christmas this year. My daughter agreed to marry her Marine beau.
I like him very much. They dated in high school and steadily for the past couple of years. He's a very nice young man, with the added benefit of being interested in many of the same things his new father in law to be. The kid knows how to get his foot in the door around my husband! I like him very much to.
I just wanted to pop in and say Merry Christmas to you all, and I hope that your day is filled with laughter.

HOW TO MAKE A RICE BAG

This is the rICE bag. I made it out of a cotton print. Penguins because it should be kept in a cold place (freezer) Sew 2 pieces of fabric 6 1/2 inches by 8 inches. I used a little more than a 1/4 inch seam, using the edge of my open toe foot as my guide. Place right sides together and sew down the 2 long sides and the bottom (short side) (I used a double stitch, one that went back and forth for each stitch), turn inside out, and sew a seam down the center of each bag. Using a funnel, fill each side with rice up to about 3/4 full. Fold the top over twice, and sew shut. I sewed 2 rows just to be safe. I put the bag into a zipper top Hefty quart bag for storage in the freezer.
This is the bag intended for heating in the microwave. I used plain muslin. I cut 2 pieces at 8 1/2 inches by 12 1/2 inches. Turn inside out, sewing 2 channels at around 2 1/2" wide each. This isn't an exact measurement on any of these, that's the best part. Fill and finish this bag in the same manner as the smaller bag. The only addition is, I put the tag in the seam of the intended microwave bag. I worked up the labels using my Word program, and printed them out on pre-treated June Tailor sheets. You don't have to do this, but my friend gave me the idea. Either of these bags can be put in the microwave or the freezer. I just have found that I need a cover over the hot microwave bag or it is too hot and can burn if there is only a thin piece of cotton between you and the rice.
Cut the covers the same size, maybe 1/2" longer than the muslin bag. The rice takes up enough space that even though they start out the same size, they will easily and neatly fit inside of the cover. This is the first time I have made bags using polar fleece. I couldn't pass up the 50% off remnants at JoAnn Fabrics last weekend. I didn't hem the edges.. it is just a experiment. I don't think there will be a problem as they won't fray. The large bags in the photo below were covered with flannel, and the edges were turned over twice and hemmed.
This is a very easy, economical, and usually appreciated gift for anyone. A 25 pound bag of rice was less than $7.00, I waited until close enough to Christmas, that I got all of the fabic for 60% off. It took me an afternoon and an evening to make 20 bags.

I know this probably would be more helpful earlier in the month, but maybe you could take the opportunity to hit those holiday fabric sales and make some bags for an early start for next Christmas!
Yeah... just like I plan to address Christmas cards now for next year so I can actually get them out...

MOUNTAIN IN THE CLOUDS

Sent by my daughter from her cell phone to my email. Too darn close for comfort if you ask me!! (thinking about what is under the clouds that you can't see.) My daughter and son in law have been stranded in Seattle airport for 2 days on their way to Dallas airport to visit with his family for Christmas. They luckily caught a flight out this morning, ended up in Palm Springs Ca, with a layover, and I guess to Dallas from there. At last contact, they still hadn't caught up with their luggage, and they decided to put presents in their carry ons' instead of underwear and toothbrushes. Ewww... I'm glad they are going to Dallas first!

BUSY SUNDAY

I used up 25 pounds of rice, and actually ran out. These are rice bags, the big ones are for heat and the little ones are for the freezer. I still need to make flannel covers for the heat bags. I will tell you about the specifics later. But they make wonderful inexpensive gifts.
These are the labels that I sew into the final seam of the large bags. I print them out on June Tailor colorfast sheets because they have a little more 'body' to them than other kinds of fabric sheets. Thanks to my friend Lindy for the idea.
I saved a little money buying this gripper. The 'Gypsy Gripper" that is intended for quilting rulers is around $20.00 plus shipping which would bring it to around $27.00. I saw this one in my local Walgreens on the shelf with other "As seen on TV" items. It cost $12.00. I really like it. I wondered about it's worth, but, it is great for cutting, and holding it like this, means the ruler doesn't slip.

I put up my tree. I shoved the big one back up into the attic. I removed my huge Christmas Cactus from it's stool and clamped this tree on. I covered it with candy cane Christmas fabric. I just love this little tree.
So anyway, back to work making bags. I have to take at least some of them to work with me tomorrow.

My daughter and son in law are stranded in Seattle on the way to Dallas to visit his family for Christmas. Their flight was canceled because of the ice storm they are having there. She is not a seasoned flyer and called me crying about it. That's the problem with flying this time of year. They will get to where they are going eventually..

THIRD FRIDAY

The third Friday of the month is when a group of my friends get together to 'sew' although sometimes we don't. But there is a lot of laughter and sharing, which is the best part anyway. All of the quilts you will see were show and tell that some of our group recently made. Kaye has a new long arm and quilted all of the quilts. She does a good job and it is great having our very own long arm quilter. In between show and tell photos are photos of the gifts I got from each of them. Kaye and I worked on our gifts together. They were small quilted 'mats' that you sit your machine on. They have pockets that hang down in front of the machine. I forgot to take photos, and I don't have mine finished yet.. so later with that picture.

Nancy's quilt

A pillow made by Kathleen-one for each of us

Georgia made two of these quilts in a month for her Grand daughters.

a gadget holder from Bobbie

A cake tester (shawl pin?) from Georgia, and a fabric bag that contained a hand knitted washcloth and hand made clove soap from nancy.

Awesome skull scissors from Lindy who really knows me

a ruler holder made by Karin's husband. I LOVE it. I put it on the wall by my sewing table. It gets all of my little rulers up and off of my table and within easy reach. Actually, I totally filled this up after I took this photo. I went through my sewing table drawer and took out all of the small rulers that were in there. She said she made the sizes of these depending on how many 'gagets' each of us have. She knows I have a lot.....even though she is way worse than I am in the notions buying.... I'm just sayin..

Nancy's tree. She made the garland many years ago out of those old paper straws. There are many handmade ornaments on her tree.

This is a different take on Readers digest Christmas trees. These are folded books by Gene Epstein, who is an artist from Oberlin

One of the 'neutral' quilts that Karin made for a Christmas gift. Karin loves bright shiny fabrics, so I guess it has been torture for her to make brown quilts. I think they are lovely. I didn't take a photo of the back but Karin always puts a Christmas theme on the back of these big quilts. Sometimes different 6" squares of Christmas fabric, this time it had several different prints. Great idea Karin. Also, Lindy made a great little satin brocade dress for one of her grand daughters. It was an Asian style and very pretty. I forgot to take a photo.. so you will have to take my word for it!

I guess I am going to have to break down and put some sort of Christmas tree up tomorrow. I thought if I just ignored it, Christmas would be over and I wouldn't have to bother.. but somehow, I am not going to be that fortunate. I have a lot to do, so you may not hear from me for a couple of days!

RED SOCKS

I finally finished my red socks. I cast on another pair in a red white and blue Lorna's Lace variegated. Although I like fancy cabled socks, and I like doing them. There is something to be said about a nice basic sock that I can pick up and knit on whenever I like. I don't have to refer to a pattern anymore because I have the basics of what I want in my head. I finished them up last night so that I could wear them to work today. Toasty

RULER STORAGE

I will admit that I found this idea on another blog, I don't remember where. That person put a separate piece of wood up to attach the rulers. I just put the nails in the back of my studio door and I used little binder clips over the end of the nail to keep the rulers from sliding around on the nail. What a great idea.. thanks unknown blogger!!