Cherry Bomb

Yarn Bombing - The activity of covering things in public spaces (e.g. lampposts, trees, statues etc.) with knitted materials.

I will admit it, I am fascinated with the idea of yarn bombing!  When I read that a group was seeking help to yarn bomb a cherry tree at the historic Joy Kogawa House in Vancouver I thought it would be a fun project for my oldest granddaughter and I to do together.  We did a bit of research and found out some interesting facts about one of Canada’s most beloved writers, Joy Kogawa.  After learning about the importance of this special cherry tree, we both agreed that it would be fun to contribute to this project!  We each crocheted a small flower from some sparkly pink yarn that will help Joy's historic cherry tree bloom just a little early this spring and we had so much fun making these flowers that we may crochet a few more to encourage an "early spring" here at home too! 

If you would like to learn more about this project or yarn bombing in general, visit yarnbombing.com.

Watch Me Grow Chart

The lil' cowboy's Watch Me Grow Chart is all finished!  I followed the pattern from Moda Bake Shop only I used scraps and old baby clothes instead of a jelly roll. It was a fast and easy project that I know will be treasured for years to come!

Organization

 There are so many wonderful blogs out there...all with patterns, recipes and fantastic ideas that I don't want to forget, so I try and organize and bookmark those pages for future reference.  Sounds like a good plan, doesn't it?  Unfortunately, my blog list and bookmarks have grown to be such a jumbled up mess that I can't find anything!  Last week I saw a roll recipe on one of the blogs that I read regularly and bookmarked it (because they looked like amazing rolls) but do you think I could find the recipe when I wanted it?  No!  I finally did find it, but not without a huge headache and a lot of wasted time.  Obviously, I need a better way to keep my blog list and bookmarks organized.  Tell me...how do you keep the ideas that you find online organized?

Oh, if you want to know more about the Pani Popo recipe that was the cause of my aggravation, it can be found at Applique Today!  http://appliquetoday.blogspot.com/2011/01/tasty-tuesday_18.html

Quilting Season!

It was 19 BELOW zero on my front porch this morning!  Oh yes, it is the dead of winter in northern Pennsylvania and if you weren't already sure, quilting season has definitely arrived!

Cowboy Laundry?

This pile of shirts and jeans may look like a load of laundry, but actually it will all be going into my next quilting project!  A few months ago I saw this Watch Me Grow Chart on Moda Bake Shop and when I showed it to the lil' cowboy's mommy she said it was just what they needed!  Military families move a LOT, so tracking the lil' cowboy's height on his closet door the way we did for his daddy is pretty much out of the question.  A quilted growth chart made from some of his old baby clothes and scraps from his cowboy quilts will be the perfect alternative!

Announcing The AAQI Quilt-A-Month Club!

I had no idea that Ami Simms was planning a Quilt-A-Month Club when I made my New Year's Resolution to make one Priority: Alzheimer's Quilt a month for 2011, but between this new group and the Creating for a Cure challenge that is going on over at Rene' Creates I have lots of incentive to keep up with my resolution!   The idea of quilting for a good cause should be reason enough to join in, but it's my hope that these groups will give every quilter an extra reason to join in the fight against Alzheimer's disease.  Why not commit to making Priority: Alzheimer's Quilts along with me this year?

For more information about the AAQI Quilt-A-Month Club please visit www.alzquilts.org and to learn more about the Creating for a Cure challenge visit www.renecreates.com.

Cables ARE Easy!

Today's lesson?  Just because something looks complicated, doesn't mean that it is complicated!  I have been wanting to learn how to knit cables for quite some time, but I've always been a bit intimidated by them...cables just look so darn complex!  After some assurance from a few knitty friends that cables are "easy" I decided to try a small cabled project.  I am using a pattern that was written special for cable newbies, the Cable Spa/Dishcloth  from Needle Notes.  I only had to knit a few rows before I realized that all my knitty friends were right...cables ARE easy!

(If you knit this project, take note that there is a misprint in the pattern, the correct number of stitches to cast on is 36, not 46.)

