shouldn't have, but did!

Thinking I would just take a "peek" at new patterns upcoming--look

what I found!  A free sock pattern!  And it's a mystery!!

Mystery solid sock pattern by  Michelle Leanne Martin

Four clues will be released weekly starting on October 1, 2017. Subsequent release dates are Oct 8, 15 and 22. Distraction is a cuff-down design with charts, in five size choices.

AND 

 this lovely lacey cowl!  This is called Amphora from Skeinwalker Knits

You can find both of these patterns on Ravelry!

I have the perfect yarn for this knit!  I'll alternate this handspun

silk/wool blend.

AND

Melissa Kemmerer has designed this Faded Leftover Hat!

I loved the Fade shawl pattern but didn't buy it (YET!)  So

tempted!  But, love this hat!  Reminds me of the Gap hats I

made couple years ago--the ones I just couldn't stop making.  Wonder

if this will be the same way..........

You can find these wonderful patterns on Ravelry-of course!

My Knitting MoJo is definitely Back! 

Knitting Mojo Is Back...................

I got up this morning and said to myself, "Self, you're going to knit today! 

Get out your needles, pattern, thread and begin!"  Besides, it will be a distraction

from your poor Bernina in sewing machine hospital.

Self--did just that!  Good thing I listened to myself and I'm enjoying

the knit on this pattern--And I'm using stash yarn--hurrah for me!

I also downloaded that great free pattern from Shetland Wool Week.

I know exactly what yarn I'm going to use.

I started to knit on my Estonian year long project--alas, I

ran out of my handspun so it was necessary to pull out the

wheel and spin up the remainder of the batt--well, that

took a day--just hope, this will finish up the year and the scarf

I was behind with August--finished!!

And we move onto September!  I love, love knitting this!

Peaceful knitting, until................I come up with one less or 

more stitches--------arg!  It's the nature of the beast!

Happy treadling and stitching!

FREE Sewing Machine--Disaster Relief!!

Scott Fortunoff, the president of The Blank Quilting Corp. and Studio E Fabrics is giving away FREE Sewing Machines. http://bit.ly/SE-Free

If YOU suffered a loss during one of the recent disasters, please give this a 

look HERE

And Please fill out the paperwork completely--it will speed up the

process for you to have a sewing machine replacement!

Shetland Week--Wish I Was There!

Do you read blogs?  I love to read many different blogs--it's like a walk through the 

internet and a visit with virtual friends.  Just finished Mason Dixon Knitting blog

and they are talking about one of my favorite Netflix shows--Shetland! and 

Shetland Wool Week--If I could I'd be there!

The scenery is absolutely fab-U-lous! and the knitwear is outstanding!

Every year, Scotland hosts Shetland Wool Week and a knitting (free)

pattern is released so we can at least feel like we are there! 

And Oh My Gosh! The photos!  and do you Instagram?  

Just take a look at all those lovely caps that have been completed!

All this knitting is making my fingers itch.............

And Then It Happened!

If you are a sewer, I hope this never happens to you!  I'm sewing along--having a merry good time!

I was working on my "orphan" block top--one that would be great for kids!

I found many of my swapped blocks from a former applique group

and this is looking good!  I'm sewing on the border--

And then the sewing machine locked UP!  Locked Up I say!  Never in my days have I had this problem before!  The machine would not budge--not move--my heart sunk!  I wanted to have these tops ready for Tuesday's quilters gathering.........................................What to do?  Besides cry!

I called blond headed daughter and luckily, she was working from home--"I'm desperate!  Can I borrow your machine?"  Of course, she says--come pick it up--well, that entails a 20 minute drive--there and back, okay, I'm off to get her machine!

While driving, I'm thinking I've got to find a Bernia service dealer--there isn't one--bummer!  The one  dealer nearby closed shop while back.  So, I take the machine the next day to a sewing machine service company that will look at the machine--in 7 weeks!  What 7 (SEVEN) weeks!  and they can't replace any Bernina parts if broken!

I'm not letting this stop me from sewing--I do have a useful machine--I rummage in my fabric stash for border fabric and look what I found!  This adorable panel!  Well, that gave me some joy and happiness!

Isn't this the cutest panel!  Don't know why I had it, but it would be perfect

for a baby quilt.  Add some borders and it's finished!

I'm auditioning borders for this top--just can't get what I want to do with

this one.  I like the blue with the red fabric but just not sure--it needs

something else................

I pull out another print to audition but it doesn't do it either. 

I found the cutest flannel fabric and am making baby blankets--

in the evening I do the buttonhole stitch around the sides

Okay-back to my poor Bernina--I learned there was a NEW Bernina shop

that opened just down the road--wonders never cease--why didn't I know about

this place before!  Anyway, I picked up my machine from the other service shop

and took it to this new Bernina shop--Three weeks Yes!  3 weeks is their

service deadline--Oh! JOY!

But, I'm still sewing.............

It's Leftovers--Again!

We're heading out from out Hill Country house to spend time in the BIG

city--so, it's time to clean out the refrigerator--don't want to leave anything to

spoil--so, I found a yellow bell pepper, some shallots, hatch green chili cheese,

yogurt, broccoli and eggs!!  My go to easy peazy quiche-without crust!

Chop up pepper and shallots--blanch the broccoli, chop into smaller pieces,

beat eggs with yogurt, add cheese and all the veggies, pour into

greased baking dish--bake at 350* for 25-30 minutes

and

You have this!  a delicious breakfast or dinner dish.  I

wrapped the dish up and placed into the freezer for later meals.

Guess what?  the house even smells good with all the

aromas...........

happy leftovers!  

Sew Caring Fundraiser

Here is another way you can help with Hurricane relief

I love this quilt!  And have bought the pattern!  

Laundry Basket Quilts is proud to announce our Sew Caring Fundraiser.  From now until October 15th we pledge that every “Made in USA” pattern that we sell $5.00 of our proceeds will go towards helping with the recovery from this devastating storm.  The price of the pattern is $6.   If you want to make just one block, send it before October 1st and it will be combined into a quilt.  

Click on the link to purchase the pattern.

 Thank you for helping us make a difference.

Sewing For Kids

With many losing all their possessions, I feel I can do this--sew!

Sew like crazy!  I found several fabrics that were already precut--

I had these 5" squares from a previous friendship quilt

also found some half square triangles--what luck!

Later I'll add more 'orphan' blocks around the outside

These western theme fabrics were fun to use in a previous

top, but for kids, I know they'll enjoy all the cows and other

items to be found

This was also 'orphan' blocks--but once I took this photo

I noticed that I need to take off the bottom hour glass

and sew it to the top

I'll add larger borders to make this a nice size quilt for

an older child

This was more of the orphan 5" squares that I

sew into 9 patch and then did a disappearing nine

patch top--but I cut each nine patch into fourths

and reassembled into blocks--again, I'll add

a border.

I had plenty of the construction truck fabric

I like using bright yellow and blue colors to perk up the top

at first thought, I'd just add two borders, but

after taking photo, I didn't like the look

so

I added the other two borders and will make the

binding in blue

When you have lots of kid prints, what do you do?

Cut them into 5" squares and make this top--

ran out of the one fabric on the last row so

placed a yellow--don't like it!!  Will search

the stash to see if there is another fabric that

will blend in

Such fun fabrics!

I'm sewing, sewing, sewing--

now, to quilt.

Attention!! Quilters! Pay It Forward!!

Imagine if ALL your stash were lost, your UFOs, your quilts....not life threatening of course, but devastating to a quilter nonetheless.  nobody is going to check up on you or make you report back, this is entirely voluntary and for you to act as your heart prompts.  many of us, even with personal daily struggles and challenges, are blessed beyond measure...i know i am...even just recently with that astounding gift of aurifil thread.  happy to pay it forward....

THIS IS THE MESSAGE THAT WAS POSTED IN RESPONSE TO QUERY Of HELP! 

