I've been nominated!

WOW!  This is amazing.  I'm so honored!  I've been nominated as having one of the best online quilt shops in SewGalCal's Golden Quilt Awards.  If you are so inclined, go to the link and check out the entries.  The other shops nominated are all amazing and I don't expect to win.  But I feel like a winner for being included in this list.  I have no idea who nominated me, but THANK YOU!

More fun....

More about my weekend....

In my last post, I told you how much fun I had on Friday morning in a class with Helene Knott and her wonderful Garden Patch Cats.  But the fun didn't stop there... oh, no!  On Friday afternoon,  after a yummy lunch with my friend, Sandy, I took a class with Karla Alexander, who took us through the steps to make a table runner from her new book, Color Shuffle.  I don't have the book on my website yet, but I will soon.  I do have a few copies- they just aren't loaded on the site yet.  And I have plenty more coming.  As with all books on my website, Color Shuffle will be 25% off all the time.  Shoot me an email if you want to pre-order a copy.

Here's the quilt that was photographed for the book cover.  It's even more wonderful in person!

And a closeup....

Here's Karla holding another quilt from the book....

And a close-up...

And another...

And a close-up....

Look closely at the above photo.... it's a 4 patch.  SOOOOO simple!  She stacks fabrics, slashes them on a slant, then rearranges them.  Great effect!

Now we get to MY project.....  First the pile of pieces (will it ever look as great as Karla's????)

She promises it will...... so I slashed and sewed and slashed and sewed....

And.....

VOILA!!  It was fun, fun, FUN!  Here I am (on the left) with Karla (on the right) holding my first 2 blocks.  I look happy.... she looks tired.  LOL. Karla is an exceptionally good teacher.  She really watches her students- not hovering, but being available when there are questions.  And the last picture is how the blocks look together.  The finished table runner will have 12 blocks.  It's going to look great on my dining room table.  Now how did she know these are "my colors"?   :-)

Class with Helene Knott

Mushcat

 

What a great day!  The distributor where I buy a lot of my product for the website has a buyers market, quilt show, and classes twice a year for business owners in the retail fabric industry.  Today was my day to take a few classes.  What fun!  Life has been pretty stressful lately and it was a pure joy to sew with a few talented pattern designers and a room full of friendly and totally enjoyable fellow shop owners.

This morning, I took a class from Helene Knott, who is a prolific pattern designer and talented quilter.  Her "specialty" is color theory.  Currently, she is designing the Garden Patch Cats series.  Pattern number 12 was just released and will be on my website very soon.  It's Mushcat-- a mushroom cat.  (First photo above).  The photo directly above is Gourdo Gato.

This was her first Garden Patch Cat pattern, and one of my favorites--- Avacato.

Here's a different Gourdo Gato.

Caulipus is one of my best sellers.  Isn't the fabric Helene used for Caulipus great?  It looks like Cauliflower (albeit blue cauliflower).

Kitt'ney Bean.

PodCats

Pumpcat

StalkerBoscat

And here's my creation.  I made this in class today.  He's "Yammy Cat".  Yammy isn't quite finished.  He needs another eye.  The missing eye gets embroidered- it's closed and he's winking.  It needs pressing.  Those aren't puckers at the bottom.  Helene gave us lots of great ideas for how to quilt the cats.  She's so creative and she's an amazing quilter.  I'm going to do a blanket stitch around the cat.  I'm not sure what kind of quilting design I'll do in the background.  I'll probably do some kind of cross hatching because the plaid fabric sort of sets it up for that look.  Yammy is made of really plush Woolies flannels.  I'm thinking of turning this into a throw pillow instead of a wall hanging.

Thanks, Helene- I had a great time this morning!

Socks and Meditation

I finished another pair of socks.  I'm officially a "sockaholic".  I can't stop!  I had these started when my DH had his little run-in with the table saw.  I had them in my purse and ended up spending hours at the hospital by his bedside knitting.  Knitting, hand applique, and other hand work projects are meditative to me.  While I can knit or hand-sew while talking or watching TV, I've learned that doing work that requires concentration can take my focus off of my worries and onto my needlework.  I can do simple knit-purl on autopilot.... and I can still have a conversation or worry or focus on fear or anger or any other emotions (including good ones).  But complicated or new patterns require my attention, and that means that my attention is not on life around me.  It's as good as a nap.  I have to count and concentrate, and before I know it, my blood pressure is lower and tension is relieved.

