knit knit knitting away

So January really flew by! Luckily I got my quilt bee blocks knocked out early in January because I've been bitten by the knitting bug lately. I'm currently working on multiple projects, 3 to be exact. I'm not exactly proud of that but it is what it is. I need to finish the sleeves on my Georgia cardigan and block it but I find myself bored with sleeves easily especially after the whole cardigan has been in stockinette in fingering weight!! So its been in the bottom of my knitting bag for a few weeks.
So, the solution you ask? I bought myself some malabrigo worsted in a beautiful yellow color called pollen and I've been busy turning it into a watershed. This is the first lace pattern I've done and its had its rough patches but I've learned alot from this project and I can't wait to see the end result.
I also started a sunnyside cardigan for my new niece Ava out of Lorna's Laces sock yarn.
Oh and the best knitting news yet....a LYS opened up in my tiny town! This is epic people. I live in a mayberry size town!! Her shop is beautiful and I can't wait to give Putting on the Knitz lots of business!

Amazingly, I've been able to get in a little sewing in between all that knitting. I participated in a grey charm square swap where I sent 2 half yard cuts of grey fabrics cut into 48 total 5" charms and then received 48 different grey charms back! I loved it so much that I started my own swap on Flickr for aqua and yellow charms.
I cut into the grey charms and used some yellow fabrics from my scrap him to start a new quilt based on BlueElephantStitches granny square quilt block. These blocks haven't been the easiest as there are so many points to line up but the end result is very appeasing!

That pretty much sums up what I've been into. Gotta get back to my knitting

Knocking January out

It feels so good to get stuff knocked off the to do list! I took a personal day from work yesterday as my brother's family is in town from Arkansas. While waiting on my nieces to come play, I got so much done!!

I'm currently in a couple of different bees that have blocks due this month. The modern string bee is in it's 5th month. We are making blocks for Tanya this month who requested rainbow blocks. We could make any colors of the rainbow plus brown and gray as long as the whole block was all that color. Digging through my scrap bins, I realized that I had lots of purple scraps. I ended up making her 2 purple blocks, a red, orange, blue and brown block. This pattern is based on TFIF's String block tutorial. 

I also finished 6 Herringbone blocks for Sarah. She requested bold colors. This is the first month of the bee and we are using this lovely tutorial. Go make some! They are fun!

 
Finally, I'm participating in CrafyTammie's Shades of Gray Charm Swap. We are asked to purchase 2 yards of any gray or black and white fabric, cut them into 5" charm squares and mail them to Tammie. She will then mix them up and send back 48 different charms. Sounds fun huh?? I chose Kona Medium Gray and a black and gray dot print that I misplaced the selvage on (oops!) Can't wait to see what all I get in return. I'd ideally like to pair them with a yellow or pink. We'll see once they all arrive.

On a different note, I completed the body of my Georgia cardigan and am now working on the sleeves. I purchased some wonderful yarn this weekend at my LYS. Its Malabrigo Worsted in Pollen! So pretty. Can't wait to make something yummy with it.

How about you? Are you getting lots of "craftiness" completed in January?

WIP Wednesday (Um, I mean Thursday!)

So I really shouldn't have posted this yesterday to be a true "WIP Wednesday" but what the heck, we all know our WIP's are lasting longer than one day! In 2011 I re-taught myself to knit! I'm loving it so far. I made my niece that is to be born this month a cardigan and then I started on my own. A lovely ball of merino has now become this....

This is the back side of the Georgia cardigan by Jane Richmond. I would highly recommend this or any of Jane's patterns to a beginning knitter. They are very easy to follow and I love the finished look of this cardigan. I'm documenting this on ravelry HERE. What are you working on this week??

New Year Resolutions!

Welcome to Crafting Mania and 2012! I hope that you and yours had a great holiday season and are excited about the start of 2012. Let's face it...I've neglected this blog to the Nth degree. Seriously, its just sad! One of my resolutions for 2012 is to try to do better with this blog. I won't deny that it's hard keeping up with a blog while working full time and trying to maintain every other responsibility but I also feel like "what's the point? Who's reading it anyways?" But alas, I've come to the conclusion that regardless, I will use this blog as a way to document all my fun crafting adventures this year. Maybe I will become a little more technical savvy while I'm at it. :)
I love Flickr and all the fun swaps I've been able to participate it. Here is a look back on 2011 and all the wonderful things that were sent and received or made for my own home.

 I've also participated in two virtual quilting bees this year - The Modern String Quilt Bee and The Embroider Bee. Both bees gave me so great blocks. Here are all my string blocks laid out and the quilt top completed.

