Progress is being made

I can't believe what all I can get done when I put forth an effort :)

I crocheted 8 coasters and I'm still not sure that I have found what I will give for my coaster exchange so I am still trying to figure that out. All of the photos I have seen on the group's flickr account are of quilted coasters and I am not comfortable enough with my beginner quilting to do that so, I don't know that I have the right concept. I took the 6th and 7th ones apart to make the ones below. I gave the 8th one to someone in the office who LOVED it and her coffee cup fits perfectly on it. It is the same pattern as the one on the left but out of the thread of the ones below. If any of you know about this kind of thing, I would like your input. For me, the kind of crochet on the left with the finer cotton thread is my kind of crocheted coaster. Dainty. But this came out too small. I have looked at hundreds of patterns and most of what I see is like the ones below so I made them with Sugar n Cream thread.

I have decided that it won't be any of these and I will keep looking for "just the right thing" to make.

I hemmed an old sweatshirt I cut apart to wear while I am sitting around the house doing this kind of thing. Why I hemmed it I have no idea other than when the kids saw it last year they thought I was nuts so I thought it would look better if I hemmed it. I mean really, the cat and I are the only ones who see me in it and I know she doesn't care if it looks nicer. I even cut slits in the cuffs so I could poke my thumbs through and keep my hands warm while I do needlework. It is very functional.

I put together block 8 of the quilt a long. No reason for starting with 8 other than it was the one closest to the machine when I started sewing. What? It's put together wrong you say? Of course it is.

EVERY time I make this block, I do it wrong first (this one is from my sampler class last fall)

and sometimes second (also from the class. Yes, I know it is only laid out her but I did sew it together just as it looks) since I had the machine out, I fixed this one.

As they say the third times a charm and I got it.

That was so much fun, I sewed together block one too.

Take time to make time

I say this to myself fairly often when I think I don't have time to do something. I don't do it very well though. I was just sitting here making my list of things I need to get finished in the next few weeks and realized that I have a lot to get done!

In just under a month, I will be leaving for my trip to the UK. I have to get the coaster swap and the apron swap projects done and mailed before I leave. But guess what, I have to start them first!

The good news right now is that the PIF project I have to do gives me 365 days to do it in. I wonder how long I will put that off.

I think I might need to rethink my strategy and do something completely HAND MADE so I can bring it to my part time job with me. I have a great part time job. I get paid just to sit in a chair and greet people when they come in and to answer the phone from 5-9 Monday - Friday and 8-8 on Saturdays. Other than that, I am welcome to bring things to work on or play on the computer. That's how I got started here. Except now there are so many blogs I love to read that all I do is pretty much sit here and read blogs...

I guess there really are all kinds of addicts.

Better

One down (done)

My first completed projects of the year.

Poor Kim, she popped in the other night just as I finished her scarf and had her hat on so I made her mug for a picture so I could put it on here. I warned her first that I was going to. My camera has been acting a little goofy but you get the idea.

Thanks Kim for letting me post your picture!

PIF Question

I posted about about a Pay it Forward exchange earlier and Granny Lyn wants to do it too. Does anyone know what happens with this type of exchange when no one else wants to play with us?
We are both new to this blogging and swapping and exchanging thing so hopefully some of you nice seasoned people who come here occasionally can help us out.
Thank you - good day. (My daddy says that to me when he hangs up the phone sometimes he just says The End)

Let's don't forget...

I signed up for this apron swap too. This is the end of me signing up for things for a while. At least until I get everything done I have signed up for...

All 9 weeks of the quilt a long

are now cut out in little pieces waiting on me to put them back together. I suppose since I knew what all of the pieces were going to be, I should have cut all of one size at a time but NOOOOO I didn't think of that. Instead, I cut them out one week's block at a time and it took me what seems like forever but really it wasn't and now it is done.

As I was cutting yesterday, I realized that the blocks from the directions on the quilt a long
all had a light background fabric. The fabrics I had were prints and solids. I stressed out a little bit and then went to a white on white piece I bought last week and got it in the washer and dryer to use. I must have thought about this all night long. I was wide awake at 6:00 AM on a Saturday off wanting to get started on this.

I look at the white on white (which I really like but it is a HUGE piece and I hated to cut it up) and then I remembered. There is a flickr group for this quilt a long so I went to see what some of the others look like. Beautiful blocks are being made and I decided to stick with what I had on hand. At least until I decided I wanted to add another dimension to the colors and headed off to see if I could find a good deal on some green fabric. I picked some out, looked at the pretty one I wanted to buy but didn't, put the green back and left without buying it (but I did buy a couple of other pieces that I looked at last week and didn't buy, it's ok they were REALLY on sale this week). I headed back home and finished cutting. I do wish I had the green and now I want to go back and get it. I must be nuts.

