do. Good Stitches - June 2013

For this month's quilt, Amy asked us to make two blocks following a tutorial she provided. These were definitely good HST practice for me, though I'm glad I didn't have to make a whole quilt.  Just trimming the 30 2.5 inch HSTs for my two blocks left me with sore wrists.

Fabrics: Kona white, Sketch, Dear Stella

Fabrics: Kona white and chartreuse, Cloud 9, Sketch, assorted others

I had a little trouble with some of the points, especially when attaching the two large triangles, but overall I'm pleased.  This is going to be one awesome quilt when it's finished!

Retro Flower Pillow

So, my friend Molly is amazing.  She's always upbeat and positive, even when she's upset. She greets everyone she meets with a huge hug and an enthusiastic "HI, SWEETIE!" And she's currently studying her butt off to the best community health nurse ever (in one of the top nursing programs in the country, no less).  We always joke that we're essentially the same person - we have the same ticks, the same reactions to every situation, identical addictions to aquaphor. We even have the same sleeping styles - head halfway down the mattress with toes hanging off and two pillows, though we only actually use one. We've been friends for four years and every time we hang out we learn something new we have in common, and of course we're never surprised.

Love those bears!

Despite how busy she is, she's always available for a chat and I undoubtedly feel better after talking to her. She's one of the most encouraging people when it comes to my crafting hobby (and really anything else in which I show a hint of interest), sharing my blog around and always talking me up to essentially anyone she meets. I made her a bag when she started nursing school, but I've been wanting to make her something else that could help comfort her when she gets really stressed out.  I'd been hoarding some Hope Valley to use on something extra special for Molly, and when I saw the Retro Flower pattern from The Sometimes Crafter, I knew it was perfect. The pattern paired with the fabric perfectly embodies Molly's super girly, retro chic aesthetic. And the Kona Bone matched beautifully with the off-white in the prints.

I got fancy with the quilting and did this flower on one side.  I was sewing until literally the last minute (I finished hand stitching the binding in the car on the way to meet Molly) so I could do these all around, but I like the effect of the one with the wide stipple.

I think the backing is my favorite part - I wasn't sure about using these fabrics together right next to each other, but I think it worked pretty well.

This was my first time piecing curves. It was okay - a few mismatch seams, but nothing a little practice won't fix.

Molly and I had a sleepover yesterday (sidenote - adult sleepovers are the best) and she had the pillow prominently displayed on her bed!

Gemini

I posted the beginnings of my Gemini top the other week, so now that the KAL for which I started it is over, I figured I'd share a quick update.  I'm still not done, but I'm making good progress and I'll definitely be able to wear it this summer.

I tried it on the other day and it's great so far!  The fit is just right, with the perfect amount of ease. I'm about halfway done with the body.  I'm a bit nervous about running out of yarn, but I saw it at my LYS the other day, so worst comes to worst I'll have to get some more and hope that the dye lot isn't noticeably different.

Blogger's Quilt Festival

This is my first time participating in the Blogger's Quilt Festival. I'm entering the baby quilt I finished in April, Eli's 2D Zoo. which is only the fifth quilt I've ever made, and the first I seriously FMQed.  I think that's my favorite part about it.  It's definitely not the best FMQing in the world, but I really like how the design works with the quilt, and I saw marked improvement in my stitches as I worked.  I also embroidered a label with the baby's name a birth date - my first time labeling a quilt and embroidering.  Ha, there are a lot of first in this quilt, though I guess that's bound to be the case when you're still new to the trade, if you will.  Anyway, I hope you like it!

Front

Back

Quilting close-up

Label close-up

Quilt Stats:

Quilt Name:  Eli's 2D Zoo (I'm bad with quilt names...)

Quilt Size:  43" x 43"
Pattern:  Improvised by me, inspired by this quilt

Fabrics used:  Riley Blake Small Chevron; Robert Kaufman Spot On Tiny Dot and Small Dot; Oliver + S Roundabout Dots; Joel Dewberry Modern Meadow Herringbone; Violet Craft Madrona Road Haystack;  Kona Bone and Navy; Bella Platinum

Binding:  Violet Craft Madrona Road Broken Herringbone in blue
Backing:  Design by me, same fabrics as above

Quilting:  All over meandering square FMQ done by me on my home machine

WIP Wednesday

I haven't participated in WIP Wednesday for a while, so I figured it was about time I joined in.  Life has been crazy busy the last few months, so I haven't had that much time. I've been trying to focus on smaller projects that only take a few hours over a week or two to complete. I have had a couple finishes that I hope to show in the coming weeks, but for now we'll highlight the WIPs.

 1) Fabric cut and ready to go for my February and March Lucky Stars BOM blocks.  Yes, I'm ridiculously behind.  I have a few sewing days with my guild coming up and these will be my main project.

