last day of the year

Today I spent the day with my Mom and two sister's.It was just one of the nicest day.We went to the quilt shop and tried to help my sister organize her new office.There is still a lot to sort .We also had to make a stop at the local yarn shop.Then of coarse buy stuff. This  is just gonna be a short post. Have a Happy New Years!

Wrapped

The presents are wrapped. Yippee ! This never happens. Usually it is 12mn on Christmas eve I start to panic and my son helps me finish wrapping. I just finished my last hat.They are so much fun to do on a loom.

We still have to do the grocery shopping.
Then Christmas after gift opening some of us go to see a movie.Dinner will be later in the day but that way we can have time to work off our brunch.

 I wish everyone a Merry Christmas :)

almost ready

Every year no matter how I do things someones always seems to get more than others.I think my kids realize it evens out.The presents are all separated and some are wrapped.It was so much fun to open my door today and find a pile of packages.Hopefully the rest will come too.
If anyone out there  is interested in January  will be joining LifeWithGert.blogspot.com in making a needle case.Of coarse you are welcome to join.Well that's all for tonight 

count down.

Nothing is wrapped yet.I am still trying to finish up what projects I can. No  matter what I do from year to year I find this the most stressful  time of the year.Yet we all manage to  make it. Here is something funny. I bought this fabric The Gastlies  in 2 different colors to make for to different kids. Still it hasn't been cut and the reason is it is so cute I can't make up my mind.Well I told my kids that they won't  be getting  that project till I can figure out what to do.Even my Mom was asked for ideas.We think maybe a apron for my daughter.  Then maybe pillows for my son and girlfriend.I will let you know.

  The socks are still a work in progress.My Mom is ahead of me in progress .Then the other day she says I don't think I will do socks again.Wouldn't you know I got her sock yarn for Christmas.We had the family party yesterday so she has them but I had told her already.We just laughed.

  What I am most excited  about is that in January we get to go back to The Upstairs Inn to stay.If you ever get to go away to relax and sew you know what I mean.I always pack way to much but that's OK.It nice to be able to spend time with my Mom and sister.That 's all for tonight.

Monday and the weather is delightfull

Well the tree is up and trimmed. My camera phone doesn't take a good picture. Sorry about that I am working on getting a better camera.Now just the totes need to be put away.
 I made fudge earlier today but haven't tried it yet.For my sugar cookies I think I will use my sister's recipe.You can find it on LifeWithGert.blogspot.com.They are really good.
 My kids and myself are starting to get the pre Christmas stress.None of us have extra cash for buying alot. Hopefully we can all sit down and rethink for next year. I haven't done well getting things made this year.My son is going to re purpose shutters that I got for free this fall.We will let you know how they turn out.
        Have a good night!

go away rain.

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before the night is over

Posting a little late tonight.Well my socks are giving me problems.My Mom can't even figure out what I have done. Maybe I just got ahead of myself and need to step back.I do believe that making them on 2 separate needles would have worked better with my brain.
  My hat didn't get worked on today.Another thing with that I think one single yarn would of been better.It is a little hard pulling it over the peg because it is so thick.The colors are nice together.
  Today I started to put together a scarf using granny squares.One day my wish is to make a lap size afghan.Instead this will be a Christmas present. I will try and post pics soon.
 Don't laugh but I watched the first Harry Potter movie tonight.Two of my kids read most of the books and I have seen bits of the movies.My goal is to watch them all.
 Well have a good night and sweet dreams.

winter wonderland

Thursday

Well I finished reading The Gap Year last night.If you have a teenage daughter you will appreciate the story.Those are difficult years for both parents and kids.
  I started a hat for one of my granddaughters last night.I am using a plastic circle loom.They are so much fun to do and fast.The yarn I am using was from my sister.Pastel pink,variegated pastels two strands of yarn at a time.When I get the brim done I will post a picture and then when I am done .Funny I tend to make them too big and my kids just laugh.
 My mom made me a few years back Winter Wonderland by Crabapple Hill. it is done in redwork with pieced star blocks.I hung it in my bedroom.It  has a white background so it is one of those quilts you don't want to get dirty .Here is a peak . Hope you had a good day.
   P.S.   Happy Birthday to my sister Sue !!

