Quick gift

A Lazy Girl Bag makes a great quick gift especially if you fill it.

I was invited to a friend's house for dinner tonight and knew that there would be another guest, so I sewed up these Lazy Girl bags to bring instead of flowers or candy. What woman doesn't need lots of bags to organize all her stuff? I'd make hundreds more to get such a good home-cooked dinner as I enjoyed tonight - and an evening of great conversation.

And at noon today I had a yummy lunch with my good friend, Brenda. What a great day!

It never ends...........

The amount of unfinished projects hidden in this house never ends.

I needed to get something out of the bottom drawer of the filing cabinet housed in my office closet and in order to get to that drawer I had to take out tote bags, brief cases and shopping bags that were in the way. What on earth are in all these containers? I wondered. In the tote bags and shopping bag were almost finished forgotten knitting projects - better known as AFFKPs.
One of the AFFKPs was the blue monstrosity in the picture below. It started out as a quick scarf - something to keep my fingers busy, made with cheap yarn on big needles. As I knitted along I realized that it was too wide to be a scarf, so I started calling it a shawl. Then it got too long to be a shawl and would have drowned a little old lady had I put it around her shoulders. So then I began calling it an afghan. When I pulled it out of the tote bag (beautiful bag that my friend Lindsay made for me), I realized that it was truly almost finished and it was time to bind it off and say in my perfect French accent, "finis". Ooh la la.

As I went to empty the tote bag, I found another knitting project buried at the bottom of the bag - a pink scarf. Yes, another almost finished forgotten knitting project. It never ends...........

Finished, but not done

Halloween may not be around the corner yet, but this is a project I started last August and finished stitching today. Eventually I will make it into a pillow. The fabric on the right will border the stitching on the front, and the leaf fabric on the left will be on the back of the pillow.

Witchy Witchy Winifrid

The Trilogy

stitched 6/1 on 7 count Klostern "Sand"

using DMC

Although the original pattern called for 28 count and Weeks Dye Works threads, at the time I wanted something BIG that I could do on vacation without having to drag along my special light and magnifying equipment. It undoubtedly would look better in the smaller version, but a pillow is more practical than getting it framed.

The original pattern also calls for a trinket to hang around her neck. I think I will go through my buttons and find something appropriate to add as a neck decoration.

To those looking to see my progress on the blue quilt - it is slow going. I have about a third of the pieces cut out and am sewing them in groups of ten to keep from getting too bored. Doing things assembly-line style becomes too tedious for me, so I have to break it down into smaller sections. And I take lots of breaks - to read, to stitch, to eat, and to look at blogs.

Yes, I read a lot of blogs. I don't often leave comments because they all sound alike - "oh how pretty", "that sure is beautiful", "nice job", etc., etc. However, I do enjoy reading quilting and stitching blogs, I do think what others are doing is pretty & beautiful, and I probably should leave more comments. Not leaving comments is another aspect of my basic laziness.

Today I am grateful for - getting the last three skeins of #310Black DMC floss at my local JoAnns.

Slow progress....

Here are the long rectangle components of the blocks for Judy's Peaches & Dreams quilt (see her sidebar for free pattern) which I am doing in blues. There are 35 blocks to make that contain one long rectangle and three smaller squares. That means that I have 105 small squares to make. Well, actually 102 because I made a sample block. It's still a long way to go and at my slow pace, I'll be feeling blue for quite a while.
(Note - you may notice that I put a new picture of myself on this blog. Yes, that is a crown I am wearing. My cousin made the crown for me - long story - and I think it deserves an audience.)

What happened to fun?

Years and years ago when I first started quilting, my friend Moe made the quilt Wear Warm Clothes by Country Threads. I fell in love with the quilt and decided to make it even though I was a novice quilter. This is my version.

It is not the best applique in the world, nor the straightest quilt in the world, but I still enjoy it's whimsy and remember fondly the fun I had making it - and all the mistakes I worked around. Obvious mistake - the cup at the bottom right that is turned the wrong direction.

The extra star on the side of the cap below is because I accidently cut a hole in the quilt when I was cutting threads, so I appliqued a star over the hole.

