Rainbows

The past 7 days we have had a lot of rain.  In all about 5 inches of rain.  The bad news is that many of our outdoor activities have been cancelled. The good news is that we have had a ton of rainbows.  This double rainbow is one we had Sunday night.  Isn't it beautiful?  and right over our home. :)

Happy Haunting.

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays.  Dressing up in costume, running around in the dark, carving pumpkins, the cool fall air or maybe it's just the abundance of chocolate that make this holiday incredibly entertaining.  Whatever the reason, I always get a thrill when the Halloween fabrics start appearing in the stores. This year was certainly no exception.  This year I decided to come up with my own Ghoulishly clever Halloween quilt.

I really like the look of a strip quilt, plus they are simple to piece and go together in a snap!  In keeping with the Halloween theme I threw in a few spooky faces!  Boo!

Can't you just imagine sitting out in the cool fall air passing out treats to the ghosts, goblins and angry birds that haunt your neighborhood, all while cuddled under this cute throw?

Not to be forgotten, I sewed up an adorable matching treat bag for your own little ghoul.  My favorite part of both of these is the addition of the  glow-in-the-dark  thread I added to the faces.  They really do glow.  I tried to get a picture to show you, unfortunately my picture taking abilities are not night friendly.
Look the quilt folds up neatly and can be stored inside the treat bag once Halloween is over.  Now isn't that a treat?

A new Hat and A new deal.

I just finished up this little hat!  I know I initially planned on making the Jester Hat from The Yarn Girls Guide to Kids Knits, sadly I ran out of yarn:(  I improvised and came up with  this cute little hat instead.  I just love the way babies look with pom-poms sitting on top of their little heads. 

 Too Cute!

I just found this link to this great Family Fun Deal!  I love getting a deal!  Who doesn't?  I also love Family Fun Magazine.  The have some of the greatest craft ideas.  I turn to them often when I am looking for inspiration.  Almost all of my April Fools day pranks come from them.  Now they are offering this special!  $ 5.99 for an entire years worth of the magazine. For 10 issues that is only 60 cents an issue.  WOW!

Check out the link below for this awesome deal. But hurry the deal ends tomorrow at midnight.

Family Fun Magazine 

An Argument ?

In todays world full of technology an argument doesn't always have to be verbal. Tonight was a perfectly good example.

The transition from middle school to high school is a difficult one.  Freshman year, as I remember it, is loaded with tons of responsibilities.  The teachers now expect you to take notes and ask questions, how annoying.   My freshman year was certainly an adjustment.  I am trying, I really am,  to be sympathetic to his transition.   I don't know, but  at 6 weeks into the school year I am running rather low on sympathy.

Mark came home with a less than stellar grade in his biology I class.  I personally studied with him for over an hour the night before the test.  He knew the material.  Apparently, he only new it until his head hit the pillow, at which point aliens came down and sucked all knowledge out of his brain.  Well, I was... frustrated, annoyed, aggravated, at wit's end, ....pick one.   I sounded off and declared that tonight he would not get any television.  Furthermore, I decided that there would be no TV for the rest of the week.  Knowing that Mark would, (a) argue with me, (b) do what he wanted anyway (c) goof off  or (c) all of the above, I confiscated all of the TV remotes and hid them in various locations.

After dinner, I left Mark working on homework and took off for a much needed walk with the dog.  It is still uncertain as to who needed the walk more Me or the Dog.  I was not at all surprised when I got a text only minutes later.

Mark: did u hide da remote
Mom: yup
Mark:  done w hmwk.
Mom: K
Mark: Can I watch TV
Mom:  (no response)
Mark: AYT (are you there)
Mom: yes
Mark: can i
Mom: No
Mark: Found remote BLNT (better luck next time)
Mom: (no response)
Mark: ?Batteries????
Mom :p

Would you believe that I "accidentally" walked off with the batteries to all of the remotes, in my pocket?

Jean's Diamonds Quilt Pattern

One of the things my late Grandmother loved was Jewelry.  It didn't matter if it was real or costume jewelry Grandma would wear it.  In memory of her love for all that was jewelry I have named this pattern after her. Presenting:

Jean's Diamonds

Quilt size 51" X 51"
For this pattern you will need:
Assorted solid fat quarters or 1 yard total fabric  (colored diamonds)
2 yards White solid (blocks and border)
1 yard of med Gray solid (border)
1/2 yard fabric (binding)
3 yards (backing)
batting
thread

1. From assorted colors:
 Cut out 38 -- 4.5 inch squares
Cut 50 -- 2.5 inch squares

2. From white solid:
cut 66 -- 4.5 inch squares
cut 78 -- 2.5 inch squares
6 -- 2.5 inch strips width of fabric
6 -- 1.5 inch strips width of fabric

3. From Medium Gray solid:
Cut 28 -- 2.5 inch squares
6 -- 2.5 inch strips width of fabric
5 -- 1.5 inch strips width of fabric

Quilt Body:
 Make 4 patch blocks using 2 - 2.5 inch white squares and 2 -  2.5 inch colored squares.  (Blocks may be made in a variety of colored squares or one color through out the quilt. ) Sew one white and one colored block together. press seams toward colored side.  Sew second white and colored block together. press seam toward colored side. Align seams and edges of 2 pieced units, sew together into four patch with opposite corners matching. see below. Make 24 units.

Assemble 4.5 inch white blocks,  4.5 solid blocks and 4 patch blocks in diagonal rows as shown.

 Once all blocks are sewn together it should look like this:

 Once top is assembled and pressed use straight edge to square up quilt edges. Lay straight edge over outside row of white diamonds.  Cut 3/8 inch from point of colored diamonds. (Dashed line represents cut edge.)

