Thursday, November 29, 2007

Middle Grand dog


Introducing Holi (short for Holiday), my middle grand dog. Holi joined the family during the holiday season nearly two years ago. My son, who is a police officer, found Holi standing over the body of another dog, probably her brother, on a back road. She was covered with fleas and ticks, but not injured. She spent the first day in their garage, until she visited the vet and received a check-up. Then, she joined big sister dog, Kasey and her human family. Her back is marked like a German Shepherd and she has a blue tongue. She has a great personality, gets very excited when greeting a guest (sometimes little puddles on the floor), and can spend hours chasing lizards in the back yard. While she is inside, she naps in a chair in the living room that faces the road where she can watch the traffic. When the family travels, Holi goes to a kennel, where she is very anxious and probably confused, therefore a little difficult. However, the kennel has an employee who is slightly autistic. She is a great comfort to Holi and is the only one who can care for her.

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Christmas to-do list


I usually make a few gifts for Christmas. Here is the list for this year.

These are done: Multi-color diamond quilt for my Dad.
Yellow and blue quilt to my niece Theresa
Blue and green quilts for a co-worker

These are started: Socks for my Dad- one completed
Quilt for my niece Kim- pieced but
not quilted
Toby quilt for my husband

Not even started but I have the yarn- Socks for my friend

Not to bad I guess

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Happy Thanksgiving/Incomplete dogs on Thursday

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. Photo is of the dining room before dinner. Turkey is in the oven and I have just enough time to jump into the hot tub for a short time before company arrives.






Incomplete dogs on Thursday.

I began a quilt of our springer spaniel Toby for my husband's surprise Christmas present. I can only work on it for about an hour each morning after he leaves for work, but before I have to leave. Also, I am using it as my entry in the Christmas challenge for my quilt guild. Our party is Dec. 12, not much time to make a quilt. Toby passed away almost 2 years ago, so I found an old photo of when he was a puppy to use as a model. Photo is of the fabric that I used for the center of the quilt.



Toby is made using raw edge applique, glued to the background fabric. This will be surrounded by two borders. The first of patchwork squares. The second will be a patchwork ribbon and bow using fabric for the challenge.




Hopefully, I will have the squares completed this week and can begin quilting the next.




Saturday, November 17, 2007

Socks for Dad

My father asked for a pair of wool socks for Christmas. Just the excuse that I needed to buy more yarn since all I had was orange or pink. So, I ordered from one of my favorite places, but not just yarn for one pair of socks, but several. One pair for him, one for my friend, Sonia, who has gotten a new pair for Christmas the last several years, one pair for me now, and one pair for later. As two of these are needed for Christmas, time to get knitting now. I started with Dad's, as his are the largest, using brown striped super wash merino. After checking the size and using a pair of mine as sample, I start to knit.

I cast on 100 stitches, and knit several inches. Looks good, great stripes, but large enough to fit an elephant. So, frog it back and start over.

I cast on 86 stitches and knit several inches. Looks good, great stripes, but now large enough to fit a baby elephant. So, Rippit.

I cast on 68 stitches and knit several inches. Looks good, great strips, but NOW just the right size.

I still have a problem with gauge. I guess I think that it is easier to rip out then to actually sample. By this time 12 days have passed and I have only half a sock. Since it is Saturday night and I have no where to go and nothing to do, I will knit, knit, knit.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

First Blog

Here it is, finally, at long last, I've done it. This is it my first blog. A little bit about me. I'm married and have one son, who lives in Florida with his wife and daugther, three dogs, one cat, two gold fish and a growing collection of "Webkins".

My Grandmother taught me to knit when I was 8 years old, but only the knit stitch, so after several squares I quit. I re-taught myself when my son was 4 years old. I made him a sweater for Christmas. It was teal green with raglan sleeves. He wore it for several years, because I did not read the part about gauge in the instructions. Sometime later, a cousin gave my the fleece from his sheep, so I had to learn to spin. I now have three spinning wheels, but haven't spun any wool in quite a while. I currently have been making socks for family and myself and baby hats which I donate to the local hospital for the new babies.

Lately, I have been making quilts. I tend to chose traditional patterns but enjoy the challenge of choosing and using colors in a less then tradition way. I have designed and created several wall hangings. Each has been a challenge in either combining patterns and new techniques, such as paper piecing or raw edge applique. The quilt pictured is a simple nine patch I made several years ago.

They say the first step is the most difficult. So THANKS to my co-worker, fellow knitter and good friend, DW (Britknitter) I am NO LONGER blogless.