When hanging this quilt today I was reminded that quilting, for me, should be about fun. It is too easy for me to get caught up in the "what will other people think" road of perfectionism. When I was a novice, I had a lot more fun with quilting. Now that I know what is excellent and what is not, I find myself having less fun and feeling like quilting is another hard test of my abilities.

Where do you draw the line between improving and going down that less-than-fun road to perfectionism? Is it still fun if you are critical of your own work to the point of avoiding it?

Those are my deep thoughts for the day. What do you think?

Quiltathon - kinda......

Yes, it is an official Quiltathon weekend for fans of Judy's blog. Although I certainly did not sew all day, I did spend time getting started on Judy's Peaches & Cream quilt which I am doing in blues. This is my test block.After the test block I started to cut the individual pieces needed, but stopped when I got tired of standing. There is a lot more cutting to do.
However, I started sewing the larger rectangles together. If I hadn't had trouble with the bobbin I might have gotten 24 of them done. Instead, I got 24 partially done. I won't be able to get back to this project until late tomorrow afternoon.
For those interested in my stitching, this is the progress of Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow, block one.
Happy quilting to all of you that are hard at work for the Quiltathon.

Working hard and nothing to show for it..........

Yes, that is a garbage bag. It contains the project I was working on - the project that will not be completed as I made the difficult decision to throw it out. Why, you ask? Although it was a cute idea, the end result was a disaster and I ran out of any desire to try and fix it. So out it goes. Have you ever done such a thing? My next project was to complete 8 Artist's Trading Cards for a January swap. Since it is supposed to be a secret until the swap is made on January 29th, all I can show is the envelope in which I am mailing my cards.
So it is on to the next project. I have three large bins of blues which means it is time to dig in and use some in a quilt. Judy posted an idea for a blue quilt at the end of this post that I think I will try. Tomorrow I will make some test blocks and make my decision then.

Knitted Afghan

Completed - one knitted afghan, started approximately 52 years ago...........well, maybe I exaggerate a little......but it has been sitting in a basket under my living room desk for many, many years gathering dust. The other night I looked at it and decided that it only needed a few more rows and a bind off row and I would be done. Simple. Tonight I spent several hours adding fringe, then another hour taking the fringe off. The yarn is inexpensive Homespun yarn and easily unravels. I could tell that the fringe would look awful in no time. So the afghan will remain simple, and best of all, DONE.

It is a little heavy and will be perfect for keeping legs warm while lounging on the sofa.

Piecing done

Today I put the borders on this quilt made from Cherrywood fabric which I acquired many years ago at Paducah.I also pieced a backing, made binding, and assembled possible threads for quilting. The quilt will go with me to my Bee group in another few weeks to get everyone's ideas on how to quilt this simple quilt. Straight line quilting will be done, but up and down, or cross-hatch, or around each block - or........I'm open to ideas.

This is my progress on Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow.

What quilting project am I taking on next? Well, I pulled out an old project, re-read the instructions, and started doing some machine applique. Pictures will come - perhaps tomorrow.

A day of sewing........

Here are the simple blocks I made with the Cherrywood fabric - two strips 2-1/2 X 4-1/2.Since I did not want to plan out the quilt, I put all the blocks in a container, mixed them up, and blindly pulled them out as I sewed them together. This is not easy for me! I usually like things symmetrical and planned.
However, the finished product is quite nice I think. From a distance this fabric almost looks like suede.
There are two yards of the darker color that I will use for a narrow border and the binding. I hope to get that done tomorrow.
Taking a break from my sewing today, I finished up this piece.

Acorn Hill

by Little House Needleworks

stitched on Vintage Lakeside Linen - color Navy Bean

using Crescent Colours and one Belle Soie (Sister Scarlet)

It is a snowy day here in the Midwest and I am lucky enough to be able to watch it all from my front window. It sure is pretty when you don't have to drive.

Getting started....

The sewing machine and other pieces of necessary equipment got moved upstairs today so that I can get started sewing in my "new" space by the living room window. I have been thinking a lot about why I have not been sewing. Is it because my Quilt Studio is in the dark, cold basement? Or is it because I have too much stuff and all that stuff overwhelms me?

