Braided Scarf

I made this scarf at least 2 years ago, but never blogged about it.  I think I was trying to decide if I actually liked it and would wear it.  Just this Winter I finally blocked it out and wore it.  I received some nice compliments on those days.  So I guess I should wear it a little bit more.





I can't remember what yarn I used for it.  But obviously I went 2-tone in greens.
Note:  After making a run to Jo-Ann's for something else, I think this yarn was Lion Brand Jiffy in Apple Green and Avocado..

The pattern is called "Braided Neckpiece" from this book, "Loop-d-Loop" by Teva Durham, pg. 118-119. You can also find in on Ravelry here.

Knit Cable Scarf

I tried another cabled scarf pattern.
This one I happened to see on the skein of yarn itself while browsing the aisles at Michael's.

It worked up really pretty in my sunny yellow yarn.



A little close-up to show the detail of the pattern.
I really like this pattern.  It worked up fairly quickly for as much detail as it shows.

Details:

• Pattern is Loops and Threads™ Knit Cable Scarf
• Actually followed the pattern exactly as outlined.  (I don't always do that)
• 2 balls of Loops and Threads™ Impeccable™ in color Butterscotch.

If you need a little cable knit abbreviation lesson this post is very helpful.  

Knitting Glossary includes some video instruction.

Chunky Cabled Scarves

Daughter #1 has been slightly obsessed with cabled sweaters and would really like to make herself one.  We may do it down the road, but in the meantime we started with something slightly less intimidating and needing less yarn for her first cabled project--a scarf.

I've made cables before, and although they look difficult, it really just involves crossing some stitches as you knit.  And being able to read the pattern directions.  So together she and I each made the same scarf pattern so that I could talk her through hers (at least for the first couple cables) and then she could do it on her own. And I would end up with one too.

And then I made a couple more.....







Working with chunky yarn is a plus too.  Your project works up much quicker.



Details:

• Pattern here free from JoAnn's. Shown L to R above

• Cream one made from Deborah Norville Serenity Chunky color Pristine 2 skeins
• Finished dimensions after blocking 8 1/2 inches x 50 inches 

• Blue one made from Loops and Threads Charisma color Royal 2 skeins
• Finished dimensions after blocking 8 1/2 inches by 30 inches.  We only used a portion of the second one as daughter #2 wanted a shorter cowl version.  One alone wouldn't have been enough for a cowl however.

• With the remainder of the blue I made only half of the width of the scarf until I ran out of yarn.  Daughter #3 got a little cabled scarf that measures 4 1/2 inches x 35 inches.

• Tan one made from Lion Brand Hometown USA color Los Angeles Tan 2 skeins (or as Hubby said, "the color of their air.")
• Finished dimensions after blocking 8 1/2 inches x 36 inches 

• Pink one also from Loops and Threads Charisma.  

• Hat Pattern Here.  Loops and Threads Charisma color Charcoal.

WHAT, swimsuits already?!

It isn't even Valentine's Day yet, but there are swimsuits in the stores ready for you to buy.  Not sure how well that will go over here in MN with our 40+ sub zero days so far this winter.  And 16 of them in row. Yikes! That isn't to say I couldn't think about warmer, sunnier weather, but it certainly isn't a reality for us here.

In the attempt to consolidate and eliminate stuff from my sewing room for an eventual move this summer, check out my Etsy shop for some swimsuit fabric and other items and FREE shipping through March 15.  It just needs to go--and I'm ready.  Items may be added in down the road too as I de-junk that horrible mess of a room that I call my space.

One Pot Sweet Potato Chili

Tried this recipe for Sweet Potato Chili a couple weeks ago.  The recipe came in our little magazine from the health clinic.  Loved, loved, loved it!  We will definitely be making this again.



The lime juice and fresh cilantro make it AWESOME!

Case in point, one of my daughters tried my soup--all doctored up--then served herself some and told me that it wasn't as good.  Well, she hadn't added the yogurt or cilantro to it.

Recipe pdf. found HERE.

And just as good leftover as the day you make it.
Yummy served with corn or tortilla chips too.