2) Envelope Clutch by Anna from Noodlehead. I have a few events coming up and need a good summer clutch. (I actually don't have any clutches, so I see a number of these in my future).  What do you think of the dress fabric for the lining?  I LOVE this fabric, but I'm wondering if the scale of the print is a bit too large for this project...

3) Coasters for a friend. These are on my FAL Q2 list, so I'm on a deadline. I only have the bindings left, so really it shouldn't take too much longer.  And there are 6, not 3, but the others look just like these so it didn't seem necessary to photograph all 6.

4) Gemini Tee (on Ravelry) - I'm making this as part of the Tops, Tanks, and Tees knit-along hosted by Shannon from luvinthemommyhood. The deadline is next weekend. Clearly, I'm not going to be finished (I've knit a few more rows since this photo was taken), but I'm determined to have it complete (and blocked!) in time to wear at least once this summer.

Naturally, I have a few more things going on that this, but these are the ones to which I'm giving the most attention.

Linking up with WIP Wednesday with Lee at Freshly Pieced!

Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival

The other weekend I went to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival.  I'd been excited for this for over a year, ever since my friend told me about it, and I'd had the date marked on my calendar for a good 4 months.  Originally, a group of knitty friends were scheduled to come, but after a few last minute cancellations it ended up just being me and Mr. T.  I was able to lure him into coming by telling him he could pet sheep (never having been, I wasn't actually sure this would be possible, but thankfully it was!).

The Sheep and Wool Festival is really a two-fold event.  There's the animal husbandry side, with livestock and equipment for sale, as well as sheep shearing contests. And the other part is a fiber enthusiast's paradise, with countless stands selling yarn, fleece, spinning tools, etc.  A few weeks earlier I had watched a free lesson on Craftsy called "Know Your Wool," so I was excited to examine different sheep breeds and determine the length, crimp, etc. of their fleece.  I also was also hoping to buy hand-spun, hand-dyed yarn from someone who also raises the sheep, but in the end I was too overwhelmed by all the yarn and didn't buy anything.

The best part by far was the sheep dog demonstration.  It's amazing how well trained the dogs were, and how fast they can run!  They literally blurred as they sped by us going to collect the sheep.

All in all it was a cool experience, though I'm not sure I feel the need to go again.  If I did, I'd be sure to have another enthusiast with me.  As much as I love Mr. T, and as tolerant and patient as he is, I think it'd be slightly more fun to go with someone who understands the appeal of a room full of yarn.  Though it might be quite a bit tougher on my bank account...

And now, for photos! (I was a terrible photographer and didn't get any photos of the yarn...)

Bah bah black sheep, have you any wool?

This one was HUGE!

Clearly the weekend of excitement wore her out!

Mr. T waiting for the sheep dogs!

Corralling the sheep

Herding the sheep to the other end of the ring.

Shorn sheep! Missed the demonstration though : (

Very hairy ram

Little lambs. We were thinking about buying one. They were only $125!

Nom nom

  

This guy was pissed. He kept bleeting at us!

He looked feisty too. He had FOUR horns - two up and two down

 

Little goats - only $50! They were about the size of my cats.

Guest Post - Washcloths for Honduras

The crafting front has been a little slow chez Crafty Roach, so today I'm bringing you another guest post. This one comes to us from MaBrown, the mother of Mr. T's best friend from high school and college, and now one of my good friends. Just as with our previous guest poster, Lauren, MaBrown took some time away from knitting, but she's easing her way back in with these washcloths.

Photo courtesy of MaBrown

And now I'll hand it over to MaBrown:

I have recently been inspired to pick up knitting again, thanks to "The Crafty Roach." I used to knit when I was a teenager, but school, career, and children pushed my crafty aspirations to the back burner. My kids are grown now and I am exploring new ways to foster my creative side.  

Photo courtesy of MaBrown

Every year my husband and I go down to Honduras on a medical mission trip with the Luke Society. We take care of patients in the mountain villages with all sorts of medical issues. I am a pediatrician and love seeing all of the kids. Many of them have never seen a doctor, much less a pediatrician, so we have lots to talk about.  They are grateful for any small thing we can give them, so every year, with the help of my church friends, we fashion "hygiene kits." They include a toothbrush and toothpaste, deodorant soap, anti-dandruff shampoo, and for the babies I throw in some baby shampoo and baby lotion.  I am happy to be able to knit the colorful washcloths, which add a personal touch to the kits!

Photo courtesy of MaBrown

Thank you, MaBrown! I'm sure the kits are much appreciated, and its always satisfying to create a product that you know will be well-used. 

Materials
Pattern: Slanted garter stitch dishcloth/washcloth (not the exact pattern, but similar)
Yarn: Lily Sugar n' Cream