It really doesn't matter what I do.  Knitting was just easy for me to carry around and I just happened to have a pair of socks started.  But anything that requires concentration works.

These socks are the "Simple Sock" from "Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles by Cat Bordhi.  I lost the wrapper somewhere in the hospital so I can't tell you what the yarn is, but it's a wool blend sock yarn with long color runs.  I used size 2 circs.

 

 I made these... 2 at a time... on two circular needles.  I don't think I'll be doing that again any time soon.  I kept getting tangled up.  My niece told me to just be sure I turn every other row in the opposite direction.  Yea-- well--- I tried, but I still ended up spending too much time untangling things.  I think one-sock-at-a-time is for me.

 

Mystery Sock Knit-Along

 

Knitter's Brewing Company Social Butterfly Sock KAL.  This is a mystery sock.  What we know is that it uses beads.  You can use your stash yarn or purchase a kit from Knitters Brewing Company (see colors above).  Wendy (sock designer) is a super nice lady and she will be giving clues throughout the month on her Ravelry page.  No charge unless you want the kit.  The pattern clues are free.  There are prizes if you use her yummy hand dyed yarn and post pictures, though.

The first clue comes out tomorrow and I'm ready!

February Giveaway Winner

The winner of the February giveaway is DEBORA from Rhode Island.  Her blog is Wool n Sails.  Congrats, Deborah!  I love the things you create- your blog is a nice read.

I'll email you, Debora.

I'll catch up on my blogging and post a March giveaway this week.  Thanks to all who entered!

Girl Scouts® Flannel

 I was busy today!  I carry all of the Girl Scout and Boy Scout fabric sold by Robert Kaufman.  But I just got the collection of Girl Scouts flannels in stock!  I actually got the GS Flannel in last week, but things were too crazy for me to get them loaded onto the website before now.  The funny thing about this is that I had several people write to inquire if I had the flannel and I told them that Kaufman didn't make it.  AAHHH!!!!  I didn't realize they did!  And now I don't know who those people were who asked.  If you're one of them-- I'm sorry!  I talked with my sales rep a few weeks ago and learned that they DO, indeed, have it and I ordered the whole collection.

Kaufman did a good job of supporting this line with free patterns- for both flannel and flat cottons.  I have all of their free patterns loaded onto my website along with the fabrics .  The free Girl Scouts patterns are with the regular Girl Scouts fabric- not with the flannels.  I also have all of their free patterns for the Boy Scouts fabric loaded onto my website.

I think I need a thin mint pillow case.

My 200th Post!- Happy Valentine's Day!

WOW!  It's hard to believe I've written 200 posts to this blog!  Thank you for reading- it's what makes me want to write.  With all of the crazy things that have happened to me in the past months, I feel like I have a network of friends in cyberspace who care.  It's a good feeling.  It's fitting that today is Valentine's Day, because I LOVE blogging!  I love posting, I love reading your comments, and I love reading other blogs.  Thank you, all!

My hubby still has a very unhappy hand.  But every day is a little better.  He's pretty bored now.  Everything he wants to do requires physical energy or more than one hand... or the ability to drive.  All this will come in time. 

I took him for a drive (his favorite thing right now) to Camp 18 for dinner last night for an early Valentine treat.  It's one of our favorite spots and it's a beautiful drive through the heavily wooded coast range.  It was about a 60 mile round trip- just about the limit of what he can handle right now.

 

Camp 18 is a family style restaurant in an amazing log cabin.  They also have a logging museum and lots of logging memorabilia and history. It's a popular spot for people driving between the Portland area and the Oregon Coast. 

We had a nice, drive, a nice dinner, and a nice memory.

Thanks, again, for reading--- and here's to the next 200 posts!

February Giveaway

I'm a little late getting the February Giveaway posted.  Life has been just a little crazy!  This giveaway is for a mouse pad and two fat quarters with cats on them.  Get it?  Cats and a mouse?  The mouse pad is a Rebeca Barker print- very pretty- birds on a feathered star quilt.

I'll draw on March 1st using the random number generator.  The draw is open to anyone- international entries ok and previous winners are welcome to enter.