Changes I made:

• Doubled the recipe for our family.
• Used 1 can each pinto and garbanzo beans, undrained, but they were my home canned jars and so they have less liquid than store bought cans.
• Used 1-15 oz. can corn, drained
• Did not double the red pepper (only because I forgot to buy 2 instead of 1)
• Used plain yogurt.

Class Quilts 2014

Well, this may be my last year to put together class quilts with my kids and their classmates.  I've been doing it over the years to help with the school's annual fundraiser for the Spanish speaking T.A.s.  Since we plan on moving before the beginning of the next school year this may be it for this particular project.

I tried to change it up a bit this year with a different-ish block pattern that I haven't done before with the kids. I am pleased with the results.


1st grade quilt--with the corner blocks made by my youngest two.


5th grade quilt


Doing their best to look good.


And how 5th graders really act at the end of the day....


A couple close ups of the blocks and the quilting




Back and binding of the 5th grade quilt.

Bonus for me--I thought the auction was in February and have been hustling a bit to get them completed.  But it is going to be in April this year.  Woohoo! I am ahead of the game.  And I just dropped them off at school this morning.  Forgot to measure them before doing that, but they are large enough to cover me up.

Great job kids!  Thanks for all your creativity!

Linked up to Finish It Up Friday at CrazyMomQuilts

Previous Quilts
5th Grade 2011-2012
Kindergarten Handprints 2011-2012
3rd Grade Self-Portraits 2011-2012
1st and 5th Grades 2009-2010

Trip to Nebraska and Mom's "Christ"-mas tree

The kids and I road tripped down to Nebraska for a long weekend last weekend to visit my parents for my dad's 75th birthday.  The kids had both Monday and Tuesday off of school (and we're off AGAIN today for extreme windchill weather---please make it stop!)  It was a nice trip and good to get away.  We even enjoyed a 58 degree day one day while we were there.  Sure beats our -20 degree wake up this morning.

My mom left her Christmas tree up so that I could see how she put it together after I had sent her new Christ ornaments for her birthday last year.








One dove on the tree to represent the Holy Ghost at Jesus' baptism


Angels bought at Michael's
Love her cluster lights that she's had for years
The white lights represent Christ being the light of the world


Two different red ball ornaments to represent the drops of blood shed by Jesus.
I think she found these filigree balls at Michael's too.


Biblical Names of Christ Ornament Set bought at Deseret Book

_____________________________________

We also discovered Baker's Candies in Greenwood, NE., famous for their chocolate meltaways.  Yep, they're good!  Thanks Mom for sending us home with a couple bags.

Crochet Frisbees

Daughter #1 made a couple of these for her brother for Christmas this year.

One of his friends had one that he was talking about.
They are into Ultimate Frisbee.
But this disc you can fold up and put in your pocket.

First she made some straight striped ones (on the right) before venturing and doing the actual patterned ones.

Ultimately, she just kept working on some until she used up the remainder of the yarn.
I think she has plans to try and sell them to some of her Ultimate friends no that they are back from break.

Used this pattern HERE.

And yes, they do fly.  Really well in fact.

Leftovers Quilt Completed

I made this quilt after making this quilt for our SIL, Tonya.

It is the last of the quilts that I sent to Lynn for quilting clear back in Oct./Nov.  My parents brought it back to me when they came for Thanksgiving.  It has been awhile since I put the binding on and we've been using it, but I haven't yet posted anything about it.

This is another one of those quilts that really makes me happy.




Purposely the borders are different widths.


Backing


Quilting detail on the HST portion of the quilt.


Quilting detail on the white borders of the quilt.

Post about this quilt in the process.
Thanks Lynn for another awesome quilting job.

Details:

• Finished measurements 68 x 76 inches
• Borders were cut 6, 9, 12, and 18 inches
• Binding is the same fabric as the yellow triangles.
• More details can be found on the process link above.

Linking up with CrazyMomQuilts Finish it up Friday

Modern Cross Stitch Quilt finish

The kids were supposed to be back in school today after Winter break.
However, the governor shut down the schools in the entire state because of extreme cold and wind chill temps.  It doesn't happen often, but it is so COLD here.  You know it is bad when the Minnesotans complain.

