Leap Year!

Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo,
we'll just leap over this day.
See you in March!

More Ways To Be Creative!!!!

Okay, I must admit, I want to be creative!  Yes, I've written about it--I think about it--I gather supplies to be creative--and then..........................nothing!
I've been reading "Art Before Breakfast".  The first day of lessons began on a Monday and I was reading it on Wednesday---so, I must wait till a Monday to begin!  Oh, yeah, RIGHT!
Then, here comes another opportunity to be creative and I join....................
check it out--it's free!  Yes, free--workshops.  Hope to see you along the road to creativity!

Workshop 1: Sketchbook Fury - The Art Ninja's Guidebook
Instructor: Graham Smith
Start Date: March 7, 2016

Workshop 2: The Mind of Watercolor
Instructor: Steve Mitchell
Start Date: May 6, 2016

Workshop 3: Colorful Creations with Markers
Instructor: Will Terrell
Start Date: September 5, 2016

Learn techniques from experienced artists through online videos and downloadable instructions. Get inspired by other students in our virtual classroom. Keep motivated with ideas and tips from your instructors. Share all the fun on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter using #StrathmoreWorkshops

2015 Bonnie Mystery Tag Along

I'm tagging along on this mystery--printed off the clues as they appeared on Bonnie Hunter's website

in November.  I did some of the clues right off and others just had to wait

This clue is several steps combined and I'm finally ready to assemble

the block

I like the looks of this block very much--I'm using an assembly line to work.

Sew a few together and then you can sew the whole block

and these wait till I finish with the top block.  Funny thing, see those 1/2 quarter triangle squares?

That was the first thing I made way back when--295 of them!  Well, when it came time to

put this block together, I saw that the clue read "take your 1/2 quarter squares and sew together"

and I thought "Oh, no--I have to make 1/2 square triangle blocks!"

Once, I calmed down--I remembered I'd already made those blocks!

Whew!  My mind isn't what it used to be when I was 30...............

Just A Few Scraps..............................

Yes!  All from my scrap bin of fabrics.  I promised myself I wouldn't buy any fabric,

cut from any fabric--just use the scraps from the messy scrap bin.

Some folks are great at keeping their scraps in order--strips in one pile, 2" pieces

in another pile, 2.5" here, and so on and so on..

but...........

for me, it's all in the big bin and then I have to dig and dig

throw them on the floor, sort, press and I do it every time I

want something from the scrap bin!  

Oh, well, I see lots of interesting pieces when I do it this way!

This "oddment" top came from Facebook group, led by 

Gyleen X. Fitzgerald of Colourful Stitches, LLC.

The group is called Bricks, Cobblestones and Pebbles--an interesting way to build a quilt.

Jack of Hearts KAL

Ahhhh, a mystery!  I love mysteries, as everyone knows and this one also parallels one of my favorite cozy cable series--When Calls The Heart--such a nice show to watch while sewing or baking.  I'm in on this one--I think I can knit while watching--

When Calls the Heart MKAL 2016 hosted by the Alaskan Yarn Co.

Does your heart swoon over Jack & Elizabeth’s romance on When Calls the Heart, like we do? Will Lee and Rosemary get serious this season? What does the future hold for Pastor Hogan?

So much could unfold in Season 3! How much more fun would it be to watch, and knit with a bunch of hearties in a mystery knit-along!

Don’t wait! Purchase your kit here: Jack of Hearts MKAL Kit

Find all the details for the Free MKAL at www.knittystash.com and join our When Calls the Heart MKAL Ravelry group! WCTH

The final complete pattern will be unveiled and available for purchase at the end of Season 3!

For more information, see: Knitty Stash

Combination Knitting

Combination knitting?  Is there such a thing?  Why, Yes, most definitely!  Sometimes, I think I'm in my own little world and not many times do I venture outside my knitting 'comfort' zone.  The other day, at our spinner's meeting (we weren't spinning, by the way!) we were discussing knitting stitches and techniques.  Several of the gals were knitting on their current projects--I had none--what a great time to sit and listen, ask questions and broaden my knitting world!

I made many notes--then I took the time to look up all these techniques:  Russian:

How About Portuguese knitting?

I found the absolute best discussion of various methods of knitting on

The Dude Who Knits blog.

My spinning meeting turned into a very productive knitting meeting!

and I learned something new and different!

See, you can teach an old dog new tricks!

Points of View QAL

Just Quiltin' 

has a great quilt along!

check it out.

I'm thinking--another great quilt from the stash!

Genius Hacks For Quilters

Hacks for Quilters?!  I'm all in!

Such great suggestions from experts, how 

could you go wrong?

check it out.............I like the idea of glue on binding,

and the Magic 8 to make half-square triangles!

Anything to make our work easier and quicker!

Spin, Span, Spun!

I'm totally having a super time with this fiber.

Where has it been all these days?

I recently cleaned up my fiber closet and it's strange

the interesting things you find hiding in the 

nooks and crannies....

like this fiber!

It's a fleece I bought--who knows how many years ago--

and dyed it in the grease, as I do most of my hot off

the hoof wools.

Why I hadn't spun it before is beyond me--

such a lovely fiber; soft, pleasing to spin

and I absolutely love the colors that the dyes

gave it.

Such a multitude of colors all in one fleece

Does it not look--spinable?

trust me, it's spinning up nicely.

