Knitting Project Bags

I have been carrying my knitting projects around in plastic bags for decades. I like to have a certain number of supplies with me and years ago found a leather make-up case with a zipper (and a mirror) that is the perfect size for my scissors, needles and other tools.

I used this tutorial but enlarged it to accommodate my needle case, a pattern and a couple of balls of yarn. It is the perfect size - I love it!

It was so easy that I make a couple of more for fellow knitters. These are made from Denyse Schmidt Quilter's Quarters from Joann's Fabrics. One yard of fabric is printed with four coordinating fat quarters, so even choosing fabrics for these two bags was super simple. 

Another bag I made turned out perfectly, but doesn't work well for knitting. I just wanted to try this tutorial which is very well written and nicely photographed. This is the largest size pouch and will likely be useful for something - I just don't know what it is yet!

Husky Band Day

Band Dad

It was a long day but a lot of fun. Dave and I were chaperones on a bus trip to Seattle, tagging along with 50 some high school kids participating in Husky Band Day. The University of Washington invites area high school bands to join them in a half time show at a Husky football game each year. Ray went last year and had a great time. We wanted to see what it was like; each year there seems to be some uncertainty about whether this will be the last time.

Husky Stadium is being rebuilt so games are being played at Century Link Field downtown, which is where the Seahawks play. It was cool to stand in the end zone and see the stadium when it was empty. It gradually filled up with high school students and event organizers, with all sorts of rehearsals and equipment checks going on at once. Eventually, there were 55,000 people in the stands.

Practice, practice

Practice

A performance in the Plaza

"It would be SO cool to play in the Husky Band."

The Star Spangled Banner

The half time show, with high school bands

Smash Book

We have a new Smash book for the camper. 

It is a scrapbook variation of journals and log books we have kept separately and together over the years, books that have recorded boat trips and flights and the construction of our cabin at Chilkat Lake. I know we don't have all of these old books - I lost custody of the rowing log books and the book we used to record all of our trips on our liveaboard boat, Inchmaree, must have been with all the charts when we sold the boat. Dave still has his flight logs, though, from the airplanes he has owned and the two journals we have from the cabin are here at home. It's good to look through them every now and then - it really helps to recall details, good and bad, and sort out some particulars from the general mush of memory.

The Smash Books are popular and readily available. I first saw them online but was happy to find a display at Michael's and also saw some at a small scrap booking store right here in town. The accessories aren't really necessary - any pen or glue stick would work - but it is a nice little package deal and seems just the right size for a journal. Now we just need to get the camper out on the road a bit more!

Drawstring Bag

Scraps turned into hexagons, which were perfect to decorate the front of a lunch-sized drawstring bag. This popular tutorial is well written and easy to follow.

September Bee Blocks

Two blocks for Cheer Circle 

 DO. Good Stitches

{Charity Quilting Bee}

September 2012

This tutorial

College Reunion

It was a barrel of laughs! A group of friends from college came for a weekend reunion earlier this summer. They arrived with campers, tents and dogs, driving or flying in from California, Montana, Oregon and Washington. Temporary shelters were set up in the yard and we spent the days laughing, eating and catching up. 

We re-created a photograph taken by our friend, Tom Thompson, who wasn't able to come to the party. It dates from 1978 or so, back when we were SO much younger.  So, yeah, 34 years later, not so young, but happy and healthy and still very good friends.

Allyson, Sarina, Jean

Photo by Judy Paulino - 2012