Belated birthday

Happy belated birthday, Mike! Good intentions are not always the best intentions. This was embroidered a month early and the front was pieced in time but then it sat as I tried to quiet my inner critic who whispered in my ear that it was not good enough. I really dislike that little person who snipes and snaps at my creations. So it took me a month after the birthday to finish and give away. Sorry, big guy, but here he is "Buffalo on a stick!"The pattern is one of badbirds free giveaways with a wonky log cabin around it. Simple one piece back and then quilted in a spiraling square and hung on a piece of Sasser farm tree for that artsy-fartsy look. I hope you enjoy a reminder of that wonderful vacation to Yellowstone. Thank you and Martha for the memories and many more happy birthdays for you!

Giant Granny Square (forgot to post)

The fact that this blanket has not been blogged about does not mean that I don't absolutely, completely, and totally love it. It was so much fun to crochet and gave me great pleasure. I is laying on a king size bed for size reference. I had the hardest time stopping this project, I loved the weight of it on my lap and it just grew and grew.
Inspired by attic 24 and all her crochety goodness, I just had to pick up the hook again. I had not crocheted since home ec class in the 70's, but I quickly remembered the basics. How about this for weird, my home ec teacher is now my mother in law. I love her dearly but sometimes she chides me gently for not remembering something she taught me.
Oh well, back to the blanket. I definitely see more hooking in my future. And this blanket makes me very happy every time I look at it.

Pretty in Pink

This is my third quilt and I am so pleased with it. It is bigger than the first two so I feel a better baby quilt. This is for our granddaughter, Emerson Rose, to be born in December. Her bedding is black and white.
I used log cabin blocks with the flower in the center hand quilted. The rest of the quilt was quilted in the ditches except for a swirly stitch in the outside border.
The back is pieced in strips from leftovers.
I love everything about quilting but especially the ability to play with colors in a faster method than knitting. I am all about instant gratification or at least quicker gratification.
The fourth quilt is going to be twin size for our teenager son and he has picked out all browns (boring) but I will persevere with the monotonous colors to please him.
Thanks again to all the quilters who post on flicker with their amazing quilts. You give me inspiration and brighten my day.

2nd quilt, same song

The addiction is complete. I am officially a quilter. Second quilt finished, and next one on cutting board. This is so much fun!!
Another crib quilt from leftover charms of Tula Pink's Hushabye line. I used a disappearing 9 patch as the block design and quilted in a spiraling square inside block. I purposely kept it wonky to add movement to the quilt.

Close up of quilting.

Back of quilt.

Next quilt is crib size also, then on to twin size. Next one will be a log cabin version, it may not be traditional, still playing with design.
Flicker and quilting blogs, once again, are totally to blame for enabling my OCD side and keeping my brain totally overstimulated. Thanks!

Farm family

We are suckers for any kind of animal. Meet Hef, the bunny. He was an Easter present for Trey, the animal loving teenager. Oh, dear, teenager...that makes me feel so old. When the baby is a teen, then I must have aged also. Oh well, still young at heart.
And the animals keep my young. They absolutely delight me every day. And Hef is no exception. He is our first time at bunny keeping and I didn't know what great personalities they had. He cracks me up with his antics and need for attention. Truly a great pet - quite messy - but now he is outdoors where bunnies belong unless they are potty trained.

First quilt finished

My first quilt is finished and I loved the whole process. My borrowed Bernina worked like a dream and I am so happy with the finished product, even though I feel as if I cheated a little. Using the charm packs was so easy. But I wanted easy for my first quilt. Simple square on the front and I pieced the back.
I quilted with lines on either side of the seams and it turned as I hoped.
Next project, disappearing nine patch blocks with left over charms and add a border to finish it off.

