It's 40 degrees in Longwood, Florida and that means it's colder than a witches tit for us. Anyway it's great weather to be knitting. I am fairly new at knitting, a rank beginner. I spied this "heartbeat" pattern over at Melody's blog and just had to have a go at it. If it has instructions, I'm game. So I ordered the pattern. This is what I've done so far. I think it took me about 4 days but not constant knitting.


http://www.justonemorerow.com/9/206.htm?553

That is the front or back. Now I have to do another one just like it for the front or back, then the sides and the little sleeves. It's not hard at all. I got a bit confused at first but after reading a couple times, I got it. It's the modular knitting style and I like to knit that way. I find it enjoyable. As you can see the bottom is not square and it's meant to be that way. It just softly rounds of at the bottom and the middle goes up a bit. Very stylish I think.

I haven't invested in any fancy yarns as yet. I need to get my feet wet first. I just go to Joann's or Walmart and buy the baby sport or some sort of yarn in that catagory. It's good enough for now and its has to be yarn for the Florida weather. I can't let this hobby grow too big as my painting is my biggest hobby. It takes up a whole wall in my garage from floor to ceiling with wood pieces to paint. Then there is the quilting part, major hobby number 2 and that takes up several chest of drawers and one closet and half the studio with the long arm. Then there is the ribbon and regular embroidery but that is kinda small. A few ceramics lol. I do crochet too. So far I have a tall cabinet, one basket and one short tub filled with yarn. Life is wonderful isn't it.....

I just made myself a gigantic cup of cinnamon tea. I use the real tea. My sister brings it to me from England. I brew it in a small pot with a cinnamon stick and it's just enough to fill this cup hubby gave me for Christmas .....I love chickens. He also got me a set of canisters that are just lovely French chickens

The cold weather brings out my cooking spirit. I have been saving a recipe some time now and I have been dying to make it. It is a flan recipe. It is called "Flan Napolitana." I remember eating this flan once and it was not like other flans, it was a bit different and soooo good. Well some time ago a someone posted it to a chat board and it sure sounded like the one I've been dreaming of. It calls for 1 can condensed milk, 1 can evaporated milk, 5 eggs, 1 block of cream cheese. vanilla and 4 tbl sugar. A double boiler is needed. Put the 4 tbls of sugar in a pot and cook until caramelized and pour into the double boiler or a corning bowl and set aside. Beat the softened cheese with the condensed, evap. and eggs, add vanilla. Pour into the bowl or doulble boiler with the sugar. Cover the bowl or DB with foil. Now lower the bowl into the pot with water and boil for 45 minutes. Take care that the water doesn't rise above the bowl, use med. heat to boil. Here it is and it is the one and is delicious....I show it in the back in the pot. I put a plate on the foil and I did cover the pot. Just keep an eye on it...

Then I cooked a piece of sirloin tip roast and a 6 bean stew. I mix all kinds of beans together and cooked them... and some seasoned rice.

Then I mixed up some yeast bread, actually I called them buns with coconut milk. Here is a pic of that coconut milk in the can. It is so nice and thick. It will make the bun delicious, they are still rising.





In the meantime. I thought I'd show you how to load a quilt on the longarm. First the top of the quilt is thrown right side up over the machine. Then the top center is marked and pinned to the center of the fist roller canvas. Then it is rolled up on the roller and let to hang loose for now.



Then the quilt back is then thrown over the machine wrong side up and the top is centered and pinned to the center of the second roller, then rolled up part way. The bottom of the backing is then pinned to the take up roller and the batting goes on top of that and pinned together with the backing.


Then the second roller with the backing is rolled up and the batting is pushed between the two bars in the front to hang free. The backup roller now has the backing and batting pinned to it and the top of the quilt is then floated on top and pinned temporarily and a line is sewed accross with the long arm. Everthing gets rolled up in place again, the side clips are put on both sides. The side clips hold the batting and the backing, never the top. The top is just pinned on the sides to the back and batting.
Oh the coconut milk buns are done and here they are....

I finished quilting the dog quilt, just need to bind now. See how rich it looks once it's quilted? It seems to gain demension.






Another view...



I have changed to the new blogger. It's so much faster and has so many more perks. I haven't had time to read all the perks yet. Here is another view.

Oh boy, I'm quilting away on the dog quilt. Here it is all loaded up and a close- up of the stitches...I do free hand quilting...





Here is another set of close-ups. The green fabric is one of the fabrics that I painted with fabric paint.

Ok, I didn't use the crazy quilt for the borders on the dog quilt. I have other ideas for that one. I decided it needed to be more crazy.



I made new strips. I tore many 4 1/2 inch stips the lenght of whatever fabric I picked and then cut those into different lenghts and threw them in a bin and just picked and sewed. Once I had a piece long enough for one side, I sewed it on. I have three rows on so far. The first row is a piano key border all even stips. All the other ones will be any size.....I like it already.

Oh look what I found! I was rummaging in my bins and found this lovely wedding promise quilt that I had started to make about five years ago. Instead of appliquéing it, I decided to paint the hearts and then add some fru fru. I don't know what yet but I'm thinking. The hearts have lovely saying like: With this ring I thee wed, unlock love with key, etc. etc..There were nine blocks but I only did six and heaven know where the other three are. I wish I had the pattern now. I would paint the other three. I think I got rid of it lol. The fabric I used to paint the hearts on has some round swirls on it and it really adds to the block.....I used fabric paint.




Well back to rummaging to see what I can find to finish this quilt. I kinda like it now.