Santa Is On The Move–December 6

Santa backs the Pack! Once a Packer fan, always a Packer fan!!!

Shawl With MAGIC FRINGE Instruction

This drapes beautifully when you wear it.

I have had many requests for instructions for this shawl so I wrote these up to share with you.

 

Shawl With MAGIC FRINGE

This is a pattern that can be made with a variety of yarns and needle sizes.

The directions are flexible and the size is up to you and the amount of yarn you have.

I made mine with MODA DEA Ticker Tape ribbon yarn – a bulky category yarn. I used about 3 1/2 skeins for a nice size shawl.

I used size 15 needles, working back and forth on a circular needle which is what I prefer for any item of this size or larger. You can also use regular single pointed needles.

 

Instructions:

Cast on 6 stitches.

Row 1 and all wrong side (uneven) rows: Purl

Row 2 (right side) Knit 1, increase 1 stitch in next stitch by knitting first in the front of the stitch and then in the back of the stitch, place a marker on needle and knit remaining 4 stitches.

Row 4: Knit 2 stitches,  increase one stitch in next stitch, pass marker and knit remaining 4 stitches.

Continue to increase one stitch before the marker (in right side knit rows) until you have used about half of your yarn.

 

Decrease as follows: Knit 2 stitches together before the marker on each right side row.

 

When only 6 stitches remain purl the last wrong side row.

Knit 2 together, cut yarn (leaving at least 8 inches) and pull it through the stitch.

Take the needle out of the remaining 4 stitches and unravel….YES, that is when the MAGIC happens.

You can see me doing these steps if you go to my blog post:

http://quiltspluscolor.blogspot.com/2013/12/magic-shawlit-worked.html

 

Variations: You can use any bulky yarn with size 15 needles.

You can also use finer yarn and smaller needles. I would suggest you do a swatch with the yarn and needles you plan on using.

This can be made smaller to make a scarf rather than a shawl.

There are so many gorgeous yarns available today that would be perfect to use with these instructions.

 

It’s quick, easy and something you can do for gifts for everyone on your list!

 

I would love to see a picture of your finished shawl or scarf.

Santa Is On The Move–December 5

 

Santa found a comfortable chair with a good view of what everyone is doing today!

Santa On The Move–December 4

Santa is checking to see if “somebody” is getting Christmas presents made for their family.

MAGIC Shawl–It Worked!!!!!!!!

I knit until there were 6 stitches left on the needle.

I knit the first two stitches together.

I cut the remaining yarn leaving a 6-8 inch tail.

I pulled the tail through that last stitch and tightened it up.

I pulled the needle out of the remaining 4 stitches.

I started to pull on the stitches so they would unravel and create the fringe.

I continued pulling on the stitches to create more fringe!

And when they were all fringed I was so impressed with how the MAGIC worked.

I made this as a shawl but I could use the same idea to make a scarf. I could also vary the yarn and needle size as this is just a basic pattern/idea.

Stay tuned if you'd like the pattern!!!!!

Santa Is On The Move–December 3

Brutus is trying to tell Santa that he should watch some “kids” that used to live in Ohio!
What have those Ohio “kids” been up to? He's even concerned about one sibling of those 2 kids who used to live in Ohio!

Black & White And Red All Under

 

This was my first black and white circle quilt. I wound 20 black bobbins to make this and I used just about all of them.

There was a slight problem with it which I’ll tell you about in a little while.

 

This one was successful.

Red all under!

It’s a 3D quilt and here it is hanging.

If you look closely at this picture you will see there are two extra pieces. I had to trim them off as it was too long when I hung it.

I was able to hang all three pieces for a very mobile sculpture quilt!

Remember this one I started with? It would need a space 3-5 stories high to hang it!

I do have some other ideas of how to use it.

This is what happens when you try new things no one has done before. I enjoy the adventure!

Santa Is On The Move–December 2

Santa is watching the golfers to be sure they count every stroke.

Thanksgiving On Saturday

My friend Kay from NC was visiting her family nearby and she invited me to share Thanksgiving with them.

Joan, Sue and Kay made me feel very welcome.

My BIG potholders have become a tradition as a hostess gift. They are meant to be used, washed and dried in the dryer. I try to pick something that makes me think of the recipients.
Dinner was delicious topped off with warm delicious pumpkin pie and REAL whipped cream, not from a can!
All too soon it was time to head home and savor the memory of the day.

