• Packing for Dallas…

    April 17, 2013 / 12 Comments

    It has been almost five months since I have seen my two sons and their families…not since Thanksgiving.  I miss them!  On Saturday morning, I am flying to Dallas for a week-long-visit with my youngest and his sweet family.  My now nineteen-month-old granddaughter has changed so much since November!  I see photos of her.  I have brief visits with her on Facetime…but nothing compares to a visit in person.  She is absolutly adorable with her big blue eyes and strawberry blonde hair – just like her dad’s.  I can’t wait to see her!  And spend lots of time coloring together (she loves to color) and going for walks and playing.  The first couple of times that I went to visit, we “toured” Dallas, but to be honest, I just want grandbaby time!  I’m sure Dallas is lovely, but Dallas cannot compete with a nineteen-month-old granddaughter!

    Chicago Bulls’ fans at a Bulls game in Dallas! She’s clapping!

    So, my carry-on suitcase is packed with all the blankets & the quilt that I have made for her.  There’s a sweet vintage book by my favorite illustrator, the late Eloise Wilkin.  I look forward to reading it to her.  I’m taking a tape measure and several patterns to show her sweet mom.  I want to make some little dresses but I don’t have a clue what pattern size to make at this time.  So, I will take measurements and hurry home to make them before she grows a whole lot more.

    There’s also a soft, sweet baby doll complete with her blankie and bottle.  (I took her out of her box.  She’s a “My First Nursery” Middleton doll.  I will pack her in soft tissue paper and place her in the middle between blankets.)  I also want to look for a couple of toddler coloring books when I am, hopefully, out & about tomorrow.  (Today it has stormed all day long…complete with pouring rain, loud thunder and bolts of lightning.)  Then I should be all packed!

    What’s that?  Where are my clothes?!  Uh…good question.  Guess I should pack those next!

    Both graduates of IU, they’re definitely Hoosier fans!

     

    And I get to meet my new granddog, Bernie!

    See you soon…

  • Knitted patchwork baby blanket…

    February 6, 2013 / 9 Comments

    I began this patchwork knitted baby blanket over a year ago for my youngest granddaughter.  I have worked on it from time to time over the past year.  It was a happy day when I realized that I had finally finished all THIRTY-FIVE squares!  I am still a novice knitter and basically have only mastered “knit” and “purl”!  Okay, maybe “knit two together”.  The sight of a knitting pattern with complex directions baffles me.

    It was certainly a baffling day when I realized that I NOW had to figure out a way to join all 35 of the squares together and weave in all lose ends – in a manner that satisfied my “perfectionist” streak.  “Perfectionist” and “beginner” don’t exactly go together!  I watched youtube videos about joining squares and read knitting books.  I tried a couple of the suggested techniques but still wasn’t satisfied with the way it looked.  One video suggested crocheting them together…except I don’t know crochet!

    There must be a way to finish this that will look good and make me happy.  Any suggestions from you master knitters out there???  I confess to being frustrated and at a loss for what to do.  I love the colors and I think it will be adorable if/when I can ever get it finished…

    p.s.  5 of the squares are on the sofa where I’ve been working on them!  😉 

    UPDATE:  I found a particularly helpful youtube video which I will post later with pics of the finished blanket.  I have now joined the first row of squares!  Looking good so far!

    patchworkblanket

    The finished product above…each square finished neatly with an invisible mattress stitch.