Projects Completed in 2020

In order of completion. Click text for related blog posts.

Old Kentucky Quilt remake

Plaidish Quilt

Mug Rug

Sock Dash socks

Summer Dreams top

Circular Knitting Needle case

Summer Dreams Top: Some Crochet Fun

I've been following more crochet accounts on Instagram and when I saw the Summer Dreams Tops come up on the designer designsbykey's feed, I loved it right away!

I pulled out some raveled yarn that I had and started swatching. The first swatch on the left below was with a 2-ply raw silk. I got gauge but I didn't like the feel of the fabric. Working with two strands that weren't spun together made it difficult too.

So I added a wool/angora blend and worked with both yarns at once. That swatch is on the right.

It also got gauge but the fabric was a lot better in the hand. And I thought the pattern would show up better with a denser fabric. And, believe it or not, adding two loose strands of wool/angora made it easier to work with. I guess the wool helps to keep all the strands together.

This is really the only in-progress photo I have:

It was taken the day after I started the project. The project was a good combination of mindless and interesting, not over too fast but not taking too long.

After the main body was knit, I blocked it before seaming.

Blocking first makes it easier to seam. Since I don't do a lot of crochet, I figured I should make it as easy as I could on myself!

Once seamed, you add a few rows of single crochet for the waistband:

And some more single crochet around the neck to support the edges of the wide opening:

The sleeves didn't need any extra trimming as they ended with two rows of half-double crochet.

And here's an overall view:

It has huge wide sleeves and I love them.

The combination of wool blend with a holey fabric is good for warm weather. (Maybe not hot weather!)

It's a simple shape that makes a fantastic garment.

This piece is made with "regular" crochet stitches that even a beginner crocheter should know. I did learn a new trick with the cast on--the Foundation Half Double Crochet. You form the stitches as you go instead of making a billion chain stitches and trying to stitch into them for the first row.

The pattern should come with a warning though: door knobs, drawer pulls, and handles are hazardous to your health, liable to catch in a hole and stop you short!!

The structure of the garment isn't really obvious during normal postures; it just looks like a loose flowy garment. I do like how it hugs at the waist. I feel like it gives the garment structure and keeps it from wearing like a big cape.

Project Stats
Started: 3 Aug '20
Finished: 12 Aug '20
Pattern: Summer Dreams Top by Designs by Key [These two are Rav links.]
Materials: Silk raveled from a VJ Petites sweater, 253g/968y, and wool/angora blend from a MC Carroll sweater, 195g/956y, held together throughout.
Ravelry project page: link

Plaidish Quilt has been Finished; Now Blogged

If you're keeping track, you'll know I titled my May 22 post "Close to a Finish" and then never mentioned the project again!

Well, I did finished the project soon after, and even took pictures. But then, you know, life.

So without any further delay, here is my finished Plaidish quilt:

Final measurements are 62x79".

The simple quilting follows the piecing and gives a good texture without competing with the design.

It's kind of the obvious choice, but it works.

A couple more shots from when it was hanging:

I've mentioned that the binding was a juvenile novelty print but it was so narrow, you can hardly tell.

I'll repeat myself by saying again how much fun this pattern was. Give it a try! (Details and link below.)

The pattern has stuck in my head and I often think about how to do a one or three colour version. It's fun to see different versions pop up on Instagram. (Check out #plaidishquilt.)

Here's a picture of the quilt on my (queen size) bed:

It generously covers the top, but isn't wide enough to hang over the edge.

Project summary

Started: July 30, 2019

Finished: May 24, 2020

Size: 62"x79"

Pattern: Plaidish by Kitchen Table Quilting

Almost 100% scraps with a few pieces from fat quarters.

Cotton batting.

Walking foot quilting on my Viking Sapphire.

All blog posts about this quilt: link

2020 Planning Party

I just read about the Planning Party link-up that Yvonne at Quilting Jet Girl is having and there are some great prizes, so I am jumping in. (You know I am all about trying for the prizes.)

Here are some goals for 2020:


1. Quilt this thing finally. (It's from late 2016.)

I have backing, batting, and binding. All three b's. Oh ya, and thread. Now I just need a d: quilting design.

I just re-read the post where I showed this top finished for the first time. I talked about taking it to a local shop where I can rent time on a long-arm machine to quilt it, because "It would be so exciting to get it quilted in an afternoon!!! :)" That makes me laugh now. Remember when I quilted my nine-patch on a long-arm at the shop and it took 10 hours? And that was a single all-over pattern. L.O.L.

2. Make a wall hanging from this block:

to coordinate with this wall hanging I finished in 2010:

I know I have some of the binding fabric left and I think I might have some of the thin inner border, and we'll see for the rest.

3. I would love to get all of my Lucy Boston blocks sashed and start on the connecting squares.

I have about half of them done now. I still need to get a little more fabric of one of the greys. I really should have done that while they might have had the same bolt at the store so the colour wouldn't vary. I think that ship has sailed.

4. Finish the Joy to the World bottom:

It's going to be the back of my Merrily Christmas quilt top,

hence "bottom" instead of quilt top. I do have the batting I'm going to use for this quilt, but I doubt I will get that far in the next year.

5. Make a start on a quilt top with my "antique red" fabrics. I have a collection of fabric for this quilt and am getting the urge to do something with it. Maybe a Boston Commons. I think I need a few more fabrics in the contrasting colour, but picking a specific pattern would help in knowing what I need!

6. Make a memory blanket for a friend
I'm using her mother's cashmere sweaters to make a blanket for her. The sweaters are washed and I know how I'm going to do it, so it's a matter of figuring out the largest square I can cut and getting started. I don't want this to languish very long.

7. Work on calligraphy.
I have signed up for a free course on modern calligraphy from Becca of the Happily Ever Crafter. (It starts on January 6 and I think you can sign up up until that date, if you're interested.) Apparently it is mostly drills on basic parts of the letters, but that is how you get good and I am certainly not going to do it on my own! Hopefully the incentive of doing it with others will help.

8. Skate more.
This is in response to the thought that I should move more and asking myself what kind of moving I enjoy. There's not a lot but skating is one of them. The park I used to skate at was completely revamped and is apparently awesome. There is not only an outdoor rink, but a loop, like taking a walk on a path. For $35 I can get a season pass. They're open 7 days a week (afternoons and evenings which is just my time of day) so I'm hoping I can get myself down there a lot.

9. Take a trip with Troy.
We're married 20 years in 2020, so I think a little trip is in order. We'll probably stay stateside this time, maybe go down to the Florida keys. I have never been.

10. Pray more.
This has become a big thing with me lately. I am learning a lot and hope to put it into practice a lot more.

Goals. I don't often set them out but maybe that is something I should do more of too. :)

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ETA: I won a prize of some batting! I had no idea what I was getting, but when it arrived, it was just what I always like to use: queen sized wool batt. Woo hoo!