Livin' La Needle Loca

...and a couple of finished objects for the end of the month. I can only show one of them now. The other I will post about when it arrives in its new home. My friend Jane asked for a replacement catnip mousie because her cat loved the last one so much it was falling apart. So here's the new one: Specs: Started and finished 9/29/2026 Pattern: Catnip Friends by Barbara Albright Yarn: Soft Classic in Primrose  from Loops & Threads Modifications: Used modified bobble stitches for ears instead of knitting them separately The stealth project is a cross stitch piece. More on this later. WIPs Roll Call Worked On: La Cat-trina quilt (quilting) Nearly done machine-quilting the flower motifs. I'm researching how to fill in the corners of the panel that don't have flowers and are plain black. Working on burying the threads. Another Catnip mouse (knitting) Knitting the body. Studio Ordered the blinds for the slider. No Work...

 ...and there are more flowers! The Husband bought me a few more flowers for Mother's Day. Between the new plants and the exzisting plants, we have flowers every where. New to the garden are Raspberry Lemonade nemesia: and Orange jessamine: Our primroses are going strong: and the blanket flowers are back: I also finished the Flock of Emotional Support Chickies [ Ravelry ]: Specs: Started 5/8/2026 Finished 5/11/2026 Emotional Support Chicken® Little Chickie by Annette Corsino Yarn: Caron Simply Soft Paints in Springbrook; Loops & Threads Soft & Shiny Ombres in Shimmer; Loops & Threads Soft Classic in Peach Tree Multi and Bluebird Multi; Trendsetter Yarns Tonalita in Rio

...because I was so involved with a knitting project that I didn't want to stop to post. I've been working on these cute little Emotional Support Little Chickies by Annette Corsino [ Ravelry ]. I needed something other than cross stitch to work on and this pattern filled the need. Once I got the hang of the pattern, I love how quickly they come together. I personally have a problem with wrap-and-turns, but this pattern is fairly easy to follow. After a couple of missteps, I now know which rows need my complete attention and that I must double up the yellow yarn that I am using to avoid large gaps in the stitches. WIPs Roll Call Worked On: Flock of Emotional Support Chickies (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Stuffing and finishing 5 chickies; deciding whether to do another in a different color. Morgana (cross stitch) Still working on the lower fins. I have hit an area with long sections of the same color and it's a little boring. ...

...cross stitch and knitting for Ravellenics 2026. I finished Collector's Heart 2026. I did not use the ribbon included in the chart pack and I changed the position of the year: Specs: Started 1/22/2026 Finished 2/6/2026 Collector’s Heart 2001 chart pack from Heart in Hand Needleart For Ravellenics 2026 in the WIP Dancing event, I finished two sets of Melt the ICE Badges - 3D [ Ravelry ] and the flat version [ Ravelry ]: Specs: Started 2/5/2026 Finished 2/8/2026 Pattern: Melt the ICE Badge - 3D and Melt the ICE badge 1.2, by Hasani Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in Harvest Red 

...I finished two things and I'm showing them even though they are gifts. They are too cute for words. First up, is Highland Cow 3 [ Ravelry ]: and another view: Specs: Started 12/12/2025 Finished 12/18/2025 Pattern: Clara’s Critter Crew Cow Modified the pattern to make Highland cow version The second is Corgi 2 [ Ravelry ]: and another view: Specs: Started 12/7/2025 Finished 12/19/2025 Pattern: Corgi by Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne Modified pattern to reduce the body length I declared Corgi 1 [ Ravelry ] as IDJ (It's Dead, Jim). I didn't like the way it was working up and didn't enjoy the pattern.

...and a couple of finishes. First, I finally finished the Teal No-Noro Hat [ Ravelry ] that has been my car project for a while. Also when Cassia decided she needed to be in my lap, I'd work on the hat since I couldn't work on anything else.   Specs: Started 11/12/2024 Finished 5/12/2025 Pattern: Noro Spiral one-skein hat by Manuèle Ducret On Cinco de Mayo, I started working on another cat quilt, this one based on a Day of The Dead quilt panel from Timeless Treasures. I made a quick trip to the quilt store to get fabric for an additional border. Yesterday, I finished adding the borders. This is La Cat-trina: Specs: Started 5/5/2025 Top completed 5/13/2025 Fabrics from the Day of the Dead line by Timeless Treasures; additional raspberry batik fabric for border WIPs Roll Call Worked On: Color Chaos quilt, formerly Brighter Day (quilting) Still rearranging the blocks; switched some fabrics in the blocks Sea Merch...

...I finished a couple of things. I finished the Hooded Cowl (formerly called Balaclava) [ Ravelry ]: Specs: Started 12/6/2024 Finished 2/15/2025 Pattern: Hooded Cowl by Rosann Fleischauer Added additional stitches to fit a larger head; applied i-cord finish I also finished Sea Dandelion: Specs: Started 2/1/2025 Finished 2/15/2025 Pattern by Barbara Ana Design  Then, I went down the rabbit hole of quilting. I'm currently working on two quilts at once: Herding Cats: I've been collecting cat fabrics for years (read: 20+ years), wanting to create a quilt with nothing but cats. Some of the fabric is old-fashioned and very soft. Fabric quality and printing have improved a lot over the years. I'm determined to include the older fabric with the new fabric. I;'m working on the layout and  just need to make sure that the older fabrics are spread throughout the quilt. Brighter Day: I purchased a fat quarter pack from the local quilt store. It's a 1...

