Saturday, April 30, 2011

Another Finish

Here's another finish !
When our Fancy threads Art Quilt group meets at the library
I find the chairs there are too low for me to have a comfortable fit 
since my machine sits atop the table.
I am soooooo short to reach -
my chin just about reaches the table top.
Well, maybe not that bad, but it is not a great height to use my machine.

I was browsing The Internet when I came upon a great idea! ! !
It's an Amy Bradley design on Sew WE Quilt

The very thing I need ! ! ! 
SEW I downloaded the pattern
found stash fabric
and I began to sew.


It's a Tush Cush ! ! ! !


It's easy to tote and now I'll be able to sit at a comfortable height - - - oh,
wait - - - -
mid-way though sewing this baby it was decided to gift this to
a friend of
Daughter Debbie's and mine.
We'll be seeing her at the next Thimbleberries Club meeting.
SEW it's back to The Stash for makings of another
Tush Cush.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Now to keep the orange thing going  .  .  .  . 

Last Tuesday evening at our monthly Knit Nite get-together
I was gifted these gorgeous dishcloths
by a very generous gal.

Didn't she do a great job on these!



Aren't these just too fun.
Makes washing dishes joyful.



Hugs

♥ * ♥ * ♥

Monday, April 25, 2011

Kaleidoscope Pattern - now Sunkissed

Same Kaleidoscope pattern by Malka
this time made with
Moda Sunkissed I won from Cyndi's recent giveaway.

I used the pinks from the FQs  
and added some Bright Pink Kona Cotton





For the back, I used yet another fabric from my stash.


This time spiral quilting was a little easier.
Was able to keep my mind on the task and
hardly wavered.

That does not mean that these are great circles.
If subjected to close inspection you see that these are not circles -
but merely wandering lines going 'round and 'round and 'round.

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

dizzy hugs
♥ ♥ ♥

Thursday, April 21, 2011

I am Celebrating ! ! !

I am so happy that I have the proof to show you.

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Pointelle is a done deal ! ! ! 

Need proof, do ya?

Well, here they are in their Goldenrod Glory







The first day this pattern was cast on using another yarn
was January first of this year.
The second time this pair was cast on with the Goldenrod
was ~ the tenth of January.

Finished the toe decrease and
finished off with the Kitchener Stitch to close the toe
last night.

These Goldenrod Pointelle have taken me
109 days to get them right.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Now to continue with 
6-on-a-40"-circular


hugs



Monday, April 18, 2011

Kaleidoscope Table Topper

You've read all the hoop-la going 'round blogland.  
WHY NOT SEW?  is handing us opportunity of win some of Denyse Schmidt's fabric.
  
It's a Charm Pack that'll go pretty good in my new re-stashing program! ! !  
So, I think I should warn you I just may win this one! ! !    
But go ahead take a peek at WHY NOT SEW?

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~   ~

Laundered the Kaleidoscope Table Topper


The reverse really shows the quilting
good thing I used Teal colored thread
so now I can use either side.


Look how rippled it is, isn't this the most fun!


#  * # *  # * #

Here's what Deb and I accomplished on our Sew Day.
Used up ALL OUR GO! CUT 6.5" TUMBLERs ! ! ! 
There were only two tumbler pieces remaining when we finished the afternoon.
Those we tossed ala Eleanor Burns.


These two are awaiting to be sandwiched, then free-motion? quilted.  
These will be gifted to some one  .  .  .  .  
Two more runners/toppers need borders then we worry about quilting.

All-in-all we ended up with four table toppers, not too bad for an afternoon's fun. 

MWMWMWMWMWMWM 

I'm enjoying the eMags from Interweave 
that I've download onto my NookColor.  
I was able to purchase a 75 minute demo by Lyric Kinard on surface embellishment for a dime
and a 45 minute demo on dyeing by Malka Dubrawski for another dime.  
That's two hours of demos for twenty cents.  Best bargain I've gotten in ages.
Lots of inspiration! ! ! ! 

Hugs


Thursday, April 14, 2011

'round & 'round I go


I went 'round this topper at least a thousands turns,
or so it seems.
Used almost two bobbins worth of thread.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Here it is squared 
and now ready to cut the binding
looks like it'll give it a little zing


I used a bobbin thread close to the color of the binding.

# # # # # # 

Last night those pesky GOLDENROD sox had my attention long enough to add a couple more row.
Those in addition to the row I finished the night before there is definite progress - that can be seen.
Okay, I post a photo next time.


HUGS



Sunday, April 10, 2011

Kaleidoscope Table Topper - - - - - so far

This topper is fun ! ! ! ! 
Sure happy that I decided to go along with Malka's tutorial
and
to buy the kit from MarmaladeFabrics.


We all know that the cut pieces on the design wall look bigger 
than what all these pieces look like when they're sewn together.
Here's a pic of my topper in just the beginning stages of construction.


The corner pieces at the bottom are a bit wider than
the partially sewn top sections.

It always amazes me how much of a size difference there is
between the original layout on my design wall 
and the final project.

Hey, the top is finished and ready for batt and quilting ! ! ! !


I tried my darnedest to keep the centers of each kaleidoscope as much on point as possible.





I'm happy with them
. . . . . . it's a table topper, after all.