The storage unit with about 40 full sized disaster quilts, 80+ Nursing home quilts, 60+ Linus Quilts, Christmas Stockings, a new roll of batting, about 40 Preemie quilts, and untold yards of fabric, cutting boards, shelving,, and so on were lost due to flooding from Hurricane Harvey.  
One of my best friends (Nita Beard - chairman of West Houston Quilt Guild (WHQG) Comfort Quilts is just devastated. They had over 4 feet of water in the storage unit where we store this stuff... The Storage place said it is a total loss as it has been underwater for over a week, and is too toxic to even come and look at, and is still underwater (at least 2 feet) as long as the Addicks reservoir is still releasing water.

Of course all Nita's Bee members have donated a bunch of fabric. but, this was a storage unit 10 x 20 foot FULL of fabric. 

Last week, I asked for jelly rolls for Tri-County Quilt guild. They had OVERWHELMING success. Standing room only, making jelly roll quilts.

This is for West Houston Quilters Guild. Our meeting location (Bear Creek and in the the middle of the Addicks Reservoir) is under several feet of water. Closed until further notice. The storage unit is in the midst of this.

The Comfort Quilters will begin again. We are starting from scratch. Nita had about 40 kits in her car,, and that is what we have to start with.

We have some Hobbs UPC codes to try to get some batting again.

****We could use:
--Hobbs UPC codes - ANY Hobbs product.
--Yardage to get us started again.
--Quilt tops
--Finished quilts

Just devastated at what we lost, to help others.... Very discouraged. Nita with her positive attitude says that all will be well, and that God will take care.

***Any donations can be sent to me or I can give you Nita's address.

Betty Baker 
Attn: WHQG Disaster
17412 Bobcat Trail
Cypress TX 77429

We will start over..

Healing Hands = Healing Hearts

As a quilter, I want to make quilts for those in need. and this is a perfect

opportunity to assist.  This will keep my hands busy and know that

I'm doing a small part in the healing process for many.

Fat Quarter Shop is offering this lovely quilt pattern to aid in the

disaster that is Harvey.  This PDF pattern retails for $9, and every cent will go to the JJ Watt Foundation Houston Flood Relief Fund.  It will be available until October 31.  Fat Quarter Shop will also be auctioning off a quilt sample made from this pattern starting on Tuesday (today), and those proceeds will go to the Rebuild Texas Fund.

  
You can purchase the Healing Hearts for Harvey PDF here.  

In The Midst of Chaos.........................

In the midst of Hurricane Harvey and Irma,  I've tried to keep my hands and

mind occupied with various things.  And today I don't even want to think about the date........

September 11--2001.  Memories roll back into your mind--and we shall never forget!

I found this in my stash pile--a magazine with fabric--yes,

I know where I bought it--Paducah, KY--the one time I went to

the quilt show there!  absolutely, a fun time!  and I bought so many fabrics

at such great prices!  This is certainly aged--from 2008! 

This bundle was a special price so I picked it up--thinking, I'm not really found

of poinsettias but maybe someone would like it.

So here is the book with pattern and all the fabric to go with it--

I'm set.  Open book, find pattern, read and begin

Looking at the photo, I thought maybe all those lovely 12 blocks

with poinsettias were appliqued--by hand--but once I finally

read the notes--nope, it's machine applique--whew! relief!

Then, it's trace all the patterns onto fusible, cut and press 

I usually cut out the big areas in order to have a less stiff

application--these little cut outs got somewhat 'squirrely' 

when I was trying to lay them out to press--

but, all 24 were accomplished--thats' 12 in red and 12 in pink.

There is more cutting--I can do that when I'm listening to a book or

watching a sappy movie--look rather elegant once laid out.

Now, just press on background fabric and begin hem stitching--

soon we'll have a completed quilt!

Aprons--Ties That Bind!

Aprons is the topic for today--why?  Because there is an apron challenge

at Pat Sloan's website in conjunction with the Grandma's Kitchen 

Sew Along.  Last week the block was Grandma's apron--mine is above--

Now, here is the question--do you wear an apron?  Did your Grandma

wear an apron?  Anyone in your family wear an apron?

Several months ago, I wrote about an art apron exhibit that was presented at

International Quilt Festival in Houston--It was called Cyber Fiber-art Aprons.

Here is that blog post, if you're interested.

anyway, back to aprons topic.

