Mmmmm....a toasty rainbow. This, my friends, is Araucania Ranco yarn in "Multy." Guess what I started today?
Yippee! A new sock. This one will be the Lace Merino Sock from the "Favorite Socks
Here's the tiniest little idea of what's to come. Gosh, I love all these colors. The yarn is really springy, soft and nice.
I started this pattern because I needed a simple sock to knit during "American Idol" season. I love that show, even though they do some mean stuff on it. I think the guys have it all over the girls this year, and I especially love the guy from Texas with the dreads! He's such a cutie with that goofy little smile when he sings! Or how about that guy that did "Light My Fire" at the end of the guy show? Whoo hoo! He really channeled Jim Morrison, didn't he? I thought he was hot!
Ahem...where was I? Oh yeah, socks.
Lest you wonder if I actually ever get to wear my handknit woolen socks, I offer proof here:
My socky leg, propped up on a car door for evidence. Yes, I actually do get to wear my handknit socks! On vacation in Washington state, that is. We went to visit my son in October, and I was thrilled to be able to wear my handknit socks. I, of course, packed every pair I own and I wore them all! Unfortunately, the rest of me looked like this at the time:
Honestly, it must take talent to wear winter clothes well. Why didn't someone tell me I looked like such a dork? I blame it on those tiny hotel mirrors--the ones that don't show anything past your neck. I obviously needed a full-length mirror on this day, or perhaps a husband fashion-savvy enough to stage an intervention. How could he let me tromp around U.W. looking like Elmer Fudd?
And oh my gosh, why do you ladies who have to wear all these clothes even bother with dieting? Who would know what size you are under all this?
In contrast, take a look at the clothing department at our Lihue KMart in JANUARY. No lie. I took this picture on January 29th:
Winter outerwear, Kauai style. No hiding in these dresses in winter. Too bad they don't look that great with woolen socks. Or Elmer Fudd hats.
Enough socks and bad fashion pictures burned into your brain. Let's talk some quilting. I've decided that every Friday should be a UFO day on my blog. Inspired by many of you bloggers courageous enough to document your UFO's, I've decided to be brave and show you all my UFO's, one every Friday. You can help me decide to either:
1. Finish the entire quilt, or
2. Give up and toss the project, or
3. Save the blocks for a future project, or for the back of some future project.
Let's start small. These are 8" blocks that I made in a Sharyn Craig class when she taught at Quilt Hawaii in 2004. There are only six blocks made, but I cut stacks of diamonds with a template (arggghhh...it took me HOURS):
I can tell by my centers which blocks were my first ones. I like piecing challenges, but I think the small size of the diamonds is what drove me nuts. I did it; I pieced six, but I don't think I want to piece any more. Is this quilt worth finishing? Or is it table runner time?I am terribly behind on my email and have a large pattern order tomorrow, so I'm afraid I won't be posting again until Sunday. I have 96 little %$#@! bows to tie tomorrow. My fingers are already trembling with dread. Have a wonderful Saturday and I'll see you Sunday!
21 comments:
Hi Lisa, I won't toss them, they look like tablerunner,but they could sparkle- and they do- in a wall quilt with some funky b&w fabric around them too, besides I tagged you to get rid of some random facts about you, feel free to
I am curious................
I would say this is one to finish - especially as you cut all those extra pieces. They are lovely blocks. I once made a double wedding ring quilt top all cut by hand with templates - lot of work. Once it was all pieced however it seemed a bit bland so I sold it on ebay - lol !!
I wouldn't throw it away. How about a border and leave it as a wall-hanging?!
Just make them into little table warmers! Or save them for a doll quilt for a future grand baby? BTW love the color of the yarn! Have fun with your bow buddies!
Happy Friday morning! I love your little stars! I think if you did not enjoy the piecing part of the project, you could set these on point with alternating blocks of a lovely black and white print, then add a red border and call it done! Good luck with the $%&* bows!
I was thinking dolly quilt, too. Or table runner. It seems a shame to waste the pieces you've already cut. But, aside from sending them to someone else to use, they probably just ought to be pitched and forgotten. You've got many other projects to worry about.
It's such an update classic look, and would make a beautiful quilt. But you have to want to do it. If you want to get it out of the way and table topper would be nice, my kitchen is red and black ;-)
I'm an American Idol fan too, love the Aussie guy and the guy with dread locks is such a cutie, so natural!
Just remember you were an Elmer Fudd with hot socks. That's all that matters, really I swear. Those blocks are beautiful and when I saw them I thought doll quilt too. I might be skewed with the sheer amount of little girl stuff I'm working on at any given moment. I am having table runner issues due to my sheer flakiness, so I'm pretty sure they are evil. Good luck with your bows.
I'm in serious envy of your knitting skills!