Wow the last Tuesday of the month

Well I did the wrong thing with my socks so they are back on the 40" cables.Today's class was good I am having trouble with the turn and sliding of the socks.My brain takes a while to sink in.I am glad I haven't promised anyone socks yet.This is the first time I can remember my Mom was learning something along with me. She can do just about anything.What would we do without our Moms?

Then  Mom and I went to the local outlet to help her shop .What deals she found at Old Navy.I got a couple things on sale for my daughter at another store.The weather was great it didn't start raining till later.  
   My son came over and got some of the Christmas stuff down from the attic so I can start to decorate.I love real trees but a few years back I got a nice artificial one. It saves on trees and my pocketbook.Plus I can leave it up safely till the New Year.

rambling

I haven't posted in a few days. First off I hope everyone had a good holiday.We went to see the new  J.Edgar movie.How sad to spend your whole life not be able to be true to yourself.I haven't been reading so nothing on my book to report.What I have doing is eating , dishes , visiting  and eating.
      My knitting class is in the morning.Not much progress on my socks but I did change my needles to two separate ones.It looks like I put them on the needles backwards.                                                                
        My son got the Christmas lights up outside.Color lights this year its so pretty when it snows.
       Well  I need to get back into my projects .Have a good night.

My socks

shawn's quilt

socks

Well my Mom and I started our sock class.Yarn is plymouth yarn 75% acrylic and 25% wool in color 0194 .Which is a light gray. The needles are addi turbo size us 3  40 " cable . The first shop I went to I got what they called sport weight . Wrong stuff so this was less money and prefect for the first ones.Both socks are cast on and 3 rows done.I learned how to do the Norwegian cast on.For the hat class we cast on using a different method.Too bad I didn't write that down.Its like having a private lesson, only 3 of us in the class.When I try to learn something new it takes me a few times of doing it before catching on. Written patterns usually confuse me.Off to see my grand kids for a while.

Monday

I started to read The Gap Year by Sarah Bird last night.When I am done I will let you know how I liked it.Good read so far.Without the local library oh what can I say .It would be dreadful. My Nook and I are not what I was hoping for.Maybe someday. I start a knitting class Tuesday. Making socks two at a time.This is the second class I have taken.First was a simple hat that fits my grandson to a tee.More to come.

Sunday

Ok I lost my first draft.Today I got the hand sewing done on the binding of the quilt my son is getting for Christmas.Yippee!! This takes me forever to do for some reason. The pattern is Pennsylvania steps , done mostly in darker colors in big prints.Instead of sending off to be machine quilted I did the big stitch. I.t was fun and went pretty fast.I will try to to post a picture.Usually I get someone else to do this cause I don't know how.Now I have to finish my daughter's quilt.This one still needs to have the big stitch done. That's all for today. Have a good night.

motivation

Well my sister and I are going to post our Christmas projects on our blogs. Hopefully we can get our other sister in on this also.We try to get together on Saturdays and work on things.Last year we where sewing coats. Hers is done and it looks great on her.Mine is still on the to do list.

Today I worked on advent calenders .I am making 3 of the same for each of my kids families.I got the panels from my sister's quilt shop O ' Susannah's Quilts and Gifts. Next week my sister will put the pictures up of the process. Everything is cut out and I have started pressing .My backing fabric is picked out also.

When my kids were younger theirs was wrapped boxes on a cut out tree that was painted green. My husband cut it out of flake board I think. Sadly I no longer have it. As they got older I think I got more enjoyment out of picking out the gifts and filling the boxes. Hopefully my Grand kids will enjoy this as much as I am making it for them.