sew much stuff going on

So, let's start with the knitting so it doesn't feel left out. I'm using up odds and ends of sock yarn in a pair of crazy socks. I realized once I'd cast on that my choice of slightly bigger needles and the accidental repeated stitch count of my last pair meant that I would have socks that wouldn't fit me.

Enter random friend. She thinks I'm knitting socks for her. I tried to explain the subtle difference between knitting something for someone and knitting something that will later be given to someone, but the subtlety was lost on her. She's still happily believing that I'm knitting socks for her. I'm not. I'm knitting socks because I want to and because it's fun to use up scraps, and she'll happen to get them in the end. It's different.

I'm doing an afterthought heel, so while they look like they may be close to done, they are a little less close.

The cherries there are what I made my knitting project bag out of quite a while ago. LOVE IT.

Now then, on we go to the specimen below. I struggled to quilt this little gem for my sorta-cousin's younger son, and it came out goodish. Ish. I think he'll like it, regardless.

The bit that looks purple is actually gray. Thank you, artificial light. And thank you for real, my accommodating teenager. The quilt is a creeper from the pixely game Minecraft and was the lad's choice. He doesn't realize that he's getting it this month, though. Muhuhuhahahaha!!!

In my usual way, I didn't really plan for the back very well. So when it wasn't wide enough, I had to get creative. I didn't like the idea of a stripe; I needed to break the pixel mould.

Shhhh! Don't tell him!

In other news, I've had enough of my sewing machine skipping stitches when I quilt, when I go fast, when I use Heat n Bond Lite, when I use spray baste..... It's wimpy and fussy. I needed to upgrade.

Cynthia. We will blame Cynthia. We can also blame a really good sale, and the fact that my Nan started me on my first only-mine machine and it was a Janome and I loved it. Who wouldn't love on-board feet?

I've only wound a bobbin and sewn two seams, but I'm in love. Just the size of the armpit (throat) is enough to make me squeal. OMG. And the features are amazeballs. This is like a Caddy compared to a Lada.

I'll be knitting tonight because it's too hot to use the iron, but you can bet that I'll be itching all day tomorrow to get home from work and get sewing ... Oh, and I'll be itching because of this 4-day-old tattoo, but that's another story for another post.

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