Santa Is On The Move–December 1

This year we don’t need an elf on a shelf as Santa has decided to find out if you are naughty or nice himself.

One last chance to relax on the lanai before he starts his strenuous journey!

429,924 Another Palindromic Number

at 12:35 am

On The Home Stretch!

I am anxious to finish knitting this so I can see if the fringe “happens” like it is supposed to!

It won’t take much longer and I’ll be able to hopefully make it happen!

Probably less than 40 rows to go and they get shorter as I get closer to the finish line.

It’s just that those purl rows take longer than the knit rows.

Wish me luck!!!!!!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

This is an antique post card from an album of cards I purchased many years ago. It is about 100 years old. I love these embossed cards.

While you are sitting around after dinner instead of taking a nap you can put the turkey back together!

Spaghetti Dinner

I hosted a spaghetti dinner for friends Sunday evening. Our local high school put on a spaghetti dinner to raise funds to finance their trip to march in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Savannah, Georgia. I thought that was a perfect way to treat my friends to dinner when Andy said they would deliver the food.

Here are some of my lovely lady friends.


Another group of my friends.

I think Rose (far right) is probably telling Sandy about when she played French horn in the Weyauwega marching band when she was in high school.

Some of my neighbor friends, socializing and having appetizers and beverages before dinner.

Drew, left, plays trombone in the marching band. I can brag about Drew since he is not related! He is very talented musically, and besides that he’s a good student. His dad, Andy is a great supporter of the band and designed the shirts they are wearing.
They delivered all the food, helped serve it, stayed and socialized and helped clean up.

Dinner is served, buffet style. We had salad, spaghetti with a delicious sauce, great breads, and dessert.

Andy with Gary and John, the red shirt guys!
Everyone enjoyed themselves. The food was delicious, so much better than the usual spaghetti dinner done as a fund raiser.
Maybe we should do this again next week!!!

No Brainer Knitting Project!

Well, almost a no brainer! After I had knitted about 20 rows I realized that for about 3 rows I was knitting every row instead of pearling alternate rows.

I ripped it out and started all over.

I needed a project I could work on with friends, while watching TV, etc…….my socks are at the point they require concentration

I have a feeling this is not one of those patterns you can make an error on and have it turn out.

The diagonal rows you see become a fringe when you unravel them….MAGIC!

I am guessing if I don’t do the increases and decreases correctly the entire shawl could unravel….

Stay tuned.

Another Palindrome Number of Views!

427,724

This was the number of views on my blog at 1:14 p.m. today.

I know YOU don’t care, but I love numbers!

It has been a long time since I have caught one as I was too busy with other things!

Aged Like Fine Wine Puzzle

Todays post is another puzzle since I think this will be so much fun to put together.

Aged Like Fine Wine

If you’ve been following my blog you have seen several variations I could have done with these diamond units.

All of the ones I have shown to this point were traditional and logical.

Had I made these units into something 15 years ago when I made most of them I certainly would have chosen one of them.

In the intervening years I have started thinking farther “out of the box”!

I’ve had this idea for a while and finally was able to execute it this week.

My original idea used different proportions. This is one reason why a design wall is so important.

You can SEE when something works and also when it doesn’t work.

I am so pleased with this top and hope to layer and quilt it very soon.

I Am Seeing A Recurring Color Story!

I have a feeling that each of the quilts I am going to share was started about the same time.

Although this one is done with prints and the previous one was done with solids, the colors are almost spot on.


This one combines prints and solids.
Is the similarity because those were the types of fabrics most popular and available at that time?
Or is it because I loved those jewel tones in that era?
There is one other MAJOR similarity between them……
None of them are finished quilts.
I was teaching so many classes at that time I didn’t have time to finish many of the things I started, needing instead to go on to developing and making prototypes and teaching samples for the next class I had developed.
I no longer am under that pressure and occasionally I finish one of the quilts from that era.
This year I also have given away unfinished projects and units of quilts I knew I would never finish.
Yes, I only have to get rid of 343 more things and I’ll reach my goal of getting rid of 5000 things in 2013!

Diamond Variations

This is one possible design I came up with using the pieced diamonds on the design wall. Each of these star units were what I originally intended to do with them, just not all together.

They look great, but it is a more traditional set than I want to do.

What if I used them placed on the diagonal? Another possibility.

This Broken Star layout also looks good. I will not be using it as I have made several broken stars.

I will be trying another arrangement that was the one I had hoped would work with these unit.

Stay tuned!