My family met us here in town to go to the Angel's Attic sale today.  I'd been knitting like crazy to get these pumpkin hats done to send home with my sister for her kids.  Now they can both be "punkins" which is what my mother used to call us when we were little.  I used Cascade 220 superwash yarn and this pattern.

I'd also finished 2 blankies to send with her.  I'd bought this John Deere fabric panel for my 2 1/2 year old nephew because he is crazy about tractors.  Lisa asked for a twin size blanket so I pieced it with fabric she'd gotten at the Rochester Mill End Textiles.  I had never made anything with a fabric panel before so I guess I learned the hard way that panels are seldom square.  I washed and dried the piece, pressed it and discovered it was almost a bias cut/shape.  To square it up, I had to shave a little of the border off on each side but I think it will be OK.  I can't wait to see him with it.  I picked up a farm implement book at Joann Fabrics for $1 to go with it.

Lisa's dear friend Hazel is a wonderful girl and I wasn't able to attend her wedding years ago and I never sent her a gift.  She couldn't make it to our wedding but she still sent us a gift card with her apologies.  I have been so pleased with the queen size blankets I've been making that I wanted to make one for her.  Lisa told me Hazel loves fleur de lis and helped me pick out fabric when we were at Mill End Textiles together.  I sent this blanket home with Lisa and just in time too because Hazel will be coming to stay with them in a week or two.

I have show you my new favorite sewing tool.  I don't use a pattern for my blankets but I do mark/chalk quilting lines the length of the blanket at 6 inch intervals.  If using a dark fabric, I'd use up entire chalk pencils marking them, and pictured on the left is the PILE of fabric markers I've recently exhausted.  The purple item on the right is my new Dritz chalk wheel and it is wonderful!  It effortlessly rolls and marks fine white lines on my fabric and lasts forever.  This wheel came as it is and also has 2 refill cartridges but I have yet to make a dent in the current cartridge.  I love how it is even shaped like tailor's chalk. 

All this cool weather crafting put me in the mood to put up my fall decorations!  It feels so cozy lighting candles in the evening and curling up with a blankie on the couch!