Kate's Perspective | |||||
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Monday, February 28, 2005
 I knit the back two years ago, and while I did get gauge, there is a really loose stitch between each cable and the reverse stockinette ground. I knit the front and two sleeves this past fall. While my technique has improved and there are no loose stitches, I failed to get gauge and the pieces are all too large. I decided to go with the flow and stitch it together anyway, but after the shoulder seams and a neckband, I just don't have the will to go on. What to do? Should I let it sit for another season as is, or rip it back into balls and let the balled yarn sit? I don't really see myself both ripping and reknitting right away. I think I have to make a decision or I'm never going to get my sewing room to look any better than this:  Eek! Thursday, February 24, 2005
Color in Quilts
I don't have an art background, but I remember learning about using complementary colors instead of black to create shadows or to create vibrant, buzzing lines between fields of color. I've been reading about color and value in quilts recently, trying to move away from the formula I was taught in beginning quilting:
Here are my thoughts on a few of the books I've been studying.
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
Blocks of the Month - March 2005
 Why are they different? Because I went and joined a second quilt guild. Now I belong to two quilt guilds and one stitch-n-bitch. Apparently, THIS is how much crafty involvement makes me happy. The Irish Puzzle block on the right called for a dark green, medium green and white. The Pinwheel block on the left called for a dark blue, light blue, and white. The rules were a little more specific than usual, so I played along and did as asked. I think the Pinwheels are going to be very dynamic-- I wouldn't mind winning them all! Sunday, February 20, 2005
Birthday Report
A New Dress 
Family
All the ingredients of a great party.
Meme Murderer
Friday, February 18, 2005
Airplanes and Birthdays
I'm having fun working on this applique project. I've got the second airplane block underway, but I'm taking a short break to make my birthday girl a dress! The sleeves on the dress are so small that I had to set them in by hand. I can't wait to see her all dressed up. Of course, I will share a photo here! Last year on today's date, I was busy nesting and I didn't even know it. I organized my quilt stash according to color and value, met with the doula, and had a long chat with my best friend in Seattle, before reluctantly going to bed at 10:30. I remember complaining, "I'm not even tired!" Little did I know Lydia was planning to make an early arrival-- she was born at 2:53 a.m. on the 19th, just 4.5 hours after I went to bed! ...and I've been tired ever since ;) Will you look at her now? 
Happy birthday, little bunny! Monday, February 14, 2005
Happy Valentine's Day
Hamming it up on our honeymoon 2 1/2 years ago... Friday, February 11, 2005
Or I could just make this....
While I continue to mull over the possibilities of my black and tan quilt below (you're right, Brit, those curves look tough), I've decide to forge ahead with a (quick?) baby quilt. 
I bought Claire Oehler's pattern from Keepsake Quilting sometime in the past year and I'm busy picking out bright fabrics from my stash. I've already traced off the templates for the applique and I'm ready to go. If it gets done quickly, perhaps baby Connor would like it more than a hat. Have I mentioned that I hate deadlines? Thursday, February 10, 2005
Plotting a New Project
Although I think a strippy layout Underground Railroad quilt, like this one from the Elm Creek Quilt series, would look great, the pre-planning would be pretty intense. I’m leaning towards an appliqued charm quilt in the clamshell pattern like this one I found at www.quiltersmuse.com. There is only one shape to cut so I could just cut cut cut and then carry a little bag of work with me for odd moments. The fabric and value placement could happen on the fly. But how the heck do you construct one of these quilts? These directions from Simply Quilts aren't quite clear to me. I like the idea of using a template like this one, but I don't think it comes with instructions either. Hmmm. More research necessary... Wednesday, February 09, 2005
Quilt Guild Day
Today I took my heart quilt for show and tell. I'm inspired to complete a project for next month, just because it was so fun to get on stage and tell a captive audience about my quilt. Four members of the guild were invited to share their work as the main program today. I was interested to see how the things I like from a distance looked close up (the blocks and patterns were much bigger than I normally choose to make, but they looked just right from across the room), and how those things that didn't really make an impression from a distance were very interesting close at hand. I'll have to keep this in mind when I design future projects. I rarely make use of a design wall to get any distance from my projects, so I'm always working with what looks good at arm's length. I wonder how the tiny little heart quilt looked from the audience? One speaker encouraged us to enter quilt shows and competitions-- the feedback from the judges has helped her improve over the years and she won several prizes she didn't expect to win. Hmmm.... If only quilt competitions didn't have deadlines... A couple of months ago I noticed a lot of knit bloggers beginning to talk about crochet, and I worried that that would be the next big craze (nothing wrong with that, I just haven't been bitten by that bug yet) and I'd be left behind. To my happy surprise, a large number of quilt projects and dedicated blogs are sprouting up, and I look forward to a burgeoning community soon. I've thought about starting a web ring to keep everybody in view, but I doubt I have the time and commitment necessary to make that work. Anybody want to take on that project? Friday, February 04, 2005
Sowing the Seeds of Love
I machine-quilted all the ditches and then 1/4 inch outside each heart-- except the one in the lower left which has the outline of Lydia's left hand. Awww, so cute! 
Okay, so I still need to add a hanging sleeve and a label. But you don't need photos of that. Call it done. I'm considering another applique project, because they're so portable (back to Snoopy? Hey look at the date on that post... just hours before Lydia was born), or maybe a handpiecing project, because I've been reading Jinny Beyer's book. Of course, it will be a little quilt, because that's what I do lately. In knitting news, I'm working on a very straightforward blue baby hat for my new cousin; I'm planning to rip out my Rowan Heather sweater and let the yarn sit for a little while; the back of the Sampler Cardi is still just an inch from completion... but right now, knitting takes too much concentration. A little thing called "gauge" is getting me down. So quilting it is, for now.
All Done!
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
February... Finally!
I've been pouring all my energy and free moments into my little heart quilt. It's lacking only the binding and a label, so I feel very accomplished. I machine quilted the whole thing, even using free-motion techniques to quilt the outline of Lydia's hand onto one of the blocks. I haven't done free-motion quilting much at all, so this is good practice. I can see how it would really speed things up and give the quilter much more freedom to have this mastered. I'm taking a full-day workshop through my guild in April, so perhaps soon I will be a master! (insane tired mommy laughing goes here) Picture to come once the binding is complete. Off to entertain very social, extrovert baby now. |
WORKS IN PROGRESS
QUILTS Big Girl Quilt Oriental Rug Christmas Scrappy Star Gridlock KNITS Cashmere Aran Afghan Lydia sweater |
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