Oops.

This is the top for Lexxi's quilt. 

BEFORE

AFTER

Now I can start quilting. 

More Catching Up

Knitted in January:

Cash's stocking, "Christmas Sampler" from
Gwen Steege's Knit Christmas Stockings.

Christopher's stocking, "Snowman at Midnight" from
Elaine Lipson's Christmas Stockings: 18 Holiday Treasures to Knit.

Beth's stocking, based on a felted Christmas mitten in Bobbie Matela's
Knit Noel.

Tumbling Blocks crib blanket, in Ella Rae Amity,
for the crib at Grandma & Grandpa's house. I had to try to correct the color in the photo, and it's still not right. The blanket is a deep heathered forest green, just gorgeous.

I also made a sweater for Lucy. Being a puggle, Miss Lu has some (shall we say?) "fitting issues", and sweaters "off the rack" don't really come in her size -- er, shape. My sister and I took the relevant measurements and I just started knitting, with occasional fittings to confirm my reasoning. I was right every time. I used Wool-Ease from the stash.

Red is definitely Miss Lu's color.

A hat for my oldest son, using the Deathflake chart available here. Yes, he's pushing 40, and I'm still trying to get him to put on a hat when it's cold. He did wear it during our recent frigid spell, so I was gratified. The yarn is Cascade 220 Sport. 

There's a bit more January knitting to show, but it will have to wait for another update. 

In other news, I have Lexxi's quilt pin-basted and ready to quilt. 

Christopher's Quilt

Kit purchased at The Quilting Cupboard in Rochester, MN; fabrics from the Lollipop Collection by Sandy Gervais for Moda. Backing from the same collection, ordered from Fat Quarter Shop in Manchaca, TX.

Though the kit provided enough blocks and binding strips for a twin-size quilt (48"x80" -- 8 blocks x 10 blocks), I made the quilt crib-sized (6 blocks x 8 blocks, approximately 36"x48").

I cut stencils for the quilting from designs in Doodle Stitching: The Motif Collection by Aimee Ray.

I hand-quilted the blocks with brown, except for the brown blocks, where I used red or yellow; and the one blue block where I quilted an octopus in green. I also quilted "in the ditch" with brown.

I hand-embroidered the label for the back of the quilt with DMC floss.

I had a little trouble mitering the corners of the binding, but I will get better with practice.

And here is Christopher, bundled up in his new Fishy Quilt: