Wyoming Breezes

Sixteen-patch Lattice 60 x 73 inches Quilt of Valor #238 Half of the sixteen-patch blocks I made from 2.5” scraps were used to make this QOV. No pattern was used: the star blocks finish at 16 inches.  This QOV was a scrap buster.  Update : November 2024 awarded to Sandra P. Eppson Center presentation 

Cheyenne National Cemetery  Cheyenne, WY Wyoming’s first national cemetery was dedicated in October 2020

May 2023 This month I’ve been focused on fabric scraps and stash knitting because I hope to get both under control. Since April, I’ve knit four pair of socks - all knit with Patons Kroy Socks, so that’s EIGHT balls of yarn (a pair of socks requires two 50 gram balls) out of my yarn stash.  This pair used Brown Rose Marl (#55017) and I had 28 grams remaining (13 grams for one sock and 15 grams for the other). I love the colors and of course, I love the stripes! 

Last week I tackled the 2.5” scrap bin. I pulled all the smaller pieces and short strips and began making strip sets to be cut into two-patch units and then sewed into four-patch units. After two days of sewing, pressing and trimming, I had 180 four-patches — enough to begin assembling a Quilt of Valor kit started at Marilyn’s earlier this month.  Unfortunately, all this sewing barely made a dent in the scrap bin. 

Recently, I finished a pair of socks for my sister knit with Patons Kroy Socks yarn. I had 36 grams (out of 100 grams) remaining. I just finished another pair of socks knit with Patons Kroy Socks, using the same pattern, same number of stitches, same size, and the same needles. I had 9 grams (out of 100 grams) remaining. I finished another pair in April and had 28 grams remaining.  Why the difference? I’m uncertain, but the yarn for the most recent pair (the Grey Marl) does seem to have more “ body or bulk” to it.  I’ve never run out of yarn when knitting socks for my size 10 feet, but this time, one ball was pretty close.  Of all the sock yarn I’ve knit, Patons Kroy produces the more substantial product, and it wears extremely well.      Yarn :  Patons Kroy Socks (two balls — 100 grams total)              Grey Marl  #55045 Needles :  US size 2 — 64 stitches Remaining Yarn :  9 grams total   ...

ten 12.5 inch star blocks April 2023 The Stacked Stars quilt posted on Monday required ten star blocks, and the pattern introduced me to a “new” technique to make quick and accurate flying geese with minimal waste. I’m sure others are familiar with this method, but it’s the first time I’ve made such accurate and easy flying geese. I took photos of the process, and I’ll link the instructions at the end of this post.  It seemed odd to begin with two different sized squares. Once I marked the diagonal lines on the squares, I sewed on the stitch line and cut down the middle. The resulting HSTs were pressed with the seam toward the larger triangle.  The pressed HSTs were placed on top of each other and marked again on the diagonal and stitched, Note that the seams DO NOT nest on these HSTs. Once sewn, the pieces are cut apart.  I snipped to the stitch line so the units can be pressed.  The snipped seam allows the units to swivel, so the seams can be pressed AWAY from the...

Stacked Stars 61 x 72 inches Quilt of Valor #237 Stacked Stars was made using Lisa Sutherland’s Huzzah #4 pattern. I used a cheater fabric for the center column instead of piecing the red/white stripes called for in the pattern. A lot of the fabric used in this quilt was donated by Ann D. in February of this year. Thank you, Ann for making this QOV possible.  Update : November 2024 awarded to Oscar L.  Eppson Center presentation 

Marilyn’s socks  size 8 April 2023 I worked on these socks at Marilyn’s during the evening Colorado Avalanche (hockey) playoff games and the Denver Nuggets (basketball) playoff games.  You’ll notice that they are fraternal twins since the balls of yarn were wound backwards of each other. I considered making the socks match, but it would have required “wasting” a lot of yarn to get to the correct color repeat.  Yarn : Patons Kroy Socks (two balls). 100 grams total           Grey Brown Marl #55048 Needles : US size 2 — 64 stitches Remaining Yarn :  36 grams total            19 grams from one ball            17 grams from the other ball