Here's the very center.



And, I know we all want to see the back side
of a piece
so - - - - - - - -  


Malka suggested that the pinwheel sections be pressed in one direction.
The bulk at the very centers is very manageable and lays flat.

I continued using this construction method when sewing the sections together and find that the centers will be really flat when I sit down to quilt this baby.

I'm so pleased with this table topper project! ! ! 

#  #  #  #  #  #

We've all been asking,
 "When is Spring coming?  We're tired of this cold weather."
Well, it's here in mid-MO.  
Yesterday temp was 90+ degrees F ! ! ! ! ! 
Today it's a bit milder - - -  at 80+ ! ! ! 

Boy, oh, boy, I don't want to have to turn on the AC.



HUGS 
♥♥♥

Do you all sign up for Malka's and MarmaladeFabric's 
wonderful giveaway?
I think there's still time.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Things in Three's

Three things I've been working on.


 Malka blogged Friday on her blog, a stitch in dye, that she was going to share her tutorial for her great looking table topper.
I jumped at the chance especially when she told us that 
was going to bundle the topper's fabrics.
Friday afternoon I ordered my Kaleidoscope Bundle and, eegads, they arrived Tuesday afternoon.

I've begun cutting my triangles this afternoon.

These are the fabrics we're going to use.



Kinda Mod-ish don't ya think?

X O X O X O X O

Now, for the last time
my Knitted Vintage Hand Towel.
Bought a button, sewed it on, and here it is
in all it's vintage glory.
What a loverly addition!


And now for the FIRST time - - - - -
taaa-daaaa ! ! ! 
insert drum roll here



Six sox on one sixty-inch circular needle
using Merino superwash wool
and cake icing dye.

The white pair in the middle is the yarn's original state,

I L♥VE the Green

The White is sooo sexy

The Pink, oh, the Pink makes my sing ! ! ! 

That is six sox, THREE PAIR AT ONE TIME ! ! ! ! 

♥*♥*♥*♥*♥
Hugs



Monday, April 4, 2011

Updates to yesterday's post

The edge around yesterday's D4P border left much to be desired
if a satin stitch was the intent.
As I mentioned, my Viking Lily 555 has a dedicated Satin Stitch.
My Bernina 440 does not.

However, after consulting a not very clear or concise Bernina Instruction Book
I was able to do this lovely Satin Stitch this morning by shortening the length of the zig-zag stitch.

Here's my first attempt at Satin Stitch with my 440.


The design of these letters is taken from an
Amy Bradley design.
I cut the letters out last night and
Satin Stitched this far this morning before we went out for lunch.

I'll finish the last couple in a bit.

@ $ @ $ @ $ @ $ @ $ @ $ @ 

I noticed yesterday after I posted that the color on the front side of the D4P was off,
but let it pass.
however, some one [you know who you are] mentioned the color.
So here it is as it should have been posted yesterday.


I hope this appears closer to the original color.
However, the zig-zagged edges still aren't satin stitch.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After yesterday afternoon's high temp of 93 degrees F
the difference between it and
today's temp of 42 degrees F 
is over FIFTY DEGREES.
Every one I encountered while out and about today
were commenting 
" - - - it's sooooo cold ! - - - -"

Spring is still out there some where, but where ??????

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Hugs


Sunday, April 3, 2011

Knitting & Quilting

Knitting has been occupying more of my time than most anything else.
Had some Fiesta 
Baby Boom
in Sedona
100% extrafine super wash merino wool

I think the Sedona browns are a great pick for Hubby's next pair 
of 'justed ribbed' sox.
Toe-up for a change
[yes, I know the Goldenrod Pointells are still in a time out!]



# # # # # # # # # # # # #

Last time DD#2 and I had one of our Sew Days we fooled around with a disappearing 4-patch.
Rather than listen to her suggestion, I cut the 4-patches.
Once they were sewn together, I saw what DD#2 meant.
Sew lesson learned.

Kept it for a practice sample
so I did some free-motion stitching and stitched up this
?table topper?


As you can see it is a very modified disappearing 4p.
Found the blue floral for the border and went to town.
Lots of fun, thread, time . . . . 


Here's the reverse side.

Ran a 'satin stitch' around the edge.
This satin stitch is not like any I ever made using my Viking Lily 550
that now resides at DD#2's.
I suppose I could have shortened the length so that I would not have had to go 'round twice.

It filled my afternoon with entertainment. 
And now I have something to pass along.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Here we go again.
Have downloaded two audio books from our local library.
I've read Richard North Patterson  



And I've read Jeffery Deaver, Lisa Scottoline,
Linda Barns and Lee Child.

I downloaded them based only on the fact there were few audiobooks available to download
and I have read these authors and like their work.
Not certain what the stories are, at all.

We are just finishing listening to
this Steve Martin novel.

Lots of art world in this one.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The temp is in the low 80's today
lots of wind
with the forecast of T-storms this evening through tomorrow morning.
By sunrise the temp is supposed to be near freezing.
Oops, in come the Amaryllis - - - - again.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Hugs


Yikes ! ! ! ! ! 
Just checked our local temp on my computer desktop ! ! ! 
It's four-fifteen p.m. and the temp is 
91 degrees F ! ! ! !