First quilt

My first quilt top and back are finished and ready to quilt. I am so excited that I can't see straight. It was such a simple quilt that I almost feel bad about bragging. I bought the charm packs of Tula Pink's Hushabye and arranged and then sewed. The back has a strip of blocks in the middle and two coordinating fabrics on either end. I plan to quilt with straight lines on either side of all seams.
I had left over charms so I assembled some of them in a disappearing 9 patch block. I think I will have enough for six of these blocks and then planning on improvising around them to get the another quilt.
I want to thank all the wonderful quilters out there who blog, quilt dad, red pepper quilts, cluck cluck sew, to name a few. They have given me the courage and confidence to begin. Also they
have all written such great tutorials that even beginners can quilt. Thank you for all the time you have put into your blogs, you will never know how much inspiration they have given strangers.

September birthdays

September is a big month for birthdays in our family, my sister, our youngest son, Trey, and the super-duper grandson, Kolby. And since orange seemed to the knitting theme for the month, Angie received a orange shrug made out of Tabali yarn, a silk blend. It turned out so cute, much cuter on her than laying on the table. But I didn't get a pic of her with it on, so this must do.

Trey's birthday was Friday - pictures to follow later this week. But number one grandson had a spiderman birthday at the park in his hometown. Talk about a fun day. He was a great little trooper and shared with all his friends. And in case you are unaware - SPIDERMAN RULES!

My first quilting attempt

My second sewing project was a quilted valance for the upstairs bathroom. I decided to just play with material and arrangement and do my own thing. Fabric was cut into 2.5 x 3" rectangles and then pieced together lengthwise and widthwise. Then a border of 3x3 squares was added to make curtain wider. I backed and binded is with an old sheet. This was totally a learning project but I am very happy with the end product. When the afternoon light shines through it, it looks like stained glass. But more important, I enjoyed the process. I am now reserving Sunday afternoons for sewing. Next project, a birthday surprise for a dear friend. The

Cowboy victory!

Woo-hoo, football has started. Mama is a happy person. Three days of football frenzy! And to celebrate the OSU victory, the OSU lap blanket for the St. Francis bazaar is finished! I thought it might be a baby blanket but my bff thought it would be a cool stadium blanket, of course whoever buys it can do what they want. So, I will try not to talk too much about football on this blog, but it will be hard. OSU 24 - Georgia 10 - Go Pokes!!!

Must kill the yarn

Bandit being the perfect dog that she is, has never bothered my yarn. But I think she has grown weary of me knitting and not petting her. Because yesterday she attacked the yarn. It was not funny, because it was good yarn. So I went and found her some nasty acrylic and let her go to town.

And go to town, she did. She threw the yarn, she bit the yarn, and she totally mutilated that nasty ball of acrylic. There was no talking her out of her death grip on her ball. Even though hubby tried and paid for it with a bloody hand.

And in the end, she even wore the yarn

New knits

New outfit fresh off the needles for "polka dot," our granddaughter to be. This is knit in Queensland Bebe Cotsoy and was a joy to work with. The pants are a free pattern off of ravelry. I'll have to get back to you which pattern. The sweater was "Angelica" from the Queensland Collection Book 8. The hat pattern was the simple baby hat from Blue Sky Alpaca. But best off all Karlie, the expectant mommy, loved it. I can't wait to see the baby girl in the outfit. Another finished project tomorrow...

It's Fair time

It is that time time again - Payne County Fair time. We love the fair, the rides, the smells, the animals, and the preparation. This is my stack of entries - 6 in all. A child's sweater, my granny square blanket, an adult sweater, a lace baby blanket, a log cabin blanket, and a pair of mittens. I will have picture individually of them after the fair. It was a little rushed this morning. Trey is also entering for the first time this year. A photo he took on our New Mexico vacation. Wish us luck, it is fun to get ribbons but it is just as much fun participating. Does anybody know how to get the underline off the text?

