AULD LANG SYNE

I never have quite understood that song. I know it's a new year, but why do we want to forget old friends? But even if I do forget some old friends, I certainly don't want to forget my newer ones. Some of the best of those are the women whom I have met through the internet--many of you will be reading this. I must say that as I start the year I count among my blessings the friendship that I have with so many of you.

And what better way could I start the year with completing the Friendship Square Quilt that contains squares from many of my on-line quilting buddies. Yes, I actually finished it last night, sewing the binding in place.

Many of you have seen it in varying stages during my very amateurish quilting saga, and now it has a special place where I see it (right next to the pillow with my mom's hand knit cover) every morning during my "devotions". And it's quite handy to just pull my new quilt off its perch for an afternoon nap--not nearly as itchy as my mother's old Girl Scout blanket that I added fringe to last year. Not itchy at all--just full of the love from all my quilting sisters!

Thank you for all your hints and patience with me as I dabble in this age old form of needlework.

But it's not just quilting friends that I have learned to know with this new-found technology--well, at least pretty new technology to me! I have also met many wonderful knitters as well. Although I have knitted for years, I'm learning a lot from my on-line knitting friends as well--many who are quite a bit younger than I. One shared a simple scarf patten with me just the other day. I decided to try it out with the leftover yarn from my Sis's scarf.

Such a lovely, simple repeat of knit 3, slip 1. I think I actually like it better than the original one I made. Perhaps I'll just have to give my sis her choice!


And as the new year begins, since one quilt is finished, I must begin another. I saw one on Simply Quilts a few weeks ago that I really liked, but unfortunately I misplaced the directions.
It's for the "baby room" to coordinate with my Grandmother Hooton's quilted squares that I put together a few years ago.


I played around with some muslin and I think I've got it figured out.




I need to figure out the easy way to sew the side strips to the center square. I'm thinking that there is a way that is all straight seams; my mind just can't get it right now. Tomorrow.
Unfortunately I don't have quite enough of the 30s repro fabric. Gosh, I guess that means another trip to the quilting shop. Too bad!