Double, double

There is lots to be said about "doubling" up on things.

My daughter Anna Maria's best childhood friend is expecting twins in a few months. We were excited to be part of hosting showers for her--one in my home for her high school friends, and another at church today for our parish community.

So far, my handiwork for baby gifts has been quilts, but I decided to break the mold this time and knit baby blankets. So I "doubled up" on some knitting. I did learn in this knitting process that the same size, but different composition, needle will yield a different guage. I used bamboo on the first (blue) blanket, but because the joint from the needle to the circular's "wire" was not smooth and my yarn kept catching, I switched to all plastic for the second (pink). Wow, what a difference. By the time I realized there was such a difference, I was too far along with not enough time left to go back and redo the pink for them to be identical. You can probably see the difference in the photo that I took as I was ready to wrap them.


There were several hostesses for the church shower today and a joint gift was purchased. My task for the shower was to get the corsage. I also volunteered to use my poinsettias for the serving table decoration. "Doubling up" all the way around here. Keep that stash ladies, every last bit of it. You never know when you can use the tiniest pieces of fabric.

The decoration theme for the shower today was rubber duckies.


Guess what, I made flannel duckie PJs for one of my granddaughters a couple years ago. I had only 2 small pieces of the fabric left, probably only 5x5 inches. Just put some craft weight "wonder under" on it, cut out the duckies with my embroidery scissors and voila, with a glue gun, there's a little something extra in the corsage!


Use another little duckie, along with some more stash (just plain gingham, again stiffened up with some "wonder under") and you've got a themed floral arrangement. These same poinsettias, by the way were wrapped in pink and blue gingham for the shower at my house earlier in the week--after being in the gold foil from the nursery for Christmas. (I usually use red poinsettias, but this I year opted for the white, knowing that they might soften the Christmas decor a bit for the shower.) Gee, I guess that's "tripling up"!


But I wouldn't wish "tripling up" for you, Jennie--doubling up with your twins is quite enough, don't you think?

Ah, Crochet is pretty good too!

I haven't crocheted in so long. It was really nice to be forced back in to that wonderful form and needlework to finish the edge of my baby blanket.

And, yes, to those of you who know that there was to be a matching pink one: it is also finished. Nina, if you are reading this, no fair telling Jenny before Wednesday!

But back to crochet, I think one of my all favorite crochet items are "doilies". I have so many from my mother-in-law and sisters-in law and I love them. And this time of year, I think there's nothing much better than a Christmas tree with lots of crocheted snow flakes. (Oh, I guess I should admit: No, I didn't make these; they are a mail order purchase.)


Now that I'm up to date on my knitting, and the first group of family Christmas visitors have come and gone, I think I'll actually get back to my quilting project that has been so patiently awaiting my return.

And in the meantime, even though it's a night early: from our East Tennessee home
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT.

from Mary Lynn and Terry

APOLOGIES

I promise I'll be back soon--just busy being busy!

THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS

Somehow I can't read that title statement without hearing Julie Andrew's voice singing it!

But that's not what this is about. Goodness, so much to do in these days as we near the holidays.

In addition to placing hardware on the walls for me to hang drapery and knowing that he must help me assemble our large Christmas tree before I host a luncheon next week, my dear husband was still willing to hang a rod for me to display one of my favorite (albeit first) quilts. Several years ago, before the family farm was sold, I found pieced squares that my maternal grandmother had hand sewn. (They are pre 1948 as that is the year she died.) I purchased some off white flannel to back the squares, sewed them together, hand quilted them around the patterns, and viola, my first quilt. Although I have used it for some of the grandchildren, I have decided to consider in an heirloom and display it as such.

I have purchased some 1930s replica children's prints for a quilt that I will use to cover the babies from now on. My purchased prints are so much like the print in this central square that it's almost uncanny.



And this is the "hope chest" where those squares were stashed in our Indiana farm attic. The chest had been my mother's 1932 high school graduation gift from her parents. The poor cedar chest was in terrible condition when I found it, with much water damage. I had the top veneer replaced and I refinished the wood. This is perhaps one of my most precious material possessions.


And now for some holiday magic. Although we all know that this is not the reason for the holiday, I love Santas and I have managed with the help of market shopping with my daughter Eleni to get a pretty nice collection. This is the new one for the year. If you look closely, you may see the needle and thread in his hand.

Right now Santa and his elves are sitting on the cutting table in my laundry/sewing room. I hate that not too many people will see it there. Either I will have to move it, or send my guests to the laundry room "potty" instead of the powder room!

I just had to show him to you before tomorrow since December 6 is the day that the Christian world commemorates St. Nicholas. Almost every Orthodox Christian church world wide will celebrate Liturgy tomorrow in memory of this great Saint. And yes, dear grandson, Nicolas, he IS your saint!

MY TREAT FROM NEW YORK

Ah, the joy of a special treat from a great little knitting shop in Soho, NYC. My daughter Anna Maria was there last week for a segment on the Martha Stewart show. And she just can't let a visit to NYC go by without a trip to Purl Soho. (I was with her there once myself, and it is a wonderful little store.) When she and her husband arrived home and walked in the door, the children (the older ones who were still awake, that is) eagerly waited to see what goodies Mom and Dad brought home for them. They were all happy, but none happier than "Nani" with the surprise that she got:

some luxurious soc yarn and a great little knitting book.

I fact, after I brought her two little girls home with me, I just had to take a break from my baby blanket knitting and try out one of the patterns. Last year I had made a beret to go with the sweater for one of the girls, but didn't have enough sweater yarn left for big sister. What to do? Mom, Anna Maria, had made a crochet scarf for her, so two little girls happily went with me to JoAnn's last week to find yarn that would look good with the scarf. She picked out the perfect yarn. I found a pattern in the book that was knitting with 2 strands at a time so it would go quickly.


I left out the "Nordic" pattern and Isabela wanted a pompom, so this is what we got:


Not bad for about 3 hours, huh? She loves it and happily wore it when she went for a walk at Grandpa Ben's farm where we reunited two happy little girls with their Mom, Dad, and siblings on Thanksgiving day.

Now, back to my baby blanket.

FROM OUR TURKEY TO YOUR TURKEY

May you all have a blessed Thanksgiving holiday. And may we all learn to be more thankful to our God above for all that he has bestowed upon us.

Oh, how I'm going to miss those busy arms around me for little girl, night time hugs--just one of the many things I am thankful for.

Ah, the joys of life

Yes, some of the best joys of life--incredibly better than even knitting and quilting--are grandchildren. I was busy last week caring for Anna Maria's children while she and her husband were in New York for Anna Maria's stint on the Martha Stewart show.
On the evening before Mom and Dad left, I made it very clear that Nicolas, the "tree climber", would not be allowed to do this while Mom and Dad were away. (That's his brother, Joseph half way up--thankfully, not quite so brave.)


Apparently I had everything pretty well under control as Leo, the Lab, seemed pretty relaxed with my presence. Oops, sorry Anna, I think he's not supposed to be on that patio couch!


I got to have even some extra time with some of the children, bringing Isabela and Eleni home with me, to be returned on Thanksgiving day when we meet up with Mom, Dad, and siblings at their other grandparents house. Part of the fun of their visit here was to take them to Dollywood on Sunday after church. The favorite part of the little one's day was the "horses".

This really is about knitting: the sweaters tied around the waist and neck are two of the "Nani" sweaters.

I'm not really sure how I managed to get written to you all before they are out of bed, but there it is!