Big Girl Feet Cynthia Frenette

Saturday, February 06, 2010

Weekend report

Ahhh the weekend is here, it's beautiful and sunny outside, and all is right in the world!

Here's what I've been working on lately....

A couple-ish years ago I picked up a bunch of Patons SWS (soy/wool/something blend) to make a stripey cardi for moi. I started knitting and dang it, the yarn is terribly scratchy, sheddy and heavy, ugh! It would have been a real "sweat"-er- yuck. I frogged it & wound all the yarn into 2 big cakes. And there it sat ever since. I have been really earnestly trying to use stuff I have on hand, I have waaaaaay too much yarn and craft supplies in my possession (or is it that I am more possessed by my craft supplies?) so dang it! This came to mind, make a lap blanket out of it! I honestly don't remember how many skeins in total I had, I think maybe about 6 or 7, and I crocheted the entire whack of into a big ole' granny square. Yet, when I ran out of yarn, it was still a bit small for a blanket, and couldn't really be a doggy blanket as it can't be washed too often due to the wooly content of it. So! I felted the thing and it's going to be my new little mat for my little bathroom (actually a powder room/ensuite type thing.)

Here's what it looked like before, plain granny...

And after, coolio felted granny mat!

It felted really fast, one hot wash and a stint in the dryer and presto! It's still very damp though, so it's outside on the sun to finish up drying. I love how it came out! I actually started another with some itchy scratchy wool sock yarn I have, there are 2 full skeins, one that I koolaid dyed in pinks and rainbow-y shades and one solid pink, they are going together now into a new mat. Woot! Keeps my hands and brain busy so I'm not thinking of snacks all night. Crochet diet!

Next, I have been working on my Paintbox Quilt, and today put my "math" hat on- I am absolutely terrible at math, my brain shuts down and I block it out. I definitely didn't inherit the math genius gene from my dad! Anyways, I went about it in my own way, drew up a grid in Illustrator to size, including sashing- how about that!- and determined I need 81 blocks, or 9 across by 9 down, then will be putting very deep borders around it (as they will hang over the edge anyways!). I counted the ones i have done and so far: 46! And I had just done 14 of those just today, so I'm making good progress. And more importantly using up scraps and bits that I kept for whatever reason. Excellent!

It's gonna be really cool all sewn up & quilted, I can hardly wait! The sashing & borders will be a cream or natural/muslin colour, not sure which yet.

Last night, my quilting universe started pouring ideas into my head for patterns, like I was so excited about them and I grabbed my sketchbook and started taking notes. I'm going to draw them up a bit better with colour then start making them & patterns to go with. This is a new calling, it makes me all excited and energized and wanting to sew 24/7 to get my ideas out! More to come on them as they happen!

And lastly but not leastly, I started making a pair of crochet socks, except meh. I don't like how they turned out. I did one and yech. the rest of the skein is being added to my Ugly Betty blanket which I've been working more on lately too. Pics soon!

So how do you solve the second sock syndrome?

Cat in the hat!

You can just hear him thinking, "I will get you in your sleep you big mean human!"

Ok, back to sewing and 80's tunes, see ya soon!