New Flimsy

This past week I finished sewing together some clamshells I had cut with the GO! cutter two years ago! Every now and then I have been sewing them together.

Trimmed it up (this way it looks like dragon scales). It is about 37"x45". I made the clamshells for the centre of a medallion quilt using blocks from two years ago - 365 Challenge blocks from 2016. I knew that I would only be making some of the 3" blocks - 81 at the time,

and I needed to piece 15 more to have enough to go around the centre (I just chose easy blocks to piece).

Pieced borders ready for sewing,

after adding strips of fabric to make up the difference between the centre and border (the magic of medallion quilts).

I also added a little border around the outside. I was going to add more borders, but then decided I didn't need another big quilt and this one is a really nice size - about 60"x70". Now I need to get some backing.

I also finished a couple of knitting projects, both gifts.

This first one is a Midge Shawl by Odessa Riechel.

I used hand spun yarn,

natural coloured silk and merino that I blended with sari silk threads and gold Angelina.

Also finished a pair of socks from commercial Cashmerino sock yarn that I dyed. I was surprised how different the socks are considering they are from the same skein.

Today I dyed some more fibre. I am so pleased with the top one - definitely my colours! Dyeing for me is always a fun surprise.

Our little furry visitor seems to have found a favourite spot in our basement - he has slept here a few times this past week.

All the best!♥︎

Knitting and More Blocks

 Here are some knitting projects I recently finished - 

A summer sweater made with Optim Merino wool. It is incredibly soft. This is my own pattern - just a top down, raglan cardigan. More details can be found on my Ravelry Project page.

It started out as white Optim fibre that I dyed and spun.

It was interesting fibre to work with. It took the dye differently than regular wool and I was amazed by how much it stretched.

I also finished knitting a pair of socks made with commercial yarn - Tanis Fibre Arts Blue Label, in the colour way Atlantic. This is my favourite yarn for socks. The pattern is Elm from the book 'A Knitter's Book of Socks'. I find that they are a bit too long in the leg and next time I would start in a different spot in the chart.

This is another Mobius cowl that I made - I love Mobius cowls, they are different to make and so easy to wear. The pattern is Viburnum Cowl - a free pattern from Knitty.

I used 100% Cashmere yarn that I spun and dyed - this was the first time that I dyed yarn after spinning (the cashmere was like fluff and I was worried about what would happen if I dyed it before spinning).

Here are some more QAL blocks -

365 Challenge

Circa 2016

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!♥

365 Challenge Blocks

I finished sewing some more 365 Challenge blocks.

I have decided that I will just make the 3" blocks (and only the ones that I think will be enjoyable to sew - no more fiddly little pieces for me). So far I have 77 blocks made.

I have also decided that when I am finished making blocks I will piece them with alternating plain squares, and add some kind of border, probably pieced.

We are having some warm temperatures, so the last of the snow should melt soon.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!♥

QAL Blocks & a Cowl

I have been catching up on quilt-along blocks - 

The Westering Woman block for February (12" block).

The Circa 2016 blocks for the past 2 weeks (3" blocks).

The 365 Challenge blocks (3" blocks).

I also finished knitting a cowl - this was my travel knitting (perfect pattern - easy and interesting).

The pattern is Knitting in Nature Beaded Moebius Cowl. It was hard to photograph and looks better on.

The cowl started out as this fibre, some that I dyed,

and blended into rolags,

and spun into this yarn (it is a mix of wool, alpaca, silk and angora). I made it for another project and had enough leftover for this cowl.

 This is the start of the moebius (only one side/plane and one edge).

Our little friend has figured out how to jump onto the bird feeder.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!♥

QAL Blocks and Dizing

I am still sewing 365 Challenge blocks (although I was tempted to leave a few out this week - 1/2" half square triangles are a real challenge!). There is an extra one this week because the pattern was published by mistake.

My blocks so far - all 3" blocks.

The third instalment of Circa 2016 blocks is 28 half square triangles.

The number of these blocks is growing fast - all 2+1/4" blocks.

I also tried 'dizing' this week.

It is a way to prepare fibre for spinning by pulling the fibre through a small hole (I used a button for this, but there are special diz tools).

This is how the fibre looked before spinning.

These are the odds and ends of wool fibre that I carded - some I dyed and some were commercially dyed (they are from a bag of Ashford mill ends).

I spun it into a bulky yarn,

for another felted bowl (this is the base).

I am almost finished knitting my scarf,

and I turned the heel of the socks and started the gusset.

Little visitors

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!♥

Making Blocks

These are the blocks I pieced this week!

This week's 365 Challenge blocks - 3" blocks. Still lots of fun to sew (I am a bit surprised that I am still making them, I have done twice as many as I originally thought I would).

This week's Circa 2016 blocks (12 Nine Patches) - 2+1/4" blocks.

Plus this week was the start of the Westering Women BOM. This is a 12" block - it was so nice to work with big pieces of fabric for a change.

These are the 9 Pineapple blocks I made this week. I also figured out that I cut 2,597 pieces for this quilt (53 pieces per block, and 49 blocks total), so only 2,120 pieces left to sew! These are 14" blocks.

I also did some knitting this week -

The Lintilla I am working on is progressing nicely.

I started another Moebius knitting project. This pattern is Knitting in Nature Beaded Moebius (I am knitting it without beads). I am pleased to be using up some left over hand spun yarn.

This week I also finished spinning some yarn - some Polwarth wool that I dyed and spun as a gradient from light pink to dark purple.

It started out as this fibre. My plan is to used it to knit a stranded colour work hat, with some black yarn.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!♥