For one entry- just ask to be entered.  You don't have to do anything.  For a second entry, be a follower of this blog- either a current or a new follower.  For a third entry- mention this giveaway on your own blog.

 

If you're a "no reply" entry, meaning if you don't have an email address associated with your name, that's ok- you can still enter.  But if I draw your name, I will not have any way to contact you.  I'll post the winner.  If you don't contact me within a week, I'll have to draw another name.  If you DO have an email associated with your name, I'll shoot you an email if I draw your name.

To enter- please comment to THIS POST.  Please make a separate comment for each entry (up to three, total, as described above).  I'm making it easy on myself this month.  This way, I'll be able to just count the number of entries, put that in the number generator, and when I have a winning number, I'll just count down the list to that number.

Thanks for playing along- and GOOD LUCK!

Technical difficulties

OK.  I'm generally not terribly technically challenged.  I'm no Geek, but I'm not tech-phobic, either.  I do OK.   But this one has me baffled.  I inadvertently blocked all photos from my blog.  I then "unblocked" them.  The photos on my posts came back. (Whew!)  But the photos of most of the followers are gone.  As far as I can tell, the followers are still there- just most of the photos are gone.  If anyone has any clue what I did-- or how to undo it-- please let me know.

But honestly- it had nothing to do with me not wanting your photos on my follower list!!!!  I love your smiling faces!!!!

He's doing better

 

We've had a long week.  Thanks to all of you who have sent me emails.  I truly appreciate your kind words, good thoughts and prayers.  My DH was very, very fortunate!  He still has his thumb, and it is looking good for him to regain most or all function of his thumb and hand.  Please know how deeply grateful he and I both are.  Having said that... it's been a very long week.  He is trying to do as much as he can for himself, but life is challenging with one hand.  Needless to say, he can't drive.  And it's even tough for him to be a passenger in a car because the arm gets jiggled around and it starts to hurt.  And it's even tough to sleep in bed because he always has to have his hand propped up straight.  He'll be starting physical therapy soon.  I'm still not showing you a picture with the bandages off.  It's too yucky to post.  It's not hard-casted.  He has a guard that protects it, but it comes off.  We have to change his dressing every day.  His hand definitely looks better than it did last week, but the healing is slow.  One day at a time....

What's so tough?  Lots of little things.  Try blowing your nose with one hand.  Really--- try it.  Tying shoe laces.  Zipping his coat.  Washing one hand.  

Thanks, again, for all who have sent good wishes.  He asked me to thank you all!

Eventful Week

I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while.  This week has been a blur!  The above photo is my husband's hand.  Trust me- you don't want to see a picture without the bandage.   On Tuesday, he and the table saw got into an argument and the table saw won.  Fortunately, I was home when the accident happened.  He yelled to me for help, which I got in the form of the wonderful paramedics at our local volunteer fire department.  They called the ambulance, we ended up in the hospital ER, and a few hours later he was in surgery.  The saw blade cut through his hand to the bone at the base of his thumb, chipping the bone and severing all kinds of important stuff like a tendon, an artery, veins, and lots of nerves.  I'll spare you the rest of the details- let's just say it isn't pretty.  The gifted surgeon re-attached everything and put his hand back together, which is absolutely mind-boggling to me.  He was in the hospital for 2 days.  He's home now, and doing better every day.  Now- on top of my many medical appointments, we are adding appointments for him.  The surgeon is hopeful that he will regain full use of his hand, after lots of physical therapy.  I'm so very, very grateful that I was home with him when it happened, that it was his LEFT hand (he's right handed), and that he didn't lose the thumb.  He had a few rough days and nights, but each day is better.  He's in pretty good spirits now and he is doing as much as he can for himself and only asking me for help when he absolutely needs it.  That's my guy!

As if life wasn't exciting enough, a large limb broke off a tree right outside the house on Wednesday night and fell just inches from my car.  You might recall that I was in an accident in November and my car is just recently repaired.  I'm glad we didn't have to take it back to the body shop AGAIN! 

So you can see why I haven't had time to post.  I got caught up on shipping orders yesterday and I'll post the February giveaway soon. 

January Giveaway Winner- Congrats Gene!

