Country Gatherings

Wild Geese Quilt Along

Anita of Bloomin' Workshop saw this. and then EQ'd this.this is a David Textiles fabric. so. i've been unable to make more blocks as i ran out of background. and then i lost my extra geese that were prepped. where are you geese? i need you.

Anti-Pilling!

i often browse the acrylic section to look at the offered yarns. i really don't like acrylic. i just want to be part of the tradition. a bit like that someone who makes so many blankets that everyone they know has one. me got some of those. my favorite is this brown ripple.i really don't mind the pilling. on my old blankets that is. because i respect the tradition. and i know that's what happens. just don't want it to happen to-my-work. but today i touched this especially soft yarn. and it promised not to pill. so i took some home. and i made a guage. so there you go. i'm making an acrylic blanket. go figure. no rushing here. because gosh darn it. with all the free patterns out there. i have my eye on one that i actually have to pay for. the U.S. Open starts August 30th. so hopefully i'll be busy knitting this while i watch tennis. and hopefully i won't have to be knitting with the air conditioner on. i don't ask for much. how about you. have you been gifted one of these blankets?

Love A Good Cloth

Spring Time Wash Cloth pattern by I Live On A Farm.
Blue Sky Alpacas Skinny Dyed Organic Cotton. color #303.
made a bit smaller. #5 needles. only 50 sts. mine measures 8 in.
love the stitch. love the back. you must make this one.

So Far

this completes week 6 of the crazy mom quilts quilt along.in person this is very cute. but i've had some problems getting a nice photo. here you can see the center and three rounds and also the detail of the prints. so bingo.

Oodles & Oodles

oodles & oodles of inspiration. and little old me just trying to decide on a new scrap adventure. have you been playing around with new stuff you found?

KarrieLyne's quilt along using charm packs. i made a few changes.Marit's bee block called Bee Friends. there's even some cute stitching to be added.Aneela's first recipe called Around the Corner. this would make a great i-spy.Nanette's brand new pattern called Freda's Flowers. it's going to be Autumn before you know it.and then there is Audrie's quilt along with an emphasis on using scraps. it hasn't started yet. but i am thinking polka dots. i can't wait!

Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt Along

these are blocks 9, 10, 11 and 12. of course i planned to over-use pink and caramel and then use cream for sashing. but decided it was just all too much. i did find a coordinating print online. so fingers crossed until the postman gets here. because really i am not sure what i will use.all of the details can be found on Moose on the Porch Quilts. each block is made by a different designer. every two weeks. check the Flickr pool. or my Flickr set.

All Wrapped Up

this has to be my favorite way to wrap a present.and a great way to show off selvedges. didn't want to put my name tag over them but for this i had to keep the bulk away from the corner.this is the book Susan used to pick her designs for the blanket. i have never bought a knitting reference book. so as a thank you to my knitters i thought they should have one. and a good excuse to get one for me too.i rarely buy cards anymore. but this one i couldn't resist. it's the same card we gave with the baby gift. koochie-koo on the outside. but blank on the inside. so thank you knitters. i hope you wow me with all your practice swatches.

The Brothers Karamazov

i'll just be reading this one.
7/10 - ready set go.
7/31 - pg. 160 - Jill's review of Book I, II, and III is here.

8/21 - Book IV, V, and VI.
9/11- Book VII, VIII, and IX.
10/2 - Book X, XI, and XII, plus short Epilogue.

it's a great day...

....for Andee because she just won my scrappy bundle.

and since it's always nice to win. congratulations! it's also a great day for Nanette, Gari, Sherrill, CindyK, Rumi, and Kathie. they're getting one of these.
check back next month for another scrappy bundle. if you're a do-it-yourself-kinda-girl. like me. i have put my pattern here. i know there are DIY'ers out there. so next month i will also have some scrappy supplies. to win that you'll have to send me a picture of wipers you made using my pattern. you can send that picture any time....starting now. and since i like getting regular mail. here's what you should do. print your picture onto back-to-school paper. write your name on it. email me for my address. then send it to me. happy knitting!

Wavy Wiper - Scrappy Bundle

remember these. i made 3 bundles.in lots of scrappy colors.one bundle was mailed to a secret friend.
one bundle is hanging out in in my shop has been sold.
one bundle is for someone who leaves a comment. might be you.
the picking will happen on Wednesday is over.

