A STITCH/BLOCK AT A TIME

I seem to be knitting and quilting up a storm lately, but taking forever to get either of my projects finished. Perhaps that's because this is the largest quilt I've tackled so far--it will be for a queen bed. (These blocks aren't sewn together yet, just laid out to check size on the bed.)
It's Buckeye Beauty.

But I also got "way-laid" on a couple other projects. Glad to be back to this one. I have 5 more blocks to assemble, using half square triangles that have the "busy" print fabric pieced. (As busy as that fabric is, though, the piecing is not even noticeable.) I'm going to the quilt shop today to see about finding a long arm quilter for this one. Once I'm a little more experienced, I'll do more of my own quilting, but not on this size project quite yet!

As for knitting--well, I labored over a decision when I ran out of yarn: do I use the same yarn with an off dye lot, or do I add a "design dimension" with contrasting yarn? I went for the contrast.

I promise to show you the end result in a couple days. All it needs is the final assembly and zipper now.

I've also been in a crazy reorganization mood, from clearing off book shelves and cabinets, to finally organizing all my magazine recipes in folders. (I started throwing out magazines --recycle, of course--once I have clipped what I want from them.) From that organization project, I came up with this idea: Right now I am in the midst of a fabric exchange with internet friends. I wanted a way to remember who sent which fabric, so I snip a piece off the corner of each piece sent. (Yes, I loose a little fabric that way, but to me the memory of my friends is equally as important as the fabric.) I put the little piece of fabric in a photo album adjacent to the giver's name and address.

As in this case, I also add any stationery (sometimes it's stamps) that is quilt oriented. I'm really happy that I decided to do this.

I'm also working on another simple baby blanket and there will be a quilt to go with it--more on that later. So, you see, I haven't been ignoring you, I've just been busy.