Found a Great Giveaway

Retro Mummy is giving away 20 fat quarters- yes you read that right, 20! For details go here.

Knit Tardis Dishcloth and My What Big Feet You Have

   It feels like forever since I have posted here. I haven't had time for anything creative since returning to school in September, but remembered that I was knitting this dishcloth from Dr. Who during our home repairs back in August and never posted it. I found the pattern here: Tardis dishcloth . My daughters and I really enjoyed the show when David Tennant was the Dr., but have kind of lost interest now that there's a new doctor.  Matt Smith is funny, but it's just not the same. I also have a dalek in progress, maybe someday I will finish it;)  I love British t.v. when I get the chance to watch, my favorite show being As Time Goes By with Dame Judy Dench. The BBC rocks!

   I have been desperate to get my hands into something creative, so I have been trying to sneak in a few rows here and there on these fiber trends felted slippers:

I now have one done, one to go. I made a pair of these a few years back and actually wore them out, they were so toasty and warm. It is amazing how much they shrink when you felt them. Right now it looks like one of Bozo's slippers;)
 And now it's back to homework, that's all the time I have today for fooling around.

It's In The Mail

I finally had a break to get out of the house and mail in the package containing the Quilts For Kids kit along with a quilt from my stash. Fortunately I had finished both quilts before my home disaster and they were in a room that was undamaged. So it was just a matter of finding a time when the post office was open and no work was being done on my home. 

It's funny that both quilts ended up with a cat theme. I picked out the fabrics for Wild Cats from my stash before I received the kit for Sun Cats.  I machine quilted this one with meandering also. I used a bright textured yellow for the backing fabric. It crinkled up nicely after washing.

 Here's a look-

                                     

And a closer view-

Even though my machine quilting is less than perfect, I know how much my son would have loved receiving one of these when he was going through cancer treatment, so I really hope they bring a little joy to someone.

Great Hat Pattern

I am so excited, I won the Red Velvet Hat Pattern designed by the talented Robyn over at the minimalist knitter.  Thanks Robyn, I love it!!! She has it for sale here and it comes with directions for both worsted and sport versions, appropriate for both men and women.

It is a really cute cabled hat and I long to get started on one for me and each of my teenage daughters! But as I mentioned on my other blog, we have had a home disaster involving major damage to all three floors of our home, so it will be a while before I can accomplish anything. It is no fun having your whole house torn up. But winning this awesome pattern was a real bright spot, so thanks Robyn!!

One Down, One To Go

I finished the Quilts for Kids kit that was sent to me, I used a low loft cotton/poly batting per their directions and I machine quilted it with just meandering. The backing fabric they had in the kit would have just looked hideous rolled to the front and used to bind the quilt. Luckily, I had some lime green left from the other quilt I am making to go along with this one, and it was a perfect match. So the binding problem was solved.

Here's the front of   "Sun Cats"-

And here's the back-

I really like the cat fabric they chose for the front, but I have to admit I'm not crazy about the back. I hope some little girl likes it.

The fabric for the other quilt is from my stash, and I like it better. It seems to me a little more boyish, so maybe my quilts will go to a girl and a boy? Anyway, here's the other one, pin basted and waiting to be machine quilted.

WIP Updates

Here's what I've been working on today, not bad for a morning's progress. I was up at 3:45 this morning in order to take my hubby's aunt for her cataract surgery. So I started scarf number three for the special olympics while I sat in the hospital waiting room. All went smoothly and she is at home now.

 I like to keep a small project going to take with me whenever I know I'll have to wait. I get very cranky if I don't have something to work on while waiting. And I get nervous once I've finished something, if I don't have another project in queue.

 It has been too hot to do much outside, so I've had a chance to get some sewing done on the "quilts for kids" kit. The top is all pieced,  just waiting for me to baste the layers and then machine quilt it. I haven't decided yet how I am going to quilt it.  Pink is not my color, but I think the cat fabric is very cute and I'm sure some little girl will love it.

 Tommorrow, when I'm not so tired, I hope to browse around the 'net at some quilting ideas for this.

Quilts for Kids

When reading the blogs entered  in the Blogger's Quilt Festival back in May,  I came across a number of bloggers who had made quilts for Quilts For Kids.  This organization gives handmade quilts to kids in the hospital with life threatening illnesses such as cancer, and to children who have suffered abuse.
If you contact them, they will send you a free kit with all of the pieces precut, directions included. You need to supply the batting, construct the quilt per their directions and mail it back to them. They ask that you also donate a quilt of your own, so that more children can recieve one.

The photo above shows the kit I recieved this week. Here's another shot-

There are local chapters as well, so the quilts you make can go to your own community. I discovered that my local chapter donates quilts to the hospital where my son was treated for cancer when he was little, so this feels really right to me. After I finish the kit sent to me and mail it back to the national group, I will be making a few for our local chapter.