This little guy

I spent the weekend with this little guy, Memaw's boy, Kolby. What a fun and exhausting weekend. We played with soldiers, explored the farm, went to the park, ate lots of popsicles, wrestled with Papa and Uncle Trey, and had tons of fun. By the time, his parents arrived to pick him up, he was sound asleep, and Papa and Memaw needed a nap. Grandchildren are so much fun, especially when you know their parents are doing a fantastic job. Then all we have to do, is enjoy the process. And yes, I managed to keep yarn in my hand most of the time. See picture below. The yarn is attached to my giant granny square blanket inspired by Attic 24 and her glorious crochet. I had not crocheted since the 70's, decade not my age, and am loving it.

Rain, don't go away

Rain, beautiful rain! My flowers are so happy and my grass it tickled green. I don't even mind the mud in my flower beds. It was quite a storm last night and the rain has decided to hang around today. Oh, to be home cuddled under a blanket with a book, some knitting, and maybe a wee snack. Oh well, work before play - there will be other rainy days.

Butterfly days

The butterfly days of summer may soon be coming to an end. School is back in session and the mornings have that touch of fall in the air. So step outside and enjoy the aerial show before it goes away. Sometimes it can be a long, colorless winter.

Sew, I canz

My bff and I were upstairs in my house the other day and I stated that I needed new curtains. I just couldn't stand these curtains dragging the floor anymore. Dogs, dust and all sorts of icky stuff getting on them all the time. She states, matter of factly, don't buy new ones, just make those shorter. How, says I? Well, sew them, of course. But I can't sew! Pshaw, says she. Later on, I tell my mother-in-law, who taught me to sew in high school, that maybe I could fix those curtains. So she sends me home with

her prized sewing machine. After much angst and agony, here you go, my new curtains. And who knows, I might have liked it . I'm not sure quite yet, it was sort of like childbirth maybe th e pain won't be so fresh in the morning.

Our forest

Coming home from New Mexico, I realized how much I love our hardwood forests and their beautiful canopies. I don't think I would enjoy living without them. Yet, I totally take them for granted. Only looking at them in passing, not really looking at them. This summer I have noticed how wonderfully majestic they are, strong and sturdy, and all the many shades of green they provide. Green has never been a color I was particularly drawn to, but my world has been saturated with it this season. I have become a fan! Aren't we lucky we don't live in a black and white world?

Baby girl

My baby girl is having a baby girl! Oh, the joy, of expectant motherhood. I know she is glowing inside and out at the thought of being blessed with a new little life. She is the bestest mother in the whole world. Full of love, patience, and kindness. I am so proud of the woman she has become.
This means lots of tiny knits on the needles at my house. This hat is the last of a three part set. The pants and sweater are anticipating their reveal on Monday. This itty bitty hat will, I hope, whet your appetite for the curtain call on the finale of baby set #1.
Big brother wants to name her polka dot - which I think is just perfect.

First day of school

What happened? When did my little boy grow up? It seems like just yesterday when he was small enough to hold in my arms now he can hold me.
Junior High, a whole new world. Exciting times at the Sasser household. New teachers, new classrooms, and most important new lunch time! I am so happy that he gets to grow up in our hometown where everyone still knows everyone but is a little disconcerting to walk in classrooms that you used as a child. Surely, I am not getting old!

Mowing and growing

This post was going to be about the fact the it is August and our farm is still green. We have been so blessed this summer with rain that has kept our grass from going all brown and crinkly. But with that blessing has come mowing, mowing, and mowing. But oddly, it is a most relaxing job that I have found myself enjoying. All alone in a sea of green with the hum of my little tractor and my thoughts. Not so bad.

But as I loaded my lawn pic, I found these flower pictures that Trey took this morning. I love the light particles behind this zinnia.

And the structure of this coneflower.

The color of this beautiful zinnia.

And the perfection of this rose.

And I thought you might enjoy them too. How does your garden grow?

