A Hat for a Friend

Here is the hat that I made for my friend, Phyllis.  I haven't knit very many things before and I'm really enjoying it.  It will be a great activity for the slower winter months.  The top photo was taken in the glorious PA Fall sunshine.  It sure was a nice day today! 

I also had two little hat models so that I could show the two pin on brooches that Phyllis can interchange.  The hat also looks great without either, so she'll have some options.

Aren't they cute?  And they were so willing to help out!  Now if I could just get them to clean their rooms!

Back from a long blogging respite

Apologies to my blog readers and to the bloggers whose blogs I enjoy!  I had to step away for a bit as life got out of my control.  Too much to do and not enough time!  Hopefully things are under control now and I'll have some time to post and to read my favorite blogs.  I have missed posting quite a few things, so there is lots to catch up on.

 Anyway, I have my potholders for Potholder Pass 4 to share.  I really like these.  I think I got this block pattern from Anna Marie Horner's blog.  It is a lovely argyle block.  I can see myself making more of these blocks for some other projects.  I think they turned out well, although I wish I would have finished them with a binding instead of simply turning them. 

And as you can see from the top picture, I 've been knitting, too.  It's been awhile, but I'm glad I picked up my needles again!  Knitting has been theraputic the past few weeks.  It also travels well to soccer and karate practices.  I knitted a hat for my dad, who recently had brain surgery, but I forgot to take a picture before I gave it to him.  I am making a similar hat right now for a friend who is undergoing chemo for breast cancer, so I'll be sure to take a photo of that one instead.

And on my other set of needles is a little blue hat for my baby on the way!  It will definitely be useful in January when he is supposed to arrive!

who knew? a few tips...

So, as I was starting my Wednesday morning corduroy cutting party, I was a bit disturbed by all of the lint.  And the red corduroy was impossible to get off of the cutting mat. 

I found a new favorite sewing tool...my lint brush! 

Maybe you all have used the lint brush for sewing for a long time, but for me it is a new and wonderful experience!  Just a few swipes over the fabric and then over the cutting mat and it was like I hadn't cut anything there at all.  The brush is also great for getting dog hair off the carpet. ;-)

That is tip number one.

Tip number two... never put your thumb in front of the rolling rotary cutter!  You already knew that though, right?

Picnic on the farm

Over the weekend we took the boys to my parents to stay for a week.  Rumor has it, they are having a great time and my husband and I are enjoying a bit of peace and quiet.  It sure is strange without them around though.  I miss them a lot! (Mom, don't let them know this!! lol )

We also went to a family picnic at my uncle's farm.  It was such a beautiful day and the fresh country air did us all some good.  The boys were excited to take a buggy ride (or two or three). 

Here is cousin Jim hooking up the horse with the boys anxiously waiting.

And they're off!

Super hubby got in on the action, too.  Here he is next to the horse, General.

We ended the evening with a fabulous walk through one of the fields up to the woods. 

Sometimes going home makes me even more homesick.

Wonderful Week of Sewing Part 2

Here is bag number three from my sewing spree.  I'm not sure what all of the fabrics are.  I am trying hard to clean up some of my fat quarters and scraps. 

Once again, I like the flower!

I also made two of these cute little owl pillows. 

 I have to thank Sarah for some of this fabric.  She sent it along with my amazing owl pillow that she made for me for Project Pillow Swap.  It had just the right colors to match my Debbie Mumm coffee bean fabric.

Hope you are all having a great Sunday!

FNSI and a wonderful week of sewing!

I had an absolutely fabulous week full of sewing!  I made so many things and now I feel a great sense of accomplishment.  I'll share two of the bags I made with you in this post since I finished one and started one during the Friday Night Sew In hosted by Bobbi and Heidi.

The first bag I made was from Debbie Mumm fabrics.  I love the coffee prints! It was a lot of fun to make.  I especially love the flower!

Sorry that the pictures in this post aren't real great.  It's late and I'm too exhausted to be creative.  The last picture is the inside of the bag if you couldn't tell. :)

The second bag is from the tutorial on Bobbi's blog.  I LOVE this pattern!  I will be making many more of these.  Again, the picture won't do this bag justice, but in person it is AWESOME!

Now, off to bed so I can sew in the morning!

Gute Nacht!

Just when you thought I had fallen off the face of the earth...

I'm back!   Many apologies to my Angel volunteer, Sarah for not posting this awesome owl pillow cover as soon as I received it.  Sarah made me the most beautiful pillow ever for Project Pillow Swap after she already made a pillow for her assigned partner.  The colors are perfect for my living room and I love owls! 

I would love to link up to her blog, but she doesn't have one. 

Yesterday I went to the local farmer's market.  Our veggies in northwest PA aren't that big yet, like this cute little cabbage I got.  Anyone have a good mayo free coleslaw recipe??

But our flowers are in full swing!  Look at the brilliant colors in this bouquet that I bought yesterday!  It is so vibrant and fun.