In the hoop

I decided that I would go with my wall hanging idea. I appliqued it to the blue fabric. There is something about this scrappy star and the blue that reminds me of a patch put on my blue jeans as a kid. It kind of has a comfortable feeling to it.

So now it is officially in the hoop for hand quilting.  The nice thing about doing something small is that it goes really quickly. 

Linking up with Jessica for the Monday star count, at this point I have one big star. 

Star and diamond

I was so anxious to get a diamond completed. But when I looked at it with the star I was disappointed.

 Everything matched too much and the star got lost. I think it would have worked if I had stayed with a two color combo.

So I am thinking that this may make a great wall hanging or table topper. Then I can always preserve my first epp project. Now on to applique it down and quilting it.  Which also means that I could move on to another one too! Maybe something a little more planned.

 

Linking up with Jessica of Life under Quilts, check out out all of the projects everyone is up to. There is some fabulous work being done out there in blog land.

 

My first and favorite workshop

I did some thing very impulsive. I jumped into a quilt workshop class the last few days of registration. I just couldn't resist to see one of my favorite quilters, Bonnie Hunter!

Bonnie & Me, she is holding a sign for one of my guild members who isn't feeling well.

 

Without her I would have never stuck with quilting. She opened up my limits, essentially there isn't any. Due to the fact that I can not always buy a whole fabric collection to create a quilt. Now I focus on color.

 

The workshop went well, I learned quite a bit and meet some wonderful quilting ladies. I even had a chance to show Bonnie the quilts that I have made from her books and mysteries, you can see them here. She says I am really productive. The truth is that I have done one a year. But still it adds up.

 

After all of that fun, I returned home to a sick young man. It was so good to get away I will definitely do it again.

Hexagon star

Still loving it!  I just need to find more time

At this point I have no idea how many more I need to make. Due to the fact that I don't know what my final expectation of this is yet.  Do I stay with my original plan, do I stop here and make it a wall hanging, maybe I start a second project, maybe???

 

Linking up with Jessica of Life Under Quilts, for the Monday star count.

Just another... Monday!

We are coming off a long holiday weekend here. One where we tried to cram everything in. By everything I mean: we power washed and stained most of the decks. We went to the pool and drive-in movies.

Now returning to the normal routine is a bit of a pain and a bit of relief from the work we have done. Over the week I was able to sit a few times to work on my hexagon quilt. I didn't get as far as I hoped I would. But it is progress none the less.

Stats: In order to finish the star I need 7 more hexagons!!!! Excitement!

I think I am at the point where I can say this is addicting. I want to do so many more! Too bad I wasn't able to use this to get out of all the chores we did.

Letting go

I am learning how to cope with my children becoming young adults. My hubby is doing so much better with this transition. Our oldest has finished high school, started a job, and travels around quite a bit. He make choices without mom. I want so badly to make sure he is okay, has everything he needs... mother! This is what drives him crazy.

Our other son I sent off to 4-H camp. Yes, 4-H is still around and going strong in this area. Anyway back to the subject. I stood in the parking lot on Monday convincing myself not to cry. He would be fine and have a great time. Once again I want to mother him, how will he know to change his clothes without me.

So on Monday when I came back home and it was empty I pouted. I couldn't seem to find focus anywhere. Tuesday I pushed myself out the door and visited with a friend. Then I returned home and decided to start a new sewing project. Not the one seen here.

Today is Wednesday, I am starting my day with coffee and hexagons. Trying to enjoy the peace of the house. By Friday everyone will be home and it will be back to craziness.

Stats: I am uncertain of how many hexagons I have completed. If I sit and count this post may never be completed. At this point I have  3 star points done, it will take 23 more to have a complete star. My goal is to have it that far by Monday. After all I still have a few days of no one around!

Linking up with  Jessica of Life under quilts.

Hexagon's

When I first started quilting hexagons seemed so intimidating. There is paper, thread, sewing it by hand. Who would do such a thing. Apparently I would,  because now I think it's time I give these a try!!!! I have done my research. I feel confident. Really how hard can it be?

My first step was to buy this at Jo Ann's. This is in the scrap booking isle.  I bought what Fiskars call the large punch. This gives me a hexagon with 3/4 inch sides. The picture is of the larger punch that is two inches.  But I wanted to stick to using up my scraps.

When I got it home I had to give it a try. One postcard was enough to punch out seven hexagons. Now not only am I saving every little bit of useable fabric I am saving suitable paper too.

 From this point I set down and tried to figure out a pattern that I wanted. I was able to print out the hexagon graph paper from here.  I wanted something a little different from the ordinary. I wore my little crayons down to nubs, finally settling on this.

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I intend mine to be scrappy where there is color on the graph.

Here is my first attempt. It went really smoothly. So much so that I did this on a recent road trip.

I did a lot more. I love that this can go anywhere with me. How perfect for summer!

