Favorite Finds Friday

Craft Addictions is starting to blog about favorite things on Friday. I think I'll link you to some of my favorite blogland finds on Friday....

Tops on my list is another great creation by Elizabeth at Oh Frasson. Isn't she amazing?

A little sewing advice from 1949 was posted here. Too funny!

I love knitting, especially lace knitting. The Slow Bee is hosting a KAL (knit a long) for a lace shawl. You can sign up here. She is going to post reasonable assignments to complete the shawl chosen. I know, I know, I have so many things going now, but by Summer I should've whittled that pile down some.

I discovered Kieny's blog through the quilt a long. She is from the Netherlands, but lives in Taiwan. Along with quilting and embroidery projects, she sometimes shares some of the culture about her. Today she shares a some informations about a Lantern Festival with some wonderful pictures of the lanterns.

Then, there is this cute little dishtowel embroidery at Doe-C-Doe.

There are so many creative blogs out there. I enjoy visiting as many as I can. If you have a favorite, send me a link.

Gifting

I recently participated in my first on line swap. I signed up with the idea that it would be fun to create something for someone else, regardless if they kept their end of the bargan....




I was very pleased to receive this. So cute!

I know I just made this in green, but I couldn't help myself...







I do love this pattern. (Don't worry, there aren't anymore currently on the needles.) I am working on a little stuffed bear.

Some Fresh Air

My hubby and I went snowshoeing yesterday around Presque Isle. It was 40 degrees...a heat wave, for this time of year. Later, I worked on this little gift for Heather, who is expecting a baby girl named Violet, this Summer. The medium sized bag holds wipes and a few diapers. The little one you will recognize as a Wonder Wallet (It's just for mom).
The tote is a great pattern found in "Last Minute Patchwork and Quilted Gifts", by Joelle Hoverson. She is also the owner of the Purl Patchwork.

You'll be seeing more of these bags. I was given one as a gift recently. I love mine, I hope she likes hers too.

Unfinished Projects

While cleaning around my chair the other day, I looked at my knitting/project bag and thought, I need to find the bottom of this bag... I'm not promising to not start anything new (because I'm weak), but I'm gonna give it a try. Projects started and then abandoned for some new little creation I just have to try.


Right on top, was this little green sweater that just needed some sleeves. I'm making it for a girlfriend that is due this Summer, to match the little quilt I made. I'm not so sure if the fabric covered buttons are really the perfect match, but it is what it is.
I saw this sweater at Weathertop Farm's blog. I emailed her and found it to be a free pattern from Pure and Simple. The picture at the Pure and Simple Site, shows it with a hood, but it prints with directions for a collar.


It's a fun, easy, neckdown pattern. It would be a great first sweater for someone to try. I've already started another one in purple.

Applause For A Great Blogger!

When I first saw this quilt done by Elizabeth, at OhFrasson!, I was so smitten. Isn't it the cutest! Go here to see more pictures and her post about it.

I emailed her right away and asked if she would do a tutorial. I was so pleased today to find out that she did it! It's wonderful! Be sure to check it out here. She made some great little doll blankets for the tutorial.

She did some fabulous other quilts here and here. She has a great little Etsy Shop too. I ordered a great bag from her for a Christmas present.

112 blocks

Many blocks later...I finally have the second row on the quilt. Lots of sewing. A few decisions to be made about placement of blocks...







Then there is all the pressing of the seams.... I do love quilting.

As I laid the quilt out on my bed, to take a progress picture,

I was looking at my wall paper....

I would so love to make a quilt for our room. The wall paper is a lot, I would like it to accent, not compete with...Should I go monochromatic?
Which color? Or, should I pick out several colors in the wall paper? I should also add that the carpet is deep wine color.

No sewing today

My mother celebrated her 82nd birthday today. Our family met for lunch to celebrate with her. After being sick, I hadn't been out much... This was too pretty to not share. It is along the bike path that my husband and I walk when there is no snow. We live about 3 blocks from the beach on Lake Superior. I'm making myself do some housework today before I can play in my sewing room.

Check out this free pdf download for tags. I'm working on a baby sweater that will go to the recipient with one of these for sure. Leave Doe-C-Doe a nice comment for her generosity.

Elizabeth, won the pillow case challenge. Check out the flicker site to see all the creative things people did with just one vintage pillowcase.

Quilt A Long Progress

It took 108, 2.5 blocks to get around my quilt for the first round. Only several hundrend more to go...I decided to cut some and sew some. Kinda break up how much of each needs to be done.
I tried to just balance out the colors. I like things in order, so randomly picking squares was hard for me, yet freeing somehow. My next row should be 110 blocks.
That's on my list of things to do by the end of the week....

The third Wednesday, of every month, is the night of both my favorite meetings. The quilting group I belong to meets from 6-7p.m., then the knitting guild from 7-9. I'm looking forward to a nice evening full of inspiration and friendship.

Catching Up

I figured since we were having such a big snowfall yesterday, that maybe I could finish this. I only started it way back in November!


It's a good thing I'm caught up with Amanda Jean, cause it's gona take awhile to get all these 2.5 inch blocks cut out. I did this stack from a charm pack. It was nice because I just quartered them. That took care of about 146 of the 430 total she says we'll need... I don't want to deviated from her directions. I'm so grateful to her for taking on this quilt a long.

I'm going to try to keep them in piles by color so I can mix and match a little better when I start the border.

