Final Finish and Some Un-knitting....

My final finish from my Q1 Finish-Along list is a gift for one of my bestest blog buddies, Janet O., who blogs over at Rogue Quilter.  She received it yesterday, so I can blog about it now!

If you don't know Janet O., then go visit her NOW (link on her blog name) and introduce yourself!  She's a lovely person and friend, a wonderful quilter, and always has an uplifting comment and a sweet attitude.  Can you tell how much I love her???

Janet has gifted me with several really sweet treasures - she's the most thoughtful creature!  So I've been wanting to return the favor for a while now.  The problem was that I couldn't think of the perfect thing for her ... you know, the one thing she didn't have (how could I be sure?), or the newest tool that she's been dying to get her hands on (how would I know?), or ... well, you get the idea :)  I decided to make her something personal, but again - what?  Are you beginning to get the picture that I'm not quite as talented a gifter as she is?

Then she mentioned in a comment on one of my posts that she didn't have a Ruler Tote.  Eureka!!!

My next question was - what fabrics do I use???  Janet favors the primitive fabrics, darker than my style but still colorful.  The one color we both love is black!  So although I don't have much in the way of primitive fabrics, I did have some nice blacks in that style, and I was able to pull some reds and golds to go along with it.  I really hope she likes it!  I made it just like the one I always carry to retreats.

Brighter colors for me of course - and cats!!! =^..^=

It has pockets in the front for rulers ....

And heat-resistant fabric on the back for a portable ironing station ....

The inside will hold an 18"x24" rotary cutting mat and as many large rulers as she can carry!

I hope you enjoy this gift Janet!  I know I could never find a gift that would adequately say "Thank You!" for your friendship and encouragement over the past couple of years, but hopefully you will smile and remember how special I think you are each time you use your new Ruler Tote!!!

Tomorrow I will post my Q2 Finish-Along List - hopefully I will do a little better with that one :*)  Are you joining in on the fun?  I have to admit, it has really helped me to stay focused and concentrate on getting some of my projects finished up instead of flitting around from project to project, always starting and never finishing!  And there are prizes .....  (I thought that would get your attention LOL!!!)

http://makezine.com/craft/diy_knitting_needles/

And since it's Friday, and I haven't linked up with Patchwork Times's On The Needles in weeks, I thought I would update you on the mess I have percolating in the yarn department :*)

I picked up my Raspberry Smooshy Socks last week after not touching them since the end of October last year.  Knitting kinda took a backseat when I became obsessed got involved with Millefiore and Arcadia Avenue :)  So I picked them back up thinking if I could finish off the heels quickly, I'd have nothing but the cuffs left for a mindless take-along project.  Indeed, I did finish them up and was congratulating myself and feeling pretty good about my growth as an experienced knitter because those tricky heels actually worked out perfectly the first time!  .....

.... only to find when I tried to reconnect at the ankle that I had made a mistake way back yonder in October!  An unfixable mistake no less!  For those of you who knit socks, you'll understand when I say that I increased on BOTH sides of the sock while working the gusset instead of just the heel side.  See how wide the front is in the next picture?  UGH!!!

So I had to tear out those perfect heels (sob!), and carefully keep all the stitches from dropping - because if I didn't do it right I would have to START ALL OVER.  I used another set of needles to pick up the stitches before the place where the mistake started, and only then did I start to rip back to there ....

Thankfully, this was successful and I have begun the increases for the gusset once again, this time only on one side - whew!  Still a lot of stitching to do on these but at least I am moving in the right direction again :)

I really want to make my aqua pair, so these need to get done pronto.  Don't you love this yarn???

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

=^..^=