So Much Knitting and Quilting and So Little Time

My weeks have been just flying by. In spite of the weather being conducive to knitting, I've had very little time to just sit and knit. Between knitting classes and quilting classes and homework, plus of course the never ending laundry, running errands, and preparing dinners, walking the dog, and of course sitting and knitting at 88 Stitches on Friday's, where I tend to go around and look at new patterns, touch the beautiful yarn and chat more than I knit, I haven't gotten as far as I wanted to be with my current projects.

I started the Tilted Duster from Interweave Fall, 2007 as a KAL with the owner of 88 Stitches and the instructor from the shop, and although this is a big project, the first part is done and being blocked.

My adventures into quilting have been somewhat frustrating and also a great deal of fun. I literally had chest pain due to anxiety for the first three weeks of classes. Not having sewn for many years now, I felt that I was suddenly planted into a foreign land. Much like how I've felt during our two trips to Japan to visit our son and daughter-in-law. Not knowing the language of Japan nor the language of quilting, it has been a very interesting experience. The quilting that is. Japan is of course beautiful and not knowing the language isn't really a problem when shopping for yarn. And my daughter-in-law is getting quite good at reading patterns in Japanese for me.

I'm enjoying the art of mixing colours with quilting and since all my Rowan kidsilk haze has arrived for a scarf from Scarf Style, it will be fun to built a scarf with colour. I'm finding that the two crafts do compliment each other.

At Ravelry, I've posted my recent finished projects and since it is easier to do it there rather than to figure out how to add links and pictures here, I will link to Ravelry. I now have a link to 88 Stitches here and although I still can't remember how to do the html while writing, it works for me just to have links along the side of the page.

So, I'm heading back to working on the first sleeve of the Tilted Duster by Norah Gaughan and hopefully get more done on a scarf from Freedom Spirit and Wool for my daughter for Christmas. Christmas will be upon us before we know it, and I still have to finish a few projects to send to Japan.

With the way things are with Nova Company in Japan, it seems that our son, daughter-in-law, and beautiful one year old grandson will be coming to live in Canada with us. I'm really looking forward to having them here.

I'm still trying to decide what to send my daughter-in-law's mom for Christmas. Last year I made her a beautiful shawl out of Silky Wool and she loved it. I have a shawl made but I think it would be too heavy for her. We'll see. Maybe I'll just whip up something quick in my so-called spare time.