On the other hand, I have this luscious bombyx silk that I purchased

sometime ago from Rivers Edge Fiber Arts

I'm loving this fiber too!  I spin some silk; I spin some wool.

And I'm in a happy place!

Do You Love Color?!!

Are you obsessed with color as much as I am?!

This article popped up and I laughed.............

oh my gosh,

this is so ME!

I

This is so true--

and these photos on this website are

so --well--colorful!

I am so excited to get new colored pencils, crayons or pens.

As I said in a previous post, we are remodeling the house--

that is so much fun (!) and making decisions

about paint color--oh MY Gosh!

How do I decide?  I've gathered so many paint chips and paint books--

it's exciting to see all these colors

maybe, I think I'm totally obsessed with color!!

BLOOM!

It's beginning to look like Spring!

And there will be

Blooms!

So, I was delighted to find this interesting QAL

sponsored by Lori Holt, with  Riley Blake Designs

I decided to order Lori's simple shapes for applique.  She has great tutorials

on her website for each block.  Let's get to planting those fabrics to 

BLOOM!

Creativity----But, I'm Busy!

• Read:  Art Before Breakfast by Danny Gregory
• Begin Working Art Projects via Daisy Yellow Art collection
• Stop Procrastinating! 
• Get away from distractions (aka do creative things when away from home).
• Commit to a ‘project’
• Do the smallest thing. 
• Schedule some creative down time with friends. 
• Make time for workshops or retreats.  
• Thanks Jade Herriman for the motivation!

Okay, here I go--I'm leaping right into creativity!! 

Cabin Crochet--Inland Waterways

About 20 years ago, as I was attending Houston International Quilt Festival, I spotted a note pinned to the lobby bulletin board.  It said, "Wanted:  Pen Pal"  The address was England.  I left the note

on the board for the whole weekend.  When I came back on the last day of the festival, the note was still pinned--so, I took it down to bring home.

Thus, began several years of letter writing with a stranger in a far off land.

What is a Pen Pal, you say?

in these days of instant gratification and instant messaging, the art of letter writing has gone by the way side.  But, 20 years ago, it was a good thing to do and I loved writing letters.

It only cost a few cents to mail a letter, but a world of friendship developed.

we exchanged information about our family and friends,

about our surrounding area, our daily activities became writing material.

We also exchanged small gifts about fiber techniques

and these two booklets were ones that Joan sent me. 

We both had a love of crochet and knitting, as well as quilting. 

I found these books fascinating!  What lovely ways to decorate your

boat--a single hook and some thread gave the windows a homey

look and feel.

Crochet lace was introduced to British women in mid-19th century.  The boat women took a copy of

netted and darned lace, filet, as one of their styles of decorating their boats.  The true Filet lace consists of hand knotted net; taking this work into Filet Crochet, which allowed any design, floral, pictorial, letters, etc, to be worked with a hook and thread.

Here is a photo of one of the canal boats--alas, Joan couldn't find any photos of the crochet work

that fancied the windows.  She did find the two booklets though.

Over the years, we slowly drifted apart, much like the boats on the canals.  

I re-read her letters and fancy she's enjoying another walk along the canal; 

or she's stitching another jumper for maybe a great grand baby.

I miss my pen pal--today, it would be so easy to chat with her

through the internet, but there is nothing like opening a hand written letter.

A Day Well Spent

It was a well spent day!  with fellow ex-patchers; take some needles, fabrics,

a few quilts, some giggles, some belly laughs, a lot of hugs

and good conversation!

And you have just about the most perfect day there is!

Annette was picking up her freshly quilted top from Judy M

Soft steely grays in nine patch blocks

made for a wedding gift

So Annette--isn't it interesting how we lean to more colorways than others?

and a super backing--it also helps that Annette works at a quilt shop!

Judy M was working on these blocks

for this quilt top

a donation quilt for a friend-such soft muted colors

and wonderful quilting by Judy M

Always love seeing what Judy M has on her studio walls.

and displayed on her quilt racks

Linda has finished her 2015 Pat Sloan mystery quilt top--

she ad libbed for the borders.  She has that choice--after all 

it is her quilt. 

Annette was working on this shop sample--Darth Vader and

Star War fabrics

Sandy came in with a finished top--quilted and backed with flannel

All for her hubby--

Perfect baby gifts for our newest additions to the grandmother ranking

Sandy used some of her fancy machine stitching to give this bib some highlights!

and me, I was working on the binding of this orphan quilt.

Finished--what an accomplishment!

Friends, Fun, Stitching--what a way to spend the day!

I'm Zen~~~~~Tangling!

I'm ready!  I've been waiting for this day for some time--

I've had the book

and do some reading, but never took the time to jump right in!

Well, this is the day...................

Our weavers' study group had a class on Zentangle~~ing

We start with two steps--crescent moon (right) and hollibaugh tangle on the bottom

Next comes Tortuca on the top left and Knight's Bridge on bottom left.

I still have a space to fill BUT the class ended.

We put our tiles out for photos--everyone is different

Close-up--okay, I'm zen-ed out! Relaxed...................

I Heart This Day!

Valentine's Day is celebrated on February 14. It is a festival of romantic love and many people give cards, letters, flowers or presents to their spouse or partner. They may also arrange a romantic meal in a restaurant or night in a hotel. Common symbols of Valentine's Day are hearts, red roses and Cupid.

I

Roses!

I

Chocolate

Hope you have a good day!  And Receive what your

Desires!