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.