Thank god that February is behind us and we are into March.  Even though today was sunny and beautiful, there is STILL snow lingering.  This makes about 80 days in a row that we have had snow on the ground.   Today I walked (IN THE SUNSHINE!) down to the Indiana Heritage Quilt Show today and while most of the quilt there aren’t really my style, the colors alone are inspiring enough.  I bought some fabric and gearing up for a long overdue robot/space quilt.  I have had a hard time picking the right fabrics, but think it is time to just start cutting.   The quilt above is finally finished and is for an auction to benefit the Community Kitchen, where a friend of mine is on the board.

Knitting Olympics are officially over (as are the real Olympics) and I ended up with three hats, also to donate.  My goal was four, so sort of fell short but it was also the end of February of which the last two weeks were horrible gray hell.  So what can you do?

I will be knitting as many hats as I can during the 2010 Knitting Olympics for donation in our community.  The Winter Olympics include some of my favorite sports including ski jumping, curling, biathlon, nordic combined, snow boarding, luge, bobsled, short track speed skating and hockey so there will be plenty of tv time to watch and knit.  Anyone else up for a two week(ish) winter time knitting challenge?

So yes, here it looks sort of like a knitted blob, but in real life it is actually pretty.  My one Christmas gift that I made is finally finished, boxed and wrapped.  This totally counts as part of my Year of Making Stuff, but who is counting (I am actually awarding myself extra credit for the huge Middle Way quilt from this summer – so there).  I will post full photos once the proper owner gets to see it first.  Now I have to go and make one for myself.

Holiday shopping is 95% finished and boxes will be in the mail Tuesday.  We haven’t put a tree up since we’ve been back in Bloomington, but I did hang some indoor lights and stockings are hung on the bookcase.  Oh, and of course there are paper snowflakes too.  Dave’s Paper Snowflake Patterns are the best free ones online, and I’ve used them for years.  Many a library display has been graced with Dave’s snowflakes.  Why let the tradition die?

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.

This item was made with leftover yarn and a pattern Amy showed me when she was here visiting.  It will be a little birthday gift for a certain someone about to turn one, so only getting a preview right now.

I was in the middle of a great weekend of market, friends, garage sales, gardens and crafts when I fell hiking by myself on the rocks at McCormick’s Creek.  Not my most brilliant hour as I smashed my head and knee on the rocks.  Still sort of limping around.    On the bright side, I am now up to date on my tetanus shots!  Bring on the rusty nails!

One of my favorite summer dinners…Zucchini Frittata from A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen by Jack Bishop, one of my favorite veggie cookbooks.  This dish is delicious, easy and made from local eggs and zucchini from our garden.  The best part?  Its even better the next day.

I’ve been sewing my 320 blocks together and have 170 completed…so on my way.  Though I may be running out of small squares of fabric.  Not sure what the solution may be.  And knitting again…a pattern with cables that is really easy.

I found this tutorial on My Little Mochi to make a wrist pincushion.  Usually I love my magnetic pin keeper, but sometimes I need just a few and they are never very handy.  This wrist pincushion was super easy and quick, and I had all the materials on hand, including beverage cap, hair tie, polyfil, and a 6″ circle of fabric.  Oh, and a hot glue gun.  I love it and I know it will get a lot of use!

I also got some beautiful yarn this week delivered…project must remain under wraps though, because it will be a Christmas gift.  Yes, you read that right.  It may just take me that long, but I am excited about knitting again!

By late fall I would like to have 4 more hats to donate to the Quilt Guild for distribution to the Olcott Cancer Center and other organizations in our community.  Quilting isn’t easy to take on the road, but I think I need to remember to just take some knitting with me, as you never know when you’ll have a good opportunity.  Part of this hat was knit at Tim’s softball game.

Had a great weekend, but now looking a a few ugly days at work.  June starts tomorrow!

Lest you think it is all crafts and gardens, gardens and crafts around here, I did go and watch Tim’s softball team tonight.  It was a lovely night to be out though they did lose.  And lest you think I would waste an opportunity to work on some handcrafts, I brought some knitting.

I also love the Big Picture section from boston.com (you can subscribe to their rss), but I ESPECIALLY love this set from the Cheese Rolling Tournament.

Thanks to the Oscars, I was able to start and finish a knitted hat in a week.  That is pretty good for me, as I am not a great knitter and hadn’t even picked up the needles in about a year.  But this hat will join three others to be donated on Tuesday to a member of our quilt guild who collects knitted, crocheted and sewn hats for several local groups in our community, including local schools and The Olcott Cancer center.  I have casted on another one, but who knows when that will be finished.