Ta Da Deux

Woot, another finished project. Our grandson, Kolby, is going to need a cuddle blanket when his new sister arrives. So MeMaw has been working on a log cabin in cowboy colors for his room. This was my first log cabin and I absolutely loved working on it and am eager to start another, and another, and another. I am totally enthralled with the idea of turning quilt patterns into knitted blankets. Of course, I will grasp onto any idea that results in a visit to a yarn store.

TaDa

Finally, a project off the needles. It was the sweater that didn't want to be boring red. All knit to the last sleeve and ran out of yarn. Didn't want to try to match the red so stash diving I went. And ta da a great color block cardigan. Found the buttons in Santa Fe and embroidered the flower to assure that it was girly. I added the button placket so it would over lap nicely. All in all I am very pleased with the sweater and can't wait to see it on our new grandbaby.

Knitting mojo

Where, oh where, has my knitting mojo gone? I am knitting and knitting and knitting, then ripping and ripping and ripping, and nothing is getting done. There are many projects on needles but they all just seem to want to stay on needles. No one desires their freedom. Oh, for a project that jumps off the needles and says "TA DA!"
Soon, I tell myself, the end is in sight for so many.
By the way, I love my new knitting bowl, it is the prettiest pearl pink on the inside and nestles my yarn in a loving way.

Pet peeve

So I have become my own pet peeve and that is just bull crap. One of my favorite pet peeves, one that I nurse and pick at, is bloggers going away from their blog for extended periods of time, not days, but weeks. If I were reading my blog then I would of turned away in disgust and with great exasperation, upon day 3 of my not blogging. OH, I have excuses, but if you are me then they would definitely not be good enough. After all, I took on this blog so I should have assumed that I was up to the task of cultivating it. So there, enough berating me, leave me alone, I know I have been bad, but I'm back.
Back to the bull crap - as in Bullnanza. Bullnanza, for you non-bull lovers, is extreme bull riding. Yes, strapping yourself to the back of a 1200 pound slobbering, nasty, pissed off, bovine musclebuilder. These animals are cattle on steroids! The bullriders, well they are just a little off center, if you know what I mean. They don't march to the same drummer as normal people. They LIKE it! Adrenaline, well they season every meal with it.
Put the two together, and you get two evenings of jam-packed excitement in 8 second intervals.
So be put out with me, if you will, for neglecting my blog, but remember I know how to find cowboys who live to ride bulls and if I talk real sweet, I might be able to get them to come put some "whupass" on you. (and yes, I did take my knitting, after all it sometimes takes awhile to get the cowboys who land on the wrong side of the bull out of the arena).

Road Trip 2009 - Day 4

Along with all the beautiful sights and wonderful people, of course, there has been yarn hunting.  Here is the loot - I am an equal opportunity yarn whore, but it does look like I was drawn to similar colors.  The colors of the desert and blue sky, the colors of New Mexico.  My favorite yarn shop was Tuttos on the square in Santa Fe.  There was a great selection of yarn I had not seen and the buttons were incredible.  So many wonderful buttons, clay, glass, bone, you name it.  The shop was not easy to find but if I had found it earlier on the trip, I would not have risen from it's couch until the boys were ready to head home.  So it was good that it was an end of journey find, or I would have missed some great adventures.  Don't know what this yarn wants to be when it grows up yet, but I will keep you posted.

Road Trip 2009-Day 3

Off to the Puye Cliff Dwellings, the shrine at Chimayo, and then Taos.  What a wonderful day! Full of lots of sky, earth, and discoveries.  One of the most unexpected discoveries of this trip is our son Trey's aptitude with the camera.  It is lovely to see his view of the surroundings and the way he frames the picture.  I feel he has a burgeoning talent but then I am his mom and rightfully prejudiced but judge for yourselves.

The Rio Grande River

A country church

A shrine at Chimayo

Road Trip 2009 - Day 2

FLOWERS

FOUNTAINS

FAITH

SANTA FE

The top two pictures were taken by my son, Trey.