Giant Pincushion Sew Along step 2

accidently made two sets. washed fabrics. cut with rotary. half inch seams. no glue. kept papers inside. didn't tuck in dog ears.step 2 is done.

Country Gatherings

Italian Hexagons

or maybe they're just undies that look like a soccer ball.they're not for me. but someone visiting brought gifts from Italy.

My Patchwork Skirt

i was in a hurry last month making this to wear to the baby shower.i didn't like the picture of me wearing it so i just can't show it to you. i thought it looked very nice and it felt good on. i only wish i had the time to make it fit correctly. sized for tweens and teens. i thought i would just make the elastic looser. good plan but. i cut the dropwaist band wider. which made me cut the elastic longer. which made it too big. and since i zig-zag the elastic on instead of using a casing. that usually takes a few hours to rip-apart. so i did not fix. i cut the black strips narrower. partly design and partly not needing all that fabric. and it was smaller by 10 in. but because i lined it and that made it heavy it just puffed out. oh and the hembands are too wide. i would like to do this one over in the same fabrics. Kaffe. Authentic. Joel Dewberry. Riley Blake Wheels. Rawhide. Amy Butler. they really would make a nice quilt. hmmm. it's a new pattern. Pink Fig Patterns Hippy Chick Stripwork Skirt. i got it here. but you can also find it here.

Love A Good Cloth

Theresa Gaffey design #11.
one skein Louet Euroflax Sport Weight Linen.
two linen washcloths. Willow.

Giant Pincushion Sew Along step 1

this is too easy. find 3 fabrics i like together.step 1 is done.

Potholder Pass 3

these are the potholders made for me by susanhs6.and these are the potholders that i made for snippetsofsewingtime.Potholder Pass is hosted by Amy of During Quiet Times. and she might continue them after the summer is over.

lots and lots of siggies

101 blocks for swap hosted by Jaybird Quilts.
mailed July 2010. fabric is Amy Butler Love.101 blocks for swap hosted by p.s. i quilt.
mailed April 2010. fabric is Paula Prass.24 blocks for swap hosted by Cootie Bug.
mailed April 2009. fabric is Thimbleberries mixed with 1974.one swap is being sorted. one is on it's way back to me. one i have already received. still deciding on how to complete them. probably not a quilt. more likely a utility piece that i use in my creative space. to represent all the sewers around the world and all the time we spend loving fabric. if you finish something with one of my blocks. please come back here and let me know.

So Far

this completes week 5 of the crazy mom quilts quilt along.the few prints i did use are light, medium, and dark. which causes the pattern not to show like it would if i picked just mediums and darks. makes it looks a bit old-fashioned and hand-made. which i like.

The Embroidery Project : Beyond Fabric & Floss

it starts next week. so i must go get my supplies.maybe you'd like to sign up too. you could do that here.
that's all i know. except the fun part.
i know it will be very funny. i mean fun.
what i mean is. Mollie is very funny. the classes will be fun.

Another What?

i know that joining a quilt along should depend on whether you have enough time. and i laugh when someone says they just can't play. because we all know they really want to. for me it just depends on whether i can pick the right fabric. without alot of information. you also have to trust what is about to happen.jelly roll sampler QAL (every two weeks getting it done).
party pinwheel QAL (made a few blocks anxious to finish the rest).
pinwheel sampler QAL (how on earth did i manage to finish that).
half pint QAL (finished top and finally found perfect backing).
wild geese QAL (making duplicates and lots and lots of geese).
star sampler QAL (can't decide what to use so may not do this one).
charming friends QAL (looking for big piece in stash just can't find it).
cheddar cheese QAL (tested my patience so any day now maybe).
crazy mom quilts QAL (decisions decisions then i picked the above).

added some more because they just don't stop:
charm pack quilt along (thinking about it).

Peace Man

when you ask little girls to pick out whatever they want. you really need to mean it.so here it is. the quality of the fabric is a bit yucky for me. they love it. me not so much. ☮. peace man. ☮.

Love A Good Cloth

Theresa Gaffey design #11.
one skein Louet Euroflax Sport Weight Linen.
two linen washcloths. French Blue.

