A Round TUIT

I always struggle with how to begin a new post after not posting for an extended period of time. Should I just dive back in as if my last post was yesterday? Should I try to explain “where I’ve been”? Apologize for being a “bad blogger”? Merely say “I’m back!” I’ve even used the famous “Wow! I can’t believe it’s been two months since I last posted!” I know I’m not alone in “neglecting my blog”. Even when I’m not posting, I’m keeping up with the blogs I follow. I see many types of bloggers. There are those who post daily, those who post weekly, and those who post a few times per month. They are Bloggers. They post with some kind of regularity. Then there are those who post randomly. Like me. I am a random blogger. It's simple...when I get a round to it, I post.

Yarn News – This month marks one year since I started to knit. My progress has been fair. I have made two baby afghans, two baby hats, and several dishcloths. I’ve attempted socks and after a month of not being able to “turn the heel”, I put sock knitting on the back burner. I will revisit sock knitting in the future. I haven’t crocheted anything since I picked up knitting. The Prayer Shawl group I started at my church is still going strong. We have given around 15 knit and crocheted shawls or lapghans to parishioners and friends.

Fabric News – I finished the quilt for my niece and gave it to her on Thanksgiving day. This was the first quilt I completely finished with machine quilting and hand sewn binding. The last quilt I finished was for my granddaughter. It was envelope style (no binding) and quilted with ties. My first two pieced quilts (pictured on my blog header) are still waiting for binding. Sometimes I just have to ask myself… “Woman! What are you waiting for??”

In some things, I am lazy. In others, I am damn lazy! LOL It’s the truth!

I made an Autumn candle mat and Christmas table runner for my daughter. I also began making seasonal candle mats for my oldest two daughters. They were going to be Christmas gifts but now they will just be random gifts. I’ve also made several crochet hook keepers. I love to make these. They are so fun and easy!

Thread News – Not much stitching going on here. I’d lost my stitching mojo. I blame this partly on knitting and sewing, but mostly blame it on my eyes! I am in mourning over the loss of my wonderful, perfect eyesight. I find it deeply depressing that I can no longer see my needle work without the aid of glasses! However, I sat down Sunday evening to watch the Super Bowl and I pulled out my stitching. DH said Wow, you haven’t done that in a while!  After only 30 minutes of stitching, I realized how much I LOVE to stitch and how much I have missed it! I do not love knitting this much! I think I have my mojo back!! Albeit I have to use the dang readers, but the desire is back. Knitting is something I can do on my lunch break at work. Hello stitching, I’m back!

To beat the proverbial dead horse I must say……. too many hobbies, not enough time!!

I planned to have more photos in this post, but my camera battery is dead.  It figures!  If I wait to post until I charge the battery, well you know......this post won't get posted and two more months will go by.
Thanks for visiting!  I hope you will leave a comment to let me know you were here.
'Til next time..................

Happy Fall Y'all!

I can't believe it's already the last week of October!  I have not even bought a pumpkin yet!  Now it's time to start thinking about Christmas shopping!!  Only two months until the big day!
I have been working on my Red House Sampler.  I really must finish it this year.  I want to start something new!

Red House Sampler started Dec. 30, 2009

I managed to get a little sewing accomplished this weekend.  I worked on a quilt for my niece which is long overdue to her. I've had the fabric since February.  Tonight I finished the quilt top.  I hope to complete it this weekend.  I have enough fabric leftover to make a matching quilt for her Bitty Baby.  I sure wish I would have made this sooner so her Mom could have seen it.  I'm such a procrastinator!!

My niece loves ladybugs and flowers

Last but far from least........the picture you are really here to see!  :)  

Baby Matthew - Oct. 19, 2011 -  9 lb. 10.5 oz.  22.5 in.

We are so happy to welcome baby Matthew in our family.  He is such a sweet baby.  I now have two grandsons and two granddaughters!  I thank God for these wonderful blessings!  I am truly amazed at how quickly time is flying by!  Two of my three daughters are grown, married, and each have two children of their own.  Wow!
Thanks so much for your comments and emails regarding my SIL.  She was truly an amazing person!
Thanks for visiting!  Have a great week!

Autumn

Greetings!  I am so happy to welcome the arrival of fall!  It is my favorite time of the year.  This has been a year filled with joy and sorrow.  In March I was able to go to Olympia, WA for the birth of my granddaughter, my 3rd grandchild.  Also in March, I was informed by my oldest DD that my 4th grand child will be arriving in October.  It's October now, come on baby!  We had a fun summer filled with a lot of family time.  My mother, while no better, is also no worse.  Joy!  The sorrow arrived on Labor Day.  My brother's wife was killed in a car accident.  My 4 yo niece miraculously survived with no major injuries.  She and her two brothers must now grow up in a world without their beautiful, wonderful, extraordinary mother.  A tribute to Elizabeth was written in our local paper Virginian Pilot.  She was more than a sister in law to me, she was my dear friend.  We met in high school and she and my brother have been together since 1987.  I've mentioned her before on this blog two years ago (here) and when she brought me stitchy gifts from Paris. 