Winter

That's my boy way up in the air! I'm missing him. He's been out West working at a ski hill since before Thanksgiving. He should be back home by the end of April. This picture was taken two years ago. He loves snowboarding. It's been his dream for the last several years to graduate from high school and head out West to snowboard. He's living his dream. When he's not working, he's snowboarding. It makes being apart so much easier to hear how happy he is when he calls.It's 14 degrees here today, and we have had a total of 127 inches of snow so far this winter. It still keeps coming down. We usually end up with 200 inches by the end of Winter.

I spent this morning visiting all the blogs I read and bookmarking the great Valentines ideas. Hopefully, next year I'll get started on them and link you to some in January.

Vintage Pillowcase challenge

Nothing like sqeeking in just under the deadline.... I have been thinking about what to do with my pillowcase. I appologize for not having a baby to model this cute little bonnet.

I wanted to feature the vintage print on the back of the bonnet.

Not as elaborite as some of the other great creations I've seen, but I wanted to challenge myself a little. It was fun to play along.

Happy Valentines Day

Happy Valentines Day. I hope your having a truly special day.Yes, I did have a blog address/name change. When I first set up my blog, I rushed into it and didn't have an address that matched my blog name. With the help of some fellow bloggers, I'm now the Blue Bobbin. My daughter made me a quick blue bobbin that I hope to replace at somepoint with something a little more whimsical. She just jumped right in and did it. Gotta love her!

This is my nine patch quilt with borders. How different it looks that the Trip Around The World Quilt I made with the same fabric collection. The red border really makes the flowers "pop". I have so much to learn about colors and quilting.

Thanks, to Amanda Jean, I have my blocks together with the sashing. Had I taken a picture, like she told us to, prior to sewing together, I would have avoided all those little blocks joining in the upper right hand corner. I have really learned alot through this whole process. Thanks Amanda Jean!

You Make My Day

Elizabeth, at Oh Fransson! tagged me with this award! Have you seen what Elizabeth did for the Vintage Pillow Case Challenge? Amazing, I tell you! She makes wonderful baby quilts. I ordered a purse from her Etsy store for a Christmas present. I am very humbled.


This award is then to be forwarded to 10 people whose blog brings you inspiration & happiness. I am very pleased (In no particular order) to pass this award to:
AmandaJean, Amy Jo, Lynn, Alison, Kieny, Kim, Jessica, Regina, Amy
and Liesl.

You gals always inspire me with what you make. I'm so happy to have you to share all things fiber with. "You Make My Day"
Thanks!

Wristlets

I've been working on these for some time now, but didn't want to post till I completed them.They were done on size 1 needles. I made the touch of filigree wristlets, version from the pattern.
It's very cold in Northern Michigan. I don't wear gloves as often as I should, but I do love how these beauties peak out from under a jacket sleeve. They help keep me warm and my fingers "free".

I'm usually good at getting the first sock, mitten, wristlet done, but lag on that second one. So one more shot because their both done!




I completed my nine patch squares today and joined them with white, floral squares. Tomorrow, I hope to go out to get fabric for the borders and binding. I'm so pleased with this little quilt.

Wee Friends

My very first Olive! I've already cut out another one. I can hardly wait to make more. There are two little girls that live on my block that will be recieving one sometime this Spring. Too Cute! The Pattern is so easy to follow.
For my birthday, my dear friend Lisa made me the blue Olive. Now, she has a wee friend!

Think Pink

Two of my outfits are complete and ready to ship. I plan to get the others done and in the mail on Thursday. All that pink! Speaking of pink... The Cottage Magpie is doing a Valentines give away.
With the leftover 2.5 inch blocks from this Trip Around the World Quilt, I decided to try the Nine Patch Tutorial. I've had it on my sidebar as something I want to do, and when Sew Mama Sew, posted it I knew now was the time.
I had enough squares to make 9 blocks. The blocks turned out like this:
I was really wowed by how cute it was after it was cut and sewn again!
I really like Kirsten's quilt with the solid blocks added in too. Now you know what I'll be up to this week!

A Day In My Room

I belong to a Moda Club at a local quilt shop. We're making this Mystery Quilt. We meet the third Wednesday of every month, so now I'm not going to be up all night the night before cutting this out! Our first assignment was to just cut the strips. I love the colors of these fabrics.
I know, but I can't seem to get enough of these Wonder Wallets. I did some with the velcro closures, but I think I like the ones with snaps best. I poke a hole through the fabric and then align the snap with the hole.
Completed one more item that has been taking up space around here. Our old neck warmer (microwave flaxseed), got torn apart. I used the old one as a base for this one. I was able to save some of the sented filling. The fabric is from a trip on a Thrifty Tuesday. I really want to make several of this pattern.

The Last Block

Block 12 is D - O - N - E ! Yeah! (I had to do this one twice cause I messed it up the first time...) I only made one of each block. I'm thinking about sashings, but have never done that before...something else new to try... I'll have to research this a little more. I'm hoping to have this project completely done by the end of the month. There, I said it, now I have to make it true... After, I completed block 12, I worked on something I've been thinking about for some time now, the Just a Jotter, by Bits 'n Pieces. (I checked their website, but couldn't find the pattern there.) I need to buy a special pen for this, but wanted to take a pic of it today.
There is a pocket on the flowered side for a tablet. While doing this project, I learned alot about how I would do it different the next time, but there will
be more of these. I think they would make great little gifties don't you?