Blue: Old and New

Thursday evening I sewed the buttons on this sweater. I am always amazed to make a sweater that fits. Whew! A slight pulling in on the button band blocked out well. I didn't want to rip it out but I probably would have, given the investment of time and yarn. Even though I alternated skeins, some variation in color is noticeable. The pattern is well written for multiple sizes. The small cables at the side seams and down the middle of the back are a nice detail. I knit a slightly shorter body with fewer increases in the hip area because I wanted an everyday boyfriend sweater, not a bathrobe. The yarn is a little luxurious for everyday wear but I follow the advice of my Gram who taught me to knit."Always knit the best yarn you can afford." Besides it was on sale last Thanksgiving weekend.

I am currently mending a quilt top. I hand pieced, appliqued, and quilted this Basket Quilt from 1989-1991. When I finished, it matched the wallpaper in our previous home but my love of blue hasn't changed much over the years. We used the quilt on our bed for a number of years and then I put it away because it was showing some wear. Since I make quilts and knits to be used and enjoyed, I put it back on the bed this past winter. The top row of blocks needs mending.

After washing it for winter storage, I unearthed a box of odds and ends of old linens, pieces of fabric, and embroidery floss I save in a box labled, "blue - odds and ends."  

Since mending was going to be visible, I began by using the corner of old handkerchief to mend the first block. In a slap-happy sort of way, I'm enjoying finding something in the box for the worn spots. The handkerchief belonged to my Gram although I'm not sure why because she was a gal who favored pink almost exclusively.  

How do you mend?