CMS & Colloquium in the new semester!

Today was the first CMS and Colloquium of the Fall semester.  I finished the baby blanket pieces while Robert and I were traveling this summer (but never managed to take and post a picture), so I'm back to working on my blue leaf socks.  I did work on this (the second sock) some this summer, but the most recent photo I can find is from all the way back in January.

Next week for sure I'll finish this sock, and since it's the second one, I'll have to decide whether to start a new pair of socks or work on my lace shrug ...

Bigger, better buttercup bag

Earlier this week I finished making my second buttercup bag.  This one is larger and has a zip closure, an inside zipped pocket, and two elasticized inside pockets.  I love it!  It is large enough to hold everything I need on a daily basis (wallet, sunglasses, pencil case, ipod, home and work keys, phone, chapstick, and advil) PLUS my Kindle in its case, and zip closed all at the same time.  Plus all of the pockets make it easy to find what I need.

The buttercup bag pattern is from Made by Rae here.  I used the small free version and enlarged the pattern pieces to 130%.  (I made the smaller original version exactly as written in the pattern here.)  I used this tutorial for the zippered closure.  There are a bunch of tutorials for the inside zip pocket out in blogland, and I just winged the elastic pockets.

Miniature herb garden

Two of our friends had a housewarming party on Saturday evening.  Robert and I decided to make a little indoor herb garden for them.  We picked out a strawberry pot, four different kinds of seeds (thyme, oregano, cilantro, and parsley), and a decorative pepper plant to put in the top.

It wasn't the right season to get seedlings, or that would have been our first choice, but Robert planted one kind of seed in each side hole in the pot, and we made little stakes to label which seeds went where.

We hope all of the seeds sprout!

A visit from Mom

 My mom visited this past weekend.  We went on a nature walk ...
... and we carried on our little tradition of each piecing a quilt top when she visits.  We each started a half square triangle quilt inspired by one we saw in a shop at the International Quilt Festival last November.  Each quilt is made from two charm packs and some grey solid yardage.  The trimming of all of the HSTs took FOREVER.

 But we eventually finished and laid out my quilt ...

 ... and my mom's.

I think they both look better in person than in the photos.  We ran out of time to sew the tops together, but I'm so excited about my quilt!  I admired the Half Moon Modern fabric for a long time online before I snatched up my two charm packs at the quilt festival, and I've been anticipating making the quilt ever since.  I got the first five (of fifteen) rows sewn together, and it looks great!