Getting Back into the Swing of Things

I had a great visit with my mom and dad last week, and really loved all the great comments I got from everyone. Mom appreciates all the good thoughts and well wishes. I have a special request before I get to the quilting and knitting news... Mom is losing her hair now and the chemo has affected her more this second time around, she sounds a bit down now that her kids have both had to return back to their regular schedules. Could you help me cheer her up? I'd love her to get some cards or postcards from everywhere, anywhere in the world to put up on her card wall...it cheered me up looking at it as we put them up and I know that it gives her a lot of pleasure to see all those cards and what they mean. If you are up to sending a card, just email me at catherineoneill at carrigeen.net I'll send over her address. Mom got your card, Beth, and was pleased that my friends were thinking of her. Thank you.

On the crafty front, I finished my hand quilting project I started in Bend. Thimbleanna asked me why on earth I was taking a quilting class after quilting a Dear Jane, lol??  The main reason: I stab stitched nearly the whole quilt, one stitch at a time! I would love the learn that beautiful elegant rocking stitch I see so many doing. But...my teacher in Bend said my stitches were even and good enough, it didn't matter that my rocking stitch wasn't like hers, it got the job done, and that was good enough. I can't use a thimble to save my life, which is too bad as I spent a lot of money on a gorgeous Roxanne one! Maybe someday, but then again, I am getting the job done so why bother?? Here is the finished quilting practice. I think I might make it into a pillow.


 I also started a pair of socks for a friend who has a big birthday in November (think I'm giving myself enough time to finish them?). I can't really show them on here, as I'd like her to have a surprise so maybe I'll just put a little teaser in... I'm fairly into knitting them now, as Barbara has been asking me lots of questions about sock knitting lately, due to her newfound obsession,  and it got me back into knitting again them again tool.


I've put my cross stitch aside for now, as I need to get down to work on my Dear Jane to get it done in the next 10 weeks before our summer visit with mom and dad. The kids are really getting excited about it, the visit, not the cross stitch!


So, plans for the forseeable future: secret socks, Kate's quilt swap quilt, working on the Dear Jane scallops, some hand quilting on another little Dear Jane wallhanging I am working on. Would anyone be interested in owning this? I might do this as a giveaway in the future if anyone is interested! I'll have my full size one done about the same time.


I've also gotten some lovely mail lately. Nicky and I did a swap and here is the gorgeous stitchery she sent me from Leanne Beasley!


Barbara sent me a birthday present that arrived after I'd left for the States: sock yarn, how did she know?? :) Thank you!!!


OOOOOH also...I got some MOO cards!! They are sooo cool!!! small business card like things with photos from my flickr account, very  cool!


I promise to try to write more often instead of doing these huge posts with 20,000 photos. If you've gotten this far, thank you so much!