Did you notice I figured out how to put the link on here all by myself? Linda has helped me so much with getting this blog started. I really appreciate all of the help from everyone. At least if it works I did...

I'll get the hang of it someday.

Quilt a long progress

I was supposed to go out of town this long weekend but those plans got changed. Since I had already scheduled time off from both of my jobs, I decided this would be a great time to make my quilt a long squares with Amanda Jean. We are on week 9 and I am just starting (shhhhh).

I have been collecting fabric for several months (ok years) like most of you, but I saw some the other day that I REALLY like and thought I would like to use it for the quilt a long. I am SO proud of myself. I got up this morning, went to the fabric store, and talked myself out of buying that fabric that I think is so pretty. I always think it is so pretty, that's why I have so much of it. I reasoned that I would have to go home and wait while I washed and dried it, left the store and went home and started cutting out my blocks and taking pictures of my progress. I love the choice I made and think it will be every bit as pretty as if I had bought the other fabric ( I'm sure I will buy it at some point though).

I hope to be completely caught up by the next time I post and have the pictures to prove it. I am excited to finally have the time to do this.

Thanks Amanda Jean for doing this little bit of fun so I could join in!

I get another stamp on my passport!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My wonderful daughter D and her wonderful husband S and my wonderful grandson M will be leaving in a few weeks to live in England and they are flying me there to celebrate our birthdays! D and I have birthdays 2 days apart. They made my flight arrangements last night and I am so excited! I have never been there and I am really looking forward to a great vacation. What a great way to start my next half century!

It's been a busy week

I finished another project.

I made a hat (knitting loom) for my friend Kim. She loved the one I made for baby X and said she wanted a red one. I love the yarn I used for her project. It sheds (a lot) but it sure is soft and works up very nice. It is yarn bee Paradox in Cardinal which is a red and tan color. I gave her the hat already because I wanted her to have it for her birthday this week and now have decided to make her a scarf to match. I will take a pic of both when I give her the scarf now that I have learned how to add a photo.

I am going with my sister tomorrow to see the Ten Tenors. I am looking forward to this show, I hear they are really good.

Coaster Swap

I may be officially spinning out of control but I am going to be having fun doing it.

I just joined this coaster swap and hope you will want to join in too.

Pay It Forward Exchange

I found this on LissaJane's blog

"I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is 'Pay it Forward' by making the same promise on your blog."

Please leave me your e-mail address so that I can get your mailing address from you.

Ok, looks like I now need to learn how to link someone else's blog...

I GIVE UP ALREADY

I keep hearing that I have my e-mail blocked and people are trying to tell me how to fix it. I just don't see it! I don't see anything that says edit or to show my e-mail. So maybe it will work this way. My e-mail address is danetta@gmail.com for those asking about it. Sorry if I seem dense, I just don't see where to make the change.

I finished something

I set out to make a hat for baby X yesterday and I did it all in one day. It was just little hat on a loom but I felt very accomplished for not setting it aside. I took it to him this morning and put it on him so I could take a picture of him with it on.

One of these days I will learn to really knit a hat. But for now, the little loom works just fine, especially when I need to do something doesn't require a lot of concentration.

When I figure out how to post a picture on here, I will show you how cute he looks in it.

I need to start today - to find Someday

I have spent the past several months reading other peoples blogs about family and quilting and cooking and knitting and crafting and just about everything else.

I decided today would be a good day to start a new blog about me and the things I like.

I played with another blog for awhile and didn't really have a clue what I was doing. In fact, I'm not sure I know what I am doing now either. But I do have an idea what I would like for this blog to be about.

I work. Too much. I have 2 jobs. Not because I want to but because right now it is a necessity. I won't work so much. Someday.

I have always been a crafty type of person. I love to sew, embroider, crochet, knit, quilt, scrapbook, cook, read in my spare time. I will have some spare time. Someday.

Last winter, I took a knitting class from a wonderful lady named Lucille who has now become a great friend. I can knit, I can purl. I don't have any idea how to increase or decrease and if I make a mistake, I pull it all out and start over. Lucille thinks I am nuts. I will get the hang of it. Someday.

This fall, I took a quilt sampler class from a wonderful lady named Jeanette. I have always loved quilts and decided it is time I learned to put some together myself. This was a six week class and of course, my quilt blocks are still in progress but I love what I learned from Jeanette. This will be a beautiful quilt. Someday.

I have a lot of questions about these and other interest and I hope to hear from others who share my interests. Someday.