Swap Package Arrived!

I have two swap partners for Terri's "Kitchen Swap". This is my first swap, so I was a little unsure of how things were to play out. My partner Nova, from Queensland, Australia, helped me out with the logistics of swapping.

And look at what she sent me! All sorts of wonderful little packages wrapped up in bright "Sunshiney" paper! I was really happy to receive one of her wonderful tiny bags... mine is in teal and brick floral prints. She repeated the prints on the tea towel she embellished and the potholder as well! There was a book of biscuit and tea-treats, and she included a yummy looking Lemon Cake receipe as well. Henry has already requested that one for his Sunday Dinner treat. My treat was a wonderful ginger-Lemon tea and some wonderful smelling lemon soap! (Not sharing either one of those, sorry, H.) THANK YOU, NOVA... you are the best.

I sent my boxes off to both my swap partners this morning, but Dave at the package store said it takes five days to Australia, then customs has to do their look-see... so Leah and Nova won't get their presents for a while. :( I want the packages there NOW, Dave... right now!

Who am I ???

These were/are growing in what might loosely be termed "the front lawn". I mowed around them, thinking they were really pretty. I have no idea what they are, though - so I decided to ask my "Quilty-Blogfriends". So many of you seem to know so much about flowers! There is a longish crocus-like leaf, then a bouquet of five-petaled white flowers on a stem... very short (maybe stunted? lack of care???) about 4-5" tall overall. Are they a wildflower, or just feral? They are not growing in any of the semi-cultivated flowerbeds, just in the lawn.

Ideas, anyone? (probably a really common weed, and I'll be really red-faced for asking you all! tee hee)

Baby Steps...

It seems like everybody but me knits! I have knitted, I've made scarves for my tribe, and I made a cozy sweater to wear in my office (loosely termed 'the Refrigerator') at school. However, I was always told that I was "doing it wrong"... obviously by people who didn't know any better - and whose shops I didn't end up patronizing, because I DID knit! I had the sweater to prove it, complete with an interesting twist in the knitting.

I joined a group of women who meet at a church in Roseburg to learn to "knit RIGHT" (sorry, using a book only works if you already know how, or are far more focused than I am) and actually learn to follow a pattern in a book like everybody else can do. I always wanted to make a sweater with a pattern in it, and I love cables... so after I did a sampler and felt comfortable with the basic knit and purl stitches, Lorna suggested I try a simple cable pullover.

Hah! Easy for her to say, she's a knitter! I got started, though, and I'm coming along fine... the cable is starting to turn, and it actually does look sort of like a sweater.

MIA ? Not Exactly...

I just haven't been blogging, but I have been quilting. I did these two blocks for the Friday Block Party group... Sorry ladies, I'm not caught up again (story of my life - a friend used to say I'd be late to my own funeral... I told him I sincerely hoped so!).

Anyway, I did a variation of "Cross and Crown" for week 16, and my own very flowery version of "FlyFoot" for week 17 - at least I think those are the proper weeks.

I really like this Victorian flower print, and the plain boring beige works quite nicely with it, I think. Is it my imagination, or does this one sort of look like a Chinese Fortune Cookie? I added a 2" strip to all the sides, so it could go in the 12" block pile.

This one looks like a Stone Henge, or a quasi-Japanese Temple.That's probably because I switched the placement of the long side strips (I didn't like the more choppy look of the goldy squares and then the blue stripes and THEN the goldy stripes). My ironing job made the block a bit wonky, but I straightened it out after I took the picture. I added 2" strips to the outside so it would finish at 12" (not sure why, now that I think of it... the blue is overpowering).

I'm making two "Quick Nine-Patches" as presents for friends (one moved, and the other is getting married); I'm involved in two "Swaps"- I've been assigned really nice ladies for both swaps; making Pillows for the kids from Spud's Hawaiian shirts; and working on Marjory's quilt. I'll try to be a bit more consistent with Blogging - I love to read everyone else's posts, and it seems like I should be sharing what I'm doing as well.