A tiny fuzzy valentine’s heart for Tim.  In my house, the only Valentine’s requirement is a card.  Everything else is just a bonus, but so far today I’ve gotten a beautiful pair of earrings and a lovely brunch at Uptown Cafe.  I am one lucky girl.  Now back to regularly scheduled Olympic hat knitting.

Lots of love to all my friends and family.

Finished just in time for the quilt guild meeting on Tuesday, this is a donation quilt for our Kids Community Quilt project.

Despite having a finished project, I have been feeling a little like a slacker in the making things department.  However, I was sick for part of the time in December and then had either a new or recurring wicked cold again in early January for over a week.  Now Tim is in the middle of it, and let me tell you, this was probably the worst cold I ever had.  Cold (sick) combined with cold (weather) has taken a little skip out of my step.  And I still have February to face.  Sigh.  I am going to start taking a cha-cha class on Monday nights, so hopefully I won’t be terrible and will be one of the fun things to add some happy to the last few weeks of crappy.

I kicked the year off back in the hometown with my brother and was able to spend a wonderful week with my family.  The food is the best at home.  I was also lucky enough to visit with some high school friends, go to the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, see a Genghis Khan exhibit and visit the Tattered Cover (two locations!).  I also spent a few days when I got back with Tim before his new semester started up again today.  10 degrees and snow won’t stop us!

So while I did make a bunch of stuff in 2009, I didn’t make 52.  I did make a twin sized quilt for Middle Way house and several other baby quilts for donation.  I made a few gifts, and tried new things.  And that was the point really.  I can get stuck making quilts with tiny little squares and be in my comfort zone, but exploring other fiber/art/craft possibilities out there is what is important to me.  I did also knit a cable scarf for my mom, cuz she is the best.

This has actually been finished for a few weeks now, but finally got a chance to wash and take photos.  This is for the daughter of one of my coworkers, and I love all of the juicy colors!  Super cute. Its hard to tell from this picture, but all of those stars are made up of fabric with tiny little dots on them too, to compliment the big polka dots around the border.  #33 of Year of Making Stuff. Woo!  I am definitely slowing down though…think I need a few quick projects.

Last weekend Cynthia came in town to visit and we were able to meet up on Saturday afternoon to catch an IU football game with Abby, Erik and two of their girls.  The weather was beautiful and we had a great time.  Of course, we had an even better time late night at the Vid, but there is mighty little photographic evidence of that, for which we are lucky I think.  It does make me sad though that so many of my beloved friends live so far away!

Speaking of friends, Jenn and I went climbing today and I did even better than last time by far!  I reached the top on all of my four attempts and generally felt stronger and more confident as to what I was doing.  I think Jenn is also getting more comfortable with me as her partner!  It is scary to have to hold someone up at that height!  Again, my hands and forearms are a little sore, but it was a lovely way to spend a Sunday morning.

Sunday I strolled around Rosehill Cemetery and took in some beautiful fall color on a glorious day.  In about a week, the leaves will be done and the grays and browns will be here all winter.  Not very inspiring to look forward to, but I am still relishing the seasons and love the chill in the air.  It means knitting, tights, soups, quilts, scarves and gloves.

Baby Berry quilt is finished, but needs a wash and dry before I take photos.  I am rather slowly working on the same knitting project and am starting to outline yet another baby quilt.  They were thinking it might be a girl which turns out to not be the case, so I am thinking of robots.

Halloween is right around the corner, I have plans, a costume idea, candy, and pumpkins still to carve.

I thought I was sworn off 1″ squares in quilts, but I sketched up and idea I had to use the peace fabric I bought on etsy and low and behold, 1″ squares were part of the design.  I will be making those friendship stars in orange and red too and they will form a frame around a big square of the peace fabric in the middle.  I hate to do the math, but even with only 44 friendship stars, that totals 572 pieces.  Maybe I should just stop adding up like that.  At least I am 1/2 done making the stars.  I do really love the juicy colors of this quilt and all the peace symbols and dots…it is just too cute and will be perfect for baby Berry.

I also realized how out of date my book list is.  After doing that for YEARS, I’ve fallen off.  Should work on that, but tonight?  GLEE!

**UPDATE!  I worked on my book list and it is more or less up to date.  Yay books!**

After the huge million pieced quilt, I forgot how quickly a baby quilt can come together.  Bliss.  This is the same pattern I made last year for Mark’s baby, and same situation where the parents, who are SLIS friends of Tim’s, don’t know the gender of the baby.  The Beatrix Potter blocks work perfectly for pulling in lots of different colors.  I will never get sick of this pattern.  Year of Making Stuff?  Number 32!

Today Kyla and I drove up to Indy to go to the INDIEana Handicraft Exchange.  We got massively lost looking for lunch, but after being fully fed from the Old Lady Cafe, we both made some pretty significant purchases.  Most of what I bought will be holiday gifts (so no pictures), except for a cute little poppy bobby pin for myself and a signed print from Jeremiah Kuch that I LOVE!  It will probably live in Tim’s office.  I scored a deal on this one.  I crossed a lot of people off my holiday shopping list, so overall a very nice and productive afternoon.

Also, is it too early to get out Halloween decorations?

Its done.  I feel like it is a little anti-climactic as its been done for a few weeks now, I just hadn’t washed it and hung it to take a proper photo.  Even then, its a little dark at the bottom.  This is the 1200+ piece twin sized quilt that will go to the new shelter for the Middle Way House.  I wrote more eloquently about this quilt back in JUNE!  Heh.  I am glad it is done.  Now I am on to making three baby quilts for friends who are due this winter.  Also, smaller projects. Things I can actually finish!  I am way behind in my YOMS…this is only #31!

I did my last bit of Lotus stuff yesterday, went to the park to watch Ugandan drums and song and check out the parade.  I think the marching bands just aren’t measuring up to the one three years ago.  I did my unorganized volunteer shift as a door watcher at the Methodist Church (vacuuming between pews after included!) and went back to work today.

We also picked new dates to meet up for the Cutters Craft Brigade!  Third Sundays at 5:30pm at Fountain Square mall (at least for October and November).  Join us for craftiness and possibly snacks.

Monday afternoon we had a party to celebrate the library garden and the approximately 100 pounds of produce that we’ve grown and donated.  The tomato plants are still out of control, squash is coming in and the peppers look delicious.

After that, I met up with Tim for a SLIS function at Farm.  It was fun to see all the SLIS kids dressed up.  Farm isn’t very veggie entree friendly, so neither of us had been there before, but the Root Cellar has summertime appeal.  It was also Jenn’s birthday, so later I met up with her at the Bishop, a new bar/music venue where the Cinemat used to be.  Good times.

I still have yet to wash the twin sized quilt, take photos and be done with it so I can stop talking about it.  Next up come three winter baby quilts and a certain unnamed Christmas knitting project.

Lotus and concerts galore this weekend!  Must rest up.

Finally finishing the twin sized quilt with 1260+ pieces took up most of my craft time in September.  It’s done, I am so relieved and ready to move on to other things!  Faster things!  It isn’t washed yet, so hence, no photos but soon dear Internet, soon.

I realized today that I have taken very few photos this months.  I need to get back in the habit of taking the camera out at any old time and snapping a few photos.  Don’t know why I haven’t.  Fall in Indiana is glorious.

Today I went with Jenn to Nashville and Gnaw Bone for a lovely outing and to do some shopping.  We had good luck at the flea market on 46, where I bought this perfect little sewing box for 10 bucks and two softball bats for Tim for 8.