2016 Calendar Quilt

Overnight, I've thought about losing the leaf point. And, I've decided that it doesn't really bother me. Autumn leaves are not perfect. Neither is mine. 

With regards to colour, my plan is to have at least one colour in each block repeated in another block. The penguin belly is the background to the heart. The yellow background, and the orange from the penguin’s feet will form part of the daffodil. Leaves from the daffodil will be used in the Christmas tree. Not every fabric will be repeated elsewhere, but one of the fabrics in the block will. This will hopefully give the quilt continuity across the months/blocks.

2016 Calendar Quilt - October

The block for October has been done.  The choice of design was made by The Beloved.

There is a rule of quilting, "Don't point out your mistakes!"  I'm going to break that rule, but simply because this was the first bit of American paper piecing I have tried.  The longest leaf point should have a bit of yellow at the tip.  I forgot to leave a border on my patchwork, and things got a little silly.

I'm debating re-doing it.  

Stash Diving

These were actually the first finished items of 2016.  They used up several balls of stash yarn.

(5 finished projects, and 6 balls of stash used up)

Hat-a-thon 2016

This is the 4th or 5th year I have had a hat-a-thon.  The aim is to make 26 hats within the space of a month, a marathon of hats.  A few of the hats end up with family and friends, but the majority are donated to charities.

A couple of days ago I learned a group on the Island are looking for hats for babies and children.  These will be given to refugees on the mainland of Europe.  The collection date is 3 weeks away, so I don't know if I will be able to complete the hat-a-ton in that time, but I'll give it a good go.  

Here's hats 1 and 2.

2016 Calendar Quilt - January

And here is the January block for the Calendar Quilt.

2016 Calendar Quilt - February

One of the hazards of being a Time Lord is that life doesn't always follow in chronological order as seem from the standpoint of a neutral observer.  This explains why the February block was the first one to be completed.  Either that, or it was a nice simple one to get me started.  February is a simple appliquéd heart.  

The blocks will each be 12" (finished size).

The Mighty Squibs

The Mighty Squibs have swum passed Bray Hill, taken a right turn at the Quarterbridge Roundabout, on through Union Mills, Glen Vine, Crosby, Greeba Castle, and on to Greeba Bridge. This is just over 6 miles in 11 days! We are definitely on course for finishing those 37.5 miles before Easter.

Huzzah and puppy snuggles.

Swimming the TT

I am a sucker for challenges. This is so true. Fe challenged me to take part in 'Swim the TT' or as it properly called, TT Swim Challenge 2016. The TT circuit is 37.5 miles long, and a team of four of us is going to swim its length. 

Depending on when the challenge started, which might be this year, or today, I have either swum 1.1miles (1.8km) or 0.62miles (1km). I so hope it is the first! 

Resolutions - it's a new year after all

Last year, I took the Cold Sheep challenge.  I didn't buy any yarn for a year.  The total amount of yarn in the house became smaller as I was knitting and crocheting from stash. However, my general productivity decreased.  Out goes the 'no new yarn' mantra and in comes the idea that I can 'earn' the right to buy new yarn.  When I use up 100g of yarn I can then buy 50g of new woolly goodness.  So far this year I have crocheted 1x 50g ball of delightful alpaca.  But this isn't my resolution.

I've started work on 52 Weeks To An Organized Home.  Last week was the first challenge (I like challenges): Kitchen counters and sink.  Stuff that had accumulated in the kitchen was found new homes, or put in the bin.  Electrical gadgets that aren't used every day were relocated to the pantry shelves. The cleaning supplies and DIY stuff were moved to the laundry.The electrical gadgets are close to the kitchen, very accessible, but tucked away, giving clear counter tops. 

This week, the challenge is: Kitchen drawers and cabinets.  This is a large task, a very large one.  Looking over future challenges, there will be weeks when I have nothing to do, eg attic, basement, garage, 'back to school' etc.  Therefore, I'm going to split this challenge over this week and next.  This week is drawers - we have 6 kitchen drawers.  I can comfortably clean, tidy, sort and declutter one drawer a day. 

Today was the light bulb drawer. Also in the drawer are some screwdrivers, a ball of string and keys to various windows and the back door.  I've no idea why there's a drawer for light bulbs, screwdrivers, keys and string in the kitchen!  But that's were they are.  My inclination is for them to be in the laundry/utility room with the rest of the tools.  That room needs a good sorting out though.  If I just start dumping things in there it will turn into a complete and utter mess, rather than the partial mess it is just now.  The laundry room's turn will come at the end of February.  I'll hang on until then.

Next week will be the turn of the cabinets.  The other challenges will be off-set a week until I get to 'coupons'.  That's one I won't be doing.  But this 52 week organisation isn't my resolution either.

My actual resolution is to make my bed every day!  Yup, that's it.  Nice and simple.  It's a habit I want to instill in myself, and it's working.  I've managed 10 days of making my bed.  But's it's the 11th!  Not a problem, I'm just about to go change the sheets, and I'll make up my fresh, new bed.

Christmas 2015

A couple of quilted items from Christmas 2015.

A Nightmare before Christmas quilt:

 

And the reverse:

A Christmas Trees table runner.  There is a little gold star at the top of each tree.