When I was employed and working long hours, going shopping was therapy for all the stress. I could not resist going to quilt shops, buying lots and lots and lots of fabric, books and tools. When I bought my first single-family house I acquired a whole huge basement to store all the quilting stuff - over 400 quilting books, bins of patterns, enough fabric for several life-times, and almost every tool possible.

I like to keep my house neat and organized, but managing all that quilting stuff is a daunting task. So I avoid the basement. Right now it is an even worse mess because Christmas quilts are piled up on the cutting table, several unfinished projects are laying about in various stages, and the carpeting needs vacuuming badly.

Will moving my work space upstairs improve this situation? My thinking process tells me that when I started out quilting, I had a small apartment, fabric for one quilt, and the sewing machine sat on the dining room table. I was focused and got projects done. So I'm going to pretend the dining room table is my only working space and I intend to focus on one project at a time. All the other projects will be downstairs - out of sight and out of mind. When I need something, the basement will be nice and close.

Doesn't this set-up look nice and inviting?

Here is the fabric for my new project. I purchased this fabric years and years ago in Paducah. It is Cherrywood fabric and I have no idea what I had in mind when I selected these colors. I recently saw a very simple pattern on someone's blog (of course I didn't write down any information) and it gave me an idea that I will try - a simple, simple strip blocks.

Note to Connie (no email address to reply) who commented on my January 1st blog - the designer is Curtis Boehringer. This was a series of 12 patterns titled Snowman-of-the-Month club and were available at needlework shops years and years ago. It was so long ago that the thread called for was "DMC Flower Thread" which is no longer made.

Stitching along

Athough I was determined to finish this Little House Needleworks piece - Acorn Hill - in 2009, I didn't make it. I ran out of the thread for the lettering and can't get to the LNS until next Tuesday. So it will get finished in 2010.

In the mean time, I promised myself that I would start the Carriage House "Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow" in 2010 and hopefully finish the five blocks I want to do (as a bell pull) by the end of the year. The smallest count fabric on which I can see to stitch is 28 count and since this piece calls for 40 count, mine will be much bigger and will therefore look better with fewer blocks. And since I am a quilter, I thought doing the song blocks as a bell pull/wall hanging would be good for me.

My dear friend, Brenda, who is a master stitcher, has started a blog - brendastitching.blogspot.com. Yes! ! ! Please visit her blog and see some of her beautiful work - and her wonderful stitching room. She is highly organized and a constant inspiration to me.

New Year, New Arrangement

2010 begins....... A chance to start again - or per Mr. Snowman below, a clean sweep.

Ever since I retired I have been disappointed in myself that I am not getting as much quilting done as I thought would happen. I have a lovely Quilt Studio in my basement, but I have to push myself to go down there and get moving on a project. I don't know if it is because of the basement itself where it is cave-like, or because it is cold in the basement, or because I'm just not that excited about quilting. Many times I have thought about moving my sewing upstairs to see if that would make a difference in my productivity.

After putting my Christmas decorations away, I decided to re-arrange all my living room/dining room furniture with the thought that I might sew in this area. The sofa ended up in the dining room.

The dining room table was therefore moved to the living room by the front window. I can put my sewing machine where there is light and where I can watch the world while I work. My window faces north and therefore I don't get direct sunshine, but just enough light to see my work better. I don't know if this arrangement will inspire me to sew more, but I will try it for a month or more. Of course it means bringing up the iron, creating a cutting space, etc. Already I can think of problems and may end up being happy with my studio downstairs. We shall see.

My stitching chair remains in the usual spot but the little chest from the dining room now sits beside the chair.

Every year for the holidays I allow myself to put some jigsaw puzzles together - one of my very favorite things to do. This year I found a box of 10 puzzles (Walmart) and finished the last one this morning while watching the Rose Parade.

A lot of people are suggesting that 2010 should be the year of tens. Ten resolutions for me (if I made them, which I'm not) would be:

1. Eat less

2. Exercise more

3. Quilt more

4. Stitch more

5. Write more

6. Read more

7. Laugh more

8. Blog more

9. Comment more

10. Complain less

That is my list - more or less - ha ha.

Happy New Year to all..................