Halloween Completed

I managed to get the table runner and place mats that I started last week, ready in time for my book group meeting last night.
Here is what they look like on the table.

 There is a bit of an overlap on the 2 pictures, since I couldn't get the whole table in at once.


The table runner I made last week, now has a binding. The blocks I started last week, are now place mats.

I really like how the caution tape type binding worked out. I also like how well it goes with my teapot.

There is a pocket in the place mat, for the cutlery and napkin, but I didn't use them last night, just set the food out on them. You can see the remaining chocolate in this picture. I also served the cookies from yesterday's blog.

I don't normally decorate for Halloween (I don't even have a Jack - o - lantern) but I found making these very entertaining. Now I have some friends who want to make a set for Christmas, so I am thinking of doing a tutorial.

Happy Halloween!

Halloween Treats

I don't have Grandma Coco's artistic flair in cookie making, but I had some fun last night. I made these to serve at my book group tonight.

I loved how gruesome they look, while they were cooling. The recipe is from the Canadian Living Family Cookbook, that I have owed for many years.

Playing With Fabric

I am suppose to be getting some quilts quilted for my quilt show, but yesterday, I went into my sewing room and played.

Last summer, I found some really cute fabric, while on a shop hop.I didn't know what to do with it, but it came home with me anyway.

 The kittens are too cute, but they are large and kind of close together, so they are difficult to fussy cut.
Last week, in a different store, I saw a sample that gave me an idea. The store had a kit for fussy cut place mats. They used a Christmas print, but the design seemed so simple that I had to come home and try it.

I cut 4 - 6 1/2" squares, trying to centre the kitten. Then I made the kittens into stars!

These two are going to become a table runner.

The other two are going to become place mats, that I thought I could flip and stitch. I am this far:

Side pieces attached, ready for the next row.

This one has the side pieces, too, but I wanted to show you the cute face.

And before anybody asks, no, I am not making costumes for my current batch of kittens. This is the closest I have gotten to that level of insanity.

Don't they look tough in their frilly collars?

Being Thankful

I have lots of things to be thankful for: Home, family, pets, foster pets, friends, to name a few. I remember one of my kids asking years ago if we were rich. I told him that we had all that we needed and we could afford many things that we wanted, so I felt that we were rich.

Shortly, I will start making a feast, much of it is from the fields of the Ottawa and Rideau River valleys. We will eat too much, then complain that we shouldn't have eaten so much. Life is good!

I am sorry that I had a memory lapse last week. I worked hard to finish these placemats.

I love using border print fabric to make placemats, a la Jinnie Beyer. Every one comes out unique but they all match because they came from the same piece of fabric.

See:

I made these for my mother to decorate her table, then left them at home, when I drove down last week. Since it is a 7 hour drive, I won't be making the trip again, before she starts decorating for Christmas, so, I will be mailing them. Now I need to start on some winter ones for her.



While I was on a roll I also made some mug mats:

And 2 table toppers, though only one is quilted so far:

All from 1.5 metres of fabric! I didn't have a lot of scraps when I was done.

Hope you have a feast to enjoy with family and friends.

Road Work

For the last 6 weeks, we have been traveling. I was starting to forget what home looked like. The laundry is overflowing the hamper. Now, I just want to stay home for awhile.

When we travel, the other half of the team does all the driving, and I navigate. I am sure you have had these conversations in your car:
She: "Turn left here"
He: "Where"
She: "Right here"
He: "I thought you said left!"

In order to keep harmony in the car, I knit. I try not to leave home without my knitting bag. I take simple things, that don't require a lot of pattern checking. Socks are my usual, but this time, I took a couple of different things.

Fingerless gloves, made from Berroco Comfort Sock. The yarn is an acrylic-nylon blend and is lovely and soft. The pattern is Annie's Fingerless Mits , free from Ravelry. They are ribbed and look very narrow, but I think they will fit most ladies' hands.

Wow, you can see the magnetic manicure!

Meanwhile, a friend of long standing (I don't want to call her an OLD friend, but we have been friends since Grade 1)  is about to become a grandma for the first time. She is very excited, so I made her grandbaby  an Easy Peasy Newborn Sock Hat

It is made from some leftover sock yarn from my stash, Regia, I think.



Both of the items were photographed on the beds in hotel rooms, because both were given away on the trip.

I am linking to The Needle and Thread Network, WIP Wednesday.

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