A Christmas Elf...

Yesterday I finished the sewing I had to do for other people. I finished Christmas stockings, key tags, a small needlecase and a purse. It's always a relief to get those things done. I didn't take the time to take any photos so you can't even see what I have accomplished! Now I can relax and do some sewing for myself for Christmas gifts. First is a plaid flannel robe for my daughter. I bought some fabric and have decided that it's to flimsy so back to the fabric store I go to find something better...I know I saw some quilter's flannel that had more body to it...hopefully it's still there! Stay tuned...

Give Thanks...

Happy Thanksgiving!
Things are beginning to buzz here. One child has arrived to make two children at home. The other two arrive tonight and we will be a complete family again. Tomorrow I am hosting dinner for 24. Yikes...I have work to do. I don't have time to list all of the things that I am thankful for, there are just too many things! Let me just say that I am blessed and I am very thankful.

A lesson learned...

My computer had to be taken back to the factory settings. I lost photos that I had put on the computer and had not taken the time to burn to a cd. My son lost his Itunes playlist that took him weeks to load. There is a lesson to be learned here: back up your computer. Do it now. Don't wait. Learn from a great mistake-maker!

Quilt Squares

Here is the beginning of my crazy cat quilt... I am using black and white fabric from my stash...hopefully I'll have enough because I have no idea where and when I got it!

The center kitties are machine embroidered using a design disk from Loralie called Sophistikitties. They just make me laugh! I'm not particularly a "Cat" person although I do have a love/hate relationship with Miss Tigerlily...I love her until she claws at my furniture!!!

An Update...

As I glanced at my blog page today, I realized that I haven't been accomplishing much lately. I offer these photos of placemats and monogrammed napkins that I finished up for a customer.
I am in a constant struggle to gain a balance in my life...and it all stems from my creative disorganization. I am being swallowed up by laundry, housework, unfinished projects and the ideas that are always running through my head! I have recently addressed the household chaos by joining up with Flylady again. Babysteps, she says and I am trying. I also subscribed to a Mega Menu Mailer at savingdinner.com. Yesterday I did a mega grocery shopping trip and fixed about 10 meals. Today I am finishing up with 10 more and then I am going to treat myself to a trip to my favorite yarn shop! I'm hoping now that I have 20 meals ready I will have more time for creativity. I'll let you know how it goes...stay tuned.

More Catching Up...

Okay, I think this is the last item I missed telling about. I know I mentioned in an earlier post that my parents were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. Well, they had a big party where friends and family joined in the celebrating. What fun we had...I saw cousins that I haven't seen in years and parent's of some of my high school friends. I'm still recovering! Here are some photos...

Enough with the traveling and parties...it's time to get back to some sewing, crafting and knitting...stay tuned!

Still Catching Up...

The weekend after my trip to NYC I went away with the Material Girls (my quilt group) for our annual quilting weekend. Unfortunately my photos from the weekend are being held hostage in my desktop. Last weekend we had the storm of the century here in Western NY state. Lots of wet, heavy snow that took down trees and power lines. We had no power for four days. Something happened to our computer...I am taking it in to see if any of the files can be saved. Another lesson learned...back up your computer files...I hate learning lessons!
My son was out of school for over a week because of the storm. Here are some photos he took during and after the storm:

Where does the time go...

Let's get caught up...
I went to NYC with my college roommates for a girl's getaway weekend. What fun we had. We saw a show, did lots of shopping and walking and laughing. I'm hoping we'll be able to arrange our schedules to do it again soon! Here are some of the street scene photos:

I love New York!!

On the road again...

I have been out of town for the last two weekends and this one coming up is no exception...today is my parent's 50th wedding anniversary and we are heading to my hometown for a weekend of partying. My kiddies are arriving from Boston tonight. It will be great to have them all home again. It's going to be a celebration all around! I will be back next week with lots of photos of my travels...stay tuned...

Too Busy..

I have just been too busy to post...I am finishing up the Thimbleberries quilt. Putting on the borders of a quilt is not too exciting, but I am getting there.
I am almost finished with my intarsia bag...photos soon.
I am going to NYC for the weekend with my college roommates. I can't wait for a fun - girls only weekend. We are shopping and seeing a show and who knows what else! I have laundry and packing to do so I'll post again when I get back. Have a great weekend.

On the needles and off the needles

On the needles:

This is going to be a felted bag...it is from Interweave Knits magazine. It's called Wobbly Circles.
It looks pretty ghastly, but I know it will be great when felted. This is from a class at my LYS on intarsia. It's my first intarsia project. Now I have to knit the back...