I'm and American Idol fan too. I just LOVE that kid from Utah. His name escapes me... but he's just so stinkin' sweet and adorable I want to squeeze him. I think he's going to get the "mom votes" for sure. I have last nights episode recorded and haven't seen it yet... but I'm hoping the nurse-rocker is gone. I feel mean for saying that, but her singing hurts my ears.
I love your star blocks. How about a wallhanging? Since you don't want to tackle anymore of those stars (don't blame ya there), you could always make the wallhanging a bit larger by using alternate blocks between the star blocks and if you don't use sashing, maybe it will create a secondary pattern. Just tossing out ideas. :o)
I love AI also. I too think the guys are above the gals this year. My fav is that talented cutie, 16-year old David A., who's so shy and humble. I just want to pinch his cheeks. LOL!
don't toss them!!! surely you can find something to do with them. I love black/white/red combinations.
Your blog just makes me laugh. Imagine having to dress like that for almost 1/2 a year!!!! Yup. Still winter here. could you send some Hawaiian winter our way???
You could make six small wall hangings (or pot holders) for six friends or family members. Just add one or two borders, binding, a hanging loop, and presto! You have a lovely gift.
Your leftover diamonds are the perfect size for tumbling blocks which are rather fascinating to make. I like to put six in a pyramid against a plain background, add a few borders and you have a pillow top or a small wall hanging.
If only I had ideas for my own ufos!
How about a bag or many bags? I solved my star problem so that I made potholders of them.
lisa, i look like a big bear in all my warm stuff...one pair of pink longies, pants...could be sweat pants...long sleve turtle neck and then long sleve shirt plus two pairs of socks...first pair pulled up high over longies so they dont ride up...this is just for the indoors. when i venture outside its this really great 3/4 coat i found at st. vinnies for only three bucks but it weighs a ton, my sukaluki and gloves oh! and my knee high sorels. i will get mark to take a photo so you can see how scarry that look is :-) great thing about ufos...cant wait until sunday. i send tiny healing kisses to those soon to be tender fingers
OMG !!! you look STUNNING in your Elmer Fudd outfit!!! Simply stunning!!! (and of course, I speak from experience since I live in "cold country" and no longer give a hoot what I look like just so I'm comfy and warm ..... you can tell I'm no longer a slave to fashion .... at all.... I even have a neon ORANGE Elmer Fudd hat to wear for hunting season .... I don't hunt, but too many people with bad aim do.... don't want to get taken out when I go out for the mail!)
Anyhow, your socks are great ... and so is this week's UFO .... but, I think if you're not having fun making it ..... let it go....just let it go..... table runner or wall hanging of some sort sounds good .... then all those little tiny diamonds you already have cut out can be donated to a good home ....
..... and 96 BOWS !!!! how are your poor fingers ?!?
Love the idea of pot-holders for your blocks. Or a table-runner, but please, please don't toss them. I'll have to go dumpster-diving at your house if you do.
And Lisa, you are adorable clad in your winter gear.
P.S. I'll be living through you vicariously as you are knitting those toasty socks.
I wished my UFO blocks looked as good as yours. My UFO blocks are that for a good reason. I used the special Hawaiian piecing method called kapakai!
OH Lisa...
You have to finish this quilt! You know how some of your favorite students love this pattern!!!
I want to see the finished quilt! Come on!!!!
Heh heh heh...
Elmer Fudd is adorable! Well... except for that tendency he has to go shooting at things. *blinkety blink*
The socks are going to be gorgeous! Please post a FO pic of them when you get them done?
Now, about those quilt blocks... I smell a give-away contest coming on... *grin* seriously, Lisa, you don't want to throw away anything that took you hours to cut *look of horror at the very thought* and you also don't want to deal with the whole quilt... so I say table runner plus one coordinating hot pad, and give the rest of the pieces away.
Might I just say, btw, I think the finished blocks are stunning!
Cath
Why do we bother to diet?
I can answer that one having moved to Minneapolis last year ....I searched for months for a jacket that was warm AND flattering and finally found it in December (I get lots of compliments on it too) and for those winter trips to Hawaii and Florida to get out of the cold!
It depends on how long your table is, but you could put them end to end with sashing in between. Also, I made a sampler quilt with six blocks and used sashing and alternated the sampler blocks with a tone on tone butterfly print. I plan to do some awesome quilting in those plain blocks to offset the sampler blocks. (It's my first quilt.) Wouldn't know much about the Elmer Fudd thing, having lived in Texas most of my life (yesterday it was 90 and today the high was in the 80s), but when I took a trip to Iowa I was really bundled up. You could just bundle up those extra pieces you cut and sell them as a "kit" to recoop some of your money. Yeah right! Your blog always makes me laugh, thanks for sharing!
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