Remembering Bert Quilt of Valor #236 April 2023  This Quilt of Valor is in memory of my good friend, Bert O. Bert taught Physical Education, and we worked together for many years. We served as class sponsors and supervised class trips. Bert gave me a motorcycle ride down Main Street at my 50th birthday party with an entourage following with honking horns. Bert and I were born on the same day but not the same year: we were birthday buddies.  Bert, his wife Sue, and I have been close friends for forty years. In recent years, I accompanied them on several poker runs where Bert rode his bike, and Sue and I followed in a vehicle.  Sadly Bert left this earth in 2022 after years of dealing with health issues. Bert and Sue donated this panel and several others for QOVs, so it is fitting that this quilt is named after my friend and birthday buddy.  Update : July 2025 - Remembering Bert was awarded to a veteran in Idaho

snowy morning April 22, 2023 Centennial, CO Snow days make for wonderful sewing days. I’m at Marilyn’s house this week for a Sisters’ Quilting Retreat. I’m working on some Quilt of Valor kits I prepared a couple of weeks ago, and Marilyn is working on an on-going project.  trimming half-square triangles for star points I prepared five kits to work on while I’m here, but I don’t think I’ll need all of them. I also have my knitting with me and work on it in the evening. 

April 2023 Every year Tiger Salamanders migrate to a large pond in a local park - LaBonte Park. Locals have called the pond "Stink Lake" for years for good reason. Volunteers gather to help the amphibians cross busy streets during migration.  The University of Wyoming Biodiversity Institute states on their web page: Each spring, volunteers show up at LaBonte Park on potential migration nights to patrol 9th and Canby streets. Salamanders are picked up off the roads as they cross and brought safely to the edge of LaBonte Pond. Volunteers spend however long they’d like helping to protect and conserve this population of salamanders. Are you interested in volunteering to help Laramie’s salamanders safely complete their annual migration? Children 8 years and above are welcome to become a volunteer if accompanied by an adult. Friday and Saturday were wet days with snow falling almost all day - good migration conditions for the salamanders.  The Tiger Salamander is Wyoming's sta...

display in a local grocery store  made with Pepsi products April 2023 Do the beverage companies in your area create similar displays, using their products? 

size 10 women’s/size 9.5 men’s March 2023 These socks seemed to fly off the needles.  Pattern : none, just a 2x2 rib cuff and a plain foot, using 64 stitches  Needles : US size 2 Yarn : Paton’s Kroy Socks            Blue Brown Marl #55101 (two 50 gram balls — 100 grams total) Remaining Yarn :  28 grams total            13 grams from one ball            15 grams from the other

one side of the reversible hat March 2023 I am very pleased with this scrappy Silver Lining (reversible) hat. It’s knit with five/six different sock yarn scraps, using the helical stripe technique. The helical stripes help the scraps to blend more completely than just alternating yarn for each row. other side of the reversible hat It’s still Winter in this area, but the hat will go in the donation box for next year. 

Scrappy Silver Lining Hat March 2023 According to my last measurement, it is time to start the decreases for the crown of this reversible hat. This is the fifth hat I've knit using the Silver Lining Hat pattern with scrap sock yarn. Each hat is unique and fun, and I love the one I kept for myself. 

Vintage Stars 59 x 75 inches Quilt of Valor #235 Karen M. sent me a vintage panel in July of last year. I used some of the panels to make Glory  in early January and had four panels remaining. The star points on Vintage Stars were made with the "waste or bonus triangles" from Glory , so the stars were fast and easy to make. I did have to make all the stars with the red centers, but I only needed to make HSTs for four stars.  The fabric for the red centers and the sashing fabric came from Anne D. in Minnesota. The colors worked beautifully with Karen M.'s vintage panel. I am grateful for the donations of fabric, panels, and patterns from other quilters. Quilt of Valor is an organization based on teamwork. 

Nearly every Thursday afternoon I join a group of friends at the local senior center to play Mexican Train dominoes. The center was closed for much of the pandemic and only opened full time a year ago. Gradually, each week more seniors come to play. Last week fourteen individuals played together (two tables of seven). Before the pandemic, we had two full tables playing every week. Have people in your community returned to pre-pandemic activities? Have you?

Cross My Heart 63 x 74 inches Quilt of Valor #234 Cross My Heart  was made with ten inch squares (layer cake squares) from one of my scrap bins as well as some larger scrap strips from other Quilts of Valor.  I used a free pattern from the Fat Quarter Shop called "Layer Cake Lattice."  The pattern went together quickly and because the red and blue crosses were pressed differently, the seams nested easily.  I am trying to use as many smaller pieces of scraps that I can in my stash and in my scrap bins. This quilt made a dent in both.

March 2023 Dee ( Wool and Steel ) posted about her recent sock knitting projects: she has SEVEN pair on the needles. I commented that she was tempting me to cast on a pair of socks: she replied, "Do It! Do It!," so I did. I haven't knit on socks for months - five months to be exact, so it was time to get busy knitting. Yesterday during the FaceTime call with my sister and niece, I cast on this sock and knit nearly two inches of the cuff.  Thanks for the nudge, Dee!