My camp-out on the couch continues…

At least I have good company. Though he insists on playing bed mice with my toes when I’m trying to nap.

I did manage to finish my hat, but I haven’t had enough energy to make it up to the sewing machine. And that’s bugging me, because I’ve just learned of two new babies on the way. One to a coworker out west, and one to a cousin! These babies need quilts!

But all I can do is think about what I want to do…

I have this cute fat quarter set in the stash – and there are so many possibilities with fat quarters. But it also came with this little panel…

I’m thinking maybe cut those squares apart, and surround them with some simple block sashing… what do you think?

For the second quilt, I’ve got this sweet little charm pack full of adorable little bears

I’m thinking maybe another Moda love… or something similar.

Either way… I can’t do anything until this darn virus passes. I have a sneaking suspicion it’s morphed into bronchitis… I’m back to the Dr. tomorrow for confirmation. Wish me luck!

I was really hoping to have a finished sugarskull hat to show you today…

Alas… I’m not quite there. This darn flu is kicking my butt. I just can’t shake the constant exhaustion (not to mention the cough that is keeping me up at night).

But I will persevere. I’m very close to starting the decreasing, and once I get there, the finish won’t be far behind!

Thank you for your well wishes. I am recovering, though not as swiftly as I’d like. The fever and the aches are gone, but I’ve got a lingering cough and energy levels are still lower than I would like.

While  I was stuck on the couch last week, the doorbell rang once again, and there was another little pick-me-up for me!

Those fat quarter packs are for Mom… but there were some goodies underneath for me! A short while ago, Craftsy was having and ‘end of the bolt’ sale. The prices were so good it was hard to pass up – especially considering I had several quilt tops in need of backs.

These beautiful butterflies were so cute, and I think they’ll be perfect for my Cabins at Rainbow Creek quilt.  It’s quite a large chunk too, so they’re will probably be enough left for a baby blanket or two.

I thought this pretty floral fabric would work well with Scrappage Patch.

This cheery pink will help finish up Sam’s Kitty in the Sky with Diamonds.

And last… this gorgeous purple floral is for a top I haven’t even started yet! It will go with a Layer Cake I have in these fabrics.

After Christmas, Mom and I are going to do a little quilt-a-long with the Time to Sew quilt.

 

I was hoping to have at least one finished project today, but I was felled by the flu this week. While it involved lots of enforced couch time, I did even have enough energy to pick up the needles.

But my lovely neighbour Krista did pop by with a little pick-me-up…

A gorgeous yarn bowl she made for me!

Isn’t it so pretty?

And it’s already being put to good use. I’m on the mend and the needles are clicking again!

 

The Leader and Ender HSTs are really starting to pile up. And there’s a time in every L&E project where it ceases to become an L&E project and it goes into regular rotation.

I had a  feeling we were getting close to that with this quilt, so I decided it was time to do a count.  I have 76 cut and pressed, 158 ready to cut and press (I really need to get on that part!) and 18 still in scrap form, but ready to sew.

If I’ve done my math right, that gives me a total of 252 squares. Now to get the layout I need, the number of squares need to be divisible by 8. So I’ve still got a few more blocks to go before this one goes into the regular line up and I have to start a new L&E project.

Here’s where all my Quilts-on-the-Go stand:

• Autumn a-whirl: Still watching for a good deal on batiks for some borders for this one.
• Marseilles Stars: This is the one I showed you earlier this week. It’s going to take a bit. I’m trying to get my intersections and points as close to perfect as possible, so I’m only doing a couple stars at a time:
• A quilt for Ty: This one you haven’t seen yet. It’s a commission from neighbour Krista for her stepson, but we’re still at the fabric picking stage. We’ve pulled a few from my stash, but we need to shopping for more. But the fabrics we have are holding their spot in a box so I don’t go too crazy starting projects and forget that I have this one on the dock.
• Leader and Ender HSTs:  Getting close to finishing up all those HSTs. This one is going to be a crazy one!

 

“What?!?”

When I showed off the sugarskull hat I made for the fair, I was given the suggestion that someone on my Christmas list might like one too.

So Mom gave me some gorgeous gradient handspun she made

And here we go again! I’ve only just got to the start of the skulls, so I’ve got aways to go, but this hat is a fun knit. I’m using some leftover Zarina for the white parts, and it’s a beautiful smooth merino – a perfect contrast for the handspun.

This is the toughest of the Christmas hats I’m making, so I thought it would be best to get it out of the way first. I hope to have more to show you soon.

As you know, I’ve been itching to start a new quilting project. You also know that I love star blocks.

Ever since completing Deep Sea Stars, I’ve wanted to do something similar for myself. But I didn’t want to do the block exactly the same.

I had a couple charm packs of this beautiful collection called Marseille (I do love those French florals)

I sat down, did a sketch and made some notes.

I did one as a test, and then another to refine the process a bit.

It’s going to take a while, but these blocks are going to pile up to make a very pretty little quilt!

And the second pair of heavy man socks is done!

Again, nothing fancy for this pair. In fact, they are even less so than the last pair. This pair is just plain vanilla.  Same yarn, but this pair’s colourway is Bullfinch.

I think it’s another great capture by the yarn company!

And this is the last of my December birthday presents so now I can focus on Christmas hats… stay tuned!

 

I’m still undecided on what to start for a new quilting project, so I figured I’d turn my attention to the disappearing nine-patches I’d sewn at Mom’s last month.

They needed to be cut and disappeared. The cutting part is pretty simple, you just slice each nine patch in half both ways.

 

Then you turn the pieces to create a new design. There are a number of different ways you can turn them.

 

But in the end, I chose the layout that creates a whirlygig in the middle.

In a short afternoon of sewing, I had all the block cut and reassembled, and then even sewn together in the full layout.

It’s now just a wonderful jumble of beautiful fall colours.  Because of the crazy whirly-gigs, I’m calling this one “Autumn A-Whirl”.

Of course the top isn’t done yet. It needs a border or two. But that will have to wait for the next batik sale at Lens… those batiks are beautiful, but spendy!