Helena Quilt

 Purchased the Helena Quilt PDF pattern for this quilt from The Fat Quarter Shop .  I wanted to use fabric from my stash to create this quilt and ordered a few other fabrics from Water Girl Quilt Co.  

 

The pattern is made with one of GE Gudrun's quilt rulers but, it does give brief instructions if using a regular ruler.  Here are the rulers I ended up using but I'm sure most quilters can improvise with what they have on hand.

I picked a variety of fabrics - mostly small print, some light, some dark.  Background fabric is Kona Snow

Cut squares out of prints and background, then cut into  specified pieces.  Easily done with the rulers I had.

Next, sections are pieced together.  Diagrams in the pattern are clear.

When it came to cutting these pieces, she only gave directions for her ruler.  So I placed my 1 1/4" line from tip to tip on the square, and cut.  Then I placed my 2 1/2" line along that cut piece and cut again.  Giving a 2 1/2" section with 2 'wings'. 

Sewing the sections together to form a nice point was done by making a mark at the 1/4" line at the seam of each piece.  I placed a pin through the marks on both pieces, and then secured with clips to keep in place.  No instructions were given for this in the pattern.

Once 2 wings were attached, block is squared.  Again no directions, but I put the  2 1/2" lines on the seams and kept the diagonal line on the center of the diagonal piece.

 Arranging blocks on my design board.

 

 

I added a 4" grey print border to the quilt to bring it to a 56" by 74" quilt top size.  The print was Thatched Gray by Robin Pickens.

 

I pieced together a backing, having flying geese as an insert between the grey backing fabric for contrast.

 

Quilted on diagonals with my Bernina and a walking foot. 

Quilt size 56 x 74

Experimental Farm Toe Up Socks - Recipe

These socks, made for my hubby,  were knit with Roots & Rain yarn Trillium Field Sock.  Naturally dyed with onions skins and walnuts.  The yarn is 70%  Rideau Arcott and 30% nylon - Limited Edition.   

The Rideau Arcott is a purebred sheep.  It was developed entirely in Canada. Agriculture Canada spent 10 to 15 years developing this breed at their research station in Ottawa. I always refer to the place as the Experimental Farm, thus the name for these socks.  The yarn weight is different from what I knit most of my socks with - slightly thicker and more rustic.  The sock will be cozy and warm for the feet.

Here's my recipe for the socks:

Use  Turkish Cast On (Happee Knits) to cast on 12 stitches.  Follow her directions for increasing.  Once you have the number of stitches for the sock size ( used 56 stitches total for men's large), start the foot of the sock.  Pattern on top (3 x 1 rib) and plain knitting on sole.

 

For Experimental Farm Socks for man's size large, I knit until sock measured 8". Then started heel.

Easiest heel is the Shadow Wrap Heel (Purl Together)  There's no counting to worry about, simply decide how many stitches you want for the center of heel.

After the heel, knit all stitches in pattern until sock measures 5" from where you finished Shadow Wrap Heel.  Then start ribbing for cuff.  I usually knit about 2" for the cuff, then bind off.

Although not the prettiest bind off,  Elizabeth Zimmerman bind off   (Knit by Heart) is the stretchiest bind off I've used.  Simple and does the trick.

And voila - a pair of men's socks (size 11 shoe).