Off the needles...

This is another cotton sweater knit with the Schaefer yarn that I love. This one hasn't been as much fun as the last because I picked one stitch at repeated it, but it's a beauty. Now I have to knit the front! I guess I'd better get going...

Ahhh...back to school

Today is the first day of school. I love summer vacation, when there is no routine to follow, but I always enjoy the beginning of school. Things just seem to settle down and I seem to get more accomplished. (Probably because I can't sleep in until 8:00 or 9:00!) This morning I was up at 6:30 and at my sewing machine by 7:15! It's been a productive day already. I am teaching as part of a software seminar using the Husqvarna Viking 3D Software. Here are my projects:

Papercrafts

My daughter came home from Boston for the long weekend. We had a lovely time...it was great to see her two weekends in a row! We spent Sunday evening doing some papercrafting. We each made a book and I covered a box.

A visit to Boston...

Last weekend we visited Boston. My son took some great photos at the Fenway Victory Gardens.

We also took a Duck Boat tour...quack, quack little quackers...and he got some great shots from the water.

Think he has some photographic potential!

Blue goodness

Mmmmm...look at all this blueberry goodness.

Knitting away...

I finished my cotton top...I loved this yarn so much that I went back to the store and bought more in my favorite colors and I came home and I cast on immediately! I am knitting the same top only without all of the patterns...I chose my favorite and am using that throughout. It's not as much fun to knit but at least it will look different. I am also toying with the idea of some beads...stay tuned...

Happy Birthday to Me

Forty eight years ago today, Mary Julia Danaher was born...FORTY EIGHT YEARS AGO...Yikes, that's old! I'm sure there must be some mistake because I sure don't feel that old! When I started blogging it was only to be a log of my crafting life, nothing too personal...until today. Here are some things you should know about me.
1. I have a brother and two sisters...I am the oldest.
2. I have been married to the same man for 25 years and have four children.
3. I love to sew (I learned when I was eight years old), knit, cross-stitch and bead...and I'm not opposed to learning something new.
4. I dislike housework and cooking...I love a clean house and a good meal on the table but it is not something I enjoy!
5. I am a terrible procrastinator...my theory: There's always tomorrow.
6. I have wonderful friends from many areas of my life.
7. I have had gray hair since I was about 13 and I'm too lazy to color it so I looked much older than I am.
8. I love to read.
9. I love to sleep.
10. I had trouble thinking of 10 things that anyone should know about me so I'll leave this one in case I come up with something later...stay tuned...

On the needles...

Here is my new knitting project. It is a sleeveless top that I am knitting with handpainted cotton yarn from Schaefer Yarn. This yarn is called Laurel and boy is it yummy to work with...it is flying off the needles. I might even have this done to wear this summer!
This yarn and pattern came from my favorite yarn shop which now has a brand new website. They are always inspiring me with their classes and yarns.

New Bag...

Here is a bag that I just finished...I love monograms... can you tell?

What next?

I have finished felting my second Entrelac Bag designed by Debbie Barisad. This is a gift for someone special. Now my problem is what next...I hate to begin a knitting project...all the prep work: gauge knitting...ugh! I know it's important so I do it but I don't have to enjoy it do I? I have cotton yarn for three sweaters. I don't have the right needles for the one I want to start so I have to wait until I can get to the store. I feel like I am wasting time if I'm not working on something so I started swatching another sweater and I can't get the gauge I want. So...I'm just wasting time!

Getting over my virus...

We have had a nasty virus on our computer for the last week or so...I think I have finally cured it...we'll see...I have been busy sewing and knitting and if the sun ever comes out I will take photos to show you. My entrelac bag is ready for felting...I am just finishing up the second strap...stay tuned!

Something new...

While I was in the Adirondacks my quilting friend, Rachelle, introduced me to Geocaching. Geocaching is like a treasure hunt...you need a GPS device (which I bought as soon as I came home), choose a cache on the website that you would like to find, put in the longitude and latitude coordinates and begin your journey. I have been on two geocaching adventures! Two of my sons have come with me and thank goodness because they are the ones who find the caches...I need lots more practice. There are caches all over the world so you can go on a "treasure hunt" wherever you want. It's fun, sometimes frustrating, and a great way to spend some time in the great outdoors.

One year later...

I just realized that I have been blogging for over one year...what fun it has been meeting new people who love the same things that I do. I have been very inspired by many bloggers and I look forward to many more years of inspiration! Happy one year anniversary to me!

Lines and squiggles and machine quilting...

