House Quilt Top

I've been taking advantage of my last couple of days of daycare, (paid in full through the month of January!) to get some quilting done!! Well... this quilt will take quite a long time to actually complete, but at least I can clean up all the little scraps making it created in my guest room (so now you have a place to sleep when you come to visit!!)

Anyway, here's the full post, on the Lazy Cal: House, Home, or Pantry Quilt Along blog. I think I've been a bit ambitious with my quilt, since it's really the first time I've done any free-piecing, but I love my little houses, and my DH requested that I work on that one before starting another quilt I've cut pieces for. He liked the houses too!

So now I just need to decide what to do about the back, and if I'm going to add any lettering to it!

Crocheted Octopus

This was a really easy project so I think I'll be trying some more of these little crocheted animals!  

Since I'm a bit out of practice with my embroidery though, the face took a bit longer than the actual crocheting did!!  But I like the way this guy turned out, and my little one really likes to grab his legs and fling him, so I think it was a success all together!!  

Jumbo the Elephant

I'm pretty happy with the way this guy turned out!! I love his ears... I used some Amy Butler fabric squares I had from a charm pack, and some ribbed border from an old, felted sweater for the backs. Both were reinforced with some iron-on stabilizer before I blanket stitched them together .

I wish I'd stuffed the front legs a bit more. They're just not quite sturdy enough. But they hold okay.

Sew Free Update

Well, since it's been a while since I last posted, I thought I should do an update!

All the elephant pieces are done! I'm probably about halfway through sewing them together now. Here's where it stands now - check out that cute little circle at the bottom there! That's the last foot I have to sew on... I should probably get it attached before I lose it! This guy worked up pretty quickly - though I did goof on the second part of the patter when I was supposed to switch every "K" call out for a "P" call out... I was on autopilot and just started making the same side again. Good thing I caught myself and was able to use what I'd knitted for the gusset, and only tear out about ten rows.

But I got a bit bored with sewing and wanted to be making something, so I went to the library and picked up some books... I got this one about Amigurumi, and my husband picked out the octopus... I haven't crocheted in ages, and it kind of hurts my hand to work so tightly, but it is very fast. My little one really likes to hold and throw this toy already, so I think I'll be making some more.

And because what's one more iron on the fire, I've picked out another pattern and some yarn to make myself a shawl. It's from the book Beautiful Knitting. I've never done any open work, so I thought this might be a good time to try! I really love this yarn - I used it for a baby blanket, and I think there should be plenty for this project as well.

So now I just need to finish putting together Jumbo the elephant, select some ear material, and embroider his face on. I need to wrap up three more octopus legs and put them on, and do his face up too. And I need to get started on the shawl.

Time for some knitting!!

Well, I just dropped my sewing machine off at the shop!! It'll be there a couple weeks at least. Ouch, that hurts! Maybe it'll give me time for some prep work for some new projects.... Though my DH and I just agreed on a spending freeze, so I guess I'll be limited to my stash - so either every quilt back will be pieced, or I just won't get around to finishing anything!! Neither prospect is all that great!!

So I guess it's time to pick up my knitting again! I could finish something I've started already... but that's no fun. My friend got me a neat book of knitted toy patterns for Christmas, so I started making the elephant from this book, out of celery green soy yarn from my yarn stash! :)

Since I don't have a picture of that, here's a picture of my little one wearing a pair of socks I knitted for her before she was born... she finally fits in them!