Monday, April 22, 2013

Knitting and Crochet Blog Week – Day 1 4KCBWDAY1

Even though this is not a knitting blog and I am a few days late I've decided to participate in Eskimimi's fourth annual Knitting & Crochet Blog Week. I want to blog with more purpose and am hoping this will help me.

Day one is all about defining yourself as a knitter using the Harry Potter house sorting method. While I find a part of myself in each of the four houses I think it is fairly obvious that I am a bee.

House of Bee
The House of Bee: Bees are busy and industrious, but can flit from one interesting project to the next as bright and shiny things capture their interest.

I flit everyday and am constantly distracted by new projects but I am pretty good about finishing my projects (or at least completing  them to my idea of finished)

I am very industrious. As a Domestic Manager I have a lot to do everyday but I still try to find time to fit in a scrapbook page, a quilt block, and some knitting. My page is usually done in the early morning while Isabelle is eating and doing her thing. She likes to be independent first thing in the morning but this usually ends around 10am and then its time for playing with, reading with, or helping Mommy. The quilt block is usually done during nap time. Knitting is done in the evenings while watching TV with the hubster. If my beloved Mother in Law takes Isabelle in the morning or afternoon and I am able to use the time for myself I usually sneak in another page or block depending on how I feel.
House of Manatee
That said the reason I like to knit is because I love to make warm snugly useful things. How Manatee is that? To me knitting is all about comfort and warmth. Yes I know I know there is plenty of beauty and neato stuff too but if you look at my ravelry queue and finished objects you'll see that the majority is practical and warm. Such a shame I live in Texas and can only use that stuff two days a year.

The House of Manatee: Manatees are gentle, calm and cuddly. Relaxed and unflashy they represent the comfort and soft side of knitting and crochet.


House of Monkey
Why did I learn to knit in the first place? After all I needed another craft like I needed another hole in the head. It's because I am also a Monkey.

The House of Monkey: Intelligent and with a fun loving side, Monkeys like to be challenged with every project presenting them with something new and interesting.

That is me. I see someone else doing something and I am all about figuring out how to do it myself and almost every project I take on involves learning a new skill.

Last is the Peacock.
House of Peacock
The House of Peacock: Peacocks take something good and make it brilliant. Buttons, embellishments and a bit of sparkle prove that perfection lies in the details – like a Peacock's Tail.

I do not see a Peacock in my knitting. All to often I find a row of garter in a sea of stockinette and actually consider leaving it alone. OK I confess I have left a single row of garter in a sea of stockinette in two sweaters and a poncho. Obviously I do not sweat the details in my knitting. I do in my quilting and especially my scrapbooking so I conclude peacocks are more experienced in the craft and thus less distracted by new and shiny techniques. Unlike me they aren't struggling to just follow the pattern so they can easily spot and deal with mistakes in their own work and in the pattern.

However I am a huge peacock while scrapbooking. I would still consider myself mostly a bee while scrapbooking but peacock is closing the gap. I am believe I am 45% peacock while scrapbooking. Less than 10% while knitting. 30- 40% while quilting.

The House of Bee is definitely where I belong but I can see myself in any of the houses. I don't know how that hat does it at Hogwarts.

Smell the Flowers

Smell the Flowers


Credits:

The Park

The Park

Credits:

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Week Twelve: Finished

Finally this bad patch is over. I finished all the week twelve block on the 18th. Approximately a month behind schedule. In my defence I was very very sick but only for about a week. I really have no excuse for the other week I basically just kind of gave up for a bit.

I'm back on track now and I should be able to catch up with the original schedule. I'm not going to worry if I don't though because this is a year long project and I will get there when I get there.







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Week Twelve: RS8

I think I should have reverse appliqued this block and RS8 as that technique would have made it easier to keep the shapes in line on the background properly.

RS8 Love Forever







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Week Twelve: TR8

All applique all the time. Points are improving but still need work.

TR8 Brigadoon







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Week Twelve: RS4

Fun block I like the wrapped up look.

RS4 Dutch Apron







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Week Twelve: E5

I love this block it combines piecing and applique.

E5 Rising Sun







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Week Twelve: D13

This block was so easy it doesn't reall deserve it's own entry.

D12 Field of Dreams







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Week Twelve: C7

Stupid hard block. Lots of teeny tiny pieces and little sections to be put together.

C7 Megan's Mountain Laurel







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Week Twelve: Preparation

Week Twelve
This is the week where everything went wrong. The printer broke and then I got severely sick. Really took the heart out of me and half of this week's blocks sat unfinished for almost a month.

Rather fitting that this is mostly a blue week. Week twelve has one stupid hard block one stupid easy block two applique and three triangles. C7, D13, E5, RS4, TR8, RS8.





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Week Eleven: Finished

This was a very challenging block. Tons of inset seams and some very small pieces. I pieced the entire block except the tiny square in the center. Machine kept munching the square so to save the surrounding pieces I decided to applique the center patch. Worth the effort and definitely a favorite.

D2 Mouse in a Mirror

With this block week eleven is finished. Challenging week. Gorgeous blocks.




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