To Knit or Sew?...

That is the question.  The next few days are pretty low key, and with Prince Charles back at college my nest is empty, so I should be able to do both!

I am teaching 2 classes at our LYS and I am trying to get my samples knit.  Maybe I'll have one done today.

 

In my sewing room I have had a lot of fun this summer.

I've kept up with my yo-yos for Penny's {from Sewtakeahike} Yo-Yo Along.  The girls from my Iowa quilting group and some of the Rockin' Bobbins gave me their red, white & blue 30's "scraps".  They were VERY generous!  {XOXO girls!}  I have completed 651 yo-yos.

See that basket in the back of the picture?  I bought that little gem when I went to Shipshewanna this summer with Mary, Julie and Jeanne {Skinny Sister}.  My friend Theresa bought one a couple years back and I have had honest to goodness basket envy since that time.  The basket is handmade locally and signed.  It is on a lazy Susan and the inside is divided into sections.  I like to keep my smallish rulers in the center, and my rotary cutter and scissors in another section.  I almost feel organized!

I have kept up with my Rockin Bobbin Scrappity-Do-Dah exchange blocks.  We meet tomorrow night with our last 5 sets of 13 blocks.

I started putting my blocks together and I have decided to keep making blocks to make my quilt bigger. 

I have sort of  kept up with Karen's Summer Bow Tie Quilt Along.  I might be a week behind.   

My tumbler quilt made of 30's prints is sewn together in strips.  I need to cut a few more tumblers for the border.     

I want to finish a project before I cut into this...

I ordered 2 BOLTS of Bella Solid from Anna's store.  Anna, of Thimbleanna fame, sells Bella Solids by the bolt and you can get yourself some here.  Fabric by the bolt brings sheer elation.  I purchased the Kumari Garden fat quarter pack from the Fat Quarter Shop when it was on sale a month or so ago. 

I'd better sign off and get my 10,000 steps in for today.  I hit my goal of 310,000 steps for the month of August yesterday.  I can't believe September arrives tomorrow!

I hope you get time today to do the things you love.

I am such a Lucky Girl...

I am home from a great weekend in Schaumberg, IL where I attended...

Stitches Midwest.

Last Friday I traveled with my knitting BFFs Mary, Jane, and Maureen up north.  Jenny met us at the convention center.  The other girls atteneded classes and the Fashion Show.  Jenny and I simply went to the market. 

There was soooo much to see.  And it is obvious that shawls are going to be big again this year.

I loved this booth where leather handles were the specialty.  You can check out the handles here at their online shop Homestead Heirlooms.  I bought a few sets of {lovely} handles and 2 really cute felted bag patterns.  Their prices are very reasonable.

This booth seemed very familiar...

These are pictures from Crazy Girl Yarn Shop booth.  They have 2 shops, one in Cedar Falls and one in Coralville, IA.  I visit the shop when I am in Coralville {where I lived previous to IN}, and my BFF Theresa has sent me wonderful gifts from the shop.

It was also fun to see Mass Avenue Knit Shop, from Indy.  You couldn't even get close to their booth. Susan was VERY busy!

 I browsed and shopped all afternoon on Friday.  I purchased a 2 day ticket so I went back to the market on Saturday to wander some more.

My favorite booth was Miss Babs Hand-dyed Yarns & Fiber.   Here I am with Miss Babs.

And here is a shot of her booth {sorry to the innocent woman I caught bending over}. 

Saturday afternoon you could find me in a comfy chair in the lobby with an energy snack and caffeine.

I worked on my class samples for Village Yarn Shop and took in just how great life could be! {Did I tell you I am dipping my toes into the teaching pool?}

If you want to see what I purchased...you'll have to stay tuned! 

Knit on peeps,

Did you Read this?...

This morning I was reading the blogs on my blog list.  Do you read Modalissa?

That is probably a silly question, but make sure you read her post today, Quilting Improves your Health.  The post is interesting and validating. 

If you are in the Indy area...

Don't miss this event at Village Yarn Shop in Zionsville.

The Fair is in Town..

A couple weeks ago, I went to the Indiana State Fair with my friend Deanne. 

We went to see this guy.

 

Deanne is a BIG Dr. Oz fan.  And it was fun to see him in person. 

We took in the sights.

FAIR FOOD!

We shared a tenderloin for lunch.

We checked out some of the quilts.  I took {bad} pictures and no notes.

I liked this quilt with the prairie points. 

I shot a close photo of this thinking I might make one for myself.

This was the big winner.

A lovely antique quilt.  I am curious as to how these quilts are judged.

This quilt had wool applique and FABULOUS quilting.

These funny statues were everywhere.

The Indiana State Fair was celebrating the year of...

the SOYBEAN!

That's right...the soybean.  What??? Were you thinking, maybe, something else?

Mt. Yo-Yo...

605 yo-yos...403 to go

What have you been sewing?

ps i quilt giveaway...

Rachel at ps i quilt is having a sponsor giveaway.  One lucky reader will win this Promenade fat quarter bundle from Green Fairy Quilts.  Go check it out!

Audiobooks...

Yesterday I finished listening to The Paris Wife, by Paula McLain. 

Written as a novel, in first person, this is the story of the first wife of Ernest Hemmingway.  Hadely Richardson and Hem fell in love before he was  a famous author.  I found the book slow at first, but it picked up and as the marriage began to crumble I could not stop listening.  By the end I was clearly emotionally invested!

Some time ago I read Loving Frank.  I found these stories comparable in demonstrating the sacrifices the women made to support the artisits enormous but tender egos.  And like Loving Frank, The Paris Wife left me compelled to learn more about the complex characters.  I spent a couple hours searching the internet for news clips and pictures.

   

I chose this book because my father was a Senior English teacher and loved all things Hemmingway.  He also loved F. Scot Fitzgerald, a name dropped with many others in this book.   

Next up is Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, by Jamie Ford.  This is a bookclub selection and although I have not been attending regularly, I like to read {listen} from their list.

I'd better put on my walking shoes, and my ipod and get out for my 10,000 steps. 

Have you read anything good lately?

In Need of a Makeover...

My poor little blog needed some attention.  A makeover is always nice.  Instead of creating my own template I found this cute template at Designer Blogs.   

Ahhhh...now that feels much better!  

Yo-Yoing along

I have been so busy lately. 

No time to blog, no time to sew my summer bow ties. 

But I have managed to keep up with these little beauties...

525 Yo-Yos!

I am more than half way to my goal of 1008!

Today I am off to see Dr. OZ at the Indiana State Fair.

RAGBRAI T-Shirt Quilt...

This t-shirt quilt hangs in City Hall in Coralville, Iowa.  It is a collection of t-shirts from RAGBRAI XXXI sewn together in the shape of the state of Iowa.  Pretty clever.