Life in the jungle

My mind is a jungle of ideas.  My garden is, well, a jungle. I'm still running back and forth between inside and out, trying to accomplish everything at once.  Though Easter Sunday forced me to slow down.  A quiet brunch with my tribe and an afternoon nap. Some knitting on the back porch.
Those little snowball blocks up there are slowing me down as well.  I started out sewing them on the machine, but they were pulling and bunching up at the seams, so I tried a few by hand and I was really pleased with how they turned out.  I highly recommend gathering your supplies in a little basket and hand piecing out in the spring air and sunshine.
In case you want to make some, here's what I'm doing.

From an assortment of dark/medium and light squares cut some 3" blocks

Now cut 1 3/8" blocks, 4 of the same color (light or dark) I know it makes my eyeballs hurt just typing that number, never mind cutting them to that size.

Place 4  matching tiny light blocks on the corners of a 3" dark/medium block
Place 4 matching tiny dark/medium blocks on the corners of the 3" light blocks.
Here's a tutorial on how to sew them.
I didn't mark my little squares first before sewing.  Instead, I folded them in half diagonally and pressed across the fold with my fingernail.  This leaves a faint press line that you can follow when sewing.
Arrange the finished blocks alternating light corners against dark corners (I have 4 sewn together in the bottom right side of the picture)
I have no idea what I'm going to make.  I feel like if I give this project a name or commit to a specific size, it will spoil the magic of making them.

The yarn is from Quince & Co.   I've been wanting to try out the color Carrie's Yellow, and finally went ahead and ordered some. When it won't get out of your head, you might as well give in to it.
I'm thinking maybe a very long 1x1 rib scarf to go with all those neutrals hanging in my closet. A simple scarf from beautiful yarn.

Here's a few links of things I've been into this last week, in case your bored:

"Cooked" on Netflicks
"In Defense of Food" on PBS
This U-Tube video is a typical day at my house, but replace the cat with a small dog and me saying "All I want to do is crochet" EDIT: Looks like the video was removed. Too bad, it was funny!
 
I bought this pattern, and this one, and this one too.  Haven't made any of them yet.
 I REALLY want to go to Squam for my birthday in September.  Anyone going???
The jungle grows.

Happy place

Off the hook is Southbay Shawlette in Malabrigo sock.  The color is Impressionist sky.  Those people sure know how to name their yarn.  This shawl took one whole skein using a 7 (4.5) hook with a few yards to spare.  There have been about a bazillion of these made on Ravelry, with all types of yarns.
In my cupboard are 2 balls of Cascade alpaca lace in a pretty apricot color that may just turn into another one.  They say this is called a potato chip pattern.  You can't make just one.

I'm building a baby quilt using blue/green scraps and my old white standby Kona snow (here is a tutorial for the X block).  This one needs to be shipped off to Canada sometime in April.  That means I have to get to it and not start anything else.  And of course there are so many quilts I want to make right now!  The sun is out, the birds are singing, the garden is calling and all of it is fueling a creative furnace in my head. There are clothes hanging on the line, seedlings ready to plant, and patio furniture to be re-painted. There is a dress pattern on the way, a pile of soft cotton on the shelf waiting for a chance to become a new frock and a delicate crocheted wrap about half way done. I'm bursting with ideas and am not able to corral them fast enough. Every morning I stand in the hallway, holding my coffee cup, trying to decide whether to go outside or into the sewing room. Amazing what a few days of sunshine can do for the soul.
Spring is a short season around here.  But when it arrives, it surely knocks your socks off.
Well, the socks are officially off.

P.S.  Thank you for all your comments.  I appreciate each and every one.  However some of you are no-reply bloggers and I can't respond back, so I'm not ignoring you! If you need help changing that up let me know.

Birthday quilt

I finished this quilt for my niece two days before her birthday party.  Last month I delivered the Hudson Bay camp blankets to her little boys for their birthdays, and she loved the deer fabric I used and asked if she could have a quilt made up of woodland animals.  I told her where to look online for fabric so she started a Pinterest board.  I then followed her board and was able to find a lot of the fabrics she liked, then added to it from my stash.  Now the three of them have new quilts!  The oldest boy (aged 7) sleeps with his every night.  He told his mom that he wants it underneath the top comforter, in case robbers came into the house, they wouldn't see his quilt and try to steal it.  That's quite a compliment! (or they need to move out of that neighborhood ha ha)
Anyway, Ashley's quilt is made using 6.5 inch squares laid out in a nine patch pattern with 1.5 inch lattice in between.  I think it measures 60 x 64.  It had to be simple and fast, and patchwork always does the trick.
I just started a blanket for my cousin in Canada who is getting ready to have her first baby in April. It's turning out cute so far, and is all from my stash and very scrappy.
Stay tuned.