Summer Crafts (the time of year when I'm cranking out less)

(May 8th)

(June 5th)

I started this knit blanket back in mid-September and here we are, 10 months later and I've finally finished it!  These blankets are a marathon, not a sprint but honestly, that's what I love about them.  I need zero more blankets, but I always need a project on my needles and blankets keep me busy for many many months.

This  pattern is pretty cool - you knit with two different colored yarns in each section which means that the blanket as a different color depending on which side you are looking at.  You can kind of see it in the photo above.  

I love these little labels I had made awhile back - they are the perfect, subtle way to label them.

I also put the finishing touches on this blanket for Anthony and Brittany's wedding shower in about a month from now.  I didn't know who I was making this one for when I started it but they'd announced their engagement I knew this would be the one I'd gift them.  It's honestly one of my favorite quilts of all time.  Its so pretty and such a cool pattern.  I might make this again if the website I bought it from comes out with another quilt kit.  Westwood Acres is one of my favorite online quilt shops and her fabric choices never disappoint.

(June 14)

And, with the finish of one knitted blanket, I must then cast on a new one.  I've got a sampler up next and I'm excited to knit this one.  The yarn comes on a giant cone, so there are no ends to tie in...you just knit and knit and knit until the pattern runs out.  I haven't knit a sampler since I first started knitting and I'm excited for the chance to switch up the pattern every few inches.  I've been making good progress on this one - roughly 1.5 months in and I'm into the third pattern section of the pattern.

(July 30)

Last but not least - this beautiful quilt I finished for my cousin Alex Tischendorf's wedding.  I started this quilt over the winter, not knowing exactly where it was headed, but when we got the invite for Alex (and Sarah's) wedding, I knew I had the perfect quilt already lined up.

I hope this fits their style.  It's a little more "moody" than my normal quilts with the black boarders etc but I love how it makes the colors pop.  I love quilting with this linen fabric - I've used linens before and they are a little finicky to work with, but it's hard to decide which is better, the look of linen or the softness of the fabric.  So, I continue to work with it and the quilts the come out of it are some of my favoites.

So - here we are in early September so I think it's time for me to finish up my "Summer crafts" post and start collecting for my "Fall crafts" edition.