Another addition to THAT box

 All of our grandies are getting sweaters, hats and mittens this year and this is the final sweater/hat/mitten combo that I've completed (still have two hats and two pairs of mittens to create)...

Patterns were three different ones adjusted to suit myself and the yarn is unknown from my stash.

I'm somewhat basking in a glow of self righteousness at the moment after I spent an hour or so culling my collection of needlework books that I never look at.  23 books are being delivered to the local library for their Friends book sales.  Am I going to wish I'd kept some of them, perhaps, but please let me feel virtuous for a little while.  

Today's quote..."You can tell a lot about a woman by her hands.  For instance, if they're placed around your throat, she's probably slightly upset"

Couture?

 I've been working on a couple of little outfits for our wee grandie and this is the first one...

Dress pattern is THIS one and the diaper cover is from HERE.  I added the lace and the little flower just because I could!

Today I have this for your quote...

Wee knit

 This is a really simple quick crochet hat that I whipped up for our wee one to wear in the fall and winter.  

Yarn is Bernat Blanket Yarn and the pattern can be found HERE.

Today the quote is from Suzanne Collins..."Live your life.  Take chances, be crazy.  Don't wait.  Because right now is the oldest you've ever been and the youngest you'll be ever again"

Evening doings

 Over the past few nights I've created an outfit for our wee little lady.  I made them in the next size up so they won't fit her until fall.  

Hat is THIS one and the sweater is THIS one (only I chose to make it sleeveless).  Yarn is SO cushy - Bernat Baby Velvet.

Today's quote is from Lori Deschene..."No one changes unless they want to.  Not if you beg them.  Not if you shame them.  Not if you use reason, emotion or tough love.  There's only one thing that makes someone change:  their own realization that they need to do it.  And there's only one time it will happen:  when they decide they're ready"

Two things

 Two things to show you today!  First of all, I finished knitting this little hat for our granddaughter...

Pattern is 'Pineapple Hat' by Little Red Window Design
and can be found HERE

and...work has begun on the new landscape.  It's at the state that these things always go through when I wonder why I'm even bothering to do what I do.  I know it will likely get better but for now I do have my doubts.  

- THIS artist does great work and it's well worth checking it out.

- THIS CAL might intrigue some of you.

- THIS you tube video show you how to add strength and stability when you're making  handles for bags.

- Have a look at the pretties found in the gallery of THIS artist.

This quote made me smile..."Have you ever just looked at someone and knew the wheel was turning but the hamster was dead?"

A reminder

 Yes, I'm reminded of just how much I dislike sewing clothing.  I struggled my way through making these for our wee one and had thought I would make more using the same pattern (it has 4 different sizes included) but nope.  I will NOT be making this pattern again.  Maybe the hat, but most definitely not the dress.  Talk about a PIA!!!  The entire instructions were left to be desired and the pictures are so small that it's impossible to figure out what they mean.  I know they have size constraints within their printing process but geez.  Oh well, it's done now and won't be repeated.  

Front....

Back...

- THIS is something that would make a sweet little gift, perhaps tucked into a greeting card or into a special book.

- HERE is another little thing that you could make to show your support for the Ukraine.

- Those of you who sew, might find THIS of interest.  (I did not, however, have need of this b'cause said dress used thread loops instead of buttonholes).

- Scrolling through THESE was another awwww moment.

- HERE is another cross stitch designer from the Ukraine that you might want to consider supporting.

Today's quote pretty much sums up my last couple of days....

Another finish for the wee one

 Over the past few days I finished off a little blanket I had on my list for the new baby.  The center is knit and then I added a crocheted border around the outside because I wanted it a bit larger.  There's only one more thing on my Grandma-Make list for her and it will take awhile.  I'll show you the start of that in my next post.

Pattern is the 'Sunny Baby Blanket' and can be found HERE.  The edging is simply a pretty simple crocheted shell pattern.  Yarn is 'Baby Coordinates' by Bernat.

A finished finish? But then again....

 Well, those of you who have been holding your breath waiting for the reveal of the landscape will just have to wait a teeny bit longer.  There has been much avail made of the stitch ripper and much 'discussion' with the sewing machine regarding my insistence that I truly DO want to use invisible thread.  At the moment it remains to be seen just which one of us is more stubborn than the other.  

So....instead of THAT finish, how about another one?  A wee baby sweater using leftover yarn and gifted buttons.  

and a close up of the buttons...

Pattern is the Little Coffee Bean by 
Elizabeth Smith and can be found HERE.  

Today's quote...

