Design wall Monday: Playing catch up

As I mentioned on Friday, April was a terrible, unproductive month. So my design wall has my April blocks of the month while I try to catch up. Falling behind is stressful!

My April Craftsy block is finished. In fact, it was the only one finished before the end of April.

Fan Block

April's Clubhouse block is almost finished. I only have three seams left. Then I can start on May's kit.

Clubhouse quilt center

I've finished the May Craftsy blocks, because they were quick and easy.

Strippy Spools

Here are all my Craftsy blocks copied and pasted into the quilt layout. The blank spots are future month's blocks.

Craftsy BOM layout

I really, really, really need to catch up on the Back to Square One mystery quilt. I will be caught up by the end of May!

Click here to see what's on everyone else's design walls at Patchwork Times!
-k

On the needles: New techniques

It has been too long since I last posted. April was a challenging month for reasons better left to another post. Or maybe not. Why relive it? So, what better way to start a new month than with a new post about new knitting techniques that I'm learning.

Here is my first attempt at lace.

It's the Bigger on the Inside shawl using Lorna's Laces Solemate Bigger on the Inside. I'm trying to finish in time for the Doctor Who 50th anniversary in November. I'm on the fifth repeat of the Time Vortex Lace Increases, and I have a long way to go. I think it looks pretty good so far.

The second technique that I'm trying to learn is the brioche stitch.

This is the first tie of The Brioche Hood Hat. It's part of a KAL on Ravelry, and the goal is to finish by the end of May. The yarn is Ella Rae Lace Merino Worsted. A solid yarn might show off the stitches better, but I really like these colors. I like the brioche stitch a lot. It's so smooshie.

I'm linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times!
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Medallion mystery progress, clue 3

Since January I've been working on Judy's Medallion Mystery, and in March I finished the third clue.

It's the center of our quilt, and I love it!

Clue four posted today at Patchwork Times, and I can't wait to see what we're doing next! Everyone is sharing their Medallion center blocks here.
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Stash report 2013.13

I used up some stash fabric this week on backing for my Crazy Daisies quilt. The quilting looks great! I'll post some pictures once I get the binding on. My net used for 2013 is still in the hole, partially because of the fabric I bought for the Road to Round Rock QAL. I've only finished step one so far, but I'm determined to get caught up. It's not really stash fabric unless the project becomes a UFO, right?

Used this week: 3.25 yards
Used YTD: 29.25 yards
Added this week: 0.00 yards
Added YTD: 40.75 yards
2013 net used: -11.50 yards

I'm linking my report with other quilters at Patchwork Times.
-k

On the needles: Iknitarod mittens

My rookie run at the Iknitarod has been slow going. I'm following my usual race strategy, start slow and then taper, which is a strategy that has worked for me in other races. Weekends are my only time for concentrated knitting, and last weekend was full of activities that kept me from it. This weekend was over booked too, but I think I've cleared my schedule enough to make a run to the halfway point and try to catch up.

Lance Mackey and his team have already reached Iditarod, but I haven't even made it to the first checkpoint. I took the mandatory 24 hours really early, so that's out of the way. I'm not racing against the first place musher; I just need to finish before the red lantern goes out. As the saying goes: "DFL is better than DNF." My goal for this weekend is to finish one mitten and the first 24 rows of the second mitten. That should put me back on pace to finish the challenge.

I'm still worried that the yarn is too dark for the cables to show. I hope that won't be the case. The stitches show up okay in the picture, so that's a good sign. I won't know for sure until I start the cables.

mitten in progress

What do other knitters have On the Needles? Take a look at Patchwork Times!
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Stash report 2013.9

Nothing to see here. Move along. No fabric came in or went out this week. Next week will be different, because that's when I'll pick up my BOM kits for March. I'd better get stitching, so my net used won't look too bad next Sunday.

Used this week: 0.00 yards
Used YTD: 19.75 yards
Added this week: 0.00 yards
Added YTD: 19.75 yards
2013 net used: 0.00 yards

I'm linking my report with other quilters at Patchwork Times.
-k

On the needles: The accidental box of fun & the Iknitarod!

I accidentally landed on The Loopy Ewe site the other day. I was at work, and I started typing a web address into IE. You know how it auto fills with addresses you've visited recently? Well, it auto filled with The Loopy Ewe; not what I was going for, but I wasn't paying attention and hit enter. When I realized I was looking at The Loopy Ewe, I figured I should at least check out what's new. It would be rude to just pop in and out, right?

It didn't take long for me to find some pretty peppermint striped yarn that would be perfect for a cowl/scarf pattern that I have. I already have some yarn for the pattern, but this is a completely different color and won't look like the same pattern at all.

peppermint stripe cowl or scarf yarn

I was really close to free shipping, so I decided to get some of the Into the Whirled yarn that Judy enjoyed using for her socks. The color I bought is Trajectory. This will be a pair of socks, eventually.

Into the Whirled, Trajectory

I received my box of fun today, and I got a rewards bonus pack! Isn't the Loopy drawing cute? A box of fun indeed!

Cotton Club rewards

The Iknitarod starts tomorrow on Ravelry. The challenge is to pick a project and knit along with the Iditarod race with the goal to finish the project before the red lantern goes out (when the last musher crosses the finish line). I've decided to knit the Give a Hoot mittens. They will be my first mittens and just my second cable pattern, so that's the challenge for me. Will you be knitting along with the mushers?

Speaking of Ravelry, I finally got all my needles and hooks logged in my online inventory. Now to start on my yarn stash....

Find out what everyone has on the needles at Patchwork Times!
-k