Amigurumi Santas

I can finally post the photo of my Amigurumi Santas! I designed my own pattern for these guys. If I can find my notes, I will post the pattern later. Two of them were shipped to Japan as prizes for entering my blog comment contest. I took a photo of them all together, before I shipped those two out. I didn't want to post the photo until my winners had received their prizes in the mail. I didn't want to ruin the surprise for them.

The Train Quilt is Finished!!!!!!

I thought it would never happen! But, yes! It is done! There were many times when I thought that I would quit and never quilt again! The trains are cheater panels, but it was hard to go around each image with my machine. The whole thing is machine pieced and quilted. I think the little fellow who is getting this should like it. He loves trains!

Felix thought it was kind of cute too! He was right on top of it the minute I put it on the table to photograph it. He is not a good judge, though! He loves any quilt I make!
Now going to wrap it up. The party is this evening! I finished it just in time! Merry Christmas!

Socks and Cats

Felix: These are cool! Are they for me? Can I have them, please?

Me: No, Felix! I made these especially for me!
Felix: Awwww. Please, pretty please! Pretty please with catnip on it!
Me: I just finished them. They are from the monkey socks pattern. I made them a little wider because my feet are swollen at the moment. They wouldn't fit you, Felix! Sorry!
Felix: Darn!
Me: Darn them? No way! I haven't even worn them yet!!!
Felix: Oh, boy! Very funny! Everyone is a comedian!

The yarn is Regia, I think. I bought it such a long time ago, that I really can't remember. I bought it on sale - very cheap! I guess I got what I paid for because the colour of the dark brown changed to a light beige halfway through the first sock. It is really not that noticeable and since they are for me, I won't worry too much about it. I really liked the pattern though! Easy and just enough of a challenge to make them interesting! Now on to other projects. Still have lots of things to finish before Christmas.

Me: What do you think of the socks, Mimi?
Mimi: They won't fit me! If I can't eat them or sleep on them, I am not interested!

An Early Winter Snow Storm!

We got dumped on! A storm blew over our area from Saturday evening through Sunday evening. The temperature dropped to -10C! The wind blew in gusts up to 70km/hr! Heavy snow fell, creating blizzard conditions! I could not even see the houses across the street from us! We even had a bit of thunder and lightening! The storm blew in from the south east, dropping 30cm of snow and creating a 1m high snow drift outside our back door. We had to dig our way out! It took all day to shovel the driveway and find our car!
Today the storm is but a memory! We have beautiful blue skies and a few light flurries. The snow looks very pretty on the branches of trees and bushes. Everything is sparkly! But it is still very cold and dangerous for walking! Soooooo...... The question is: What do you do when life gives you snowstorms? Do what I do! QUILT!!!!

Let There Be Cherry Pie For Dessert!

I was up early this morning - with nothing to do! Imagine that! A bag of fresh cherries had been sitting in my fridge for over a week. Nobody wanted to eat them! I couldn't give these little suckers away! Even my kids didn't want to take them home with them. I guess they didn't want to deprive me of the sumptuousness of fresh cherries at this time of year! But these things needed to be eaten or they would only be good for the compost bin! So I decided to bake a cherry pie! I know, I know! A cherry pie at 4:00am? But that is the way I do things! Because the recipe called for 4 cups of pitted cherries and I only had enough for 3 cups, I decided to use some apples to make up the difference. It turned out fantastic!

Helpers?

I tried to 'sandwich' a charity quilt this afternoon. I had plenty of help, as you can see! Felix and Oscar were both sitting on the quilt as soon as I spread it out on the table. Of course, as with all photo opportunities, I did not have my camera handy! I ran to get it - well, maybe ran is not the right word! I am not doing a lot running these days! So, I 'walked' and got my camera, but by then my distrustful felines suspected something was up and they moved in a hurry! I guess they thought they were in trouble! But would I have thrown them off? Not when there was a perfectly good photo opportunity just waiting to happen! I could not convince them to snuggle up on the quilt top again. But maybe that is a good thing! Who wants cat fur inside their quilt anyway? Mimi just stayed on her pile of batting! It's a cat thing I think - camouflage!

Unfortunately I could not finish the quilt today. The batting I received from our guild was not big enough. So I will have to piece some and continue this tomorrow. Do I dare leave the quilt top on the table overnight? No, perhaps I'd better not!

Would the Real Felix Please Stand Up!

Sorry about this photo folks! I have nothing new to post about. And I didn't want you to think that I had abandoned you! I'll be back soon with some finished projects - I hope!

The Christmas Ripple is Done!

I finished the Christmas Ripple this morning. I thought that I wanted to finish everything quickly, so I worked feverishly on it, but now that it's done, I miss it! The weight and warmth of it on my lap were comforting and reassuring. I may have to do another one! But there are also some socks and other Christmas items that I want to finish before Santa comes! So many projects, so little time!

I used Red Heart yarn for this throw, which I got at Walmart in huge balls, so it was relatively inexpensive to make. The pattern is my own design. I did not plan for this to become an heirloom! It was just supposed to be a fun project for the season. I like to make something new each year and this year, this was it!

Mimi likes the afghan, I think. She was up on it as soon as I spread it out to take a photo! But then, she usually likes everything I make. In fact, she thinks that I make everything especially for her!

Mimi: Don't you?
Me: Not always, but you are welcome to sit on any afghan that I make!
Mimi: Thanks! (aside) Little does she know that I don't need her permission! I just sit anywhere I please!
Me: Hey! Don't think I didn't hear that, you little ball of fur! Good thing you are my favourite feline!
Mimi: Meow!

It Snowed Last Night!

We got about 15cm of the white stuff! All of my neighbours are out shoveling their driveways! My husband is out there too! Snow doesn't bother him. He loves any excuse to shovel that stuff! Go figure!
The snow is not all that we will get today! As our temperatures warm up the snow is changing to freezing rain. In fact, it has started already! Later that should turn to rain and we are supposed to get about 20-30mm before the day is over! Good thing it is Sunday. We don't have to drive anywhere! I'm sure the roads will be treacherous!

While outside the beginning of winter is surging around the house, my cats are happily napping away in the warm solarium! They are not phased by all the snow at all! Perhaps I should take note and have a nap too! But.... Oh, yeah, right! I can't afford to waste even a minute! I am too busy trying to finish my UFOs! My Christmas ripple is almost done and I am furiously working on the train quilt for Xavier! Will post photos as soon as I am done!


Oh, and by the way, I found a home for the pink layette that I posted earlier! A very happy baby girl is now warm as toast, even though the weather outside certainly is not!
Thanks to everyone who left me a comment. I really do love getting them! You are all so very kind and positive!