Spring Cleaning, a bag and a prom.

A stash mish-mash......

This is about half my scraps.  There is another bin in the closet.  Usually when I work on a project, I take some of the leftover fabric and cut it into 2 or 3 inch squares or strips, to be used for future scrap quilts.  This has gotten away on me and it's growing like a bad rash.  I have been tripping over the piles, moving them around and then back again.  Besides there is a fantastic scrap quilt pattern I want to revisit, and it's going to take some reorganization.

The pattern I'm thinking of requires your fabric to be broken down into lights, mediums, and darks.
I also made a separate pile of strips for log cabin blocks or binding.

Then I reorganized my bigger cuts into cubbies.

 Now we're talking. One more closet to go......

While in above messy closet, I pulled out some great Monaluna organic cotton I had been saving, dropped everything, and made this bag....

It's a pattern from Happy Zombie (love her blog), and you can also find it here.  I made it bigger, (12x18) so it would be more of a tote-size.  I already pulled fabric to make another in the original 8x10 size.  It was so fun and easy to make!

Now before I go I just have to share some pics of my son's high school prom.  These boys have known each other since elementary school, and they all play sports together, and are quite the Band of Brothers.  I don't know whose idea it was to wear white tuxedos, but they all jumped in together, sporting different colored vests and ties.

My husband took these pictures, as I had just gotten out of the hospital, and couldn't go see them off. My son is the fifth from the left.  One of the mothers said they looked like Easter eggs!  Here are the girls.  Just as colorful!

They rented a party bus, went to dinner, and then on to the dance.  How do you top that?

Is this my baby boy?  Waaaaaa! When did this happen???  I would give my left ovary (oh wait, I just did), to have him 3 years old again, sitting on my lap in the rocking chair, fresh from a bath, and reading him a story.  I think he has other interests now ; )

Granny does the dishes

Home bound with a laptop.  What do you do?  Click here.  Click there.  Buy more yarn and fabric.  I need to slow down the UPS truck.  Use up some old yarn stash.  This pile of cotton has been glaring at me for a while now.  I don't even remember what I bought it for.

Thank you Pinterest for keeping me busy and showing me the way.  I found this pattern which is really just a granny square dishcloth.  But the edging is so cute, and there is a nifty instruction to start your round with a chain 5 instead of three.  This works out great when you come around and hook back into it.  It gets rid of that chain 3 thingy that stands out at every round.  The yarn is Peaches and Creme, and I'm glad to finally put it to use so I don't feel so guilty every time I look at it.  

I made the blue one following the pattern which was 6 rounds of the main color, and it came out a whopping ten inches.  You could use it to wash your car, never mind the dishes.  So for the rest, I did 5 rounds, which brought them down to 9 inches square.  This worked out better anyway, because using a G hook with 100% cotton worsted yarn was like playing tug of war. 

The last time I made dishcloths was in the fall, and those are looking pretty tired by now.  These are bright and summery and when you pull open the drawer, they practically leap out at you, ready to clean up after a party.

Good news!  My doctor has given me the okay to start driving this week, so I'm looking forward to getting outta here for a spell.  First, I think I will go and dirty some dishes, so I can wash them with my new dishcloths!

A pieceful spring

There are usually three events that occur at my house every year to let us know that spring has arrived.
Event #1   Plant tomatoes

Since I'm not allowed to lift a shovel, I just sat on the sidelines and took pictures of middle daughter putting in the plants, while I dictated instructions.  I tried not to sound too bossy ; )  I love this planting part.  Followed closely by the eating of the tomatoes part.  Of course she had a little help.

Event # 2  Opening day at the pool

This crazy dog will get in and just sit on the top step the minute the outside temperature reaches above 75 degrees.  Never mind that the water temp. is probably only in the 50's, he is all about taking a dip.  We also have a black Labrador retriever, who you will not find in the picture, because he hates the water.  If you turn on the garden hose he will run to the next county.  I know.  Weird.

Event # 3  The Swallow Games

They're baaaaaaaack!  I love birds, ( I even own a very good pair of Nikon binoculars that were chosen specifically for birding) but these swallows are a thorn in my rear end.  See that one up there wants to make a little mud nest under my patio.  How cute right?  WRONG.  Bad birdie. Go find a barn or a freeway overpass.  I've  been told that swallows are on the endangered list, though I can hardly believe it, there are millions zipping around here every spring.  Not only are the nests messy, but the dive bombing, pooping little rascals create a whole unpleasant atmosphere on my patio.  Not fun.

 You see if I let him stay, not only will he be back next year, he will bring his friends.  And those friends will come back and bring more friends, until the whole patio is filled up like a swallow condo time share.  There is over 30 feet of prime swallow nesting up there.  No. Way.
Now I would never harm them (or their eggs or babies),  but I don't want them around, so I have to make sure we knock down their nest before it's built.  Every time they add mud, we get out the hose or broom and remove their handiwork.  And on and on it goes to see who will give up first.  Usually after a few weeks they take off to find another spot.  Yay we win!  Until next spring when they try again.

Recovery Blanket

Hi everyone!  I'm back (minus a few parts) and my surgery went well.   This process of healing is very slow, and I can see that I will have to muster up some patience and take it easy.  I have lots of help at home though, and friends have been bringing over meals and flowers.  It's sure nice to be pampered this way!

When I went into the hospital it was raining all week.  Since coming home spring has arrived and it's glorious!  I love sitting outside on the deck chair listening to the birds, wrapped in my new blanket.

I really thought it was going to be my ripple (it's almost done) that would be my blankie of comfort during my recovery.  But I zoomed right through this one and finished it up a few days ago.  Really the title of this post should be  "Crocheting yourself to distraction, while under the influence of narcotic drugs".  I'm surprised it isn't full of mistakes.

It sits on my lap nicely while I'm laying on the couch, and comes outside with me for coffee in the morning.  It's a very agreeable kind of blanket.

I worked on it when I went to the hospital for an outpatient procedure just before my surgery, and I  took it to the hospital when I went back last week.  It has been my constant companion since I came home, just me and blanket, hooking, hooking, hooking, in between dozing on the couch.  We have been through a lot together, this blanket and me.

Here is the recipe for the recovery blanket:

Pattern: Dottie Angel's  Ordinarily Extraordinary Blanket
Yarn:  Patons Canadiana Acrylic
Hook: Size 4.5mm
Joined each row with single crochet.  Border is two rounds of sc, then one round of dc, ch1, dc......

 Time for a nap now.  Toodles.

Happy Hexagons

I have gone and started something new *sigh*.  Really, this is all Annette's fault. ( Hi Annette!)  She began making those darn hexagons and I didn't even hesitate.  Just grabbed a scrap of fabric and some paper and the next thing you know I had a pile.  This blog too, was making them, and I have to wonder what took me so long to try this paper piecing thing.  

So far I'm using my vintage sheet stash.  And I couldn't be satisfied with a normal sized hexie,  I had to super size it (like here).  I have absolutely no idea what I'm going to do with these big ones yet. 

But I did make a little table topper...

I'm going to practice my free motion quilting on this one, and add some hand quilting too.

 And what's a little hexagon making without some crochet?

Love. Making. Hexagons.  Can you tell?

 This will be my last post for a while, since my surgery is right after Easter.  I will still be visiting everyone to see what you're up too!  I'm hoping for an easy recovery with the help of some good drugs my family, and the second season of Downton Abbey on DVD.
 Hope you have a great weekend!
Lynne