WOW!  I am absolutely overwhelmed!  I wrote when I posted this giveaway that I was celebrating the fact that I had 100 followers.  In the month since then, I picked up an additional 78 followers (last time I looked).  SO... this is to celebrate the fact that all 178 of you (and probably a few more) stop by once in a while to check out what I'm rambling on about.  I'm honored.

For giveaways, I used to just pick a name out of a hat, or ask my husband to "pick a number", but things got a little complicated this month!  I made the leap to a random number generator, and the lucky number belongs to Gene Black from Alabama.  Gene's blog is delightful- his love of art is evident.

I also want to apologize- I try hard to reply to each of you who post- even if it's just asking to be entered in a giveaway.  I love emailing fellow bloggers and I appreciate when you take the time to comment.  But this month, things got WAY out of control!  I have been very busy, and I had such a huge response to the giveaway that I just have to tell you that you're all great- I entered all who asked to be entered- and I hope you keep reading.  I have to just say farewell to last month and start answering new posts from this point on.  Whew!  That'll teach ME to post a great giveaway and turn my back for 2 days!

Still on the subject of replies, if you're a "no reply" blog poster- I can't reply.  If you use a work email or just want to keep your in-box clean- I certainly understand.  Do consider a separate email address (like g-mail, yahoo,) or one of the other free email addresses you can get.  Then, whenever you sign up for newsletters, or freebies or post on blogs- you can use that "junk mail" address and just check it when you feel like it.

So- congrats, again, Gene- you'll be getting an email from me and I'll soon have your goodies on their way to Alabama!

Be looking for the February Giveaway sometime this week.

Slow Cooker Taragon Chicken

I'm on a crock pot binge these days.  My schedule has been changed for a few months and it's really nice to have a warm meal waiting for us when I come into the house at dinner time.   We really like this one so I thought I'd share it with you.

SLOW COOKER TARRAGON CHICKEN

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a skillet.
Sprinkle 4-8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts with salt and pepper (number of chicken breasts doesn't matter- just as long as they fit in your crock pot)
Brown chicken on all sides in oil and place chicken in the slow cooker

Add to the same skillet:
One chopped onion
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
one pound white button mushrooms, roughly sliced- not too small
one teaspoon dried tarragon
Saute for about 10 minutes and transfer to crock pot with chicken

Deglaze skillet with:
1/2 cup dry white wine or vermouth, scraping the bits from the pan into the liquid
Add:
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
Combine liquids- you might need to use a whisk
Pour into crock pot.

Cook on low for 5 hours or high for 3 hrs (a little longer won't hurt, but check to see if it needs a little water if you leave it in longer).

Combine 1/2 cup half-and-half with 2 tablespoons cornstarch and pour into crockpot and stir contents.  Cover and cook for about 15 minutes.

Great served with rice or risotto.  Garnish with fresh tarragon if you have it.  If you REALLY like tarragon, you can put some fresh tarragon in when you add the half-and-half.  (I don't do this, but the original recipe I worked with called for it).

Entrelac Scarf and Fingerless Mitts

 

 I finished a knitting project that has been almost done for a loooooong time.  I just needed to finish off the second mitt and work in the yarn tails.  We still have a little bit of winter left so I can give them a little bit of wear this year.

 

I love fingerless mitts.  Granted- they do let your fingers get cold, but I like being able to use my fingers.  Our Pacific Northwest winters aren't generally bitter cold- at least not in the Portland area.  I just like to keep my neck and wrists warm- and I'm good to go.

I used Noro Kureon self striping yarn.  The scarf was my first try at doing entrelac.  I think it's good to try a new technique like this with something flat- such as a scarf.  Now I have the confidence to do an entrelac handbag or socks.  For those of you who might not be familiar with entrelac, it's knitting squares in a "criss cross" fashion.  You don't do any sewing- you pick up stitches along the sides of the squares with your knitting needle.  I had a heck of a time with this at first, but eventually the light bulb lit and I figured it out.

I have a few other knitting UFO's... I'm resolving to finish lots of UFO's this year- both knitting and sewing.  I'm blocking another project now- I'll show it to you when it's dry.

