Finished!

Rosette #1 is done!  Yay!  It's 36" in diameter, so it's a very large rosette. The entire quilt will be about 78 x 78, which is (for me) a huge quilt.  I have no idea where I'll put it, but probably on the bed. 

I've picked out possible fabrics for rosette #2, which is not connected to #1.  These browns and forest greens suggest the trees and parks of the Cape: that scruffy green of the leaves with those warm browns.  I probably won't use all of these.  We'll see.  I'll pick as I go along.

Cape Cod Dreams

Her Name is Cape Cod Dreams, aka The New hexagon Millefiori quilt by Katya Marek.  I'm doing her in colors that echo my love of the Cape.

I had this awful moment yesterday when I realized that I had turned one of the outer blocks in the wrong direction.  Didn't notice it until I started to attach the next hexie.  For those who think that these quilts are easy to rip out: Hah!  Let me tell you about little whip stitches and how they resist frogging.  It is very very easy to make a mistake in placement. So I had better be vigilant because I do not want to rip these babies.  What a misery of a job.  But now she looks just fine.  Yay, CCMillie!

Millefiori again

And again.  This will go on forever!  Here's the first rosette with one more round to go.

The next round consists of 18 hexies, with 12 of one kind and 6 of the other - a total of 108 pieces. 

The one on the left occurs 6 times, and the other, 12 times.

Now I'm beginning to think about the next rosette.  Maybe colors of rose and yellow and green?  Sort of like those Cape Cod roses that hang over wooden fences. 

Here's the back story of this quilt.  We've been going to the Cape for about 19 years, so we know it very well.  We rarely do tourist stuff, but this year we did a tour of an organic cranberry farm.  Very interesting, and no, nobody stands in the middle of a bunch of cranberries in a bog.  Last year we found the library in Provincetown.  Being a retired librarian, I love going into all sorts of libraries, but this one is special.  The library is built around a half-scale model of a Portuguese sailing ship. 

So I thought this quilt would represent all the Cape loveliness that we like so much.  Coastal colors, roses and other flowers, sunrise and sunset, scrubby trees.  You get the picture.

Dolly Friday

I'm having such a grand time sewing these AG doll clothes.  Not that I'm a great sewer, but these little items don't have to be perfect, and anyhow, I'm an expert on ripping out.  I'm so used to it with knitting design, that it doesn't even bother me any more.

So here are the girls in their new outfits.  Most of these have been made twice:  the first time I ripped, and then almost got it right the second time.  tee hee.

This skirt was a pain in the neck to do.  I used a pattern that called for charm squares (5" squares), and I bought a package at Joanne's.  Some of the squares were not square, and it drove me batty.  Plus there were cut with a pinking shears, which also did not make me happy.  So I had to attach them to each other, then do a bit of ruffling (which I kind of like), and sew all those seams.  I'm not fond of how it wants to stick out at the end of the first tier.  I'd like to do something like this again, but either do it with my own 5" blocks, or just use large strips of fabric.  I was smart enough to measure each finished strip, so I can do this again.  The top was kind of odd to do, but all in all, it seems to work, and The Principessa will like it, I hope.  And if she doesn't, I'll take it back and give it to Miss P.  Between the 2 kids, somebody will like something. 

I loved doing the little halter top and skirt. That's the one on the left. I used some batik also from Joannes, and the pieces were fun and easy to do.  I may not have actually ripped this one the first time.  This one will go to Miss P.  I want to do one in pinks for the Principessa, since she is at that stage of loving pink.  Miss P has moved past pink and onto maybe greens?  I don't know.  Again, if it doesn't please her, I'll take it back and give it to the Principessa.

Aren't these cute?  The tops are done with that little top from the first outfit I made, and the skirts are miniskirts from somebody's pattern.  The left on is for Miss P, and the right one for the Principessa.  I got both outfits out of 2 fat quarters.  I love fat quarters.  Inexpensive, and fun and enough yardage for lots of things.  I think the fabric came from a wonderful quilt shop on the Cape - Heartbeat Quilts.  An amazing shop with more fabric that you can begin to imagine.  A bit pricey, but wonderful stuff.

This last little outfit is a combo of 2 patterns.  The top is from Liberty Jane, and I do not like the fit.  It is awkward to get on and way too tight at the bottom.  So tight that I can't get it over the skirt.  Plus turning under the edge at the armhole (on the right) was a huge pain in the butt.  With these little 1/4" seams, there not much space for cutting, so I had to seriously fudge.  I think the pattern would work well in a knit, but I suspect that the bottom would still be very tight to put on.  I'm going to add a bit onto each side of the pattern to get it to fit better.  But I don't know what to do about that armhole.  I do love almost all the Liberty Jane patterns, so I think this was me trying to work a woven into a knitted pattern.  Oh well, I bought the fabric at Joanne's, and I know there is more out there.  I kinda like the way the top looks with the little ruffle on the skirt, but to really work, the top needs to be worn outside and it doesn't fit over the skirt.  Grumble grumble.  Whatever.  I can give the skirt to a kid, but they will scream with frustration with the top.

And that's the story, Morning Glory.

Whoops, I didn't tell you all about this year's trip to Cape Cod.  I'll post that another time.  It was beyond wonderful.  I could go back in an instant.  And I'll tell you all about The Platinum Pebble Inn.  I'm in love.

