February 1 Already? Really??

I can't believe it's already February 1st.  I've been home a whole month since spending the holidays with the family in Utah.  Time is so precious.   

February 1st is always a day for decisions for me.  It means I must decide whether I will again compete in Sock Madness.  Signups begin today for next month's beginning to several months of fevered sock-knitting.  I don't know why I continue to even think about it - I know I'm going to sign up again...there really is NO decision necessary.  Sock Madness 9 signups started at 7:00 a.m today and I am already signed up! 

Now to await the suggested supply list and then to scour the stash for preliminary selections.  Of course, once each pattern is released, I reserve the right to change my mind about the yarn I selected a whole month or more previously.

I teach several quilting classes as well as knitting classes at the library where I work.  One of my students, Chrystal, brought in her first quilt for me to see.  I tend to talk a lot during class - giving really important information and my own opinions - and evidently I used the term clown barf to describe a multi-colored fabric or yarn and Chrystal decided to name her quilt Sally's Clown.  It's really bright and cheerful and definitely qualifies as clown barf.  Thanks for sharing your first quilt with me, Chrystal...You even quilted it yourself!  I'm so proud of you! 

I've been doing a lot of quilting the last few weeks.  I'm working on a block of the month that I started in 2010 - a Halloween quilt called Happy Hauntings.  There is a ton of fusible applique involved and I spent my last day off tracing off images onto fusible webbing and then fusing those images onto the back of fabrics, and then cutting the images out and finally fusing the images onto the background for each block.  

Here you see some of the blocks I have done so far.  The top two and the one on the left are already complete.  The other one on the bottom right (actually there are 10 blocks - one on top of the other - need to be stitched down with invisible threads to secure the parts.  That is quite a time suck, believe me.  And some of the blocks need some hand-embroidery done as well.  Then, and only then, can I sew the blocks together and get on with the borders.  But I am really encouraged to get this quilt done by Halloween this year...I have one more block ready to fuse to the background and then only have one 36" skeleton left to do...

I can't believe I don't have much knitting on the needles right now.  I have a Stephen West shawl (Barndom) and an entrelac shawl currently awaiting my ministrations.  I also have a mini sock shaped like a jellyfish in the process. And that is all!  I really want to cast on for a pair of socks but I know they won't be done before Sock Madness 9 starts in early March and I don't want them hanging around longer then necessary. Will probably just plug along on the two shawls till the Madness starts.

Thank you for stopping by.  I love when you leave a comment.  Until next time.