IHAN Is Coming To The MLQG!

I think most quilt bloggers are familiar with Kelly Jackson, owner/operator of the online quilt shop, I Have a Notion.  Kelly has fast made a name for herself and her business within the quilting world by operating an online store with the same amount of personal attention that you would find in any local quilt shop.  Kelly lives in Ohio, but she also has family ties to Pennsylvania and visits here on occasion.  Luckily, her most recent visit (read about it HERE) came at the same time as a scheduled monthly meeting of the Mountain Laurel Quilt Guild and Kelly agreed to be our special guest speaker for the evening!  From what I understand, Kelly has all of her favorite quilting notions and gadgets with her and will be demonstrating many of them for us tonight and of course all will be for sale.  It promises to be a very fun guild meeting and visitors are always welcome, so please join us if you are in the area!

Maple Oatmeal Cookies

Maple syrup and oatmeal together in a cookie...sounds an awful lot like breakfast if you ask me!

Maple Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/2 cup real maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup quick oats

In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and brown sugar until fluffy.  Beat in the egg, syrup, and vanilla until well mixed.  Combine flour, baking powder and salt.  Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture.  Stir in oats.  Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes or until light brown. Cool on cookie sheet for two minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Cross Another One Off The List

I mentioned that I had a few little projects to take care of before starting any big projects and here is another one that I can cross off my list.  This tote bag is to hold the lil' cowboy's My Little Town play quilt and cars that I gave to him for his birthday.  Now I just have to decide if I should mail it or make another road trip and deliver it in person.

Creating For A Cure

Last week, Rene' of  Rene' Creates contacted me about the possibility of her creating a blog challenge based on my New Year's resolution to donate one quilt a month to the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative.  Of course, I thought a challenge was a wonderful idea and after a bit of discussion, the Creating for a Cure Challenge was born!  Please click over to Rene's post, Creating for a Cure, for all of the details and then get started on your January Priority: Alzheimer's Quilt!

Voilà A Valance

I've found that I have a few little sewing jobs to take care of, before I can start any new projects. First on the list is making a window valance to go with the comforters that we got our granddaughters for Christmas.  This was a simple project...just converting tab top curtains to valances.  Measure carefully, cut, press, sew a few straight lines and voilà a valance!

Far From Perfect

I finally started quilting my "Dear Jane" quilt and you can tell by my stitches that it has been a very long time since I have done any hand quilting.  I should have practiced on a small project on a bit before starting, but this quilt is far from perfect anyway, so I guess the irregular stitches will fit right in once it's done!

Resolutions

I've never been very good at making or keeping New Year's resolutions, but this year I am going to make one and do my very best to keep it!  In 2011 I am going to try my best to make one quilt a month to donate to the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative.  Last month researchers at the University of Michigan announced the development of promising new tools in the fight against Alzheimer's which was funded, in part, by donations from AAQI.  Yes, these tiny quilts are helping in the fight and each quilt donated makes a difference!  If you have never made a Priority: Alzheimer's Quilt won't you resolve to make at least one in the coming year?  If you have donated to AAQI in the past, why not try to make 1 or 12 more this year?

To find out more about the research being done at the University of Michigan read the article, Unraveling Alzheimer's: Simple small molecules could untangle complex disease.

Lucky Charms

What happens when you mix three generations of knitters/crocheters and more than a few packages of  KoolAid for a week?  You guessed it...lots and lots of yarn dyeing!  I believe we dyed 6 or 7 skeins of yarn over our Christmas vacation!  We used all sorts of color combinations and tried several different techniques too.  We found a stove-top method for self-striping yarn at Streets and YOs that worked especially well!  I used Lemon Lime, Strawberry, Lemonade and Pink Lemonade for this skein which my daughter-in-law appropriately named "Lucky Charms".  Now to figure out the perfect project to make with it!

Happy New Year!

Wishing you and your loved ones peace, good health, happiness and prosperity in the coming New Year.