This popped up in the Pat Sloan group--aprons a way of life--

I have this pattern in my collection--don't think I ever made the apron though!

And the dainty apron that looks high fashion--

oh, to wear an apron and look this good while cooking!

I Should Be Knitting........................But

Yeah, I should be knitting--fall is just around the corner and then comes those cold breezy days of winter---BRRR!  I'll need a shawl, a sweater, some gloves, a hat, a scarf--.......But, I'm sitting here typing on this blog!  Go figure!  I can rationalize that my fingers are doing something useful--instead of washing dishes, folding clothes from the laundry, ironing those few shirts that need touching up--no, I'm just sitting here, pondering what the day will bring........oh, hmm!  There is dinner to think about--no, not now--or maybe, think about that long list of errands that need to be done--nope, not now!  I'm just sitting here!

Do I need a pick me upper?  Some new vitamins to pep me up?  Maybe, a cup of coffee--nope, that won't work, I'm caffeine free--I'm just sitting here......................................where has my motivation gone?  I should be knitting.......................................................................................but, I just can not decide which pattern to begin first.........................

This lovely easy diagonal float stitch pattern. Only knitted and slipped stitches makes smooth curves. Kaarre hat by Maria Kostamovaara

OR

Multnomah pattern by Kate Ray,  garter stitch body and a lovely feather and fan edge

OR

 By Jenny F--three color cowl

OR

Bowerbird by Cath Ward

This crescent shawl knits up quickly in a delicious 4ply heavy silk lace yarn and includes a feather motif in its border. It is knitted from the centre top down to the border in one continuous piece. The elements of the shawl are a succession of 8 stitch repeats, which flow from the top to the border of the shawl.

OR

I could go on and on--

there is a pattern for socks and fingerless gloves...........

I just don't know where to begin, so

I'm just sitting here! 

WIP

There are always WIPs--aren't there?

Those Work IN Progress are what keeps us going!

There are some WIPs that I would like to RIP (Rest in Peace!)

I get so tired of working on them--put them out of sight

and hopefully, another day they'll find the newness again 

in my eyes!

One day last week I walked into our local quilt shop--shouldn't have

done that, but I did--and I saw some wonderful wall hangings--

I was immediately hooked!

"how do I get that pattern?"  "it's only kit form" "really", said I.

I don't usually buy kits but this one was super keen looking--

Holy Smokes--this fabric was awesome!  "Sorry, we're sold out of the Spring; but,

we do have the summer.  And soon, fall will be on the market."

Well, darn it!  "I'll take the summer one and sign up for the fall"  

I can look for the spring online, I hope!

Now,, that summer is gone there is no reason to work on either the summer

or the spring one--I'll just wait for the fall kit to arrive and hope it's soon!

It is still plenty warm in September--so I'm working on my

snowmen stitchery pieces to 'think' my brain into cool temps!

Closing Out Summer.................................

How will you spend your Labor Day holiday?  To me, this is the close out to summer--the beginning of cooler (we hope) temperatures, school back in session, the last hoorah to summer, --and --FOOTBALL!  

This weekend is a chance for families to spend a lazy time together-

-we have the grandkids with us--here in Hill Country.  Our grandkids (!!) are adults so they want to attend a grape stomp--it's harvest time around these parts and there is an abundance of wineries hosting grape stomps--so, we'll stomp those grapes-- 

purple feet here we come!

We'll grill some burgers! 

have some delish fruit drinks in the shade of the patio

my drinks NEVER look like this!!

and watch some football!  

Hope you have a special summer closing celebration!

Labor Day is called the "unofficial end of summer"^[9] because it marks the end of the cultural summer season. Many take their two-week vacations during the two weeks ending Labor Day weekend. Many fall activities, such as school and sports begin about this time.

In the United States, many school districts resume classes around the Labor Day holiday weekend (see First day of school). Most begin the week before, making Labor Day weekend the first three-day weekend of the school calendar, while others return the Tuesday following Labor Day, allowing families one final getaway before the school year begins. Many districts across the Midwest are opting to begin school after Labor Day.^[10]