Where angels fear to tread?

I was casting about to find something to post about today and so I thought I'd be brave and show you my little corner of the living room where I sit in front of the tv and either knit, crochet or read at nights.  

Just a few words of explanation - the blue 'blob' on the left is a corner of my chair and the black 'blob' on the right is the corner of the end table.  In between is my mess - the pink and grey (back left) is a sweater I'm working on for the baby and the Janet basket to the right is *supposed* to hold my knitting project but instead it currently has my zippered pouch I use when I'm knitting socks, my yarn bowl and a plastic sectioned container that holds such important things as cable needles and stitch markers.  In front of that is a ball of red yarn I'm auditioning to maybe make myself a scarf of some sort, and the bag to the right of that is currently holding a baby afghan I'm working on.  

And speaking of baby things, I just finished putting the binding on the wee baby quilt and this is the result....

Nothing spectacular about it - just a panel and coordinating 5" squares.  Here's the backing....

It's a lovely soft minky fabric.  Soft, but a brute to hand stitch through.  Good thing I machine quilted the quilt and only had to hand stitch the binding!

The quote, from Gandhi..."When the power of love overrules the love of power, the world will know peace"

Another baby knit and granola

 Last weekend I finished working on another little sweater for our expected grandie that's due to arrive in January.  Pattern is THIS one - I did the short-sleeved version because I didn't think I had enough yarn to do long sleeves...

Yarn label is missing but I think it's Caron Simply Soft.

A couple of you have expressed interest in the granola recipe Resident Chef uses, so here you go....

RESIDENT CHEF'S GRANOLA

(NOTE: This makes a lot but it keeps
a very long time if you seal it well)

8 c. rolled oats (not the instant kind)
1 1/2 cups EACH: wheat germ and oat bran
1 cup EACH: sunflower seeds; rye flakes; 
cashews or pecans (finely chopped); almonds 
(finely chopped)

1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. maple syrup
3/4 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 c. honey
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla

2 c. dried cranberries or raisins (or combination)
1 c. coconut

Preheat oven to 325.  Line two large baking sheets with parchment or aluminum foil.  Combine dry ingredients.  Combine remaining ingredients with the exception of the vanilla, cranberries, raisins and coconut and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Add vanilla and pour over dry ingredients and stir to coat.  Spread evenly on baking sheets.  Bake until crispy and toasted, about 20 minutes.  Stir once halfway through.  Cool, and then add the cranberries, raisins and coconut.  

Today's quote..."When you see something beautiful in someone, tell them.  It may take a second to say, but for them it could last a lifetime"

