10 in '10

I have accepted a challenge posted on Ravelry to create 10 articles in 2010. I am hoping to make socks. I found an inspiring blog, "Loumms' Year in Socks." The patterns and blog timeline were completed last year, but at that time turning the heel of a sock was not an ambition of mine. Now, I find I find myself no longer intimidated by cables and had the a-ha! moment when the engineering of a sock heel clicked in my head. Taking one-dimensional pieces and creating a 3-dimensional garment has always fascinated me so now I am doing the same thing with a piece of string and some sticks. I am also determined to make my first mittens and tam this year. I'll probably throw in a couple dog sweaters for good measure.

Merry Christmas from the Ladwig's

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Holiday ADHD

 
I am currently suffering from holiday ADHD. It's probably exacerbated by my Behcet's flare. I have 3 projects to finish by Christmas day and I am between 40-80% on all of them. I have a quilt to bind, a second sock to finish the foot on, ladybug slippers to sew spots on, and a scarf to complete. Reminds me of Robert Frost, "miles to go before I sleep." Speaking of which, I have 3 baby quilts to bind also. Eek!

Today, I got to shop for the siding for my new mini-barn in the backyard. I am very excited about it. It's really a shed but I so want to paint it red. I just think it would look so nice in my backyard. I am debating forest green, red, or brown. I just think red would look quaint. It will have a metal roof and be quaint. I will have to post pictures as we are working along. I am trying to encourage Mike to make doors for the shed so we can have really cool ones. He is really quite a craftsman when he sets his mind to it. He made a pegboard for my scissors today just playing with his new miter saw.

I need to spend some time in the the Word. Put my life in perspective. I really need to spend time meditating on where God wants me and why everything feels like such a slog right now.

See, it's all tied together and that's why I am having difficulty with project - because I am having problems with life projects. I have relationship and project angst. Hmm-m-m. Well, I'll have to ponder this. In the meantime, I'll figure out the dishcloths to make for my sister.

Day 4 of Quarantine

Today, I started the fun part of the Mocha Stripes sweater - a series of alternating shells that look like arches in 5 different yarns. Hopefully tomorrow I will start the sleeves.

I also laid out the Baby Love quilt as well as finished the corners on the bug quilt.

Sam is feeling much better now. Her fever is gone. The guys came home today so she was so excited.

Day 3 of Flu Quarantine

Mantha was dignosed with Type A flu. McKinney, TX Translation: She has H1N1 influenza, ya'll. So, besides having cabin fever, I am busy working on all those little projects. In the past week, I have gotten ready for Cindy, my bosom companion and long-arm quilter the following: Italian meatball quilt, St. Louis block scrap quilt, and Baby Cole's quilt. Today, I am working on, Karen's crochet cardigan, Baby Love's quilt, Mike's snoopy quilt, and the bug jar quilt. I have also downloaded bunches of old time radio podcasts to listen to while I am bored out of my skull. Mike went out of town with Madden so I am totally stuck at home. Thank God, my family and friends have been calling me. But, I can tell Sam is feeling better.

Slim-fitting Cardigan Redoux

redoux1
Originally uploaded by orangeeener

After discovering my mistake with the asterisk, in the "Slim-Fitting Cardigan" from Fun and Flirty Crochet by Katharine Lee, I redid the back and what a huge difference! You can see the wave pattern and I have the correct number of stitches.

I love working with Katia Swing. It's a microfiber and cotton cable and it crochets quite nicely. The color is vibrant too. Would like working with it again. It does get a little fuzzy when worked with. I hope it does not pill or stretch.

The Asterisk Bit Me!

Started the Slim-fitting Cardigan by Katharine Lee from

Fun and Flirty Crochet

only to discover that I had been following the instructions wrong. The asterisk meant that I was doing the wave pattern incorrectly because I was not repeating in the correct place. Nuts! I'll take a picture to show the difference. I realized I did not have enough stitches and I am 75% completed on the back. When I looked at the stitch diagram, I realized that I did it wrong.

Why did I not know this before?

cathode003_edited
Originally uploaded by orangeeener

My first top-down, in the round project and I love it. Now I am working on the waist ribbing. It is Cathode by Stefanie Japel. It's a pattern on Knitty. It was really fast on the body but really slow on the ribbing. I am making it 8" long. The sleeves are short and I am very happy about that. Wool sweaters are too hot here in Texas. The ribbing is a dark rust. Striking.

Spring Break starts this week. I am taking this and Madden's sweater to the lakehouse.

I have a girl scout camp at the lake this weekend. I hope things work out. I am only worried about one girls. She has no filter on her mouth.

I think we'll brainstorm rules.

I am working on the Sweden quilt from International Mystery Quilt Tour (now defunct) at The Quilt Asylum. Sam wants it. It is all funky paisleys and polka-dots.

March Quilt Blocks

Web Sampler Block 2
Originally uploaded by orangeeener

Now that its March, I shall begin my quilt blocks for March. I have 6 online quilt blocks I've ordered over the years that I need to complete:
* HGTV Trip around the Block
* Web sampler Celebration Spring 2007
* Women of Grace and Charm
* The Fat Quarter Shop Designer Block of the Month
* Patchwork Party Spring 2007
* Patchwork Party Fall 2007
* Greenbaum's Quilted Forest Online Sampler Block I - April

This block was February from the Spring 2007 Web Sampler Celebration. It is Civil War reproduction fabric. It may be a gift for my Dad although I think he would like the colors of the Fall collection better but I have not even started those yet - next year, maybe, sigh.