 ...and I'm trying to get back to blogging and regular crafting. First, today's sunrise: The last few months have been challenging. I haven't been able to concentrate on anything other than very small projects. With all the stuff for mom's estate, the traveling back and forth, and trying to continue a "normal" home life, my routine is all messed up. My studio is disorganized and I don't have enough space to store everything. It's not really conducive to working on big projects. I'm hoping that I'll get back into some semblance of order with the new year. The Husband and I are talking about remodeling the studio, the last remaining room to be done in the house. I need new flooring, lighting, and a new slider to replace the atrium door.  The new window is essential as the current one sticks. It also cannot take a cat door insert, which would be helpful. It's something to look forward to!

 ...I've been busy on little projects.  Here's another item that I finished. This is Bumble Bee Buddy [ Ravelry ]: Specs: Started 11/16/2024 Finished 11/17/2024 Pattern: Bumble Bee Buddy by ChemKnits Yarn: scraps I need to get back to the larger WIPs. WIPs Roll Call Worked On: Mom's cookbook (cooking) Continued to add recipes No Work This Week: Finishing work Look Through My Window quilt for me (quilting) Peaceful Night (cross stitch) Teal No-Noro Hat (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Queued: The Sea Merchant's Wife (cross stitch) Ready to start. Finishing Work In Progress: Collector's Heart 2024 (cross stitch) Crystal Heart mini (cross stitch) Dreaming Cleo (cross stitch)  Frost Flower mini (cross stitch) Jasmine Mix mini (cross stitch) Pearl Orchid mini (cross stitch) Tulip Time mini (cross stitch) Underwater City mini (cross stitch) Winged Dreams (cross stitch)  Witchy Dreams (cro...

 ...so fun to do! My friend Jane asked for a replacement catnip mouse for her kitty. I made one for her in 2018 and it's finally on its last legs. I decided to do two because there are now two cats in the household.  Specs: Started 11/15/2024 Finished 11/24/2024 Pattern: Catnip Friends by Barbara Albright Yarn: scraps My cats love the little catnip fish that I made them last year, so i made two for Jane: Specs: Started 11/17/2024 Finished 11/23/2024 Pattern: Rybka (Wee Fishie) by Kino Knits Yarn: scraps Just about the time I was finishing these toys, Fuzzy Mitten (Barbara Prime) published their free Christmas pattern, Little Penguin. I decided that Jane needed a pair of penguins. Specs: Started 11/26/2024 Finished 12/3/2024 Pattern: Little Penguin by Barbara Prime Yarn: scraps These projects were fun to do. I love doing quick and cute projects!

 ...catching up. I finished Mermaid Lagoon socks [ Ravelry ] for the WIPs Wrestling event for Ravellenics 2024. Specs: Started 10/3/2023 Finished 8/4/2024 Pattern: Mermaid's Lagoon by Sadie Bellegarde Yarn: Socks That Rock Lightweight in Mermaid From Blue Moon Fiber Arts (Started with Pattern: Jellyfish by Cookie A Knitwear Designs) I was hoping to finish a second project for Ravellenics 2024, but I'd forgotten that we were going to a concert on the last day of the challenge. Oh, well! This is Forest Flowers [ Ravelry ]: and the close up: Specs: Started 8/9/2024 Finished 8/13/2024 4.0 oz. Merino-Tencel from Greenwood Fiberworks 226.1 yds. chain-ply 14 WPI WIPs Roll Call Worked On: Witchy Dreams (cross stitch) Working on the background motifs No Work This Week: Chaca II (needlepoint) Look Through My Window quilt for me (quilting) Ocean Ripples Wrap (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Sky Lanterns Shawl (kni...

...and I'm looking forward to a new year. This last year was very difficult. My mother's decline followed by her passing in July really impacted how I handled my day-to-day and reduced my attention to my crafts. In what's becoming an annual tradition, I tried blasting out one more project for the year. This is Mom's Turquoise Handspun [ Ravelry ]: and the close-up: Specs: Started and finished 12/31/2023 Falkland (4.1 oz) from the Yarn Wench in Navajo Turquoise Plied  with Rayon thread in Turquoise and 10/2 Mercerized cotton in Blue Turquoise beads from Mom’s collection 54.2 yds 3 ply, Super-Bulky weight Mom had a bunch of beads in her jewelry collection that were intended to be used in craft projects. I restrung them on thread and incorporated them into this art yarn. Also here are the additional projects that I completed as Christmas Gifts. This is Navy Bankhead Hat [ Ravelry ] that I made for The Husband: Specs: Started ...