My plan was to take down all the Christmas decorations and tree. Delay that by one day.
And then I start getting serious about purging, cleaning and prepping for a move--hopefully.
Hubby needs a shorter commute than his current one (57 miles one way).

This is also the last little bit before our oldest daughter graduates from high school in June.
Yikes!
I feel like my life is going to get super crazy before it gets any kind of a break.

On top of that my favorite fabric store is currently going out of business.
Waaaah!
My sewing and fabric habits will probably be changing drastically because of that.

Happy New Year to me, right?!
I'll be fine.  Just keep at it one day at a time.

Anyway, I got this quilt back before Thanksgiving when my parents came to visit.
Finished the binding around the first of December.



I just love this quilt.
I am sooooo happy that it didn't ultimately get sent off as a gift, which was my original intention with this quilt.  We'll be keeping it around here.





Details:

• Finished measurements: 67 inches by 84 inches
• Bound with a dark red plaid.
• Green floral backing
• Beginning post on this quilt and pattern found here.
• Machine quilted by Lynn.

Poke'ball Hat

Daughter #1 crochets.
She can also knit, but prefers to crochet.
I think she basically taught herself (because I don't crochet), which is even more impressive.

She had a couple commissioned projects lined up before winter break.
This first one was this hat for a friend at school for a secret Santa gift.



And then a second one after someone else at school saw the hat.



Her "clients" were thrilled with the finished product.
You go girl!

Details:

• Poke'ball Hat pattern

It seemed that she whipped this up rather quickly and the only change she made to the pattern was to add another row of the red to make sure it would fit an adult head.

Scrappy Hexagon Finish

Merry Christmas to my MIL Carla!
I had to wait a day or two before posting so there wouldn't be a slip up on the surprise.



Bound in a fun yellow print (not the same as the yellow hexagon) but hard to see that it is a print in this pic.



Fun swirly machine quilting from Lynn. Look closely at the navy hexagon.  She did that in each block.
Back is entirely from that blue/yellow floral.
And Carla, if for whatever reason you don't like the quilt, L. says she'll happily take it from you.
She was a tad disappointed that it wasn't coming to her.

I forgot to take measurements before sending it off to Idaho, but that is my 6 footer daughter holding it up with only her feet peeking out.

Here is the beginning of this quilt.

Christmas Card 2013

Enjoy the season!
Renae & Family

Sorry, changed the card slightly for blogging.

Love is in the Air quilt finish

I was going to try and come up with something super creative with these charm packs that I found at the thrift store, but ran out of steam and just wanted it finished.  A 9 patch design was the way to go.

It is now dubbed the "love" quilt.  Which means we can put it out at Valentine's season or it can be the "love" quilt (wink wink) or if one of my kids thinks they need to take it with them when they leave home down the road it can be the "Mom loves you" quilt.


Lynn's fun heart quilting.


Sometimes simple is just the way to go.

Happy Fall Y'all Quilt

Here is another quilt that I got the binding all done.
A little late for Fall around here, but we'll use it anyway.



Pieced backing


Close-up of Lynn's quilting.  She did each of the borders in a different leaf motif.


She also quilted "Happy Fall Y'all" on some of the solid blocks.
Here's to getting another one completed.

Candy Coated Finally Completed

I've been working on the bindings of the quilts that all arrived together.

Emily tells me that this one was the favorite of everyone who saw it. Who would've thought that it would've turned out so lovely when I bought those Marcus Bros. Civil War print fat quarters at the thrift store.  She even took it once to her quilt club while it was still out in Utah.  One of my aunts was eyeballing it according to my cousin.



I am SUPER pleased with how it turned out.
Love the quilting that Lynn did for me.
Just some nice wavy lines across all the strips.
I wanted something fairly basic to not out-busy the quilt itself.



We've already used it a couple different times while watching T.V.
It has been SUPER cold here.  And I do mean S.U.P.E.R.



Pieced back--using the scraps of the scraps for a portion of the back.

Quilt pattern I used--Candy Coated from Sunday Morning Quilts.