XXXI thru XXXIV or.... XVI thru XX

please visit other participants listed here.Lockwood visits Heathcliff to say he won't be staying. a courteous visit that ends with a walk to the door. fast-much-forward Lockwood comes back to settle his bill. arriving unannounced finds Nelly no longer at the Grange. so he skips over to the Heights. Nelly replaced the gotta-go-Zilah. that's when we and Lockwood find out that Heathcliff is dead. and so Nelly continues with her story. which starts while Heathcliff is still alive. he prefers to be alone. won't eat. won't sleep. refusing to see Kenneth. the doctor. breathing heavy. wants to write his will. concerned about his burial. seems like he knows death is near. and it is. a bond eventually forms between Catherine and Hareton. and soon Nelly will get her wish to live happily ever after. with Catherine and Hareton of course.

thank you Jill for hosting. i'm doing the happy-dance and overjoyed to claim the accomplishment. no more re-reading for me. this is not-my-thing like it is for Jill and her friends. but i plan to join her next adventure. starting July 10th is The Brothers Karamazov. even if you don't want to read this. i encourage you to read a book on your-some-day-list.

Country Gatherings

XXVIII thru XXX or.... XIV thru XVI

please visit other participants listed here.that darn Emily just wants us to quickly run behind her while she randomly tells us some things and not others. listen to me complain. have you ever heard me tell a story. the kids got married. were forced to get married. no details whatsoever. no need. first her daddy dies. and then her husband dies. very quickly property goes from father to daughter to daughter's husband to father-in-law. and Nelly who always had it together is no longer in control. makes you wonder why she felt like telling this story in the first place. lately my be-quiet-and-just-re-read-it has proved most difficult. tomorrow is our last day. summing up the last four chapters. so a bit more of that-re-reading will take place today.

Pickles and Ice Cream

Staci was beautiful. the food was delicious. the gifts were very generous. and the invitations and party favors made by Tanya were adorable.of course we finished our Dream Catcher Baby Blanket and Hat. that's Nora in the front. and the knitters are Linda, Me, Anna, Tanya and Jessica(not in pic).Staci and Vito.Linda and Nora.Vito with Jerry and Tanya.

Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt Along

these are blocks 7 and 8. and that is a very cute jelly roll i won in the block 6 drawing. thank you Konda.all of the details can be found on Moose on the Porch Quilts. each block is made by a different designer. every two weeks. check the Flickr pool. or my Flickr set.

next 8 rows knit by me.

after this i gave to Anna. when she was younger at the end of every day in Italy the women used to gather together and just knit. they probably did other crafty stuff. but she was always with them and watching them doing their thing. everytime i visit she has another beautiful-well-worn-tablecloth-from-the-old-country. i love all of them. but i also just want to cut them up and make a giant-patchwork-table-dressing.

then she gave to Tanya. this is Anna's daughter. who just had a baby. well i think he's five months old. Tanya hasn't knitted since being little when her grandmother taught her. but she agreed to do this project and has literally caught the knitting bug. her next project is practically on the needles. but there's a baby shower next weekend. so patience is being tested right now.

then i managed to take a week to get to the three-needle-bind-off. but now it goes back to Linda to make the pom-poms. why Linda. well i must have watched her make hundreds of them using cardboard circles. can you believe ump-teen-many-years-later she asked me for a pom-pom-maker! geeesh! so everything is on schedule. next time this week it will be all-wrapped-up-and-ready-to-give! and oooh-oooh. i bought the cutest card. show ya later.

Jelly Roll Classic Sampler BOM

turns out i made cream petals in a circle. meant for them to be green. i guess i was concentrating on turning that ric-rac fabric into a diamond. not about to change anything now. here's Block 4.this is the Jelly Roll Classic Sampler BOM from The Quilt Room. the pdf files are no longer available from the website. but the pattern has been published in their new book. Jelly Roll Sampler Quilts.

XXV thru XXVII or.... XI thru XIII

please visit other participants listed here.the health of Heathcliff is unknown. but Edgar continues to be sick. they both want the children to eventually marry. but keep them apart. Cathy is finally allowed to visit Linton half-way and with Nelly. but on a return visit are tricked into the house. i didn't understand the scuffle. Heathcliff slapping Cathy. and pushing Nelly. but Linton is afraid of his father who wants them to marry soon. like in the morning. and despite Cathy promising to marry if she is allowed to return home. Heathcliff keeps both Cathy and Nelly from leaving. in an upstairs room with a lock on it. for several days.