Spoils from Maryland Sheep & Wool!!

On Saturday my mom, my knitting buddy Melissa and I went to the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival at the Howard County Fairgrounds. We had a fantastic time!! My birthday is coming up so Mom decided to give me cash instead of trying to figure out what to buy me. And I had a wonderful time fondling yummy yarns!!

Here’s what came home with me:

Socks That Rock (2 Mill Ends & 1 Rare Gems), Creatively Dyed (1 skein Beaches & 1 Calypso) & Shelby B Designs (Supreme Sock)

Shalimar Yarns (2 Zoe Sock), Cherry Tree Hill (1 Sockittome, 1 Supersock Select Lace), Serendipitous Ewe (1 Lucky Sock) & Dragonfly Fibers (1 Naiad Sock)

There were so many other lovely yarns that I would have loved to bring home, but these were the yarns that I had in mind when I left for the festival.

We also saw lots of adorable sheep…… and ALPACAS!!

Well I Made Room in the Studio….

I sold almost all of the fabrics that I posted for sale.  67 YARDS! are out of the studio and some have landed in their new homes.  It feels good to destash a little and make room for fun new items :)

This was so liberating I might stash dive again soon and list some more sale items.

Thanks for the support :)

Making Room in the Studio….

Well it’s time for me to make some room in the studio for the stash of sock yarns I’m amassing…

So I’ve decided that it’s time to sell some of my Moda Jelly Rolls and miscellaneous FQ Bundles.  I love all of my fabrics but something has to give.  Plus Maryland Sheep & Wool is coming up in a couple weeks and I need to pad the bank account for some new sock yarns :)

Please take a look at my fabrics on my Flickr page and email me mdquilter@atlanticbb.net if you are interested in anything.

Thanks!

A Fun Day Out!

You may notice that I’ve changed the title of my Blog from “Beth’s Quilty World” to “Beth’s Quilty & Knitty World”  I’ve gone feet first into the sock knitting pool!  And I’m loving it!!

Today was an event called The Homespun Yarn Party at the historic Savage Mill in Savage, Maryland (near Laurel, MD).  I had a blast!  Two of my favorite yarn vendors were there, The Sanguine Gryphon and Shelby B’s Designs.  I stocked up on Bugga! Sock yarn as well as some of the fun Harry Potter inspired yarns.

 
My daughter also decided that she wanted to learn how to spin yarn so we got her a drop spindle from the Alpacas of Maryland folks as well as some alpaca roving.  I hope she enjoys spinning so that she can spin the yarns for me to knit…..we could make a great team!!

Here are my most recent finished socks:

Tic-Tac-Toe Up Socks by Wendy Johnson using Bugga! Sock Yarn from The Sanguine Gryphon in the Cuban Cockroach colorway

 
Waterfall Socks also by Wendy Johnson using Boo Sock Yarn from Shelby B’s Designs in the Oliver Wood colorway.

 
Hope everyone is having a very crafty weekend!

More Information on Sock Yarn

I had a couple people comment and ask for some more information on the yarns I used in my socks.

This pair uses Unisono by Zitron.  It’s a 100% superwash merino wool that has aloe in it so it’s very soft!

 
This pair is made from Stroll Handpainted yarn from KnitPicks in the Tea party colorway.  It’s 75% superwash merino wool and 25% nylon.  Extremely soft and very reasonably priced!

 
This pair is made from Brown Sheep Wildfoote yarn in the Ragtime colorway.  Also 75% washable wool and 25% nylon and soft as well.

 
This pair is made from Wisdom Yarns Marathon Sock in the San Francisco 201 colorway.  It’s 75% wool and 25% nylon.  I just love the pattern that knits up as you go along!  Also very soft and bright!!

I have so many other fun yarns in my stash now and I’m looking forward to using them all!  I am totally in love with sock yarn :)

A Serious Case of Sox Pox!

Yes, I admit it…..I am addicted to socks!  I started a Toe-Up Sock knitting class 2 weeks ago and have knit 7 socks since the class started!  Today was the last class and I learned how to do a stretchy bind off so I now have 7 finished socks and the 8th (second half of the 4th pair) is on the needles now.

This is my 2 weeks of knitting….

I love these socks and I promise I’ll be back to quilting again soon :)

Friday Night Sew In Results….

After dropping my mom off at her Red Hat convention on Friday afternoon I came home and wasn’t feeling too well so I didn’t make it into the sewing room.  Instead I cast on another sock and started knitting.  I made alot of progress on my knitting and I just love this color combo!!

Now that I’m feeling better hopefully I’ll get the quilt quilted this week and start the binding!!

Are You Ready?????

For the Friday Night Sew In???

I am!  Tomorrow night I’ll be quilting my Blue Bricks & Stepping Stones top.  I’ll get it loaded onto the frame this afternoon and be ready to quilt away after taking my mom to her Red Hat Convention in Baltimore!!  Tomorrow night we’ll have frozen pizzas for dinner so I won’t be taken away from my quilting for long :)

Who else is joining in??

