2011 Calendar -My work is December!

I just found out one of my wall hangings is in the about.com 2011 calendar (December)

I am very pleased and hope you will check it out. There are other pieces featured under the "Art quilts" as well.

http://quilting.about.com/library/pdf_files/2011_Quilting-Calendar.pdf

http://quilting.about.com/od/picturesofquilts/ig/Art-Quilts-Gallery/

more Christmas knitting

I have finally finished my Christmas presents - and I hope the girls in the family will like them. It has been fun to do and helped me get over a hard time especially this past week.

It was a year ago on the l3th that we lost our son Rob.

I received a parcel from my friend Deb - a skein of merino wool and a skein of alpaca wool. So beautiful. I haven't decided w

hat I will do with it. The alpaca will definitely go into a pair of socks for

me and I am thinking about a lacy scarf. The merino will make a lovely hat to go with my leather coat! Dear Debbie - such a good friend.

The weather is getting colder but actually we have avoid

ed the terrible weather here in

Southern Alberta.

I imagine most of you are ready or nearly ready for Christmas. I hope , if you are

going away, that you will arrive at your destination safely. For those of you who are staying

near or at home, I hope your Christmas is lovely.

For those of you from around the world -- May you have health and happiness, whatever time of the year, or whatever faith you live by.

I think of the Christmas we spent in Whangaparaoa, New Zealand in the 70's on the beach with

our friends -- and our Christmas's in Arizona at Valle Del Oro where we made such wonderful life long friends.

I want to congratulate my dear on line friend Miriam Gogarty who designed 'Emma's Tree' in

honour of her daughter who died of cancer a few years ago. Emma's tree is being made by

Quilters around the world. Miriam presented the President of Ireland an Emma's tree. She

also contributes a huge amount of her time and knowledge teaching, designing and quilting -throughout Ireland. I am honored to know her. We share the loss of an adult child and it

means a lot to me to have her for a friend.

Christmas projects

I have been knitting up a storm this

past while -- have done lots of hats, mittens, scarves and socks

for family and friends for Christmas.

I have also knit 3 sweaters so as you can see, I have been

busy!. I made the brown set for myself - I like

the caps with the brims - I designed a

crochet pattern which works well. The red hat and socks are

part of a set I did for my dear friend Debbie - socks, hat, scarf and mittens. She lives in Athabasca and it is even colder there than

here on the average - (North of Edmonton). The mottled teal and beige set is for one of my family members and the pink socks go with the sweater I did previously. I needed a break from thread painting and art quilts and these are my first times doing socks and

mittens although I have knitted and crochet for years. I am enjoying it very much.

I still learn a pattern and then change it - grin. Our weather is better -

we had a terrible week awhile ago and word was that we were one of

the coldest spots on earth -- (might have been a bit of imagination - but

it sure felt like it and it was in the paper as a fact!)

It has been nicer lately and we have even had some Chinook winds which

are warm winds from the west.