Week 15 of 2024

Mainly knitting this week, but I did press and trim more of the blocks that at sew at a monthly makers get together -

Now there are 54 Broken Dishes blocks (I need 218 total now because I decided to make a smaller quilt).

I finished spinning the fibre batt that I made from a local wool and our dog's fur.

79g of worsted weight tweed Chiengora yarn.

And knit a hat with it - a very quick knit. This one is for my son - Molly is his dog.

I am amazed how soft the yarn turned out, and the hat has a lovely halo.

I didn't use a pattern - more details can be found on a Ravelry page.

I finished knitting a pair of handspun socks.

A warm week last week.

Photos from Around- 

The snow has just about all melted, and the pets are so happy rolling around on the dry grass.

We had a nice view of the solar eclipse this week (just partial for us, but at least the clouds were clear enough to see it).

Miss Maggie in a nest.

Miss Molly found a big stick (we had high winds that blew some dead trees over).

Just visible, but there are a few flocks of Tundra Swans in the photo.

We usually see more geese than swans, I don't know why it is different this year.

Both ponds have pairs of Mallards on them - hopefully they will stay (last summer was the first year Mallards nested on both ponds).

All the best!♥︎

Week 10 of 2024

This past week I started a quilted jacket -

This was a medallion quilt top that I made over 6 years ago. I wasn't really happy with it and I knew that it probably needed more, but I didn't think I would like it any better. I would pull it out occasionally to try to think what to do with it, then put it away. It was the only quilt top that I have made that didn't get quilted as soon as it was finished. After seeing so many quilted jackets recently I thought this would be perfect to try. I used a Lutterloh pattern - the same jacket I made a few weeks ago, but removed the shawl collar.

I roughly cut out all the pieces and layered them with a very thin batting and a backing.

Then machine quilted it. I enjoy quilting Clam Shells because there are a few options for quilt designs.

Once all the pieces were quilted, I serged the edges and washed them. Then they were ready for the final cutting. I don't know if I will like the jacket any better than the quilt top, but at least something will have been done with it.

Quilt Group today so some more blocks added to the pile for the Broken Dishes quilt.

Another week for the temperature blanket.

Photos from Around-

A Jack Rabbit (white with black ear tips standing close to the pole) and a Crow having some kind of get together.

A couple of snow storms this week, so we have snow again.

7:30am Friday.

So sparkly.

Annual memorial hockey tournament this weekend - my three nephews participated this year so it made it extra fun.

Sunrise this morning - 7:30am (first day of daylight savings time).

All the best!♥︎

Week 3 of 2024

This past week I cut 1600, 3+1/2" squares of fabric (each stack is 100 squares).

To make a queen sized, scrappy, Broken Dishes quilt.

This will be my new grab-and-go project, that fits in a tin (my favourite kind of quilt to sew).

There is enough squares to make 400, 5" blocks. The finished quilt will be 100" square with a 20x20 block layout.

I am almost finished my other grab-and-go project, a Drunkard's Path quilt that I cut out last year, so it was time to get a new one ready.

I sewed another skirt this week. This is my second one in this pattern (I made one for my Mom too), and this one fits just right (the other one is too big at the waist, this one has bigger darts in the back - I am slowing learning how to adjust patterns to fit me). It is a Lutterloh pattern, #16 from supplement Summer 325. I modified it by changing the pockets, and moving the front slit to a kick pleat in the back. It is in a stretch fabric, that cost a few dollars (it was part of a sale purchase - "fill a large box with fabric pieces for $25", I think it ended up being less than a dollar a pound - how the store sells a lot of their fabric).

The colours on the temperature blanket are staying about the same.

Photos from Around- 

Morning walk (the weather was very cold, so we didn't go far).

Winter prairie scene - sun dogs, blowing snow and a grain elevator in the distance.

Jack Rabbits have found the bird feeders.

Molly seemed disappointed when I gave her a piece of orange (she does enjoy them though)

Downtown Winnipeg.

Maggie was pretty excited to see something moving outside - it was just a leaf blowing across the snow, but she was sure it was a mouse.

The hydroponics are doing well - peppers,

and the first tomato is almost ready.

All the best!♥︎