For 2012, I'm "co-chairing" a new bee for a Herringbone block and I'm so excited. I'm also participating in a charity bee (do.good stitches) which makes quilts for people in need. My new year looks to be quite busy. Hope yours is just as fun!!

You've got mail!

It was a great mail day yesterday! My SUTK swap items and Embroider Bee blocks arrived!!

This was the second round of the SUTK swap. Last round I received this awesome table runner and apron for my little boy from Tamiko!

Isn't it great? I think so!

This round, I asked for placemats or a rug but I wanted them to be patchwork and blend with the runner that Tamiko sent last round. Here is what arrived in my mailbox.....

A patchwork rug and some reusable snack bags! I love it! they were made by Rachel.

I'm already using the rug....

I also received my 4 embroidered blocks from Tanya for the Embroider Bee. Can't wait to put these into a quilt. I think that I will definitely head up round 3 so that I can get some more blocks to make it bigger!

I was able to cross one more thing off my list this week too - the reusable grocery bag for PP8.

Here she is in all her glory. I'll be sticking it in the mail today partner!!

So here's my list now............

1. Aqua/Brown Crocheted afghan
2. Jane market Bag for myself
3. Zipper pouch for a friends birthday
4. Scrappy patchwork ironing board cover
5. 3 more cloth napkins for our table (finished the others:))
6. Placemats for the dining table
7. Sunglasses holder for myself
8. USA embroidery pattern
9. "i spy" Hexie quilt
10. Final block for Embroider Bee
11. Rug for SUTK swap
12. Kitchen Towel for SUTK swap
13. Jane Market bag for PP8
14. Kitchen towels for PP8



New Modern String Quilt Bee

While I'm getting lots of WIP's finished, I started a new virtual quilting bee - the Modern String Quilt Bee. I know that sounds contridicting but the bee doesn't start until August so hopefully I will have most of my WIP list knocked out by then!

Ever since I saw this quilt that Ashley from FITF made, I've obsessed over making one. I love the scrappiness of it and I think it looks awesome with all the bright colors. Its even better that it uses scraps!!!

So...I started a small virtual quilting bee to make this quilt. There are 5 other members and it will last until February 2011. Taking December off was a must, it gets crazy here! Each person has a month where they receive 5 blocks from each of the 5 other members so when its your month, you get a total of 25 blocks. The blocks will be finished at 8" each so essentially you could make a 40" quilt. Of course, I will probably make some blocks myself to add to the blocks I receive so that my quilt will be bigger.
I'm so excited about this bee. There are so many great quilters that have joined and I know they have great stashes! Can't wait to see what kind of blocks I receive. My month is October!!

Back to those WIP's....
I mailed off both my SUTK swap package and my Embroider Bee Blocks today.

 

I also finished the birthday gift for my friend Jenna. Here is my list now with some more things marked off!!

1. Aqua/Brown Crocheted afghan
2. Jane market Bag for myself
3. Zipper pouch for a friends birthday
4. Scrappy patchwork ironing board cover
5. 3 more cloth napkins for our table (finished the others:))
6. Placemats for the dining table
7. Sunglasses holder for myself
8. USA embroidery pattern
9. "i spy" Hexie quilt
10. Final block for Embroider Bee
11. Rug for SUTK swap
12. Kitchen Towel for SUTK swap
13. Jane Market bag for PP8
14. Kitchen towels for PP8

Finish It Up! Challenge

So one of the reasons that I started this blog was because I joined the Finish It Up! group on flickr. I won't lie and pretend that I don't have alot of unfinished projects (UFO's or WIP's) that need finishing because I do! (I just might not elaborate on all that needs doing!) Joining the Finish it Up group will hopefully hold me accountable to finish up some of the projects that I need to get done and help me clean off my sewing area at the same time.

 

Here is my list of WIP's:

1. Aqua/Brown Crocheted afghan

2. Jane market Bag for myself

3. Zipper pouch for a friends birthday

4. Scrappy patchwork ironing board cover

5. 3 more cloth napkins for our table (finished the others:))

6. Placemats for the dining table

7. Sunglasses holder for myself

8. USA embroidery pattern
9. "i spy" Hexie quilt
10. Final block for Embroider Bee
11. Rug for SUTK swap
12. Kitchen Towel for SUTK swap
13. Jane Market bag for PP8
14. Kitchen towels for PP8

So in the first week, I finished up my final blocks for the Embroider Bee and the two bigger items for my SUTK Swap partner, one being this rug.

So this week/weekend I plan on finishing the kitchen towels I've started for PP8 and then contructing the Jane Market bag (also for PP8). And making the zipper pouch for my friend Jenna's birthday.
I've been working alot on my brown and teal crocheted afghan and it is almost finished as well. More pictures to follow soon!

Here's to knocking off some of these WIP's!!