Some Quilty Content

Not only have I been having fun knitting, I’ve also been playing in the studio.  I finished cutting out my Too Good to Cut Challenge so there’s another February Goal ticked off the list.  Here’s the cut strips for the top along with the background rectangles:

 
And here’s the skinny little strips that I cut off to straighten up the end of each of the fabrics:

 
I also ordered one of the Quilts For Kids kits and received it this week.  It’s nice and bright and fun!  I’m looking forward to making this one.  I also have a finished quilt to send off to the project and another one marinating in my brain from some bright and fun orphan blocks.  Here’s the kit I received:

 
Later today I might try to get the Bricks & Stepping Stones quilt loaded onto the frame and start quilting.

First Ever Knitting Class!

So I’ve been knitting off and on for 30 years or so (my mom taught me how to knit when I was in 2nd grade) but I have never taken a knitting class until today.  I start my first of 3 Toe Up Sock classes and what a fun time!  There are only 2 of us in the class so it’s very laid back and I’m having a ball!  We learned a Figure 8 cast on and the Magic Loop method for toe up socks.  I’m using a 100"% Superwash Merino Wool sock yarn and 32” long #2 circular needles.  Here’s some progress pictures…

We learn how to shape the heel in the next class so i have to knit to the heel this week.

Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt Along…

 
I decided to join the Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt Along which starts March 1st.  I have sooo many jelly rolls and needed an excuse to use one of them :)

So I went searching on the pre-cut drawer and after a lot of hemming and hawing I decided on my Maypole jelly roll by April Cornell.  I found a pretty pink that goes with the fabrics for the background.  After all this snow I need to play with some bright springy colors!!

Yesterday I also bit the bullet and started piecing some of my larger batting scraps into usable battings.  I now have a stack of 6 battings to use in upcoming projects :)

Sure feels good to be marking things off of my February Goal List!! 

Pattern Selected and Started Cutting….

….my Too Good to Cut Challenge project.  I finally settled on using these fabrics

 
In Darlene’s pattern Between Friends.  I’ve been wanting to make this quilt and I think the FQs will be lovely in this pattern.  Here’s the first cut….

I’m about 1/2 finished cutting the FQs so that task should be complete before bed.  I’m really enjoying this challenge and I’ll be even happier when the quilt is finished :)

It’s a Flimsy & Blizzard of 2010 part Deux!

My February UFO is finally a flimsy.  I started this quilt on Superbowl Sunday 2009 and finally got the borders attached tonight after dinner.  So now all I have to do is quilt and bind it and I’ll have another UFO finish!!!  YAY!!!

Here’s the finished top:

Today was a work from home day since we had another round of winter weather.  This was the 3rd Blizzard of the season and we got at least another 10.5” on top of the 30” we got over the weekend.  If we ever get enough of a break in the weather I will be able to step out onto the back deck and get some pictures of the big snowy sandbox aka my fenced in backyard.  This is just crazy!  here’s a couple pictures of today’s new snow.  The picture of the snow on top of the trash can is all new snow, it was clear before the snow started falling last night….

I hope wherever you are you are safe and warm!

Design Wall Monday & a UFO Finish….

Today is an unexpected snow day from work after our historic snowfall a few days ago.  So between working on projects for work from home, I am sewing a little as well.  On my design wall is my blue Bricks & Stepping Stones top.  I am onto sewing the rows together now and I have a good shot at finishing this top today….YAY!!  Here’s what it looks like right now:

I also managed to finish my 4th UFO of the year.  The Imperfect Squares baby quilt for my college friend’s new son Finn is finished and ready to mail to Florida when I can get to the post office.  Here’s the finished quilt and a close-up of the loopy meander quilting I did.  I’m so happy to have it finished!!

What does everyone else have going on??

Surviving SnOMG! 2010….

We weathered the storm safely and are now in the midst of the great dig out…..  Hubby is our with shovel in hand as I type and will hopefully be finished before the pre-Super Bowl dinner we are having at 3pm.  I want him to be able to sit back and relax and enjoy watching his Colts play in Miami!!

Here’s a couple pictures taken while the snow was falling….

And here’s some during the dig out…

I haven’t been sitting by idly…I’ve been working away in the studio.  I quilted the Imperfect Squares Baby Quilt, stitched out the label and attached the label and binding by machine.  I’ll finish the hand stitching during the big game tonight.  I also stitched out the last 12 embroidery blocks for Fresh Squeezed Graham Crackers.  This is what they look like before trimming the threads:

They will become the center of 12 more of these blocks:

I’ll be back with more pictures as I make more progress on my Bricks & Stepping Stones top. 

I hope everyone is safe and warm wherever they are!

Here Comes the Snow…..Again….