 

Today I am linking up with Jessica of Life Under Quilts

Stats of what I have done: 26 hexagons, many more to go. Too many to count.

My traveling project

We have been helping to take care of my husbands grandparents. On Sunday's we travel to their house. While my husband takes pop grocery shopping, I stay with Nan. I do a quick cleaning, its easier without the guys and then I sit down with nan.


Our conversations go like this:
Nan: What are you doing?
Me: I am taking perfectly good fabric cutting it into smaller pieces and sewing it back to together again.
Nan: That's stupid!
Me: (She has dementia, so I take this with a grain of salt) I proceed to show her one of the completed blocks.
Nan: That's crazy!

In a way this quilt has been crazy. There are no real big instructions and the whole process takes a lot of time. No rotary cutting here!

My process was this. I would trace the templates on to the fabric, cut and place my pieces in a labeled envelope. I would maybe get one or two done while talking with Nan.

On Monday, I would sit down at my sewing machine and sew a couple of blocks together.

It was like working on a puzzle. I would sit with the book and my pieces and match everything up.

Often my seam ripper was my best companion during this process. Over the months my pile of blocks grew. And it was finally time to put the whole thing together.

 This is the helper who may have been a quilter in a past life. If there is fabric involved she is right there.

I just couldn't resist laying the top on my bed when it was complete. I felt completely crazy during the process at points. But the reality is that it was all worth while. Now on to the hand quilting. My patience should be really built up after this project.

 Will I take on another tedious project like this... hmm, ABSOLUTELY!!! Just give me a week or two, I'll be dreaming up something.

Linking up with Crazy Mom quilts for a Friday finish.

Shutter- scraps

I finally joined a quilting guild. It is probably one of the best things that I have done for myself!!!!!

It is great to be around a group of people who have the same obsession as you. One new friend gifted me this book.. I am loving it. I think I could work the whole way through this book and not get bored. I may have to do just that.

One of my other new found friends gifted me scraps. These ladies  knew just how to reach my heart <3 .="" br=""> I got to work and sorted  all of the scraps into color and then on to the cutting process. That took awhile and there are no fun photographs of that step.

After I cut all of the pieces I got to work on the piecing. This part went much faster. I started this quilt on my new sewing machine. I got a Featherweight, Yea!

Learning to use an older sewing machine was odd at first, as I am use to a computerized machine. But after learning all the ins and outs of the machine, it was like plugging away. Finally I had all 110 blocks.

*each of the logs here finish a 3/4 of an inch.

The hardest challenge of this quilt was laying it out in order to get all of my blocks separated enough that there weren't big blocks of color all in one spot. The cat was of no help during this process as well. I think I ended up laying out 5 times because she kept interrupting.

 

 

The finished quilt is just stunning. The picture doesn't do it justice. I am never disappointed with scrap quilts. The more variety the better. Not to mention that all of these pieces have found a purpose.

 

Signs of spring

Slowly we are starting to see signs of spring. There is flowers blooming inside the house. Of course we haven't been able to turn off the heat yet. The nights are just too cold.

I just love daffodils. They are bright and colorful after a long winter.

 

I caught a glimpse of a robin. Of course she was too quick to get a picture. But this homemade one is just as good.

More beautiful flowers I discovered on my walk at a local park. I wondered if they were planted there or just naturally grew there. Regardless they were beautiful. The walk and the signs of spring definately brightened my spirts.

Evidence that the quilt frame is getting more use from the cat than by me. Now if only the temperatures will warm up enough to open the windows and turn off the heat.

It has been awhile...

Since the last time that I blogged. I have run around...

I take this one to floor hockey practice.

With the help of  a fellow blogger I was able to get this finished. I haven't blocked it yet. Too busy wearing it while I run around.

 

Is it just me or is one part of the lace not right? Regardless I am not ripping it out now, mistakes happen.  

 I am still plugging away at these.

So even though there is only a bit to show here. There is still alot happening. Unfornately most of it is cooking, cleaning, small things that just always seem to need done.

Yarn Help !!!

As soon as I typed this title the Beatles's song ran through my mind. Help, I need some body, Not just anybody, please, Help! But really I do need your help. I am just about done with my shawl. But I am afraid that I will not have enough yarn to finish. Do you know anyone willing to sell... Knit picks, shine-sport yarn, in silver sage? Please, Please send them my way!!! I really do need help, yarn help that is.

On the book front I am currently reading Better off. It's interesting to think of living a simpler life. I think it is much harder to accomplish than what the author leads on. I also think that they stumbled upon a very helpful group of people who choose too also live simply. I haven't finished the book so at this point, I am still keeping an open mind about somethings.

Today I am linking up with Ginny.

Do over

Ï am starting over with the Farmer's wife blocks. I had started well over a year ago, and then burned out. I wasn't happy with how mine were turning out. I felt disappointed that I never finished it. So I went looking online and found a way to download the templates in a more reasonable fashion.Then I got to work, again! I am starting over completely. This way I don't have to try to find matching fabric or go back to fix old mistakes.