Scrabblequeen - We knitters are experts at ripping, aren't we.  After you do it over and over, it ceases to be a pain and just becomes part of the project.  Sounds good, doesn't it?

Wall-to-wall books   - I'm having such fun doing this.  Now I'm looking into a bit of quilting, maybe a log cabin.  Also going to find fabric for a sock project bag and a large tote.  I need my head examined.  Clearly I'm on the road to ruin here.


Wall-to-wall books - Me too.  Now to get the courage to actually make a block!  I'm such a scaredy cat.

Henya - Thank you.

The Yarnarian is Shifting into Vacation Mode

One week from tomorrow and we're off to the Cape, G-d willing. And I'm now in official vacation mode. I don't even feel like dyeing. Can you even imagine? I just want to walk and knit and read and veg and schlep behind the Hubbo on his endless thrift shop forays. I must be getting sick. Thrift shops? In the millions? It's a disease.

Knitting news: I started a scarf the other day in my Emily lace yarn. I had dyed up 2 half skeins in medium and light violet, and wanted to play with the yarns. You know I'm into these half skeins, but how to convince others that they need to play with them too. Hah! Such fun. Here's the beginning of the scarf. the first pic shows the 2 colors together.




What you don't know is what comes next. I'd love to get to that point before leaving next week. We'll see. My cranky wrists rule the knitting.

My trip into the city (people from the metro NY area refer to it as the city) yesterday was delightful; even the sun came out for a bit. I met my friend at Lord & Taylor, where we had pumpkin pancakes for lunch, and we chatted and shared projects, and then walked over to Bryant Park to check out Kinokuniya. I like the one in Palisades Mall better. They have less merchandise there, but more in the knitting world and less in the crochet world. I didn't buy anything but had an enjoyable browse.

Off to package yarns for the sotm shipment.

BTW, if you want the lastest news on what and when I'm listing on Etsy, you can join up here. Or you can continue to read the blog, or you can do both. Scary, isn't it? Advertising is very expensive for a little operation like me, and this gets the word out, plus it might end up as a venue for a KAL, or not. You know me.

Henya - In the immortal words of the Hubbo: Calm down. Hold your girdle (whatever that means). I'm just taking a short break. The trouble with working at home is that you're always working, So to get a break, I need to go away. Recharge my batteries, Get energized. Yarn will emerge indeed after my Cape Cod moment.

Carolyn - Oh, lady, you know I need this trip! You need a trip too. So you and the Hubs should drive up north to Cape Cod and relax. Maybe flying into Boston is easier than that long, long drive of yours. But wait a bit, it's going to be chilly this time of year.

The Yarnarian Stays Home.

Nope, I'm not in Maryland at the sheep and wool festival. I'd like to be there, but I'm not. So be it. I'm waiting for Rhinebeck and possibly Stitches East.

For some reason, Hubbo and I never travel south unless we're forced to. I think it's something to do with the highways being boring, although we happily go to the Hudson River Valley with never a complaint. There's an entire world that could open up to us if we went in that direction.

The countdown has begun: 2 weeks from today we'll be on the Cape. We can't wait. We're practicing our Cape Cod sighs. Sigh. I really need a vacation. I thought when I retired that vacation wouldn't be so necessary, but I really could use a change of pace. I need to wind down in order to get back up. Sometimes you need to step away from your daily existence in order to appreciate it. That's where I am. 13 days until Cape Cod. For member of the tribe, this is my Omer moment.

PennyRose Sock Club news: Yesterday I packed up the last of the shipments and will mail out today. I've really enjoyed doing this. It was a good challenge for me. I learned how to write up patterns (no small feat for feet), organize a sotm, etc. And I've made some great yarnie friends. A very positive experience. The only negative was that I underestimated just how much work and time this takes. I didn't charge much, given that it was my trial club. Next time, I'll charge $85 for 3 months of goodies, which is far more in line with my time and effort. Still pretty inexpensive since I include a brand new sock pattern.

Knitting news: the endless garter stitch part of the Kona shawl continues. Because it's so mindless, I tend to knit very quickly, which is not good for the wrists. So I stop every couple of rows and do something else (like laundry). It makes for slow going, but my hands are much happier. This thing is as light as a feather. Oh, man do I love this yarn.



Exciting, isn't it? Garter coming out of me ears. I can't wait to start the lace part. I worked up a very cute pattern from one of my Japanese books.

Today we're off to a bead store in Maplewood; someone on the web posted great instructions for the kind of stitch marker I really like, and I want to try it out. Then the never-ending garage sales for the Hubbo, and finally a Mommie visit.

Gotta go and knit on the Kona: garter stitch, here I come!

Hanne - you lucky thing, you. I'm in the States and have never seen the Harlot! Yup, I'm doing another sock club in the fall: "I love New York." Rhinebeck is always the 3rd weekend in October, should you want to visit there.

KV - There are not a lot of vritties in retirement unless you make it so. It is the most splendid time to try out new things. You have to work at retirement; it doesn't come to you easily. You could end up watching soaps all day. If that's what you really love to do, then fine. But at 64, I'm not ready to put my feet up. There's a whole world for me to explore. But now I've done so much that I need a vacation.

If you go to Rhinebeck, let me know and we might be able to meet up.

I Bunny Save Troy - I love typing that; it's so cute. I'd love to meet you at Rhinebeck. Bring lots of money and charge cards. ;-)