The weather peeps have forecasted a “historic” snow event for the mid-Atlantic region this weekend just as we are on the tail end of 2 snow events since last Saturday.  The cupboards are full of food and I have plenty of quilty projects to work on.  So I’m ready to be snowed in this weekend…woohooo!

I’ve included some pretty snow pictures that I took yesterday after our overnight snowfall.  I love how the snow was just sitting on the leaves and branches.

February Goals….

OK I’ve found that setting goals is working for me so I’m going to post my goals at the beginning of each month….

Here goes… here’s what I want to accomplish this month:

• Quilt & Bind the Imperfect Squares Quilt for Baby Finn
• Finish Piecing, Quilt & Bind Blue Bricks & Stepping Stones Quilt
• Choose pattern for and cut out “Too Good to Cut” challenge quilt
• Make 1 block for the Ladies of the Sea appliqué project
• Make love block & label for Dorothy’s Love Quilt
• Stitch out last 12 embroidery blocks for Fresh Squeezed Graham Cracker Quilt
• Piece together batting scraps into usable battings

I know it looks like a lot but I have another “Stay-cation” in February so I should be able to get a lot done while I’m home for nearly 2 weeks :)

UFO Challenge – February

My BFF Nancy has issued the UFO challenge again for 2010.  I have this challenge list over on my sidebar.  For the next 9 months she will pick a number at the beginning of the month and the challenge is to get the UFO that corresponds with that number on your list finished before the end of the month.

Number 7 was drawn for February which means I’ll be working on my Blue Bricks & Stepping Stones Quilt.  The blocks are still in process but I have the basic 4-patch/Brick unit pieced and pressed.  The print along the bottom of the photo is going to be the border.  I really am enjoying working on this one.

This has been my leader/ender project off and on and I made quite a bit of progress on it that way.  But now it’s time to buckle down and git-r-dun!

UFO Challenge – January Finish!

I’ve finally finished my January finish for the 2010 UFO Challenge!!!  YAY!!  I put the last stitches in Patty’s Quilt while hubby and I were watching the movie Gran Torino on this snowy Saturday.  Here’s the finished quilt…

And a close-up of the Wonky Feathers….

I’m looking forward to working on my February UFO for the challenge.  In the meantime, tomorrow I’ll be quilting the baby quilt I finished piecing this week so that I can get it into the mail.  I pulled the backing and binding fabrics out a little while ago and I’ll make the binding and pin the backing onto the frame tonight.  I love snowy weekends!!!

Too Good to Cut….

I joined the Too Good to Cut Challenge at the beginning of the year and have decided to use my Allspice Tapestry FQ Tower from Moda. 

I fell in love with these fabrics when they first came out and just had to have them!  So I bought the FQ bundle and have yet to do anything with them.  I’ve been looking for the perfect pattern to use them in.  I’ve narrowed it down to a few different patterns and will make a final decision soon.  As soon as I make a firm decision I’ll be sure to let you all know :)

Come and join us and cut into that fabric you’ve been saving.  It’ll be fun!!

Another UFO Finished for January :)

I finished the binding on my mother in law’s Trip Around the World quilt.  I’m thrilled to have it finished and she will be over to visit on Sunday so I can finally give it to her.  This quilt was supposed to be her Christmas gift.  However breaking my elbow 4 days before Christmas kept me from being able to finish it.  I think she’ll be happy when she sees it.

I also managed to finish the baby quilt top made from the blocks that were on my design wall this past Monday.  I hope to get it quilted this weekend and finished next week so that I can send it off to my college friend’s new baby.

All in all a pretty productive week so far and I’m still working on the binding of my friend Patty’s quilt so I should have another finish pretty soon :)

Design Wall Monday…

I have something on my design wall for a change!!  I’m working with these blocks from an “Imperfect Block Swap” I participated in several years ago.  These will be sashed with blue fabric and a swirly green for cornerstones and bordered with a cute print to become a baby quilt for a friend of mine from college who just had her first baby.  I’m very excited to get this finished and sent to it’s new owner :)

I also got the bindings and labels machine sewn onto the 2 quilts I recently quilted.  Now I have handwork to do in the evenings while watching TV with my hubby :)

Tomorrow I have to go back to work after being off for nearly 2 weeks, it’s gonna be rough when that alarm clock rings in the morning…..

Friday Night Sew-In – February

The date has been set for February’s Friday Night Sew-In.  Join everyone on Feb 19th for the fun!!  I’ll be sewing away as it will be smack dab in the middle of my February Stay-cation!!!

Second One Quilted

I finished quilting the second quilt on my Stay-cation Goal list!  I also cut out both bindings and one of the labels is stitching out as I type.  So either later today or tomorrow I’ll be making and attaching the bindings by machine and will hand stitch them down in the evenings after work.

Here’s the quilt before binding….

And a close-up of the quilting….

I quilted “Wonky Feathers” by Dawn The Pajama Quilter.  I love this very forgiving quilting pattern!