Quilting and Mitered Squares

This is a quilt top that I bought from Eddie's aunt about 5 years ago. I had started quilting it at that time using a different quilting pattern and a different backing fabric. I wasn't enjoying it at all. I kept putting it back, and every now and then I would get it out and work on it. I really hated the fact that I had put an ugly purple backing on it and I hated the quilting pattern I had chosen. What in the world was I thinking?

Last weekend I had an idea and decided that I would take all of the quilting out and take that ugly, ugly backing off. It took me about 3 hours, but I got it done. I put an offwhite muslin backing on it and pinned it together and away I went. I'm enjoying it so much more now. It's actually a joy to quilt it and I think it's going to look very nice when it's finished.

The other thing I've been working on is an afghan pattern called Make it Mitered Afghan from Creative Knitting Magazine. The photo on the cover of the magazine is the afghan I'm working on. I'm not using the yarn called for in the pattern, though. I'm using Caron Simply Soft yarn because I have so much of it right now and because it's so soft that it's perfect for afghans, scarves, and shawls. I don't think mine is going to be as large as the one in the magazine. It depends on how fast it goes and how my attention span goes, but I think it's going to be lap size.

Another thing I would like to try is the mitered square pattern from the Mason Dixon Knitting book. I don't have the book, but I ordered it through interlibrary loan from the library where I work. I also found a similar pattern on the Internet. I found a web site yesterday, January One by Cara, where she talks about her obsession with these mitered squares. I would love to make one of those afghans, but I'm not sure I have the stick-to-itiveness that's needed to get the job done.

Anyway, that's what I've been doing lately. I have a pesky toothache that I'm trying to ignore for as long as possible. I hate going to the dentist. Especially after that depressing trip to the periodontist that I took last year. It's enough to make me want to stay away from dentists forever.

Tennessee Teddy

I was surfing the Internet the other day on a totally unrelated search and found a website that had patterns for knitting sweaters for teddy bears that are given to homeless children or other children in need. I also found a photo of a teddy bear sweater that someone who lives in Knoxville had knit using the Tennessee Vols colors, orange and white. My version if it is above. I have been looking for a teddy bear sweater for a really long time and really glad to have found this one. I really want to make another one later on, but not right now.

Again, I'm at odd ends and not really able to settle down to anything that I really want to knit. That is until I saw this shawl pattern this morning.


I don't know why I didn't think of this myself. This is as easy as pie. Using 4 skeins of Lionbrand Homespun yarn and size 10.5 knitting needles, just cast on 60 stitches and knit every row until it's 60 inches long. Then add some fringe. I've been wanting an easy shawl pattern and maybe this is it. I love the way the colors evolve in the Lionbrand Homespun yarn. Someone has it on sale this week. Sounds like a lunch time road trip.