'Beary' Tea Party!

Coco and Greta visited today and we had a 'tea party' w/G'ma's fine china tea set!! "Gentle, Greta!!"

Then we found the toy box downstairs!

Coloring Pages

I'm trying to find a cute angel theme for a class project that I can help with for Regina's Gala... I found an angel using the following:
*trace student's feet for angel body
*trace hands for wings
*could use pic of student's face printed on fabric for angel face
*students could sign their name on angel wings to personalize it
*students could color the angel so they are personalized
These blocks could then be made into a class quilt to be auctioned at the Gala...
... just a thought :) ........

'Babini kuki'

My Grandma we called 'Babi'....it's Czech for Grandma! I found this phrase on a knitting pattern site from Bulgaria! ... it reminded me of her and translates into 'Granny's knitting needles' ... she is the one who knitted in our family... I still have a hat/scarf/mittens she made me when I was in elementary school! I often watched her knit and wondered how she could make such tiny stitches! and I have her 'olde' antique crochet hooks that are only 4 inches long and have the tiniest hooks I've EVER seen!! She probably crocheted doilies with them...

Sweater weather ...

My cowl-collared sweater I just finished after Christmas '06. It is not blocked yet, used Aran fleck yarn (which I love!). I am going to try a REAL Aran sweater pattern next when I decide which pattern I like the best!

Mini ski sweater outfit from my new Christmas stocking book! 12/06

Sidebar storyline...

Well, as you can see I've been playing with this sidebar...hoping to see if I could tell you something about myself thru the collection and order of the link pics. If I've 'borrowed' a pic from anyone, thank you! As I'm sure someone may 'borrow' one from me sometime.
I hope to add some more posts soon as I've added some pics from my camera. My husband and I have attended a few UI Women's Basketball games...and sit close to the Dance/Pom-Pom Team!

Christmas Stockings~~

And the stockings were hung by the chimney with care . . .

-The Night Before Christmas, Clement Clarke Moore

I'm up late, can't get to sleep, having fun with this blog, reading other knitting blogs, getting ideas, seeing what a vast array of knitting is being done!! This was my first attempt (Dec 6,'06) at using db pt needles from a new book of Christmas stockings. Actually, I was making a 'pint-sized' ski sweater! I will probably give it to Coco for one of her dolls! I saw an idea for next Christmas (or for charitable purpose)~~now that I've learned to skeet (sp?) from watching Knitty Gritty a lot lately!! Find old sweaters and make Christmas stockings (lined??) for kids who would probably never have one in their life! I can't beleive how many knitters make socks! I hope I can teach myself how to do that this year!

Preemie donations '06

These are a few of the best pics of what I have donated during 2006 to The Preemie Project.

1) Craft Fair: Nov 06

I made 5 child-size circus quilts, 2 using redwork animal designs that I used with my students at school before retiring. (I taught them how to embroider the animal squares and sashed them with circus clown-face fabric. I donated those to UIHC to critically ill children and also some to Ronald McDonald House in Iowa City.)

2) For the PP Craft Fair I also made some 'Hawkeye' potholders and dishcloths (in the basket) and several crocheted baby blankets (not pictured)

3) The fall 'Hawkeye' donation for the Preemie Project included 2 micro white/black/gold onsies/hat/bootie outfits; 13 different hat/bootie sets; 8 microspun hat/bootie sets.

4) close-up of the 'Hawkeye' onesie set.

5) pastel green/yellow/white crocheted blanket/hat/

bootie set

6) my 'retirement' basket that I use to baggie my outfits until I deliver them to Laura, the founder of The Preemie Project

7) an orange blanket/hat/bootie set pictured alongside my themed 'Hawkeye' set

Cubs forever!!!

My husband is a life-long CUBS fan! This is a pic of my son-in-law hanging a Wrigley Field throw above our tv while my husband was in Mesa,AZ during the CUBS spring training last year ('06). This year I am able to go with him since I am officially retired!!
His birthday cake this past Sept had a frosting pic of his 6 grand'cubbies'!!

Regina Angel Quilt - Fall '06

Iowa City Regina elementary learning center has structural angels on the outside of the building. I have long wanted to make an 'angel' quilt for the school since my g'kids presently attend there. This is the embroidered (redwork style) angel quilt I made and donated to the school this past fall ('06). The Principal sent me a very nice note saying they would be hanging in the building soon. I will post it when I get a pic of it.
~~(school colors: blue/gold!)

Preemie Gowns

This is one of several gown sets I made during the winter/spring of '06. I was trying new patterns I found on the Preemie Project website. I even displayed them at my retirement party at school to show my friends/family what I'd be doing during retirement!!

The Preemie Project

"Heart of the Hawkeyes!"

This little crocheted heart blanket and knitted spiral hat and booties created the theme of my blog address. I have been knitting and crocheting for The Preemie Project in Iowa City during the past year which was also my last year of teaching middle school instrumental music at Cedar Rapids Prairie. I played along with the students' lessons at school and now need to keep my fingers doing something! I can't remember when I learned to knit and crochet, but I still have a knitted hat, mitten and scarf set that my Babi made me years ago~! I really enjoy making things for family and friends. As I work thru this blog, I will add pics of items I've made.

These are the 13 Hawkeye hat/bootie sets I made this past fall for the Sept '06 donation to UIHC in Iowa City. I really had fun trying to make each set different!

Brrrrr!!! It's Cold Outside!!

Today it is O degrees outside! Cold enough for all these afghans! The blue/white ones are for two Cowboy and one Colt NFL fans... special Christmas requests from these fine young athletes! There is also a 'jungle' camophlage one to hide among all the jungle animals in the bedroom...and a delicate varigated green/white for a little girl's room! We, in Iowa, were beginning to wonder if we would EVER get any snow! Now we have it WITH the cold temps!

Santa knits!

Go Hawks!!!

I live in Hawkeye country! Our colors are 'black & gold'... and I love to create in black and gold! I quilt, knit, crochet and now, since I have more time on my hands and a new laptop, I will compute!! 'Bear' with me since I am new to this 'blog'thing...I love 'bears' and have a small collection gracing my entryway! Even Santa making 'teddies' at his workbench!!! The little bears are always invited to a 'Red Hat' tea party when my 'Coco visits G'ma! And my new Santa has a 'knit' suit on! This isn't all... there are 3 from my early years on the other side of the pillar and 6 more on top of the hutch facing the stairs!! I even bought baby clothes for a bear I made for a newborn of a friend of mine! Now, I've found a pattern for a 'fairisle' sweater to fit my bears! I've tried the pattern with varigated yarn so now you know one of my future projects! To learn how to knit fairisle!!

For my friends, this is a new blog...hopefully I can 'run' it better than my first one!

New Birthday! Happy 2007!!

Here I am w/G'pa and my basket of knitting yarn... And yes, I used to have long hair, almost to my waist that I wore in a bun!
The
'birthday'
is
for
my
new
blog!