May 6, 2019

HQAL Update

I’m late to the game – the update was supposed to happen yesterday.  Again, I have let the business of this time of year get in the way of working on my own projects.  Lots of creativity going on here, but not on “my” projects.  It will happen!  That’s not to say that I haven’t purchased fabric for my grandmother’s flower garden quilt which is what I am using for the HQAL.img_6080

This is the long fanned out stack of fabric that I have amassed for new hexagons.  Crazy, right?!

These are closeups – I really like all of them!  They scream spring and relaxation to me.  And I really, really want to cut into them.

This is the current hexagon that has stalled me.  Those little triangles are really little and fussy and I’ve just stopped.  I know that in a couple of weeks, when my camps start, I will have a little more time to work on this.  Sound counter intuitive, I know, but the kids will not have homework, they will not have after school activities, and during the summer we all share in the housework and cooking more so those chores will be more spread out.  I LOVE SUMMER!!

This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piecers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another.  If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.

Kathy, Lori, Margaret, Kerry, Emma, Tracy, Deb, Connie, Susan,  Nanette, Sassy , Edith, Sharon, Karrin, and Gretchen

April 29, 2019

SAL Update – not!

Once again, I have not been able to work on my SAL project!  Life right now has been super busy and I have only been working on things for my business.  I hope to get back on track soon.

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2/24/19 Update

I know that the others in our SAL group have been working on some pretty amazing stitcheries.  Please go take a look and if you’d like to join our group please click on “Avis” below, she has all the details.

Avis, Claire, Gun, Carole, Sue, Constanze, Debbierose, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy, Helen, Linda,Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Hayley, Megan, Catherine, Deborah, Connie, Clare, Mary Margaret, Renee, Jenny,Carmela, Jocelyn, Sharon

March 17, 2019

Sal Update – March

I’m sorry to say that I have no updated progress on my Santa Stocking.  I have been super busy putting together a summer camp program for my studio as well as teaching a class on memory quilts from t-shirts and have let time get away from me.

Please take a look at the others participating in this SAL as I’m sure they will have lots of great progress on their projects!  If you would like to join us, please contact Avis – her blog is the first one listed below.

Avis, Claire, Gun, Carole, LucyAnn, Jess, Sue, Constanze, Debbierose, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy, Helen, Steph,Linda, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Hayley, Megan, Catherine, Deborah, Connie, Clare, Mary Margaret, Renee, Jenny, Carmela,Jocelyn, Sharon

March 6, 2019

Rag Rug #2

The second rag rug is off the loom.

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Rag Rug #2

I am still having lots of tension issues so instead of continuing with the warp and the next rug, I rolled the warp all forward and re-rolled it back onto the back beam.  This time with paper between the warp strings instead of the card board strips.  We’ll see how that goes.

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Twill for this rug.

I wove twill this time and really like the pattern, but it’s not as tight as the first one that was woven in even weave.

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Hem.

This one also has a hem instead of fringe which I like much better.  The third rug will have a hem and be woven in even weave.  I’m learning as I go!

March 3, 2019

HQAL Update-March & Slow Stitch Sunday

I haven’t been working on my Grandmother’s Flower Garden all that much lately.  It sits in it’s box near the couch, but I have not been bringing her out.  I did finish one flower – it is the same as another one that I made.img_5536

I had found lots of this orange fabric in my stash when I originally started this project.  I was planning on only doing a few different colors and had cut and prepped a few flowers that were the same.  Now I have change my mind and want to do lots of colors and have more of a scrappy quilt, but I decided to sew these together as they were ready to go. img_5537

This is the baggie for my next pieced hexagon.  This one has pieces that are much smaller than I have previously worked with so it should be a bit more challenging.

These are the details about the Hand Quilt A-Long in case you would like to join us!  And I am also joining up with the Slow Stitching Sunday Group.

This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piecers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another.  If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.

Kathy, Lori, Margaret, Kerry, Emma, Tracy, Deb, Connie, Susan,  Nanette,  Edith, Sharon, Karrin, and Gretchen

February 28, 2019

Baking Day

The Amish Friendship Bread Starter was ready and it was time to bake!

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Homemade Vanilla!

I started getting out all the supplies and realized my homemade vanilla was ready!  How exciting!  It smells divine!

This time I made 5 dozen mint and chocolate chip cookies, 2 dozen strawberries and cream cupcakes, and a pan of chocolate brownies.  There is still enough of the starter left over to make pancakes for the kids tomorrow morning.  This experiment has been fun, but it is getting a little overwhelming to have to bake so much every 10 days!

February 27, 2019

Fair Isle Hat

I was lucky enough to be able to attend Stitches West this year!  I took classes every day and had a fantastic time.  The first class I took was the Fair Isle Hat.  I have tried colorwork in the past with not such great results.  My tension was always off and the knitting looked puckery and the images were not clear.  I definitely needed help.  Our teacher was amazing!

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2/21/2019 – Fair Isle Hat from Stitches West Class.

I learned how to knit with a color in each hand and how to get my tension right.  Everyone in class made such pretty hats and they were all different.

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Closeup of stitch pattern.

One of the best parts of class … I met up with a friend I hadn’t seen since our kids were in pre-school together!!  It was such a fantastic surprise to see and chat with her.  She’s still local so it will be fun to get together sometime soon.