 Sew 1.5 inch medium gray strip around quilt. Press seams toward gray strips.  

Diamond in a square White and Gray Border:


For each of the 14 diamonds that suround the body of the quilt you will need 2 white 2.5 inch squares and 2 medium gray 2.5 inch squares.  Draw a diagonal line across the wrong side of the white and gray 2.5 inch square. This will be your sewing line.  Take one 4.5 inch square and place one 2.5 inch white square in upper left corner, right side facing right side, and place one gray 2.5 inch square in lower right corner.  Sew across your drawing diagonal line.

Once your pieces are stitched, press squares back and trim seam allowance to 1 /14 inch.

Now place one 2.5 inch white square in upper right corner and one 2.5 inch gray square in lower left corner, right sides together. Sew on your diagonal line. Press

Press triangles open and trim seam to 1/4 inch:

Continue making border diamond using the above method until you have 14,

Making Borders:

Sew 2.5 inch white strip to 2.5 inch gray strip, press seam towards gray. Make 6 total.
Take two of the white and gray border strips and cut in half.  You will have 4 long lengths of white gray units and 4 short length white and gray units.

Now to assemble the borders.

Sew 3 border diamonds together matching corners and colors.  Make two 3 diamond block units.

Sew 4 border diamonds together matching corners and colors.  Make two 4 diamond block units.

Sew one long gray and white border strip to left side of both 3 and 4 diamond block units.  Sew short gray and white border strips to right side of 3 and 4 diamond block units.

Take your 1.5 inch white strips and sew to white side of border strip.

Sew borders to sides of quilt top.  Starting and stopping at least 1/4 inch from corner.  (see mitered corner tutorial)
Miter corners and press seams.

Sew backing together, Quilt and bind as you like.
Now you have your very own diamonds that Jean would be proud to wear!

Little Bitty Knits.

Perhaps it was the impending birth of my nephew that gave me the itch to knit. Or it could have been the return of soccer season.  Maybe it could be that the humidity has dropped and we are actually having some 'cooler' days here in SC. (when I say cooler I mean upper 80's) Whatever the reason, I have been flooded with the desire to sit down and play with some fiber.  I shared with you the heart hat and mitten set I knit up for my niece last month.

I just finished up this cute little Cardigan for Baby Guido. (don't worry it is just a nickname)  Isn't it adorable?   It is made up 100% organic wool from Philosophers wool. The patter is called Snug by hinke. It knits up using all garter stitch. (it's a free download on Ralvery) It is "an almost seamless baby hoody" and the seams that do exist are simple to stitch up.  The hardest part for me is the crocheted button loops.  I crochet, but vary minimally and only when I have too.  The pattern calls for the cutest little toggle buttons and I cannot find them small enough.

 

While I continue on my search for the perfect buttons I started on The Jester Hat from the Yarn Girls Guide to Kids Knits.  I have knit up this pattern before and it turns out so cute.  Kids and especially babies can pull of the big floppy hat and pom-poms.

Don't think just because I have picked up my knitting needles that quilting has ceased to exist. NO WAY! My creative juice has been working overtime!  I have a couple of quilts in various stages, okay who doesn't? I'll share with you just a little tease.  A little something I have been working on for an up coming holiday.

I'm Not Buying That

Over the years I have learned that there are many, many differences between raising boys and girls.  Besides the obvious anatomical differences, talking far more abundant in girls.  For instance, on any given school day I can ask my boys, "How was your day?"  The standard reply, "Fine."  Not even a sentence. Just one word.  Emma on the other hand never is without a story, a long animated story full of gesticulations and articulate vocal inflections.  She is nothing if not dramatic.

Thursday, she came home full of stories about her school day.

 "Mom!" she exclaimed, "today we talked about consumers and commercials.  Did you know mom that kids are the largest consumers?"

 I barely had time to utter a "yes." before she clamored on.  "The stores target all the commercials at us kids.  They are hoping that we will want all the things they are selling.  When we do find something we want, the stores hope we will beg our parents to buy the stuff we want. so we don't throw a tantrum."

 I replied, "Okay."  and she continued.  "Only I know that doesn't work at all on you.  I told my teacher that when I ask you for something you always say NO.  Then when I ask again you say, "how much is it?"  and then we have to go look at the price, tell you and then you say, 'No' AGAIN!"
"Mom," She inquired, "why do you always ask how much it is if you are not going to buy it?"

I answered, "Because I want you to learn how much things cost."

"Oh, that makes sense. I guess." she stated hesitantly.

"I am glad you approve.  You will have to tell Dad about our discussion when he gets home.  He will be happy to learn I don't buy you everything you want."  I stated.

"Well," she added,"Sometimes, If you are in a good mood you will buy it for me.  But since you aren't in a good mood very often you usually don't buy me anything."

In Memory

Jean Loraine Grandin Huber

1917-2011

This weekend my maternal grandmother passed away 4 days before her 92 birthday.  This picture take years ago, was the only proper picture I felt grandma would approve.  Grandma was very proper.  She held fast to traditional of etiquette that today have fallen by the wayside.  She is the reason I still write and mail, not email, thank you notes.  She always used a napkin, knew which side of the plate the wine glass went on, always matched her purse with her shoes and never, ever wore white after labor day.  She always had a smile and a hug for me.  For years she mailed me Cathy Comics from her weekly paper, just because I'd asked.   I never heard her speak poorly of another.  She was not one to enter into conflict, in fact I think she avoided it at all costs. She raised 5 kids, took care of her husband and her mother for years.    She may not have been the best cook but the one thing I could count on at grandma's was that she would have Chocolate!  She was loved and adored by her family and friends.  She will be greatly missed.