DECISIONS, DECISIONS

Oh, my goodness, I'm really glad in this instance that my gauge was not right.  This was supposed to be a beret

but was WAAAAAAY to big.  So I decided to change it into a brimmed hat.  I think that was a good DECISION.  It was so big that there was enough knitted "fabric" to turn the  brim under so it is double thickness with nylon net interfacing sewn between the layers.  The little bow (admittedly difficult to see in the photo) can adjust the size for fit.  I'm really happy with it and that's one Christmas present for next year taken care of.  It will go with the scarf that I didn't get finished this year.  

And speaking of Christmas gifts, this is the next of my seasonal dish cloths for a dear gift recipient:

And now on the quilting front.  If I follow the pattern that I was planning to use from Evelyn Sloppy's

"40 Fabulous Quick-Cut Quilts",

my log cabin blocks will be divided by the flying geese sashing like this.

Or this is what it would look  like without the sashing, but it would need more log cabin blocks to make it large enough.

And yes, I do need to redo those bottom left 3 blocks to a darker color--or if I add more blocks to make it without the sashing, perhaps I'll add more variety of colors and rearrange.  

Hmmmmmm, DECISIONS,  DECISIONS.

I'll keep you posted.

It's the 25th; that means CHRISTMAS CLUB

Not a lot to share today, but I just thought I'd let you in on a little "next year holiday trick" that some of my on-line friends and I are are trying.  One day a month our "crafting" is devoted to something for this year's holiday gifts.  We decided on the 25th since that is the date of Christmas. 

And OH DEAR, today IS the 25th!  Is it OK to count some things I started last month after I got in to the swing of the whole idea?  I spent Jan 25 getting all my Christmas card list in my computer address book and learned how to print them on to address labels.  Now that will make the holiday easier for me, come December.

And last month after that addressing chore was completed, I started on some gift dishcloths for a dear person (not sayin' who) who happens to have a blue kitchen.

As soon as I leave here, I'm going to start on another cloth for her--a Valentine one.  In addition to the blue cloths, I'm planning holiday or season cloths to go with them.  I'm thinking Valentine, spring, maybe July 4, Thanksgiving, and Chirstmas.  Maybe something else will come to mind as the year goes by.

But for now, it's time to go get started on the Valentine before February 25 is over!

Oh, by the way, my parsley has sprouted!   And I have a second little "cup" with lettuce planted.  My poinsettia (yes I did go back and add the rooting hormone) and geranuims are doing well too.

ARE WE THERE YET ?

Are we there yet? To Spring, that is.  Well, I guess not since we had a dusting of snow this morning.  And after all it is only February.  

BUT, all those things aside, it must be just around the corner as my lettuce seedlings have begun to sprout--as evidenced by this photo taken a couple days ago.  And I just noticed a couple hours ago that there is the very beginning if some sprouting going on in my parsley container--but too little to be able to see with my camera lens, so that will have to wait until next time.

In the meantime, I'm keeping busy with my quilt blocks--And that IS spring.  These are my May and June installments of the Block of the Month quilt:

My knitting is moving right along too:  

*  The baby blanket is growing -- as is the baby according to my daughter--14 more weeks to go.  

*  The beret is finished but  WAY  to0  big, so I'm going to try to figure out how to modify it to a brimmed hat.  

*  The leg warmer is growing too, although very slowly.  I knit about 4 rounds per hour.

So I guess I'd better get busy if I want the knitting projects to keep growing.

GETTIN' READY FOR SPRING and NEXT CHRISTMAS

Even though I am ahead on my Block of the Month project, these are my Feb blocks.  I have already purchased the sashing fabrics, but I'll wait and show you those at another time.

I'm staying busy with knitting, too.  Even though it's a funny shape on the circular needle, that's the beginnings of a baby blanket on top.   Bottom left will be a beret to go with an already done scarf that will be a Christmas gift.  And the leg warmer in the bottom right is not the same one you saw several weeks ago.  This is the second one.  It's so much neater that the first, I might just have to redo the first!  

Oh, speaking of Christmas projects:  I'm trying to cultivate some poinsettias for next year, using the method I saw on the Martha Stewart show a couple weeks ago.  I cut in to the stem about 3/4 of the way through, surrounded with dampened moss, covered with plastic wrap and aluminum foil.  Unfortunately, I forgot the rooting compound; I need to go back and add that, I guess.  If I'm lucky, I'll have 12 plants next year instead of these three.

And on the plant front, I'm getting ready for spring.  These are geranium cuttings set to re-root and the empty little make shift pots (the bottoms of juice bottles) have lettuce and parsley seeds in them.

I guess I'll have to show you the little seedlings when they come up.

OOPS

OOPS -- on more than one count:

First because I haven't been here in a while, and second because as you see, I chose some color values that didn't quite fit really well in the light/dark category for my Log Cabin blocks.  I am in a "strip exchange" with my internet quilting friends.  We each send one another 3 light and 3 dark strips of fabric and we each end up with a nice supply of 2" strips.  It's been really fun, but I couldn't wait for all of mine to arrive before starting on my log cabin blocks--a pattern I've been wanting to try for a long time.

But, back to my error in judgement on color value--it wasn't as hard to fix as I thought it might be.  And I'm so glad I fixed it!

These are the first 4 log cabin blocks I did.  I really like them:

Oh, and so my knitting friends think that I have been quilting only all this time--WRONG.  I've been busy knitting too.  This little vest is so cute with the ribbon ties, I just had to show it to you completed even though you saw it a few weeks ago missing only the ties.

And, yes, I did finish the vest for my grandson--almost in time for his birthday.

I haven't been meaning to ignore you, just been busy with all my quiltin' and knittin'.

I'll show you some progress on my block of the month project next time around--oh and some knitted Christmas project are already in the works too.  I'm just  almost beside myself with my "busyness".