Birthdays and socks.

A very busy week this week as both the kids had birthdays. Lots of celebrations and eating, especially cake. Jenny still has a party to come on Saturday with a shopping trip and tea at Pizza Hut with her friends. Between times I have tried to relax with some knitting. I have always wanted to try knitting socks and when I saw these fab kits at Woolfish I decided to give it a go. I set off with enthusiasm and my four needles but when I finished the rib and got on to the stocking stitch I realised I was knitting them inside out. A quick adjustment and off we go again. I can now knit and watch TV at the same time. The yarn is self patterning, you just knit away and the pattern appears magically before your eyes. The foundation piecing of the square in a square quilt needs concentration so not just for a quick 5 minutes grabbed in the evening. So far I have completed 6 blocks, just 21 to go.

Square in a square quilt - foundation piecing

I took a day off work today to go to a class at The Fat Quarters, on foundation piecing. My last attempt at foundation piecing on the sea horses quilt ended up in the bin, so I was determined to master it. The class was taught by local teacher, Ann Hannaby. Although it seemed complicated at first we soon got the hang of it, and despite a few mistakes and some unpicking, all finished one or two blocks by the end of the day. It is amazing how the same block in the four different choices of fabric looked so different. I was pleased with the effect of these William Morris prints I had chosen. Two blocks done only 23 to go. The photos show Ann discussing the pattern with Cath, Kathleen ironing some pieces with her clover mini iron and my first two blocks.