Carol Doak's Scenic BOM

Isn't this cute?  You can't tell from the photo, but this is really a tiny quilt.  The blocks are paper pieced.  To give you an idea of scale, the sashing is 1 1/2 " wide (1/2 " each stripe).  This was a 2009 BOM designed by Carol Doak.  She has a Yahoo group of followers who participated.  I was one of them, but I just downloaded the patterns and haven't started it yet.  I was browsing around on some blogs and I came across Jen Sorenson's blog,  A Quilting Jewel.  Now I'm REALLY motivated to make one!  Jen has inspired me.  Her little quilt is SOOOO cute- I just can't stand it!  Jen is asking for opinions on a border.  She's not sure if she should put one on, or how big to make it.  If you have an opinion- check out her blog and comment on it.

To get this and lots of other free paper piecing patterns, go to Carol Doak's website.  From her website, you can click to her blog.  On the blog, you will find information about joining the Yahoo Group, which is where the Scenic BOM is.  Carol is a really nice lady and has a huge following of loyal paper piecers.

OH- and you can get information on Carol's home page (website) about getting a free trial of Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims' show, The Quilt Show.  If you aren't familiar with it- it's a website that has lots of information and weekly "TV Shows" online.  You can see some of the site for free, and other features are available to members who pay an annual fee.  I belong, and I love it.  I watch it when I'm alone in my shop cutting fat quarters or making up kits or filling orders.  The shows make the time fly!  I think it's a good value for the cost.  But if you aren't sure- hop on over to Carol Doak's site and find out how to get a free trial.

Here's the shameless plug.... you can visit my website and buy Carol Doak's Marriner's Compass Book  for 25% off.  All of the full size quilt books on my website are always 25% off.  I also have the Add a Quarter Ruler, which is a "must" for easy paper piecing.  If you're looking for something you can't find on my website, send me an email and I'll see if I can get it for you.

I think I'll head to my scrap tub and find some fabrics for block one....

I found some giveaways you might like

Barb at Bella Vista is actually giving away this Rooster tureen with 4 matching bowls!  Hop on over and enter!

I found this and other contests and giveaways on Sew Cal Gal's blog.  You can also find a lot of giveaways on Barb's blog at Bejeweled Quilts.  Both Sew Cal Gal and Barb have become blog buddies of mine.  They are very nice ladies with nice blogs.  Check em' out!  (And write to me and gloat about it if you win something!). 

Have fun and good luck!

Slow Cooker "Barbecued" Brisket

I'd like to share my favorite new brisket recipe with you.  I've used one from the Betty Crocker cookbook for years but I think I like this one better.  My inspiration is a recipe in "Slow Cooker- the Best Cookbook Ever" by Diane Phillips.  I got it at Costco recently.  I made so many modifications that the author probably wouldn't recognize her own recipe, but  her recipe was my starting point.  It's incredibly easy and I think it will be a favorite for years in this household!  I highly recommend the book, too.

 

4 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced (or about as much of the minced fresh garlic from a jar)
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon black pepper (freshly ground if possible)
3-6 pound  flat cut brisket- fat trimmed (the size of the brisket isn't important- just as long as it fits in the crock pot)
3-5 onions, thinly sliced (depending on size.. 3 big ones or 5 little ones or somewhere in between)
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
About 5 cups tomato mixture:  Combination of ketchup, tomato puree, stewed tomatoes, canned diced tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, or whatever you have.... to total a mixture of about 5 cups.  I used about a cup of ketchup, a small can of tomato paste, a large can of stewed tomatoes, a large can of diced tomatoes and I threw in a fresh tomato (skin off).  It doesn't matter- just use a cup or 2 of  ketchup or one cup of ketchup and one little can of tomato paste, and then some sort of tomato products other than paste.  Be sure to throw in all the juice- don't drain the tomatoes.

Combine 2 tablespoons oil, the garlic, salt and pepper.  Rinse the brisket and pat dry.  Rub the oil mixture on the brisket.  Put the other 2 tablespoons of oil on a large skillet and brown the brisket on all sides.  Transfer the brisket to a 5-7 quart slow cooker.

Cook the onions in the same skillet, scraping the bits from the bottom of the pan.  When the onions are translucent and starting to brown, add all of the remaining ingredients to the pan- stir to combine well and make sure the bottom of the pan is well scraped.

Pour the hot sauce mixture over the brisket, lifting the meat a little to allow some of the sauce to flow under the meat.

Cook on high for 4-5 hrs or low for 8-10 hrs.  I let it go a little longer when I can.  I think I last cooked it on high for 6-7 hrs.

