FO: Strippy Strings

Back in December, I shared a quilt top.

I really can't tell you how much I loved this quilt top. Maybe it's because I made it among friends at a small retreat in the woods.
Or maybe it's because fabric is a medium for time travel, each scrap reminding me of a project (or multiple projects) made before.
Maybe it's because it's super colorful and scrappy, and that's the way to my heart.

Probably, it's all of these. And these reasons probably explain my delay in finishing the quilt. Quilting is the step that often stumps me. After seeing C use painter tape as a quilting guideline, inspiration struck.

I placed several pieces of tape in various directions, and then began to quilt straight lines in each section.

In this photo, you can see the intersecting lines. It was a slow process, but it gave me a chance to spend time with this beloved project.

And it is beloved.

I used Joel Dewberry herringbone for the binding. I've used this on countless quilts. I debated a scrappy binding, but I really wanted something that matched the back of the quilt.

The back features a large piece and a few large scraps, mostly from Jeni's Color Me Retro line.

And now, I will love the finished quilt as much I loved that top.

I will probably make another strippy string quilt in the future, since my string box is overflowing again.

FOs: Socks!

let me just say that both pairs of socks you're about to see have been finished. For months. Back in January, I talked a little about my knitting goals for the year. My sock yarn bin is overflowing, and I've been trying to make some sort of dent in it. There's no dent, but hey, look! Socks!

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First, Hermoine's Everyday Socks in Squoosh Ultra Sock-Vintage (available at ESK). This pair was fun to knit, and I love them, except that I would only cast on 60 stitches for a future pair. I've found that's my magic number on a size 1 needle.

I finished this pair in a month, which is big news for me.

Pair number two is Charade in Spun Right Round, Sparky the Sock, Rah Rah colorway. These are just about the most perfect sock ever. The fit is great (60 stitch cast on), the pattern was siumple enough to memorize, and the yarn. The yarn!

Yeah, I love them.

FO(s): Lazy Sunday quilts (on a Friday)

Instead of talking about why I haven't posted in awhile, how about I show you some quilts?

I've been crafting up a storm, and I finished this set of quilts for my step-mother a few months back.

Terri gave me free reign on the pattern and fabrics, just requesting quilts with a chevron look, one in brown & mint and another in brown & light blue. I chose to work May Chappell's Lazy Sunday pattern. This pattern was part of the gift bag at the Stash Bash two years ago, and I was happy to finally use it.

It's a great log cabin project, and one I would definitely make again! Although I started both versions simultaneously, at some point, it made more sense to concentrate on finishing one, and then the other.

I quilted them in the same way, using diagonal straight lines, and I love the effect. These are twin-size quilts, so quite an accomplishment! I especially love the backs.

I used a few leftover blocks and leftover stash to make my favorite scrappy back. These quilts were entirely made from stash (my blue/aqua stash doesn't look as if I touched it).

Personally, I love the light blue version.

I've been working on lots of other things, and I promise to visit this spot more often, and I hope you will, too!