 

This time I am working on things differently. First off I printed all of the templates and spent time cutting them out. From this point on I traced the needed template on the the fabric. I did a few at a time and placed them in an envelope to keep myself organized.

 

This way all I had to do was have a day of sewing. So far I completed the first 18 out of the book, with much more success. I hope to keep this momentum going.

 

Could I possibly use my ironing board?

 

A bit of progress

Here we are close to the end of January. I really don't have much to show, I haven't had the chance to do allot of reading this week. As we have been trying to get back into routine with everyone being out sick at some point. Then throw in some snow days and errands. But this is the one bit of progress for the week. It is coming together nicely.  Except for my mistakes. I suppose one must make a mistake in order to learn. So this has been quite a learning experience!

Lesson 1: Don't try knitting at the end of the day when your concentration is wavering between knitting and sleeping. Have you ever experienced this?

Today I am linking up with Ginny.

January whine and knitting

This is exactly how I feel about January. Thank you Charles Schulz!

Around here it is cold and blustery. There is no desire to leave the house at all unless you are contemplating running away from germs. In that case Good Luck! I think half of our town has been hit with this.

 You see it sounds as if there is a barking dog within the house. But it's just that cold season had officially hit my house, despite all requested shots. This one has sat with his nebulizer for days. Just about the time that he has started to feel better, hubby is home.

I am trying to distract myself with pleasant things, knitting and reading. I've gotten allot further on the reading vs. knitting. Maybe admitting this to you will give me accountability. I am working on a shawl. I haven't even gotten through the first section yet.

So I'll tell you a bit about the books I've read.
1. The Little Book of Talent, by Daniel Coyle
Everyone always says how talented I am for my handcrafts. I really don't feel that way. So when I seen this at the library I thought it would be good to read. What I need to take from it is to say "Thank you" more often and let it at that. The biggest thing that tugged at my heartstrings was to keep a journal. Just to write something, how I felt that day, what I need to do, a quote, etc.

2. Holy Shit, by Gene Logsdon
I have taken allot of ribbing from hubby on this book choice. But being a gardener and living in a rural area it has really made me more aware of something we don't normally consider a resource. If you keep a garden, or backyard chickens or both you are probably allready aware. But ths does show some insight to larger farmers and use of chemicals.

3. The Half-Stiched Amish Quilting Club, by Wanda E. Brunstetter
This book is purely fictional. I really don't see any of the characters and situations realistic.It reads a bit like a group therapy through quilting. Not sure its that simple.  But none the less sometimes one needs to be distracted  in reading (stop laughing) and this is a nice book in terms of there is no violence or porn. Just a simple story.

If you would like to see more of what others are reading and knitting please checkout this Yarn along.

Easy Street Mystery Quilt

First I want to say a huge Thank you to Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville, for without her this mystery and all of the fun with it just wouldn't be possible.

Second I want to say Thank you! to all of the other mystery quilt participants and followers. All of your comments have made my heart swell. Your always so stinking sweet. If you were candy, you would rot my teeth out.

As for the details on this quilt. It really was as easy as the name. The hard part in accomplishing this for me was the cold that got in my way. This quilt completion is like a burst of spring, in the middle of a cold dreary January. Or at least the promise of it's return.

To see all of the wonderful quilts made through this mystery, please visit Easy Street Mystery Quilt Link Up

Old to New Rocking chair

Are you wondering why this wasn't thrown away? Who would bring something like this home? Well the answer is my son brought it home, certain he could make a gem out of it.  

So this rocking chair went into an already crowded wood shop. He went to work tearing it apart  and sanding all of the wood.

Then it got brought into the house and I left it sit for months. Just wasn't high on my priority list.Why do his projects become my projects? Anyway, the longer something sits around here with out a purpose the more it bothers me. With the start of the New Year it was time to finish this one. It also helps that over the holiday break the guys were home so I had them lug the air compressor/nailer indoors for me.

The guys had put in new springs and I started on the upholstery. I got as far as getting the bottom cushion done and then realized that I was out of chair webbing. This sent me on a search. I called texted every creative friend have. Hoping they would have some and that I wouldn't have to leave town. No such luck. So between finishing Christmas celebrations and the celebration of the New Year, we made two trips to two different Jo Ann's to get what I needed to finish. Sometimes it just has to be finished.

I wanted the fabric to go behind the chair handles. So I called for his help once more. Did you notice the safety glasses on his head? He had been in wood shop working on the next project. The next one doesn't require my help. Yes, I can go back to quilting!

It truly is a diamond in the rough, and completely functional for a young man. Although I may wimper and whine during a task at hand. I have to say that I am very proud of my son, and it's not very often that we work creatively together.

In case I don't say it often enough... I am very proud of you and I love you soooo much!!! Now, get that sandwich off the chair, ugh!