 ...making progress on a few things. I painted additional Mid Century Modern coasters. I still had a paint leakage problem, but overall I'm pretty happy with them. I may back them with some felt to add another level of absorption. Specs: MCM Painted Coasters Started 5/9/2023 Finished 5/12/2023 Based on an idea from the internet I had been struggling with how to pin the two quilts in my finishing queue. We installed wonderful new floors with the remodel and I did not want to scratch them up with safety pins. Enter puzzle mats! They provide enough protection for the floor and give me a cushioned surface to work on. I ordered two sets on an Amazon timed deal. When they arrived, I laid them out and sandwiched both quilts. They were barely big enough for the larger of the two quilts, so I'll order another set to have on hand when I make big quilts. My biggest problem now if where to store them! I really need to do more purging in my studi...

 ...Happy May! I saw some cool pillow covers on a home furnishings site, but didn't want to pay $60 for the cover and pillow insert.  I bought some velvet upholstery fabric that was on sale at Joann plus an invisible zipper. I had one remaining pillow insert from an Amazon order, and I had some cream canvas fabric in my stash that I've have for about 10 years.  It took me a bit to figure out how to get the pillow front the same size as the the back. The invisible zipper was still a pain to install, but it was the right zipper to use with the orange velvet. The pillow is a little smaller than I wanted because the velvet had no give. At any rate, I like the way it turned out! And it cost me less than $19.00 for the whole thing. Specs: Cream and orange pillow Started 4/29/2023 Finished 4/30/2023 Based on a pillow cover seen at West Elm Cream canvas fabric from stash Orange velvet upholstery fabric  I've been working on a simple cardi...

 ...double-whammy. :) First up, the eye candy. The daffodils are starting to bloom in several places in our backyard. I finished the hat that I started in December. This is the Bankhead Hat [ Ravelry ]: Specs: Bankhead Hat [ Ravelry ] Started 12/13/2021 Finished 3/17/2022 Bankhead pattern by Susie Gourlay The daffodils are starting to bloom in several places in our backyard.

 ...they're OK. I'm glad they are both done. First up, Pocket Kitty [ Ravelry ]. It doesn't really look like a cat, though. Specs: Started 12/6/2021 Finished 1/16/2022 Pattern: Pocket Pets from Fuzzy Mitten Next, is the first spinning of the year. This is Grapevine [ Ravelry ]: and the close-up: Specs: Started 1/24/2022 Finished 1/31/2022 Alpaca-Silk (4.0 oz.) from Greenwood Fiberworks 91.7 yds chain-ply, 11 WPI

...and the last finished objects from 2021. Here is the first photo of 2022 - the sunrise: The Daughter prefers a white and gray color scheme for her home. That includes her Christmas tree. I've been wanting to make her something for her home, but hadn't figured out anything until I ran across some  fabric in my stash. I found 1/2 yard of a cream-based Fairy Frost and 1/2 yard of a white-based Fairy Frost. After a quick trip to the fabric store, I had some Moda Grunge fabrics in whites, silvers, and grays. I kept the pattern simple as she prefers clean lines and since Christmas was just 9 days away, I kept the machine-quilting simple as well. This is Shades of Winter: Specs: Started 12/16/2021 Finished 12/20/2021 Fabrics from the Moda Grunge By BasicGrey and Michael Miller Fairy Frost No pattern It's hard to take a good photo of a mostly white quilt so this was the best I could get after about 30 tries (gotta love digital cameras!) ...

 ...a small one. I saw a free pattern on Ravelry and thought it might be fun to make a few. I pulled out some leftover white yarn that had a shiny strand running through it. This is an easy star ornament [ Ravelry ]. Specs: Started 12/7/2021 Finished 12/9/2021 Pattern: Easy Start Shape Ornaments by Gina-Michele After doing one, I decided that I didn't want to do any more. The pattern is fine, but there were way too many ends to weave in--not my favorite thing to do!

...and WIP-it Wednesday. I finally finished my first adult sweater! This is Pure Comfort Cardigan (knitting) [ Ravelry : Specs: Started 1/29/2020 Finished 10/10/2021 Yarn: Cascade 220 Heathers in Red Wine Heather Pattern: Pure Comfort Cardigan by Andrea Yetman WIPs Roll Call Worked On: Hark Christmas ornament (cross stitch) Working on the center person. Illusion hexagons [ Ravelry ] Working on another hexagon. Noche de los Muertos quilt (quilting)  Working on the machine quilting.  Pacific Waters tapestry (weaving) [ Ravelry ] Started adding sari silk ribbon Secret project Started 10/12/2021 Singularity Shawl (knitting) [ Ravelry ]   Added a few more rows. No Work This Week: Look Through My Window quilt for me (quilting)  Malachite (needlepoint)  Queued Ready to machine quilt: Mermaid Songs (quilting) Ready to start - Lilith of Labrador mermaid (cross...

 ...more cat toys, this time for other people's pets. I made 7 catnip miss for a friend and some relatives. I need to mail two of them and another two will go to a local friend. I the feeling of accomplishment. I can now swap over and work on some of my larger projects.