Transfer the meat to a cutting surface, and pour the sauce into a pot on top of the stove.  If things have gone well, the meat will be falling apart.  Get what you can out of the slow cooker, but don't worry about the little pieces that fall off.  Just leave them in the sauce.

Cook the sauce on high for about 10-15 minutes to reduce it. (The picture above was taken when I poured it in the pot- it hadn't reduced yet).  Taste it AFTER it's reduced and adjust salt and pepper to your liking.  The onions and tomatoes are totally broken apart by now, and there are a few meat chunks.  It is a deep, red sauce with thick substance.  I purposely adjusted the quantities to make more sauce than needed for the brisket.  We like it poured generously over the meat and over open faced brisket sandwiches.  When the meat is gone, there is a lot of this wonderful sauce left over.  I mixed it together with a jar of purchased spaghetti sauce and then used it for spaghetti.  I put a little Italian seasoning in (basil and oregano).  You could use it for any kind of pasta dish.

Cut the meat on an angle, against the grain, to get the most tender slices.  You could also shred it with 2 forks and use it for brisket sandwiches.  Great with cole slaw, a nice big pickle, and some potato chips.  Mmmmm...

Enjoy!

Last post on the chocolate- I promise!

OK- I'm sure you're tired of hearing about the chocolate.  This is the last post about it- I promise.  I just wanted to thank you for all the comments- all the laughs- and all the sincere congratulations.  Only nice people like you readers would congratulate me on such a win.  :-)  I especially liked the comment about the reader drooling on her keyboard and licking her monitor......

I've been cutting each piece in half and sharing them with my DH.  Aren't I good wife?  Good thing we're empty nesters so I don't have to share with the kids!

My Chocolate Arrived!

I received a wonderful package!  The fine folks at Derry Church Artisan Chocolates sent me 15 delectable pieces of chocolate.  This chocolate is nothing short of amazing!  What a lucky lady I am to win such a wonderful giveaway.  Along with the chocolate was a nice note from the Pastry Chef Eric Cayton,.... he's as nice as his chocolates. 

Here's the scoop on the giveaway I won.  I learned about the giveaway from Sew Cal Gal on her blog.  There is an association of artisans and crafts people in Pennsylvania called the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen.  The guild helps its members with promotion and maintains a website to showcase their work.. This particular giveaway was hosted by Derry Church Chocolates (one of the members) but the idea was to showcase the association.  Check out their blog and their website.  They're full of wonderful things made by the wonderful artisans in Pennsylvania.  I had fun looking around the blog because I was raised in PA and know a lot of the locations mentioned.

This has been a delightful experience.  Not only did I win chocolate, but I have enjoyed some nice email exchanges and viewed some great new websites.  Lucky ME!

Have you seen this quilt?

 

Has anyone seen this cute little quilt?  Kimberly is asking the quilting community to keep a look out for it.  She displayed it at an open house and it never made it home with her.  It is pictured above in her recent book, Jelly Roll Quilts and More.  The really sad thing is that she sent it to her publisher when she was hurrying to make deadlines for the book, and never photographed it.  The only record she has of the quilt is the photo in the book.  It's a small quilt (22" x 22").  Keep your eyes peeled on ETSY and  EBay.  She just wants it back- no questions asked.  Read more about it on Kimberly's blog.

IT'S MY LUCKY DAY!!!!

PLEASE!!!!! Somebody tell me I'm not dreaming!  I won the chocolate giveaway!  The wonderful people of Derry Church Artisan Chocolates in Mechanicsburg, PA are sending me a 15-piece assortment of their artisan chocolates.  I woke up to a note from Nick asking me if I prefer dark or milk chocolate.  Now THAT'S how to sweet talk a girl, Nick! THIS is how a Monday should start!

Hemlock Ring Blanket

My niece, Melanie, knitted this prayer shawl.  She gave it to a friend as a Christmas gift.  It's either a shawl or a blanket- whichever you want it to be.  The designer created it from an old doily pattern.  It can be found on the Brooklyn Tweed blog.  I believe it's a free pattern.

Mel said she doesn't generally block her knitting but it wasn't optional with this project.  It was all bunchy and ripply.  Blocking really did the trick!  It looks fantastic, Mel!