Public service announcement - and baby thing

 

`````````````````````````

PLEASE READ!

There is a universal hand gesture signal for
people to use when they're in trouble and if 
you've watched the news in the past few days you
will have heard that it saved a young girl from
a kidnapping.
This is vital information we ALL need to
be aware of.
Please go HERE for further information.

Please also share this on your blogs
because this needs to be known!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here is another completed 'evening project' ...

The crochet pattern is one I've had in my files for years and I don't have any idea where I found it.  The original pattern calls for long sleeves but I opted for sleeveless and just trimmed them with some picots.  Yarn is 'Baby Marble' from James C. Brett....another one I've had in my stash for too many years to count.

A tad more progress and a finish

 There's been some more progress on the landscape as you can see here...

You should be able to click to embiggen if you'd like to.  I fussy cut all those flowers and now I'm in the process of adding embroidery details over top.  There's going to be a LOT of French knots on this one!

And, one of my evening projects ended up with this little finish for our expected 'grandie'...

The sweater is a pattern in a book 'Grammy's Favorite Knits For Baby' by Doreen L. Marquart and the headband is THIS one.  Yarn is 'Baby Soft' from Lion Brand.

Today's quote..."My body sometimes feels sore, but it works.  I don't sleep well most nights, but I do wake up to fight another day.  My wallet is not full but my stomach is.  I don't have all the things I ever wanted but I do have everything I will ever need.  My life is by no means perfect but it's my life and I'm happy"

A finish

 I began this project before I had my cataract surgery in hopes that I'd be able to work on it during the hiatus period.  That didn't happen, but I did finish it over the weekend....

I was given four balls of the Bernat Velvet yarn and needed to find a project that would use it up (those balls are HUGE and take up way too much stash space).  I don't have an immediate use for a baby blanket but at least it used most of the yarn.

Another wee note re the Velvet yarn - it feels so wonderfully soft but the balls I have had a number of knots which were quite annoying.  And trying to use a pattern with much stitch definition would be frustrating.  I just used a double crochet post stitch which worked fine.

Today's quote....

Another wee toy

Over the weekend I finished knitting a wee toy for our expected new grandbaby....

I make this toy for pretty much every new baby that comes along because it seems they all end up loving it.  Pattern is the 'Knubbelchen' and can be found HERE.  You can use pretty much any soft yarn to make these provided the needles are compatible with the yarn weight.  In this case I used DK weight and 2.5 mm needles.

Today's quote is from Steve Maraboli...."Want to keep Christ in Christmas?  Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, forgive the guilty, welcome the unwanted, care for the ill, love your enemies, and do unto others as you would have done unto you"

A little catch up

Today I will share a few projects I have completed recently.  First up is a twin-sized quilt featuring Super Mario's outfit.  Can you see it?

Maybe now?

Our #2 grandson will be getting his room re-decorated for Christmas and they're using a Super Mario theme and a special request was made for Grandma to make him a twin-sized quilt.  Of course, what's a Grandma to do but oblige?  While I was at it, some of you might remember the pillowcase I made to go along with the quilt....

and, if all goes well, there might just be a throw pillow too.

I also just put the finishing stitches in another wee sweater for our expected grandbaby....

The colour here is definitely off (sorry, dull day...again)

but it's using the same yarn as the previous sweaters.

Pattern is the 'Room to Grow Baby Sweater' by Laura Marconi-Cox

and can be found HERE.

Over the past weekend things started ramping up in the kitchen of Resident Chef and one of the creations was a batch of 'Carrot Cake Jam'.  Oh boy....yummy stuff!  I haven't done the labels yet, but here's what's going to a few people for Christmas this year...

And here is one of the lace cards I made that will be heading off to live in Australia with my cousin who just happens to own a really cute Scottie dog named Maggie...

And, finally, these three fabric postcards were created...

Very simple, keeping in mind the fact that

they should have been in the mail two weeks ago!

Today's quote is a continuation of the series...."As I get older I realize my people skills are just fine.  It's my tolerance of idiots that needs work"

And....another little project for baby

These will co-ordinate with the sweaters I've already

made.  The hat is 'Golden Pear' from Viridian Hue   

The mitts are just generic using the same

stitch pattern/colourway as the hat.
Yarn is Cascade 220.

Another wee project for our expected grandbaby....

This pattern is "Little Coffee Bean' by Elizabeth Smith and can be found HERE.  For this one I also used Cascade 220 yarn.  Yet to be blocked!

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UPDATED TO ADD:

For better or for worse (hopefully not the latter!)

I pushed the 'order' button on Amazon and a

new Brother CS6000i sewing machine is

on the way!

Now - is anyone in the market for a good used

boat anchor??

***************************

Today's quote:  "You might think that you don't matter in this world, but someone hears a song on the radio and it reminds them of you.  Someone has read a book you recommended to them and gotten lost in its pages.  Someone has remembered a joke you told them and smiled to themselves.  Never think you don't have an impact.  Your fingerprints can't be wiped away from the little marks of kindness that you've left behind"

First of all - a question for you...

do any of you own a Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist

sewing machine?  If so, what do you think of it?
****************************

Obviously no sewing happening here at Chez Magpie for a few days so how about I show you one of the baby things I've completed...

This is the 'Everyday Toddler Hoodie' by Megan Goodacre.  I used Cascade 220 yarn.  It still needs to be blocked but I'm waiting to complete all I have planned and I will do them all at once.

Today's quote is from St. Jerome...."Good.  Better. Best.  Never let it rest until your good is better and your better is best"

Another finish

This one has been ongoing for a couple of months so don't get excited and think I'm churning things out with great pizzazz!  We're expecting a new baby in the family the end of January so this little blanket will be for him....

Today's quote..."Give, but don't allow yourself to be used.  Love, but don't allow your heart to be abused.  Trust, but don't be naive.  Listen, but don't lose your own voice"

Peeping Toms?

I heard a tap tapping noise at my sewing room window and looked up to see this....

How could you not love the sight of those faces peeking in at you!  (sorry about the picture quality - taken through the window screen).  

I've been working on this crocheted baby afghan for a few weeks now - an evening, in front of the tv, project.  My friend is expecting a new grandbaby in March so this is going to wrap the new wee one....

close-up of pattern....

I may have shared this quote from St. Francis of Assisi with you before (forgive me if I re-tread one from time to time - it's hard to remember them all!)...."He who works with his hands is a laborer.  He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman.  He who works with his hands, his head, and his heart, is an an artist"