In your own words.

Today is my day on the 'In your own words' blog hop. Many thanks to Madame Samm for organising the hop and to Linda from Buzzing and Bumbling for doing a really great job as our cheer leader. For this hop we were asked to tell you something about ourself using words in any way we liked. I spent a lot of time thinking about my project for the hop. I wanted to make something I needed, that would be useful and that I would enjoy making. Oh and time was a very important factor as I have only limited time for sewing and several big projects started or planned.

So from my stash I pulled these fabrics.

Seeing that lovely fabric with the knitting needles and yarn you have probably guessed that I decided to make a knitting tote. My old knitting bag had to be retired a few years ago due to old age and a lot of holes. Since then I have used recycled plastic bags to keep my projects together and clean. However this isn't very safe with pets around that like to nose into bags to see what's going on and also isn't environmentally friendly. 

The knitting fabric already has several knitting terms on it such as 'slip one', 'knit one' and 'check gauge   but I wanted to add some words of my own. Using the embroidery stitches on my Elna 6600 I embroidered Stay calm and knit around the maroon band. I hadn't used the alphabet on this machine before and it took a little time to remember how to enter the letters into the memory so it would embroider as a phrase. Once I'd remembered it stitched up very quickly. Just as I finished it I remembered I had a digital copy of the manual on my computer!

I practised my FMQ doing a loopy pattern over the bag but not on the band with the lettering. I have finally managed to master getting the stitches an equal length and moving the fabric smoothly. I've decided that FMQ is a bit like learning to drive (especially a car with a gear shift). When you first start learning there seems to be too many things to concentrate on - while you work on one thing another goes slightly awry. So I've now reached the point of being a very early novice with FMQ rather than a total disaster area. Unfortunately my loops and squiggles don't really show up in the photo.

For the lining I used some polka dots - they seem appropriate for any project.

It felt good to be putting my latest knitting project - a jumper for my older daughter - into my new knitting tote. It's very roomy and all the items for the project including the completed pieces fitted in with ease.

Everything now looks neat and tidy and the tote doesn't look out of place next to my favourite chair in the living room all ready for me when I want to relax and knit while I watch a programme on TV.

So does this project tell you anything about me. Yes it tells you that as well as quilting I also knit.   The words I have machine embroidered on the band form a continuous sentence with no full stops between each phrase. This is because if I am calm I knit but also if I knit I stay calm.  

Let me show you some things I've knitted in the last year. First there were 15 baby blankets that I knitted for Project Linus. I also knitted several prem baby hats.

Then there was a little knitted rabbit for Isabel, the daughter of a friend of my son's, who was born in May 2012

There was a baby blanket for Isabel. This was fun to do because the pattern was slightly more intricate but still relaxing to knit.

Squares for blankets to be given to Battersea Dog and Cats Home. I love the paw print.

I helped Lucy, my younger daughter, knit an elephant as a birthday present for a friend

I'm currently knitting a jumper for my older daughter. The back and front is finished and I've started the first sleeve. It's in chunky wool so knits up quickly.

and finally, I still have to finish this jacket for me. Unfortunately I have been having too much fun quilting to finish this before. I have also agreed to knit some more blankets for Project Linus.

There you have it, a little more information about me. I hope you enjoyed reading this post and now go and visit the rest of the ladies posting today. Since the hop started there have been lots of lovely and creative items made so relax and enjoy.

Wednesday, January 16

My Collection of Things  

Quiltin' Jenny  

Shade Tree Quilting 

(Rosemary B.) at “that other blog”

Pat Sloan, The Voice of Quilting 

Dachsies With Moxie  

Sew Many Yarns You are here.

Tomorrows Treasures Today 

The German Mom  

Christa Quilts 

Read, Quilt, Cook, Pray 

Sew We Quilt  

Planning ahead here are 2 fun events coming up later this month.

1. Grow your Blog Party on the 19th January. This is being organised by Vikki at 2 Bags Full. It isn't too late to sign up. No sewing needed to join in. The link here will take you to the information about it.

2. Dare to Dresden Blog hop organised by Madame Samm and with Christine from Quilt monster in my closet as our cheerleader. The hop runs from January 24th to the 31st ( not over the weekend). My day is January 25th.

Happy Sewing