Here are a few photos of my machine quilting from Quilt Camp.

They're very wrinkled because I had them rolled up in my bag.

I still need lots of practice, but everyone has to start somewhere...right?!

Quilt Camp

I am sitting in the library at Paul Smith's College while on lunch break from quilting class. What a beautiful view I have of the lower St. Regis Lake. I am having a wonderful time learning all kinds of things. I forgot to bring my camera so I won't be able to share the fantastic scenery with you. There is inspiration everywhere...water, trees, nature and especially quilts! I have had trouble sleeping at night because of all the ideas that are running around in my brain...oh no...I sense some new projects being started...stay tuned.

Photos on Fabric

Tonight I am teaching a class in transferring images to fabric. Here is one of my examples...I made 11 of these as gifts for my son's friends for graduation. They were a hit.

I am getting ready to go to "quilt camp". I will be taking a class on machine quilting and a class using EQ5 (the quilt designing software). I'll be back on Saturday with lots of new knowledge...stay tuned.

I really am crazy...

This past week our "region" had a quilt shop hop. For those of you who might not know what this is...there were 10 shops to visit. You received a "passport" at the first shop you visited and had the passport stamped at each shop. If you visited all 10 your passport went into a drawing for prizes. A few of my friends and I visited all 10 shops plus one extra that we knew was a good one. We did it in two days and it was lots of fun. Here's the crazy part...I bought something at almost all of the stops! I couldn't resist all of that beautiful fabric...here is my new philosophy paraphrased from a sign that I saw at one of the shops:

Would a stamp collector use one of his stamps to mail a letter? Would a coin collector use one of his coins to buy a can of soda? Then why do I have to use all of the fabric that I buy? I am not a fabricholic...I am a fabric collector!

Ain't that the truth...

Pink and Green Goodness...

My sweet daughter sent me this on Saturday...

I love the limes in the vase and the flowers are just beautiful.
I had to rip out a row and a half on my entrelac bag last night because I made a major mistake. Oh well, I am almost back to that point so I can start making progress again.

On the needles...

Here are my current knitting projects:

socks based on the six sox knitalong from last month

and another felted entrelac bag

Using What I Have...

I have joined the sew i knit sewalong and I have promised myself that I will only choose a pattern and fabric from what I already have in my stash. I know I have lots of choices, now I just have to decide what top I'm going to make.

I started knitting a new pair of socks last night...I had to keep my hands busy during the Sabres hockey game. We were all disappointed with the Sabres loss, but it sure was exciting!

I made a trip to my LYS on Wednesday and picked up some yarn for another entrelac bag, but now I can't locate my instructions. They have to be here somewhere...

New Socks

I have completed the socks for the Six Sox Knitalong at yahoo.com by the deadline. Phew! They are not blocked, but here they are...

They fit perfectly...I love the short row heel so much better than the heel flap that I have always done in the past. It's great to learn something new!

A Mother's Day Gift...

My Mother's Day gift from my daughter was a visit home to help me clean out the basement. She arrived late last night and this morning she gave me the details of her organizing plan. We went down to the basement and within an hour or so she was referring to "Phase Two" of the project! She even suggested that she was going to write to one of those organizing TV shows about me! It is a bit overwhelming, but I am determined to keep going. We did empty out alot and filled two large garbage bags with things to go to the thrift shop. It was a good beginning and it is great to have her home for the long weekend.

Another Graduate

We have another college graduate in the family!
#1 son graduated last week from St. Michael's College. Yesterday he was offered a job!!!! Yippee...another one out of our pockets. He will be joining his older sister in the great city of Boston. Right now he is enjoying his last days of freedom from the "real" world...sleeping late, staying up late and no responsibilities. It's only a matter of time now...

On The Needles...

I joined the Six Sox Knitalong on yahoo.com. Here is my progress.
I love this pattern...it was created by Susan Pierce Lawrence. I read her blog regularly...this is one very talented lady. She also has designs on knitty. Right now she has a baby hat that she designed on her blog...check it out.

More Goodies

Another of my favorite places in the northeast is the Wright's outlet in Sturbridge, MA. It is a very nice retail store with fabric, yarn, and florals, but my favorite part is the bargain basement. They have trims and laces by the yard or by the bolt. The price on the end of the bolt goes down each month until it gets to the lowest price (which is usually .15/yd.). Here are some of the bargain basement goodies I brought home.

As you can see I was drawn to the eyelet lace trims this time.
I bought this book and this pattern in the retail store.

I was very tempted by some of the Michael Miller fabrics, and some of the yarns, but I resisted!