I have not touched my stitching in many, many months.  I'm sad to say that I am falling victim to old age loss of eyesight.  I have bought readers.    I am close to the end of Red House Sampler, on the border now.  It will be dedicated to my sister in law.


Some sewing has been accomplished:

Candle Mats

Tiny Treat Bag

My adventure in knitting has had highs and lows. 

Hat for baby Matthew - knitted in the round using the Magic Loop method.  Yarn is Merino 5 from Crystal Palace Yarns. Colorway is 2302.  Pattern was free with yarn purchase.

Magic Loop Baby Socks - Pattern purchased on Ravelry. Yarn is Bernat Baby.  I tried these in the Merino 5 but I kept ripping and restarting so I thought I should practice before trying again with the good stuff.

I also knitted another baby afghan which I gave to my cousin in law as a shower gift (forgot to snap a pic).  I have been struggling with this knitting thing!  Seems I lack concentration skills, must be the ADD.  My husband says I have too many things going on and it's true....I do love to multi-task!


In August, my laptop suddenly would not turn on.  This was devastating because I am totally addicted to blogs, Facebook, Ravelry, etc.   had not backed up my photos in a long time.  I had lost all of 2011 and most of 2010.  Even if I were able to run out and replace the thing, I could not replace all of my lost photos.  A tech guy at work told me to bring him the hard drive and he would try to get the pictures for me.  My DD told me to take out the hard drive and put it back in.  I took out the hard drive and that was all that had been done for almost 8 weeks.  I put it back together Monday to take it to the "big box electronic store" to see if they could salvage my photos.  For the heck of it, I decided to try to turn it on and guess what?  "Shut Up!" you say?  I'm not kidding, it came on and has worked fine since.  I'm told maybe it overheated when I was using it under a blanket so I wouldn't disturb my sleeping hubby?  Who knows, but it works and Yes, I have backed up the photos!
August also brought us a visit from "Irene".

We lost one tree, tons of limbs, and power for 3 days!  It could have been much worse!

Oh and another joy I almost forgot to mention.....I have a new job!!  I left the Dept. of Corrections to ride down the road of the Dept. of Transportation. I am so happy at my new job! Less gas, less stress, less work, less drama, and more money!!  Does it get any better than that?
I will leave you with this family photo taken in July while my DD and her children were here for the entire month!  After all, family is the most important part of our lives.  Cherish them!

I love my family!!

Hello from the West Coast!

I am currently in the state of Washington.  A LONG way from Virginia and I have not posted in forever!!!  What have I been up to??  Besides the usual "this time of year" paperwork, I have been readying my life for a two week trip to visit my daughter, K, in Olympia, WA.  Her second child, my third grandbaby, was due on March 26 and my plan was to arrive here on the 23rd.  While working, planning, and waiting, I have been sewing and stitching fervently for my new granddaughter.  Since my last post, I have learned to knit!  The last thing I need in my life is another hobby, but since it's yarn related I'd say it doesn't really count as a new hobby.  K is a crochet queen so I had to make something for the new baby that was different than what she could make herself.  I still need a lot of practice, but here is the finished blanket:

I can't wait to make another one.  I have several opportunities this year including another grandbaby.  My daughter, H, is expecting her second child in October.
K is not very fond of traditional quilts.  She does not find them warm and snuggly.  Last month, I attended the Mid-Atlantic quilt show in Hampton, Va and I found an idea for the perfect quilt for her:

I used flannel for the quilt top and did a tossed up nine patch.  It was fairly easy.  I used a minkee like fabric for the back, no batting, and I tied the top to the bottom.  K loved it!!  I knew she would! 

I brought so many things here for her, for my grandson, and for the baby.  Some from me, some from her sister, some things she had left at my house.  I have plenty of room in my baggage for the trip home.  We're going to find a quilt shop or two, cross stitch store, yarn store...for me to check out while I am here.  If you know of any I should check out in the Olympia, Tacoma, Seattle area, please comment!!  I'll be here until April 4.  I arrived late on the 23rd.  On the 24th after my K's doctor appointment, we ventured to downtown Seattle so I could see the Space Needle and we could try to walk K into labor. 

We walked.......

and walked......................

and walked.......

and the very next day at 2:45 pm..........

Kiley Olivia arrived!!!  Thanks for visiting!!!!

TUSAL #1

Hi Everyone~
Today is the first new moon of 2011 which means it's time for my first Totally Useless Stitch A Long post.  The TUSAL is hosted by Daffycat.  I'm so glad I discovered Daffycat and this stitch a long.  This is a stitch a long that I can actually keep up with!

It's not too late to join in the fun.  Just visit Daffycat's blog to sign up...but don't wait too long, sign ups will end soon.  All you have to do is fill your ort jar and post a pic of it on your blog on new moon dates.  I have the dates posted on the sidebar of this blog.  I have not found the perfect ort jar yet but in the spirit of creativity, I photographed my ort jar with my skiing penguin to represent January.  So, I 'm not super creative but sometimes I try, lol!
In an effort to "meet" more people and find new blogs to follow, I plan to visit all the bloggers who leave a comment on Daffycat's new moon posts AND leave a comment!  Now that is going to be a challenge!  So if you are here because of that, thanks for stopping by!  Please leave a comment and let me know you were here! Happy Stitching!