TGIF- 2/26/10

I read this quote in the SESH the other day and thought I'd share it here.

"As we express out gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." ~ John F. Kennedy

and what words of grattitude shall I utter here on the blog - and attempt to live by in the real word?

I am grateful to/for the following:

• hip tosses - sorry Dubs
• patience
• clarity
• reading
• writing
• Sudafed PE (wish it was the real stuff tho... damn addicts...)
• making plans
• making changes
• building stuff with the kids
• creativity
• "rainbow salad"
• tea
• electric dryers (sorry Deb... )
• quilt square swaps - and swappers!
• fabric sales
• road trips past and future
• bamboo yarn - LOVE it!

It is Derby night tonight - weather permitting - I'll have car and race photos up tomorrow - weather permitting. Wish my boys luck! Oh- my nephews too. thier pack races tomorrow too.

Pinewood Derby 2010- Cars under construction

I realized that putting all of the Pinewood derby pics into one post would be pretty photo-heavy, so I will post the building of the cars as a little tease.

Being an engineer, it was pretty tempting for me to want to tell them how to build their cars, but it is really important that they learn the how and why. The race isn't about winning - though that is the goal. It is about learning and having fun. BUT when there are power tools and xacto knives involved, the adults do need to help them out.

We spent one Saturday googling images of Pinewood Derby cars for ideas. Then, they set to work building the cars... (The grown-ups helped with the power tools and sharp objects.)

Andy (Bear):

Ryan (Wolf):

Colin (Sibling): He had to get in on the action, so we bought him a car kit, helped him put the wheels on and the paint job was ALL him!

WIP Wednesday 2/24/10

I've been busy working on my Ravelympics project. I did a provisional cast-on and bound that with a round of single crochet. details on the hem are on my project page. I continued in st st to the rib. I worked the front as written from there, but I shortened the straps quite a bit. I'm working the back now. I did the shoulder decreases as written, but I didn't divide the back and I am working it higher on the back to accomodate the crochet neckline. I'm going to add crochet sleeves too. I'm considering beading, but as that was not part of my original design, I'm not counting that as part of "completion" for the gold medal.

I tried it on today and I gotta say... I LOVE this yarn!!! it is even softer on!

We've also been working on Pinewood Derby cars this week too. Weigh in was yesterday. Race day is Friday. I'll have a full recap including the race results and the making of the cars, but here is a sneak peek.

Yup... Colin is getting in on the sibling race action! He'll be a pro by the time he is a scout.

TGIF 2/19/10

• getting my TGIFs in on Friday (even if I did miss WIP wed)


• applying engineering to scouting


• applying engineering to knitting


• tempting offers


• deadlines (I like the motivation)


• Advil Cold and Sinus


• time and talent that brings me treasure.


• goat cheese and salmon wraps


• a cup of tea (ok- pot or five) and a good book


• a sense of humor


• Humility


• oh yeah... ROADTRIP!!! going to Northampton MA on Sunday.

Jar Block for the QOTM Group

Fabrics:

• Jar- 10.5"x5.5"- your choice - I think it will be more fun to see what you all come up with to put in the jars than to try to stick to a theme, so be creative!
• Lid- 1.5"x3"- should read as black
• Background - should read as cream/off white - 4- 1 7/8" squares, 2- 1.5"x2" strips, 2- 1"x11.5" strips, 1- 1.5"x6.5" strip

Step 1: making the jar.

• mark each 1 7/8" square along the diagonal on the wrong side.
• make another mark 1/2" closer to the corner.
• line up a square on each corner
• sew on the lines
• trim the square between the seams and press open.
• you will have created the jar and 4 half-square triangles. I would love it if you could send the HSTs with your blocks. I'd like to use them in the border.
  

Step 2: Assemble the Lid.

• sew the two 1.5"x2" strips to the "lid" piece
• attach lid to jar.
  
  

Step 3: add bacground strips.

• Sew the 1" wide strips to the sides of the jar
• Sew the 1.5"x6.5" strip to the top of the block.
• there is no bottom strip.
• the block should measure 6.5"x12.5" (finished block is 6"x12")
  

The finished quilt will be rows of the jar blocks with a horizontal only sashing to give the appearance of sitting on a shelf.

TGI did it again

So, I've been sick this week. Last night I came home from work, crawled into bed with a book and stayed there until a few hours ago. I did put the book down to cast on and knit a few rounds. I'm not about to let a little respitory distress knock me out of Olympic competition! (Ravelink to my "event"). If you aren't a Raveler, then just trust that it all makes sense and it is't the cold medicine talking.

on to the grattitude:

• coupons for FREE stuff
• Caron SPA yarn - very cuddly!
• seam rippers
• Albuterol and Mucinex
• Tea... tea fixes everything!
• Todd letting me be sick.
• snow days
• being missed
• Food for thought.
• fondue

WIP Wednesday - 2/10/10

Mother Nature's WIP of the day as seen from my living room.


I'm sick and a bit light headed, so I'm not sure if I posted this or not, but once I finish the stuff for the show, I'm going to get started on my T-shirt quilt. I've had these letters in a storage bin for about 10 years now. I think they will be happier as a quilt...


Speaking of the show... "Stairway to Serenity" is 100% DONE!

The quilting is a combination of stitch-in-the-ditch and echo quilting. I stitched in the ditch along the edges of the blue steps as well as the border strips. I echoed the steps at the same width as the individual strips through the field of the quilt. I'm very pleased with the outcome.

this is for another BOTM project - this one is a swap. the block has a mate, but it is in time out until I am feeling a little better - or at least have some patience...

The only knitting I did so far this week is swatch for the Ravelympics. boring. I'll have WIP shot next week - two days until cast-on!

TGIF - er S! 2/6/10

so, I got busy yesterday, but I am still grateful this week.

• Costco...LOVE that place! Igot some great deals too
• being able to buy the necessities and not sweating it.
• chocolate fondue
• fact and crap and random trivia
• knowing how to calculate a simple volume without looing like a total fucktard.
• clarity
• sanity
• antici-
• quilting
• knitting
• knitters and quilters
• pation
• my kitty the hunter (even if he does play with his catch in my bedat 3 am!)

WIP Wed 2/3/10

I've made progress on the serenity quilt - it is quilted and waiting to be bound. Without a good camera and good lighting, it is hard to see, so I'll post finished pictures later.

I've got another WIP that I keep forgetting to post.

leftover sock yarns crocheted in blocks to form strips. The strips will be bordered and bound in a neutral. My Grammy used to make similar afghans with her scraps.I have one and I love picking out things like the yarn she used for a sweater for me or the shirt on my doll or a dress on another doll etc.. this one will be going for quite some time. Guess I'll just have to knit more socks!

Speaking of Grammy, Alice is modeling my finished prayer shawl.

Glad to have that one off the needles. It is pretty and soft and I hope it brings comfort to the recipient.

Speaking of prayer shawls...

I've made some progress on Urchins and Limpets. See that unfinished motif? That would be where I ran out of the green. I had a decision to make -buy more green or remove the whole row. I didn't think it would have been long enough with one less row, so I'll be getting more green tomorrow. Right now I'm ignoring all of those ends that need to be finished.

Next up is some swatching for the Ravelympics.

This is Caron Spa - bamboo and something synthetic. Feels nice and I would expect it to have anice drape. It is DK and the pattern calls for worsted wt. so swatching and math will be key here.